Around Town

FFXnow Daily Debrief for May 18, 2026

By FFXnow.com

Good Monday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — May 18, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

It will be sunny with temperatures reaching a high of 96 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 5 to 9 mph. In the evening, expect partly cloudy skies with a low of around 75 degrees. The southwest wind will blow at approximately 10 mph, with gusts potentially reaching 20 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.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Around Town

The Water Mine in Reston set to reopen for summer this weekend

By Angela Woolsey
The Water Mine at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reston’s own water park is suiting up for a new season, just in time to provide relief from a blast of summer heat.

The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole will reopen for 2026 at 11 a.m. this Saturday, May 23 at Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive), giving local families an aquatic escape for Memorial Day weekend.

Go to The Water Mine in Reston set to reopen for summer this weekend Read more
Sponsored

Kokua at The Mather: Elevated Living. Personalized Care.

By Sponsor
Image from Kokua at The Mather: Elevated Living. Personalized Care.

Introducing Kokua at The Mather—Now Welcoming Residents

At Kokua, we believe that every stage of life holds possibilities for creativity, purpose, and growth. Located in the heart of Tysons, Virginia, Kokua offers a fresh, hospitality-driven approach to care developed by Mather, a nationally recognized pioneer in the senior living space with more than eight decades of experience. Newly opened in 2025, Kokua blends care with our research-driven approach to deliver personalized wellness tailored to individual needs.

For a limited time, Kokua is welcoming new residents seeking assisted living or memory support in the DC area with exclusive move-in incentives. Nestled in a lively urban neighborhood, our LEED-Gold certified community incorporates biophilic design that brings the outside in to enhance health and wellbeing.

THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED SPACES

In our assisted living and memory support neighborhoods, residents enjoy a collection of thoughtfully designed spaces that feel like an upscale hospitality destination.

Multiple restaurants offer chef-prepared cuisine with flexible, open-hours service, complemented by demonstration kitchens, art and music studios, as well as gathering spaces. A spacious outdoor terrace, Marzenia Salon, and beautifully appointed amenity areas create opportunities for wellness, connection, and everyday enjoyment.

FOCUS ON PERSONALIZED WELLBEING

Residents enjoy opportunities 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. Here, our team encourages residents to be as independent as possible, for as long 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…)

News

Fairfax City seeks to reduce waste, increase recycling with updated trash management plan

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
A Lime electric scooter leans against a trash can along University Blvd in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax City Council recently approved an updated waste management plan that it says is needed due to projections that landfills across Virginia may reach capacity in less than 20 years, a rising population, and soaring costs for disposing of municipal waste.

Council members unanimously voted May 12 to accept the 87-page plan with 54 actions planned across two decades. The plan emphasizes developing effective government systems; education and outreach to city residents; reducing waste overall and emphasizing reuse; increasing the amount and quality of items recycled; and resource recovery for food and yard waste.

Go to Fairfax City seeks to reduce waste, increase recycling with updated trash management plan Read more
Countywide

Lawsuits filed after Fairfax legislators’ assault weapon ban signed by Spanberger

By Emily Leayman
The NRA's headquarters on Waples Mill Road (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

As soon as Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed one of the more polarizing gun safety bills from the 2026 General Assembly session — a ban on assault-style firearms — the Fairfax-based National Rifle Association vowed to fight the ban with a lawsuit.

The pair of bills from state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37) and Del. Dan Helmer (D-10), who represent parts of Fairfax County, will ban the sale and manufacture of “assault firearms” and magazines with the capacity of more than 15 rounds. The legislation provides exemptions to guns owned before the law becomes effective on July 1, 2026 but will ban new purchases starting on that date.

Go to Lawsuits filed after Fairfax legislators’ assault weapon ban signed by Spanberger Read more
News

More input sought on planned bus rapid transit service in Route 7 corridor

By Scott McCaffrey
Participants at community forum discuss Envision Route 7 efforts (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) has embarked on a new round of community engagement in its Envision Route 7 effort to upgrade transit options.

NVTC has opened an online feedback form, asking a host of questions about how bus riders in the Route 7 corridor between Seven Corners and Alexandria’s Mark Center/Southern Towers areas currently interact with the system, and what they would like to see in the future.

Go to More input sought on planned bus rapid transit service in Route 7 corridor Read more
Countywide

Dominion Energy could be acquired by Florida utility in $67B merger

By Associated Press
FILE - A Dominion Energy lineman lifts himself up to work on a power line in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in North Augusta, S.C. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr., File)

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer

NextEra Energy is seeking to acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal valued at about $67 billion, creating a massive power company as the energy needs of artificial intelligence drive demand higher in the U.S.

Go to Dominion Energy could be acquired by Florida utility in $67B merger Read more
Around Town

Chocolate shop, mystery ‘Loopy Land’ and more coming to Tysons Corner Center

By Angela Woolsey
Future Neuhaus location near Nordstrom in Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A Belgian chocolatier, a coffee kiosk and mysterious newcomer called Loopy Land are just some of the new retailers making their way to Tysons Corner Center.

Neuhaus Chocolates anticipates opening a store at the mall in late November, the company’s U.S. managing director Romain Tabaries told FFXnow.

Go to Chocolate shop, mystery ‘Loopy Land’ and more coming to Tysons Corner Center Read more
Countywide

Goal of 10K affordable units in reach, but success not guaranteed, Fairfax housing chief says

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County officials in 2025 broke ground on an affordable housing project at 2990 Telestar Court in Merrifield (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Will the Fairfax County government be able to meet its goal of 10,000 new affordable housing units by 2034? The county’s top housing official is optimistic but hedging his bets.

“We do feel like we’re very much headed in the right direction,” said Thomas Fleetwood, director of the county’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

Go to Goal of 10K affordable units in reach, but success not guaranteed, Fairfax housing chief says Read more
News

UPDATED: Speed, lack of restraints contributed to fatal Route 123 crash, police say

By Angela Woolsey
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis provides update on fatal Route 123 crash (via FCPD/Facebook)

Two adults were killed and two children were hospitalized — including a toddler police fear may not survive — as a result of an SUV crash in Oakton early yesterday (Sunday) morning.

Officers and first responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched around 12:28 a.m. yesterday to Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) over I-66 for the crash, which involved an SUV “that ran into the barrier” on the northbound side of the road, according to scanner traffic.

Go to UPDATED: Speed, lack of restraints contributed to fatal Route 123 crash, police say Read more
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