FFXnow - Fairfax County, Va. local news

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Jan 27, 2026

Published January 27, 2026 at 9:00PM

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 — Jan 27, 2026.

7:30 am: Morning Notes for January 27, 2026 | 🗣️ Comments
8:30 am: Photos: Reston families revel in ‘Ice-travaganza’ before storm | 🗣️ Comments
9:15 am: Backyard furniture retailer announces new Springfield shop | 🗣️ Comments
10:10 am: Virginia Senate panel advances gun safety bills once vetoed by Youngkin | 🗣️ Comments
11:45 am: International service helps propel Dulles to new passenger record in 2025 | 🗣️ Comments
1:10 pm: JUST IN: All Amazon Fresh stores to close, with some turning into Whole Foods | 🗣️ Comments
2:30 pm: FCPS superintendent zeroes in on staff pay and other ‘essentials’ in proposed $4.1B budget | 🗣️ Comments
3:45 pm: Fairfax County schools to close Wednesday due to snow, meal kits available | 🗣️ Comments
5:20 pm: Virginia Democrats to appeal after judge rules redistricting resolution illegal | 🗣️ Comments

📅 Upcoming events

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

4:30 pm: Free Trial Session – Spanish for Kids (Grades K–5)
4:30 pm: Free Trial Session – Beginner Banter Club
👉 5:30 pm: How to Read a Credit Report

🌥️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect increasing clouds and a high near 22, accompanied by wind chill values as low as -3 with northwest winds at 6 to 9 mph. Wednesday evening, skies will be mostly cloudy before becoming mostly clear, with a low around 6 and wind chill values down to -3. Calm winds will shift to the northwest at approximately 6 mph later in the evening. 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.

Countywide

Virginia Democrats to appeal after judge rules redistricting resolution illegal

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press

Published January 27, 2026 at 5:20PM

FILE - The state and U.S. flags fly over the Virginia State Capitol as the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

A Virginia judge ruled Tuesday that a proposed constitutional amendment letting Democrats redraw the state’s Congressional maps was illegal, potentially foiling their efforts to pick up seats in the U.S. House in November.

Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. struck down the legislature’s actions on three grounds, ruling that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session; failed to approve the amendment before the public began voting in last year’s general election; and failed to publish the amendment three months before the election, as required by law.

A post from Annapolis Powerboat Show

Discover the Boating Lifestyle in Annapolis This Fall

Published September 3, 2026 at 12:45PM

Don’t just visit the Chesapeake Bay

Explore, unwind, and create memories on the water.

Imagine a Saturday morning on the water. Coffee on the dock as Annapolis wakes up. Cruising by historic waterfronts. Anchoring in a quiet cove with friends and family. Enjoying dinner at a waterfront restaurant before heading back as the sun sets over the harbor.

That’s the Chesapeake lifestyle.

With miles of shoreline, charming waterfront towns, protected waters, and endless places to discover, the Bay offers a unique combination of adventure and accessibility. It feels like a getaway, but it’s closer than you think.

Every fall, the Annapolis Powerboat Show brings that lifestyle to downtown Annapolis.

From October 8–11, City Dock transforms into a waterfront experience where visitors can step aboard hundreds of boats, explore the latest innovations, meet boating experts, and discover what life on the water could look like.

You don’t have to own a boat to enjoy the show. You just have to be curious.

Find Your Place on the Water

The Annapolis Powerboat Show is your chance to explore the many ways to enjoy the Chesapeake.

Looking for a way to spend weekends with family and friends? Explore spacious pontoon boats and deck boats built for relaxing, entertaining, and making memories on the water. Interested in adventure? Discover center consoles designed for exploring, fishing, and cruising the Bay’s many destinations. Dreaming about longer escapes? Step aboard cruisers and yachts built for comfortable weekends and extended adventures.

Every boat offers a different way to experience the water. The show gives you the opportunity to see them all in one place, compare options, ask questions, and imagine what your own Chesapeake adventures might look like.

More Than a Boat Show

The Annapolis Powerboat Show is about more than boats. It’s about the people, places, and experiences that make life on the water special.

Spend the day exploring the docks, then continue your Annapolis adventure beyond the show grounds. Enjoy waterfront dining, browse local shops, stroll historic streets, and take in views of one of the most beautiful harbors on the Chesapeake. Meet passionate boaters, connect with marine experts, discover new products and innovations, and experience the energy of Annapolis’s signature fall events.

From first-time visitors to longtime boating enthusiasts, there is something new on every dock.

Discover How Easy It Is to Get Started

Not a boater yet, and not sure where to begin? The Annapolis Powerboat Show makes the first step easier by giving you the chance to learn, ask questions, and experience life on the water firsthand.

Explore educational opportunities designed for every level of interest. Attend free seminars led by boating experts, learn more about navigation and safety, and discover resources that will help you feel comfortable on the water.

Visitors may also experience boats in action at the PropTalk Demo Dock, where select models are available for on-water sea trials. For those looking to build their skills, BoatUS on-water training offers hands-on instruction to help new boaters gain confidence at the helm.

The Annapolis Powerboat Show is more than a place to see boats. It’s a place to explore the boating lifestyle.

