• Virginia holds a special election today on congressional redistricting. Voters decide whether to approve a Democratic-backed redrawing of the state's U.S. House districts. This will be a close race. Polls are open now. WTOP on the election | FFXnow voter guide

• Northern Virginia unemployment is rising, and federal workforce cuts are the reason. Fairfax County started 2026 with more jobless residents than it had at the start of 2025. Economists tie the trend directly to federal layoffs rippling into the regional economy. WTOP on unemployment | FFXnow on Fairfax jobless data

• Virginia's red flag law has kept hundreds of guns out of dangerous hands. The law allows courts to temporarily remove firearms from people deemed a threat. New data shows it has been used far more than expected when it passed. WTOP on the red flag law

• A new Route 50 and Loudoun County Parkway interchange is on the table. The Loudoun County Board is weighing a redesigned interchange to cut down on crashes and backups at one of the county's most congested intersections. WTOP on the Route 50 interchange

• A Fairfax County police sergeant was arrested on sexual abuse charges. The arrest was reported Sunday. The Fauquier County Sheriff's Office confirmed the sergeant is now facing two charges of aggravated sexual battery. FFXnow on the arrest

• Fairfax County launched a "road shark" campaign targeting aggressive drivers. The county is naming the behavior directly and deploying enforcement. If you've driven the Beltway lately, you understand why. WTOP on road sharks

• A second Sheetz location is in the works for Fairfax County, this time in Franconia. A local businessman filed a rezoning petition to bring the gas station and convenience chain to the area. The area's first Sheetz opened in Haymarket territory; this one targets the Springfield corridor. FFXnow on Franconia Sheetz

• The historic Dunn Loring Center is closing to make way for a new elementary school. The center has served the community for years, but the site is slated for redevelopment. Families who rely on it will need to find alternatives. FFXnow on Dunn Loring Center

• Sen. Mark Warner's daughter, Madison, died at 36 after a long battle with diabetes. Warner released a statement Monday. WTOP
• Herndon's Friday Night Live concert series dropped its 2026 summer lineup. Lawn chairs, incoming. FFXnow
• Vienna Community Center marked its 60th anniversary with cake and a memory wall. FFXnow
• Loudoun County's next Household Hazardous Waste drop-off event is April 25 in Hamilton. Loudoun County
• A new all-vegetarian Indian restaurant opened in Chantilly. The Burn
• DOJ and Maryland both sued D.C. Water over a Potomac sewage leak. Relevant to anyone who uses the river. Washington Post

NoVA is holding its breath on two fronts today: a redistricting vote that reshapes federal representation, and an unemployment trend that hits closer to home than most residents expected six months ago. The mood is watchful, not panicked. But people are paying attention.

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