Countywide
A fox crossing sign on an electric pole along Idylwood Road in Dunn Loring (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Protest Organized Outside Tysons Tesla Dealership — “About 80 people demonstrated outside the Tysons Corner Tesla dealership on Saturday morning to condemn billionaire Elon Musk’s attempts to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda by closing federal agencies and firing thousands of government workers.” [Patch]

Bank Robbed in Lorton — Fairfax County detectives are investigating a robbery that appears to have targeted the Truist bank in Gunston Plaza at 3:15 p.m. on Monday (March 17). “A man entered the bank and displayed a note to the teller demanding money. No weapon was displayed, but one was implied during the robbery. The suspect took cash and fled before officers’ arrival.” [FCPD]

Two Silver Line Stations Hit Ridership Records — “Last Wednesday, two of our Silver Line stations hit new single-day ridership records. Thank you to our customers traveling through Loudoun Gateway in @loudoun.gov and Herndon in Fairfax County!” [WMATA/Bluesky]

How Federal Education Cuts Might Affect Va. Schools — “Public school districts still face potential federal funding cuts following President Donald Trump’s move to slash U.S. Department of Education staffing in half … If entirely eliminated, Virginia schools would need to fill a $2.4 billion funding gap with new sources.” [Virginia Public Media]

Attorney General Candidate Visits Bailey’s Crossroads — “Jay Jones, a Democratic candidate for Virginia attorney general, promises to fight back against policies from President Trump and ‘co-President Elon Musk’ that hurt Virginians. ‘The chaos in Washington has to be stopped,’ Jones told residents at a meet-and-greet in Bailey’s Crossroads on March 16.” [Annandale Today]

Falls Church Council Still Debating Accessory Unit Rules — “Significant divisions remain as Falls Church City Council members approach final-decision time to enact rules regulating accessory-dwelling units.” Questions that need to be resolved include the “maximum size of accessory units and whether the property owner should be required to live on the site.” [ARLnow]

Origin Story of Reston Restaurant Group — “Not only did the entrepreneur make good on that promise, but today his Reston-based Thompson Hospitality employs more than 6,000 people and owns and operates more than 70 restaurants across Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Ohio, and Washington, DC, with familiar names like Matchbox and Big Buns.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Students Restore Old Car for School Musical — Students in Edison Academy’s Auto Collision Services class were recently tasked with spiffing up the front of a 1949 Ford automobile for the upcoming production of “Grease” at Edison High School in Franconia. The vehicle was purchased by the Edison Theater Company’s boosters and delivered from the Midwest. [On the MoVe]

It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day, reaching a high of around 74, as light southeast winds shift to the south at 8 to 13 mph in the morning, with potential gusts up to 18 mph. The night will turn mostly cloudy, with lows around 48, and southeast winds at about 10 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

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 — Mar 18, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 74°F, accompanied by south winds at 5-13 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. The night will be predominantly cloudy with lows near 48°F, while southeast winds blow at roughly 11 mph, experiencing gusts up to 24 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.


Around Town

More than a dozen female spoken-word artists, authors and performers from around the country will convene in Fairfax City this week for the 2025 Women’s Storytelling Festival.

Now in its sixth year, the festival organized by local nonprofit Better Said Than Done serves as a showcase for the art of storytelling, which is defined as any performance of a story — a personal narrative or folk tale, for example — in front of a live audience.


Countywide

Fairfax County is officially seeking public input on a potential meals tax.

The Board of Supervisors voted today (March 18) to advertise a public hearing on amending the county code to impose a meals tax of up to 4%, starting as soon as next January. The board will also advertise a base real estate tax rate of $1.14 per $100, up from the current $1.125, as recommended by County Executive Bryan Hill.


Event

Flowers, Fine Art & Fashion is an immersive cultural experience presented by People of The Garden LLC, where nature, creativity, and modest couture converge in a breathtaking indoor garden setting.

Guests will journey through a living landscape featuring dramatic floral installations, botanical art, and a one-of-a-kind rectangular runway designed around lush greenery and sculptural plantings. Throughout the evening, attendees will experience a curated runway presentation showcasing modest fashion designers, alongside original fine art, artisan vendors, and interactive floral experiences.


News

A man accused of distributing sexually explicit images of two minors while living in Reston pleaded guilty yesterday (Tuesday) to exploiting children.

Now a South Carolina resident, Christopher George Schoenmann, 43, created child sexual abuse material and traded it to a Minnesota man in exchange for sexually explicit photos of his own children during a three-year period, federal prosecutors said.


Around Town

A chain of Chinese restaurants specializing in Hunan cuisine could soon make the leap from the Garden State to Northern Virginia.

Chef Tan, which originated in New Jersey over a decade ago, has landed on Danor Plaza in Vienna for its first location in the D.C. area. The restaurant will take over the former Zenola space next to Norm’s Beer and Wine at 132 Branch Road SE.


Sports

The South Lakes Seahawks boys basketball team bookended its 2024-2025 season with victories over the same opponent — the second coming in a state championship game.

At the Siegel Center in Richmond on Saturday (March 15), South Lakes (24-4) rallied in the second half to defeat the C.G. Woodson Cavaliers, 68-60, to successfully defend its Virginia High School League Class 6 state title.


News

Nobody disputes that Parklawn Elementary School in Lincolnia and Coates Elementary School in the McNair area south of Herndon are severely overcrowded.

But whether to address the issue through individual boundary adjustments at the two schools this year — as proposed in a capital improvement program (CIP) approved last year — or wait for a countywide redistricting effort in 2026 is causing a fissure among Fairfax County School Board members.


News

A 23-year-old who admitted to driving while under the influence when he struck and killed another motorist in Centreville will spend the next year in jail.

Gabriel Rincon of Fairfax was sentenced Friday (March 14) to a total of 11 years for the December 2023 crash that killed Sohail Iqbal, a 30-year-old Manassas man, on Route 29 near Stringfellow Road.