• Former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, then himself, at their Annandale home. Police confirmed the apparent murder-suicide, possibly tied to on-going divorce proceedings. Court documents show the couple faced a court deadline to vacate the property within weeks. Filings describe mounting financial and legal pressure in the months leading up to the deaths. Fairfax had been a rising star in state politics before sexual assault allegations derailed his career in 2019. FFXnow breaking report | Washington Post | WTOP

• Gov. Abigail Spanberger wants to delay the launch of recreational marijuana retail sales. Her proposed amendments to HB 642 push back the start date for adult-use sales, revising a bill championed by a Fairfax delegate. FFXnow

• Early voting is picking up across Northern Virginia ahead of a redistricting referendum. Some Virginia voters now cast ballots curbside from their cars, a growing accessibility option at select precincts. WTOP on curbside voting

• Millions in largely secret donations are flowing into a congressional race with national implications. Outside money is targeting a contest that could shift the House balance. Washington Post

• A federal appeals court ruled against Fairfax County in a police shooting case. The ruling is a significant legal setback for the county on use-of-force liability. Washington Post

• A motorcyclist died in a crash on I-495 Wednesday afternoon. Virginia State police responded to the scene on the Capital Beltway. FFXnow

• Someone left a golden toilet on the lawn of the Culpeper County administration building. No one has claimed it. Culpeper is not technically NoVA, but this energy is very NoVA adjacent. WTOP

• Fairfax County supervisors approved a new Penn Daw fire station that doubles as a shelter and supportive housing complex. The project combines emergency services with affordable housing on the same footprint. FFXnow

• FlixBus added a Tysons stop as part of a broader Northern Virginia service expansion. Budget intercity bus travel just got a little more accessible from one of the region's biggest job centers. FFXnow

• Kyuramen opened its soft launch in Herndon's Arrowbrook Centre. The ramen chain has been in the works for nearly two years. Walk-ins are welcome during the soft opening phase. FFXnow

• New signage concepts for Lake Anne Village Center in Reston lean into the plaza's midcentury modern roots. FFXnow
• Fairfax County is running a prep program to get police recruits ready before they enter the academy. WTOP
• Loudoun County will host pit stops for Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 15. Loudoun County
• Friday is slightly cooler than Thursday's record heat. Saturday warms back up. Washington Post weather

NoVA woke up Friday processing a genuinely shocking story. The Fairfax murder-suicide cuts across politics, tragedy, and a years-long public fall from grace. It's the kind of news that quiets the usual noise.

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