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Prolonged cold has created “pancake” ice on the Upper Potomac River near Great Falls, where circular slabs have spent days spinning and colliding in the river’s eddies.

Elsewhere across Fairfax County and nearby communities, the weekend brought a dramatic fire rescue, a prison sentence in a kidnapping case and new assurances for public school students concerned about immigration enforcement.

Fairfax County firefighters responded Saturday, Jan. 25, to a house fire in the 8000 block of Steeple Chase Court in Newington Forest. Crews used ground ladders to rescue a trapped occupant and contained the blaze to one unit. One person was hospitalized with injuries described as not life-threatening.

Robbie Terrell Clark, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Friday to 108 months in federal prison for his role in the September 2022 kidnapping and high-end robbery of two victims at an Alexandria address in Fairfax County.

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid also pledged to protect students and staff to the fullest extent allowed by law as concerns rise over President Donald Trump’s plans to expand deportations, including fears among immigrants who are in the country legally. Reid met with school principals last week and sent a letter to the community Saturday.

In Fairfax City, the City Council unanimously selected Bryan Foster as acting city manager following a Jan. 21 special meeting involving interviews for boards and commissions and other personnel matters. Foster begins the role Monday, Jan. 27.

Falls Church officials, meanwhile, are considering whether the city’s development boom should extend to the Gordon Road Triangle, a roughly 15-acre area of mostly industrial property in the West End. The city has invited representatives from the Urban Land Institute to evaluate the area.

Registration is also approaching for Reston Community Center’s expanded summer camp program. About 70 specialty camps will serve children ages 6 through 17 from June 16 to Aug. 15. Registration opens Feb. 1 for Reston residents and people who work in Reston, followed by non-resident registration on Feb. 8.

NextStop Theatre in Herndon has delayed the opening of “Native Gardens” by one week because of illness among cast and crew members. Performances scheduled for Jan. 23-26 were canceled, and the box office planned to contact affected ticket holders.

Monday’s weather is expected to shift from partly sunny skies to full sunshine, with a high near 45 degrees and southwest winds of 5-10 mph. Clouds should increase Monday night as temperatures fall to around 31 degrees.