Fairfax County and an energy developer have begun the process of converting part of a closed landfill site in Lorton into a solar array.
The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) and Madison Energy Infrastructure will officially break ground at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday), on the 5-Megawatt Solar Array Project — though officials connected to the project told FFXnow work on the site actually started weeks ago.
A West Virginia man is no longer facing jail time after being accused of extorting a woman from Annandale over her citizenship status.
The Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office decided last Wednesday (June 11) not to prosecute the 51-year-old man, according to court records, though no reason was explicitly provided.
Incredibly excited to wrap up an awesome first summer. I’ve learned a lot, and I thought I’d share some of those lessons with you.
1. Hiring a JMU intern is a great idea.
This summer we were lucky enough to hire a young man from Woodbridge named Owen, who is a rising senior at JMU. He was exactly the spark we needed to help us push through our first busy summer season. We’ve already made him a job offer for next summer when he graduates, and we’re hopeful he’ll join us full-time.
2. People are generally helpful and want to see you succeed when you’re first starting out.
Over the summer, I was amazed by how many people wanted to help me get a strong start in my business. There were definitely times when I knew folks might not need a new roof, but they were still kind enough to let me come by, take a look, and give them a free estimate just in case. It was inspiring and motivating to know that there are strangers out there who don’t even know me but still want to see me win.
3. Hard work solves most problems.
From the beginning, I’ve been honest about having a lot to learn in this industry. What I’ve come to find is that even when I don’t know exactly what I’m doing, hard work will still often get me to the right result. When in doubt, just keep pushing. This is something I’ll remember as more hard times come and as we get ready to go through the cold winter season.
4. Working with property managers and realtors can be a win-win for everyone.
This year, we’ve built some great relationships with property managers and realtors. These folks are hardworking and busy, and the last thing they have time to worry about is a roof for their clients. We’ve worked with them to install new roofs, windows, gutters, doors, and siding on multiple occasions.
5. Some folks will slam the door in your face without thinking twice.
Things aren’t always easy in this game, and I don’t want to paint an overly rosy picture without talking about some of the hard stuff too. As a new person working hard to get your name out there, it can definitely be a little daunting when someone yells at you or slams the door in your face. Luckily, most people are warm and will at least talk to you, and we’ve appreciated that as we navigate these bumps along the way.
6. Most homeowners just want transparency and great customer service.
It’s wild how many contractors out there really can’t be trusted. We’ve come to learn quickly that homeowners just want fantastic customer service and transparency throughout the process. If you can honestly show someone how the process is going to take place and hold their hand a little along the way, you can make almost all of your customers pretty happy.
7. Homeowners taught me more than any training could have.
After reporting on local news in Fairfax County for 12 years, FFXnow is asking readers to help us keep serving our community at a high level.
Currently, 3-4 full-time reporters and editors work to bring you 8+ original local articles each weekday. We are proud to be doing more in-depth reporting now than ever before.
This level of daily coverage is expensive, however, and vanishing in many other communities across the country.
With the regional economy in a swoon induced by federal cuts, FFXnow can no longer rely on advertising alone to generate the revenue needed to bring you the county’s most comprehensive local coverage.
We don’t believe in paywalls — we want our reporting to be read as widely as possible — so instead we’re asking readers to become members of the new FFXnow Press Club.
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The Virginia Hurricanes Girls Basketball program is holding tryouts for its 3rd Grade and 5th Grade travel teams, competing in a full schedule this Fall and Winter season. Join a competitive, supportive program built to develop skilled, confident players on and off the court.
Registration is required at: https://www.virginiahurricanes.net/basketball/aau-teams
Another round of rain is expected to pass through the D.C. area this afternoon (Tuesday), potentially putting a damper on voting in the Democratic primary.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for the region, including Fairfax County, that’s currently set to take effect from 2-10 p.m.
