A Trans Day of Visibility rally outside a school board meeting at Luther Jackson Middle School (staff photo by Vernon Miles)
Fairfax County Public Schools is joining its counterparts across Northern Virginia in rejecting the Trump administration’s demands that it rescind policies supporting transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
In a message to FCPS staff and families, Superintendent Michelle Reid says she has sent a response to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) defending the school system’s policies as consistent with existing state and federal law, requesting that the federal government pause any further action until the issue is “clarified” by the courts.
Crossing guard holds back traffic as school bus leaves Daniels Run Elementary School in Fairfax (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
With schools around Fairfax County starting up next week, this is your reminder to pay extra-special attention on the roads and look out for kids.
Fairfax County Public Schools are back in session starting Monday, Aug. 18, meaning roads around the region will once again feature over 1,600 school buses loading and unloading students.
James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson (staff photos by Jared Serre)
Fairfax County voters will have a second chance on Monday (Aug. 18) to hear from the two men vying to succeed the late Gerry Connolly as Virginia’s 11th Congressional District representative.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, the Democratic nominee, and former FBI agent Stewart Whitson, the Republican nominee, will both participate in a candidate forum at 8 p.m. organized by the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area, a nonpartisan group that advocates for voting rights and civic participation.
An Ashburn man who taught at a private school in the Herndon area has been arrested for child solicitation, among other charges, after allegedly interacting online with detectives he believed were minors.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, David Mark Sabin, 38, contacted an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old online in July.
From game rooms and arcades to bowling lanes, Fairfax is home to a variety of fun spaces to host a kid’s birthday party — no matter their special interest.
Here are the nominees for “Best Kid’s Birthday Party Venue in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite place below? If not, write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 29.
Voting for the Best Seafood Restaurant in Fairfax is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
Two years after it started exploring the idea, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) is starting to make progress on establishing a regional youth mental health facility.
The new treatment center for teens could become operational in Chantilly early next year, the CSB says.
Picnic bench on Tysons Corner Center plaza’s lawn (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Reston Row Bakery Now Open — “Tous Les Jours, a French-Asian bakery café chain, has officially opened its doors in The Row at Reston Station … Opening [Thursday] at 1800 Reston Row with a soft launch at 10:00 AM, the bakery is now serving customers daily as the team prepares for a grand opening celebration in September featuring special promotions and giveaways.” [Comstock]
Mold Reported at Hayfield School — Parents and students who recently returned to Hayfield Secondary School for band practice and other activities saw they encountered mold and visible water damage. One parent says they were told that the school’s drains got backed up during heavy rain over the summer, but she feels efforts to dry out the building with fans and air purifiers were inadequate. [NBC4]
Top Issues in Va. Governor’s Race — “Recent polling shows Virginia voters are heading into the 2025 governor’s race with three issues top of mind: The cost of living, reproductive rights and immigration … Some voter priorities have already majorly shifted from a VCU Wilder School poll earlier this year, which suggests that Virginians are reacting to real-time pressures.” [Axios Richmond]
Police Investigate Indecent Exposure — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are asking for the community’s help to identify a suspect believed to be responsible for an indecent exposure. “On August 7, shortly after 9:00 a.m., officers responded to Sprague Avenue and Hammersmith Lane in Oakton” after someone reported seeing a man “masturbating” nearby. [FCPD]
Udvar-Hazy Adds Fighter Jet to Collection — “A McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle arrived at the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly [on Aug. 13], where it will become part of the museum’s permanent exhibit.” The first fighter plane of its kind to be acquired by the Smithsonian, the F-15C Eagle was introduced “in the early 1970s, when the Air Force was looking to improve its air-to-air combat capabilities,” a curator said. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Falls Church Settles on Possible Trash Fees — “After nearly two hours of trash talk, Falls Church City Council leaders have settled on two potential options for funding future garbage collection and recycling services.” Council members decided to advertise two possible fee structures: charge households $292 per year for a 35-gallon bin and $327 for a 65-gallon bin, or $236 and $336, respectively. [ARLnow]
Firefighters Hand Out School Supplies — Yesterday, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department “hosted its annual Backpack and School Supply Distribution at FS11, Penn Daw. Firefighters, retirees, and volunteers worked together to distribute 1,600 backpacks filled with school supplies to families, schools, and nonprofits throughout the county. A huge thank you to all who helped make the event a success!” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Park Volunteer Award Winners Revealed — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Elly Doyle Park Service Awards, recognizing exceptional service and contributions to the county’s parks, natural and cultural resources and recreational opportunities. The awardees will be honored during a recognition ceremony on Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m.” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — There’s a 30% chance of rain, with possible showers between noon and 2pm, followed by potential showers after 2pm. Expect mostly sunny skies with a high of 88. Friday night holds a 20% chance of showers before 11pm. The night will be partly cloudy with a low of 72. [NWS]
Inside the Barns at Wolf Trap's German barn, built in 1725 (photo by Rich Kessler/courtesy of Wolf Trap)
Acclaimed musicians representing a range of genres, from rock and country to jazz and classical music, are coming to The Barns at Wolf Trap to celebrate the venue’s 300th anniversary.
The Barns are rebuilt and renovated iterations of a pair of barns at the site, built in the 18th century. The larger German barn was built in 1725 and features a “unique” swing beam design that enabled horses to maneuver in the building’s original hayloft, according to the venue’s website.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin at a rally in Vienna (staff photo by Vernon Miles)
Allegations that Fairfax County Public Schools employees helped students obtain abortions without their parents’ consent have drawn Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s attention after circulating for days on right-wing media.
The Republican governor directed the Virginia State Police yesterday (Wednesday) to open a criminal investigation into FCPS based on the report, which was originally published in the Substack-based newsletter WC Dispatch.
