Water flowing in Wolftrap Creek as snow melts (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Town Halls Planned on Explosion — “Fairfax County will host two town hall meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 17, for residents affected by the ongoing fire-related incident in the Centreville area. These meetings are an opportunity for community members to receive the latest updates, ask questions and hear directly from county officials.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Senate Passes Fairfax County Casino Bill — “A proposal to bring a casino and entertainment district to Northern Virginia passed the state’s senate Friday, even as some Fairfax County leaders and residents criticized the idea. After a 23-14 vote, the measure will now head to the Virginia House of Delegates.” [WTOP]

Faith-Based Affordable Housing Legislation Passed — “The Senate voted 21-18 on Wednesday [Feb. 11] to pass state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29)’s SB 388, which would eliminate the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt nonprofits to develop affordable housing on their properties. The legislation might still need final approval in the House next year, however.” [ARLnow]

Reproductive Freedom Amendment Set for Ballot — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee reproductive freedom in Virginia’s Constitution, clearing the final step before the measure heads to voters in November.” The amendment wouldn’t expand access to abortion beyond what’s currently legal, but enshrining reproductive freedom in the state’s bill of rights would make it harder to change the law in the future. [WHRO]

State Police Helped With ICE Detentions — “Virginia State Police (VSP) aided federal immigration agents in apprehending nearly 200 people between February 2025 and February of this year, when Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) ended the 287(g) agreements established under her Republican predecessor … Per a VSP spokesperson, a total of 60 of the agency’s employees were given credentials under its” agreement. [WRIC]

Police Traffic Stops Rise in Virginia — “Law enforcement officers conducted more than 1.24 million stops last year, a 7% increase from 2024, according to new data from the Virginia State Police … In raw numbers, Fairfax County recorded the highest number of stops last year, with more than 117,000 encounters, a reflection of its large population and proximity to Washington, D.C.” [Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism]

HIV Program Funding Uncertain — “The Virginia Department of Health has not yet developed a clear plan for how to manage lost services that provide wraparound care for the state’s most vulnerable residents with HIV, the state epidemiologist said Friday. Late last year, the department significantly reduced funding for” a federal program that provides medical services “for low-income residents living with HIV.” [Cardinal News]

Local Firefighter Dies After Illness — “With deep sadness, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announces the death of Firefighter Brandon Winfield on Thursday, February 12, 2026, following a brief illness.” The fire department’s honor guard transported Winfield’s body to a funeral home during a ceremony yesterday (Monday). [FCFRD]

Franconia District Office Moving — “The process of moving the Franconia District Supervisor’s office from 6121 Franconia Road to its new location at 7130 Silver Lake Blvd has begun. Staff from my office and I will continuously serve you remotely … Unfortunately, walk-in services and community room use will not be available beginning Tuesday, February 17, 2026, through Sunday, March 15.” [The Lusk Report]

It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 8am, giving way to partly sunny skies and a high near 55 with light southwest winds. As for Tuesday night, it’ll turn cloudy with a low around 43. The calm wind will gradually pick up from the south at around 5 mph after midnight. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.


News

A pedestrian suffered critical injuries in a crash that occurred this evening (Friday) in the heart of downtown McLean.

Police and units with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched around 6:10 p.m. to the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Beverly Road for the crash, according to scanner traffic.


News

Figure skaters and their families from across the D.C. region gathered today (Friday) at Reston’s SkateQuest to watch their homegrown phenom pursue gold and, possibly, history an ocean and continent away at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

In minutes, however, that vision fell apart as Vienna resident Ilia Malinin missed the Olympic podium entirely after a disastrous free skate where he fell twice, finishing in eighth place with 264.49 points.


Countywide

By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press

Virginia voters will get to cast ballots on a congressional redistricting plan benefiting Democrats while a court battle plays out over the legality of the effort.


News

A Herndon family’s au pair who engaged in an affair with her employer before aiding a plot to murder his wife and another man has received the maximum sentence for her role in the killings.

Juliana Peres Magalhaes was sentenced to 10 years in prison today (Friday) — the maximum sentence allowed for the charge of manslaughter under state law. The 25-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in exchange for her testimony against co-conspirator Brendan Banfield.


