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).
A former longtime adviser to Rep. Gerry Connolly appears to be running to succeed his political mentor.
James Walkinshaw, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for the past five years, filed paperwork today (Tuesday) to formally seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.
A delivery-centered food hall is coming to Fairfax County.
Wonder, a New York-based concept that serves food from restaurants across the country for dining in, takeout and delivery, is planning to open several locations across the D.C. area this year, including ones in Reston and Franconia.
VHSL to Vote on Transgender Athlete Restrictions — “Even after Virginia imposed a new ban blocking transgender students from girls’ sports, advocates are making a last-ditch push this week to sway high school sports leaders — challenging a decision that others have applauded.” The Virginia High School League is scheduled to ratify its policy change at a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday). [Virginia Mercury]
Army Helicopter Flights Halted Near DCA — “The Army is pausing helicopter flights near a Washington airport after two commercial planes had to abort landings last week because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter that was flying to the Pentagon … The pause comes after 67 people died in January when a passenger jet collided in midair with a Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan airport.” [Associated Press]
Rock Used in Hybla Valley Business Burglaries — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the community’s help in identifying a suspect responsible for multiple burglaries in Hybla Valley.” Police first responded to a burglary call at La Taza Panaderia on April 17 where the suspect reportedly used a rock to break in. [FCPD]
Shooting Survivor Shares Story — “Her own cellphone video captured the start of the terrifying gunfire that changed Esther’s life forever. The six gunshots left her with permanent injuries and, for now, tethered to a tracheostomy tube she must use to speak … Collins Agyei, her son’s father and the man who nearly killed her, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Thursday.” [NBC4]
New Bank to Open in Annandale — “The new Chase Bank branch at 4250 John Marr Drive in Annandale is expected to open on May 20. New customers who open a personal or business account at the Grand Opening will receive a coupon for $300, says Catherine Morrison, market director for consumer banking at Chase.” [Annandale Today]
Fairfax Connector Service Changes Coming — Fairfax Connector will implement changes to some bus routes starting May 17. “Key adjustments include the introduction of two new routes – Route 652 and Route 670 – designed to improve connectivity and meet emerging transit demands. In addition, Route 599 will be discontinued to optimize system efficiency.” [Fairfax Connector]
New Tech Used to Treat Parkinson’s Disease — “Rick Schena, of Alexandria, Virginia, and his doctor at MedStar Health, in McLean, have begun using the latest technology — adaptive deep brain stimulation — in his treatment for Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder.” Schena is the first Parkinson’s patient in the D.C. area to be treated with the technology. [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — There’s a 60% chance of precipitation today, with potential thunderstorms starting at 11 am and temperatures peaking at 75. At night, showers and thunderstorms are likely before 11pm, with increasing clouds and lows around 57. [NWS]
Visitors to Reston Art Gallery and Studios can now watch the artistic process play out in real time as part of a newly unveiled exhibit.
A collaborative effort involving nearly a dozen different artists, the exhibit “TEXTURE: Paper & Paint / Quilts & Collage / Metal & More” opened at the gallery in Lake Anne Plaza (11400 Washington Plaza West) this past Saturday (May 3).
