For the fourth consecutive year, Virginia lawmakers have sent the governor a bill allowing all localities to impose a 1% sales tax for school construction. Now, all eyes are on Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has vetoed similar measures before.
Youngkin, who has historically opposed these tax proposals, will once again review the legislation. After the last session, he blocked the measure, citing the state’s existing efforts to fund school construction and concerns over its impact on taxpayers.
Several Northern Virginia school districts, including Fairfax County Public Schools, are in the crosshairs of the U.S. Department of Education after a conservative legal group filed a complaint challenging their transgender-inclusive bathroom and locker room policies.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation this week into Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun and Prince William schools in response to the complaint from America First Legal, a nonprofit founded by former Trump advisor Stephen Miller.
Walk into almost any gym in January, and it’s packed.
Walk into that same gym a few months later, and it’s noticeably quieter.
It isn’t because people stopped wanting to be healthier. It’s because most people eventually run into the same problem:
They simply don’t know what to do.
You download a workout plan. You watch videos online. You try different machines. You spend time figuring out exercises, wondering if you’re doing them correctly, and hoping you’ll eventually see results.
For busy adults, that approach rarely lasts.
That’s one reason personalized training has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the fitness industry.
Instead of paying for access to equipment, people are investing in coaching, accountability, and a plan that’s built specifically for them.
That shift is happening nationwide — and locally, Alloy Personal Training has become the go-to answer for busy adults across Northern Virginia.
At Alloy Personal Training, every member follows a personalized program based on their goals, current fitness level, and any limitations they may have. Every workout is coached by a professional trainer, so there’s never any guesswork about what to do next.
Most members train just two or three times each week in 55-minute sessions, making it realistic to fit fitness into a busy schedule.
Unlike large group classes where everyone performs the same workout, Alloy’s small-group format allows each person to follow their own individualized program while still benefiting from the energy and accountability of training alongside others.
For many members, that’s the difference.
It’s not about finding more motivation.
It’s about removing the obstacles that cause people to quit.
You don’t need to spend hours researching workouts.
You don’t need to wonder whether you’re making progress.
You simply show up, and your coach takes care of the rest.
Whether your goal is to build strength, lose weight, improve energy, stay active as you get older, or simply feel better every day, consistency matters more than perfection.
And consistency becomes much easier when you have a plan designed specifically for you.
That’s why more adults throughout Northern Virginia are moving away from traditional gyms and choosing a more personalized approach to fitness.
If you’ve been thinking about getting back into a routine—but haven’t found something you could truly stick with—Alloy Personal Training invites you to experience it for yourself.
Your complimentary Starting Point Session includes a conversation about your goals, an InBody body composition analysis, a movement assessment, and a personalized roadmap designed around you.
With studios in Falls Church, Reston, and Fairfax City, Alloy helps busy adults train smarter—not longer.
Schedule your complimentary Starting Point Session today and discover why so many of your neighbors have made the switch.
First Watch is ready to make its Idylwood introduction.
The daytime cafe chain, which has been expanding its Northern Virginia presence in recent years, will officially open to the general public at Idylwood Plaza (7501 Leesburg Pike) next Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Pending final agreement with a key bargaining unit, Fairfax County government officials are ready to move forward with a consolidation of animal care and protection services.
The change, which was approved last year as part of the county’s fiscal year 2025 budget, will move operations currently handled by the Animal Protection Police (APP) within the Fairfax County Police Department to the county’s Department of Animal Services (formerly the Department of Animal Sheltering, or DAS).
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.
The legislation to make Fairfax County eligible for a casino isn’t officially dead, but it appears to be in active need of resuscitation.
A House of Delegates appropriations subcommittee’s decision to pass by Senate Bill 982 after a 30-minute hearing on Wednesday (Feb. 12) brought celebratory statements from the community groups and local elected officials who had vocally opposed the proposal to allow a casino in Tysons.
For Fairfax County Public Schools officials, an already daunting budget season has been complicated by a new financial risk: the possibility of losing federal funding.
Last month, the federal Office of Management and Budget issued a memo directing federal agencies to halt spending so it can review financial assistance programs to ensure they align with administration priorities — which include eliminating diversity initiatives, rolling back environmental regulations, and restricting immigration.
Another member of the gang MS-13 will serve decades in prison for participating in multiple murders, including ones in Reston.
Henry Leonel Barrera Ayala, 26, was sentenced by a federal judge to 50 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced yesterday (Thursday).
Metro Work to Affect Service This Weekend — “Metro has trackwork on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and adjusted service hours on Monday due to the Presidents’ Day holiday.” The Blue Line will operate only from Franconia-Springfield to Greenbelt, while the Orange and Silver lines will be split into two segments, with shuttle buses replacing trains from Foggy Bottom to the Pentagon and Clarendon. [WMATA]
Federal Workers Get Layoff Notices — “Federal workers have begun receiving layoff notices as the Trump administration moves ahead with plans to drastically downsize the government. While the full scale of layoffs isn’t yet clear, the first round of cuts appeared to target employees who were recently hired and still on probationary status.” [NPR]
Beer Garden Replacing Falls Church Motel — “Demolition has begun at the vacant Stratford Motor Lodge in Falls Church, where a local business owner plans to construct a restaurant and beer garden. Under new ownership, the site at 300 W. Broad Street is slated to become Stratford Gardens, the latest project by Arash Tafakor.” [ARLnow]
Statewide Spring Burn Ban to Take Effect — “Virginia’s statewide burning law, which prohibits outdoor burning between midnight and 4 p.m., is in effect from Saturday, Feb. 15 through April 30. Violation of the burning law is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable with a fine of up to $500.” [Inside NoVA]
Fabric Store to Close Fairfax Locations — “Joann announced yesterday that it plans to close approximately 500 of its U.S. stores. Thirteen of the stores are in Virginia; five are in Northern Virginia.” Out-of-business sales at the closing stores, including ones at Fairfax Towne Center and in Seven Corners, are expected to begin tomorrow (Saturday). [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Revisions to Fairfax Connector Routes Proposed — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host two virtual public meetings, on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Join Fairfax Connector for a lunch and learn session that will begin at 12 p.m. followed by an evening meeting at 7 p.m. to discuss proposed service adjustments and realignments to several routes.” [FCDOT]
Vienna Tech Startup Raises $30M — “Antithesis Operations LLC, a Vienna software testing startup whose tools find bugs in computer programming code, has raised $30 million in new funding.” Founded by two former Apple engineers in 2018, the company hopes to double its workforce to “about 140 employees over the next year, primarily by adding marketing and product development teams in San Francisco, where it recently added an office.” [DC Inno]
Riverside McLean Mansion Lands Buyer — “A seven-bedroom home along the banks of the Potomac River has found a buyer, and the listing’s land may have been the driving factor. 1260 Crest Lane (map), on the market for $15.5 million with Piper Yerks and Ben Roth of Washington Fine Properties, went under contract with contingencies earlier this week.” [DC UrbanTurf]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high around 38 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind ranging from 8 to 13 mph, and gusts reaching up to 21 mph. At night, clouds will increase as temperatures drop to around 27 degrees. [NWS]
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 — Feb 13, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect sunshine and a high of 37 degrees, accompanied by a 9 to 14 mph northwest wind, gusting up to 22 mph. In the evening, the clouds will increase, and temperatures will drop to a low of about 27 degrees. A light and variable wind will turn southeast, reaching around 5 mph after midnight. 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.
