Fairfax County is getting set for the return of its annual deer archery program, part of an ongoing population control initiative that will also include police sharpshooting at some parks.
Starting this Saturday, Sept. 12 through Feb. 13, 2027, licensed and trained archers will be allowed to target white-tailed deer at more than 100 properties across the county, including many parks, the Fairfax County Police Department announced yesterday (Wednesday).
Motorcyclist Critically Injured in Woodlawn — “A motorcyclist was hospitalized with serious injuries Wednesday evening following a crash during rush hour near Woodlawn, police said. In a post to X just after 5 p.m., Fairfax County police said officers were on the scene of a crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle at Mount Vernon Highway and Battersea Lane, near Mount Vernon High School.” [DC News Now]
Former Student Convicted of Assault Deported — “An undocumented immigrant who was convicted of groping girls at a Virginia high school has been deported to El Salvador, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).” Israel Flores Ortiz was sentenced to serve approximately 140 days in jail in April after a judge found him guilty on nine counts of assault and battery. [FOX5]
Candidate Shares Antisemitic Videos — Shelly Arnoldi, the Libertarian candidate in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, has shared videos on social media defending Nazi book burning and depicting an Adolf Hitler rant. She has rejected accusations of antisemitism, but similar posts shared during an unsuccessful bid to chair the Fairfax County Republican Committee drew criticism from the Jewish Community Relations Council. [ARLnow]
Data Complicates D.C. Region Driving Cliches — “Jeff Dooley, a Virginia native and current D.C. resident who runs The Washington Sun’s local and sports coverage, asked if we could confirm the D.C. region’s most enduring stereotype: Are Maryland drivers really the worst. At first glance, the data seemed to confirm our suspicions,” but a deeper dive suggests drivers with Virginia plates are most likely to be at fault. [Washington Sun]
Kaine Sees Chance to Reverse Medicaid Cuts — “During a roundtable discussion at … a food bank in Henrico County Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said he believed there’s a growing chance Congress could adjust or undo Medicaid changes the Republican-controlled legislature enacted last summer — with or without flipping Congress to Democratic control.” [Virginia Mercury]
Congressman Unveils Data Center Bills — “Rep. Suhas Subramanyam stood outside Discovery Elementary School in Ashburn, Virginia, on Tuesday. State lawmakers, local officials and community leaders gathered around him … The Northern Virginia Democrat was there to announce a package of four bills that would set national requirements for data center development.” [WTOP]
Seafood Eatery Eyes Fall Opening — Construction on Hot N Juicy Crawfish’s new restaurant in Centreville (14245H Centreville Square) is on track to finish by Oct. 23, the chain says. The company, which currently has just one location in Virginia in Falls Church, is planning to hold a soft opening near the end of October. [FFXnow]
New Paintings Celebrate Mason District — “Four paintings highlighting Mason District have been installed in the office of Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez. The artist, Todd Crespi, says he was inspired by Jimenez’ goal to celebrate the vitality of Mason District through the arts.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 89°F and a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Night will see showers and thunderstorms before 3am, then likely showers, with a low around 68°F. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
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Fairfax families now have a vibrant new destination for creative exploration — a dedicated children’s art studio has officially opened its doors, bringing with it one of the largest selections of children’s art programs in the area.
The journey behind this new studio is a simple but meaningful one: a belief that every child in the Fairfax community deserves access to quality art education. That conviction became the driving force behind building a space where young people can discover, create, and grow — not just as artists, but as individuals.
“We wanted to provide the opportunity of art education to the Fairfax community,” the studio shared.
What makes this studio particularly remarkable is its breadth. Children have access to more than 40 varieties of art, offering a rare opportunity to explore disciplines far beyond the typical drawing and painting classes. Whether a child is drawn to sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, or illustration, there’s a path here waiting to be discovered.
The philosophy is intentional: instead of narrowing a child’s focus too soon, the programs are designed to let curiosity lead the way. Children are encouraged to try, experiment, and explore until something clicks — because finding a true passion is just as important as developing a skill.
The studio has been thoughtfully designed to meet families where they are, with age-appropriate programs that build skills progressively and purposefully. Here’s a closer look at what’s available:
Art is a skill developed over time, and it all starts here. In Tiny Hands classes, children begin to express themselves through art in guided, small group activities that encourage community, collaboration, and relationships. This two-year program introduces young learners to drawing, painting, clay, printmaking, collage, design, and more — laying the foundation for a lifelong creative journey.
