If Fairfax County approves the Prosperity Business Campus’ transformation into a residential neighborhood, townhomes will likely be the first element of the project to materialize.
PM Home Associates, an affiliate of the developer EYA, hopes to build 156 townhouses, including 20 affordable dwelling units, as the first phase of its overhaul of the 41-acre industrial office park in Merrifield, according to a final development plan submitted to Fairfax County on Feb. 20.
Shut out in the last round of jockeying for state transportation funding, Fairfax County officials are taking steps to be more successful next time.
For the next round of applications for “Smart Scale” grants, due over the summer, county staff intends to “focus on smaller projects” that require no more than $30 million through the program, said Noelle Dominguez, coordination and funding division chief for the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT).
Fairfax County’s first comprehensive school boundary rewrite in decades will affect only a handful of its approximately 177,000 current students, but Superintendent Michelle Reid believes the resulting transportation costs could still be too high to absorb.
The superintendent is expected to recommend tonight (Thursday) that Fairfax County Public Schools provide transportation only to high school seniors who were affected by the boundary changes and opt to remain at their currently assigned school, as permitted by the district’s phasing policy.
Murder Charge in Hybla Valley Stabbing — The man identified by Fairfax County police as a person of interest in a woman’s death at a Hybla Valley bus stop on Monday (Feb. 23) has now been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The woman, Stephanie Minter, 41, of Fredericksburg, was found “with multiple stab wounds to the upper body,” police say. [FCPD]
Trump Hosts Meetings on Dulles Redesign — President Donald “Trump earlier this month hosted about a half-dozen infrastructure and construction companies in the Oval Office, with executives taking turns pitching the president and Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy on their proposals to overhaul the Washington-area airport.” The president reportedly convened companies for another meeting yesterday (Wednesday) “to hear updated proposals.” [Washington Post]
Man Sentenced for Attempting to Coerce Minor — “A Canadian man who admitted to traveling from Toronto to Virginia last June to engage in sex with a minor girl was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday to 10 years in prison, according to authorities.” The 54-year-old man contacted a person online whom he believed was a 15-year-old girl but was actually an undercover detective with the Fairfax County Police Department. [Patch]
Spanberger Highlights Affordability Challenges — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered Democrats’ 12-minute rebuttal to Trump’s 107-minute State of the Union address on Tuesday (Feb. 24), “accusing him of driving up the costs of housing, health care, energy and groceries, unleashing chaos in American communities and deepening instability abroad — all while enriching himself and his allies.” [Virginia Mercury]
National Airport Reports Dip in Passengers — “Reagan National Airport recorded its lowest annual passenger count in three years in 2025, even as Dulles International Airport set an all-time record. Just under 24.9 million passengers traveled through DCA last year, down 5.3% from 26.3 million in 2024, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA)” reported on Tuesday. [ARLnow]
Student Nonprofit Supports Kids in Need — “As sophomores at Langley High School, Sophie Li and Lily Zhang began to notice significant inequities within their Fairfax County neighborhoods — disparities that inspired them to launch a nonprofit supporting students at the county’s Title I schools.” Launched two years ago, the Rising Star Fund helps “fund summer camps, after-school programs and new school equipment.” [WTOP]
Oakton Students Visit Capitol Hill — “Oakton Government students went on their annual field trip to Capitol Hill today! Over 700 students were able to see firsthand where members of Congress work together. One group even got to hear directly from @timkaine! What a wonderful experience for all!” [Oakton High School/X]
It’s Thursday — There’s a 50% chance of rain, with snow possible before 10am. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high temperature of about 45°F. At night, anticipate partly cloudy conditions and a low temperature near 32°F. [NWS]
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A major sporting goods store is making a play for Tysons Corner Center.
Dick’s House of Sport is on track to open at the mall in fall 2027, Doug Healey, property owner and developer Macerich’s senior executive vice president for leasing, told investors during an earnings call on Feb. 18.
Rather than go to war over about 1% of Fairfax County Public Schools’ budget request, county and school leaders are trying to forge a coalition that will press General Assembly members to provide the additional funding.
