The Trump administration on Monday suspended leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction along the East Coast due to what it said were national security risks identified by the Pentagon.
Among the affected projects is Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, which has been under construction about 27 miles off of the Virginia Beach coast since 2023.
The number of Fairfax County residents reported as unemployed spiked 24% year-over-year in September jobs data delayed by the federal government shutdown.
A total of 621,315 county residents were counted as employed in the civilian workforce, with 20,897 reported unemployed, according to figures reported Dec. 18 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
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A new developer is getting involved in the MetroWest neighborhood near the Vienna Metro station, though it won’t affect the long-stalled town center portion of the project.
An affiliate of the Peterson Companies submitted a new plan to Fairfax County on Dec. 8 for the Oakton development’s “Building 18,” a proposed multifamily residential building with commercial uses that would include a child care facility.
A former professional football player is giving back to his hometown of Reston this Christmas.
Zac Parker, who played for the South Lakes Seahawks before graduating in 2013, has been collecting donated food, toys, clothes and other items that he plans to distribute tomorrow (Tuesday) to people in need, including kids and people experiencing homelessness.
Flowers, Fine Art & Fashion is an immersive cultural experience presented by People of The Garden LLC, where nature, creativity, and modest couture converge in a breathtaking indoor garden setting.
Guests will journey through a living landscape featuring dramatic floral installations, botanical art, and a one-of-a-kind rectangular runway designed around lush greenery and sculptural plantings. Throughout the evening, attendees will experience a curated runway presentation showcasing modest fashion designers, alongside original fine art, artisan vendors, and interactive floral experiences.
A business hoping to offer the feel of a traditional golf course inside a Merrifield storefront is hoping to open next year.
NextVision Golf Club, which will offer indoor golf simulators, coaching, a cafe and more, anticipates a “late spring 2026 opening,” owner Sean Oh told FFXnow.
A familiar Republican face is seeking the 11th District seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates.
The GOP has named Adam Wise, a firearms instructor and self-defense teacher, as its nominee for next month’s special election — only two months after he was defeated by incumbent Democrat David Bulova in the November general election.
A growing sport is getting a temporary home in Tysons, bringing new life to a parking lot that’s been slated for redevelopment for more than a decade.
Earlier this month (Dec. 3), the Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved a development plan amendment to allow six outdoor padel ball courts on surface parking for the Greensboro Park offices at 8200 Greensboro Drive.
Missing Herndon Man Found Dead — “The body of missing 79-year-old Leonard Thompson was found in Troutville, Va. on Saturday, ending a multi-day search for the Herndon man. Thompson had been missing since Monday, with Virginia State Police putting out a critically missing adult alert the following day.” [DC News Now]
Dozens Charged With Crimes in Fairfax City — “Fairfax City Police recently arrested an 18-year-old man and served nine juvenile suspects a combined total of 24 juvenile petitions in connection to a string of events that started at Fairfax High School’s homecoming football game on Oct. 17, according to authorities.” The incidents included disorderly conduct at the game, a McDonald’s robbery, a gun being discharged at a party and a theft at Wawa. [Patch]
South Run House Fire Under Investigation — “Firefighters in Fairfax County responded to a two-alarm house fire early Saturday morning in the South Run area. The blaze was reported around 4:48 a.m. in the 9300 block of Castle Hill Road, officials said … One resident was taken to the hospital for evaluation.” [WJLA]
New Advanced Academic Center Approved — “The Fairfax County School Board approved a motion on Dec. 18 to create a full-time Advanced Academic Program at Poe Middle School … A phasing option allows third through sixth-grade students currently attending the AAP Center at Canterbury Woods Elementary School to stay there through the sixth grade.” [Annandale Today]
Police Investigate Credit Card Skimmers — “Detectives from our Financial Crimes Unit, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service (USSS), conducted a countywide skimmer-detection operation at more than 100 locations across Fairfax County resulting in the recovery of 20 credit card skimming devices … Skimming devices were located at multiple convenience stores, discount stores, and grocery stores throughout Fairfax County and the Town of Herndon.” [FCPD]
Virginia Dems Highlight Affordability Agenda — “Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and top Virginia Democrats are aiming to lower costs through programs with little impact on the state budget, they said in a press conference Thursday … Youngkin’s $72 billion budget proposal, released Wednesday, forecast more revenue for the state than predictions released by state legislators.” [VPM News]
Police Investigate Vienna Mailbox — The U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office and Fairfax County police investigated a Postal Service mailbox outside Navy Federal Credit Union’s Vienna branch on Thursday (Dec. 18) after a security officer reported hearing a suspicious noise. “As a precaution, the bank’s branch and the immediate surrounding outdoor area were evacuated. Once it was determined that the noise was coming from a safe device and there was no threat to the public, the bank branch was reopened.” [Vienna Police]
Change in FFXnow’s Newsletter — “ARLnow and its sister sites are about to embark on a significant change: switching to a new email service provider. After 16 years of delivering our daily newsletters from the same email provider we are switching to Beehiiv.” [ARLnow]
It’s Monday — The skies will gradually become cloudy, reaching a high temperature of around 44 degrees, accompanied by a light southwestern wind of about 6 mph during the afternoon. On Monday night, there is a 40% chance of rain and snow occurring from 1 am to 4 am, followed by a possibility of rain after 4 am. With an expected low of 35 degrees, the light south wind will intensify to 5-10 mph later in the evening. [NWS]
Good Friday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 19, 2025.
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
Expect mostly sunny skies today, as the temperature reaches a high near 44. Morning wind is light and variable, but will shift to the south at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight, the skies will be partly cloudy, and the low will be around 36. South winds will be 9 to 13 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