This two-year program introduces children to beginning art skills, tools, and basic vocabulary. Students are encouraged to explore different mediums and express their growing interests, working with clay, printmaking, charcoal drawing, painting, design, montage, watercolors, sculpture, stained glass, and more. Along the way, they’ll learn about color theory — including primary, secondary, cool, and warm colors — while gaining self-confidence and earning recognition for their creations.
Building on the foundation of Intro to Art, Beginning Art is designed for children ready to deepen their skills and grow more comfortable with art tools. Students expand their art vocabulary, apply their knowledge of color theory, and explore design principles through hands-on creating. This two-year program offers opportunities to work with charcoal, mono printing, clay, ink, color design, collage, self-portrait, watercolors, balsa wood carving, sculpture, and much more.
Art 1 is the foundation of the studio’s four-year curriculum — a class designed to maximize and maintain each child’s art interest as they develop a higher level of skills and knowledge. Students also begin building their personal portfolio. Projects include ebony pencil from photomontage, charcoal still life, India ink design, and scratchboard art, with a strong focus on line, value, and texture. Later in the program, students dive into an in-depth study of color theory and apply it to a series of color design projects. Art 1 also includes hand building with clay.
Good Wednesday 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 — Sep 9, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect a partly sunny day with a high of 89°F, a 30% chance of showers, and possible thunderstorms after 5 PM. Winds will be from the west at 6 to 8 mph. Thursday night will bring showers and thunderstorms before 4 AM, with a low around 67°F and a northwest wind at 3 to 5 mph. There is an 80% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall amounts ranging from a quarter to half an inch. 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.
The shooting deaths of a Centreville husband and wife are believed to be a murder-suicide, the Fairfax County Police Department confirmed today (Sep. 10).
Officers were dispatched to the 6300 block of Sharps Drive after a family member living in the same residence called 911 to report the shooting around 5:30 p.m. yesterday.
Join us for the Saint Ann Fall Festival on Saturday, September 26! Start the day with our Fun Run at 9:30 AM, followed by the Fall Festival beginning at 10:00 AM.
This family friendly celebration is open to the entire Arlington community and offers something for everyone! Enjoy rides and inflatables, live entertainment, family friendly Bingo, raffles, a Beer Garden, delicious food, and plenty of opportunities to gather with the community.
The festival is also a celebration of Saint Ann’s diverse Catholic community, featuring food and entertainment representing our Filipino, Latino, and Peruvian communities, along with some local favorites.
This year’s entertainment includes a live band in the Beer Garden, and exciting Bolivian and Peruvian dance performances. Admission is free, and tickets for food, rides, and activities can be purchased at the festival.
Come celebrate with us and experience the warm, welcoming spirit of Saint Ann! We look forward to welcoming the greater Arlington community for a fun-filled day together.
The Fall Festival will take place rain or shine! Come join the fun!
A teenager was killed this afternoon (Wednesday) after being struck by a truck outside a shopping center in Fairfax City.
Fairfax City police officers and a medic with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to 3985 Pickett Road at 2:32 p.m. for the crash, according to scanner traffic.
A Fairfax County legislator on Sept. 1 was honored by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters for his work on clean energy legislation and addressing the impacts of data centers.
Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6) was one of six General Assembly members awarded by the group for their legislative leadership during the 2026 session.
When Fairfax City voters go to the polls in November, they’ll be asked to grant approval for a general retail sales tax increase of up to 1% for construction and renovation of school and/or public transportation purposes.
To give voters the details they need to decide, City of Fairfax Public Schools will host a series of informational meetings about the referendum, starting this week.
Unfortunately for local foodies waiting to see the vendor and entertainment lineups for this year’s Taste of Annandale, no announcements are coming.
The annual community celebration has been put on hold for 2026 “due to a combination of logistical and personal issues,” organizers told FFXnow.
The “kiss and ride” pick-up and drop-off sections at many Fairfax County Public Schools are overextended to the point of becoming the school system’s “most significant operational concern districtwide,” a new staff report found.
The results of a Safe Routes to Schools assessment conducted over the past year and a half were presented to the Fairfax County School Board yesterday (Sept. 8) as part of a discussion of pedestrian and traffic safety around schools, just one week after a student was hit by a car while walking to South Lakes High School in Reston.
