FFXnow - Fairfax County, Va. local news

Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high of around 91°F. A light west wind will increase to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. On Saturday night, there’s a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10 p.m. and midnight. The night will be partly cloudy with a low of about 72°F and a west wind at 5 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

News

JUST IN: Three FCPS employees charged with separate crimes in past week

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 5, 2026 at 5:50PM | Updated June 5, 2026 at 7:24PM

Left to right: Stephanie Gale, Matthew Thorsen and Trevor Papavasiliou (courtesy FCPD)

Three people employed by Fairfax County Public Schools were arrested this week for different crimes at local schools, including one case of allegedly inappropriate behavior with a student.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Langley High School math teacher Matthew Thorsen, 38, was taken into custody at his home in Reston yesterday (Thursday) after detectives found that he had “engaged in unlawful and inappropriate contact with a student.”

A post from Kokua at The Mather

Introducing next-generation assisted living & memory support.

Published June 1, 2026 at 10:45AM

Now Available in Tysons: Kokua at The Mather

We have good news for those seeking assisted living or memory support for a loved one: a fresh, hospitality-driven approach to care is now available in the heart of Tysons, Virginia. Kokua at The Mather opened in fall 2025 and provides residents with collaborative care as well as everyday possibilities for creativity, purpose, and connection.

For a limited time, Kokua is welcoming new residents with exclusive move-in incentives.

“Kokua is a Hawaiian word meaning ‘To extend help to others without expecting anything in return,’” explains Brandon Davidson, Administrator. “If you’re seeking support for a loved one, Kokua is worth a closer look. We take an individualized approach to care, with evidence-based practices provided by a dedicated, interdisciplinary team.”

LIMITED-TIME OPPORTUNITY

“At Kokua, we focus on the individual. We blend care with our research-driven approach to deliver personalized wellness tailored to residents’ needs and preferences,” says Davidson.

Residents enjoy the freedom to choose from enriching programs, meaningful social opportunities with experiences such as sensory walks, meditation, acupuncture, Reiki, songwriting workshops, poetry readings, Sensory Symphony Swim, and more.

Assisted Living in Ādar

Ādar means “respect”, and Kokua delivers. Comfortable residential living is combined with caring assisted living services, enabling residents to remain as independent as possible. Each one-bedroom apartment home (ranging in size up to nearly 900 square feet) offers generous space and thoughtful design, complemented by assistance with daily living tasks and emergency response systems for peace of mind. (more…)

Learn More

Countywide

Fairfax County turns to texting in effort to protect area seniors from scams

By Scott McCaffrey

Published June 5, 2026 at 3:45PM

Older man texting (photo by Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash)

The Fairfax County government’s efforts protecting seniors from scams is about to enter the texting era.

As part of the Silver Shield anti-fraud effort of the Department of Family Services, a text-message service is being developed to provide timely but not overwhelming amounts of messages for those who sign up. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was briefed on the program at the June 2 meeting of its Older Adults Committee.

News

Funding awarded for Pickett Road safety study, but not Kingstowne improvements

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 5, 2026 at 2:45PM

A pickup truck passing a pedestrian crossing on Pickett Road in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax City has received funding for a study to identify potential safety improvements along heavily used but crash-prone Pickett Road.

The city was awarded $80,000 for the planned roadway safety audit by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), which approved a total of $980,000 in grants last month for 12 different local transportation consulting projects in Virginia and Maryland.

Event

Food Truck Friday Summer Series

September 25, 2026 12:00 pm -2:00 pm

Lafayette Federal Credit Union

6890 Elm Street

McLean, Virginia 22101

Website Contact Social

Connect with neighbors, learn about Lafayette Federal, and grab fun giveaways! All while enjoying food from local Food Truck.

First 75 registrants can receive free food.*

News

BREAKING: Herndon man sentenced to life for double murder in ‘au pair affair’

By Mary Stachyra Lopez and Associated Press

Published June 5, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated June 5, 2026 at 3:08PM

Brendan Banfield speaks during his sentencing on June 5, 2026 (screenshot via Law and Crime video pool feed)

A Herndon man was sentenced in Fairfax County Circuit Court today to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his wife and a stranger he lured to their home through a fetish website.

Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, claimed that he shot Joseph Ryan after he came across Ryan attacking his wife on the morning of Feb. 24, 2023. But earlier this year, a jury convicted him of murder after prosecutors argued that Banfield and the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, set Ryan up in a scheme to murder Christine Banfield, a pediatric intensive care nurse.

Opinion

Poll: Best mortgage lender in Fairfax County

By FFXnow.com

Published June 5, 2026 at 11:45AM

In a competitive, increasingly pricey market like Fairfax County, homeownership can seem unattainable. For those able to take that plunge, it’s important to find a trustworthy financial backer who’ll help you stay above water.

Here are the nominees for “Best Mortgage Lender in Fairfax County” 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, June 19.

Voting for Best Summer Activities in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, June 12 at 8:30 a.m.

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

U.S. Arts Center
FCPS after school programs
McLean’s Old Firehouse Center

Countywide

Fairfax delegate’s new law sets statewide ceiling on parking requirements near transit

By Emily Leayman

Published June 5, 2026 at 10:00AM | Updated June 5, 2026 at 2:39PM

A parking lot near the Arrowbrook Centre development south of Herndon (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A new law from a Fairfax County state delegate will set statewide limits on minimum parking requirements years after the county completed a major overhaul of its standards.

Del. Irene Shin (D-8), who represents parts of Herndon, Oak Hill and Chantilly, introduced HB 888 to limit the minimum amount of parking that localities can require for mixed-use and residential developments within a half-mile of mass transit facilities or public transportation stations.

Around Town

Facebook parent company Meta plans to sell AI glasses at Tysons Corner Center

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 5, 2026 at 9:15AM

Inside a Meta Lab in Honolulu (via Meta)

The company behind Facebook is bringing its artificial intelligence-enhanced glasses to Tysons Corner Center.

Meta anticipates opening its first “Meta Lab” retail boutique at the mall sometime in June, the company’s vice president of retail, John Koryl, told Fairfax Real Estate Insider reporter Austin Wright, who first confirmed the plans for a Tysons store.

Countywide

Fairfax Water: Removing ‘forever chemicals’ likely to be lengthy, costly effort

By Scott McCaffrey

Published June 5, 2026 at 8:30AM | Updated June 5, 2026 at 10:16AM

Sign for Fairfax Water's headquarters in Merrifield (file photo)

Fairfax Water’s efforts to reduce the amount of “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in local drinking water come with “potentially significant costs,” Fairfax County supervisors were told on Tuesday (June 2).

“PFAS, from where I sit, is going to be a generational issue,” said Jamie Bain Hedges, general manager of the water utility, during the 90-minute meeting between the Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax Water Board.