ACLU of Virginia Sues Over Optional Mask Order — The civil rights organization filed a lawsuit against Gov. Glenn Youngkin yesterday (Tuesday), saying that his executive order making face masks optional in schools “shows a reckless disregard for students with disabilities.” The move comes as Fairfax County Public Schools prepares for a hearing in its joint lawsuit in Arlington County Circuit Court at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday). [WUSA9]
County Launches Black History Project — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and public school system are collaborating on a Black/African American Experience Project to capture, share, and preserve those aspects of the county’s history. The effort includes collecting oral histories, supporting student activities and research, and identifying options for new historical markers. [Fairfax County Government]
Tysons Software Company Expands — “Tysons’ Appian Corp. has been on a fierce hiring spree, and now it’s adding more space to accommodate those new employees. The low-code software company, which has seen demand for its products grow during the pandemic, is taking on two additional floors at its headquarters in the former Gannett building at 7950 Jones Branch Drive.” [Washington Business Journal]
Funding Approved for Vienna Stream Restoration — “The second phase of the Bear Branch stream-restoration project in Vienna will move forward, following unanimous approval Jan. 25 by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The project…is designed to reduce nutrients and bolster water quality in the Accotink Creek watershed.” [Sun Gazette]
Metro Offers Hiring Bonus to Bus Drivers — “Metro is offering up to a $2,500 pay incentive as part of a new campaign to hire more bus drivers. Metro, like transit agencies and other industries nationwide, is facing a staffing shortage due to the pandemic and is looking to hire nearly 70 bus drivers needed to meet the current bus service schedule.” [WMATA]
(Updated at 6 p.m. on 2/4/2022) The collision of two vehicles on I-495 in McLean on Tuesday (Feb. 1) sent two people to the hospital and shut down the interstate’s northbound lanes for hours.
According to the Virginia State Police, troopers responded to the crash involving a tractor-trailer and a box truck near Georgetown Pike at 4:03 p.m.
A 2016 Kenworth T680 tractor-trailer was traveling north on I-495 when it came to a stop due to heavy traffic. A 2016 International 4000 box truck was traveling in the same lane and struck the tractor-trailer in the rear.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, William Alcin, 40, of Hiram, Ga., was transported to Fairfax INOVA Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the box truck, Timothy R. Steele, 39, of Norcross, Ga., was transported to Fairfax INOVA Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt.
All lanes on I-495 North, also known as the Capital Beltway Inner Loop, were closed during the crash response, resulting in backups that, at one point, extended as far as the I-66 interchange in Tysons.
Drivers were diverted onto Georgetown Pike until all lanes reopened shortly after 7 p.m.
The box truck driver was charged with reckless driving, and the crash remains under investigation, state police told Tysons Reporter.
McLean: 495NB (Capital Beltway Inner Loop) near Georgetown Pike: All lanes closed due to tractor-trailer crash. Traffic being diverted onto Georgetown Pike. Pls use alternate route.
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) February 1, 2022
Happening NOW: Northbound 495 Inner loop at Georgetown Pike: all lanes remain closed for the box truck vs tractor trailer crash that required rescue. #vatraffic able to get by single file on exit ramp: delays start at Route 66! #BreakingNews @nbcwashington #mdtraffic pic.twitter.com/X9tvM2b7OE
— ʙʀᴀᴅ ꜰʀᴇɪᴛᴀꜱ (@Chopper4Brad) February 1, 2022
(Updated at 3:55 p.m.) There may still be a few traces of snow on the ground from recent storms, but summer is already in the air at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts released an initial slate of popular and classical programming today (Tuesday) that will kick off on May 28 with the Original Kings of Go-Go.
After the COVID-19 pandemic led to a delayed, scaled-down 50th anniversary season, the summer 2022 season appears to be comparable to previous years, with more national and international artists as well as the return of film screenings accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra.
Wolf Trap Opera will also perform in The Barns again after being limited to the open-air Filene Center last year.
“After the past couple of years it is going to be especially important to gather as a community, experience nature, and just enjoy great music,” Wolf Trap Foundation president and CEO Arvind Manocha said. “We look forward to welcoming patrons back to the Park in May — and stay tuned as more can’t miss shows are announced this spring.”
While Wolf Trap ended its capacity limits in August, the park continues to require face masks and proof of vaccination against COVID-19 at all performances. Those policies could change in the coming months, depending on federal, state, and National Park Service guidelines.
Tickets for the summer season will open to the general public at 10 a.m. on Feb. 19. Pre-sales for Wolf Trap members started today.
