By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
SALEM, Va. (AP) — René Harvey and her wife arrived at a Roanoke Valley pride celebration in October carrying deep-seated worries about all that could go wrong.
Tysons
The Reston and Herndon business corridor was the standout for office leasing across Northern Virginia in the third quarter, according to new data.
While total leasing volume regionwide dipped 25.8% year-over-year, the Reston and Herndon area posted its best performance in three years and totaling about one-third of leasing activity in Northern Virginia as government contractors shrugged off economic challenges and looked toward higher defense spending, according to Savills Research & Data Services.
Fairview Park’s 2941 Restaurant is back on top in Northern Virginia Magazine’s annual list of the region’s 50 best restaurants.
After dropping to second last year, the West Falls Church-area restaurant returned to the no. 1 spot for 2025, a feat it has now managed in three of the past five years. Both times it missed (in 2024 and 2022), 2941 was bested by The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm in Lovettsville, which closed its doors for good at the end of August.
Police Recruit Charged With DWI — “Fauquier County Sheriff Deputies have arrested a Fairfax County police recruit. On October 24, Fauquier County Sheriff Deputies arrested [the 24-year-old woman from Manassas] and charged her with Driving While Intoxicated. The recruit has been placed on administrative leave pending final disciplinary action.” [FCPD]
Proposed Redistricting Adds to Election Stakes — “The already high stakes were elevated even further last week by a surprise Democratic plan to redraw Virginia’s congressional map — the latest entry in a multistate redistricting arms race. The strategy hinges on the party holding or widening its 51-49 majority in the lower chamber, where all 100 seats are on the Nov. 4 ballot.” [Washington Post]
Man Killed on Highway While Fleeing ICE — “A man who was reportedly trying to run from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents Thursday morning was struck and killed by a car on Interstate 264 in Norfolk, officials said … Immigration attorneys and advocates across Virginia say the tragedy underscores a growing climate of fear among immigrant communities as ICE enforcement efforts ramp up nationwide.” [WTKR]
Judge Indicates Support for Challenge to Felon Voting Ban — “A judge signaled that he was likely going to rule in favor of a pair of disenfranchised voters Thursday who argued Virginia’s felony voting law violates a 150-year-old federal statute.” The plaintiffs argue that the ban shouldn’t apply to felonies that weren’t considered crimes in 1870, when the Virginia Readmission Act prohibited the state from amending its constitution to disenfranchise voters. [Courthouse News Service]
Road Repairs to Disrupt Vienna Commutes — “The left turn lane on Nutley Street NW, heading south on to Maple Avenue, will be closed Tuesday, Oct. 28, starting at 8:30 a.m. for asphalt repairs. There will be no access to the WAWA parking lot or Hawk and Griffin from Nutley Street NW, but drivers will be able to make left turns onto Maple Avenue from the straight thru lane.” [Town of Vienna/Instagram]
Mega-Mansion Under Construction in McLean — A new residential property named “Chateau la Grace” is under construction at 7327 Georgetown Pike for an unidentified client of The Building Group Inc. Possibly the largest home ever built in McLean, the three-level, 49,760-square-foot mansion will feature “at least 10 bedrooms and 10 full-baths,” a detached pool house, a dog room with a shower, a wine cellar, a library, a sauna and massage room, an outdoor tennis court, a dining hall, and more. [Washington Business Journal]
Man Facing 25 Criminal Charges — “A man is facing charges after police said he broke into cars and stole multiple credit cards from victims in Fairfax County.” Officers received a tip last Tuesday (Oct. 21) that led them to a man in the 7600 block of Tiverton Drive in Springfield who was wanted on “21 active warrants on counts ranging from credit card theft, identity theft, narcotics possession, vehicle tampering and hit-and-run.” [Patch]
Greenbriar Pickleball Courts Now Open — “The Fairfax County Park Authority recently built five new pickleball courts that are now open at Greenbriar Park. The park offers convenient access for nearby neighborhoods, ample parking, restroom facilities and ADA accessibility.” [FCPA]
It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 60 degrees and a northeast wind between 6 and 9 mph. Monday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 43 degrees and a northeast wind at 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]
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A Frost Advisory has been issued for Fairfax County, signaling an end to the mild weather that the D.C. region has seen so far this fall.
