The Fairfax County School Board is considering a series of changes that might help cut down costs and other hurdles for new school projects.
During a work session on Tuesday (May 6), the school board and Fairfax County Public Schools staff discussed ways to reduce costs for new construction or share that burden with other entities — like through public-private partnerships or cost-sharing agreements.
A new plan is officially under review for Fairfax County’s long-awaited Reston Town Center North (RTC North) redevelopment.
Inova Health System and the county’s Board of Supervisors have submitted a joint rezoning application for at least 1.6 million square feet of mixed-use development that will make way for a new Embry Rucker Shelter and Reston Regional Library, along with housing, a school, recreational facilities and retail.
FBI Standoff Near McLean — An individual barricaded himself inside a house in the 3600 block of N. Abingdon St. yesterday (Wednesday) morning, drawing “a large contingent” of FBI agents, crisis negotiators and other law enforcement to the residential neighborhood. Armed personnel were spotted at nearby Chesterbrook Shopping Center in McLean, which was apparently used as a staging area. [ARLnow]
Culmore Library Closed Today — “Culmore Library will remain closed Thursday, May 8 due to continuing repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please check back at this page or on our website Friday morning for the latest information regarding the branch’s operational status.” [Fairfax County Public Library/Facebook]
Kennedy Center Performers Plan Boycott — “When President Donald Trump descends on the Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month for a high-dollar fundraiser and a performance of ‘Les Misérables,’ he won’t be seeing the usual cast performing, sources told CNN. At least 10 to 12 performers in Les Mis are planning to sit out the show on June 11.” [CNN]
Fairfax City Council Adopts New Budget — “It took two votes, but the Fairfax City Council unanimously adopted the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget and a new real estate tax rate during a contentious meeting Tuesday night at city hall.” The adopted tax rate of $1.055 per $100 of assessed value was lower than what City Manager Bryan Foster proposed in February and the council advertised in March. [Patch]
How Federal Cuts Are Affecting Housing Market — “The Department of Government Efficiency began making large cuts to the federal workforce back in February, and new data suggests how the regional housing market is being affected. The latest weekly report from Bright MLS continues to find that there is an uptick in new listings coming online in the DC area, but the market is not being flooded.” [DC UrbanTurf]
I-95 Ramp in Lorton to Close Overnight — “Weather permitting, the ramp from northbound I-95 to Lorton Road (Route 642, Exit 163) will be closed from 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 8, to 4 a.m. Friday, May 9, for paving … Drivers are asked to follow posted detour signs.” [VDOT]
New Condos Under Construction in Chantilly — Commonwealth Place at Westfields Belle Haven Collection, a new development with 81 stacked condominiums, is emerging at 4751 Sully Point Lane in Chantilly. “Thirty Belle Haven units have been completed, and the builder, Toll Brothers, anticipates completing construction on all homes by early 2026.” [Washington Post]
Reston Native on Selena Gomez Partnership — Benny “Blanco and pop star Selena Gomez announced their engagement late last year, and have chronicled their relationship in a new album, I Said I Love You First. We asked Blanco about his NoVA childhood, his early love of music, and his artistic collaborations with Gomez.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — Expect showers after 2pm, partly sunny skies, and a high near 78; there’s a 50% chance of precipitation. Night brings a 70% chance of rain with mostly cloudy skies, a low around 58, and a northeast wind at 3-6 mph. [NWS]
Fairfax County teachers’ elation at securing a collective bargaining agreement, the first of its kind in nearly 50 years for the district, has proven short-lived.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to adopt a budget for fiscal year 2026 that transfers $2.93 billion to Fairfax County Public Schools — up $119 million from the current fiscal year, but well short of the $248 million increase that Superintendent Michelle Reid requested primarily to cover employee pay raises promised by the union contract.
Civil rights advocates had been pushing the Fairfax County Police Department for years to establish clear rules limiting when officers can pursue individuals on foot.
However, the department’s implementation of a formal foot pursuit policy last month inspired consternation, rather than celebration, from community organizations that had advocated for the reform, including the Fairfax County chapter of the NAACP.
Plans for significant future expansion of the Vinson Hall retirement community in McLean took a small but key procedural step forward last Thursday (May 1).
The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously, if informally, indicated support for adding the development proposal to a list of possible comprehensive plan amendments that will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors in June.
Reston Association (RA) is looking for community input on plans to renovate the Lake Newport Tennis Court.
The courts at 11452 Baron Cameron Avenue are currently funded for renovation sometime in 2026 or 2027, with community engagement and engineering starting this year.
Another Democrat is angling to potentially succeed Rep. Gerry Connolly.
State Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36) will campaign for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District seat, stating in an announcement video first shared with FFXnow that she wants to run to provide not just a voice, but also action for those “terrified and angry” about the currently Republican-led federal government.
New Law Limits Youth Social Media Use — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the Consumer Data Protection Act into law last week, cracking down on the amount of time young people can spend scrolling on social media. The measure, which had bipartisan support in the state’s general assembly, bans kids under 16 from using social media for more than one hour every day.” [WTOP]
Area Airports See Increased Passenger Volumes — “April was a busy month for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Washington Dulles International (IAD). Both airports recorded their highest checkpoint volume of 2025 on April 11, TSA reported.” [WJLA]
ICE Agents Target D.C. Restaurants — Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents reportedly visited several restaurants in D.C. yesterday (Tuesday), asking to confirm their employees’ eligibility to work in “what is shaping up to be one of the city’s most high-profile examples yet of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.” [Washingtonian]
Reston Golf Course Developers Propose Funds — “The owners of Reston National Golf Course have offered to pay the Reston Association $8.5 million as part of an alternate plan in case the county rejects its proposal to redevelop the golf course property.” The offer was made in a letter to RA’s Board of Directors and CEO Mac Cummins last Friday (May 2). [Patch]
Coffee Shop Opens Reston Expansion — “Reston’s new café, De Clieu Coffee & Sandwich, opened its doors to a steady stream of customers Tuesday morning. The additional location for this Fairfax eatery, a partnership between Chang Koh and Jade Lee, is a renovated building at 2235 Soapstone Drive.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Vienna to Host Wellness Expo — “A healthy lifestyle as you age is the aim of Vienna’s health fair, the Wellness and Safety Expo. This year’s free event, tailored for adults age 55+, will be held on Friday, May 9, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St. SE.” [Town of Vienna]
Herndon Theater Performances Canceled — “Due to illness, all opening week performances of Footloose (May 8-11) have been canceled. If you have tickets to any performance this week, our box office will be reaching out to you shortly to assist with rescheduling. Thank you for your patience and understanding.” [NextStop Theatre Company/Instagram]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature near 76 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at 6 to 9 mph. Moving into Wednesday night, the skies will turn partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 59 degrees, with calm winds. [NWS]
A lower real estate tax rate, smaller transfer than school leaders sought and imposition of a meals tax are all part of Fairfax County’s $5.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget slated for formal adoption next week.
“Our residents are worried” as they “prepare for the impact” of the Trump administration’s downsizing of the federal government and its related economic fallout, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at a budget markup session today (Tuesday).
