Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare has opened an outpatient center in McLean, marking the Tennessee-based mental health services network’s first venture into Virginia.

Located at 7927 Jones Branch Drive, the Pasadena Villa Outpatient Center will specialize in treating adults with mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, Odyssey announced in a press release on Dec. 17.

In addition to providing outpatient services, the center houses a partial hospitalization program that provides access to more intensive treatment and support for individuals who experience depression, anxiety, or behavioral challenges, and may be at risk of putting themselves or others in danger.

Treatment services are available both in-person and virtually, according to the center’s website.

“We’re thrilled to be able to serve the McLean community,” Odyssey CEO Scott Kardenetz said. “Outpatient treatment programs are an integral component of ongoing recovery for so many, and we’re excited to partner with the clinical and payor communities in providing clincally excellent care for those struggling with mental health disorders.”

The new McLean facility is one of four outpatient centers in Odyssey’s Pasadena Villa Psychiatric Treatment Network, which says it provides care for “adults who suffer from severe and persistent mental illness while maximizing social functioning in the real world.”

Headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., Odyssey operates more than 20 behavioral health facilities that collectively have over 300 beds in eight states around the U.S.

Photo via Google Maps

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Monday (Dec. 21)

• The Longest Night (Online) — 5 p.m. — The Lewinsville Presbyterian Church (1724 Chain Bridge Rd.) in McLean is offering a virtual service for the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The church says the event is a “more quiet and reflective” alternative to Christmas services that is “particularly meaningful people who, for a variety of reasons, find no joy in the Christmas season.” The service will stream on the church’s website and YouTube channel.
• Holiday Happy Hour (Online) — 7:30 p.m. — The Providence District Council will send out 2020 with a “networking happy hour” for its December meeting, according to a Dec. 11 notice from the civic organization. Residents can access the gathering through this Zoom link.
• GMHS Auction (Online) — From Dec. 21-28, Falls Church City Public Schools is hosting an online auction of classroom supplies, theater seats, and other memorabilia from George Mason High School, which is in the process of being replaced by a new campus. A link to the auction will be on the FCCPS website.

Wednesday (Dec. 23)

• Polar Express Pajama Party (Online) — 3-3:30 p.m. — The Mary Riley Styles Public Library invites families to join a reading of the book “Polar Express” over Zoom. Interested participants can register by emailing [email protected] through Dec. 22 to receive a Zoom link for the event and a goody bag.

Thursday (Dec. 24)

• Holiday Sing-A-Long — Earlier this month, Wolf Trap hosted two virtual concerts by the United States Marine Band, which performed festive music with a choir of 500 local singers. While the live performances took place on Dec. 5 and 19, video of the concerts is still available online to watch for free.
• Nochebuena Christmas Eve Dinner — 4 p.m. at Blend 111 (111 Church St.) — Vienna-based Latin American restaurant Blend 111 is celebrating Christmas Eve by offering a five-course tasting menu with optional beverage pairings. Diners can eat at the restaurant or customize the meal for carryout.
• Christmas Eve Illuminated — 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Immanuel Presbyterian Church (1125 Savile Lane) — The Immanuel Presbyterian Church’s Christmas Eve service will take the form of a drive-thru campus tour, featuring an illuminated nativity scene, live musical performances, and a “yummy treat” for visitors. Time slots are divided based on last name to avoid traffic back-ups in the parking lot, with 5:30-6 p.m. reserved for families with children under 12.

Friday (Dec. 25)

• Christmas Brunch — 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner (1700 Tysons Blvd.) — Entyse Bistro at the Ritz-Carlton will serve traditional holiday dishes and seafood in a four-course meal on Christmas Day. The menu costs $95 for adults and $45 for children aged 4 to 12. Reservations can be made by calling 703-744-3999.
• “Love for the Holidays” (Online) — Wolf Trap is streaming singer Darlene Love’s annual holiday show through the end of Christmas Day. Tickets to the on-demand show start at $35, and a portion of the proceeds go to support the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Photo by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash

For the first time since Mar. 12, high school athletes in Fairfax County have games to play.

Boys’ and girls’ basketball teams around the county will tip off tonight (Monday) to usher in an unusual winter sports season that will unfold in front of largely empty stands, marking students’ return to athletic competition after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out this year’s spring and fall seasons.