The advisory will be in effect from 2 to 9 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday), with temperatures expected to dip as low as 33 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
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Hoping to paint your house a new hue? Exterior painters in and around Fairfax County are ready to help with all the right shades and expertise.
Here are the nominees for “Best Exterior Painter in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite painter below? If not, write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7.
Voting for the Best Interior Painter in Fairfax is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Local Shop in Fairfax. The results are now official:
- River-Sea Chocolates
- Elden Street Tea Shop
- The Nest Egg
A quarterly survey of Northern Virginia business leaders shows an increasing level of concern about the near-term future of the region’s economy.
Just under half the 120 business leaders surveyed — 49% — foresee the economy declining either “slowly” or “significantly” over the next six months, according to results released yesterday (Thursday) by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and Pinkston for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Affording groceries, already a challenge for many households in the D.C. region, could become an even greater obstacle next month for thousands of Fairfax County residents with the suspension of federal food benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, is expected to pause payments at the end of next week unless Congress and President Donald Trump resolve the budget standoff that has closed the federal government since Oct. 1.
Va. Dems Expected to Push for Redistricting — “Virginia’s General Assembly will meet Monday in Richmond — in a legislative session hastily reconvened by Democrats — to join nationwide efforts to counteract a gerrymandered redistricting push by President Donald Trump, legislators told VPM News.” Clerks said the meeting will “technically” be part of a special session called earlier this year that’s still active. [VPM News]
FCPS Reports Region’s Biggest Enrollment Drop — “Recent preliminary headcounts taken in September and October are showing a 1-2% decline in enrollment at DC-area schools. These percentages may seem small, but they can have big implications for teacher hiring rates, school budgets and even closures … Fairfax County, the largest school district in the DC-area with roughly 180,000 students, has the most significant drop in enrollment.” [NBC4]
Voting Rights Case Appealed to Supreme Court — “A yearslong legal challenge to Gov. Glenn Youngkin over access to records concerning his administration’s changes to voting rights restoration entered a new chapter this year, after the Virginia Court of Appeals in August ruled that the case, lodged by the Virginia NAACP, can move forward.” Youngkin petitioned Virginia’s Supreme Court last month to review the case. [Virginia Mercury]
Halal Restaurant Opens in Fairfax City — “Shah’s Halal Food opened its doors this week at 9625 Fairfax Blvd., which is adjacent to Okonomi Asian Grill in the Fairfax Circle area. It’s open daily 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.” Serving kababs, gyros and other Mediterranean staples, the chain started in New York City in 2005. [Patch]
Local Telecomms Companies to Merge — “Falls Church telecommunications satellite firm Lynk Global Inc. is set to merge with Omnispace LLC, a Tysons-based communications company,” forming a new entity expected to launch later this year or in early 2026, pending regulatory approval. “The combination of Lynk and Omnispace will yield a workforce of about 100 employees, [Lynk spokesperson Amy] Mehlman said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Learn About Revolutionary War-Era Vienna — “What was the area we now call Vienna like on the cusp of the Revolutionary War? Join local historians and archivists as they travel back through time and provide context and answers at the panel discussion: ‘Vienna in 1775.’ This event, presented by the ViennaVA250 Committee and Historic Vienna Inc., takes place on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the Vienna Community Center Auditorium.” [Town of Vienna]
Rec Center to Celebrate Reopening — “Fairfax County Park Authority will host a grand reopening event at Mount Vernon Rec Center” on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “The free celebration will feature family-friendly activities, demonstrations in each area of the Rec Center, giveaways and games.” [FCPA]
Park Authority Awarded for Energy Improvements — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council award in recognition of its exceptional energy efficiency improvements at the Spring Hill Rec Center. This honor highlights FCPA’s leadership in sustainability and its commitment to reducing energy consumption across its facilities.” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 61. A light west wind will shift to the northwest at 8 to 13 mph in the morning and may gust up to 22 mph. By Friday night, skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to around 39. [NWS]
A split Fairfax County Planning Commission voted last night (Wednesday) to recommend requiring future electrical substations to be built at least 200 feet away from residential property lines.
The commission narrowly supported a 200-foot setback as one of four options on the table. County staff had recommended 100 feet, while some commissioners proposed 150 or 300 feet.