County supervisors on Tuesday (Feb. 13) honored Fairfax County Police Department personnel for providing support at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“We can’t forget the people who were wearing the uniform that day, defending democracy,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the presentation, which honored the police personnel from the county who responded when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
A drought watch in place across Northern and Central Virginia since November has now escalated into a warning.
With limited rain and snowfall in recent weeks resulting in dry conditions, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a drought warning advisory yesterday (Tuesday) for Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County and Fairfax City, as well as Roanoke River and the Shenandoah region.
On the second day of Brendan Banfield’s trial for the February 2023 killings of his wife and another man at a Herndon-area home, the woman originally accused of fatally shooting the man testified against her alleged former lover in Fairfax County court.
Juliana Peres Magalhaes, who was employed by the Banfield family as an au pair, testified following opening arguments yesterday (Tuesday) in Fairfax County Circuit Court with Judge Penney Azcarate presiding. Brendan Banfield is facing seven felony charges — including four counts of aggravated murder — in relation to the killings of 37-year-old Christine Banfield and 39-year-old Joseph Ryan.
Hunters Woods Village Center Sold — “Edens has offloaded Hunters Woods Village Center in Reston, more than 15 years after acquiring the Safeway-anchored retail center as part of a larger expansion.” Fairfax County property records show an affiliate of J.C. Bar, a Pennsylvania-based real estate company, bought the site for almost $30.5 million on Dec. 18. The center is 88% leased with almost 14,900 square feet of vacant retail space. [Washington Business Journal]
Two Arrested for Annandale Carjacking — According to Fairfax County police, “around 1:45 a.m. on Jan. 11, officers responded to the 7400 block of Little River Turnpike for the carjacking. The victim reported that a ‘known suspect’ had been riding in their vehicle when he brandished a gun and demanded that the victim get out of the car after an argument.” A 19-year-old man from Annandale and a 17-year-old boy were arrested after “a short chase.” [DC News Now]
No Injuries in Centreville House Fire — Firefighters responded around 5 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) to a fire at a single-family home in the 15300 block of Harmony Hill Court. “Crews arrived to heavy smoke coming from the front door. The fire is under control. No civilian or firefighter injuries … Thank you to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue and Prince William County Fire & Rescue System for assisting.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
More Tension in U.S. Attorney’s Office — “The Justice Department has fired the No. 2 official in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia after he declined to lead the controversial prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey.” Robert McBride’s removal came on the same day that Lindsey Halligan defended continuing to act as the U.S. attorney despite a federal judge ruling that her appointment was illegal. [MS Now]
Man Charged With Stealing Power Tools — “On December 30, 2025, officers responded to a larceny from a vehicle in the 4500 block of Roundhill Road in Rose Hill. The suspect forced entry into the van and stole multiple power tools around 4:45 p.m. A witness observed a subject removing items from a work van and took photos of the suspect and the vehicle.” The 58-year-old man initially eluded officers at a traffic stop before he was located and arrested in Fair Haven. [FCPD]
Japanese and Korean Restaurant Opening in Annandale — “Pike Chicken is expected to have a soft opening this Thursday afternoon and a grand opening on Friday. The restaurant, located at 7023 Columbia Pike in the former O’My Chiq space, features Japanese and Korean food. Diners can order sushi and nigiri from the Roll Play menu or stone pot bibimbap and other items from Bowl Play.” [Annandale Today]
McLean Cafe Plans Drive-Thru Location — “Sweet Leaf Cafe is coming to 603 W. Broad Street, the former location of a drive-thru Smoothie King. According to the business, this is the first new Sweet Leaf to open in five years.” Aiming for a summer launch, the new site will be the McLean-based company’s first with a drive-thru. [ARLnow]
Inside Tysons’ Japanese-Brazilian Steakhouse — “At Tysons’ swanky new Japanese-Brazilian steakhouse Churasuko, you can get wagyu carved tableside, sashimi skewered like meat, and a seafood tower with both dry ice and flames. As far as owner Derek Liu is aware, it’s the first restaurant in the country combining the two cuisines.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Wednesday — There is a 20% chance of rain in the morning and late afternoon, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 52. The chance of rain jumps to 70% tonight, with snow possible after 1 am, though little or no accumulation is expected. The low will be around 25. [NWS]
Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (Jan. 13) set a pair of future public hearings on proposed revisions to zoning rules for large-scale battery storage in the county.
