An array of boulders recently placed on a field at Roundtree Park (3320 Annandale Road) in West Falls Church is being removed, the Fairfax County Park Authority says.
The appearance of dozens of rocks in late December alarmed residents and park visitors, who frequently use the open field for soccer and other recreational activities.
Fairfax County’s efforts to divert more waste away from landfills have taken a literary turn.
The county launched a book reuse and recycling program last month that encourages residents to drop any unwanted books into a green donation bin at the I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road) near Fair Lakes.
Imagine stepping out of your door and being a brief, 0.3-mile walk from the McLean Metro Station. Indigo at McLean Station is redefining affordable Northern Virginia living, combining an unbeatable Tysons location with brand-new, high-end amenities.
Mark your calendar for our upcoming Open House on Saturday, November 14th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, where you can explore everything our growing community has to offer.
Both Phases Now Open for Tours
This exclusive event gives you full access to tour both Phase I and Phase II of our stunning community. Whether you are looking to relocate immediately or planning your next move, we have layouts tailored to your timeline:
Double the Amenities, Double the Community
With the introduction of Phase II, Indigo at McLean Station has dramatically expanded its resident perks. When you tour the community, you will experience a wealth of brand-new spaces designed to elevate your daily routine:
Stack Your Savings
Attendees who submit an application during the event can unlock our exclusive, event-only leasing incentive. Receive an additional 1/2 month of rent free—applicable strictly to Phase I apartments. Best of all, this time-sensitive special stacks directly on top of our premier active promotion of Up to Two Months Free on Select Apartments!
Plan your visit to 1750 Old Meadow Rd, McLean, VA 22102 this November 14th. Browse Our Available Floor Plans, check real-time pricing, and review income qualification criteria on our website, or call our leasing team directly at (571) 786-5546. Can’t make the Open House? Schedule a Tour Today.
Fair Oaks Mall will welcome the second chapter of a local Jamaican restaurant later this month.
Jas & Fam Caribbean Flavor will celebrate its grand opening in the mall (11709L Fair Oaks Mall) on Jan. 17, following the closure of its restaurant at 3850 Blenheim Blvd in Fairfax City last September.
An expanded Democratic majority in the Virginia House of Delegates could bode well for a revived bid to let local governments ban gas-powered leaf blowers.
When the General Assembly convenes this month, Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6) recently confirmed to FFXnow that he intends to reintroduce legislation authorizing localities to prohibit or regulate the machines after previous attempts faltered along party lines.
BrownTown returns to the DC Improv with headliner Nina Kharoufeh; also featuring Badar Tareen, Yasmin Elhady, Mahmoud Jaber, and Mike Kurtz. Come for stand-up, stay for a civil-rights lawyer grilling a white comedian about race. Every show has sold out—get tix now!
Efforts to revitalize Seven Corners could spell the end of two businesses that have anchored one of the corners for decades.
The Falls Church-based developer that has owned the New Grand Mart and Pistone’s Italian Inn since the 1950s is now looking to replace the grocery store and restaurant with a 450-unit residential complex, according to a rezoning application submitted to Fairfax County on Dec. 30.
Median apartment rents across Fairfax County showed a mix of increases and declines in 2025.
Median rental rates were higher at the end of the year than at the beginning in Annandale, Herndon and Reston, but they declined in Centreville, Fair Oaks, Fairfax and Tysons, according to data reported Dec. 31 by Apartment List.
D.C. Region Sees Drop in Traffic Deaths — “Traffic deaths in the D.C. region fell roughly 18 percent in 2025, continuing a trend from the previous year that is reflected across the country: A spike in fatalities during the pandemic is now on the decline.” The biggest drops were in D.C. and Prince George’s County, while “in Northern Virginia, fatalities peaked in 2022 at 125. In 2025, police recorded 88.” [Washington Post]
Transportation Needs Complicate FCPS Redistricting — “When the Fairfax County School Board meets on Jan. 10 for a public hearing on school boundary changes, a key issue will be whether transportation will be provided to students who remain at their current school.” The school board split on a vote in December to provide transportation only to students who transfer to their newly assigned school. [Annandale Today]
Possible Plea Agreement in CEO Killing — “Loved ones of a CEO killed while asleep in his Fairfax City home are speaking out against a potential plea agreement that would allow the suspect to serve time in a mental institution instead of prison.” Ahead of a Jan. 23 status hearing, Gret Glyer’s sister and parents say they were told that prosecutors might let the suspect plea not guilty due to insanity. [WUSA9]
Bill Limiting FOIA Costs Returns — State Sen. Danica Roem, who represents the Manassas area, “has reintroduced Senate Bill 56 for the 2026 General Assembly session, which is set to begin next week, reviving an effort to tighten limits on how much state and local governments can charge for public records and to clarify how agencies seek court relief when responding to large or complex requests.” [Virginia Mercury]
Tysons Hotel Acquired — “Growing Virginia investment company SAK Developer has bought its third local extended-stay hotel in the last 20 months, bringing its hotel portfolio to seven. The company paid $37.5 million for the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tysons Corner at 8517 Leesburg Pike in December, according to public records.” Built in 1984, the hotel was renovated in 2018 by its previous owner, Nobel Investment Group. SAK also owns Staybridge Suites Tysons-McLean. [Washington Business Journal]
New Challenger to Rep. Beyer — “Daniel Gray, an Arlington resident and energy and sustainability program manager, announced yesterday (Sunday) that he is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for Virginia’s 8th Congressional district.” He is the fourth candidate looking to unseat incumbent Rep. Don Beyer in a June 16 primary. [ARLnow]
Reston Sculpture Offers Taste of Italy — “No need to travel, we have Italy at home! If you can’t make it to the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, you can find a piece of it in a sculpture in Reston.” A downsized replica of Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn’s work “Building Bridges” was installed last fall outside the JW Marriott hotel and residences. [NBC4]
Former Patch Editor Joins FFXnow’s Team — “Northern Virginia local news veteran Emily Leayman is joining ARLnow and its sister sites in the role of Senior Reporter. Leayman was previously an editor at Patch, where she covered numerous major local news events, as well as stories of more hyperlocal interest in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County and elsewhere.” [ARLnow]
It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 10am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and a high near 51°F, accompanied by a calm southeasterly wind at 6 mph in the afternoon. Night will remain mostly cloudy with a low around 44°F and a westerly wind at 7 mph. [NWS]
Good Monday 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 — Jan 5, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Patchy fog will clear up by 10am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and a high near 51. Expect a calm wind to become south at 5-7 mph during the afternoon. The mostly cloudy conditions will continue into Tuesday night, with a low temperature around 44 and a west wind at approximately 7 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.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Recommendations for safety, transit, cyclist and pedestrian improvements on South Van Dorn Street in Franconia will be open for public review later this month.
After soliciting considerable public input last year, the Virginia Department of Transportation has outlined improvement alternatives for the 2.5-mile stretch of roadway in the South Van Dorn Street STARS Study (Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions).
