🌱 Body Found In Trash Truck + Nonprofit Animal Rescuing Raising $10K

Welcome back, Fairfax Station! I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town. In today's newsletter, you'll find news about these stories and more...

• Body discovered at Fairfax I-66 Transfer Center
• Homeward Trails Animal Rescue aims for $10,000 fundraising goal
• Man shot by homeowner after he stabbed his wife

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 61 Low: 36.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny and mild. High: 63 Low: 49.
• Thursday: A couple of morning showers. High: 67 Low: 41.
• Friday: Cooler with periods of rain. High: 46 Low: 36.

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Here are the top five stories in Fairfax Station today:

1. A body was found in a trash transportation trailer in Fairfax County on Feb. 27. An investigation is now taking place after officials were called to the I-66 Transfer Center where the body was found while the trash truck was being unloaded around 1:30 p.m. No further details were released about the ongoing investigation as of Monday (Feb. 27) evening. (Daily Voice)
2. Feb. 28 is World Spay Day and Homeward Trails Animal Rescue is hoping to raise a total of $10,000 by the end of the day. The nonprofit rescue, considered one of the largest in the D.C. area, dedicated $250,000 toward spay/neuter for stray animals as well as pets. Homeward Trails' online fundraiser has the chance to receive a $5,000 grant if it reaches the $10,000 goal by the deadline. As of Monday evening (Feb. 27), the animal rescue had raised $9,255. (Fairfax Station Patch)
3. In nearby Herndon, two are dead after a stabbing and shooting incident on Feb. 24. A resident of Stable Brook Way called 911 around 8:00 a.m. saying a man had entered his home and stabbed his wife so he shot him. The suspect, Joseph Ryan, was killed. The man's wife, Christine Banfield, was taken to the hospital where she died of her injuries. It is unclear if the residents knew Ryan. (NBC 4)
4. At the Feb. 23 Fairfax County School Board meeting, a budget increase of 7.6 percent was adopted for the 2024 fiscal year. The $3.5 billion buget is aimed to prioritize student achievement, recruitment efforts, and to retain the staff already employed by Fairfax County Public Schools. Almost 86 percent of the budget is specifically dedicated to closing the achievement gap for all students, which includes $15 million for the Equitable Access to Literacy Plan, $2 million for the Special Education Compensatory Services Fund, $65.2 million to hire 679.2 positions to better serve students' changing needs, and more. To see the complete list of where the funds are planned to go in 2024, click the link. (Press Release Desk)
5. Five new homes have been listed for sale in the Fairfax Station area. Available properties range from a 1,812-square-foot, three-bed, three-bath home for $549,000 to a $1.05 million home with four beds, three baths, and 3,356 square feet. Additional property details are at the link. (Fairfax Station Patch)

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Coming up in and around Fairfax Station:

Tuesday, February 28

• Bedroll-Making At Pozez Jewish Community Center Of Northern Virginia (11:00 AM)

Wednesday, March 1

• Modern Calligraphy For Beginners At Caboose Commons (6:00 PM)

Thursday, March 2

• Skills: Your Kids And Their Devices At Apple Fair Oaks (11:00 AM)
• Bethany Gates At Honor Brewing Kitchen (5:00 PM)

Friday, March 3

• Village Friday - Babyfeeding! At Sage Midwifery (9:30 AM)
• MAKE & TAKE: End Grain Cutting Board! At Rockler Woodworking And Hardware (10:00 AM)

Saturday, March 4

• Craft And Flea Market At Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center (9:00 AM)
• Weekend Fun At The Children’s Science Center Lab (10:00 AM)
• Art Demonstration Series At Fairfax Art League (3:30 PM)

Sunday, March 5

• Fairfax Antique Car Show At Fairfax City Hall (10:00 AM)
• Jillian Matundan At Earp's Ordinary (4:00 PM)

Monday, March 6

• Paint Night At Honor Brewing Kitchen (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Full- and part-time job opportunities are available in the Fairfax Station area. More details about companies hiring in the area are available at the link. (Fairfax Station Patch)
• An affordable housing development has been approved by Fairfax County. Read more about the plans for the unused Government Center parking lot here. (Fairfax County Government via Instagram)
• In case you missed it: Additional SNAP food benefits, which began because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will end on Mar. 1. Benefits will return to their previous state. (Fairfax County Government via Instagram)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Jazzercise @ Fairfax Police Association Hall — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center (March 1)
• Manassas Symphony Presents "Inspirations" with Pianist Joseph Kingma (March 4)
• The DC Big Flea March 4-5th (March 5)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday! See you all soon for another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.