morning notes

Police Officer’s Gun Fired in Tysons Corner Center — “On the afternoon of April 2, a D.C. police captain was at Level99 … when he lost his personal weapon while playing a game, Fairfax County police said. A teen found the weapon, thought it was a prop and pulled the trigger, investigators said. No one was shot.” [NBC4]

GOP Suggests Returning Part of N. Va. to D.C. — Republican Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Georgia) introduced legislation last week that would “Make D.C. Square Again” by ceding Arlington and Alexandria back to the District “in the wake of Virginia voters approving a redistricting referendum to benefit Democrats’ representation in Congress.” [ARLnow]

Metro Board Approves Automation Plan — “The WMATA board of directors voted [on April 23] to endorse a plan to fully automate the Red Line and add platform screen doors as part of its capital improvement plan. The other lines would come next. The changes wouldn’t be finished on the Red Line until 2032 at the earliest, and are contingent on federal funding.” [Washingtonian]

Bill Makes Contraceptives Free — “Contraceptive services will soon be free for all privately-insured Virginians under a new law starting in 2027. The Contraceptive Equity Act, sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Fairfax), will require insurers to cover a broader range of birth control methods without patients having to pay out-of-pocket.” [WHRO]

Mobile Home Fire in Chantilly — Fairfax County firefighters responded just after 1 a.m. on Friday (April 24) to a fire that engulfed a mobile home in the 14500 block of Trans World Avenue in Chantilly. No injuries were reported, but an investigation into the cause of the fire remains underway. [FCFRD/Facebook]

FCPS Principal Defends Early Release Days — “Fairfax County elementary school teachers are using the extra time they receive on monthly early release days to plan, finish trainings, meet with parents and support chronically absent students,” according to Mosaic Elementary School principal Mahri Aste. She says she understands parents’ concerns about the school calendar, but the loss of the scheduled planning time will “impact kids.” [WTOP]

D.C. Considers Self-Driving Taxis — “Robotaxis could be allowed on D.C. streets under a new bill that lays out the rules of the road for autonomous vehicles, providing an alternative to Ubers and Lyfts or traditional taxis.” D.C. Council member Charles “Allen said he sought to address a number of concerns about autonomous vehicles, ranging from safety to congestion to the displacement of human workers.” [Washington Post]

McLean Houses Sell for Combined $25M — “The deals, which create a 6-acre compound across some of the most expensive and exclusive land in Greater Washington, closed 10 days apart. First, on April 14, Arthur and Linda Rodbell sold 1137 and 1169 Crest Lane to Splinter VA LLC for $12.825 million. Then, on Friday, 1173 and 1175 Crest, known as Easter Hill, sold for $12.45 million.” [Washington Business Journal]

It’s Monday — Expect patchy fog before 7 a.m., followed by sunny skies with a high around 69°F. Light winds will shift to an eastward direction at 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Monday night will be mostly clear, with a low near 47°F and southeast winds of 3 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Fairfax City Asked to Repay Funds for Canceled Trail — “The Virginia Department of Transportation has formally requested that Fairfax City repay $3.5 million in concessionaire funding used for the now-canceled George Snyder Trail project, according to a April 6 letter from the agency.” Mayor Catherine Read said at an April 14 work session that the city “was in communication with the state” on the repayment process. [Patch]

GW Parkway Resurfacing Begins — Starting yesterday (Thursday), the National Park Service is repaving the parkway in Alexandria after previously working on the section “between Spout Run Parkway and Interstate 395 in Arlington. Crews will resurface the road and replace pedestrian crossing medians between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and First Street.” [ALXnow]

Democrats Split on Proposed Data Center Ban — “Most Democrats in Congress have criticized the moratorium proposal harshly. Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner dismissed the plan as ‘idiocy’ during an event hosted by Axios.” Meanwhile, Mo Seifeldein, a former Alexandria council member who’s challenging Rep. Don Beyer in Virginia’s 8th District, has expressed support for a pause on data center development. [Politico]

Book Vending Machine Added at Reston School — “The RoSigle Foundation, a local nonprofit, recently installed a book vending
machine at Langston Hughes Middle School, giving students a fun and engaging way to access free reading material. The initiative supports the organization’s broader mission to promote literacy and educational equity.” [Reston Letter]