Under Virginia’s current COVID-19 rules, spectators are limited to 25 people per field for indoor sports and two guests per player for outdoor sports. The total number of spectators for any venue is capped at 30% of its occupancy capacity.

Though Gov. Ralph Northam signed an executive order on Oct. 30 permitting school sports to proceed, the Virginia Department of Health says participating in recreational sports that require close contact with others “during times of substantial COVID-19 activity in a community…is not advisable.”

With COVID-19 transmission rates now higher than the spring surge that led schools to shut down, winter sports have been postponed or canceled in Washington, D.C., and nearly all of Maryland. The City of Alexandria announced in November that its schools would opt out of the season.

Most of Virginia, though, appears to be forging ahead with the Virginia High School League’s “Championships + 1” schedule, which pushed fall sports to Feb. 2 and spring sports to Apr. 12.

However, Fairfax County Public Schools has put some restrictions in place.

While the VHSL is “strongly” encouraging masks without mandating them, FCPS is requiring nearly all athletes to wear masks even while competing, providing limited exceptions only for swim and dive, wrestling, and cheerleading. Athletes will also not have access to locker rooms this year.

“The expectation will be that kids come to practice/games ready to compete and will leave the facility immediately after the event,” FCPS said in a news bulletin sent to families yesterday.

While fans can’t attend games in-person for now, at least some competitions will be streamed live through the host teams’ websites or social media accounts.

The basketball season will officially begin with freshman games at 4:30 p.m., followed by girls’ junior varsity games at 5:30 p.m. and boys’ junior varsity at 5:45. Girls’ varsity games tip off at 7:00 p.m., and boys’ varsity teams will start at 7:30 p.m.

Here is what to expect tonight for schools in the Tysons area:

• James Madison is facing Annandale, with boys’ teams playing at home and girls’ teams visiting Annandale
• McLean faces Chantilly, with boys’ teams at home and girls’ teams away
• Marshall plays Justice, with girls’ teams at home and boys’ teams on the road

Langley High School’s games for tonight have been canceled, since the Saxons were supposed to play T.C. Williams High School, which is no longer participating in the season. However, the girls’ basketball teams are scheduled to visit Chantilly on Wednesday (Dec. 23).

Photo via Marshall High School Athletics/Twitter

The Fairfax Health District reported 914 new COVID-19 cases today (Monday), a new single-day record for the district, which encompasses the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church as well as Fairfax County.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, Fairfax County reported 897 cases within the past 24 hours, while Fairfax City added 11 cases, and Falls Church added six.

With that flood of new cases, which Fairfax County attributes partly to a data reporting backlog, the Fairfax Health District has now recorded 40,551 cases since the pandemic first arrived in the area in March. 670 people in the district have died from the disease transmitted by the novel coronavirus, and 2,820 people have been hospitalized.

Today’s caseload easily surpasses the previous single-day record of 725 daily cases from Dec. 8, though the weekly average of 437.7 cases remains lower than Dec. 12, when the district averaged 505.1 cases over seven days.

The Fairfax Health District’s COVID-19 testing positivity rate is slightly up from last week, with a seven-day moving average of 11% as of Dec. 17. The 548,789 total testing encounters recorded in Fairfax is by far the most seen in any of Virginia’s health districts.

Fairfax County’s new COVID-19 daily case record comes on the same day that shipments of a vaccine from Moderna are expected to arrive in Virginia. The state had ordered 146,400 doses of the vaccine even before it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 18.

Pfizer has dispersed a total of 72,125 doses of its own vaccine to frontline healthcare workers in Virginia since it started distributing to hospitals in the state last week. A nurse at Inova became the first person in Fairfax County to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus on Dec. 15.

The VDH reported on Dec. 18 that the state will receive an estimated 370,650 vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna this month, a smaller allocation than the 480,000 doses that Virginia previously expected to get.

Even with the distribution of vaccines bringing hope of an end to the pandemic in the foreseeable future, local elected officials and health experts have emphasized the need to continue adhering to guidelines for limiting COVID-19’s spread, including wearing face coverings, avoiding travel, and following social distancing protocols.

