• Gov. Spanberger vetoed collective bargaining bills backed by Fairfax County lawmakers. The bills, championed by local legislators and supported by public sector unions, would have expanded bargaining rights for government workers. Public service employees rallied outside the Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Merrifield. FFXnow

• Fairfax County's Board chairman publicly clashed with a school board member over budget criticism. Chairman Jeff McKay lashed out at Hunter Mill rep Melanie Meren after she went public with concerns about school funding. The county-schools funding fight is no longer behind closed doors. FFXnow

• Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney testified before state lawmakers and denied giving preferential treatment to defendants in the country illegally. The prosecutor and sheriff both faced questions on Capitol Hill about the county's prosecutorial practices. WTOP

• Fairfax City Council signaled it wants to raise members' pay for the first time since 2015. Council members currently earn $12,000 annually; the mayor takes home $13,000. Both figures are well below comparable jurisdictions. FFXnow

• Spanberger signed a separate package of healthcare cost bills in Fairfax. The signing came the same week as her collective bargaining vetoes, a reminder that her relationship with Northern Virginia's progressive base is complicated. WTOP

• Fairfax County parents are alarmed that students accessed a game called "Five Nights at Epstein's" on school devices. The game riffs on the "Five Nights at Freddy's" franchise and references Jeffrey Epstein. Parents want to know how it got past school content filters. WTOP

• A fight over crossing guards at high schools is dividing Fairfax County leaders. The dispute centers on whether high schoolers need crossing guards at all. Budget pressures are sharpening the debate. WTOP

• Fairfax County's chronically homeless population jumped 22% in the latest count. Officials are now weighing a long list of housing options to address a shortage that keeps getting worse. FFXnow and FFXnow

• Kingstowne Towne Center got approval for new residential buildings, but without the retail component. Halle Companies won final concept plan approval for the redesigned pedestrian plaza. Neighbors who wanted shops will have to wait, or accept that shops may not come at all. FFXnow

• A new Guapo's restaurant is headed to Reston. The landlord added the Tex-Mex chain to its upcoming tenant list. Guapo's joins a growing roster of new food options filling out the north end of The Spectrum at Reston Town Center. The Burn

• Loudoun County's bond ratings were reaffirmed at triple-A by rating agencies. Strong marks across the board for the county's fiscal management. Loudoun County

• Loudoun broke ground on a new Philomont Fire Station. The western Loudoun station serves the residents of Philomont and the surrounding areas. Loudoun Fire & Rescue

• Vienna's Chef Tan landed in the Washington Post's new restaurant rankings, adding national attention to one of NoVA's buzziest recent openings. FFXnow
• Restaurant Foraged in Loudoun set its grand opening date. Farm-to-table, if that's your thing. The Burn
• Staples Grocery officially opened in Loudoun. The Burn
• Temporary signage went up at Ashburn's future Panda Express. The countdown is real now. The Burn
• The National Concert Band of America plays a 250th anniversary concert Sunday at 3 p.m. FFXnow

NoVA is in a friction week. Budget fights, political vetoes, and a school computer game named after a convicted sex trafficker all landed before the weekend. The region is growing fast, spending a lot, and arguing about almost everything. Enjoy the Friday.

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