New Chicken Restaurant Coming to Lincolnia — “Love & Honey Fried Chicken is replacing another chicken restaurant at Pinecrest Plaza in Lincolnia. The space, at 6544 Little River Turnpike, is being renovated following the closure of Hot Lola’s, which opened in February 2023.” [Annandale Today]

McLean AI Startup Raises Millions — “Rilian has raised $17.5 million in new funding to further expand the development of its artificial intelligence-powered cybersecurity tools for the defense sector.” The company plans to use the funding from 8VC, a venture capital firm started by Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale, to hire more engineering staff, boost marketing and continue building out its products “for the U.S. military and its allies.” [Washington Business Journal]

Baby Born in Reston Miles From Home — “Akosua was born at Reston Hospital on October 26, 2025, at just 1 pound, 1 ounce — and more than 5,000 miles from her home in Ghana. Her mother, Afua, was 23 weeks pregnant when she traveled to the U.S. to attend her cousin’s wedding last fall.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Sporting Events to Watch for — “Sports fans looking to catch a game this spring have a number of options to explore without leaving the county.” Highlights include home games for Old Glory DC and DC Divas, the District’s professional rugby and women’s football teams, which will be playing at George Mason Stadium and Lewis High School, respectively. [Fairfax County Government]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny weather with a high near 81, although there is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms developing after 2 p.m. Night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. [NWS]

Injuries in Metro Silver Line Collision — “Eleven people are injured after a Metro work vehicle collided with a Silver Line Metro train in the Metro Center station early Wednesday, authorities say … The 11 riders who were hurt have injuries that aren’t considered life-threatening or serious, according to Metro.” [NBC4]

Certification of Redistricting Referendum Results Blocked — A judge in Tazewell County Circuit Court has barred the State Board of Elections from certifying the results of Tuesday’s special election, which saw Virginia voters narrowly approve a redrawn congressional map. Attorney General Jay Jones said his office will appeal the ruling. [CNN]

Spanberger Revisions Rejected on Major Bills — “Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger now faces a tough choice: whether or not to veto marquee Democratic legislation after the General Assembly did not accept her changes.” While the House of Delegates and state Senate accepted most amendments, they rejected recommendations on bills dealing with prescription drug prices, an assault weapons ban, retail cannabis sales and public-sector unions. [VPM News]

Inside an Anti-Redistricting Watch Party — “All eyes were glued to the screen as the numbers came in, at a small watch party at Lil Havana Cigar Club in McLean, Tuesday night. The group is all opposed to the new congressional redistricting maps, that will give Democrats a 10-1 advantage in Congress.” [WUSA9]

US DOT to Prioritize Congestion Relief — “U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Steven Bradbury told Spotlight on Maryland that the U.S. Department of Transportation is launching what it calls the ‘Freedom to Drive initiative.’ The plan calls on governors nationwide to identify a handful of their state’s worst traffic chokeholds and outline concrete plans to fix them.” [FOX Baltimore]

School Boundary Change Meetings Coming — “When the Fairfax County School Board approved comprehensive districtwide school boundary changes in January, it agreed to hold off on some of the changes, pending additional community engagement.” Meetings on potential changes for Bren Mar Park Elementary School will be held tomorrow (Friday) and for Glasgow Middle School next Tuesday (April 28). [Annandale Today]

Yemeni Cafe Brewing in Falls Church — “Rashfa Cafe hopes to open this June at 310 S. Washington Street, owner and founder Abdulrahman Al Harethi told ARLnow. He wants to share his heritage with the community through Yemeni-sourced coffee and menu items like rawani cake, sabayah pastries and honeycomb bread.” [ARLnow]

Sneak Peek of Hershey Pop-Up in Tysons — “After months of anticipation, The Hershey Super Sweet Adventure pop-up officially opens on Friday, April 24. As a frequenter of Hershey’s Chocolate World since childhood, I had to check out the pop-up to see if it lived up to the hype. And, I have to say, I give it a thumbs-up.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny weather with a high around 81°F and a northwest wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. By Thursday night, conditions will turn partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 58°F, accompanied by a light northwest wind. [NWS]

Support local journalism. Join the FFXnow Press Club to boost our reporting and to get upgraded newsletters.

