The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors doubled down yesterday morning (Tuesday) on their opposition to a Tysons casino — and ramped up criticism of state legislators pushing the measure.
“This was absolutely a direct attack on local government,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the March 17 meeting, which came three days after state legislators passed legislation that would add Fairfax County to the list of Virginia localities eligible to host a casino.
Potomac Recreational Advisory Lifted — “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is lifting the remaining recreational water advisory for the Potomac River from the American Legion Memorial Bridge (I-495) to the Route 120 Chain Bridge.” The department will “continue to monitor sampling data as available,” with efforts to clean up the Jan. 19 sewage spill in Maryland continuing. [VDH]
Women Killed in Domestic Stabbings Mourned — “The Nepalese community gathered Tuesday to honor two women killed in a gruesome domestic attack, while also offering prayers for the man accused of the slayings. The memorial service, held weeks after a violent stabbing rocked a Mantua apartment complex, focused on the lives of Mamta Thapa and her mother, Binda Thapa.” [WUSA9]
Input Wanted on GW Parkway Trees — “The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input on big-picture plans for GW Parkway’s vistas and foliage — a topic that has previously sparked significant controversy. A virtual public meeting on ‘long-term care of historic scenic views’ will be held at 6 p.m. today (Wednesday), and comments are being accepted online. [ARLnow]
Study Considers Congestion Pricing in D.C. — “A D.C.-backed study of how congestion pricing might work in the city is now public, following years of wrangling. With that drama in the rearview mirror, policymakers can start to confront thornier questions about whether the policy is the right fit for D.C.,” though even the most supportive current elected officials don’t expect to start charging commuters any time soon. [WAMU]
Housing Bills Sent to Governor — Though the General Assembly nixed a few more radical bills, “many housing proposals are on their way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk — some of which she has already stated she will sign into law. The bills represented a flurry of efforts to address housing issues including affordability, supply, renter protections, and state input on local zoning decisions.” [Virginia Mercury]
Belle Haven Office Building for Sale — “The 97,581-square-foot, eight-story office at 5845 Richmond Highway, currently branded as the Belle Haven Professional Center, is 56% leased to a mix of medical and professional tenants, according to marketing materials.” A floodplain and resource protection area limit potential redevelopment options, so the site is instead being pitched to businesses that would be interested in occupying it. [Washington Business Journal]
New Florida Flight Planned at Dulles — “Frontier Airlines Inc. is adding another route out of Dulles International Airport with plans to launch nonstop flights to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this spring. The daily flights to Fort Lauderdale, its ninth nonstop destination linking to Dulles, will begin on May 21 via an Airbus A320 aircraft.” [WBJ]
Vienna Photo Show Winners Named — “Amateur photographers from across the region showcased their talent in the 2026 Vienna Photo Show, displaying a collection of unique, award-winning photos at the Vienna Community Center March 14-15, 2026 … This year’s event featured 156 entries from 60 photographers and 171 attendees.” [Town of Vienna]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC wine, beer, mixed-beverage on/off-premises license. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny weather with a high near 42 degrees and light, variable winds shifting to the south at 6 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with a low of around 31 degrees and a southeast wind at about 5 mph. [NWS]
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Despite the pleas of one local lawmaker, Fairfax County officials will not revisit their Trust Policy restricting information sharing with federal immigration enforcement agencies anytime soon.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity proposed revisiting the policy at today’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors, but the suggestion was rejected without discussion by the other nine members — all Democrats.
The signature of Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) is the lone step remaining before Northern Virginia localities receive a new tool to combat excessive vehicle noise.
“There was some drama with this bill,” acknowledged its patron, Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6), in a March 16 newsletter to constituents.
A dispute over ending a sales tax exemption on data centers stood in the way of the Virginia General Assembly passing a state budget passing before its regular session ended.
Over the past 18 years, Virginia became the world’s largest data hub, but community opposition to data centers has swelled. Most recently, in Fairfax County, environmental groups are questioning plans to sell part of a county-owned parcel at 3721 Stonecroft Blvd in Chantilly to data center developer Starwood Capital Group.
