Police and fire boats search the Potomac River after the Jan. 29 mid-air airplane and helicopter collision near Reagan National Airport with the crash site visible in the background (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A new relief fund has emerged to supplement the patchwork of GoFundMe pages and meal trains created to support the families of those who died in last week’s airplane and helicopter crash into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport.
The Capital Area Community Foundations, a partnership of D.C.-area nonprofits that includes the Oakton-based Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, launched a DCA Together Relief Fund on Friday (Jan. 31) to raise money for the families, first responders and organizations providing mental health services and other recovery resources.
Sign advertises the Fairfax County Planning Commission's public hearing on a proposed family shelter at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Plans to convert a former extended-stay hotel into an emergency family shelter are moving forward after the Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved the project, despite pushback from nearby residents.
Commissioners voted 9-0 (with two members absent) to allow the shelter at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive across from Fair Oaks Mall. Formerly an Extended Stay America hotel, the site will be repurposed to provide emergency temporary housing for families experiencing homelessness and serve as a domestic violence shelter.
Imagine stepping out of your door and being a brief, 0.3-mile walk from the McLean Metro Station. Indigo at McLean Station is redefining affordable Northern Virginia living, combining an unbeatable Tysons location with brand-new, high-end amenities.
Mark your calendar for our upcoming Open House on Saturday, November 14th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, where you can explore everything our growing community has to offer.
Both Phases Now Open for Tours
This exclusive event gives you full access to tour both Phase I and Phase II of our stunning community. Whether you are looking to relocate immediately or planning your next move, we have layouts tailored to your timeline:
Phase I (Immediate Move-In Available): Move right into our modern homes designed for households qualifying under the 60% Area Median Income (AMI) guidelines.
Phase II (Now Leasable): Ready for immediate move-ins, select apartment homes in Phase II are now available to lease. This phase introduces studio, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom configurations across 50% to 70% AMI tiers.
Double the Amenities, Double the Community
With the introduction of Phase II, Indigo at McLean Station has dramatically expanded its resident perks. When you tour the community, you will experience a wealth of brand-new spaces designed to elevate your daily routine:
Upgraded Fitness & Relaxation: Enjoy full access to an additional, state-of-the-art fitness center and a second designer club room perfect for hosting friends.
Premium Work & Welcome Spaces: Experience our elegant, expansive new lobby and a fully equipped business center tailored for remote professionals.
Outdoor & Pet Luxuries: Pamper your four-legged family members at our brand-new, on-site pet spa (with no breed restrictions) and explore additional outdoor amenity spaces and walking trails.
Stack Your Savings
Attendees who submit an application during the event can unlock our exclusive, event-only leasing incentive. Receive an additional 1/2 month of rent free—applicable strictly to Phase I apartments. Best of all, this time-sensitive special stacks directly on top of our premier active promotion of Up to Two Months Free on Select Apartments!
Plan your visit to 1750 Old Meadow Rd, McLean, VA 22102 this November 14th. Browse Our Available Floor Plans, check real-time pricing, and review income qualification criteria on our website, or call our leasing team directly at (571) 786-5546. Can’t make the Open House? Schedule a Tour Today.
A Fairfax County Public Schools substitute teacher has been arrested and dismissed from her job for allegedly assaulting a student at Dogwood Elementary School (12300 Glade Drive).
The county’s Child Protective Services received a referral on Sept. 25, 2024 indicating that a substitute teacher had assaulted a student at the Reston school, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a press release on Saturday (Feb. 1).
