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WASHINGTON (7News) — A group of Buddhist monks braved snowy and icy conditions as they crossed Virginia to Washington, D.C., with one mission: promoting peace.

The monks reached Virginia on Wednesday as snow and ice crusted the roads.

"Even in harsh winter conditions—with snow, sleet, and frozen roads—it was so warming to see many people still come out to welcome us along the road," organizers said on their Facebook page.

SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE | LIVE MAP | Despite setbacks, Buddhist monks continue their peaceful trek towards DC

The monks are currently on their 98th day of walking in a 120-day, 2,300-mile trek advocating for unity, compassion, and healing across the nation. They are expected to reach the Capitol on Feb. 13.

Aloka the Peace Dog also rejoined the venerable monks while they were resting. While the former stray joined the monks and walked daily during the start of their journey, an injury left him needing a surgery and vet visit in early January.

"He rests nearby, offering his peaceful presence, his quiet companionship, his unwavering love. And that is more than enough. His spirit walks with us even when his paws cannot," said organizers.

SEE THE WALK FOR PEACE OVERVIEW

Organizers said the following on one of their coldest days:

In the cold winter air, we felt the warmth of humanity. In the midst of a long journey, we felt the embrace of community. This is what sustains us—your hearts, your kindness, your unwavering support.

WHERE THE MONKS ARE NOW

The monks released the following statement about why they are walking:

Rooted in both spiritual devotion and civic purpose, the Walk for Peace seeks to remind Americans that peace is not a destination — it is a practice. As the nation faces challenges of division, mental health crises, and conflict both at home and abroad, this pilgrimage offers a simple yet profound message: peace begins within the heart of each person and extends outward to families, communities, and the nation as a whole.

Anyone is welcome to walk alongside them for a few miles, attend reflection gatherings, or follow updates on social media as the monks' journey toward D.C. Visiting hours are from lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., organizers said.

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Many people in Fairfax City will be giving back to the community by participating Day of Service activities on Monday in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Government offices, schools, transit and other services will be closed or modified for the the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Here are the openings and closures to know on Monday, Jan. 19:

Fairfax City government offices: Closed on Jan. 19.

Fairfax County government offices: Closed on Jan. 19.

ABC Stores: All Virginia ABC stores will be open normal hours.

Courts: Fairfax County courts are closed on Monday, Jan. 19.

Department of Motor Vehicles: Closed on Monday, Jan. 19

Libraries: Fairfax County Public Library locations are closed on Monday, Jan. 19.

CUE Bus operates on a modified weekday schedule on Monday, Jan. 19.

Fairfax City and Visitor Center: Closed on Monday, Jan. 19

Historic Blenheim: Closed on Monday, Jan. 19.

Fairfax Connector: Buses will run on Holiday Weekday Service on Monday, Jan. 19.

Metro: Metro Rail will operate on a weekend schedule from 5 a.m. to midnight. Metro Bus will operate on a Saturday Supplemental schedule. Metro Access customers may make reservations to travel; subscription trips will be canceled. On Saturday and Sunday, trains will single-track between Ballston-MU and East Falls Church to repair platform edge lighting. Trains will operate every 18 minutes.

Post offices: Closed on Monday, Jan. 19.

Fairfax County Parsk and Recreation Centers are open regular hours, Nature Centers and some Visitor Centers (like Burke Lake, Lake Accotink, Lake Fairfax, Riverbend) are open 11 a.m.-4 p.m., while Historic Sites (Colvin Run Mill, Sully Historic Site) are closed, but Frying Pan Farm Park's Farm/Arena are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for events, with special MLK activities happening there too.

Trash and recycling: In Fairfax City, there will be no collection on Monday, Jan. 19. Monday and Tuesday routes will be collected on Tuesday, Jan. 20. In Fairfax County, collection runs on a regular schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The I-66 Transfer Station and the I-95 Landfill Complex will be open.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Several business owners at Barcroft Plaza are assessing what comes next after a fire tore through the shopping center Thursday morning, damaging multiple attached businesses.

Crews in Baileys Crossroads worked quickly to extinguish a two-alarm fire Thursday morning at the shopping center. Among the businesses damaged were a martial arts studio, a swimming school, and a Benjamin Moore paint store. Several other businesses, like the restaurant Spice Circle, had extensive smoke damage.

Employees there spent Thursday cleaning up debris instead of serving customers. New Year's is typically one of the restaurant's busiest days, according to the manager, but operations were halted because of the fire.

"I'm so sad because it's my brother's restaurant, and they worked really hard to build this one," said Ali Nouman, the manager of Spice Circle.

Nouman said his brother opened the restaurant about two years ago in Barcroft Plaza. He learned about the fire after checking the restaurant's surveillance cameras.

"So the first reaction was I thought, 'Oh my God," Nouman said. "We see a firefighter was everywhere. We were literally shocked, and we were so stressed out."

"It was a whole disaster here," he said. "You see smoke everywhere. It goes from my kitchen in the back, and I see the firefighter just unhooked the doors, and they were just rushing inside."

Nouman said the damage forced the restaurant to cancel all catering orders and discard nearly everything inside.

"We are expecting about 20,000 plus loss in one day, and our foods plus our disposable things, we trash it," he said.

Firefighters were first called to the Barcroft Plaza shopping center in the 6300 block of Columbia Pike for a report of a commercial building fire just after 9 a.m. Given the size of the building and the number of businesses potentially impacted, a second alarm was called to get more resources to the scene. Firefighters from Arlington County and the City of Alexandria also responded on Thursday.