Innovation Station Development Breaks Ground — “After several years of planning, the mixed-use Rivana project at the Innovation Center Metro station has broken ground. Developers and Loudoun County officials gathered Monday to kick off the construction of the project,” which will deliver 3.5 million square feet of office space, 3,700 residential units and 500 hotel rooms on a 103-acre site on the Loudoun/Fairfax border. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Va. Set to Offer Paid Leave Programs — “After years of trying, Democrats in Virginia’s legislature passed bills that will create two new state benefit programs: paid family leave and paid sick leave. Both work similar to the Commonwealth’s unemployment program, guaranteeing paid time off when an emergency strikes. But the programs aren’t free.” [WVTF]

Fairfax Station Gas Station Burglarized — “On April 6, at approximately 6:03 a.m., officers responded to an Exxon gas station at 8965 Village Shops Drive in Fairfax Station for a reported burglary. An employee arrived to open the business and discovered the front door had been smashed.” Security footage showed that a man had broken the door “with a rock” around 12:40 a.m. and stole cigarettes and alcohol, police say. [FCPD]

New Bank Branch Open in Tysons — “Freedom Financial Holdings, Inc. has relocated its corporate offices and The Freedom Bank of Virginia has opened a new branch co-located in the heart of Tysons Corner at 1750 Tysons Blvd., McLean. The milestone continues the bank’s growth and long-term investment in Northern Virginia during its 25th anniversary, Freedom Financial said in a news release.” [Inside NoVA]

Fairfax City Residents Weigh In on Budget — “Fairfax City officials used an April 16 public engagement meeting to gather feedback on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, with participants ranking schools, infrastructure and public safety among the highest priorities and showing little support for reducing existing services.” [Patch]

Awareness of Gun Seizure Law Growing — “Since the ‘Red Flag’ law went into effect on July 1, 2020, Fairfax County said it has processed 481 Emergency Substantial Risk cases and temporarily taken away 947 guns … The Northern Virginia suburb has seen a significant increase in cases in the last few years, which Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano suspects is the result of more people becoming aware of the law.” [WTOP]

Annandale Residents Clean Up for Earth Day — “The Hillbrook-Tall Oaks community is a lot nicer, since the Annandale neighborhood held an Earth Day cleanup on April 18. Thirty-one dedicated volunteers … collected 24 bags of trash and recyclables from neighborhood streets and the grounds of Poe Middle School.” [Annandale Today]

Deadline for Lake Anne Signage Comments — The presentation and video from last week’s meeting on a proposed concept for a new logo and signs identifying Lake Anne Plaza in Reston are now online. Fairfax County’s Community Revitalization Section is accepting public comments on the potential design until the end of the day next Monday (April 27). [Fairfax Community Revitalization]

It’s Wednesday — There’s a 50% chance of precipitation, with possible scattered showers until 2 pm and isolated thunderstorms after 2 pm. It’s partly sunny with a high near 74°F. Night will be mostly clear with a low of about 55°F and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.

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.

Bren Mar Park ES Safe After Fire — “Sunday afternoon, there was a fire at Bren Mar Park Elementary School in Alexandria … While the investigation into the cause continues, the Fire Marshal has determined that it is safe for students to return to school tomorrow. We are grateful that classes will be able to continue without disruption.” [FCPS]

Dr. Cerina Fairfax’s Patients Mourn — “Patients of Dr. Cerina Fairfax dropped off flowers outside her closed office door. She was killed by her husband, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, police said … People who knew Cerina remembered her as bright and caring.” [NBC4]

No AC a Struggle in Annandale Apartments — “While the area experienced an early heat wave [last] week, residents of the Wedgewood Apartments in Annandale suffered without air conditioning … Inside Wedgewood tenant A. Osmani’s home, a thermometer recorded a temperature of 103 degrees on April 15.” [Annandale Today]

Capitals Stars Spotted at Tysons Brewery — Potentially retiring Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was one of several players who visited Starr Hill Brewpub last Thursday (April 16), two days after the team concluded its season. Capitals fans and local realtors Morgan Samson and Colby Smythe ran into the players as they were leaving and took some photos in front of Capital One Hall. [RMNB]

