(Updated 10/21/19) Firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out in a McLean home this afternoon (Friday, Oct. 18) near the Charles Wesley United Methodist Church.
Firefighters from Fairfax and Arlington counties were dispatched to the fire in the 1700 block of Maxwell Court shortly after 4 p.m. today (Friday).
“Crews checking for extension,” according to a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweet. “One person being transported [to the hospital] with minor injuries.”
The one person who was home at the time of the fire sustained minor burns while trying to extinguish the fire, according to the fire department.
“The occupant was cooking on the stove when the oil ignited in the pan,” the fire department said in a press release. “The cause of the fire was the auto-ignition of cooking oil that spread to nearby combustibles.”
The fire department said that the person was displaced because of the accidental fire, which totaled roughly $123,750 worth of damages.
Units on scene of house fire in 1700 block of Maxwell Court in McLean area. Fire has been knocked down. Crews checking for extension. One person being transported with minor injuries. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/0Yprv8CvWb
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) October 18, 2019
Map via Google Maps
Tysons may not have the liveliest nightlife at the moment, but that could soon change as more late-night restaurants and places to hang out open. “Tysons After Dark” will highlight a different spot every week.
Now that the Washington Nationals won the National League Championship Series, the D.C. baseball team heads to the World Series next week.
The Nats will face the winner of the American League Championship Series — between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees — in their first World Series since 1933.
Tysons Reporter found some places around the Tysons area offering specials for the World Series Games.
Taco Bamba spots in Falls Church (2190 Pimmit Drive) and Vienna (164 W. Maple Avenue) will feature the “Baby Shark Taco” for $4.50, according to a press release. The taco will include Venezuelan spiced fish “cazón” style with guacamole, green goddess-dressed cilantro and cabbage.
Meanwhile, pizza chain Matchbox will give diners wearing Nats gear on game days food and drinks at happy hour prices. Matchbox has a local spot in the Mosaic District at 2911 District Avenue, Suite 120.
As for watch parties, people can head to The Plaza outside Tysons Corner Center to view the first game of the World Series on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) plans to have watch parties for all of the World Series Games with the Nats.
Here are some watering holes in Tysons where locals can bring their Natitude to watch the games:
- City Works Eatery and Pour House (1640 Capital One Drive North): The self-described “beer geek” restaurant has 24 flat-screen TVs and 90 craft beers on tap.
- Greenhouse Bistro and Tea Lounge (2070 Chain Bridge Road): The restaurant has three unique spaces, including a sports bars.
- XTreme Wings and Sports Bar (8119 Watson Street): The bar serves up wings and pastas for diners to enjoy with the games.
- Tysons Social Tavern (1960 Chain Bridge Road): The sports bar with patio is located in the DoubleTree Tysons.
- BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse (8027 Leesburg Pike, Suite 100): The restaurant will have its regular happy hour specials during the games next week.
- Gordon Biersch (7861 Tysons Corner Center): Located in Tysons Corner Center, the restaurant has seven plasma televisions.
Photo via Taco Bamba/Facebook
A cyber tip led Vienna police to charge a 53-year-old Vienna man with more than 20 felonies after police say they discovered child pornography at his home.
The tip from the Northern Virginia/Washington DC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force said that a local internet account had uploaded child pornography videos, according to a Vienna police press release.
The Vienna Police Department investigated the tip, which brought them to a house in the 1200 block of Cottage Street SW.
“A search warrant was executed at the home, and several electronic storage devices were seized,” the press release said. “A forensic examination of the devices was completed and numerous files containing child pornography were uncovered.”
Police charged resident Charles Snow with 20 counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of unauthorized videotaping.
Snow is being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
First photo via Facebook, second photo via Town of Vienna
Next week, people can give their input on ways to improve Route 50 in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is holding a meeting on Monday (Oct. 21) to get community feedback about a Route 50 study that started in June and is currently underway.
The study is looking at potential safety and operational changes for three miles of Route 50 between Jaguar Trail and Wilson Blvd. Up to 51,000 vehicles travel daily in the area of Route 50, according to VDOT.
Possible improvements include:
- traffic signal timing/operations
- turn lane
- turn restrictions
- access management
- pedestrian enhancements
- “innovative intersections“
The meeting is set to take place in the cafeteria at Falls Church High School (7521 Jaguar Trail) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. A short presentation will start at 7 p.m., followed by time for questions with VDOT staff.
People can take an online survey and submit comments at the meeting or by Thursday, Oct. 31, to Bobby Mangalath, at 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.
VDOT plans to hold another information meeting when the study wraps up in the spring.
Photo via VDOT
The two candidates vying for the Dranesville District seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors debated last night in McLean.
The debate was hosted by the League of Women Voters-Fairfax Area at the McLean Community Center last night. Incumbent John Foust and Republican Ed Martin sparred on issues ranging from traffic congestion to gun regulations.
While they both agreed that it’s difficult to afford to live in the county and that focusing on climate crisis is important, the two men took very different approaches to how they would tackle the issues in the audience-submitted questions.
