Reston Association members could face another assessment hike in the new year, but on the plus side, the increase might be the smallest since 2021.
RA CEO Peter Lusk proposed raising the annual fee paid by members of the homeowners’ association to $900 — a $10 or 1.1% increase from the current rate of $890 — to support a draft 2027 budget presented to the board of directors last Thursday (Oct. 8).
FFXnow readers now have online access to archives of the GazetteLeader community newspaper from 2023 through 2024.
Local News Now, which acquired the GazetteLeader in September 2024, has merged the newspaper’s coverage into its own websites, with Fairfax-specific articles found at FFXnow and Arlington-related articles on its sister site, ARLnow.
Rally Calls for Data Center Moratorium — “About 200 people – young activists, older adults, and parents with strollers – came out to a rally and march on Oct. 10 to show their support for a moratorium on data centers in Virginia. The event took place outside the Plaza 500 site in the Bren Mar Park community where Starwood Capital is planning to build a huge by-right data center complex next to residential neighborhoods. [Annandale Today]
Spilled Milk Closes Road — Henderson Road was temporarily closed between Winding Creek Court and Wolf Valley Lane in Clifton yesterday (Monday) afternoon “after a semi-truck lost its cargo containing milk crates on the roadway.” Drivers were advised to find alternate routes until the road reopened at around 6:45 p.m., according to Fairfax Alerts. [FCPD/X]
Fairfax County needs to move further away from a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing homelessness, local supervisors were told last Tuesday (Oct. 6).
At a meeting of its housing committee, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors reviewed a draft revision to the Homelessness Strategic Plan, which is undergoing its first major update in nearly two decades.
Fairfax County Public Schools leaders say they are making staffing adjustments in the wake of a year-over-year decline in student enrollment that seems to have caught them by surprise, though the downward trend isn’t new.
As a result, the school division will work to do better forecasting so there are fewer enrollment surprises in the future, Superintendent Michelle Reid told the Fairfax County School Board last Thursday (Oct. 8).
Rescue Team Dispatched to Panama — “Members of Virginia Task Force 1 are in Panama helping assess damage and support response efforts after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country Friday … Federal officials said the teams will conduct aerial and ground assessments, evaluate damaged structures and provide technical assistance in coordination with Panamanian authorities.” [WUSA9]
Residents Share Thoughts on Dominion Merger — “This summer, NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy filed applications seeking approval for a merger. Dominion Energy said the combined company would serve roughly 10 million accounts across four states. On Friday night at the Fairfax County Government Center in Virginia, supporters and opponents testified before regulators.” [WTOP]
Hurricane Remnants Bring Rain — “The remnants of Hurricane Isaias have produced abundant rainfall in the DC area, with amounts ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 inches through 10 a.m. Sunday.” As the storm moves out of the area, “Tuesday and Wednesday line up for lots of sunshine and generous warmth — two variables that often track together.” [Capital Weather]
Fairfax Man Arrested in Prostitution Sting — “According to the Manassas Police Department, six massage businesses were shut down and three people charged with prostitution-related offenses as a result of what the department called Operation False Front, executed” on Oct. 6. “The department also says several human trafficking victims were found during the operation.” [Patch]
Tysons Office Buildings Sold — Three office buildings near the Greensboro Metro station were sold within the past month. First, the 10-story building at 8270 Greensboro Drive was sold for $48 million on Sept. 30 to Onward Investors. Then, just a day later, Cummings Capital Partners acquired 8260 Greensboro Drive and 1676 International Drive for $18.98 million and $78.13 million, respectively, from Brandywine Realty Trust. [Washington Business Journal]
Reston Contractor Hopes to Add Workers — “A recent survey from the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and Pinkston found a third of business executives expect to do some hiring in the next six months. Tim Tkacz is one of them. The founder and CEO of Blue Sky Innovators is building out his Reston, Virginia, headquarters and his team so the company can better serve the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.” [WTOP]
New Discount on Flood Insurance — “Because the county participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) program, it has been able to secure a larger 25% discount on premium costs. This new discount rate applies to all policies issued or renewed on or after October 1, 2026. The previous rate was 20%.” [DPWES]
Fairfax Symphony Opens Season — “The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, and its music director Christopher Zimmerman, have always embraced contemporary music. Yet for their season opener Saturday night at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University, Zimmerman and the orchestra upped the ante.” [Washington Classical Review]
It’s Monday — Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Chance of rain is 30%. Night will be partly cloudy, with a low around 57. [NWS]
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A member of Reston Association’s Board of Directors has stepped down, opening up a vacancy months ahead of the next election.
At-large director Matt Mullenix submitted his resignation to the full board ahead of its meeting last Thursday (Oct. 8), effective immediately, according to RA.
The Women’s Center recently marked the 10th anniversary of its Break the Cycle of Domestic Violence program.
The initiative provides critical support services for victims of domestic violence, including crisis intervention, safety planning, information about accessing and navigating the legal system, and mental-health counseling.
The state government needs to step up and take some of the burden for funding core services off the backs of Northern Virginia residents and localities, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay told members of the county’s legislative delegation.
“The exhaustion level is getting real,” McKay said of the state pushing off its funding responsibilities to the local level.
Josif Ezekilov originally arrived in Herndon about two years ago as a community organizer for the New Virginia Majority, tasked by the civic engagement group with amplifying the voices of the town’s Latino residents.
After falling in love with the small town and moving there with his wife, Ezekilov now hopes to bring that same activist energy and focus on the needs of immigrants and the working class to the Herndon Town Council.
