Around Town

Good Friday 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 4, 2025.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  • Report: Federal contractors in Tysons, Reston to lay off workers (57035 views)
  • FCPD: Two women charged with thefts at local retail stores months later (6336 views)
  • NOW: Vehicle catches fire after crashing outside McLean Starbucks, road blocked (5040 views)
  • Fairfax ranked among Top 5 healthiest counties in America (4951 views)
  • Teacher sentenced for assaulting students at Burke school, will appeal conviction (4867 views)
  • Vienna’s Patrick Henry Library gets fond farewell ahead of closure this spring (4712 views)
  • Reston National Golf Course owner takes two-pronged approach in push to add housing (4108 views)
  • JUST IN: Man dies at Fairfax County jail, police investigation underway (4082 views)
  • BREAKING: Truck leaks gas into Difficult Run, closing Great Falls roads (3143 views)
  • Transportation authorities to lay out plans for new road diets and bike lanes around Fairfax (2626 views)
  • NAACP still has concerns about Fairfax County’s clearing of homeless encampments (2626 views)
  • Pedestrian killed in van crash on Route 29 in Idylwood (2608 views)
  • 📅 Upcoming events

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

    Here are the events planned for Sunday:

    🌧️ Saturday’s forecast

    Isolated showers are expected before 11am and after 2pm, accompanied by cloudy skies and a high temperature near 73°F. The east wind will blow at around 9 mph, with a 20% chance of precipitation. For Saturday night, scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low near 59°F. The southwest wind will range between 7 and 11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph, carrying a 30% chance of precipitation. 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.

    We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋


    News

    A Mount Vernon man will serve more than three decades in prison after being convicted of murder for a 2022 fatal shooting in Woodlawn.

    Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Oblon sentenced Kyjuan Trott-McLean, 45, this morning (Friday) to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder and an additional three years for using a firearm in the commission of a felony.


    Around Town

    Patrons at Sisters Thai in Tysons will be sipping plenty of tea this weekend.

    After opening in Capital One Center last fall, the restaurant is expanding the offerings at its flagship location with the introduction of high tea service from its recently introduced Flore Café.


    Countywide

    Members of a Fairfax County School Board committee appear divided on whether high schools should adopt blanket rules and regulations for their graduation ceremonies, or whether each school should retain a degree of autonomy.

    The matter arose as members of the board’s governance committee met Tuesday (April 1) to evaluate proposed updates to a host of Fairfax County Public Schools policies.


    Event

    Join Breast Cancer Collective for the 2026 Walk to Bust Cancer on Sunday, October 18, at Fort Hunt Park in Alexandria.
    Walk alongside survivors, caregivers, friends, families, and neighbors for an uplifting community event supporting access to breast cancer screening and care across the DMV.
    Walk to Bust Cancer brings our community together to turn hope into action and help expand access to timely breast health care. Register to walk, gather your team, and join us at Fort Hunt Park.


    Opinion

    Pepperoni, Hawaiian, veggie lovers and more — whatever your pizza order, there’s no shortage of shops in Fairfax County to get your fix.

    Here are the nominees for “Best Pizza Place in Fairfax” as part of our inaugural FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite pizzeria below? If not, you can write them in!

    Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 9 a.m. Friday, April 18.


    Countywide

    While the future of foreign aid faces uncertainty, a Fairfax County-based disaster response task force has not yet felt trickle-down effects of ongoing cuts at the federal level.

    Virginia Task Force 1 is operating like things are business as usual, even with the Trump administration moving to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to John Morrison, a planning manager for the task force.


    News

    Contractors in Fairfax County appear to be feeling the effects of the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign to slash federal funding.

    Mitre Corporation will lay off 442 employees primarily at its Tysons headquarters campus on June 3, while Reston-based Leidos will eliminate 29 workers based in its Lincolnia office, effective May 30, according to notices that both companies filed this week with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.


    Around Town

    Over the next two days, residents and visitors at Reston Station will be treated to the sight of people rappelling down a 17-story office building for charity.

    The Google-anchored building at 1900 Reston Station Blvd will be the site of an Over the Edge fundraiser tomorrow (Saturday) to benefit the National Military Intelligence Foundation (NMIF), a Clifton-based nonprofit that supports national security and intelligence workers through professional development and student scholarships.


    Countywide
    Metro Silver Line rail tracks over Route 7 near Tysons West (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

    Alleged Herndon Rape Suspect Broke Jail Cell Door — “A man charged with raping a woman on the Washington & Old Dominion trail escaped his jail cell at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center last month and tried to enter a nurse’s station while someone was inside, according to court documents.” [Washington Post]

    Elon Musk Visits CIA Headquarters — “Elon Musk visited the CIA headquarters on Monday [March 31] for talks on government efficiency, the spy agency director of public affairs Liz Lyons told Axios.” The discussion with CIA officials reportedly focused on the agency can be “more efficient without compromising national security.” [Axios]

    Virginia to Allow Vehicle Speed-Limiting Devices — “Judges in Virginia will soon be able to order reckless drivers convicted of going over 100 miles an hour to install speed-limiting technology in their vehicles.” The General Assembly adopted Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s amendments to the bill sponsored by Arlington Del. Patrick Hope on Wednesday (April 2). [WTOP]

    Reston Contractor Settles Whistleblower Lawsuit — The defense contractor Intelligent Waves “agreed to pay $1.95 million in order to settle False Claims Act allegations involving two Air Force contracts, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office release.” Two former employees alleged that the company knowingly sold unauthorized equipment to the Air Force and submitted invoices for work it didn’t do. [Patch]

    State of D.C. Area Restaurant Industry — A closer look at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s recent survey of the region reveals less dramatic numbers than the widely reported stat that 44% of full-service, casual establishments could close. “All combined: 29 percent surveyed said they were likely to close — 9-percent ‘very’ and 20 percent ‘somewhat.’ Not a single restaurant surveyed in the Maryland or Virginia suburbs said they were likely to shutter.” [Washingtonian]

    Nearby: Pride Flags Taken From Ashburn Church — Crossroads United Methodist Church Lead Pastor Tim “Ward said they’ve placed several flags supporting the LGBTQIS+ community next to their sign on Ashburn Farm Parkway at Crossroads Drive, but someone keeps taking them. He said the small signage has a huge significance for members of this congregation and the surrounding community.” [NBC4]

    Park Authority Recognized for Intern Program — “The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is proud to announce that we have been recognized as a 2025 Top Employer for Interns by the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (VA-TOP). This recognition highlights FCPA’s dedication to providing meaningful work-based learning experiences that empower the next generation of leaders.” [FCPA]

    It’s Friday — Expect showers and thunderstorms with a high around 68 degrees and a north wind of 6 to 9 mph, with a 50% chance of precipitation. Friday night could also bring showers and thunderstorms, with a low of around 55 degrees. [NWS]