• Fairfax County unemployment has surged 62.5% since January 2025. A total of 23,518 residents were recorded as job-seekers in February, up 22% year-over-year. The numbers track closely with federal workforce cuts that have hit the region hard. FFXnow report

• Columbia Pike is still dangerous, and residents are done waiting. Years after Justice High School junior Lesly Diaz-Bonilla was struck and killed leaving her apartment complex, neighbors say the corridor remains a pedestrian death trap. No meaningful safety fixes have materialized at the Barcroft View Terrace intersection. FFXnow investigation

• Herndon is drafting casino zoning rules before casinos are even legal here. The Planning Commission held a work session Monday to sketch out parameters for a potential gaming establishment. Virginia still prohibits casino gaming in Northern Virginia, but Herndon wants to be ready. FFXnow coverage

• Virginia expands voting rights for former felons starting next month. A court ruling broadens who automatically regains the right to vote after completing a sentence. It takes effect in June. WTOP report

• Capital Bikeshare is adding 27 stations across Fairfax County, its biggest expansion since 2016. New locations hit Mason and Braddock Districts and the Mount Vernon Trail starting in early May. If you've been waiting for a station near you, this is the week to check the map. FFXnow report

• Maggiano's is coming to Tysons Corner Center this summer. The Italian-American chain previews at Taste of Tysons before opening at the mall's east end. It fills a high-profile retail gap that's been sitting empty for a while. FFXnow report

• Duke's Grocery is planting its first Northern Virginia location. The D.C.-born sandwich and burger spot is crossing the river as a new fast-casual concept, Duke’s Burgers, at the Water Park food hall in the National Landing area of Crystal City. Details on the exact address are still emerging, but the opening is confirmed. WTOP report

• Davio's Plaza Bar opened this week at Reston Row. The outdoor bar attached to Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse serves cocktails and a pared-down menu al fresco. Good timing given the 80-degree forecast. The Burn report

• Mamma Lucia in Fairfax City closed for good after 39 years. A genuine institution, gone. No replacement announced. FFXnow report

• An electric scooter rider died in Merrifield, nearly a month after the crash that injured him. The incident raises familiar questions about scooter safety on roads not built for them. FFXnow report

• A kayaker died in the Potomac River near Great Falls. Conditions at Great Falls are unforgiving even for experienced paddlers. The accident is under investigation. WTOP report

• Loudoun County's next Household Hazardous Waste collection event runs May 9 in Ashburn. Paint, batteries, chemicals: bring them. Loudoun County notice
• Loudoun Animal Services waives adoption fees May 8-10. Good weekend to get a new pet. Loudoun County notice
• Dulles ranks among the worst airports in the country for walking distance, per a new study. Shocking to no one who has sprinted to a gate at Concourse D. Secret DC report
• A free outdoor spring concert series kicks off this week at Arlington's Metropolitan Park. Secret DC report
• Today hits the low 80s before showers move in midweek. Enjoy Tuesday. Capital Weather Gang

NoVA is carrying a lot right now. Unemployment is climbing, a pedestrian safety crisis on Columbia Pike has dragged on for years without a fix, and two people died in separate outdoor accidents this week. The restaurant openings and bikeshare expansions are real bright spots. But the economic anxiety underneath everything is hard to ignore.

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