Foust pointed to his experience on the county board — he was first elected in 2007 — to emphasize that the local government will continue to make progress, pointing to the expansion of Balls Hill Road at Georgetown Pike to address traffic and the county’s conversion of existing streetlights to LEDs.
“We’re doing what’s necessary to prepare for the growth,” Foust said in response to a question about infrastructure and population growth. “[We need to do] more of what we’re doing.”
Meanwhile, Martin, who currently lives in Great Falls, pushed for lower taxes, more pressure on Richmond and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan about the traffic on I-495 and reconsideration of the One Fairfax policy — a social and racial equity policy.
“I reject One Fairfax,” Martin said, adding that equity is in the eye of the beholder. “Don’t we like equity? I like exceptional.”
While the debate was mostly civil, the conversation became heated around guns and whether Fairfax County should be a “sanctuary county.”
Foust passionately said that he supports banning guns from public facilities. “It’s scary. It is not fair to people,” he said.
While Martin said that he would defer to law enforcement’s opinion on guns in public facilities, his answer mostly criticized Foust for not taking enough action on the trailers at McLean High School.
“Having trailers behind a school is not safe,” he said before transitioning to his position that sanctuary counties can lead to violence.
Foust responded that he wants to see the trailers go away as well. While Martin noted safety several times throughout the debate, Foust said that Republicans wanting to limit gun regulations have made “none of us safe.”
“We are constantly rated the safest community for our size in the country,” Foust said, adding, “We are not a sanctuary county. I will tell you, we don’t go out and enforce civil warrants by ICE.”
By the time the debate wrapped up, the candidates had taken several jabs at each other.
Martin said Foust’s “I delivered” statements show Foust is part of antiquated leadership, while Foust dragged Martin for being a newcomer to the area — “I have never seen you at a community event” — and also for not filing some of his campaign finance reports.
The election is on Nov. 5.
Images via Fairfax County and voteedmartin.com
Pedestrians will have to wait a few more weeks before the northbound sidewalk along Dolley Madison Blvd (Route 123) by the McLean Metro station reopens.
The sidewalk is maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Jenni McCord, a VDOT spokesperson, told Tysons Reporter.
“This sidewalk has been closed for about three weeks for construction under a developer site plan and permit,” McCord said.
The sidewalk is closed due to work related to Cityline Partner’s Scotts Run project, which will add an 8 million-square-foot mixed-use development.
The project includes several apartments and office buildings — including the completed 425-unit apartment complex called The Haden and the 14-story office building Mitre 4 — along with the Archer Hotel and retail space.
“Our site contractor is completing a new road connection to Route 123 and was required by VDOT to close the sidewalk during construction,” Cityline’s Managing Director Tasso Flocos told Tysons Reporter.
The new connection will include new asphalt pavement, ADA-compliant handicap ramps and pavement markings, McCord said.
The sidewalk will stay closed until paving is finished, Flocos said, adding that the contractor expects to be done by the end of October depending on the weather.
Until then, pedestrians can use the detour that takes them around the work area.
As the windy day continues, two power outages are affecting about 50 Dominion Energy customers between Route 50 and Route 29 in the West Falls Church area.
One power outage is affecting 37 customers by Stuart Drive, while a second one is affecting 26 customers by Thomas Jefferson Library, according to Dominion.
Power is expected to be restored this evening before 10 p.m., according to Dominion.
The causes of the outages are pending investigations.
Map via Dominion Energy
New Mexican cuisine is coming to the Vienna area.
A liquor license is pending for El Sol at 262 Cedar Lane SE, Suite C in the Cedar Park Shopping Center.
Restauranteur Alfredo Solis is behind El Sol, which currently has a D.C. spot, along with Mezcalero and Little Havana — also in D.C.
The restaurant plans to let diners build their own tacos and order other items like quesadillas and tortas with a fast-casual style service for lunch and sit-down dining for dinner, Washingtonian reported. Diners can expect El Sol to open in Vienna this fall, Eater reported.
Tysons Reporter reached out to the leasing agent and property owner of the shopping center and will update this story if they respond.
Photo via El Sol/Facebook
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(Updated 10/18/19) In-person absentee voting starts today (Thursday) at the McLean Governmental Center, along with several other locations around Fairfax County.
In total, 10 locations will offer in-person absentee voting until Saturday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m. — the last day to vote absentee in-person.
Voters in the Tysons area can head to the McLean Governmental Center (1437 Balls Hill Road) and the Providence Community Center (3001 Vaden Drive) between 3-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays.
All of the locations will be closed on Sundays.
The last day to apply for an absentee ballot was Oct. 29.
10 locations across Fairfax County are now open for in-person absentee voting. Learn more: https://t.co/5hVlINJtoU #absenteeballot #virginiaelections #VAleg #VApol #vote #fairfaxcounty pic.twitter.com/53wjheiCou
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) October 17, 2019
