Like the county government, Fairfax County Public Schools is preparing for a challenging financial year ahead — one that could require further reductions to staffing and other cuts.
With spending commitments for fiscal year 2028 outweighing anticipated revenue, the school board and superintendent will need to identify cost savings and potential reductions, according to FCPS Chief Financial Officer Leigh Burden.
Fairfax County officials are poised to walk back their elimination of high school crossing guards, while pushing for additional measures to improve safety around schools.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow (Tuesday), county staff will recommend providing $707,908 to restore 11 crossing guard positions affected by the fiscal year 2027 budget adopted in May, according to a memo that Deputy County Executive Tom Arnold sent to board members last Friday (Sept. 11).
Man Shot in Groveton — “A man was taken to a hospital with severe injuries after a shooting in Groveton, Virginia, late Saturday morning. It happened on Sept. 12 in the 3500 block of Robert E. Lee Place.” Police were searching for a suspect but said the shooting appears to have been “an isolated incident.” [WJLA]
Kennedy Center Officials Recommend Closure — “Leaders of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, installed by President Donald Trump, say the center is on the brink of bankruptcy and argue that putting the president’s name on its facade — and thus ensuring his fundraising efforts — may be the only way to avoid imminent and ‘certain fiscal collapse.” The board could approve a recommended closure as soon as tomorrow (Tuesday). [Washington Post]
Plea Deal in Ex-CIA Official Theft Case — “A former CIA official found with $40 million of gold bars in his home has reached a tentative plea agreement after being charged with theft for fraudulently inflating his salary, according to court records.” The man’s attorney said “the charge against him isn’t related to the gold bars, which she described as ‘a sensational tidbit.'” [Associated Press]
Family Mourns Murder Victim — “Family members are mourning the loss of 31-year-old Lavinia Brown, who was shot and killed in her Fairfax home on Sept. 9. Brown’s mother, Denise Batten-Williams, says she knew something was wrong when she tried calling her daughter and then her son-in-law, Brandon, and neither of them picked up.” [DC News Now]
Survey Open on Homelessness Plan — Fairfax County is accepting input through Friday (Sept. 18) on a new five-year plan to address homelessness. The Way Home Fairfax focuses on “helping people who are homeless now find stable housing faster, preventing homelessness before it happens, improving support for people who have experienced homelessness the longest, and building public understanding and support for solutions that work.” [Sull-E Newsletter]
Va. Rolls Out New Food Benefits Cards — “Virginia is replacing traditional food-assistance benefit cards with chip-enabled versions designed to make it harder for thieves to steal SNAP benefits from families. About 749,000 state residents receive assistance through the program.” [Virginia Mercury]
In-Person Hearings Planned on Dominion Merger — The State Corporation Commission will hold three in-person hearings on the proposed $67 billion merger of Dominion Energy and NextEra. Planned in addition to three days of phone testimony, “the first of the three in-person meetings will be held on the evening of Nov. 5 inside the SCC’s courtroom in Richmond.” [Virginia Mercury]
Metro Revises Bus Fare-Quoting Policy — “Metro’s largest union says it has reached an agreement with WMATA so that only drivers protected by glass shields have to quote the fare to riders … The updated guidance comes more than a month after a man repeatedly punched a Metrobus driver who told him the bus fare and that he couldn’t bring an open alcoholic beverage on board.” [NBC4]
Fort Belvoir Commemorates 9/11 — “Soldiers, first responders and community leaders gathered at Fort Belvoir Thursday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed and reflecting on the generations of service personnel shaped by the events that followed.” [Inside NoVA]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant applies for ABC permit: beer and wine on/off-premises. [Public Notices]
It’s Monday — It will be sunny with a high of around 80°F, and a north wind blowing at 13 mph, occasionally gusting up to 24 mph. Monday night will be clear, with temperatures dropping to about 57°F and a gentle north wind at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
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Both the past and the future were on the minds of elected officials and public safety leaders, as they gathered at the Fairfax County Public Safety Headquarters this morning (Friday) to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
During the approximately 40-minute ceremony, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Deputy Fire Chief Bill Betz led two moments of silence for those lost as a result of the attacks.
The fall equinox is still a couple of weeks away, but as temperatures and tree leaves start to drop, Fairfax County will offer an abundance of events and activities to welcome pumpkin spice season.