Need a fresh look? No matter what style or ambience you’re seeking, Fairfax County has barbers who can deliver the right cut.

Here are the nominees for “Best Barbershop in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite shop below? If not, write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27.

Voting for the Best Nail Salon in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, Feb. 20 at 8:30 a.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Hair Salon in Fairfax. The results are now official:

  1. Ersin Secilmis
  2. Jon David Salon
  3. Great Clips (Reston)

News

With its first Capital Bikeshare stations on the way, Vienna leaders want to tackle concerns about the safety of micro-mobility devices like electric scooters and electric bikes head on.

Earlier this month, the Vienna Town Council endorsed an educational campaign recommended by the town’s Transportation Safety Commission about the laws and risks of e-scooters, e-bikes and other shared micromobility devices.


News

Fairfax County’s police training academy could someday be co-located with a data center.

A developer identified as SCG Global Holdings LLC has offered to purchase county-owned land in Chantilly that currently hosts several Fairfax County Police Department facilities in order to build a data center.


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools resumed regular classes on Monday (Feb. 9) for the first time since a double whammy of snow and ice hit the D.C. region in late January, but many students still encounter blocked sidewalks and intersections on the way to their school or bus stop.

That was the case earlier this week in the Franklin Farm neighborhood near Herndon, where sidewalks around a school bus stop at Old Dairy Road and Tyburn Tree Court remained stubbornly covered in ice.


Doors open along the Grand Commons Avenue sidewalk in Fairfax Corner (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Scammers Impersonate Sheriff’s Office — “The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is warning residents about a scam in which criminals are impersonating the Sheriff’s Office and attempting to gain victims’ trust through deceptive voicemail messages.” Residents have reported receiving voicemails from a “Lt. Michael McCrae from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office. These messages often sound urgent and may reference missed jury duty, legal matters, or requests to return the call. This is a scam message. Residents should not return the call.” [FCSO]

Crash Victims’ Families Call for Aviation Reforms — “Key senators and the families of the 67 dead in an airliner collision with an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital are convinced that advanced aircraft locator systems recommended by experts for nearly two decades would have prevented last year’s tragedy.” [Associated Press/ARLnow]

Rolling Road Down to One Lane Today — “Rolling Road (Route 638) between Viola Street (Route 6010) and Birmingham Lane (Route 4153) will have one lane of alternating traffic via flagging Friday, Feb. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for pavement work as part of the Rolling Road widening project … Drivers should expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.” [VDOT]

Saks Fifth Avenue in Tysons Safe for Now — “Saks Global announced Tuesday that it plans to close eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores, including one in Virginia, as the retail empire moves through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings … The Virginia Saks Fifth Avenue store slated for closure this spring is located at Stony Point Fashion Park in Richmond. As of Wednesday, the store at Tysons Galleria in McLean was not expected to close.” [Patch]

Human Services Building Still Closed — “Progress continues on repairs to the Pennino building, which was damaged last week by flooding, but the building will continue to be closed until further notice. There are several alternate ways to get assistance with services that are offered in Pennino.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

ER Could Replace Chantilly Deli — “CA Healthcare’s StoneSprings Hospital Center wants to establish a new freestanding emergency room in Chantilly. And they are targeting the current site of Santini’s New York Style Deli in Chantilly, The Washington Business Journal reported.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Lincolnia Bank Branch Gone — “The TD Bank on Little River Turnpike and Braddock Road next to Pinecrest Plaza has closed. The bank opened in 2017 in a space previously occupied by an Exxon gas station … TD Bank closed 38 branches in 2025 and planned to close 51 more in early 2026.” [Annandale Today]

Burger Chain Seeking N. Va. Locations — “According to a post on social media from Renaud Consulting, a commercial real estate company – Halal Burger Paradise is looking for new retail opportunities. Its ideal space is between 1,000 s.f.–2,000 s.f. and it’s targeting not just Sterling, Chantilly, and Fairfax, but also Springfield, and Manassas.” [The Burn]

It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high of 39°F accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. For Friday night, the skies will be mostly clear, and temperatures will drop to a low of around 28°F, with a gentle southwest breeze. [NWS]

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