Supervisor Pat Herrity, long seen as the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s lieutenant governor nomination, is bowing out of the race due to health reasons, he said Monday.
Herrity’s decision comes five weeks after undergoing heart surgery, which required the 65-year-old to take a step back from the campaign trail. Subsequent complications, he says, made the race much harder to run.
Fairfax County urges locals to kill spotted lanternflies — “On your next outdoor excursion, try finding the egg masses of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect in Fairfax County.” [Fairfax County]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a partly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 78 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. As for Tuesday night, the skies will be mostly cloudy and the temperature will drop to approximately 56 degrees, while a gentle north wind of 3 to 5 mph persists. [NWS]
Gov. Youngkin announces Virginia passes 500 immigrant arrests — Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force has made over 521 arrests since it was formed in February, claiming the group has arrested over 500 ‘criminal illegal immigrants’. [WDBJ7]
Falls Church considering fee-based trash service — “At the March 24, 2025, budget presentation Mayor Letti Hardi directed staff to look into the feasibility of implementing a fee-based trash collection service in FY2026. Staff returned in April with the cost data while pleading for more time to implement such a plan.” [Falls Church Pulse]
GMU experts share gun violence data at Capitol hearing — “Featured speakers included several of the nation’s leading experts on firearms violence. They presented to an audience of more than 230 registrants including congressional staff, federal agency representatives, researchers, and advocacy organizations.” [GMU]
The Fairfax County Police Department said a man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a victim inside a Target (12197 Sunset Hills Road) near the Reston Town Center.
Police said in a release today that the incident took place on April 14 around 1:40 p.m.
Shake Shack headed to Reston Town Center in June — “Shake Shack’s Reston Town Center restaurant will be the burger and milk shake chain’s sixth location in Northern Virginia.” [Patch]
It’s Monday — There is a slight chance of showers in the early morning, followed by partly sunny conditions and a high of 71°F with southeast winds at 8-11 mph. Rain may return after 2pm with a 20% chance of precipitation. For Monday night, showers are more likely after 8pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a low of 63°F. Southeast winds will shift to the southwest after midnight, ranging from 5-9 mph and gusts up to 18 mph. There is a 40% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Fairfax Police arrest a Peeping Tom — “A man was caught peeping into a window and quickly arrested.” [X]
No one hurt in Fairfax County townhouse fire — “No one was hurt in a Friday townhouse fire in Herndon, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.” [DC News Now]
Measles case confirmed in Virginia — “After multiple exposures in the state, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has found the first case of measles in the state after a child traveled internationally and was diagnosed.” [WRIC]
George Mason University said it has referred a student’s essay to state and federal law enforcement after it sparked concern online.
While GMU did not respond to a FFXnow request to specify which essay, a social media post from GMU comes after a student’s Substack post titled ‘When Must We Kill Them?‘ went viral in conservative circles.
Fairfax Co. police launches recruiting push targeting laid-off federal workers — “Fairfax County police are launching a recruitment push aimed at federal workers who have lost their jobs.” [WTOP]
Car fire near Tysons blocks traffic — “Watch: This is the car fire that tied up the Beltway south of Route 7 in Tysons a short time ago. Two lanes now getting by to the right.” [Dave Statter/X]
Fairfax restaurant owner candidly tells customers struggles of staying open with tariff threats — “The owner of Okonomi Asian Grill in Fairfax is letting customers know the reality of making a profit and worries of tariffs affecting his bottom line.” [WUSA9]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching about 77°F, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 7-16 mph and gusts up to 28 mph. The night will be partly cloudy, as temperatures drop to around 64°F. The south wind will persist at around 14 mph and may gust up to 22 mph. [NWS]
Make Your Own Scented Candles, Charm Jewelry At New Mosaic Boutique — “District Candle Lab and Fawne will celebrate the grand opening of their shared space in the Mosaic District on May 3 with free swag.” [Patch]
A nonprofit music studio in Arlington is hoping to get more donors and supporters to tune in, so it can expand a program that offers free piano lessons to low-income students into Fairfax County.
Piano and More currently has two participants from Fairfax and three from Arlington in its Play It Forward program, which provides free lessons, keyboards and other resources to students at Title I schools.
Despite a decline in corporate support, organizers of the 2025 Reston Pride Festival say they are moving forward with what is planned as the largest in the event’s history.
Set to run May 31-June 1 at Lake Anne Plaza, the event’s all-volunteer organizing committee has begun a last-minute effort to attract sponsors, after a number of those that had participated in the past opted against doing so in 2025.
Lawsuit accuses Fairfax County School Board member of improperly spending business funds — “A lawsuit filed by a Northern Virginia company alleges that a Fairfax County School Board member who is a former official of the company improperly used business funds to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal and campaign expenses.” [Washington Post]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 64 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at about 7 mph. For Thursday night, the skies will be partly cloudy with temperatures dipping to around 47 degrees. The calm wind will shift to a southerly direction at approximately 5 mph after midnight. [NWS]
Driver hits pedestrian after slamming into light pole and other cars — “A suspect is in custody after police say he crashed into a pole and several other cars before hitting a pedestrian in Fairfax County Wednesday night.” [Fox5]
FCPL Honors 19 with Annual Star Volunteer Awards — “To recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of library volunteers and community partners, FCPL annually hosts the Star Volunteer Awards.” [Fairfax County]
Northern Va. ‘trophy’ offices will likely stay valuable in turbulent times, analysis finds — “Though federal workforce reductions will likely cause fluctuations in office space this year, Northern Virginia’s most sought-after properties are expected to remain valuable.” [ARLnow]
When Paul Gilbert finishes leading NOVA Parks, the regional park system will be nearly 2,000 acres larger than it was when he started.
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority announced last Friday (April 11) that Gilbert will retire as its executive director by the end of 2025. His 20-year tenure included the addition of 15 new parks and several signature attractions, from the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial at Occoquan Regional Park to the winter light festivals in Bull Run and Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.
