Around Town

FFXnow Daily Debrief for May 22, 2025

By FFXnow.com

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 — May 22, 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 with a high temperature near 66 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 9-15 mph and gusts reaching up to 23 mph. For Friday night, expect mostly clear skies and a low temperature around 48 degrees, with west winds at 7-11 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.

Countywide

Education Department launches investigation of FCPS over TJ admissions

By Associated Press and Angela Woolsey
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testifies before a House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing on the US Department of Education on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating Fairfax County Public Schools over its admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ).

The department announced today (Thursday) that it has opened an investigation into whether policy changes designed to diversify the magnet school’s student body violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race.

Go to Education Department launches investigation of FCPS over TJ admissions Read more
News

New data may help Fairfax with flood mitigation, lower insurance rates

By Scott McCaffrey
A flooded neighborhood road (courtesy DPWES)

Fairfax County leaders now have a new tool in addressing the flood-prone properties in the county.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously accepted a new report last Tuesday (May 13) updating and detailing the county’s list of “repetitive-loss areas” — properties that have seen two or more claims of over $1,000 in losses through the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP.

Go to New data may help Fairfax with flood mitigation, lower insurance rates Read more
Announcement

Adult and Kids’ Italian Classes Launching in Vienna

By The Italian Cultural Society
Group of children gathered around a large wall map in a classroom, pointing and placing markers to indicate a location together.

Traveling to Italy, looking to learn a new language, or want to brush up on existing Italian skills? The Italian Cultural Society has provided Italian language lessons since 1974, and recently expanded its services to Northern Virginia. This fall, kids and adults can take lessons at our new location at the Vienna Community Center. Saturday, in-person classes are taught by native Italian speakers.

Adults can meet other community members interested in Italian, build real-world language skills (like how to order at a restaurant, purchase tickets at a station, or ask for directions), and learn more about Italy’s culture, art, and history while also acquiring the grammatical skills and vocabulary needed to advance in the language. Kids will learn through age-appropriate games, crafts, songs, and more. Our Virginia Chapter courses start at age 2 and go all the way up the 8th grade.

Go to Adult and Kids’ Italian Classes Launching in Vienna Read more
News

Grants approved for road safety projects in Tysons and Annandale

By Vernon Miles
Westpark Drive at Greensboro Drive in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved grants this week for a suite of projects, including two in Fairfax County aimed at improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

The projects, approved at a meeting on Wednesday (May 21), include major improvements for Tysons and Annandale.

Go to Grants approved for road safety projects in Tysons and Annandale Read more
Event

We Live in Communities, Not Districts. We’ve Got a Way for Congress to See That.

Congressional Communities logo with a capitol dome and three abstract figures above a curved line, symbolizing community.

Event location

Martha Washington Library

6614 Fort Hunt Rd

Alexandria, Virginia 22307

Add to Calendar

Communities are how we actually experience Congress's impact on our lives. Congressional Communities is hosting a free public briefing making the case for putting communities, instead of districts, at the center of how members of Congress, their staff, and we ourselves think about representation. Speakers Warren Glimpse (ProximityOne) and Dan Carracino (Congressional Communities) will use Virginia's 8th District as a real-world example.

Go to We Live in Communities, Not Districts. We’ve Got a Way for Congress to See That. Read more
Countywide

What to expect from a special election to replace late Rep. Gerry Connolly

By Jared Serre
Election signs outside the Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Jared Serre)

In an election year dominated by state offices, Fairfax County voters now face the prospect of also electing a new lawmaker to represent them in Congress.

Following the death of longtime Rep. Gerry Connolly yesterday (Wednesday), voters will soon need to select a new representative for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District — a critical decision given the Republican Party’s slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Go to What to expect from a special election to replace late Rep. Gerry Connolly Read more
Countywide

Fairfax County police say they’re on track to meet staffing goals by 2030

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis (screenshot via Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Police Department is on track to meet staffing goals by the end of the decade, if it can maintain recent hiring momentum.

“We feel really comfortable about where we are,” Police Chief Kevin Davis said in a briefing for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Safety and Security Committee on Tuesday (May 20).

Go to Fairfax County police say they’re on track to meet staffing goals by 2030 Read more
News

UPDATED: Shooting at CIA HQ in McLean under investigation

By Angela Woolsey and Jared Serre
The CIA seal next to a U.S. flag at the agency's Langley headquarters (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

A person was shot this morning (Thursday) at the CIA’s headquarters in McLean.

Patrol officers were dispatched to the 900 block of Dolley Madison Blvd shortly before 4 a.m. to assist CIA Police with managing traffic after a “non-fatal shooting” on the intelligence agency’s property, the Fairfax County Police Department says.

Go to UPDATED: Shooting at CIA HQ in McLean under investigation Read more
Countywide

Fairfax County reports progress on achieving ‘Zero Waste’ goals, with caveats

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County government trash and recycling efforts (via Fairfax County staff)

Fairfax County is seeing mixed results in its efforts to eliminate solid waste.

“We’ve made progress,” Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, chair of supervisors’ environment committee, said after the Board of Supervisors received an update on the county’s Zero Waste program on Tuesday (May 20).

Go to Fairfax County reports progress on achieving ‘Zero Waste’ goals, with caveats Read more
Around Town

Reston Association ‘Dive-In’ movie screenings to return next month

By Vernon Miles
A kid flips at Lake Newport Pool in Reston (courtesy Reston Association)

Reston Association is bringing back its annual poolside movie screenings starting late next month.

Started over 20 years ago, the Family Dive-In Movies have become reliably popular community events, where guests can see movies while going for a swim at a local pool.

Go to Reston Association ‘Dive-In’ movie screenings to return next month Read more
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