A long-anticipated donut shop is still planning to open in Merrifield’s Mosaic District after an eviction scare threatened its future.
The Salty, which announced last year that it will take over the space at 2905 District Avenue vacated by Loyal Companion, is still expected to open in the future, co-owner Andy Rodriguez told FFXnow.
Fairfax County school leaders are paying careful attention to start-of-school enrollment figures, attempting to determine if the Trump administration’s immigration policies are leading some families to keep their children at home.
“Some students are a bit reluctant to be in school at this time,” Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid told school board members during a Sept. 25 report on the first month of classes.
Federal Government Shuts Down — “Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration.” [Associated Press]
Fairfax Football Team Banned From Playoffs — “Fairfax High School football team will not be in the playoffs this season, no matter how they play. The Virginia High School League placed the team on probation and banned it from postseason play after the school self-reported a recruiting violation … The league has tightened enforcement of rules after last year’s major controversy over transfers at the highly-ranked Hayfield Secondary School.” [WUSA9]
More Details on Burke Police Shooting — Fairfax County police released more details yesterday (Tuesday) on the circumstances leading up to an officer shooting a man in crisis who was allegedly wielding an ax, chainsaw, blowtorch and, at one point during negotiations, a gun. “The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as a 6-year veteran assigned to the Crisis Intervention Team.” [FCPD]
Rep. Beyer to Forgo Pay During Shutdown — “During my telephone town hall last night [Monday, Sept. 29], a constituent asked if Members of Congress get paid during a shutdown. I told her yes they do because of the 27th Amendment, but I will have mine withheld for the duration of a shutdown in solidarity with federal workers.” [Don Beyer/Bluesky]
Driver Charged in Fiery I-495 Crash — A Burke resident has been charged with reckless driving, with additional charges pending, after allegedly racing other drivers and crashing on I-495 on Sunday (Sept. 28). Three people, including the charged driver, were seriously injured when a 2020 McLaren 720S sideswiped a Honda Pilot before crashing over a guardrail and catching fire, Virginia State Police say. [FFXnow]
Maryland Increases Speeding Fines — “Maryland is adopting a tiered system for fines issued by speed cameras, effective Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The higher a driver’s speed, the steeper the fine. Fines could cost hundreds of dollars, depending on how fast a driver is going.” [NBC4]
Sleepy Driver Leads to Vienna Crash — One driver was transported to a hospital with injuries from a three-vehicle crash that occurred on Lawyers Road NW at Blair Court NW around 4:36 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 29). Police say the driver was heading north on Lawyers when they “fell asleep at the wheel” and rear ended another vehicle, which in turn rear ended a third vehicle “due to the force of being struck” by the original vehicle. [Vienna Police]
County Conducts Business Survey — “The Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives (DEI) is asking business owners to participate in its latest Business Pulse Survey. This is an opportunity for all businesses, large and small, across the county to provide direct feedback on the current economic climate, operational challenges, and their outlook for the future.” [Fairfax County DEI]
It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies to transition to sunnier conditions, with temperatures reaching around 72°F and a 10 mph north wind. Wednesday night will be clear and cool with a low near 51°F, accompanied by a 6 mph northeast breeze. [NWS]
A report released last week confirmed the fears of Fairfax County’s leaders: that the D.C. region and Northern Virginia in particular are bearing the brunt of the economic fallout of ongoing worker and funding cuts by the Trump administration.
With the federal government potentially shutting down and many federal workers officially losing their jobs after accepting “deferred resignation” offers earlier this year at midnight tomorrow (Wednesday), Fairfax County Board of Supervisors slammed Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin — a Republican — for what he described as a lack of preemptive action.
Though the calendar has turned to autumn, pedestrians and drivers entering or passing by Tysons Corner Center on Route 123 will now encounter flowers year-round.
Blooms are the centerpiece of a new mural painted on the pillars that support the pedestrian bridge connecting the mall’s plaza to the Tysons Metro station over Tysons Blvd.
The new school year is just over a month in, but several Fairfax County School Board members are still thinking about a summer break that some families have lamented was too short.
“Something has to change,” Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson said at the Sept. 25 board meeting.
Conditions at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Chantilly have improved in recent weeks, four of Northern Virginia’s federal legislators say.
Sen. Mark Warner, as well as Reps. James Walkinshaw, Suhas Subramanyam and Don Beyer, visited the facility last Friday (Sept. 26) “after a month of attempting to gain access.”
Two bicyclists were injured on the same day in separate crashes at Washington & Old Dominion Trail crossings in Fairfax County.
Officers were first dispatched on Sunday (Sept. 28) around 10:28 a.m. to the 2300 block of Cedar Lane in Dunn Loring for a crash involving “a vehicle versus a bicyclist,” according to scanner traffic. A dispatcher told responders that a medic would be required.
Two national dessert chains are joining forces for a new paired location in the Town of Vienna.
Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins have signed a lease for the 3,484-square-foot, drive-thru restaurant at 411 Maple Avenue East, commercial real estate brokerage firm KLNB announced yesterday (Monday).
More Scrutiny for FCPS Over Abortion Allegations — “The U.S. Department of Education ordered Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to investigate claims that a school social worker helped a high school student get an abortion during the 2021-2022 school year … FCPS already launched its own internal investigation and hired an outside law firm to investigate. On Aug. 13, 2025, Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked Virginia State Police to investigate as well.” [NBC4]
What Happens if Federal Government Shuts Down — “Much of the federal government is on the verge of shutting down if Congress does not reach a deal to approve new funding by Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 … There have been 14 shutdowns since 1980, with the most recent coming in 2018. That shutdown lasted 34 days.” [CBS News]
Reston Native Marries Selena Gomez — “On Sunday, actress and singer Selena Gomez married record producer and Reston native Benny Blanco at a private ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, announcing the news in an Instagram post showing the couple kissing and embracing on a lawn.” [Patch]
McLean Old Firehouse Finishes Renovations — “Community leaders, teenage residents, parents, and F.H. Paschen representatives gathered on Sept. 20 to mark the completion of critical ADA-related renovations at the Old Firehouse Center (OFC), a facility operated by the McLean Community Center (MCC).” [Press release]
Replacement of Falls Church Motel Progresses — “Plans to open a new restaurant and beer garden at the site of a closed Falls Church motel are nearing completion. After months of demolition and construction, Stratford Garden is beginning to materialize at 300 W. Broad Street, where the Stratford Motor Lounge closed in 2021.” [ARLnow]
Local Greek Restauranteurs Eye Expansion — Eleni and Angelo Linardakis, who run Spartans in Burke and Olympians in Newington, are planning to open a new, fast-casual concept called Go GRK at Crosspointe Shopping Center in Fairfax Station. Aiming to launch the restaurant around November or December, the couple say it will have a “consolidated” menu focused on their Greek specialties. “So, no pizza, but plenty of chicken souvlaki, Greek salads, pita sandwiches and gyro fries.” [Washington Business Journal]
Mason District Restaurant Week Planned — “Fourteen restaurants in the Annandale/Mason area will participate in Mason District Restaurant Week Oct. 20-26. This year’s theme is ‘Eat Around the World.’ Some of the restaurants have already announced specials for Restaurant Week; the others will be doing so soon.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a cloudy day with highs near 77°F and a northeast wind at 5 to 8 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly cloudy as well, with lows around 59°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
