Registration is now open for the sixth annual Tour de Hunter Mill community bicycle ride set for Sunday, May 3. Participants can choose between riding two scenic routes — 11 or 19 miles — designed to accommodate both beginners and experienced cyclists.
This year’s event will highlight Vienna, according to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who started the event in 2021.
A Fairfax High School student will serve more than four months in jail for reportedly groping multiple girls in the school’s halls.
Israel Christopher Flores Ortiz, an 18-year-old who’s currently a junior at Fairfax High, was sentenced today (Tuesday) to 180 days in jail for each of the nine fellow students he was found guilty of assaulting earlier this year.
On Christmas night 2025, Annandale High School sophomore Annie Vu was killed in a high-speed crash on I-495 while heading home from a holiday dinner — a tragedy that shook the Annandale community and left many students and parents searching for answers.
Some of those answers came through the reporting of Annandale High School senior Zoe Ligairi.
Three people were forced out of their homes last week by an apartment fire in the Herndon area that investigators say resulted from improperly discarded smoking materials.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched at 12:42 p.m. last Wednesday (April 15) for reports of an outdoor fire that was spreading to the Kendrick Court Senior Apartments building (13430 Coppermine Road) in McNair.
Kokedama Workshop: Planting a Living Vessel
Kokedama—“moss ball”—is a centuries-old Japanese garden art rooted in the bonsai tradition and the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which honors beauty in simplicity and imperfection. Plants are grown without pots, their roots wrapped in soil and moss to form a living, sculptural sphere.
Civic leaders in Fairfax County’s oldest African American neighborhood are pressing local leaders to avoid a proposed budget cut that would eliminate a key staff position in their community.
The proposed reduction would “significantly affect the Gum Springs community’s future,” said Linda Brown of the New Gum Springs Civic Association.
A vegan dessert shop known for its giant, fresh-baked cookies hopes to return to Reston this spring.
MidnighTreats is planning to open around late May to early June at Reston Town Center, owner Jemal Mahdi told FFXnow. It’s a relocation for the plant-based bakery, whose original storefront in Plaza America closed after about two years in business.
A federal judge has blocked a $6.2 billion merger of local television giants Nexstar Media Group and Tysons-based rival Tegna until an antitrust lawsuit is resolved.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley in Sacramento, California, made the ruling late Friday (April 17) afternoon, finding that eight attorneys general and DirecTV were likely to prevail in their legal bid to stop the merger. The attorneys general, all Democrats, and DirecTV contend the merger will lead to higher prices for consumers, stifle local journalism and that the deal runs afoul of federal laws designed to protect against monopolies.
Bomb Threat Cleared on Dulles-Bound Plane — “A United Airlines flight coming from Denver landed safely at Dulles International Airport Monday morning after a reported bomb threat, according to officials. Before departing from Denver International Airport, ‘United flight 2408 deplaned safely via airstairs due to a security concern,’ according to a Dulles statement.” [NBC4]
Lawsuits Filed Over Potomac Sewage Spill — “The Justice Department and the Maryland Department of the Environment have filed separate lawsuits against D.C. Water over the pollution of the Potomac River due to a massive sewage spill from a ruptured pipe back in January.” [WTOP]
Sen. Warner’s Daughter Has Died — “Sen. Mark Warner (D) and his wife, Lisa Collis, shared today (Monday) that their daughter Madison Warner has died. The 36-year-old died after decades of battling juvenile diabetes and other health issues, according to their statement.” [ALXnow]
Immigration Advocates Mixed on Spanberger — “In the wake of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Democrats in Virginia’s legislature passed a handful of bills to help combat what they see as injustices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed some of those bills … but immigration advocates hope legislators will reject some she amended.” [WVTF]
Historic Civil War Center Set to Reopen — The interpretive center at Historic Blenheim in Fairfax City will reopen to visitors tomorrow (Wednesday) after closing over the winter for maintenance. The facility will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a free guided tour of the Historic Blenheim house on Saturdays at 1 p.m. [City of Fairfax]
Steakhouse Chain Files for Bankruptcy — “801 Restaurant Group, the parent company of the 801 Chophouse chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 10, a move the company says is intended to restructure debt and keep its restaurants operating rather than shutter them outright.” The first 801 Chophouse on the East Coast opened in Tysons in 2024. [Des Moines Register]
Watch Out for Tick Bites — “As spring arrives and the weather warms up, tick activity increases around Virginia. Increased tick activity means that Virginians need to be aware of the risks that ticks can pose to people … There are several illnesses that ticks can spread in Virginia, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Alpha-gal Syndrome.” [Virginia Department of Health]
Lake Anne Award Winners Announced — “Lake Anne Plaza in Reston presented its first Good Neighbor Awards on Saturday, recognizing a child and an adult for contributions to the community.” Five-year-old Elianna Malesic won in the kids’ category for helping clean up litter, while local artist Pat McIntyre was the adult honoree for hosting a free weekly crafts table every Saturday. [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Expect widespread frost before 10 am, followed by sunny weather with a high near 62°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the south at about 6 mph in the afternoon. At night, there is a 30% chance of showers after 2 am, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. [NWS]
Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.
Good Monday 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 — Apr 20, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect widespread frost before 10 a.m., followed by sunny skies and a high near 61°F. Winds will be calm in the morning, becoming southwest at about 6 mph in the afternoon. On Tuesday night, there’s a slight 20% chance of showers after 2 a.m., with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. South winds will range from 7 to 10 mph. 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.