Highlights of the newly announced schedule include:
Music
- May 28: The Original Kings of Go-Go, headlined by Big Tony and Trouble Funk
- June 4: Black Violin with the Blind Boys of Alabama
- June 9: The Head and the Heart
- June 10-11: Bonnie Raitt with special guest Lucinda Williams
- June 12: Ana Gabriel with special guest Flor de Toloacher
- June 16-17: Sheryl Crow with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
- June 19: A Juneteenth Celebration with Thee Phantom and the Illharmonic Orchestra
- June 25-26: Steely Dan with Aimee Mann
- July 17: Barenaked Ladies
- July 28: Andrew Bird and Iron & Wine
- Aug. 4: Little Big Town
- Aug. 7: ABBA the Concert
- Aug. 13: A.R. Rahman
- Aug. 19: Fantasia
- Aug. 24: The Decemberists with special guest Brigid Mae Power
- Aug. 28: The Beach Boys
- Sept. 2-4: Sting
- Sept. 8: Yo-Yo Ma and Paquito D’Rivera with the NSO
Wolf Trap Opera
- June 18, 24 & 26: Weber’s “Der Freischütz” (“The Marksman”), at The Barns at Wolf Trap
- July 15: Verdi’s “La Traviata” with the NSO, at the Filene Center
- Aug. 12 & 14: Floyd’s “Susannah,” at The Barns
Film, Stage, and Comedy
- June 21-22: “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical”
- June 24: Broadway in the Park
- July 16: Sing-a-Long “Sound of Music”
- July 22-23: “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” in Concert
- July 29: “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” in Concert
- July 30: Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story” in Concert
- Aug. 20-21: Steve Martin and Martin Short
- Aug. 25-26: Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me
The full calendar can be found on Wolf Trap’s website.
Vienna’s hopes for a revitalized Cedar Park Shopping Center hit a bump last month with the departure of a key tenant.
El Sol Restaurante & Tequileria closed its doors in mid-January, confirmed a worker at El Sol’s original restaurant in D.C., which remains open.
Brother-and-sister owners Alfredo and Jessica Solis opened the Vienna El Sol in Suites C and D at 262 Cedar Lane in February 2020, when construction to renovate the center was still underway. A month later, COVID-19 would prompt restaurants across the state to temporarily shut down.
The economic challenges brought by the pandemic, including a nationwide shortage of staffing in the food service industry, ultimately proved untenable for El Sol.
“Like many restaurants in the past couple of years since the pandemic began, El Sol Vienna is a casualty of the circumstances created by these unprecedented times,” Alfredo Solis said. “We struggled with business and retaining employees and in the end, my sister and I felt it best to close those doors and focus more of our efforts towards supporting our other restaurants that weren’t hit as hard. We’re grateful to the Vienna community for all of their support.”
In addition to the D.C. El Sol, Alfredo and Jessica Solis continue to operate Mezcalero, which has locations in D.C. and Alexandria, and Anafre, which serves tacos, pizza, and sandwiches on 14th Street in D.C.
El Sol’s 3,800 square-foot space won’t be vacant for long. Posts in the Vienna VA Foodies Facebook group indicate that another Mexican restaurant called El Sabor Grill is moving in.
While the banner advertising the new venue, as seen in those posts, had been taken down when Tysons Reporter visited on Saturday (Jan. 28), a worker inside confirmed that the new restaurant will have a different management team and is not connected to El Sol.
El Sabor Grill will join the Japanese restaurant Sushi Koji, which opened at Cedar Park Shopping Center in late December. Openings for the chicken wing chain America’s Best Wings and Turkish restaurant Lezzet are also anticipated early this year.
The mall is also preparing to add Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream, an Arlington-based ice cream shop that will take over the space vacated in August by Crepes and Karak Cafe.
First Washington Realty, which owns Cedar Park Shopping Center, did not return an email requesting comment by publication time.