Bagel Shop Opens in Vienna — “Bagel Street, a new shop on Maple Avenue in Vienna, plunges everyone’s favorite savory rounds with the most varied bagel case I’ve seen in our region … The brainchild of married founders Jenny Liu and Julio Santana, the creations owe more to her Chinese American roots than his Dominicans ones. But it’s clear that diversity knows few boundaries here.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Reston Startup Acquired — “Fortreum LLC, a cybersecurity assessment firm based in Lansdowne, has bought Kovr.ai, which helps companies doing business with the federal government obtain cybersecurity compliance sign-offs.” The acquisition was announced less than a year after former Amazon Web Services Inc. executives Andrew Black and Sri Iyer officially launched the Reston-based software developer. [Washington Business Journal]

Reston Man Wins $100K From Lottery — “A Reston man won a $100,000 Powerball prize after buying his ticket online for the March 16 drawing, according to the Virginia Lottery. Bharat Chatani matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball number, a combination that normally wins $50,000.” [Patch]

Renovations Coming to Park in Groveton — Starting Wednesday (April 22), the tennis and basketball courts at Stoneybrooke Park will close for renovations, including the installation of new surfacing, goals and fencing as well as the addition of gravel to improve drainage. “Parking will be limited during construction. Weather permitting, construction is expected to be completed in early July.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny weather with scattered sprinkles and a high near 55°F. Northwest winds will blow at 13 to 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 26 mph. Overnight, the sky will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 34°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]

Farmers Market Season Returns — “Fairfax County Farmers Markets return for the 2026 season, bringing farm-fresh produce, baked goods and specialty foods to communities across the county.” The season kicks off tomorrow (Saturday) in Burke, with the Reston and Mount Vernon markets also starting this month. Seven other markets are set to launch in May. [Fairfax County Park Authority]

State Budget Deal Unlikely Next Week — “Legislators are scheduled to meet next week to try to complete the two-year budget for Virginia — but the two chambers, which are both under Democratic control, are no closer to an agreement than they were at the end of the legislative session a month ago.” The General Assembly will reconvene next Thursday (April 23) for a special session as a July 1 deadline to approve a new budget looms. [Virginia Scope]

Early Voting on Redistricting Picks Up — Initially, early voting turnout in Northern Virginia for the proposed constitutional amendment to allow mid-decade redistricting “was largely muted compared to sizable turnout in parts of the state currently represented in Congress by Republicans.” However, more polling places opened last Saturday (April 11), leading to an apparent surge, with voters in Fairfax County alone casting 17,000 ballots. [WTOP]

Trump Arch Design Approved — “A federal commission has approved the design concept for the 250-foot triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants to build at Memorial Circle.” The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which is filled entirely with Trump appointees, “will review an updated design before taking a final vote at a future meeting.” [ARLnow]

Utility Regulation Bills Revised — “Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling’s (D–Henrico) HB1393 and state Sen. Louise Lucas’ (D–Portsmouth) SB253 cover electric line undergrounding, utility weatherization programs, data center grid costs, long-term fuel payments and more.” LeVere Bolling and a Dominion Energy spokesperson both expressed opposition to amendments proposed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, saying they undermine the legislation’s goals. [VPM News]

Polling Site Relocation Proposed — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on April 14 authorized a public hearing on an ordinance to relocate the polling place for the Holmes precinct in Mason District from the Culmore Community Library to Bailey’s Elementary School. The hearing will be held on May 5, at 4:30 p.m.” [Annandale Today]

FCPD Trains Recruits for Training — “Inside the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) are nearly 40 police recruits training to reach their goal of becoming police officers. The Pre-Academy Recruit Program, launched in 2017, was created to help police recruits be better prepared before entering the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy.” [WJLA]

Reston Community Yard Sale Coming Up — “One of Reston Association’s longest-running and most popular community traditions returns this month with the semi-annual Community Yard Sale. More than 80 families will set up vendor tables at the event (vendor space is sold out), scheduled for Saturday, April 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Reston Association parking lot.” [Reston Association]

