In its 85th year of existence, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) saw a surge in demand for digital materials, reflecting the ongoing expansion of its services beyond traditional print books.
The library system recorded 3.8 million digital checkouts in 2024, pushing it past the all-time milestone of 25 million checkouts, FCPL shared in an overview of the last calendar year published on Jan. 2, 2025.
The Bowlero sign at Tysons Galleria is coming down next month, but bowlers can rest assured — the lanes aren’t going anywhere.
Starting in early February, the arcade, bowling, and sports bar venue will be renamed Lucky Strike Entertainment as part of a company-wide rebranding. Formerly known as Bowlero Corporation, the company officially adopted the Lucky Strike Entertainment name on Dec. 12.
Fundraiser Set Up for Drowning Victims’ Families — “Community members have raised thousands of dollars Saturday night for the funeral expenses for two men who were killed after their car was submerged” in a Chantilly pond. Driver Karna Kadka had three children, while passenger Nischal Bhatta had left his native Nepal about six months ago to live in the U.S. on a student visa, per a Gofundme page. [WUSA9]
FCPS Reopens Schools on Time — For the first time since winter break began in mid-December, Fairfax County Public Schools started classes in line with its regular schedule today (Monday) after a week of weather-related closures and delays. “Thank you again for your trust and patience during last week’s challenges,” Superintendent Michelle Reid said when announcing the decision. [FCPS]
Former TGI Friday’s Restaurant Has Been Leased — “DLC, the relatively new owner of the Springfield Commons shopping center, recently updated its site plan to show Jason’s Crab House in the 6,300-square-foot space formerly occupied by the troubled Fridays chain.” State corporation filings suggest the new tenant is affiliated with a series of businesses that includes 54 Restaurant at nearby Springfield Town Center. [Washington Business Journal]
Pricey Home Sales Tied to Incoming Trump Admin — “Last year, the Washington area experienced its highest number of homes selling for $5 million or more in over a decade, with a significant spike in sales during November and December ahead of the new administration, according to Bright MLS data.” [Axios DC]
Stir-Fry Chain Expanding to Barcroft Plaza — “Honeygrow, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in stir-fry bowls and salads, is coming to Barcroft Plaza. It will be located at 6464-A Lincolnia Road in the space formerly occupied by Chico’s Natural Pet Market. It’s expected to open in July, says Issa Abuelhawa, manager of the Honeygrow in Tysons.” [Annandale Today]
Newington-Area Trail Maintenance Delayed — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is providing an update on the ongoing trail maintenance project in South Run Stream Valley Park … Unfortunately, the colder-than-anticipated December temperatures have necessitated postponing the remaining repairs until the spring, when warmer weather will allow for proper paving and completion of the work.” [FCPA]
Head of Kevin Bacon’s Local Nonprofit Shares Story — “Fast forward to 2007 when Kevin Bacon decided to launch a Northern Virginia-based nonprofit organization supporting impactful initiatives to sustain and enrich local communities … Now at the helm of SixDegrees.org is Stacy Huston, Executive Director,” who spoke to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority about making the transition from business development to the nonprofit world. [FCEDA]
It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with a high around 40°F and calm winds shifting to the west at about 5 mph in the afternoon. The night will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 20°F and a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
It was the girls in a blowout and the boys by a whisker as the host Centreville Wildcats swept a varsity basketball doubleheader against a Concorde District rival Friday night (Jan. 10).
The Centreville girls (10-2) won 62-31 and the boys (7-6) rallied for a 56-55 victory over Madison Warhawks teams. The games were the district openers of the season for all four squads.
In their busy early-season schedule, the Potomac School Panthers have played basketball opponents from all over at various locales through 14 games.
The Panthers (8-6) won three girls high-school games in Kissimmee, Fla,. to come out on top in the recent KSA Events Holiday Tournament. The McLean private-school team also has played two times in Maryland, once in D.C. and, in Virginia, has competed in Ashburn, Richmond and Virginia Beach.
The Flint Hill Huskies have come up mostly winners of late, whenever and wherever they have played in boys basketball action.
Most recently, the experienced high-school team won on the road in D.C., defeating the host Maret Frogs, 61-49, to improve to 7-4 overall and 3-0 in Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference action.
With a new head coach and young basketball team, some early-season ups and downs were expected for the Marshall Statesmen.
A high point was the second-place finish at the recent Mount Vernon Holiday Classic for the girls high school team.
Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area could be hit with another round of snow starting tonight (Friday), though it’ll likely be much less intense than the storm that passed through on Monday (Jan. 6).
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for much of the region, including Fairfax County, projecting 1 to 2 inches of snowfall between 10 p.m. today and 7 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday).
Proposals to streamline the process of applying for community special event permits from the county government won the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s general support on Wednesday (Jan. 8).
However, with a number of details left unresolved, members deferred final action on whether to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve the changes to next Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Older adults looking for a more affordable place to live in Fairfax County will have the opportunity to get in line for an apartment next week.
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) will accept waitlist applications for its affordable housing properties reserved for seniors from 8 a.m. on Monday (Jan. 13) through Sunday, Jan. 19 at 11:59 p.m.