New buildings are still going up in Tysons, as anyone who has passed the Indigo at McLean Station, Exchange at Spring Hill and Flats at Tysons construction sites can attest.
But 16 years into Fairfax County’s plan to remake Tysons into a downtown community by 2050, developers behind some of the area’s more established neighborhoods have started to focus less on expanding their properties than on bolstering what they’ve already built.
Fairfax HS Student Accused of Groping — “An adult Fairfax High School student has been charged with nine counts of assault and battery amid accusations that he was groping girls in the halls during school … About a dozen girls have come forward to report that Ortiz put his hands in between their legs, grabbed their private parts in the front, and moved his hands to their butts while in the school’s hallways.” [WJLA]
Man Charged With Peeping in Reston — A 35-year-old Reston man was arrested last Friday (March 13) after a resident of the Waterside at Reston Apartments “reported seeing an unknown man peering through her bedroom window from outside.” Fairfax County police say their drone program helped quickly locate the suspect, who was seen “peeping through other windows.” The man was charged with three counts of peeping before being released from custody on a personal recognizance bond. [FCPD]
Kennedy Center Board Approves Shutdown — “The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years following this summer’s July 4 celebrations. The widely expected decision comes in the wake of numerous resignations and cancellations during President Donald Trump’s second term, although Trump himself has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Bills Restricting ICE Head to Governor — “Bills that advocates said would bring accountability, oversight and transparency to how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates in Virginia cleared the General Assembly as the 2026 session wrapped on Saturday, March 14.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until 11:59 p.m. on April 13 to sign, veto or amend the legislation. [WRIC]
State Lawmakers Face Study Overload — “The Virginia government is sponsoring around 200 interim studies and commissions created through various actions by the state legislature and governor’s office, and that number is expected to grow with pending legislation. But several lawmakers are now saying there are too many of these initiatives.” [Virginia Mercury]
Tree Fell on Car Along Mount Vernon Highway — “A Fairfax woman is raising safety concerns after she says a tree fell on her car while she was driving along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway … The incident happened just one day after a falling tree killed a driver on the nearby George Washington Memorial Parkway Thursday morning.” [WUSA9]
Volunteers Help Furnish Family’s New Home — Bailey’s Crossroads “Rotary Club members worked on March 10 to furnish and decorate an apartment off Route 29 in Falls Church for a family of four – with two parents, a 5-year-old boy, and a baby – who had been living in a homeless shelter. The family will pay a portion of the rent, while Homestretch will cover the balance.” [Annandale Today]
Great Falls Pub Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day — “This Tuesday, March 17, The Old Brogue Irish Pub hosts its 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, one of Northern Virginia’s longest-running Irish celebrations. Families, friends, and visitors from across the Washington, D.C. region will enjoy live Irish music, traditional dance, food, and drinks, including Guinness.” [Press release]
It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 40°F with a west wind blowing at 11-13 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. At night, expect mostly clear skies with a low temperature around 27°F. [NWS]
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Recent proposals to use part or all of the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Regional Park for future transit options are non-starters, the body controlling the right-of-way says.
“Similar proposals have been discussed previously and have been determined to not be viable,” NOVA Parks officials said in a March 11 posting on the regional body’s website.
A Tornado Watch and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings issued earlier today (Monday) for Fairfax County have been canceled or expired, but an Areal Flood Warning is now in effect until 6:30 p.m.
“Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring,” the 3:33 p.m. alert said. “Streams continue to rise due to excess runoff from earlier rainfall. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable.”
Despite weeks of debate and revisions, the Senate Bill 756 that the Virginia General Assembly sent to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk before adjourning on Saturday (March 14) wound up being exactly the same as the one introduced when the legislative session began in January.
After requesting a second conference to some groans from his colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) reverted to his original language for a new substitute bill to allow casino gaming in Fairfax County, limiting potential sites to a 1.5-million-square-foot mixed-use development in Tysons but otherwise treating Fairfax the same as the five cities in Virginia already eligible to host a casino.
