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THE BIG IDEA

The anti-casino crowd is gearing up for their final stand.

As the Virginia General Assembly gears up for its January session, supporters and opponents of the casino idea are sharpening their claws for round three of our great Tysons casino debate.

In one corner, we have State Senator Dave Marsden, reintroducing his casino referendum bill after it got put on hold in a legislative time-out last February. Marsden is doubling down, aiming to bring Lady Luck to the Silver Line with a glistening new casino, conference center and 6,000 seat concert venue.

The anti-casino crusaders of the No Fairfax Casino group mounting a resistance. They've tagged in State Senator Jennifer Boysko as a guest speaker for their rally at McLean High on October 27th.

Reactions from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors range from stony silence (potentially a sly thumbs up?) to vocal opposition. Board Chair Jeff McKay fired off a scathing letter in January, slamming the proposal's lack of public input and the county's piddly 30% cut of projected tax revenues. "That's a bad deal for NoVA," others echoed.

But Senator Marsden isn't fazed, dismissing the naysayers as short-sighted NIMBYs. He claims the $3 billion venture will be an economic slam dunk, creating 3,000 union jobs to bolster the county's finances.

So which side will emerge victorious in this high-stakes showdown? Will McLean moms and Reston retirees welcome blackjack and slot machines to the neighborhood? Or will the casino get shut down before ever leaving the station? Place your bets, NoVA-nites!

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Reader Restaurant Recommendation

One of our readers, Janet, recommends you guys check out De Clieu in the historic district of Fairfax. It’s a coffee/sandwich shop right near George Mason’s campus. The vibe is great and the drinks are delicious.

QUICK HITS

• Spring Hill Elementary received a 2024 National Blue Ribbon award 🎀 

• Eight local tech startups received $50k each from the Fairfax Founder Fund in order to fuel their growth 📈 

• The Virginia State Fair kicked off yesterday down in Doswell and continues through to October 6th 🎡

• Michael Saylor (CEO of MicroStrategy in Tysons) compares the U.S. buying a reserve of bitcoin to the Louisiana Purchase 🪙 

LIVE EVENT LOWDOWN

• Mosaic Fall Festival | a weekend’s worth of fun fall activities this today and tomorrow on District Avenue 🍁 

• Occoquan Arts and Crafts Show | for two days, the streets will be packed with hundreds of makers and creators. Tap your feet to live music, view live performances, and enjoy some beer this weekend in the Historict District 🎨 

• Markoff’s Haunted Forest | this unique haunting experience happens tonight and is continuing through to October 🧟 

• Rokeby Community Festival | guests of all ages are invited to get into the fall spirit on Saturday at Rokeby Farm in Upperville, VA. There will be live music, food trucks, pickleball tournaments, and more! 🏓 
  ValeArts Show | enjoy a weekend of art at the charming location of the historic Vale School House in Oakton 🧑‍🎨 

• Oktoberfest | an incredible celebration at John Carlyle Square in Old Town Alexandria today 🍻 

• Temple Hall Pumpkin Patch | pick your own pumpkin and sunflowers, slide down a hill, or take a wagon ride at Temple Hall Farm in Leesburg 🎃 

• Irish Folk Festival | the 27th annual festival is taking place on Saturday in downtown Herndon. Get ready for a day of vibrant Irish culture, dance, music and more 🇮🇪 

• Movies on the Potomac | an outdoor screening of Inside Out 2 (2024) at National Harbor on Sunday night 🎬️ 

• Haunted Wine Tour | a one hour tour (led by lantern) through the historic and hallowed grounds of the Winery at Bull Run 🍷 

• Fall Fun Fest | loads of pumpkins, farm animals, and rides at Reston Farm every weekend until the end of October 🍂 

• Music and Art Festival | celebrate great beer, great music, and great art today at Aslin’s Beer Garden in Herndon 🍺 

• Apple Festival | cider pressing, live music, and more at Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum today 🍏 

• Maryland Field of Screams | the #1 rated scream park is open in Olney MD until the first week of November 🙀 

• Leesburg Air Show | aircraft shows and vehicle exhibits this afternoon at the Leesburg Executive Airport 🛩️ 

• Hamlet…the rest is silence | Synetic Theater is performing a haunting adaptation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece at Thomas Jefferson Theatre. The play opens tonight and continues through October 🇩🇰 

• Clarendon Day 2024 | Arlington’s most diverse street festival with music, food, and fun for the whole family all day today🚦 

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