Winter Storm Warning in Effect — Fairfax County has its first snow of the year. The D.C. area will remain under a Winter Storm Warning until 4 p.m. today (Monday), with the National Weather Service forecasting 3-7 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour, making travel difficult. [NWS]
FCPS Closed for Day Due to Snow — Instead of returning to classrooms as anticipated, Fairfax County Public School students will have an extra day of winter break. In expectation of snow, schools have been closed today with no virtual learning, and all activities on school grounds have been canceled, including extracurricular programs and adult classes. [FCPS]
Snow Closes Tysons Mass Vaccine Site — The Virginia Department of Health is closing all of its mass COVID-19 vaccination sites, including the one at Tysons Corner Center, today “out of an abundance of caution for patients and staff.” Those with appointments will be notified and can visit vase.vdh.virginia.gov to reschedule. [VDH]
Vienna Authorizes COVID-19 Testing Site Extension — The Personic Health Care drive-through COVID-19 testing site on Maple Avenue will be allowed to continue operating through the end of January. The facility was supposed to vacate the Emmaus United Church of Christ parking lot on Dec. 31, but with cases still high, Town Manager Mercury Payton granted it a “wind-down period” in response to a request from the church. [Town of Vienna]
Dangerous Driving Filmed on Beltway — A Reddit user posted a dashcam video last week that showed a near-collision where a pickup truck tries to drive a sedan out of its lane on the Capitol Beltway inner loop near Tysons. While there was no crash, the Virginia Department of Transportation shared the video as an example of the dangers of road rage. [NBC4]
Woman Arrested After Police Pursuit Near Scotts Run — Around 4:53 p.m. on Dec. 26, Fairfax County police officers recognized a vehicle that was reported stolen in a neighboring jurisdiction and attempted to stop the driver at Chain Bridge Road at Colshire Drive. The driver, an 18-year-old woman from D.C., hit two occupied police vehicles and fled, striking four other vehicles before she was stopped and arrested. [FCPD]
Fairfax County police are investigating a crash that killed a pedestrian on Route 123 approaching Tysons Corner Center last night (Thursday).
The victim has been identified as 74-year-old Annandale resident Filadelfo Ramos Marquez, who was crossing Route 123 — also known as Chain Bridge Road — from west to east just south of Tysons Boulevard when the crash occurred around 9 p.m.
Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives have determined that the driver of a 2010 Toyota Camry was traveling south on Chain Bridge Road and hit Ramos Marquez, who was not crossing the roadway at a crosswalk, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
“Ramos Marquez was transported to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” the FCPD said in a report released this afternoon (Friday). “Preliminarily, speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash.”
Ramos Marquez is the 14th pedestrian killed in a vehicle crash in Fairfax County saw in 2021, which matched the total pedestrian fatalities from 2020.
His death came just one day after a bicyclist was killed on Route 123 at the Ingleside Avenue intersection in McLean.
Photo via Google Maps
The bicyclist who died in a vehicle crash on Route 123 in McLean yesterday (Wednesday) has been identified as Matthew Jaeger, 33, of McLean.
In a report released today (Thursday), Fairfax County police say Jaeger was riding his bicycle east on Ingleside Avenue. When he entered the intersection with Route 123, also known as Dolley Madison Boulevard, the driver of a 2014 BMW 328xi hit him.
Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives believe the driver was going south on Dolley Madison at the time of the accident, which occurred just after 2 p.m.
Jaeger was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. As previously reported, the BMW driver stayed at the scene of the crash.
“Preliminarily, speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash,” the Fairfax County Police Department says. “The investigation remains active and details of the investigation will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for review.”
Fairfax County has now seen three bicyclists die in vehicle crashes this year.
Police are seeking additional information about the crash, asking people to contact detectives at 703-280-0543 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Solvers, which can be reached by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS.
Photo via Pietro De Grandi/Unsplash
2021 is almost over.