The Board of Supervisors and school board need to “be loud about the fact that we need help” from Richmond, School Board Chair Sandy Anderson (Springfield) said at a work session to discuss the county’s proposed budget on Tuesday (Feb. 24).
Fairfax County officials are working on ways to reduce financial subsidies required to support Capital Bikeshare — with finding a countywide or regional sponsor as one potential option.
That would make the local rental bicycle and e-bike service more like Citi Bike in New York City, which is able to run without taxpayer subsidies thanks to high volume, somewhat higher rider costs and a financial partner in Citigroup.
A bill to make Fairfax County eligible for a casino is advancing through the Virginia House of Delegates after undergoing some significant changes from the version passed by the state Senate earlier this month.
The House’s General Laws Committee voted 12-7 yesterday (Tuesday) to send Senate Bill 756, patroned by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), to the chamber’s appropriations committee. All four delegates representing portions of Fairfax County, including committee chair Del. Paul Krizek (D-16), opposed advancing the legislation.
Call for More Sewer Funding After Potomac Spill — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) was among 14 members of Congress from the region who requested federal funding today (Tuesday) to rehabilitate and modernize the burst Potomac Interceptor. The delegation is also seeking additional funds for wastewater infrastructure nationwide following a recent briefing on efforts to repair the sewer line and mitigate health risks.” [ARLnow]
Man Charged With Threatening Metro Riders — A 37-year-old man was arrested on Saturday (Feb. 21) after allegedly brandishing a knife at other passengers on a Silver Line train heading from Herndon to Ashburn. “Deputies met the train at Ashburn Station and evacuated the affected train car. While on the train, deputies encountered the suspect and learned that he had also allegedly touched a 6-year-old child inappropriately.” [Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office]
Cat Cafe Open in McLean — “A nonprofit cat café, MeowTown Lounge, is holding its grand opening in McLean on Saturday, February 28, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.” Located in the Salona Village Shopping Center at 1345 Chain Bridge Road, the lounge is currently home to 14 different cats. Since its soft opening back in January, MeowTown has helped place 10 cats in their forever homes.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Town Hall Planned on Centreville Gas Leak — “The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will host a virtual Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, to provide the community with updated information regarding the recent incident in Centreville. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and will offer residents an opportunity to … learn about ongoing response and recovery efforts, and ask questions.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Bill to Reduce Development Lawsuits Postponed — Del. Marcus Simon agreed to hold House Bill 447 for further deliberation over the next year after the Hanover County NAACP worried it would make it harder to challenge encroachments on historic Black neighborhoods. The bill aimed “to curb people filing lawsuits to stall housing developments by fine-tuning requirements for legal challenges against local government land use decisions.” [Virginia Mercury]
Maryland Rolls Out Beltway Sensors — “After years of testing, the Maryland State Highway Administration announced that ramp metering signals along northbound I-270 are fully operational. The new signals aim to streamline merging and cut morning commutes by up to 30 minutes.” [WUSA9]
How ICE Activities Shaped Virginia Bills — “As the 2026 General Assembly session began, state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D–Fairfax) introduced bills to put restrictions on federal immigration enforcement in Virginia, framing them as a response to the growing fear in immigrant communities.” While Democratic leaders were initially hesitant to center the bills, they gained urgency as ICE activities increased across the country. [VPM Media]
Springfield Gas Station to Add Convenience Store — “Demolition is expected to start in about two weeks on a project at the Ravensworth Shell service station to convert the auto repair shop to a convenience store. The auto repair business closed on Feb. 22.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — There’s a slight chance of rain between 8 and 10am. The sky will transition from mostly cloudy to sunny, and the temperature will reach a high near 55. Night will be partly cloudy with a low around 37, as the west wind shifts to 5 to 7 mph and becomes calm after midnight. [NWS]
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Months after an August 2025 fire, Glory Days Grill has decided to make its closure in Merrifield permanent.
The sports bar, located at the Providence Place shopping center (formerly the Pan Am Shopping Center), announced the closure in an email to customers. A Fairfax County notice posted outside the 3059 Nutley Street restaurant deemed it unsafe to occupy following the Aug. 22, 2025 kitchen fire.
