News

George Mason University said it has referred a student’s essay to state and federal law enforcement after it sparked concern online.

While GMU did not respond to a FFXnow request to specify which essay, a social media post from GMU comes after a student’s Substack post titled ‘When Must We Kill Them?‘ went viral in conservative circles.


Opinion

Fairfax is home to dozens of trails and parks accompanied by lush greenery, vibrant wildlife, waterside views and even waterfalls! Do you have a favorite local spot for walking, hiking or biking?

Here are the nominees for “Best Outdoor Recreation in Fairfax” as part of our new FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite outdoor spot below? If not, write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 9 a.m. Friday, May 2.

Voting for the Best Food Truck in Fairfax is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Pizza Place in Fairfax. The results are now official:

  1. Wiseguy Pizza
  2. Paisano’s Pizza
  3. Pupatella

News

After years of championing its diversity, George Mason University revealed this week that it has cut two DEI positions and is considering further eliminations of diversity programs, Virginia Mercury first reported.

Virginia Mercury reported that the Academic Programs, Diversity, and University Community Committee considered a resolution yesterday to comply with the Trump administration’s crackdown on universities with diversity initiatives under threat of losing federal funding.


News

A Georgia-based travel agent faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for his role in defrauding the George Mason men’s basketball team out of a trip to The Bahamas in August.

Maurice Eugene Smith, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in federal court earlier this month, stemming from a scheme he orchestrated that left George Mason’s plans for the trip unbooked and unpaid for, according to federal court documents.


Event

The Malls of JRKO show is a first of its kind opportunity for all members of the TCG community. Whether you’re a veteran vendor, a brand new tcg vendor, a seasoned collector, or a parent who just wants to take their kids to their first card show, this show is made for you!

We strive to build an incredible family friendly environment with tons of giveaways, children’s activities, incredible collector opportunities and digital guides for all levels of experience. You can find all our community resources on our linktree including a road map of all the progress and effort going into the event.


News
Metro train traveling next to I-66 in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax Co. police launches recruiting push targeting laid-off federal workers — “Fairfax County police are launching a recruitment push aimed at federal workers who have lost their jobs.” [WTOP]

Car fire near Tysons blocks traffic — “Watch: This is the car fire that tied up the Beltway south of Route 7 in Tysons a short time ago. Two lanes now getting by to the right.” [Dave Statter/X]

Fairfax restaurant owner candidly tells customers struggles of staying open with tariff threats — “The owner of Okonomi Asian Grill in Fairfax is letting customers know the reality of making a profit and worries of tariffs affecting his bottom line.” [WUSA9]

It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching about 77°F, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 7-16 mph and gusts up to 28 mph. The night will be partly cloudy, as temperatures drop to around 64°F. The south wind will persist at around 14 mph and may gust up to 22 mph. [NWS]

Make Your Own Scented Candles, Charm Jewelry At New Mosaic Boutique — “District Candle Lab and Fawne will celebrate the grand opening of their shared space in the Mosaic District on May 3 with free swag.” [Patch]


Around Town

Good Thursday 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 — Apr 17, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Friday’s forecast

The weather will be mostly sunny, reaching a high of around 78 degrees, accompanied by a south wind ranging from 8 to 17 mph and gusts up to 29 mph. As for Friday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low temperature of approximately 65 degrees. The south wind will persist at around 15 mph and have gusts as high as 21 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

A nonprofit music studio in Arlington is hoping to get more donors and supporters to tune in, so it can expand a program that offers free piano lessons to low-income students into Fairfax County.

Piano and More currently has two participants from Fairfax and three from Arlington in its Play It Forward program, which provides free lessons, keyboards and other resources to students at Title I schools.


News

The Fairfax real-estate market had a solid start to 2025. Where Fairfax and the broader Northern Virginia region goes from there, however, is an open question.

“It is still too soon to tell whether the spring housing market will blossom or stay dormant a little longer,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist for Bright MLS, in parsing March’s housing data.


News

Egg real prices might still be high, but 3,000 fake ones will be hidden around a Tysons park this weekend.

Capital One Center is hosting an “ultimate Easter Egg Hunt” at The Perch, a 3-acre sky park at 1803 Capital One Drive — 11 stories up with a sweeping view of Tysons.