Opinion stories

1. Fairfax County Crowns Favorite Running Races, Now Seeks Best Eye Doctor

   Fairfax County residents have spoken on their favorite local running events, with the Run Thru Reston Half Marathon & 5K claiming the top spot in a recent readers' choice poll. The...

   Opinion / Fairfax County / July 24, 2026
2. Fairfax Buyers Invited to Pick the County’s Best Real Estate Agent

   Fairfax County residents have two weeks to choose the area’s best real estate agent for buyers, with write-in candidates welcome alongside the listed nominees.

   Opinion / Fairfax / June 26, 2026
3. Fairfax County’s Best Golf Course Vote Opens

   Voting is underway to choose the best golf course in Fairfax County, giving local players a chance to support their favorite place for everything from quick practice swings to a full...

   Opinion / Fairfax / June 19, 2026
4. Fairfax County Wedding Venue Voting Opens for Readers

   Fairfax County readers can now vote for their favorite local wedding venue as the area enters the most popular month for weddings.

   Opinion / Fairfax / June 12, 2026
5. Fairfax County Mortgage Lender Poll Opens as Housing Costs Climb

   Fairfax County residents are being asked to choose the area’s best mortgage lender as rising housing costs make the path to homeownership increasingly difficult.

   Opinion / Fairfax / June 5, 2026
6. Fairfax County’s Best Summer Activity Is Up for a Vote

   Fairfax County residents can now vote for the area’s best summer activity as pools open, outdoor concerts prepare to begin and the longest days of the year approach.

   Opinion / Fairfax / May 29, 2026
7. Fairfax County’s Best After-School Program Is Up for a Vote

   Fairfax County families have a chance to weigh in on their favorite after-school programs, with voting open in the local Readers’ Choice Awards.

   Opinion / Fairfax / May 22, 2026
8. Fairfax County’s Best Title Company Vote Nears Deadline

   Fairfax County residents have until 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 15, to vote for the area’s best title company in the Readers’ Choice Awards.

   Opinion / Fairfax / May 1, 2026
9. Fairfax Sellers’ Agent Poll Opens With Two Weeks to Vote

   Fairfax County readers have two weeks to choose their favorite real estate professional for sellers in the Readers’ Choice Awards.

   Opinion / Fairfax / April 24, 2026
10. Fairfax County’s Best Moving Company Vote Opens

    Fairfax County residents can now vote for the area’s best moving company in a local Readers’ Choice Awards poll.

    Opinion / Fairfax / April 17, 2026
11. Virginia’s Social Media Limit Goes Too Far

    Virginia’s new social media restrictions may be intended to curb addiction among young people, but the state’s one-hour limit threatens minors’ constitutional rights without addressing...

    Opinion / Virginia / April 12, 2026
12. Fairfax County’s Best Roofing Company Poll Opens for Voting

    Voting is underway to choose the best roofing company in Fairfax County as part of a local Readers’ Choice Awards contest.

    Opinion / Fairfax / April 10, 2026
13. Fairfax County’s Best Playground Is Up for a Vote

    Fairfax County families can now vote for the area’s best playground as warmer weather brings strollers and outdoor outings back into the daily routine.

    Opinion / Fairfax / April 3, 2026
14. Fairfax County Pest Control Poll Opens for Two Weeks

    Fairfax County residents have two weeks to choose the area’s best pest control company in a Readers’ Choice Awards poll.

    Opinion / Fairfax / March 27, 2026
15. Fairfax Lawn Care Poll Heads Toward an April 3 Deadline

    Fairfax County residents have two weeks to vote for their favorite lawn care service, with the poll scheduled to close at 8:30 a.m. Friday, April 3.

    Opinion / Fairfax / March 20, 2026
16. Fairfax County’s Best Landscaper Vote Nears Its Deadline

    Fairfax County residents have two weeks to choose their favorite local landscaping business as spring approaches and greenery begins returning to yards and gardens across the area.

    Opinion / Fairfax / March 13, 2026
17. Fairfax County’s Best Cleaning Service Vote Nears Deadline

    Fairfax County residents have two weeks to vote for their favorite local cleaning service as spring approaches and seasonal cleaning moves onto the agenda for homes and businesses.

    Opinion / Fairfax / March 6, 2026
18. Fairfax Home Renovation Firms Face Off in Readers’ Poll

    Fairfax County residents have two weeks to choose their favorite home renovation firm in a readers’ choice poll highlighting local contractors.