Archer Hotel at the Mosaic District in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Fire Burns Down Century-Old Barn in Centreville — Fairfax and Loudoun county firefighters responded around 4:30 a.m. yesterday (Sunday) to a barn fire at Cox Farms at 15621 Braddock Road. While no people were injured, the farm lost “about a dozen chickens, a tractor and a slide were lost in the fire, along with artwork that decorated the barn and a sunflower sculpture.” [WUSA9]
Alleged Serial Killer Convicted of Women’s Murders — “It took a jury only 30 minutes to find ‘shopping cart killer’ suspect Anthony Eugene Robinson guilty of killing two women in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 2021. The jury recommended four life sentences, plus 10 years in prison and a $400,000 fine in the deaths of Allene ‘Beth’ Redmon and Tonita Smith.” [WTOP]
Va. Mothers Advocate for Stronger Driving Laws — “Two Virginia mothers who lost their children in car crashes are turning their grief into action, working with state lawmakers to push for stricter driver and passenger safety laws. Their efforts could lead to new penalties for unlicensed minors driving, expanded driver education in public schools, and a requirement for all adults in a vehicle to wear seat belts.” [Virginia Mercury]
Demolition Looms for Annandale Shopping Center — “The developer of a future mixed-use project at the Eastgate Shopping Center on John Marr Drive in Annandale submitted a demolition plan to Fairfax County on Jan. 28 … Everything to the left of K Market — including Kimen Ramen Izakaya, Pelicana Chicken, The Block, b-Thrifty, ToBe Nails, Sinsegye Department, and Ben Gong’s Tea — is slated for demolition.” [Annandale Today]
Pizza Chain Founders to Open Falls Church Cafe — “A French cafe and creperie with a vintage aesthetic may be opening soon in Falls Church. The Little Falls Cafe is a new concept by Enzo Algarme and Anastasiya Laufenberg, the founders of Pupatella, an acclaimed Arlington-based pizzeria. The team aims for a spring opening.” [ARLnow]
Fairfax City Replaces Sewer — “Crews are replacing 200 feet of an aging sewer line on Orchard Street. The work area extends from Bevan Drive to a utility access point about 200 feet to the west of the intersection. Work is scheduled to take place at the site from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays through Friday, Feb. 21.” [City of Fairfax]
Tysons ID Verification Company Pursues Growth — “ID.me has closed on a gargantuan $275 million credit facility from Los Angeles’s Ares Management, which is also making a ‘substantial equity investment’ in the digital identity verification company. ID.me announced the financing Thursday and said in a news release it would use its largest-ever funding vehicle to speed its growth.” [Washington Business Journal]
FFXnow Seeks Feedback with Reader Survey — FFXnow is conducting our annual reader survey. “The survey is quick and straightforward to complete, but your responses will significantly influence our direction throughout 2025. Thank you for helping us better serve Fairfax County!” [FFXnow]
It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures around 57°F and gentle south winds blowing at 3-8 mph. By night, the skies will turn mostly cloudy with the temperature dropping to approximately 46°F, as southwest winds pick up to around 7-10 mph. [NWS]
Spend the evening with Washington Spirit alum and former USWNT player Joanna Lohman, a true DMV women’s soccer legend.
This is your chance to meet Joanna in person, hear the stories behind the career, the competition, and The Amazing Race, and experience the kind of sports moment you’ll still be talking about long after the night is over.
The weather will transition from mostly cloudy to sunny, with temperatures reaching a high of around 45 degrees. There will be a north wind blowing at a speed of 10 to 16 mph and gusts climbing up to 28 mph. During Saturday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low temperature of approximately 25 degrees, accompanied by a northeast wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
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. 👋
Randolph-Macon's McKenzie Matheny (courtesy of Randolph-Macon athletics)
Two former high-school players from Fairfax County have helped the Division III Randolph-Macon College men’s and women’s basketball teams to standout records during the 2024-25 campaign.
West Springfield High graduate McKenzie Matheny has helped the women’s squad to a 17-1 record and 16 straight wins through Wednesday (Jan. 29) action.
Richmond runningback Andrew King (courtesy of Richmond football)
The pipeline of Flint Hill School graduates to college football teams keeps on growing.
As some high-school senior football players at the Flint Hill School have recently made commitments to play the sport at the next level, at least three others were freshmen members of college squads this past fall season.