“I understand everyone would like to see family and friends for Christmas,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisor Jeff McKay said. “Our COVID-19 cases are rising quickly, however, and we need residents to avoid gatherings with those outside of your household and travel.”

For lower-risk alternatives to typical holiday celebrations, the Fairfax County Health Department has recommended gathering with family virtually, shopping online, and watching concerts or other festivities on TV.

Image via CDC on Unsplash, Virginia Department of Health

The man involved in a shooting and armed confrontation with police last week in Falls Church has now been charged with aggravated malicious wounding, Fairfax County police announced on Saturday (Dec. 19).

The Fairfax County Police Department identified the individual as Glenn Allen Myer, 61, of Falls Church. He has been arrested after allegedly shooting a teenager and exchanging gunfire with responding police officers.

Earlier on Saturday, Myer was released from the hospital where he was transported after being injured in the confrontation with police. He is now being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

The two officers who fired their weapons during the incident remain on administrative leave, as criminal and administrative investigations into the shooting are still ongoing, the FCPD said.

Virginia law defines aggravated malicious wounding as any instance where a person “maliciously shoots, stabs, cuts or wounds any other person, or by any means causes bodily injury, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill.”

If the victim is severely injured and suffers permanent and significant physical impairment, aggravated malicious wounding is classified as a Class 2 felony, which carries potential punishments of imprisonment for life or a term of at least 20 years, and a fine of up to $100,000.

Tysons Corner Continues to Draw Crowds Despite Pandemic — “Despite rising COVID-19 cases and consumers’ increasing reliance on online retail, Tysons — the largest shopping mall in the Washington region — still fills up on the weekends with holiday shoppers, moviegoers, loitering teens and restaurant diners.” [DCist]

Inova Hosts Tysons Corner Center Blood Drive — Inova Blood Donor Services is hosting its last blood drive of the year for the Tysons area with an event at the former Lord and Taylor store in Tysons Corner Center. The drive lasts from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today, and donors will receive a special holiday-themed shirt. [Inova]

Longtime McLean High School Teacher Dies — “It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Mr. James Bigger.  Mr. Bigger was our Latin teacher for 28 years at McLean High School and he was beloved by his students, families, and the staff at McLean High School.” [McLean High School]

FCPS Extends Superintendent’s Contract — “The Fairfax County School Board has voted to extend the contract of Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand until June 30, 2022. His contract was scheduled to expire on July 10, 2021.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Photo courtesy Craig Fingar

The Vienna Police Department received three separate reports of vehicle break-ins at the Vienna Dog Park on Courthouse Road earlier this week.

The incidents all reportedly occurred between 3:45 and 4:34 p.m. last Sunday (Dec. 13).

There were two grand larceny cases involving women who said someone broke one of their vehicles’ windows and stole their purses. One of the women said other items were also missing.

In the third case, a male town resident said someone broke a window in his vehicle and seemed to have rummaged around, but nothing appeared to have been taken. Police have classified the incident as an act of vandalism.

This week’s Vienna police report includes two other crimes involving vehicle break-ins outside of the dog park incidents.

One resident reported that, between 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 12 and 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 13, someone had entered her unlocked vehicle and “rummaged through” it, though nothing appeared to have been taken.

Another citizen reported on Dec. 13 that his wallet and cell phone were stolen from his unlocked vehicle sometime between 8 and 10:50 p.m. The man’s car had been parked in the alley behind Domino’s Pizza at 331 Maple Ave. East.

Past issues with rampant vehicle tampering and thefts have prompted the town police department to advise residents to lock their car doors and remove all valuables and keys from the vehicle.

Photo via Vienna Police Department/Facebook

Metro will start collecting fares from bus riders again on Jan. 3 as part of its pandemic recovery plan, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced yesterday (Thursday).

The WMATA board of directors authorized a temporary suspension of Metrobus fare collections in March as part of a policy prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic that required riders to board buses through the rear doors in an effort to reduce contact between passengers and drivers.

With fare collections resuming, bus riders should return to entering the vehicles from the front, where the farebox and SmarTrip equipment are located.

WMATA says the change in policy is enabled by the more robust public health procedures that it has put in place now that there is a better understanding of how the novel coronavirus is transmitted.