It’s Friday — There is a 30% chance of showers mainly before 11 a.m., followed by mostly sunny skies with a high near 83°F. Winds will come from the northwest at about 7 mph. Overnight, expect mostly clear conditions with a low around 62°F and light, variable winds. [NWS]

New Heat Records for April 15 — “Record highs were set across the region with many spots topping 90 [yesterday] afternoon. The new records include D.C. at 90, Dulles Airport with 91 and Baltimore at 91. It’s the fourth record high this year for Washington.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Man Arrested After Brandishing Machete — “City of Fairfax police arrested a 54-year-old man at Hilltop Shopping Center on Friday after officers responded to a reported weapons violation at the Main Street plaza.” Reportedly seen “waving a machete,” the man was charged with being drunk in public, disorderly conduct and obstructing justice. [Patch]

Fire Outside Herndon Apartment Under Investigation — Fairfax County firefighters responded around 12:42 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) to the 13400 block of Coppermine Road for an outside fire that was spreading to a ground-floor apartment. “One patient was evaluated on scene. No firefighter injuries. Fire investigators are on scene working to determine the cause.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Some Dems Frustrated by Amendments — “Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee meeting hammered Secretary of Finance Mark Sickles, a member of Spanberger’s cabinet, Tuesday morning over the governor’s veto of a bill that would have legalized skill games and an amendment to the cannabis retail framework bill that would push the start of recreational sale to July 2027.” [Cardinal News]

Va. Backs Shift to Popular Vote — “Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill Monday that adds the state to the National Popular Vote Compact, an agreement among states to award their presidential electoral votes to the nationwide popular vote winner.” The bill pushes supporters’ closer to the 270 electoral votes needed to elect a president. [NPR]

No More Tax Breaks for Confederate Groups — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia has signed into law a bill to end tax exemptions for a slate of Confederacy-related organizations in the state … The new law’s most significant target is the United Daughters of the Confederacy, founded in 1894 for descendants of Confederates.” [New York Times]

Dessert Cafe Makes U.S. Debut — “Dessert 39, a new café in Annandale, has been busy since it had a soft opening earlier this month. Manager Sean Oh says the shop has drawn crowds of people curious to try the first Dessert 39 shop outside Korea. Dessert 39 is located at 7326A Little River Turnpike in the space formerly occupied by the Manoa bakery and café.” [Annandale Today]

Housing Authority Offers Loans to First-Time Buyers — “The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) announced [on Tuesday, April 14] that it is offering down payment loans to qualified individuals for first-time home purchases. These loans are made possible by a grant from Virginia Housing.” Eligibility requirements include a household income at or below 80% of the area median. [FCRHA]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 92°F and a light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Night will be partly cloudy with a low around 69°F. There’s a 30% chance of showers, mainly after 2 a.m. [NWS]

Support local journalism. Join the FFXnow Press Club to boost our reporting and to get upgraded newsletters.

License Plate Readers Added on Toll Road — “New cameras along the Dulles Toll Road are not for catching toll cheats, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The Flock cameras, as they are known, are being installed across Virginia to track license plates for things like stolen vehicles and in response to Amber Alerts, MWAA said.” [NBC4]

Two Dogs Die in House Fire — A person was hospitalized in life-threatening condition, and two dogs were found deceased after a house fire in Fort Hunt. Fairfax County firefighters were dispatched around 2:40 a.m. yesterday (Tuesday) to the 2100 block of Basset Street after receiving a report of smoke in the area. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. [FCFRD/Facebook]

Virginia Decriminalizes Suicide — “Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger approved a bill Monday night that decriminalizes suicide, abolishing the centuries-old common law crime status. The timing couldn’t be better for the sister and husband of Fairfax County firefighter Nicole Mittendorff, who took her own life a decade ago.” [WTOP]

Spanberger Amends Dozens of Bills — “In a glut of actions Monday night, Gov. Abigail Spanberger will have the General Assembly reconsider a more moderate posture on many of the Democratic majority’s priorities — setting up one of the first marked public breaks between Virginia’s Legislature and its executive.” [VPM News]

