A shopping cart corral in the parking lot of Fair City Mall in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Bomb Threat Cleared on Dulles-Bound Plane — “A United Airlines flight coming from Denver landed safely at Dulles International Airport Monday morning after a reported bomb threat, according to officials. Before departing from Denver International Airport, ‘United flight 2408 deplaned safely via airstairs due to a security concern,’ according to a Dulles statement.” [NBC4]

Lawsuits Filed Over Potomac Sewage Spill — “The Justice Department and the Maryland Department of the Environment have filed separate lawsuits against D.C. Water over the pollution of the Potomac River due to a massive sewage spill from a ruptured pipe back in January.” [WTOP]

Sen. Warner’s Daughter Has Died — “Sen. Mark Warner (D) and his wife, Lisa Collis, shared today (Monday) that their daughter Madison Warner has died. The 36-year-old died after decades of battling juvenile diabetes and other health issues, according to their statement.” [ALXnow]

Immigration Advocates Mixed on Spanberger — “In the wake of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Democrats in Virginia’s legislature passed a handful of bills to help combat what they see as injustices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed some of those bills … but immigration advocates hope legislators will reject some she amended.” [WVTF]

Historic Civil War Center Set to Reopen — The interpretive center at Historic Blenheim in Fairfax City will reopen to visitors tomorrow (Wednesday) after closing over the winter for maintenance. The facility will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a free guided tour of the Historic Blenheim house on Saturdays at 1 p.m. [City of Fairfax]

Steakhouse Chain Files for Bankruptcy — “801 Restaurant Group, the parent company of the 801 Chophouse chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 10, a move the company says is intended to restructure debt and keep its restaurants operating rather than shutter them outright.” The first 801 Chophouse on the East Coast opened in Tysons in 2024. [Des Moines Register]

Watch Out for Tick Bites — “As spring arrives and the weather warms up, tick activity increases around Virginia. Increased tick activity means that Virginians need to be aware of the risks that ticks can pose to people … There are several illnesses that ticks can spread in Virginia, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Alpha-gal Syndrome.” [Virginia Department of Health]

Lake Anne Award Winners Announced — “Lake Anne Plaza in Reston presented its first Good Neighbor Awards on Saturday, recognizing a child and an adult for contributions to the community.” Five-year-old Elianna Malesic won in the kids’ category for helping clean up litter, while local artist Pat McIntyre was the adult honoree for hosting a free weekly crafts table every Saturday. [Patch]

It’s Tuesday — Expect widespread frost before 10 am, followed by sunny weather with a high near 62°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the south at about 6 mph in the afternoon. At night, there is a 30% chance of showers after 2 am, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. [NWS]

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


Around Town

Entering the multipurpose room at the Vienna Community Center last Friday afternoon (April 17) was like stepping into a time capsule.

For an open house to celebrate the facility’s 60th anniversary, the Town of Vienna’s Parks and Recreation Department set up displays on one side of the room covered with nostalgia-triggering newspaper clippings and photographs, many of them provided by local residents.


News

The end is near for a school building that has stood in Dunn Loring since the Great Depression.

After operating for nearly nine decades, first as a school and then as an administrative hub, the Dunn Loring Administrative Center at 2334 Gallows Road will close in phases next month to make way for a new elementary school.


Countywide

The number of jobless residents in Fairfax County jumped by more than a third — 33.8%, to be precise — year over year to start 2026, according to new state data.

A total of 23,749 county residents were reported seeking work in January, up from 17,744 a year before, based on figures released April 16 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.


News

A sergeant in the Fairfax County Police Department was arrested over the weekend for alleged sexual abuse.

Matthew Sylvester, a 40-year-old resident of Warrenton, has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery by the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office after he was taken into custody on Saturday (April 18) around 1 a.m., according to the FCPD.


