News

Four people in Fairfax County were killed Saturday (March 14) between two crashes in Reston and Mount Vernon, according to police.

Among the deceased are three adults — including a 79-year-old man — and one juvenile, the Fairfax County Police Department said yesterday (Sunday).


Countywide

Despite weeks of debate and revisions, the Senate Bill 756 that the Virginia General Assembly sent to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk before adjourning on Saturday (March 14) wound up being exactly the same as the one introduced when the legislative session began in January.

After requesting a second conference to some groans from his colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) reverted to his original language for a new substitute bill to allow casino gaming in Fairfax County, limiting potential sites to a 1.5-million-square-foot mixed-use development in Tysons but otherwise treating Fairfax the same as the five cities in Virginia already eligible to host a casino.


Countywide
A bicyclist stopped at the intersection of Route 50 and Stringfellow Road in Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reminder: Schools to Close Early — Fairfax County Public Schools will close three hours early today (Monday) due to potentially severe storms, including the possibility of tornadoes, in the afternoon forecast. All afterschool and evening activities on school grounds have been canceled, and morning preschool and special education classes will be dismissed around 10 a.m. [FFXnow]

Lawsuit Coming Over Chantilly Gas Explosion — “The attorney for an 83-year-old man whose home exploded in Centreville, Va., plans to file a lawsuit against Washington Gas. The explosion forced about 50 residents to evacuate from the neighborhood on Quail Pond Court. The man was injured and displaced after the blast destroyed his home.” [DC News Now]

Emergency Repairs for Potomac Sewer Complete — “D.C. Water has completed the final steps necessary to return flow to the Potomac Interceptor. D.C. Water spokesperson Sherri Lewis said the water flow was restored after a series of tests were carried out by officials early Saturday … The environmental rehabilitation work is still needed, which has begun on the C&O Canal.” [WTOP]

General Assembly Session Highlights — “Virginia lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 General Assembly session in dramatic fashion Saturday evening, adjourning their regular session without a budget deal after an unexpected dispute over data center tax breaks … overshadowed what had otherwise been a consequential session for Democrats,” who control both chambers of the legislature and all three statewide offices. [Virginia Mercury]

Retail Cannabis Bill Heads to Governor — “Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to let people 21 and over buy cannabis recreationally starting Jan. 1, 2027, moving the state closer to ending its yearslong stay in marijuana purgatory.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign the bill, which comes five years after Virginia decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. [VPM News]

Southwest Airlines Leaving Dulles — “Southwest Airlines Co. said Friday it will soon stop operating service to, from or through Dulles International Airport.” The company, which currently provides flights from Dulles to Phoenix and Denver, said it will end service at Dulles and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport starting June 4 as “part of the airline’s ongoing effort ‘refine services.'” [Washington Business Journal]

Falls Church Approves E-Scooter Program — “Falls Church has formally opened its doors to e-scooters. Now it just needs to find some takers. City Council members voted 7-0 on Monday night for a one-year pilot program, hoping to entice companies to deploy up to 100 e-scooters and e-bicycles within the community’s 2.2 square miles.” [ARLnow]

Private-Sector Job Losses a Concern — “Private sector job losses linked to federal reductions and economic uncertainty are a top concern for City of Alexandria and its regional counterparts, according to a presentation” given to the City Council on March 10. “While [Brookings Institute fellow Tracy] Hadden Loh said the region is still adding private jobs in certain subsectors, others have taken a hit.” [ALXnow]

New Legal Notice — Administrative plan available; hearing May 1, 2026; comments invited. [Public Notices]

It’s Monday — Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Temperatures could reach a high near 72 before dropping to a low around 30 at night. Chance of precipitation is 80%. [NWS]


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools will change up its schedule tomorrow (Monday) in anticipation of potentially severe weather, including thunderstorms and even possible tornadoes.

Instead of the more typical two-hour delayed opening, however, FCPS has announced that schools and administrative offices will close three hours early, forcing many families to scramble for last-minute child care plans.


Event

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.


News

Three people were killed and two were hospitalized as a result of a single-vehicle crash near Crossfield Elementary School in Reston earlier this morning (Saturday).

As of 10:30 a.m., Fox Mill Road remains closed in both directions at Folkstone Drive, where the crash occurred, as detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Crash Reconstruction Unit investigate.


Countywide

The bill to allow a casino in Fairfax County has reemerged after nine days of negotiations with some significant changes from the version that passed the Virginia House of Delegates earlier this month.

The State Senate voted 22-16 today (Friday) to accept a substitute for Senate Bill 756 that would allow a temporary casino establishment in Fairfax before a referendum to permit a permanent development goes to voters.


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 13, 2026.

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

  • Fairfax County offers free trees to residents in bid to expand canopy (11767 views)
  • Construction begins on updates to AMC Theatres in Tysons (9555 views)
  • Transit advocates push for use of W&OD right-of-way as new rail line (7959 views)
  • CVS Pharmacy at Reston Station to permanently close (7538 views)
  • Reston Crossing redevelopment revived under new property owner (7063 views)
  • Fairfax County schools to close for redistricting referendum special election (6083 views)
  • As homes get taller, Fairfax County seeks to clarify longstanding height limit (5212 views)
  • FCPD seeking man who burglarized Centreville homes ‘while fully nude’ (5077 views)
  • Vacant site near Tysons water tower acquired for affordable housing (4298 views)
  • Iran conflict clouds Fairfax County homes market as springtime approaches (3677 views)
  • NEW: Katie Cristol stepping down as Tysons Community Alliance CEO (3597 views)
  • Reston Association resumes consideration of Lake Audubon renaming (3486 views)
  • Environmental groups seek more details of plan to sell Chantilly land for data center (3362 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

    Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 56 degrees and a west wind of 10 to 16 mph, gusting up to 29 mph today. Tonight, the sky turns mostly cloudy with a low around 40 degrees, as the north wind at 6 mph becomes light and variable. 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. 👋


    Countywide

    The Fairfax County government will not be imperiling its coveted AAA bond rating despite taking on an estimated $2.26 billion in new debt in coming years, county staff told supervisors this week.

    Despite the reassurance, staff raised concerns at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Budget Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday (March 10) that the increasing debt load will put the squeeze on a county budget already facing economic headwinds.


    News

    UpdateGeorge Mason University Police have determined that the bomb threat targeting Fenwick Library was unfounded.

    “Law enforcement conducted an extensive search of the building and no devices were found,” a GMU spokesperson said. “The area has been deemed safe and normal operations may resume.”