Potomac Tops Ranking of Endangered Rivers — “The Potomac River is the most endangered river in the country, according to a new ranking done by the nonprofit American Rivers. The organization cited two factors in its decision: January’s historic sewage spill that sent hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage flowing into the river, and the expanding footprint of data centers in the D.C. area.” [WTOP]

Reston Association Election Results Revealed — RA announced the winners of this year’s board of directors election at the annual members meeting last night. At-Large Director John Farrell and Apartment Owners’ Representative Margaret Perry were both reelected for three-year terms, while Georgina Cannan defeated two other candidates for her first two-year term as the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks director. [Reston Association]

Free Health Care Clinic Coming to Chantilly — Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit that runs pop-up health clinics around the U.S., is bringing one to the Mubarak Mosque (4555 Ahmadiyya Drive) in Chantilly this weekend (April 18-19). “This clinic will provide vision and medical care to those who might otherwise go without these essential services.” [Press release]

Where Homes are Most Expensive in McLean — “Long a home base for politicians, diplomats, business moguls and pro athletes, this northeast corner of Fairfax County is one of the more well-heeled suburbs outside of Washington, D.C. These are the McLean neighborhoods that commanded top dollar in 2025.” [Arlington Magazine]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny weather with a high near 93°F and southwest winds ranging from 3 to 8 mph, with gusts up to 18 mph. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to about 71°F and southwest winds between 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.

Redistricting Opponents Fan ‘Fairfaxphobia’ — “Signs that say, ‘Don’t Fairfax Me’ and ‘Vote No’ started appearing in rural parts of Virginia, Cardinal News reported. And on social media, Del. Wren Williams, whose district includes several counties in the southwestern portion of the state, defined ‘Fairfaxphobia'” as fear that Democrats’ mid-decade redistricting plan will consolidate political power in Fairfax County, resulting in policies out of step with more rural communities. [WTOP]

Spanberger Corrects Record on Tax Bills — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) announced [yesterday] that she did not sign dozens of tax bills into law — because the General Assembly never passed them and they never reached her desk.” The unusual press release came out days after President Donald Trump accused her on social media “of imposing a wave of new taxes.” [ARLnow]

Child Predator Sting Leads to 10 Arrests — “A six-day proactive enforcement operation led by the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau’s Child Exploitation Unit (CEXU) resulted in the arrest of ten individuals, the majority of whom traveled to Fairfax County intending to engage in criminal encounters with minors.” [FCPD]

Skill Games Bill Vetoed — “On Friday, April 10, Spanberger vetoed Senate Bill 661, which would have legalized up to 25,000 skill game machines in Virginia. These machines resemble slot machines and require bets to play, but they incorporate elements of player skill.” [WRIC]

How N. Va. Schools Are Handling AI — “For school districts in NoVA, the technology is posing a big challenge: How do they incorporate AI in a way that embraces innovation but doesn’t compromise educational ethics and standards? Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid says the challenge is keeping a step ahead of an evolving AI landscape.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

New Name Approved for Manassas Airport — “The Manassas City Council voted unanimously Monday night to rename Manassas Regional Airport to Washington Manassas Airport, a move city leaders say will strengthen the airport’s regional identity as it prepares for future commercial airline service. The city will now seek formal Federal Aviation Administration approval to implement the name change.” [Inside NoVA]

Local Family Opens New Auto Repair Shop — “Frontline Auto Plus opened on April 8 in Annandale in the space formerly occupied by Ravensworth Automotive. The Cadima family, longtime Annandale residents, bought the service station, at 4321 Ravensworth Road, from the previous owner, who had retired.” [Annandale Today]

Chantilly Store Sells $1M Lottery Ticket — “Virginia Lottery officials announced [yesterday] that the golden ticket, purchased at the Giant Food store at 25050 South Riding Plaza, won the top prize in Saturday’s drawing. After taxes, the Bank a Million prize is estimated to put $1 million in the winner’s pocket, officials noted.” [DC News Now]

It’s Tuesday — It will be mostly sunny with a high of about 89°F, and a southwest wind will increase to 5 to 10 mph in the morning, with gusts potentially reaching 18 mph. Tuesday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low of around 69°F, with southwest winds at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.