Here are the nominees for “Best Fall Activities in Fairfax County” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. Did we miss your favorite activity below? Write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25.
Voting for Best Dentist in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, Sept. 18 at 8:30 a.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Summer Camp in Fairfax County. The results are now official:
Rechargeable batteries and pressurized gas tanks erroneously placed in the trash or recycling for regular curbside pickups have been wreaking potentially dangerous havoc on Fairfax County’s waste management operations.
Just last week, some trash collection workers were injured when a compacted gas container exploded, according to the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES).
Local Residents Remember 9/11 — “To mark the 25th anniversary of that infamous day — in which D.C.’s tragedy is often eclipsed by New York’s — City Paper sought out the stories of those who were here when American Airlines Flight 77 felled a part of the Pentagon. From librarian Gail Kouril to City Paper’s own Darrow Montgomery, six longtime D.C.-area residents shared their memories and reflections.” [Washington City Paper]
Motorcyclist Injured in Route 7 Crash — “A motorcyclist was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after they were involved in a crash on Leesburg Pike in Fairfax County, police said. Details are limited; however, the collision happened along Leesburg Pike near Rio Drive in the Seven Corners area.” [DC News Now]
Prison Sentence for Home Contractor — “Virginia home contractor Richard Craig Tadlock was sentenced to 12 years in prison Thursday after his construction fraud conviction.” Residents testified during the sentencing hearing in Fairfax County court that “Tadlock agreed to build their homes, and either wouldn’t finish or didn’t even start the projects,” despite taking money through home construction loans. [WUSA9]
Police ID Couple Shot in Centreville — Fairfax County police are investigating the fatal shooting that occurred in a Centreville home Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 9) as a murder-suicide. “Preliminarily, detectives believe Brandon [Brown] shot his wife, Lavinia, before shooting himself.” [FCPD]
Student Killed While Bicycling Mourned — “The boy, a student at Frost Middle School, was riding home when he was struck [by a truck] on the 3900 block of Pickett Road, about a half-mile from the school. Parents said many students bike or scooter to and from Frost Middle School, and they worry about the safety of the roads surrounding the campus.” [WUSA9]
Senators Seek DCA Flight Limits — “Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, both Virginia Democrats, are set to introduce a bill next week that would restrict flights at National, also known as DCA, in an effort to make Washington’s chronically congested airspace safer following the deadly 2025 plane crash near the airport.” [Washington Post]
Herndon Man Indicted for Carjacking — “A Herndon man accused of taking a Jeep at knifepoint with another man inside before leading police on a pursuit through Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland has been indicted on federal carjacking and kidnapping charges.” [Patch]
DACA Renewal Delays Continue — “Virginia DACA recipients are facing months-long renewal delays that are causing their work permits and deportation protections to expire while they await approval, Richmond-area immigration attorneys tell Axios … Renewal processing times nationwide have climbed from roughly a month last year to at least 6.5 months this year, per the USCIS site.” [Axios Richmond]
Herndon Considers E-Bike Rule Changes — “The town of Herndon is considering changes to its e-bike rules to improve safety on local roads and trails.” At a community meeting on Wednesday (Sept. 9), residents shared their concerns, while Mayor Keven LeBlanc said town officials are looking into their options for potentially changing age and helmet requirements for riders of e-bikes, scooters and other vehicles. [WUSA9]
It’s Friday — There is a 20% chance of precipitation, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 81°F. Winds will be from the northeast at 3 to 6 mph. Night will remain mostly cloudy with a low around 67°F and calm winds. [NWS]
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The vice chair of the Herndon Planning Commission wants to make the jump to the Herndon Town Council this November.
A Herndon native, Meron Yohannes is hopeful that her lifelong personal connection to the town and past public service experience at both the local and federal level will distinguish her in a crowded field with 12 candidates vying for six seats.
The Washington region will likely fall well short of its goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the rise of data centers is the prime culprit.
With just four years to go, the region is less than halfway toward meeting agreed-upon emissions reduction targets by 2030, according to new data presented by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) on Wednesday (Sept. 9).
Fairfax County is proposing a revamp of its zoning requirements for food trucks, child care centers and other ancillary uses in commercial, industrial and some residential zoning districts.
As shared with the Board of Supervisors at its Land Use Policy Committee meeting on Sept. 1, the revamp would affect the regulations for associated services uses, food trucks, recycling centers, vehicle sales and specialized instruction centers.