    Opinion / Fairfax / February 27, 2026
19. Fairfax Cyclists Get Their Say on the Area’s Best Bike Shop

    Fairfax County cyclists have an opportunity to choose the area’s best bicycle shop in a Readers’ Choice poll highlighting local retailers and repair specialists.

    Opinion / Fairfax / February 20, 2026
20. Fairfax Barbershop Vote Nears Its Final Cut

    Fairfax County readers have two weeks to choose their favorite local barbershop in the Best Barbershop in Fairfax poll.

    Opinion / Fairfax / February 13, 2026
21. Metro Photo Count Revives Questions About Black Representation

    A review of The Washington Post’s Metro section has renewed concerns about how often Black residents appear in its photographs as the newspaper undergoes major newsroom cuts and...

    Opinion / Washington Region / February 10, 2026
22. Fairfax County’s Best Nail Salon Vote Is Now Open

    Fairfax County residents can now vote for their favorite local nail salon in the Readers’ Choice Awards.

    Opinion / Fairfax / February 6, 2026
23. Fairfax County’s Best Hair Salon Poll Opens to Write-In Picks

    Fairfax County readers can now vote for their favorite local hair salon, with write-in selections available for businesses that are not among the listed nominees.

    Opinion / Fairfax / January 30, 2026
24. Fairfax Urgent Care Poll Nears Its Voting Deadline

    Voting for the Best Urgent Care in Fairfax is nearing its deadline, leaving readers two weeks to support the local center they trust for prompt treatment when unexpected injuries or...

    Opinion / Fairfax / January 23, 2026
25. Fairfax County’s Best Orthopedist Vote Enters Final Stretch

    Fairfax County residents have two weeks left to help choose the area’s best orthopedist in the Readers’ Choice Awards.

    Opinion / Fairfax / January 16, 2026
26. Fairfax County’s New 4% Meals Tax Hits Restaurant Bills

    Fairfax County’s new 4% tax on prepared food and beverages took effect Jan. 1, adding to the cost of dining out, ordering delivery or buying from a food truck.

    Opinion / Fairfax / January 2, 2026
27. Trump’s Conduct Fuels Urgent Questions About His Fitness to Serve

    Calls to consider the 25th Amendment are growing as President Donald Trump, 79, displays behavior critics describe as increasingly erratic just one year into his second four-year term.

    Opinion / Northern Virginia / December 2, 2025
28. Giant’s Discount Stickers Raise Questions About Real Savings

    At Giant Food in Birch & Broad, some promotions that appear to offer substantial savings become far less clear under closer inspection. Confusing comparisons, inconsistent unit prices,...

    Opinion / Northern Virginia / September 16, 2025
29. America’s Christmas Shopping Season Now Starts in July

    The first sleigh bells of the Christmas shopping season ring long before winter—and often while Americans are still clearing away their Fourth of July decorations.

    Opinion / Northern Virginia / July 7, 2025
30. Virginia Hospitals Warn Senate Medicaid Cuts Could Force Closures

    The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is urging the U.S. House to reject a Senate-approved budget reconciliation plan, warning that its Medicaid funding cuts could threaten...

    Opinion / Virginia / July 2, 2025
31. AI Wrote This Column in Five Seconds—and Made Its Point

    Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concern. It is already changing how people write, analyze information and produce media—and anyone whose livelihood depends on words, data...

    Opinion / Northern Virginia / May 8, 2025
32. Trump’s First 100 Days Bring Turmoil at Home and Abroad

    President Donald Trump reached the 100-day mark of his second, nonconsecutive term on April 30, 2025, amid economic disruption, sweeping attacks on federal institutions and growing...

    Opinion / Northern Virginia / May 1, 2025
33. Economic Jitters Put Fairfax Spending Under New Pressure

    Economic uncertainty is prompting consumers, businesses and Fairfax County officials to reconsider their spending as federal cuts and potential tariffs cloud the region’s outlook.

    Opinion / Fairfax / March 21, 2025
34. Virginia Advocates Target PFAS Discharge Permits

    Wild Virginia will host an online program Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 7 p.m. to rally opposition to two draft state permits involving PFAS discharges into waterways connected to the...

    Opinion / Arlington / March 5, 2025
35. Inauguration Week Brings Rallies, Protests and Tight Security

    Washington is preparing for a packed and politically charged inauguration weekend, with celebrations, protests, road closures and thousands of law enforcement officers expected ahead of...

    Opinion / Fairfax / January 14, 2025