News

An Arlington man who allegedly deployed bear spray against police officers who were trying to arrest him in Hybla Valley last week is now facing dozens of criminal charges.

An alert issued by an automated license plate reader around 1:39 p.m. last Friday (March 20) notified officers to the presence of a vehicle associated with a man who was wanted on multiple felony charges, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.


Countywide
Brick City of Fairfax gazebo with emerging cherry blossoms (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Traffic Shifts on Fairfax County Parkway — “Beginning the week of March 23, short-term traffic shifts will occur along northbound Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) between Route 123 (Ox Road) and Clara Barton Drive (Route 6500), and along northbound and southbound Route 123 between Chapel Road (Route 641) and Clara Barton Drive as part of the Fairfax County Parkway south widening project.” [VDOT]

Fairfax Officials Called to Testify in Congress — The fatal stabbing of Stephanie Minter at a Hybla Valley bus stop on Feb. 23 “will be the focus of an upcoming congressional subcommittee hearing examining why Jalloh was free. Fairfax County’s prosecutor and sheriff were called to testify in Congress next month, News4 learned on Thursday.” [NBC4]

How Va. Could Address Federal Health Care Gap — “Both a reconciliation bill Congress passed last summer and its failure to renew Affordable Care Act subsidies earlier this year mean Virginia lawmakers have scrambled for solutions to make up for federal funding shortfalls. State agencies are also overhauling workflows to comply with new federal mandates for health care and social services.” [Virginia Mercury]

Assault by Eggs Reported to Vienna Police — Officers with the Town of Vienna Police Department responded around 8:35 p.m. on March 14 to “a report of an assault involving individuals throwing objects from a vehicle. The victims reported being struck by eggs thrown from a passing vehicle that returned to the area and made a second pass.” [Vienna Police]

Text Updates on Centreville Gas Incident Ending — Starting this Wednesday (March 25), the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will discontinue the text messaging updates it’s been sending to over 725 community members about the natural gas explosion that took out a house in Centreville on Feb. 15. “While the text updates are ending, the Fairfax County incident webpage will remain active.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Mason District Glass Recycling Bin Moved — The purple bin for glass recycling at the Mason Government Center “is being removed because a large section of the parking lot has been taken over by temporary buildings and construction vehicles due to the renovation and expansion of the Mason Police Station.” Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is still searching for an alternate location. [Annandale Today]

Donated Pajamas Distributed to Families — “Fairfax County Police officers from the Mason District station handed out dozens of pajamas, slippers, and socks to families at the Strawbridge Square Apartments in Lincolnia on March 21. The clothing items were donated by community members over the past few months.” [Annandale Today]

Lake Fairfax Park Hiring for Summer — “Lake Fairfax Park is now hiring lakefront staff for the summer season, operating from mid-June through mid-August. Drop-in interviews at the Lake Fairfax Park Main Office will be held March 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

It’s Monday — Expect rain and possibly a thunderstorm, with a slight chance of rain until 10 am. Highs will reach near 60°F, with northwest winds at 10 to 17 mph and gusts up to 29 mph. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation. Night will be mostly clear, with a low around 33°F. [NWS]


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 — Mar 20, 2026.

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

  • Independent living community proposed to replace single-family house in Reston (11319 views)
  • UPDATED: Tornado Watch replaced by Flood Warning for Fairfax County (10487 views)
  • FCPD: Hayfield coach to be fired after arrest for alleged child porn possession (5057 views)
  • FCPD: Four killed, three injured in weekend crashes (5816 views)
  • JUST IN: FCPS to release students early on Monday due to possible storms (5801 views)
  • In Tysons, developers pivot from new construction to enhancing what’s already there (5745 views)
  • Mexican restaurant Banditos Bar & Kitchen closes near GMU in Fairfax (5496 views)
  • Fairfax County supervisors urge Spanberger to veto casino bill (5090 views)
  • Fairfax board members denounce local General Assembly legislators who supported casino bill (4946 views)
  • Fairfax County OKs Chantilly land sale to data center builder, as some cry foul (4885 views)
  • NOVA Parks rejects call for transit along W&OD Trail right-of-way (4415 views)
  • Report: Capital One could expand Tysons campus south of Route 123 (4385 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

    The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of around 66°F. Expect a north wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph, with occasional gusts up to 18 mph. On Saturday night, the sky will be partly cloudy, and temperatures will drop to about 46°F. Winds will shift from the east to the south, maintaining a light speed of approximately 6 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.

    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. 👋


    Announcement

    A Step In Time Chimney Sweeps is proud to provide professional chimney services for homeowners for over 25 years. As part of our Summer Special, we are currently offering professional chimney inspections to help homeowners prepare their fireplaces and chimney systems before the heavy winter burning season begins again.

    Our experienced team specializes in chimney inspections, chimney cleaning, chimney repairs, chimney relining, chimney cap installation, crown repairs, masonry work, fireplace services, wood stove installations, dryer vent cleaning, and much more.


    News

    A member of the Fairfax City Council has been named one of Northern Virginia’s “40 Under 40” for 2026 in honor of his professional and civic contributions.

    Anthony Amos will be among those celebrated at two events set for April 14, jointly sponsored by Leadership Fairfax and the Leadership Center of Arlington.


    Event

    The Golf Outing will be at the Chantilly National Country Club. Gather your friends for a fantastic day on the greens, enjoy friendly competition, and help us create a brighter future for our youth. Together, we can swing for a cause that truly matters to support area children receiving mental health counseling. Registration and Practice: 8:00-9:00am Tee Time: 9:00am Shotgun Start Lunch and Awards ceremony: 1:30pm- 2:30pm


    News

    The Braddock District’s newest representative on the Fairfax County School Board has officially taken office.

    Tom Dannan, who defeated GOP-endorsed Saundra Davis earlier this month, was formally sworn in prior to last night’s board meeting. He replaces Rachna Sizemore Heizer, and will serve the remainder of a term that ends in 2027.


    Countywide

    Fairfax County staff have revised language in the proposed Active Transportation and Trails Plan in an effort to smooth out friction between advocates for pedestrians/bicyclists and environmental issues.

    The Fairfax County Planning Commission on Wednesday night (March 18) reviewed the proposed changes and recommended approval of the new plan by the Board of Supervisors when the issue is addressed in May.


    Opinion

    Fairfax County has an abundance of lawn care companies ready to pull weeds, spread mulch and mow grass, among other maintenance services.

    Here are the nominees for “Best Lawn Care Service around Fairfax County” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite business below? If not, write them in!

    Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, April 3.

    Voting for the Best Landscapers in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, March 27 at 8:30 a.m.

    Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Cleaning Service in Fairfax. The results are now official:

    1. Superb Maids DC
    2. The Maids in Fairfax
    3. Maid Bright

    Countywide

    A new center for teens struggling with addiction and their mental health has opened in Chantilly.

    Government officials and community members gathered yesterday at the Northern Virginia Adolescent Treatment Center for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 16-bedroom facility — located 4211 Walney Road, near a county-run detox center that serves adults — will offer residential, medically managed detox services to youth patients from throughout the region beginning next Tuesday (March 24).


    Around Town

    Herndon will welcome a new watering hole today, complete with its own selection of craft brews.

    Hawkley Brewing will open at noon at 257 Sunset Park Drive in the Sunset Business Park — the former space of Juicy Brewing Company, which closed last year.