The proposed changes would impact what are known as Battery Energy Storage Systems, or BESS. Language in the amendments would add a new definition for BESS and add new use standards and submission requirements, including minimum setbacks and the completion of a noise study before a site plan can be approved.
The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly heads to Richmond this week with plenty of requests from constituents.
Nearly 100 of them descended on the Fairfax County Government Center Saturday morning (Jan. 10) to make their case on issues ranging from social services to economic development.
Reston Town Center’s newest office towers are now fully booked up, a notable feat as the office market elsewhere in Northern Virginia is still seeking to stabilize post-pandemic.
Developer BXP announced yesterday (Monday) that it has fully leased all 1.1 million square feet of new office space in the first phase of its town center expansion, known informally as RTC Next.
Fairfax County Public Schools needs $1.1 billion over the next five years to fund planned renovation, maintenance and construction projects.
The school system released its latest draft Capital Improvement Program (CIP) ahead of a presentation to the school board this afternoon (Tuesday).
Fairfax County election officials say they are holding their own as a series of special elections keeps local voters on their toes.
“We’ve got a fantastic team,” said Eric Spicer, the county’s registrar and elections director, at the Jan. 7 Electoral Board meeting.
Investigation Into FCPS Abortion Claims Finished — “Allegations that a Fairfax County school social worker facilitated student abortions are untrue, Superintendent Michelle Reid said in a letter to Centreville High School families on Friday.” A finished investigation reaffirmed initial findings that determined “the allegations to be … based on statements that were ‘misinterpreted, mistranslated, taken out of context, or in some cases knowingly fabricated.'” [WTOP]
Forum Held for Democratic Primary Candidates — Candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for today’s 39th Senate District firehouse primary “fielded several questions during a packed public forum [last night], with topics ranging from the primary’s scheduling to affordability, right-to-work and more.” [ALXnow]
Feedback Wanted on Trash Districts — “The Board of Supervisors in August deferred action on a proposal for Unified Sanitation Districts (USDs) to evaluate alternative options. The USD concept has now resurfaced, and the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has scheduled two meetings to solicit feedback.” [Annandale Today]
Community Members Share Boundary Change Concerns — “Dozens of parents and students in Fairfax County were up early Saturday morning at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Virginia, to express their concerns over proposed school boundary changes … FCPS leaders say the boundary changes would address overcrowding and reduce the amount of split feeder schools.” [NBC4]
Traffic Stop Leads to Gun and Drug Charges — “Three men from Alexandria are facing charges after a traffic stop led to the seizure of firearms and the discovery of narcotics distribution evidence, police said.” Patrol officers initially pulled over a car near Russell Road and Norwood Drive on Jan. 6 “for having a loud, modified exhaust.” [DC News Now]
Local ‘Quad God’ Secures Olympics Spot — “Vienna-based figure skater ‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin will head to next month’s Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, U.S. Figure Skating announced Sunday. The news comes after Malinin spun more gold on Saturday night at the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Falls Church Grocery Schedules Opening — “Grocery Outlet, the replacement for a shuttered small-format Target store at 500 S. Washington Street, plans to open on Feb. 12, the company announced in a press release today (Monday). This will be Grocery Outlet’s first store in Virginia, but it’s expected to ‘kick off a series of openings across the state,’ the press release says.” [ARLnow]
Retired Capitals Star Sells McLean Home — “Nicklas Backstrom ditched the DC area for his native Sweden last year, capping a 17-season career as a center for the Washington Capitals. In April, he listed his ritzy McLean mansion for sale at $14.99 million … The property sold on Wednesday for $11 million.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 50, along with a calm wind turning south at 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. At night, the sky will be mostly cloudy, accompanied by a low around 40. A southwest wind will blow at 8 to 11 mph, with gusts reaching up to 20 mph. [NWS]
