Congress | FFXnow

Local early childhood education center reels from federal funding uncertainty

Published February 10, 2025 at 3:45PM

Sen. Tim Kaine walks with High Horizons Executive Director Latisha Howze (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Trump administration’s freeze on federal grants and loans has left early childhood education programs like Higher Horizons in Bailey’s Crossroads facing financial uncertainty, even after a court ruled the funding must resume.

On Friday (Feb. 7), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) met with staff and educators at the nonprofit Head Start provider to discuss the lingering effects of the freeze, which was triggered by a White House directive pausing federal aid while the administration reviewed how the funds align with its policy goals.

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Congressman revives proposal to rename Dulles Airport after Trump

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 27, 2025 at 2:30PM

The tarmac at Dulles International Airport (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Congressional Republicans are once again pushing to rename Dulles International Airport after President Donald Trump.

North Carolina Rep. Addison McDowell introduced H.R. 691 last Thursday, Jan. 23 to designate the Northern Virginia airport as “Donald J. Trump International Airport,” proclaiming the move a fitting parallel to former president Ronald Reagan’s moniker gracing Washington National Airport in Arlington.

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Fairfax County board finalizes priorities for state lawmakers, Congress

By Scott McCaffrey

Published December 5, 2024 at 9:00AM

In front of the Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

After weeks of discussions, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted along party lines on Tuesday (Dec. 3) to adopt policy packages establishing its 2025 priorities for the Virginia General Assembly and Congress.

The packages seek additional funding from the state legislature, particularly for education and transportation, and set up potential conflict areas with the incoming Trump administration.

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Fairfax’s Democratic supervisors seek a game plan for second Trump era

By Scott McCaffrey

Published November 20, 2024 at 9:45AM

Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay addresses the incoming Trump administration's potential impact on Fairfax County (via Fairfax County Channel 16)

Fairfax County supervisors want to ensure the county government isn’t caught flat-footed by public policy revisions undertaken by the incoming Trump administration and Republican Congress.

Supervisors voted 9-1 along party lines yesterday (Tuesday) to direct County Executive Bryan Hill and staff to analyze potential impacts on everything from federal government employment and commercial real estate to transportation and climate change.

Countywide

Fairfax County voters stick with Dems, but turnout down from last presidential elections

By Jared Serre

Published November 7, 2024 at 1:15PM | Updated November 8, 2024 at 11:19AM

Voting at Lake Braddock Secondary School (staff photo by Jared Serre)

After reporting record turnout levels in 2016 and 2020, Fairfax County saw a noticeable dip in voter participation for this year’s general election.

The county reported a voter turnout of 68.35%, with 561,368 of its 821,347 registered voters casting a ballot either on Tuesday (Nov. 5) or during the 45-day early voting period, according to unofficial results that will be certified after noon tomorrow (Friday), the deadline for the county’s elections office to receive mail-in ballots.

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BREAKING: Rep. Gerry Connolly diagnosed with cancer

By Jared Serre

Published November 7, 2024 at 9:45AM

Rep. Gerry Connolly speaks at Lorton Station Elementary School in 2024 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Just two days after winning reelection to Congress, Rep. Gerry Connolly announced that he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

Connolly learned of his diagnosis “a few days ago” after experiencing “some intermittent abdominal aches and pains,” but no other symptoms, he said in a statement posted on his social media pages this morning (Thursday).

Countywide

Fairfax Democrats grapple with shifting political landscape after Trump wins presidency

By James Jarvis

Published November 6, 2024 at 2:30PM | Updated November 8, 2024 at 11:20AM

Trump and Harris campaign signs outside Cunningham Park Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey

In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Fairfax County Democrats are confronting a more competitive Virginia, where heightened Republican mobilization has raised alarms about their hold on power in the purple state.

While Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia by more than 5 percentage points, her margin was notably lower than President Joe Biden’s in 2020, when he won the state by over 10 points. Similarly, in Fairfax County, Harris captured 65.44% of the vote, down from Biden’s 69.85%.

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UPDATED: Incumbent Dems poised to win in Congress, Harris has edge in Fairfax County

By James Jarvis and Angela Woolsey

Published November 5, 2024 at 8:40PM | Updated November 6, 2024 at 12:12AM

Election signs outside the Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Results from today’s general election are starting to trickle in, and Fairfax County’s initial batch of tallied votes strongly favor Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race.

As of 9:24 p.m., Harris has about two-thirds or 66% of the votes that the county has counted so far, which include some early votes and Election Day results from 127 of the county’s 264 precincts, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.

Countywide

Voter turnout for 2024 general election tops 60% so far in Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 5, 2024 at 2:00PM

Voting at the Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Jared Serre)

More than 60% of registered voters in Fairfax County have cast a ballot so far in this year’s general election.

As of 12:30 p.m., 18.7% of voters have cast a ballot on Election Day since polls opened at 6 a.m. today. Combined with the 43% of voters who participated in early voting or sent in an absentee ballot by mail, the county has seen a total turnout of 61.7%, the Fairfax County Office of Elections reported.

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Fort Belvoir wildlife crossing touted as solution to animal-vehicle collisions

By James Jarvis

Published November 4, 2024 at 2:30PM

Rep. Don Beyer speaks to crowd under new Fort Belvoir wildlife crossing (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Beneath a bustling stretch of Fairfax County Parkway lies a little-known wildlife crossing that might hold the key to reducing animal-vehicle collisions in Virginia.

Last Wednesday (Oct. 30), Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and State Sen. David Marsden (D-35) toured the underpass nestled between Davison Army Airfield and Fort Belvoir. Constructed in the 1990s and still one of the state’s few such installations, the 192-foot-long, 20-foot-high structure facilitates safe migration for species from deer and bears to snakes and turtles.