Input Sought on Renaming Supervisor Districts — Fairfax County’s Redistricting Advisory Committee is seeking input from residents, businesses, and more on whether the county should rename Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon, Springfield, and Sully districts. The committee will make recommendations on March 1. [Fairfax County Government]
FCPS Test-to-Stay Program Begins — Fairfax County Public Schools launched test-to-stay programs at seven schools yesterday (Monday). Part of a statewide pilot, the program allows unvaccinated students identified as close contacts of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 to keep attending school in person if they take a rapid test every morning for five consecutive days, test negative, and are asymptomatic. [WTOP]
White House Replica in McLean Sold — A 12,000 square-foot replica of the White House located at 1111 Towlston Road sold for $2.438 million in January. The six-bedroom house includes an attempted recreation of the Oval Office and was built in 1995 by a Vietnam refugee who wanted to pay homage to the U.S. [D.C. UrbanTurf]
Former Dranesville District Supervisor Remembered — “Former Dranesville District Supervisor Rufus Phillips III (D), who had served in the U.S. Army and later with the Central Intelligence Agency, died Dec. 29, 2021, at age 92 from complications of pneumonia. A longtime McLean resident, Phillips was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1971 and served until 1975, said Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville) at the board’s Jan. 25 meeting.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
Clothing Stores to Fill Former L.L. Bean — The now-closed L.L. Bean at Tysons Corner Center will be divided into smaller parts, including a two-story store for the fast fashion chain Primark. Plans indicate that Old Navy and Lululemon Athletica will also relocate to new spaces, leaving about 10,000 square feet left for other tenants. [Washington Business Journal]
Firefighters Flock to Woodson High School — “An early morning fire on damaged at least one building in Fairfax County Public Schools’ Woodson Complex off of Main Street on the eastern border of Fairfax City on Sunday. The complex is home to the school district’s Office of Facilities Management, which houses FCPS’ central operations, grounds operations, receiving, and food service.” [Patch]
FCPS Recognizes More Religious Holidays — The Fairfax County School Board approved a calendar for the 2022-2023 school year that designates Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Diwali, and Orthodox Good Friday as student holidays. The year will start on Aug. 22, and Veterans Day is also now a student holiday and staff work day. [FCPS]
Tysons-Based ID.me Partners with IRS — “You’ll soon have to prove your identity to a Virginia-based security company called ID.me in order to file a return, check tax records, or make payments on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website. Your old username and password credentials–if they still work–will stop working in the summer of 2022.” [Fast Company]
GMU Changes COVID-19 Vaccine Policy — George Mason University students are now “strongly encouraged,” rather than required, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 after new Attorney General Jason Miyares said on Friday (Jan. 28) that state universities can’t mandate the vaccine without enabling legislation. About 96% of the university’s students are vaccinated. [The Washington Post]
The weekend is almost here. Before you start fantasizing about your dream library or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit news from the Tysons area that you might’ve missed.
These were the most-read stories on Tysons Reporter this week:
- Falls Church tabletop gaming shop to close this weekend after 45 years
- Developer lists Mellow Mushroom, Tom Yum Thai restaurants in Vienna project
- After 44 years of serving Tysons, J.R.’s Stockyards Inn sold to pave way for redevelopment
- Famed D.C. chef ventures into Vienna with upcoming Italian restaurant
- NEW: Johns Hopkins to open McLean primary care office, its first in Virginia
Ideas for stories we should cover can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the community are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
You can find previous rundowns of top stories on the site.
The McLean Community Center has some notable names lined up for an upcoming panel to celebrate Black History Month, which has been recognized every February since 1976.
Announced in a news release yesterday (Thursday), MCC’s panel discussion on Feb. 4 will tie into its “Traveling While Black” virtual reality exhibit that has been available to visitors at the 1234 Ingleside Avenue facility since Dec. 15.
Open until Feb. 12, the film explores how both racism and the past 60 years of civil rights activism have shaped African American communities through a conversation in the D.C. restaurant Ben’s Chili Bowl.
The “Talk Back, Look Forward” panel will feature several key figures from the movie:
- Director Roger Ross Williams, who became the first Black director to win an Academy Award in 2010 with the short film “Music by Prudence”
- Ben’s Chili Bowl founder and owner Virginia Ali
- Civil rights activist Courtland Cox, who helped organize student protests in D.C. during the 1960s
- Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale, a D.C. music historian and minister
- Tamir Rice Foundation founder and CEO Samaria Rice, whose son was killed by Cleveland police in 2014
Moderated by interactive media marketer Joshua Henry Jenkins, the discussion will begin at 7:30 p.m. and include boxed meals from Ben’s Chili Bowl that participants can pick up starting at 6:30 p.m.
“Ben’s Chili Bowl has modeled what it means to be a community center by being a leader in creating a safe space for the African American community,” MCC Executive Director Daniel Singh said in a statement. “We are honored to have legendary civil rights leaders such as Mrs. Ali, Mr. Cox, and Ms. Rice join us, with the artistic vision of Mr. Williams connecting all of them.”
MCC says Williams and Rice will be participating remotely.
Admission is free for all, but advance registration is required, and the number of patrons will be limited to encourage social distancing and prevent crowding due to COVID-19.
As a Fairfax County government facility, MCC requires face masks for all visitors and staff. Hand-sanitizing stations have also been set up throughout the building.
MCC spokesperson Sabrina Anwah notes that the organization decided to go with boxed meals for this event so that participants can “carry them to locations throughout the building or take them home.”
