Recent actions by the Trump administration are heightening the urgency of the Fairfax County and the D.C. area’s longtime goal of reducing their reliance on federal government employment and spending.
With mass worker layoffs, contract cancellations and potential real estate sales promising significant economic upheaval, local and regional leaders may have no choice but to “think and act differently,” according to Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Julie Coons.
What do a Fairfax County public library, bowling alley and the Dulles family home have in common?
They’re all examples of modernism, an architectural style that exploded onto the scene in Fairfax County after World War II, according to a new survey that could help preserve some key remnants of the movement.
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts has added a brand-new event to its summer calendar.
After unveiling an initial summer lineup last month, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced yesterday (Tuesday) that the park will also host the inaugural Todo Sonido, a festival celebrating Latin American music, this July 12-13.
Fairfax County will need to hire more than 20 new staff and spend about $2.8 million a year to administer a countywide meals tax, if one is authorized in the coming months.
Even with the additional expenses, overall revenue would far exceed the costs of administering the program, which would tax food and drinks served by restaurants and other food service establishments, staff told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a budget policy committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
Capital One Sued by Trump Family Business — “On March 7, multiple entities connected with the Trump Organization sued the McLean-based bank for terminating more than 300 Trump Organization bank accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.” The complaint filed in a Florida circuit court alleges that the account closures were motivated by politics, an argument that Capital One denies. [Virginia Business]
Herndon ‘Tunnel Girl’ Permitted to Keep Digging — “Kala the Science Girl, also affectionately known as Tunnel Girl, is digging back in after receiving a permit to continue her intricate tunnel work under her Northern Virginia home … She amassed more than half a million followers on TikTok, where she documented the process of digging.” [WUSA9]
Limits on Helicopter Flights at DCA Recommended — Following the mid-air collision on Jan. 29 that killed 67 people, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended yesterday that helicopter operations be permanently prohibited “on Route 4 between Hains Point and Wilson Bridge when runways 15 and 33 are in use at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.” [ALXnow]
Job Market Likely Can’t Handle Federal Layoffs — “The Washington region may not have enough white-collar jobs to absorb the federal workers being laid off by the Trump administration, according to data from Indeed … While overall job postings in the U.S. are up compared with pre-pandemic numbers, they were down 13.8% in the DMV as of Feb. 28, per Indeed.” [Axios DC]
Rural Areas Seek to Lure Data Centers From N. Va. — Wythe County “and some other rural Virginia communities are looking to bring data centers to their parts of the state as industry hubs in Northern Virginia and suburban Richmond sour on the industry worth billions in local and state funds.” [Virginia Public Media]
Community Center Opens in Annandale Apartments — “Located in a former apartment, the FACETS Cares Community Development Center will offer after-school tutoring, access to technology and professional development resources, and connections to vital resources for low-income families. It will enhance community safety by building positive relationships with the police.” [Annandale Today]
Reston Startup Raises $2 Million — “Reston startup Tiga AI has raised $2 million to get its tools for business-to-business sales professionals to more customers … Tiga’s products act as digital assistants for sales professionals. These tools can conduct tasks automatically like drafting emails or LinkedIn pitches to customers based on analyzing internal datasets like client notes or prior purchasing behaviors.” [Washington Business Journal]
Burke Nursery Joins Discounted Tree Program — “The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is expanding its Throwing Shade VA program. Through the program, DOF partners with nurseries to offer a $25 discount on eligible native trees and shrubs valued at $50 or more. The offer is available through May 1 while supplies last at 15 participating nurseries,” including Burke Nursery and Garden Centre. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high temperature around 61 degrees. The north wind will blow at 6-8 mph, eventually shifting to the east in the afternoon. As the night progresses, clouds will increase, and the low temperature will be around 44 degrees with an east wind ranging from 3-8 mph. [NWS]
The D.C. region’s upcoming cherry-blossom season is expected to give Metro another boost as it continues a post-Covid rebound.
“If all goes to plan, we’re hoping for our first combined one-million-trip day since the onset of the pandemic,” Paul Smedberg, first vice president of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), said on Thursday (March 6).
After-school and summer programs that serve thousands of middle school students are at risk of ending under Fairfax County’s proposed budget.
To close a projected $292.7 million funding gap, County Executive Bryan Hill pitched a fiscal year 2026 budget last month that cuts nearly $60 million in spending and 208 staff positions across multiple agencies, affecting everything from public safety to housing assistance programs and park maintenance.
An office complex near the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons could soon be reinvigorated by the power of dance.
A dance studio has expressed interest in opening a new location at the Westwood Center, Atlantic Realty Company — which owns and manages the adjacent buildings at 8603 and 8605 Westwood Center Drive — said in a zoning application submitted to Fairfax County in late February.
More than a decade after it started exploring a program, Fairfax County is finally ready to introduce school bus cameras designed to catch illegally passing drivers.
The county government and Fairfax County Public Schools will install stop-arm camera systems on 50 buses for the program’s initial launch, which will begin with a 30-day warning period on April 9.
Workers Fired at D.C. Area National Parks — “More than 750 national park workers have been fired amid the Trump administration’s purge of federal employees, per an unofficial tally … Nearly 40 employees were fired from the National Capital Region, which encompasses 15 designated parklands, including Great Falls.” [Axios DC]
Man Charged with Indecent Exposure in Centreville — Police have arrested a 20-year-old man from Maryland who allegedly exposed himself in front of a woman. “On February 26, the victim reported that she was walking near Route 28 and Machen Drive in Centreville when she was approached by a man in a car who exposed himself.” [FCPD]
WaPo Columnist Resigns Over Op-Ed Changes — “A top political columnist for The Washington Post resigned today, accusing Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis of killing her column that criticized owner Jeff Bezos’s drive to overhaul the opinion pages to focus on his libertarian priorities.” [NPR]
Parent Concerned by Potential FCPS Start Time Changes — “As Fairfax County Public Schools weighs options for how to start middle schools later in the morning, some parents in the Northern Virginia school district are concerned about the impact such a change would have on their kids’ routines.” [WTOP]
Middle Eastern Eatery Opens in Seven Corners — “Hamza & Madina Halal Food is now open in the Seven Corners Center. The eatery offers $10.99 platters featuring chicken, lamb, fish, kofta, or falafel over rice or salad.” [Annandale Today]
Bills Would Bolster Tree Canopy Preservation — Two General Assembly bills currently awaiting Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s signature would give all localities statewide the option to increase their tree canopy preservation requirements and create funds for planting and maintaining trees. Right now, only a select few localities in Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, have those authorities. [Virginia Mercury]
General Assembly Passes Invasive Plants Bill — “Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, introduced House Bill 1941 and Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Fairfax, introduced Senate Bill 1166. The bills, which passed with bipartisan support, require stores to post signage to educate shoppers on invasive species and encourage native plants as an alternative.” Previous versions of the bills that included fines were vetoed last year by Youngkin. [VCU Capital News Service/Virginia Mercury]
New Art Studio in Vienna Welcomes Beginners — “You can’t miss the entrance to iCreate. The eccentric new art studio in Vienna caters to nonartists, with an array of beginner-friendly creative classes — including an option to aim BB guns and throw water balloons filled with nontoxic paint at your canvas.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high of around 72 degrees, with calm winds shifting to the south at around 6 mph in the afternoon. As for Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of approximately 44 degrees. South winds at 5 to 7 mph will transition to northwest after midnight. [NWS]
