By OLIVIA DIAZ, STEVE PEOPLES and THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia gubernatorial candidates Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger faced off Thursday for the first and only time on the debate stage in a fiery affair that was combative from the very first answer.
Good Thursday 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 — Oct 9, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Clouds will increase, leading to a high near 65, with the north wind shifting to southeast at 6 to 8 mph in the afternoon. The night will remain mostly cloudy, with the temperature dropping to around 51 and a southeast wind of 3 to 6 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.
Game on! The Tysons Trek & Treat Fall Challenge returns this week, running October 2 through November 1. Participants can walk, bike, or roll through Tysons while checking in at stops, earning points, and redeeming them for prizes.
Hosted by Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), the free mobility challenge features five walkable and bike-friendly routes—including a brand-new route this season!—for a range of ages and abilities. Explore The Boro on the Yellow Route, wander past Arbor Row and Tysons Galleria on the Green Route, stroll Scott’s Run Trail and Capital One Center on the Red Route, or take on the Orange and Purple routes by bike or wheels.
There’s no app to download, so just choose a route, grab your phone, and start exploring.
And there’s a good reason to sign up now: pre-register by October 1, and you’ll automatically be entered to win a $150 Experience Tysons e-gift card, redeemable at participating businesses throughout Tysons.
As you make your way through Tysons, be on the lookout for Trek & Treat check-in stickers posted at stops along each route. Scan the QR code on each sticker to check in, earn points, and keep moving toward your next prize.
While racking up points, you can earn prizes including wireless earbuds, a Bluetooth speaker, an OGIO backpack, Metro SmarTrip cards, portable chargers, and more. Participants can also earn Experience Tysons e-gift cards, including $300 for the Tysons Trailblazer grand-prize winner, $250 for second place, and $200 for third place.
Register and complete at least one check-in by October 10, and you’ll also receive an exclusive “I Trekked Tysons” t-shirt.
So whether you’re looking for a fun way to get outside, discover new corners of Tysons, or earn prizes along the way, Trek & Treat offers plenty of reasons to explore this fall. Registration is easy at tysonsva.org/exploretysons/gameon.
Tysons Trek & Treat Fall Challenge runs October 2–November 1
The many interests and accomplishments that shaped George F. Kain Jr.’s life were united by a genuine desire to help others and make the world around him a better place, his family says.
Kain, who died at his longtime home in Reston on Sept. 20 at the age of 90, was driven by a commitment to service, whether he was developing defensive plans for the U.S. Navy, helping shape Reston in its earliest years or even supporting emergency response teams with the telecommunications company Sprint.
The National Museum of the American Indian’s Native Cinema Showcase is an annual celebration of the best in Native film. The festival celebrates the best of Indigenous film, spanning documentaries, features, animations, and short-format films by Indigenous filmmakers from across the Western Hemisphere and Arctic.
Vienna’s volunteer fire department needs help to keep one of its longest-running holiday traditions alive.
The department launched a fundraiser this past Saturday (Oct. 4) to provide upkeep for Santa’s special sleigh — a 79-year-old antique fire engine.
One of Northern Virginia's favorite Halloween traditions is back for the 13th year. Think you’re ready for one of the area’s scariest haunted experiences?
Haunt: Dark Encounters at the Workhouse Arts Center is happening in Lorton, Virginia from October 3 – 30, 2026—and this year, you never know what’s waiting around the next corner. Step inside and there’s no telling what you’ll find. Strange sounds. Unexpected scares. And just when you think you’re in the clear…think again. Bring your bravest friends, because this is one fall night you won’t soon forget.— Haunt: Dark Encounters at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Va.
Fairfax City is considering transforming its CUE bus system by offering more frequent and direct connections between the most popular stops, as well as speeding up routes — but also cut service for some riders.
A draft transportation development plan for the next 10 years of service envisions three simplified routes between the Vienna metro station, Old Town, and George Mason University, the areas with the highest demand.
A Fort Belvoir woman’s interaction with Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson regarding pay for members of the U.S. military went viral today (Thursday).
With the federal government shutdown now in its ninth day, the woman, identified as Samantha from Fort Belvoir, called into C-SPAN’s Washington Journal to express her frustration over the possibility of members of the armed services missing paychecks.
Without action, millions of Americans — including thousands across Fairfax County — will soon experience drastic changes to their healthcare coverage.
Federal health insurance subsidies are set to expire at year’s end, triggering increases to monthly premiums estimated at hundreds of dollars. Rep. James Walkinshaw and other House Democrats are in agreement that seeking a permanent solution is a hill worth dying on.
Though it may be small solace for not knowing when their next paycheck may come, a night of music or theater could become at least a temporary escape for the thousands of workers affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
That’s what George Mason University hopes to provide by offering free tickets to select artistic performances for federal employees and contractors.
More than one in four Fairfax County households meets the definition of “food-insecure,” and that figure is likely to rise in coming months as the full impacts of federal worker and funding cuts materialize.
“More challenging times are ahead,” Hilary Salmon, senior director of marketing and communications for Capital Area Food Bank, predicted when briefing board members of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) yesterday (Wednesday).
Alexandria, Virginia – October 1, 2026 – Body Imperium, an Old Town Alexandria strength-training studio, has announced that it is rebranding as Imperium Strength and Longevity, known simply as Imperium.
The new name reflects the studio’s evolution from its Pilates origins into Alexandria’s only strength-training facility powered by ARX® (Adaptive Resistance Exercise) technology. The evolution of the business closely follows founder Victoria Azor’s personal experience building strength and longevity.