Your Next Adventure Is Waiting

The Chesapeake Bay offers endless ways to make the water part of your life.

A quiet morning cruise. A waterfront lunch. An afternoon anchored with friends. A new hobby waiting to be discovered. The Annapolis Powerboat Show brings those possibilities together in one unforgettable weekend.

Come curious. Walk the docks. Step aboard. Experience the boating lifestyle for yourself.

Learn More

Countywide

Fairfax County schools to close Wednesday due to snow, meal kits available

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 27, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated January 28, 2026 at 7:29PM

A Fairfax County school bus in the snow outside Vienna Elementary School during Winter Storm Fern (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County Public Schools has once again canceled classes in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern.

With an abundance of ice and frigid temperatures slowing road and sidewalk cleanups, FCPS announced that schools will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday), though this time, central administrative offices will open on a two-hour delay.

Announcement

Reston Children’s Center announces that is continuing to be a Sponsor for CACFP

By Reston Children's Center

Published September 4, 2026

Reston Children’s Center announces that it is continuing to be a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Reston Children’s Center has been part of the CACFP program since 1995.

The same meals will be available at no separate charge to all participants at each CACFP facility without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Countywide

FCPS superintendent zeroes in on staff pay and other ‘essentials’ in proposed $4.1B budget

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 27, 2026 at 2:30PM

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid presents her proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to the school board on Jan. 22, 2026 (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County Public Schools leaders say the proposed $4.1 billion fiscal year 2027 budget presented Jan. 22 by Superintendent Michelle Reid is fiscally responsible and worthy of full support by the Board of Supervisors.

School Board Chair Sandy Anderson termed it a “nothing-fancy” package that fits the economic times.

Event

FREE Paper Shredding Event to Benefit ECHO Food Pantry

September 19, 2026 9:00 am -12:00 pm

Event location

Burke Presbyterian Church

5690 Oak Leather Dr

Burke, Virginia 22015

Add to Calendar

Clear Out. Shred Securely. Give Back.
Sept. 19th | from 9-12 | Bring your unwanted documents to be securely shredded on-site by Priority 1 Shredding while helping support our local community!

Join Us To:
~Securely shred your unwanted documents
~Protect your personal information
~Help care for our environment
~Make a donation to help those in need
Non – Perishable Food or Personal Care Donations are welcome and appreciated!

News

JUST IN: All Amazon Fresh stores to close, with some turning into Whole Foods

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press

Published January 27, 2026 at 1:10PM

Amazon Fresh store in Lorton Marketplace Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Amazon is throwing in the towel on Amazon Fresh, announcing today (Tuesday) that it will close all locations in favor of a renewed focus on Whole Foods Market and other concepts.

The last day of operation for Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores is Feb. 1, with the exception of its California locations, which will remain open longer to comply with state requirements, Amazon said.

Countywide

International service helps propel Dulles to new passenger record in 2025

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 27, 2026 at 11:45AM

Ribbon-cutting at first Boliviana flight at Washington Dulles International Airport (via MWAA)

Ongoing growth in international travel helped propel Dulles International Airport to a record-setting year in 2025.

Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) will not have confirmed final passenger counts until late February or March, but the authority’s president and CEO, Jack Potter, said the expectation is for a 6% increase from the record year in 2024.

Countywide

Virginia Senate panel advances gun safety bills once vetoed by Youngkin

By Markus Schmidt / Virginia Mercury

Published January 27, 2026 at 10:10AM

Virginia Senate Courts of Justice Committee hears testimony on State Sen. Jennifer Boysko's firearms storage bill (via Virginia Senate/YouTube)

Democratic lawmakers on Monday advanced a sweeping slate of gun safety proposals — many of them previously vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin — as they test whether Virginia’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, will take a more favorable view of firearm restrictions.

Over nearly four hours, the Democratic-led Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved more than half a dozen bills tightening rules on assault-style firearms, gun storage, concealed carry reciprocity, ghost guns and weapons in public spaces, while rejecting the lone Republican proposal that would have increased mandatory minimum sentences for repeat firearm offenses.

Around Town

Backyard furniture retailer announces new Springfield shop

By Jared Serre

Published January 27, 2026 at 9:15AM

Outdoor furniture offered at Fortunoff Backyard Store (photo courtesy of Fortunoff)

One of America’s largest backyard furniture retailers has announced plans to open a store in Springfield.

Fortunoff Backyard Store has secured an 11,000-square-foot space in Springfield Commons (6721-B Frontier Drive), which is expected to open later this spring, the company announced.

Around Town

Photos: Reston families revel in ‘Ice-travaganza’ before storm

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 27, 2026 at 8:30AM

An ice sculpture near Reston Town Center's ice skating rink at Ice-travaganza (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Despite cold temperatures and a looming storm, plenty of families stopped by the Reston Town Center pavilion on Saturday (Jan. 24) to enjoy a variety of winter activities.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the town center’s second annual “Ice-travaganza” brought live music, free hot chocolate, ice skating and ice sculptures that were soon buried under as many as eight inches of snow by Winter Storm Fern, which passed through the area a day later.

Announcement

Fall Art Classes Are Here!

By Art House 7

Published September 4, 2026

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.