Fairfax County battalion chief Matthew Tamillow said the responding crews were able to keep flames contained to the building where the fire started, but neighboring businesses were damaged by smoke.

The fire was contained within 20 minutes of firefighters arriving on scene, Tamillow said. No civilian or firefighters were hurt.

It was one of three fires Fairfax County crews responded to on Thursday morning.

The fire department didn't specify if there was any connection between the fires.

Back at the Barcroft Plaza Thursday night, investigators were seen going in and out of what was once a martial arts studio, taking photographs and examining the damage. A dog from the fire marshal's office was also brought in as part of the investigation.

Nouman said he is concerned about the neighboring businesses that were destroyed and hopes the community will support those affected.

"We lost a lot today, and we want them to come back and support us," he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The estimated cost of damage to all of the businesses is still unclear.

Depending on where you are in Fairfax County, buying a meal will now cost you more, whether you dine in or take out.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the county will begin levying a 4% tax on the purchase of all prepared food and beverages sold as a meal, on top of the existing 6% state sales tax.

News4 heard reactions at McLean Family Restaurant, which has operated for more than 50 years.

“Living in Fairfax County is already expensive, and the price of food is expensive, so, adding 4% is gonna be tough,” Anthony Anikeef said.

“We have a good school system, and we have good roads, and part of it is we have to pay for that, so, if it's reasonable, it's something we can tolerate. But those who legislate these laws should be mindful that people don't have unlimited funds,” he added.

Supporters say the move helps avoid raising real estate taxes. Critics argue it further burdens businesses and residents.

“At some point, people are going to say, well, I'm going to skip that meal. I'm not going out for breakfast. I'm not going out for dinner. I'm going to eat at home,” another restaurant customer said. “It becomes, then, counterintuitive. Instead of raising more money, you end up not getting as much money, because people aren't going out as much.”

“I do think the county should look first to its own revenue – to how it’s spending money now – rather than trying to raise additional revenue,” another customer said.

A $35 meal will cost an extra $1.40 with the tax.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors passed the meal tax earlier this year to help address budget challenges, though voters have rejected similar measures twice. It’s expected to generate about $67 million in revenue for this fiscal year.

You can expect to pay the tax at businesses such as restaurants, bars, bakeries, mobile food services, coffee shops and delis.

Santini’s New York Style Deli recently posted a sign alerting customers to the changes.

There are exceptions: The tax does not apply in the towns of Clifton, Herndon or Vienna, or the cities of Fairfax or Falls Church, because these areas have their own separate meals taxes. It also won’t apply on college campuses for purchases made by students or employees.

Businesses are responsible for signing up and collecting the meal tax. For the first two years, the county will give a discount; business owners who pay on time will be allowed to keep 3% of the taxes collected.

Supervisor Pat Herrity, who represents the Springfield district, spoke out against the tax.

“I opposed the meals tax as it was soundly rejected by our residents not once but twice, it is a tax on a single industry that is struggling post pandemic, and the fact that this Board has yet to do a deep dive on County spending which has increased 50% in the last 10 years,” he said in a statement, in part. “The County has a spending problem not a revenue problem and growing the spending on the backs of residents that buy prepared foods and our restaurant businesses is not the answer.”

Board Chair Jeff McKay defended the tax.

“As part of broader efforts to diversify county revenue and reduce reliance on real estate taxes, Fairfax County is implementing a meals tax, consistent with the majority of our regional neighbors. This decision comes after extensive public input and careful consideration by the Board,” he said in a statement. “While a portion of the revenue could ideally support real estate tax relief, it will also provide additional funding for core services. Importantly, this revenue allows visitors to help fund the services our residents rely on, ensuring that county residents are not solely responsible for covering these costs. I remain committed to working with the community to ensure these funds are used responsibly and provide meaningful benefits to homeowners and our residents more generally."

Eating out in Fairfax County is about to get more expensive. Effective January 1, 2026, the county will levy an additional 4 percent tax on the purchase of all prepared food and beverages sold as a meal.

Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors approved the meal tax in May as part of the FY 2026 budget. The tax will be levied on the total cost of food and beverages. It will be added to the existing 6 percent sales tax, for a total of 10 percent.

In addition to restaurants, the new tax affects food and drink served at bars, coffee shops, convenience stores, movie theaters, food trucks, and sporting venues. Non-taxable items include groceries, pre-packaged dessert and snack foods, and sealed beverages sold alone.

When delivering the budget, County Executive Bryan Hill said the 4 percent increase could generate $65 million and potentially offset real estate taxes.

But many local restaurants have been critical of the food tax. For example, on April 22, a coalition of Fairfax restaurateurs and members of the Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA) spoke in opposition to the tax at a public hearing. “We were proud to support the efforts to advocate against this tax, which we see as dangerous to the restaurant industry and costly for consumers,” Eric Terry, VRLTA president said in a statement.

Gary Cohen, Glory Days Grill executive vice president, also opposed the meals tax. He told WUSA9 that he’s concerned it will adversely affect business. “We have struggled to find employees and we have battled the storms of tariffs, food and labor price increases, government shutdown, and generally uncertain times. The industry has had to raise prices to uncomfortable levels in order to survive, and every time we do, we lose guests,” he said.

Feature image courtesy Mediteraneo/stock.adobe.com