News

A Mount Vernon church suffered a roof collapse Monday (Feb. 2), as Northern Virginia continues to navigate the aftermath of a winter storm and historic freeze.

Fairfax County firefighters responded to St. George Tigray Orthodox Tewahdo Church on Cooper Road shortly before 5:20 p.m., and were greeted by a “roof and floor failure” of the two-story building.


Countywide
Deer in a snow-covered Vienna backyard (photo by Amy Woolsey)

No Heat at Annandale Apartments — “With outdoor temperatures in the 20s, hundreds of tenants at the Wedgewood in Annandale have been struggling to stay warm over the past two days without heat or hot water.” The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which owns the property, said water temperatures have been “partially restored,” but as of yesterday (Tuesday), repairs were still in the works for the heating system. [Annandale Today]

Redistricting Push Stalled by Infighting — “A disagreement between Democrats in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates has upended plans to redraw the state’s congressional map. Democrats in both chambers want a 10D-1R map, but they disagree on what that map looks like and blew past their self-imposed deadline last week to release a proposal.” [Punchbowl News]

Metro Honors Rosa Parks — “On Wednesday, Feb. 4, Metro is honoring civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks on her birthday by reserving a seat for her on every bus and train across the system. To commemorate the day, Metro is placing signs on trains and buses, reserving a single seat in recognition of Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus and subsequent arrest in 1955.” [WMATA]

Demand High at Shelter Amid Cold Weather — “A hot meal on a cold day is just one of many ways FACETS provides for people seeking refuge at Fairfax County’s Bailey’s Crossroads Community Shelter. This shelter typically serves 18 people in what’s known as permanent supportive housing and about 52 overnight guests. But when the snow and sleet came and temperatures plunged, dozens more came through the doors.” [NBC4]

Bill Would Allow Cell Phones in Courthouses — “Senator Saddam Salim is a Democrat from Fairfax County and is advocating for his bill that would bring courthouses into the 21st century by allowing visitors to bring cell phones … A Senate panel approved Salim’s bill on cell phones this week.” [WVTF]

Falls Church Grocery Store Opening — “A discount grocery store coming to Falls Church plans to mark its grand opening next week with money-saving festivities. Grocery Outlet Bargain Market intends to open its doors at 500 S. Washington Street at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, offering gift cards worth varying amounts to the first 100 customers.” [ARLnow]

New Vienna Police Chief Takes Office — “The Town of Vienna Police Department is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Janickey as its new Chief of Police, effective February 1st, 2026. Chief Janickey brings decades of law enforcement experience, proven leadership, and a strong commitment to officer wellness and community service to the role.” [Town of Vienna Police]

How Local Wildlife Is Handling Winter Weather — “If you’re wondering whether you should feed the wild animals you see wandering over the icy snow in your yard, the answer is no.” Fairfax County Park Authority’s natural resources branch manager, John Burke, says the desire to support wildlife is understandable, but squirrels, birds and other creatures “are well adapted to survive in the conditions that we’re experiencing now, and sometimes much colder.” [WTOP]

It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high of 33 degrees with a north wind at 9 mph. Night brings a 20% chance of snow before 10 pm, followed by mostly cloudy skies that will gradually clear up. The low temperature will be around 17 degrees. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 3, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

🌤️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect a partly sunny day with a high around 33 and a 7 to 9 mph north wind. Wednesday night brings a 20% chance of snow before 10 pm, followed by mostly cloudy skies that gradually clear up. The low will be around 15, accompanied by a northwest wind at 5 to 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


Announcement

We love fall at Art House 7 and can’t wait for you to explore all our offerings. Painting, drawing, ceramics, and sewing/crocheting are our perennials, along with less traditional mediums. Kawaii Style Drawing and Digital Art are among our new classes for kids. We offer an excellent 6-week program for high schoolers preparing their college portfolios. Want something shorter? We have 3-week classes, including linocut notecards. Love ceramics? We have a dedicated studio that comfortably accommodates wheel and hand-building classes. 

Fall 1 Session begins Tue. Sep. 8.


Around Town

Vienna Inn will celebrate its lasting power in town by commemorating its 66th anniversary in February.

The restaurant’s 66th anniversary celebration begins this week with a month-long series of events and specials to thank customers for over six decades of support.


Event

Join us on September 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time) at 12000 Government Center Pkwy for Pender’s First Annual Angel Fund 5K!

This fun community event supports the Angel Fund at Pender Veterinary Centre, which helps pet owners in Northern Virginia cover unexpected veterinary costs when finances are tight. For over 50 years, Pender Veterinary Centre has been proud to care for pets and their families, and this 5K is all about bringing everyone together to celebrate that bond.


Weather

Fairfax County Public Schools will start classes on a two-hour delay tomorrow (Wednesday), as the region continues its slow recovery from the Jan. 25 winter storm.

Like they did today (Tuesday), school and administrative offices will open on time, as will afternoon preschool and adult education classes.


News

After losing a brother who experienced homelessness, Carter G. Woodson High School student Minn Vo became aware on a personal level of how vulnerable people without shelter can be — and how often they’re overlooked by society.

That was a call to action for Vo, who founded the nonprofit Hands in Hope to organize service projects and fundraise to benefit individuals experiencing homelessness in Fairfax County.


Around Town

A New York dance company that recently nixed scheduled appearances at the Kennedy Center is coming to George Mason University’s Center for the Arts instead.

Doug Varone and Dancers will visit the Fairfax performing arts venue (4373 Mason Pond Drive) on Saturday, April 25 for a free show in the concert hall, the Center for the Arts announced today.


News

A lengthy approval process for an affordable townhouse development motivated Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read to testify in support of state legislation eliminating a key hurdle to affordable housing on church-owned properties.

State Sen. Jeremy McPike’s (D-29) Senate Bill 388 would let religious organizations develop housing on their land by right, without needing to go through a special exception, special use or conditional use permit or rezoning process that requires public hearings and votes.


News

After months of negotiations and pressure from both elected officials and community members, Dominion Energy and NOVA Parks have settled on a new path forward for managing trees near power lines along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park.

Dominion and the regional park authority, which owns and manages the 45-mile-long W&OD Trail, have reached an agreement governing vegetation management activities that, among other provisions, requires the utility to provide advanced notice of any major maintenance work and to plant native species in affected areas when possible.


Announcement

There’s something a little bit magical about picking up a foil for the first time — or drawing back a bow and watching your arrow fly true. It’s why fencing and archery have such a hold on kids and adults alike: real focus, real skill, and a thrill you don’t get from the usual sports lineup.

This fall, Nova Fencing & Archery Club in Bailey’s Crossroads is opening registration for both, with beginner classes for every age starting the week of September 12th. Fencing welcomes ages 7 to 12 and teens and adults 13 and up. Explore Archery, coached by USA Archery certified instructors, welcomes ages 8 to 12 and meets Tuesdays or Saturdays. And for our youngest fencers, ages 4 to 6, ABC’s of Fencing meets on Saturdays. All classes run eight sessions for $195, equipment provided, no experience needed — yes, even for grown-ups who’ve never held a sword or a bow before.