It’s been a topsy-turvy year, starting with the heartening, albeit sometimes tricky distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and ending with the grim uncertainty introduced by the omicron variant.
Fairfax County was beseiged by cicadas and controversy over its new police chief, overhauled its zoning code, and committed to reducing its carbon footprint. Students returned to in-person classes, while school board members faced — and survived — recall campaigns.
In the Tysons area, notable developments included plenty of, well, development, from the approval of plans for McLean and West Falls Church to Capital One Hall’s arrival as a major performing arts venue. Tysons Corner Center hosted a mass vaccination center, and Tysons Galleria welcomed Black Santa to one store while revamping another.
Before you prepare for whatever 2022 may have in store, let’s take a look back at Tysons Reporter’s top 10 most-read stories of the past year:
- CVS to offer COVID-19 vaccine in Fairfax County starting this week
- Source of mysterious bug bites still unconfirmed, Fairfax County health experts say
- McLean Safeway set to close in April, will be replaced by Lidl
- Amphora Restaurant takes a bow after 40 years in Vienna
- Pet of the Week: Annie
- Fairfax County moves to next set of vaccine appointments, aims for faster pace
- Fairfax County seeks funding to forge one ring binding Seven Corners
- Fairfax County to launch new vaccine registration system after overwhelming demand jams system
- Starr Hill Brewery will anchor ‘The Perch,’ Capital One Center’s skypark in Tysons
- D.C. favorite Italian deli is planning an expansion to Tysons
Inova Launches COVID-19 Testing Site — “Experiencing COVID-19 symptoms? An Inova COVID-19 Vehicle-Side Testing Clinic will open Dec 30. Open M-F, 8am-5pm. PCR testing only, no rapid antigen testing. Appointments are required, please contact call ctr: 571-472-6843. Open M-F, 8am-6pm.” [Inova Health/Twitter]
Fairfax County Public Schools Commits to In-Person Classes on Return — “We recognize that a lot has changed over the past two weeks, with the omicron variant causing an increase in COVID-19 cases nationwide. As we continue to live through this ever-changing pandemic, we are committed to keeping our schools safe and open for in-person instruction.” [FCPS]
Men Arrested for Local 7-Eleven Robberies — Fairfax County police have arrested two men who are allegedly connected to robberies of a 7-Eleven at 9511 Blake Lane in Fairfax on Dec. 6 and a 7-Eleven at 8110 Old Dominion Drive in McLean on Dec. 11. Police believe the suspects were also involved in other robberies in neighboring jurisdictions. [FCPD]
Fire Department Further Adjust Staffing Due to COVID-19 Cases — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department detailed additional staffing changes yesterday (Wednesday) on top of ones reported earlier that day by Tysons Reporter’s sister site FFXnow. The department now has 66 employees infected by COVID-19, with another 12 staff members required to quarantine. [FCFRD]
Langley Student Gets Perfect ACT Score — “Kaavya Radhakrishnan, a junior at Langley High School in McLean, scored a perfect 36 on her ACT exam this year…Only about a third of 1% of students who take the ACT earn the top score – or just 5,579 out of 1.67 million students who took the ACT in the United States in 2020, according to the nonprofit that administers the test.” [Inside NoVA]
Highline Office Buildings Refinanced — “Westbrook Partners and American Real Estate Partners (AREP) have landed a $148 million refinance from CIM Group for Highline at Greensboro District, a 460,851-square-foot, Class A office campus in Tysons Corner…Westbrook and AREP purchased the two-building Highline complex — at 8401 and 8405 Greensboro Drive in McLean, Va. — in 2017 for $132 million, and have invested a further $31 million to renovate and reposition it since.” [Commercial Observer]
(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) Route 123 in McLean is closed in both directions after a bicyclist was killed in a crash.
The crash occurred at the Ingleside Avenue intersection. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash remained on the scene, the Fairfax County Police Department says. The circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately clear.
