Fairfax County elected officials and staff are trying a new approach as the 2027 General Assembly session nears.
Among their goals: Get information and local positions to legislators sooner, don’t overburden them with too much information, and build strategic relationships with downstate lawmakers.
Dozens more townhomes could soon boost Reston’s housing supply after two different projects received final approvals from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in recent weeks.
At its meeting on Aug. 25, the board unanimously approved an amendment to the development plan for Isaac Newton Square that will allow 24 townhomes on a 1.5-acre site in the northeast corner of the office park in place of a previously anticipated 180-unit multifamily residential building.
Crossing guard services at 10 Fairfax County public high schools will be temporarily reinstated as the county supervisors assess solutions for pedestrian safety issues, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
“In the interim, Fairfax County Police officers and crossing guards will provide traffic and crossing support at 11 high school crossing locations previously staffed,” a spokesperson for the FCPD wrote to FFXnow this morning (Wednesday) in an email.
New Details on Great Falls Stabbing — “The man accused of fatally stabbing a woman last month in Great Falls, Virginia, told a witness he was going to kill the woman, according to a Fairfax County criminal complaint … The witness told police that Cedillos-Campos was working that Sunday but left early after Puch sent screenshots of their affair to his girlfriend, the complaint states.” [WTOP]
School Bus Attendant Charged With Assault — “A Fairfax County Public Schools bus attendant is facing four assault and battery charges after City of Fairfax Police said an investigation found he struck the same student multiple times in July … Detectives obtained and reviewed video from a school bus that was transporting students to a summer program, according to police.” [Patch]
Enforcement of ICE Agreement Ban Blocked — “A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing key provisions of a new law restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, allowing existing partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement to continue while the legal challenge plays out.” [Virginia Mercury]
N. Va. Airport Cleared for Commercial Service — “The rebranded Washington Manassas Airport on Monday formally received its airport operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, a landmark designation paving the way for the imminent arrival of commercial flights in Prince William County.” [Inside NoVA]
Video Shows SUV Bursting into Flames on Beltway — “Wow! This SUV driving on the Capital Beltway south of Braddock Road pulled over just in time early Sunday evening. @ffxfirerescue handled the fire.” [Dave Statter/X]
Man Rescued After Falling in Potomac River — “An Alexandria resident is hoping to find the people who assisted him in a water rescue emergency at Jones Point Park in Old Town over the weekend … Because the resident lost his eyeglasses in the river, he had trouble seeing the faces of his rescuers.” [ALXnow]
Potomac School Name Causes Confusion — “The Potomac School and McLean School are located, not surprisingly, in the DC suburbs of Potomac and McLean. Except the Potomac School sits not in Potomac … but rather in McLean. McLean School? You’ll find it — where else? — in Potomac. This counterintuitive situation has led to some confusion.” [Washingtonian]
Libertarian Challenging Beyer — “Shelly Arnoldi understands the uphill battle for anyone taking on [Rep. Don] Beyer in a district that, in recent years, has been a Democratic political fortress. However, she says her effort to unseat him will bring important issues into the local political discussion.” [ARLnow]
New Legal Notice — Public notice: intent to conduct business under assumed name. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — It’ll be mostly sunny with a high near 91°F and light, variable winds becoming easterly at about 6 mph in the afternoon. Night will bring a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 75°F. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Median apartment rents across Fairfax County in August were down 1% from a year before, but remained well above pre-Covid levels.
Median rents for the month stood at $2,073 for one-bedroom units, $2,401 for two bedrooms and $2,419 overall, according to figures reported Aug. 28 by Apartment List.
One of the Washington region’s most famous fine-dining establishments is under new ownership — and it’s a name many Northern Virginians know well.
L’Auberge Chez François, an award-winning French eatery in Great Falls, is now part of Reston-based Thompson Restaurants, led by Warren Thompson, a longtime regular at the prestigious French eatery.
South Lakes High School parents’ worst fears around the well-documented traffic problems at the Reston school came true this morning (Sept. 1) after a teen was struck by a car.
Around 7:54 a.m., parents called 911 to report the crash. According to social media posts from multiple witnesses, the force of the collision sent the youth into the air before he landed. Scanner traffic indicates his foot may have been injured.
United Airlines has announced two new international destinations to be served from Dulles International Airport next year.
Daily service to Toulouse, France, is slated to begin on April 26, 2027 before three-days-per-week service to Milan, Italy commences on May 28.
Lane Closures Lifted for Labor Day — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) encourages motorists to plan ahead, stay alert and keep safety top of mind throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend. VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, Sept. 4, until noon on Tuesday, Sept. 8.” [VDOT]
N. Va. Residents Killed in Beltway Crash — Musammat Shamima Begum, a 46-year-old Burke resident, and her daughter Areebah Jahin, 23, of Alexandria were both killed in an apparent drunk-driving crash on I-270 in Montgomery County on Saturday, Aug. 29. The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash has been charged with manslaughter, homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol and causing a life-threatening injury by motor vehicle. [Maryland State Police]
Teen Missing for Two Weeks — “Virginia State Police issued a CODI Alert Sunday night for a missing 17-year-old girl who authorities say could be in danger. The alert was issued on behalf of the Fairfax County Police Department for Jasmin Ismary Garcia, 17.” According to the FCPD, she was last seen in the 2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza in Reston on Aug. 18. [Patch]
Some Localities Seek Sales Tax Approval — “Voters in 47 Virginia jurisdictions will weigh a 1% sales tax to fund school construction and modernization costs. In Northern Virginia, the revenue could also support transportation projects. This comes as leaders face funding challenges for aging school facilities and rising demand to support Metro and other local transit systems.” [Virginia Mercury]
Former Fairfax Student Jailed for Groping in ICE Custody — A former Fairfax High School student who was convicted in April of assault after groping female students is now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office officials say. Israel Flores Ortiz was picked up by ICE from the county jail yesterday (Monday), three days before his scheduled release on Sept. 3. [FOX5]
Fire Response to Reston Senior Apartments — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department responded around 5:47 p.m. yesterday to a fire alarm at the Hunters Woods Fellowship House (2231 Colts Neck Road). According to scanner traffic, the fire prompted some residents to evacuate, but no injuries were reported, and the fire was determined to be “minor,” resulting from food cooking on a stove, an FCFRD spokesperson said.
Student Training to Take 911 Calls — “Lily Smith, a West Potomac High School graduate, will head right into the workforce to answer 911 calls in Fairfax County.” While taking an emergency services class at her school, Smith landed an internship with the Fairfax County government, which led her to accept a job offer at the county’s Public Safety Communications Training Academy. [NBC4]
Reston Community Center Candidate Forum Tonight — “Reston Community Center (RCC) will host the 2026 Preference Poll Candidate Forum on Tuesday, September 1, giving Reston residents an opportunity to learn more about the candidates seeking appointment to the RCC Board of Governors.” Three seats are up for election, with voting taking place in person and online on Sept. 4-25. [RCC]
It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures peaking near 96 degrees, and the heat index reaching up to 100. At night, there’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. It will be partly cloudy with a low of about 77 degrees. [NWS]
Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.
Within the next few years, all middle school age students who qualify for advanced academic programs in Fairfax County Public Schools will have the opportunity to take those courses without leaving their neighborhood schools.
Under a plan approved by the school board on a 10-1 vote last Thursday (Aug. 27), FCPS will transition over several years from a model that let many students opt out of their assigned local school to join other students at one with an established advanced academic program, or AAP, center.