The Reston Museum invites the community to a free program on Wednesday, September 16th from 7:00 to 8:00PM featuring urban geographer, Shelley Mastran, who will explore the history of planned communities using Reston as a case study. Her presentation will examine the ideas and movements that influenced Reston’s design and explore how urban design shapes our sense of community.
Buffalo Wild Wings is giving away more than 31,000 wings to celebrate the grand opening of its new location in Herndon later this week.
On Thursday (June 19), the first 100 customers in line at the sports bar chain’s newest restaurant at 304 Elden Street will receive six free wings a week for a full year — totaling 312 wings per person over the next 52 weeks.
A family-owned bakery with strong local roots is now serving pastries, coffee and more in Vienna.
Shilla Bakery and Cafe opened its doors in Jades Shopping Center at 340 Maple Avenue West yesterday (Monday), taking over a space that had been vacant since Al Nakheel Lebanese Cafe & Market closed in 2022.
How many Northern Virginia residents have lost their jobs as part of federal cutbacks and their ripple effects on the economy? Nobody seems to know for sure — including members of the U.S. Senate.
“We’re still trying to get the right numbers,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COG) board of directors at a meeting last Wednesday (June 11).
Primary Voting Begins — “Ready to vote in the Democratic primary? Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17. You’ll need to go to the polling place for the precinct where you live, even if you plan to register that day. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you’ll be able to vote.” [Fairfax County Government]
Arrest Made in Groveton Stabbing — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau arrested a man for a fatal stabbing that happened on June 10 that left one man dead in Groveton.” The 56-year-old man was detained at the Huntington Metro Station by Metro police on Sunday (June 15) and later taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he was charged with second-degree murder. [FCPD]
Update on Herndon Double Murder Case — Prosecutors are seeking to use a video-recorded interview of Brendan and Christina Banfield’s 4-year-old daughter in their case alleging that her father killed her mother and a stranger, Joseph Ryan. “A judge must decide whether to allow the child’s statement to be played during her father’s trial without requiring her to testify or face cross-examination.” [Washington Post]
Federal Budget Could Raise Airport Costs — “Currently, MWAA pays about $7.5 million a year to operate the otherwise federally-owned [Dulles and National] airports. Over time, that number will go up, but under the proposal coming from Congress, it would double starting in 2027. MWAA would have to renegotiate the lease every 10 years going forward, raising those costs on an annual basis.” [WTOP]
Affordable Housing Becoming Harder to Find — “Falls Church-based Homestretch released new data showing that finding affordable housing in the region has become increasingly difficult for many residents.” According to the nonprofit, workers need to earn $38.73 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Falls Church — more than five times the federal minimum wage. [ARLnow]
Upgrades Coming for Annandale Trail — “The Fairfax County Park Authority plans to begin construction on the Phase 2 improvements to the Long Branch Stream Valley Trail in late June or early July. The project focuses on improving the trail segment between Woodland Way and Wakefield Chapel Road.” [Annandale Today]
No Tourism Bump From WorldPride — “WorldPride in D.C. drew less robust attendance than anticipated, according to Destination D.C.’s chief executive, though there were bright spots for hotels in the city.” Officials say hotel bookings saw “pretty significant” momentum until President Donald Trump took office in January, attributing the lower-than-expected turnout to the new administration’s “rhetoric” and people being “concerned about coming into the U.S.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Tuesday — Scattered rain until 2pm could be followed by storms, while patchy fog clears before 9am. The mostly cloudy day will have a high near 82, with a 30% chance of precipitation. At night, anticipate a mostly cloudy sky, a low around 71, and a 50% chance of precipitation. [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 — Jun 16, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Scattered rain is expected before 2pm, followed by showers and thunderstorms mainly after 4pm, with patchy fog clearing by 9am. The day will be mostly cloudy with a high near 82 and a southeast wind around 6 mph, and a 30% chance of precipitation. On Tuesday night, showers and thunderstorms are likely before 11pm, with a chance of showers afterwards. The night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 71, a south wind around 6 mph, and a 60% chance of precipitation. New precipitation amounts may range between half and three quarters of an inch. 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.
