FFXnow - Fairfax County, Va. local news

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Sep 9, 2025

Published September 9, 2025 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 — Sep 9, 2025.

7:30 am: Morning Notes for September 9, 2025 | 🗣️ Comments
8:30 am: Fairfax man pleads guilty over threats to kill federal employees | 🗣️ Comments
9:15 am: Reston Association board split on proposed assessment increase | 🗣️ Comments
10:00 am: N. Va. leaders fear potential changes could reduce state funding for region’s transit | 🗣️ Comments
11:45 am: JUST IN: Smithsonian to expand Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly | 🗣️ Comments
1:15 pm: FCPD: Annandale man charged with murder for fatal assault | 🗣️ Comments
1:45 pm: Reston military contractor appeals order to pay $42M to former Abu Ghraib detainees | 🗣️ Comments
2:45 pm: Fairfax City’s new Shake Shack will open next week | 🗣️ Comments
3:45 pm: New historic marker honors Vienna teacher who advocated for Black students | 🗣️ Comments
8:00 pm: BREAKING: James Walkinshaw projected to win special election for Congress | 🗣️ Comments

📅 Upcoming events

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

9:00 am: Stop the Bleed
6:00 pm: Civic Connections: Understanding Fairfax City (Registration Open)

🌦️ Wednesday’s forecast

Showers are likely before 9 am, followed by mostly cloudy skies and a high near 72. A north wind will blow at around 9 mph, and the chance of precipitation sits at 30%. On Wednesday night, expect partly cloudy conditions and a low of around 58, as north winds slow to between 3 and 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.

News

BREAKING: James Walkinshaw projected to win special election for Congress

By Jared Serre

Published September 9, 2025 at 8:00PM | Updated September 10, 2025 at 9:36AM

James Walkinshaw speaks at his election watch party (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Democrat James Walkinshaw will succeed his former boss, the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, as U.S. Representative for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, the Associated Press projects.

Walkinshaw, who represents the Braddock District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, bested Republican nominee Stewart Whitson, a former FBI staffer, in today’s special election.

A post from Schar School

Ready for the next step in your career? Explore graduate programs near D.C.

Published July 28, 2026 at 10:45AM

Advance Your Career. Explore Graduate Programs Near D.C.

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• Renowned faculty with academic and real-world experience
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• Connections to government, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations
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Graduate programs are available in areas including:

• Public Policy
• International Affairs
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• National Security and Defense
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Explore programs, connect with admissions, and discover the graduate pathway that’s right for you.

Explore Programs

News

New historic marker honors Vienna teacher who advocated for Black students

By Vernon Miles

Published September 9, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated September 9, 2025 at 4:05PM

Dedication of Louise Archer historical marker (image via Fairfax County)

A new historical marker recognizes Louise Archer, a groundbreaking Vienna teacher and principal, outside of the elementary school that bears her name.

Current students, educators, community members and former students of Archer gathered at Louise Archer Elementary School on Saturday (Sept. 6) to celebrate the marker’s unveiling.

Around Town

Fairfax City’s new Shake Shack will open next week

By Jared Serre

Published September 9, 2025 at 2:45PM

The new Shake Shack in Fairfax City (staff photo by Jared Serre)

The latest addition to Fairfax City’s Kamp Washington shopping center is set to open next week.

Shake Shack, located just steps from the intersection of Main Street and Fairfax Blvd, will officially open its doors on Sept. 17 (Wednesday), a company spokesperson confirmed to FFXnow.

Event

First Baby? Connect with other New Moms! (Online)

August 8, 2026 11:00 am -12:00 pm

Online event (see link)

Website Contact Social

*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. 🙂

Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.

News

Reston military contractor appeals order to pay $42M to former Abu Ghraib detainees

By Associated Press

Published September 9, 2025 at 1:45PM

A courtroom sketch depicts former Abu Ghraib prison detainee Salah Al-Ejaili at the trial of CACI, a Reston-based military contractor accused of contributing to the abuse and torture of detainees in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on April 16, 2024. (image by Dana Verkouteren via AP)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Appellate judges heard arguments Tuesday in an appeal brought by a U.S. military contractor ordered to pay $42 million for contributing to the torture of three former detainees at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, with judges questioning the accuracy of some legal filings by the contractor.

The three-judge panel in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments and questioned attorneys for nearly an hour in the appeal brought by Reston, Virginia-based CACI, which is challenging last year’s civil lawsuit that led to a finding against it. The judges did not immediately issue a ruling. It’s not clear when an opinion could come.

News

FCPD: Annandale man charged with murder for fatal assault

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 9, 2025 at 1:15PM | Updated September 9, 2025 at 4:15PM

Elmar Waldemar Xitumul Vasquez of Annandale (courtesy FCPD)

An Annandale man has been charged with murder after allegedly assaulting another man who later died from his injuries.

Detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department began investigating the death of Elmer Castro — a 32-year-old man with no fixed address — on Aug. 12 after the Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office reported the circumstances as suspicious.

News

JUST IN: Smithsonian to expand Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 9, 2025 at 11:45AM | Updated September 10, 2025 at 11:14AM

Entrance sign for the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The airplanes at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center need a bigger hangar.

The extension of the National Air and Space Museum is embarking on the first major expansion of its public space since opening in Chantilly more than two decades ago, the Smithsonian Institution announced today (Tuesday).

Countywide

N. Va. leaders fear potential changes could reduce state funding for region’s transit

By Scott McCaffrey

Published September 9, 2025 at 10:00AM

A Fairfax Connector bus passes Springfield Plaza (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Northern Virginia leaders are hoping changes to statewide transit funding policy don’t hurt the bottom line for local bus systems.

“We’re beginning to understand some of the proposed changes that are being examined,” Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) Executive Director Kate Mattice said at the body’s Sept. 4 board meeting.

News

Reston Association board split on proposed assessment increase

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 9, 2025 at 9:15AM

Reston Association's logo on its headquarters building (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reston Association is weighing another increase in its annual membership fee, as staff hammer out a new budget for the coming year.

In an initial draft presented to the Board of Directors on Aug. 28, RA Chief Financial Officer Ed Vroom proposed raising the assessment to $923 in 2026 — an increase of $75 or 8.8% from the current rate of $848 — to keep up with rising capital project costs and inflation, among other challenges.