The Battery at Fort Hunt Park (staff photo by James Cullum)

Bren Mar Park ES Safe After Fire — “Sunday afternoon, there was a fire at Bren Mar Park Elementary School in Alexandria … While the investigation into the cause continues, the Fire Marshal has determined that it is safe for students to return to school tomorrow. We are grateful that classes will be able to continue without disruption.” [FCPS]

Dr. Cerina Fairfax’s Patients Mourn — “Patients of Dr. Cerina Fairfax dropped off flowers outside her closed office door. She was killed by her husband, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, police said … People who knew Cerina remembered her as bright and caring.” [NBC4]

No AC a Struggle in Annandale Apartments — “While the area experienced an early heat wave [last] week, residents of the Wedgewood Apartments in Annandale suffered without air conditioning … Inside Wedgewood tenant A. Osmani’s home, a thermometer recorded a temperature of 103 degrees on April 15.” [Annandale Today]

Capitals Stars Spotted at Tysons Brewery — Potentially retiring Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was one of several players who visited Starr Hill Brewpub last Thursday (April 16), two days after the team concluded its season. Capitals fans and local realtors Morgan Samson and Colby Smythe ran into the players as they were leaving and took some photos in front of Capital One Hall. [RMNB]

Bagel Shop Opens in Vienna — “Bagel Street, a new shop on Maple Avenue in Vienna, plunges everyone’s favorite savory rounds with the most varied bagel case I’ve seen in our region … The brainchild of married founders Jenny Liu and Julio Santana, the creations owe more to her Chinese American roots than his Dominicans ones. But it’s clear that diversity knows few boundaries here.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Reston Startup Acquired — “Fortreum LLC, a cybersecurity assessment firm based in Lansdowne, has bought Kovr.ai, which helps companies doing business with the federal government obtain cybersecurity compliance sign-offs.” The acquisition was announced less than a year after former Amazon Web Services Inc. executives Andrew Black and Sri Iyer officially launched the Reston-based software developer. [Washington Business Journal]

Reston Man Wins $100K From Lottery — “A Reston man won a $100,000 Powerball prize after buying his ticket online for the March 16 drawing, according to the Virginia Lottery. Bharat Chatani matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball number, a combination that normally wins $50,000.” [Patch]

Renovations Coming to Park in Groveton — Starting Wednesday (April 22), the tennis and basketball courts at Stoneybrooke Park will close for renovations, including the installation of new surfacing, goals and fencing as well as the addition of gravel to improve drainage. “Parking will be limited during construction. Weather permitting, construction is expected to be completed in early July.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny weather with scattered sprinkles and a high near 55°F. Northwest winds will blow at 13 to 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 26 mph. Overnight, the sky will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 34°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]


Countywide

The drought conditions plaguing parts of Virginia, including Fairfax County, since last fall are officially the worst the state has experienced in almost 20 years.

Yesterday (Thursday), the U.S. Drought Monitor classified over 60% of Virginia as being in a severe drought based on data collected through Tuesday (April 14). That’s the most widespread drought seen in the state since October 2007, surpassing levels recorded during previous droughts in 2008, 2010, 2023 and 2024, according to Fairfax County.


News

The thousands of patients who visit VHC Health in Arlington for pregnancy-related services and other women’s health needs can now find similar care in Tysons.

The nonprofit health system celebrated the launch of a new location for the Charlotte S. Benjamin Center for Women’s Health at its Tysons Pavilion (1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 210) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 9.


Whether you’re a newcomer to Fairfax County, switching neighborhoods or leaving for another town altogether, you’ll want a trustworthy mover who can help carry both the physical and mental weight of an often stressful life change.

Here are the nominees for “Best Moving Company Serving Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. Did we miss your favorite business below? Write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 1.

Voting for Best Roofing Company in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, April 25 at 8:30 a.m.

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

  1. Clemyjontri Park
  2. Chessie’s Big Backyard
  3. Burke Lake Park

Around Town

In addition to learning about the country’s history through educational programs or taking in local attractions, Fairfax County residents will be able to celebrate America 250 by partaking in specially crafted alcohol.

The county will unveil a series of unique craft beverages to commemorate the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, starting this Sunday (April 19) with the launch of a pair of new wines developed by Fairfax County’s two wineries.


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