Vienna Centennial Park during ViVa Vienna 2026 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Boy Scouts Rescued in West Virginia — “A group of 31 Fairfax County Boy Scouts and adults were rescued Saturday afternoon after getting separated on the Cacapon River, West Virginia authorities said.” Troop 1865, which consisted of 24 kids and seven adults, “became split across three different locations while tubing.” [WJLA]

Waiter Fired for Alleged Racist Slur — “A waiter at a Fairfax restaurant has been fired after a racial slur was discovered written on the button of a customer’s receipt … Crazy Crab manager Rez Choudhury apologized to the customer and the community on Thursday.” [FOX5]

Area Malls Respond to Anchor Closures — “The shutdown of Saks Fifth Avenue’s Friendship Heights and Tysons stores this month leaves its landlords with hundreds of thousands of square feet to refill or repurpose. Those and other department store closures also have retail experts rethinking the traditional mall anchor store.” [WTOP]

Education ESOL Office Closing — “The U.S. Department of Education’s move [earlier this month] to dissolve an office dedicated to ensuring that English learners and immigrant students gain English proficiency and academic success has prompted uncertainty among Virginia’s schools and students.” [Virginia Mercury]

Va. Launches Measles Data Dashboard — “Virginia health officials launched a new dashboard Thursday to keep the public informed as measles cases surge in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health reports an outbreak in Buckingham County with 17 confirmed cases. Statewide, VDH is reporting 40 cases this year.” [WWBT]

Overnight Paving on Franconia Road — “Weather permitting, lane closures will occur in the area of eastbound/westbound Franconia Road (Route 644) and the Loisdale Drive/Commerce Street (Route 789)/Frontier Drive (Route 2677) interchange Wednesday night, May 27, and Thursday night, May 28, for asphalt paving and patching.” [VDOT]

Indoor Soccer Training Center Proposed — “A large indoor soccer training facility has been proposed for a vacant building on Port Royal Road in Springfield. The Board of Zoning Appeals has scheduled a hearing on July 22 for a special permit for the project.” [Annandale Today]

Forrest Gump Actor Visits Fort Belvoir — “Actor, musician and veterans advocate Gary Sinise returned to Fort Belvoir with his Lt. Dan Band Thursday, telling service members and families their sacrifices remain at the center of his foundation’s mission … The appearance was part of the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Invincible Spirit Festival, now in its 33rd installment nationwide at military medical centers.” [Inside NoVA]

It’s Tuesday — It will be mostly cloudy with a high of around 76°F and calm winds shifting to the east at 6 mph. There is a 40% chance of precipitation. Overnight, showers are likely after 2am with a low of about 65°F and a 50% chance of rain. [NWS]

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


Countywide

Fairfax County leaders marked the 10th anniversary of the Fairfax Area High School Student Shark Tank Technology Challenge earlier this week.

“It’s only gotten bigger and better,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said when presenting a proclamation saluting the contest’s first decade on Tuesday (May 19).


Whether your kid enjoys getting active outdoors, expressing their artistry or volunteering in the community, Fairfax County offers plenty of options for keeping students busy outside the classroom.

Here are the nominees for “Best After School Programs in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. Did we miss your favorite program below? Write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 5.

Voting for Best Tutoring Service in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, May 29 at 8:30 a.m.

A few weeks ago, we voted on the Best Title Company serving Fairfax County. The results are now official:

  1. Federal Title & Escrow Company
  2. Cardinal Title Group
  3. EKKO Title

News

A McLean resident was hospitalized as a result of a fire that broke out at their home in the Langley High School area early this morning (Friday).

Firefighters were dispatched to the 900 block of Turkey Run Road for the house fire at around 12:49 a.m., according to scanner traffic.


News

Support for the arts can take different forms, as evidenced by the honorees who will take center stage this fall at the 2026 ArtsFairfax Awards.

ArtsFairfax announced earlier this month that this year’s recipients of the annual awards will be longtime McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) donor and board member Bruce Berlage, Reston community leaders Karen and Jim Cleveland, the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation and D.C.-area singer, conductor and composer Thomas Beveridge.


Around Town

Attendees of this weekend’s ViVa Vienna will have an opportunity to give back to the community in more ways than one.

Inova has partnered with Vienna-based Bards Alley Bookshop for a blood drive that will take place during the annual festival this Sunday and Monday (May 24-25).


Memorial Day and America250 banners in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Lane Closures Lifted for Memorial Day — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting temporary lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, May 22 until noon on Tuesday, May 26. While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that remain in place during this time.” [VDOT]

Flights From Ebola-Affected Countries Sent to Dulles — “The Secretary of Homeland Security is ordering all U.S.-bound flights carrying travelers who were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days to land only at Washington–Dulles International Airport following the discovery of a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak.” [FOX5]

Construction Funds Cover VDOT Shortfall — “The Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to transfer funds from construction projects and other areas to address a $193 million budget shortfall caused by increased spending on storm response and employee bonuses during Wednesday’s business meeting.” [Virginia Mercury]

AI Bills Fall by Wayside — “Most of the AI bills proposed by the General Assembly during the 2026 session were pushed aside over concerns that Trump would make good on his threat to sue and withhold broadband funding from states that pass laws stifling the technology’s growth.” [VPM News]

Arrests in Lego Retail Thefts — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division have charged two suspects involved in nearly $10,000 worth of stolen merchandise, including LEGO sets, small appliances, and clothing, from stores across Fairfax County.” The cases date back to December 2025, targeting Target, Home Depot and Walmart. [FCPD]

Fairfax Connector Bus in Crash — Two lanes of Herndon Parkway were closed yesterday afternoon (Thursday) due to a crash involving a Fairfax Connector bus, the Herndon Police Department (HPD) said. Fairfax County police said “that no injuries were reported, and only minor damage occurred.” [DC News Now]

New Laws to Manage Invasive Species — “The measures make new opportunities for localities to collaborate on invasive control, set new requirements on the state Department of Transportation’s management of plants on highways and close a loophole on how plants are prohibited from sale in the commonwealth.” [VPM News]

Free Rec Center Access for Veterans — “In recognition of Memorial Day, the Fairfax County Park Authority invites veterans, active-duty military personnel and their families to enjoy complimentary access to select park amenities and activities on Monday, May 25.” The deal includes recreation center access, camping at Lake Fairfax Park and, for active service members, wagon rides at Frying Pan Farm Park. [FCPA]

It’s Friday — Expect rain before 5 p.m., followed by showers, with a high of around 61°F. East winds will be 9 to 14 mph, with gusts up to 18 mph, and an 80% chance of up to a quarter-inch of precipitation. Friday night will have showers until 11 p.m., then more rain, with a low of about 51°F, east winds at 8 to 13 mph, and a 100% chance of similar rainfall. [NWS]


News

Laasya Mohan has a study routine: first, the fourth grader at Floris Elementary School sorts spelling words by topic. Then, she further divides them into two lists — the ones she feels sure that she knows how to spell, and ones she feels unsure of. She examines the roots of words and considers language patterns. Finally, her mom quizzes her.

The intense process often lasts five hours a day — but it has paid off.


Countywide

The number of Fairfax County residents counted as unemployed rose 17% year-over-year in March, and was up 52% from two years before, according to new state data.

A total of 22,680 county residents were included in the ranks of unemployed for the month, according to figures reported May 19 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.


Countywide

The final bill introduced by the late Gerry Connolly dealt with the disease that took his life early in his ninth term representing Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

In a rare moment of unity, the Senate voted unanimously yesterday (Wednesday) to support the Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act, sending the bill to President Donald Trump almost a year after it passed the House of Representatives on June 3, 2025.


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