Around Town

Update — Hershey Super Sweet Adventure announced in late February that its opening at Tysons Corner Center will be postponed “due to unexpected permitting delays.”

“We appreciate our guests’ understanding and apologize for any inconvenience. We are contacting ticket holders and will share our new opening date in the coming days,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming families soon.”


Countywide
A train stops at the Spring Hill Metro station near Tysons West (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Nonprofit Shut Down for Candy Bar Sales Scheme — “Attorneys General from D.C., Maryland and Virginia announced on Tuesday that two local non-profits will shut down permanently for exploiting kids from low-income neighborhoods selling candy bars door-to-door without proof of compensation.” An investigation found that leaders of Maryland Youth Club and Virginia Youth Club, which is based in Fairfax County, was using the funds raised for their personal benefit. [WUSA9]

Defense Calls Witnesses in Double Murder Trial — “The defense attorney for Brendan Banfield, accused in the murder of his wife and a stranger in an alleged plot to end up in a relationship with the family au pair, started calling witnesses, including experts in digital forensics, to testify early Wednesday.” Judge Penney Azcarate noted at the end of the day that the courthouse could close early next week if there’s a lot of snow this weekend, but the trial remains “ahead of schedule.” [DC News Now]

Voting Access Bills Advance — “With the 2026 General Assembly session in full swing, Democrats on Tuesday advanced a slate of voting and campaign finance measures aimed at expanding access to the ballot box and increasing transparency in elections,” including one sponsored by Del. Paul Krizek that would establish an online campaign finance portal similar to the platform currently offered by the Virginia Public Access Project. [Virginia Mercury]

New Va. Attorney General Outlines Vision — “Jay Jones took swift action after taking the oath of office on Saturday and becoming the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 49th attorney general. The Democrat joined on to several existing state lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration and reversed several opinions issued by his Republican predecessor,” following through on a campaign promise to “push back against federal overreach.” [VPM News]

Former Reality TV Star Challenges Warner — “Another candidate has entered a challenge against Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in the lawmaker’s first primary election in his 18 years on the Senate. Mark Moran, a former reality television star and Wall Street investment banker who lives in Falls Church,” says he would prioritize cost-of-living issues if elected and support abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other plans. [ARLnow]

Theft Reported at Home Depot in Fairfax — “City of Fairfax police are asking the public’s help in identifying two men who they say stole $1,284 worth of merchandise from a city business on Friday. On Tuesday, police released photos of the two men who stole the merchandise from the Home Depot store located at 3201 Blenheim Blvd.” [Patch]

Police Facility Nearing Construction Finish — “The Fairfax County Police Department’s new building for its Operations Support Bureau is expected to open in February, says project manager James Sun. That’s three years after the facility, at 3911 Woodburn Road in Annandale, was originally supposed to be completed.” [Annandale Today]

Burlington Possibly Coming to Chantilly — “A new store is planned for Chantilly Crossing. The shopping center will soon be home to Burlington, which is set to take over part of the space previously occupied by Office Depot and Party City,” according to a site plan from property owner Kite Realty Group Trust. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 51, with southwest winds at 7 to 10 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon and gusting up to 20 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low around 29 and a light northwest wind at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Wednesday 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 21, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around 50 degrees. Southwest winds will be 7-10 mph, turning into northwest winds in the afternoon and possibly gusting up to 21 mph. For Thursday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low of approximately 28 degrees, with northwest winds at 3-6 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

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.


News

After a year of firings undermined the typical stability of the federal workforce, Fairfax County’s economic development and business leaders have championed the technology sector as a promising bet for diversifying the local job market.

That pivot will continue with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) bringing a free tech and cyber hiring event to Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road) in Tysons tomorrow (Thursday).


News

An Alexandria man was killed this morning (Wednesday) in a crash on I-66 that left his vehicle totaled.

Nurelen Befekadu, 35, was driving on the westbound I-66 ramp to Route 28 (Sully Road) in Centreville around 5:36 a.m. when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a sound wall, according to the Virginia State Police.


Around Town

A popular Korean BBQ restaurant in Fairfax City is making plans to expand to Greenbriar Town Center this year.

Construction on Meokja Meokja’s second location at 13041 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway just outside Chantilly should be completed sometime between March and May, staff told FFXnow during a recent busy dinner shift.


News

The Dulles Corner office park near the Innovation Center Metro station could become one building smaller, if Fairfax County approves a recently submitted redevelopment proposal.

Developer Pulte Homes and property owner Finmarc Management are seeking to replace the four-story Park West building at 13880 Dulles Corner Lane with 145 townhomes, including 81 attached units and 64 stacked units.


News

An earlier version of this article said the campaign will be in the 10th or 11th Congressional District, but redistricting leaves open a third option of running in another district.

A former Space Force colonel who was forced to retire due to the Trump administration’s ban on transgender people serving in the military is seeking to represent part of Fairfax County in Congress.


Countywide

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) is once again rolling the dice on legislation to allow a casino in Fairfax County.

A bill that would add the county to Virginia’s list of localities eligible to host a casino was officially introduced yesterday (Tuesday) in the state Senate, which referred it to a Committee on General Laws and Technology.


Announcement

For many young families and seniors, everyday expenses continue to add up. Two locally owned Great Clips salons are helping make one routine expense a little easier.

Every Tuesday, seniors age 65+ and children age 10 and under can receive a haircut for just $17.99 at locally owned Great Clips locations in Fairfax City and Reston.