The bicyclist was transported to a hopsital, where he died from injuries sustained in the crash, police confirmed to Tysons Reporter.
The road, also known as Dolley Madison Boulevard, is currently closed to traffic between Old Dominion Drive and Elm Street
Police advise drivers in the area to utilize alternate routes.
Officers are on scene of a fatal crash involving a bicyclist at Dolley Madison Blvd and Ingleside Ave in McLean. The driver remained at the scene. Dolley Madison Blvd is closed between Old Dominion Dr & Elm St in both directions. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/4yG2igdnNW
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) December 29, 2021
Vienna residents looking for a free, rapid COVID-19 test might have to venture a little farther in the new year.
After Friday (Dec. 31), the town’s only drive-thru testing site will vacate the Emmaus United Church of Christ parking lot that it has occupied since March, even with demand for COVID-19 testing soaring amid the ongoing omicron surge.
Personic Health Care, which operates multiple testing sites across Northern Virginia, was permitted to set up a testing facility at 900 Maple Avenue East under Vienna’s emergency ordinance waiving zoning regulations for temporary outdoor commercial activities.
The town council voted on Dec. 6 to extend the ordinance through Dec. 31, but it can’t be renewed beyond six months after Virginia ended its state of emergency, which happened on June 30.
Once the emergency ordinance expires, the Personic testing site will no longer be allowed in its current location, which isn’t zoned for commercial uses. Unless the town council undertakes the lengthy process of amending Vienna’s zoning code, New Year’s Eve will be the facility’s last day.
“We wracked our brains to see if there was something that could cover it under current zoning,” Vienna Town Attorney Steven Briglia said at the town council meeting. “We stretched the emergency ordinance as far as we could.”
John Mauthe, the moderator at Vienna’s Emmaus United Church of Christ, says the church agreed to rent its parking lot to Personic for the testing site in early 2021 after it was approached by the health care company, which formed in response to the pandemic.
The church obtained the temporary permit from the Town of Vienna, but the facility isn’t an official church program.
“We were excited about it because it gave another rapid test availability to residents that wanted it, that needed it,” Mauthe said.
The site opened on March 16, offering free, rapid antigen testing that provided results in 15 minutes as well as RT-PCR tests with results guaranteed within 24 to 48 hours. It accepts people without health insurance, though a social security number is required, according to the website.
Mauthe says his church hasn’t experienced any issues with the testing site, since its hours don’t interfere with weekend worship services.
The surge in demand over the past couple of weeks, though, contributed to traffic backups on Maple Avenue, prompting Personic to start requiring appointments. When FFXnow contacted the Vienna site last week, an agent said they had been “bombarded” with calls.
When called yesterday (Tuesday), a Personic agent confirmed that all of the company’s testing sites in the area, including the Vienna one, are booked until next week. She said each facility accommodates about 100 appointments per day.
Personic also has locations in McLean, Tysons, Herndon, Springfield, Alexandria, and Annandale.
Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert says the drive-thru testing site has been “an important public health resource,” but there will still be multiple locations offering testing services in the Vienna area, including primary care offices and commercial pharmacies.
The Virginia Department of Health’s testing site map only shows one other location within the Town of Vienna — a primary care physician’s office — but there are several sites in Tysons and Merrifield.
A town spokesperson says Walgreens is offering testing at its stores on Maple Avenue and Nutley Street.
“While the increase in COVID-19 cases is of concern, we are also mindful that the hospitalization rate is not nearly what it was this time last year, which gives us hope that the vaccine is doing what it was designed to do — reduce the risk of serious illness,” Colbert said in a statement. “The Town Council will continue to monitor the situation and consult with public health officials to determine if additional resources are needed.”