“With everyone wearing masks, shields for operators on every bus, and enhanced daily cleanings, front-door boarding is safe, expands our capacity for more riders, and helps us resume some normalcy,” Metro General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld said. “We also need to collect fares from every rider to keep essential Metro transit employees working and continue to provide essential service.”

Metrobus costs $2 per trip, which is payable in cash or with a SmarTrip card. Metro also offers a seven-day bus pass for $15 that provides unlimited access to Metrobus and other local bus services, including the Fairfax Connector.

The plan to resume collecting bus fare comes as Metro threatens to make significant service cuts after plummeting ridership during the pandemic contributed to a projected deficit of nearly $500 million for Fiscal Year 2022.

The dilemma facing Metro is shared by other major transit systems around the country, leading local elected leaders and transportation officials to call for the inclusion of public transit funding in a federal coronavirus relief package currently under negotiation in Congress.

Without outside support, WMATA could close 19 stations, drastically reduce rail and bus service hours and routes, and eliminate 2,400 additional jobs. The impact of those cuts is expected to land hardest on low-income residents and other populations that depend on transit.

Metro’s proposed FY 2022 budget will be up for public comment early next year.

Fairfax County police have arrested a man who allegedly shot a teenager and engaged in an armed confrontation with law enforcement in Falls Church yesterday (Thursday).

According to the latest update on the situation from the Fairfax County Police Department, police officers responded to an apartment in the 2000 block of Peach Orchard Drive at 10:49 a.m. after a teenager called 9-1-1, saying he had been shot in the face by a man who lives in the apartment.

The caller told the dispatcher that he had taken shelter in a bedroom, but the man was attempting to break in.

Upon arriving at the scene, police officers and a deputy from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office tried to negotiate with the armed man, but the talks “yielded no progress toward deescalating the situation, and it was evident the victim’s life was in imminent danger,” the FCPD says.

Police then entered the apartment and reportedly exchanged gunfire with the armed man, who is now identified as a 61-year-old Falls Church resident. Two officers shot the man in the upper body, and another officer was grazed by a bullet, resulting in a minor injury that was treated at the scene.

The victim and armed man were both transported to a local hospital by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department medics.

The victim’s injuries were not considered life-threatening. Roessler told reporters Thursday afternoon that the man underwent surgery, and he has now been taken into police custody.

The FCPD has identified the two officers who discharged their weapons as a 20-year and an 18-year veteran of the department assigned to the special operations division. They have both been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of criminal and administrative investigations.

The criminal investigation is being led by the FCPD’s major crimes bureau, while the administrative investigation is being conducted by the internal affairs bureau. Fairfax County’s independent police auditor will also conduct an independent review.

Police say Roessler will release the names of the officers within 10 days. The suspect’s identity and the charges he will face will be made public once arrest warrants are served.

“All information provided in this release is based on preliminary investigative findings and may be subject to revision as the investigation progresses,” the FCPD says.

Photo via FCPD

Fairfax County School Board Approves Revised TJ Admissions Process — “The Fairfax County Public Schools board voted Thursday to adopt a “holistic review” for admissions to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a revision meant to boost diversity at the top-tier magnet school and that ends months of fraught and fiery debate.” [The Washington Post]

Express Lanes Operator Adds Co-Investors After Year of Reduced Traffic — “While impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in Express Lanes traffic of around 80 percent in April compared to last year, Transurban has seen traffic increase gradually through 2020. In November traffic on the 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes was down 39 percent.” [Transurban]

McLean Tech Company Donates WiFi Spots to Families — “To help provide equitable access to today’s digital curriculum through safe and reliable embedded internet connectivity, Kajeet and [Amazon Web Services] teamed up to donate Kajeet SmartSpots – controlled WiFi hotspots – with unlimited data plans to GOODProjects, which were distributed to 30 local families in need.” [Kajeet/PRWeb]

Town of Vienna Announces Holiday Decorating Contest Winners — Potomac River Running and the resident of 121 Casmar Street SE won Vienna’s annual holiday decorating contest. This was the first year of the competition to include residents. It also featured a porch parade. [Town of Vienna/Twitter]

Staff photo by Angela Woolsey