The vacant Vienna Annex site in fall 2024 (photo by Amy Woolsey)
When Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton shares his proposed new budget in early March, it won’t include any meals tax increase.
The Vienna Town Council agreed on Monday (Jan. 27) to defer voting on a proposal to temporarily raise the tax on meals sold at restaurants from 3% to 4% in order to fund an aquatics and fitness center at the Annex, a 3-acre site at 301 Center Street South that was previously occupied by the Faith Baptist Church.
The Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria (file photo)
A Fort Belvoir woman who allegedly beat her son for not cleaning his bedroom pleaded guilty to assault charges on Monday (Jan. 27), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced yesterday.
According to court documents, China Ashley Charles, a 38-year-old woman who lived in military housing on the Army installation, called police on Oct. 8, 2024 to report that her son had run away after she “disciplined him for not cleaning” his bedroom.
My name is Drew, and I wanted to take a moment to tell you about what I’ve been working on as I try to make my way in the world.
This past year, I took a leap that honestly scared me. I challenged the comfortable path I’d been on and built something new with trusted partners and friends: a local roofing and home‑exterior company called All Team Exteriors. On paper, it’s a business. But in my heart, it’s something much more personal than that.
I don’t just want to make a living here — I want to contribute something meaningful to a place that’s helped mold me.
I’ve worked in environments where professionalism, follow‑through, and integrity weren’t optional — they were the baseline. But when it came to home services, especially roofing, I saw how often homeowners were left frustrated, confused, or ignored. Slow responses. Vague communication. Contractors disappearing mid‑project.
And I thought:
Someone young, hungry, and honest should try to fix this.
So… I’m giving it everything I’ve got.
What I’m trying to build
All Team Exteriors isn’t a giant corporation. It’s not some out-of-state outfit with a call center. It’s me — and a small team of people committed to doing things the right way. We spent an extensive amount of time training under a perennial award-winning roofing company in Arizona this winter and learned what great looks like.
We’re bringing modern tools, photo-documented inspections, real-time updates, fast communication, and a “do what we say we’ll do” mentality. Not because it looks good in a brochure, but because that’s how I’d want someone to treat my own family.
So far we are off to an absolutely amazing start. It’s been a great first summer and we’d love to help you as well. You can give us a call anytime at 703-705-7207 for an absolutely free inspection and estimate on your roof, siding, gutters, doors, and windows. I’d love to have a chance to swing by and meet you and take a look at how we can work together to make your home safer and more secure.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I sincerely hope we can help you and your family soon.
A Fairfax Connector bus passes the Idylwood Towers Condominiums (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Federal Workers Offered “Buyouts” — “The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it is offering buyouts to all federal employees who opt to leave their jobs by next week — an unprecedented move to shrink the U.S. government at breakneck speed.” [Associated Press]
FCPS Teachers Fear Possible ICE Arrests of Students — “David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, said educators are concerned about the ripple effects … He’s unaware of any Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents visiting Fairfax County schools in the last week, and anecdotally, he hasn’t heard about teachers reporting an unexpected number of absences since the policy switch was announced.” [WTOP]
Bill Would Update Commanders’ Name in Virginia Code — “Legislation to officially remove ‘Washington Redskins’ from the Code of Virginia and replace it with ‘Washington Commanders’ took a step forward Tuesday, advancing to the full House Transportation Committee … House Bill 2721, sponsored by Del. Adele McClure, D-Arlington, aims to update state law regarding special license plates for team supporters.” [Virginia Mercury]
Tysons Software Company Might Be Rebranding — Microstrategy, which has spent the past few years buying cryptocurrency, filed a plan with Fairfax County on Friday (Jan. 24) “to replace the exterior ‘MicroStrategy’ building sign at its 1850 Towers Crescent Plaza headquarters with a new sign that reads StrategyB — a clear reference to the business’s transformation into a bitcoin bank.” [Washington Business Journal]
Metro Launches Food Donation Drive — “Metro is inviting the public to participate in the ‘Fill-A-Bus’ campaign to drive out hunger and food insecurities in the region.” Aiming to collect enough food and raise enough money for the Capital Area Food Bank to provide about 41,000 meals, Metro will park a bus outside Giant Food stores across the region, including the one in Annandale (7137 Columbia Pike) on Feb. 13. [WMATA]
Fairfax City Hall Gets Landscaping Makeover — “Fairfax City is beginning the landscape and hardscape improvements to the front of the City Hall building, 10455 Armstrong Street, as of Jan. 27.” Expected to finish this summer, the project “includes expanding the landscaping area in front of the City Hall and replacing the stairs leading to Armstrong Street and upgrading lighting and irrigation.” [City of Fairfax]
Local Firefighters Donate Blood — “#FCFRD partnered with @IAFF2068 and Inova to host a blood drive for department members at Public Safety Headquarters. Thanks to everyone who gave their time and blood to help save lives right here in our community!” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Community Excited for New Mount Vernon Rec Center — “The Fairfax County Park Authority’s (FCPA) Jan. 23 community information meeting on the reopening of the Mount Vernon Rec Center was so popular that the parking lot quickly filled up at Belle View Elementary School … Overall, community members seem to be excited about the renovated $70 million facility.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 56 degrees, accompanied by breezy conditions, including a west wind blowing at 13 to 23 mph and gusts reaching up to 44 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 30 degrees, a northwest wind at 8 to 16 mph, and gusts peaking at 30 mph. [NWS]
Expect sunny skies and a high of around 51 degrees during the day, accompanied by breezy conditions as southwest winds of 11 to 16 mph shift to the west at 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Wind gusts could reach up to 46 mph. For Wednesday night, the weather will be mostly clear with a low of around 29 degrees. Northwest winds of 7 to 17 mph will become southwest in the evening, with gusts potentially reaching 34 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
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.
Scholarship winners also receive gift bags (courtesy of NVADACA)
The first monthly meeting of 2025 for the Northern Virginia Athletic Directors, Administrators and Coaches Association (NVADACA) organization is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19 at 11 a.m. at Springfield Golf and Country Club.
Margit Crittenberger, left, and Zora Burrell (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)
Margit Crittenberger and Zora Burrell were in an unwanted place and situation during the Potomac School Panthers’ most recent girls basketball game.
The senior teammates, three-sport athletes and top players for the private high-school wintertime hoop team, were sitting side-by-side on the bench against the host Flint Hill Huskies in that Jan. 25 game, unable to play because of lower-leg injuries.
Update: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s order freezing federal grants and loans minutes before it was set to take effect at 5 p.m.
Earlier: Fairfax County officials are scrambling to assess how a new federal directive halting financial aid programs might impact local services and capital projects.
The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee votes 9-6 to report S.B. 982 to the full bill to the full Senate (via Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn/Bluesky)
The push to allow a casino in Fairfax County has officially entered new territory.
After tabling similar legislation proposed by state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35) last year, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted 9-6 this morning (Tuesday) to report Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell’s (D-34) bill to add the county to Virginia’s list of eligible casino hosts to the full chamber.
Inside Break From Reality in Fairfax City (photo courtesy of Krissi Reeber)
What started as a way to stay busy during the coronavirus pandemic has become much more for Krissi Reeber.
A physician associate by day, Krissi Reeber spends her nights as the “gamemaker” for Break From Reality, a family-run hub of escape rooms that celebrated its grand opening in Fairfax City on Jan. 18.