County Reduces COVID-19 Isolation Time — Following new CDC recommendations, the Fairfax County Health Department has cut the required isolation period for people infected with COVID-19 from 10 to five days, if the individual has no symptoms. People exposed to someone who tests positive no longer have to quarantine if they’re vaccinated. [FCHD]
Former FCPD Officer Convicted for Sexual Misconduct — “A former Fairfax County police officer has been convicted of sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old police cadet. John Grimes faced three charges of indecent liberties with a minor. He was found guilty of all counts on Monday.” [NBC4]
Vienna’s Tom Yum Thai Closes — “The restaurant informed customers in a Facebook post that it had closed on Sunday, Dec. 26. It had been open for seven years at 226 Maple Avenue W in Vienna. The management did not share a reason for the closure in the post.” [Patch]
County Waste Facilities to Change Hours — “The new year will usher in extended operating hours for residents to drop off their trash, recyclables, and various specialty wastes (e.g., used oil, old batteries, scrap metal) at the I-66 Transfer Station and the I-95 Landfill Complex. The new hours taking effect on January 1, 2022, are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend hours, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., will remain unchanged at both facilities.” [DPWES]
Tysons Corner Center is ready to embark on a new stage of development, but it will look a little different from what was previously envisioned.
Property owner Macerich submitted development plans to Fairfax County on Wednesday (Dec. 22) that expand its anticipated Phase 2 for the mall to include an overhaul of the old Lord & Taylor store, which has been used as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site for much of the past year.
Under the proposal, the department store will be replaced by a either a 330-foot tower with 540,000 square feet of office or a 400-foot tower with a mix of office and residential space. Both options include 50,000 square feet of retail centered around a plaza.
Designated Phase 2A, the redevelopment constitutes the first half of a two-part project that aims to concentrate the site’s office space near the Tysons Metro station, while adding more outdoor gathering spaces akin to the 1.5-acre Plaza that opened in July 2014 and now serves as the mall’s events hub.
“We would like to build on that success,” Macerich Vice President of Development Hillary Zahm said. “We think this is a good location for office, but we would like to maintain flexibility in case we decide that we would like to do a mix of uses.”
As originally approved in 2007 and amended in 2015, the plan for Tysons Corner Center called for four phases of development totaling over 6 million square feet of gross floor space.
Completed in 2015, the first phase introduced The Plaza, the 22-story Tysons Tower office building, the VITA apartments, and the Hyatt Regency, but Macerich decided to rethink its second phase after acquiring the Lord & Taylor building following the store’s unexpected closure in January 2020.
Macerich’s plans to demolish the building first surfaced this summer in a Reston Skylines report, though Zahm characterizes the redevelopment as a complement to the existing Plaza, rather than an expansion.
“We recognize the need to turn the mall, in some ways, inside out and create spaces on the exterior that are really welcoming and warm for our guests,” Zahm said, noting that Tysons Corner Center has seen more people using the plaza during the pandemic. Read More
How to Dispose of Your Christmas Tree — The Town of Vienna will provide curbside collections of Christmas trees to all customers through Jan. 31. Fairfax County collections will be from Jan. 3-14. All lights, decorations, and stands should be removed prior to pickup. [Patch]
Virginia Time Capsule Possibly Found — “Workers removing chunks of granite that had once supported this city’s Robert E. Lee monument finally found what appears to be an elusive 1887 time capsule shortly before noon on Monday…This is the second time a capsule was discovered under the monument; a small lead box opened last week contained mementos of several men who designed the memorial.” [The Washington Post]
Churchill Student Makes Food Network Debut — The Food Network kicked off the 10th season of its reality show Kids Baking Champion yesterday (Monday). Among the 13 young contestants competing to win $25,000 is Churchill Road Elementary School fourth-grade student Finley Sheers, who started making cupcakes as a hobby during the pandemic. [Inside NoVA]
Vienna Rotary Club Hosts Unhoused Youth for Holidays — “Our youth had a fun-filled event hosted by Vienna Rotary Club to celebrate the holidays. They created pillows, decorated wooden arts and crafts, made jewelry, decorated cookies, took pictures at the photo booth and with Santa, and ate a lot of pizza and snacks!” [Second Story/Twitter]