Virginia Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Possible Snow — “The National Weather Service is calling for 2 to 3 inches of snow in the District of Columbia and the immediate suburbs in Northern Virginia, along with Fredericksburg. Western Fairfax and Prince William counties, along with Loudoun County, are in the zone where only 1 to 2 inches of snow is expected.” [Patch]
Regular Metrobus Service to Return — Metro will restore regular weekday bus service on Feb. 7, as COVID-19 case rates among employees start to decline. The transit system has been operating at only about 75% of its usual service since Jan. 10 due to a shortage of drivers, leading to reports of buses not showing up and students being stranded. [DCist]
Four Displaced by VITA Tysons Fire — An unattended candle started an apartment fire in the 7900 block of Tysons One Place at 4:02 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 26). The fire was extinguished by a sprinkler, but four residents were displaced, and there was $3,000 in property damages, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says. [FCFRD/Twitter]
Vienna Seeks New Planning Director — “Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Petkac has stepped down, town officials said at the Vienna Town Council’s Jan. 24 meeting. Petkac departed in December last year because she ‘wanted to pursue other professional opportunities,’ said Town Manager Mercury Payton.” [Sun Gazette]
Founders Row Restaurants Confirmed — The new casual, American concept Ellie Bird will be joined at the upcoming Falls Church development by Arlington-based seafood restaurant Chasin’ Tails, the fast-casual Roll Play Vietnamese Grill, and Vietnamese restaurant-bar Nue. Founders Row is under construction now but reportedly nearing completion. [Falls Church News-Press]
McLean Central Park Meeting Postponed — “The virtual public meeting originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 to present the revised McLean Central Park Development Concept Plan has been rescheduled. A new meeting date is now confirmed for Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 7 p.m.” [FCPA]
The retail, recreational facilities, and other amenities promised to MetroWest residents are finally on their way.
Developer Pulte Homes received the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ approval on Tuesday (Jan. 25) for its plan to construct five new residential buildings in the 56-acre community south of I-66 and the Vienna Metro station.
The 9-0 vote represented a milestone in the county’s efforts to fulfill a 15-year-old vision of MetroWest as a mixed-use development that would’ve predated the Mosaic District and the recent growth in Tysons, had it materialized when anticipated.
“We want to achieve the community’s objective to finish these last land bays,” DLA Piper attorney Antonio Calabrese said as Pulte’s representative at Tuesday’s public hearing.
Approved by the county in 2006, the original MetroWest plans sought to transform a neighborhood of single-family homes with 2,248 multi-family residences, 300,000 square feet of office space, and at least 100,000 square feet of retail and other commercial uses, including a day care center.
While some of the residences have come to fruition, including senior housing and an assisted living facility, the five buildings where Pulte concentrated its commercial space and a town center planned by developer CRC Companies stalled after the 2008 recession.
With the rezoning application approved this week, Pulte tweaked its plans to raise the day care center’s enrollment cap from 100 to 150 children and requested that the facility be included in the 35,000 square feet of ground-floor, commercial space it has agreed to provide.
The proposed mid- and high-rise buildings will also have 480 residential units, including 52 affordable dwelling units, and a publicly accessible community park with a swimming pool limited to MetroWest residents, among other recreational amenities.
In addition, Pulte will contribute $500,000 for safety improvements at the Royal Victoria and Vaden Drive intersection, according to Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, who represents MetroWest but was absent for the vote while on maternity leave.
In a statement to Tysons Reporter, Palchik’s office called the revisions “a refinement and improvement” over what was approved in 2006, noting that there were no changes to the density allowed at MetroWest.
“Supervisor Palchik greatly appreciates the cooperative effort by all stakeholders to improve the design of the courtyard, pool, paths and buildings,” the supervisor’s office said. “…[She] looks forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders to see that the MetroWest neighborhood is completed.”
Calabrese told Tysons Reporter that the developer will now begin working on detailed site plans and engineering for the approved buildings, though there’s no clear timeline yet for a possible start to construction.
“Pulte is grateful to Supervisor Palchik for her fortitude and leadership,” he added.
As for CRC’s portion of the project, the developer said this past fall that it had received administrative approvals for the 9.8-acre town center and could potentially break ground in mid-2022, pending the county’s approval of a submitted site plan.
Discussions to resolve reported conflicts between Pulte and CRC are still underway.
“There have been fruitful, ongoing discussions between these major landowners,” Calabrese said. “Everyone associated with MetroWest recognizes the tremendous potential and value of these strategically located sites, as well as the inherent benefits of completing this attractive, successful community.”
