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DC Plane Crash, Data Centers Boom, Federal Worker Layoffs: Top VA News Of 2025

Tops VA news of 2025: DC plane crash, drunk raccoon, trans locker room lawsuit, casino legislation, historic governor's race, ICE raids.

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The bodies of all 67 people killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair on Jan. 29 at Reagan National Airport were recorded, officials say.
The bodies of all 67 people killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair on Jan. 29 at Reagan National Airport were recorded, officials say. (Ben Curtis/Associated Press)

As 2025 ends, we're looking at the news that defined the year for our Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg readers.

The year started when a helicopter collided with a plane near Reagan National Airport, killing everyone aboard. Tributes for the victims and a lengthy investigation into the crash followed, and new flight protocols are in place as a result.

The battle over legislation to bring a casino to Fairfax County continues as the new Virginia General Assembly session nears. While the legislation was defeated in 2025, it could reappear in 2026. A majority of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to oppose casino legislation in its legislative agenda.

Find out what's happening in Ashburnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Years after investigations over sexual assaults at two Loudoun County schools, the school division was in the spotlight again. This time, families of two students are pursuing a lawsuit over punishments for a boys locker room encounter with a transgender student. The Trump administration and Attorney General Jason Miyares have weighed in on the case, along with the school division in court filings and LGBTQ+ advocates.

It wasn't all hard news that caught the attention of readers though. The intoxicated raccoon that ransacked a Virginia ABC store became a viral sensation, leading to T-shirts created to fundraise for the animal shelter. A man reached the summit of Mount Everest to fundraise for children with cancer. A blood donor's 700th donation marked the most blood platelet donations among active donors. A student helped a school serving students with severe disabilities to fundraise for a memorial garden.

Find out what's happening in Ashburnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Other major stories included Abigail Spanberger being elected as the first female Virginia governor, Rep. Gerry Connolly's death and his successor's election, federal worker reductions and relocations, a quadruple murder update in court, a high-profile MS-13 leader arrest, a college student's disappearance on spring break, a Capital Beltway Express Lanes extension opening, the new Virginia Tech campus opening, data center zoning and lawsuits and much more.

See our top stories from 2025 below, and be sure to subscribe to your local Patch town's newsletter and news alerts for more news coverage.

All 67 Victims Of DC Plane Crash Recovered From The Potomac

The bodies of all 67 people killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair at Reagan National Airport Wednesday have been recorded, officials said Tuesday afternoon.

Spanberger Pledges To 'Always Put Virginia First' As Governor

Democrat Abigail Spanberger made history Tuesday night by winning the Virginia governor's race over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger will become the Commonwealth's first woman to serve as governor.

Virginia Congressman Dies After Cancer Diagnosis

Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who represented Virginia's 11th Congressional district for more than 16 years, has died at age 75.

Tysons Casino Bill Killed For 2025 VA Legislative Session

For the third straight legislative session, efforts to win passage of a bill that would start the process of building a casino in Fairfax County have failed.

Feds Seek To Join Transgender Locker Room Lawsuit Against Loudoun Schools

After Loudoun County Public Schools revealed more about the investigation into a Title IX locker room incident involving a transgender student, the Trump administration's Justice Department seeks to join the lawsuit against the school system.

Former Feds Share Hardships, Concerns After Trump's Mass Layoffs

Eleven former federal employees who lost their jobs earlier this year due to President Donald Trump’s move to shrink the size of the government’s workforce shared their stories during a roundtable discussion at the McLean Government Center.

National Science Foundation Headquarters Moving To New Location In Alexandria

The National Science Foundation will remain in Alexandria despite the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development relocating to its building.

By-Right Approval For Data Centers Changed To Full Board Review In Loudoun County

Loudoun County, the world's data center capital, is taking action to restrict by-right development of future data centers.

Digital Gateway Appeal Sought By Prince William County Supervisors

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will seek an appeal of the Digital Gateway data center ruling.

ICE Arrests 32 In Arlington, Falls Church Enforcement Raids

FBI agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers took 32 people into custody in Arlington and Falls Church on Tuesday morning, according to a social media post by FBI Director Kash Patel.

Last Person To See Missing VA Student Free To Go Home, Judge Rules

After the family of missing college student Sudiksha Konanki from Loudoun County said they believe accounts that she drowned in the ocean while in the Dominican Republic, the last person to see her alive has been cleared to return to the U.S.

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