City of Falls Church police arrested a man for allegedly setting a marked sheriff’s vehicle on fire outside City Hall.
Falls Church police and the Arlington County Fire Department responded to a call for a vehicle fire around 6 a.m. yesterday (Monday).
“The fire was extinguished without injuries or damage to city buildings,” according to a Falls Church press release. The cruiser was totaled in the blaze, police said.
Police charged a 23-year-old man for arson near the scene of the fire. Police said “any additional charges are pending.”
The incident prompted an investigation by the Fire Marshall.
At a City Council meeting last night, City Manager Wyatt Shields said that “it was very startling… for employees who were coming to work this morning, they came by this burnt vehicle.”
While the police investigation is ongoing, Shields said, “We do not think there was any real rationale behind this arson. I think it was a random event.”
Shields said that the loss of the vehicle is covered by insurance.
A park in the City of Falls Church will now honor the city’s oldest business and the family behind it.
Located in the 100 block of W. Broad Street, “the park has generally been known as a downtown plaza, but is now a popular gathering place in the heart of the City in need of a name to identify it for publicity and place-making,” according to city documents.
The Falls Church City Council unanimously voted to name the park “Mr. Brown’s Park” to honor Brown’s Hardware (100 W. Broad Street)and the three generations of Browns that go back to 1883.
A survey of locals showed “overwhelming community support to reference Brown’s Hardware,” according to city documents.
“This park was first created in the 1960s and was significantly renovated this year using funds provided by the Economic Development Authority (EDA),” according to city documents. “The park is currently being used for events such as live music, yoga lessons, and children’s entertainers.”
Jim Snyder, the city’s economic development director, told the council that the park, which was built in 1966, is well used and needs restoration.
Synder also said that the park might get a mural on the wall. “It’s been painted, so we have a blank canvas,” he said.
In response to Councilmember Dan Sze’s question about funding for signage and a gateway to the park, Snyder said that signage will cost about $10,000.
A grand reopening of the park to celebrate the new name will take place on Monday, Sept. 30.
“I think it’s a great name,” Sze said.
A Merrifield-based hospice care service will pay millions to settle allegations that it submitted incorrect claims to Medicare.
Capital Caring has agreed to pay $3.1 million to “settle allegations that it caused the government to overpay the organization as a result of billings it submitted to the Medicare Program for hospice services,” according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Headquartered at 2900 Telestar Court, Capital Caring provides advanced home care and hospice services in the D.C. area.
More from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia:
The overpayments were the result of claims Capital Caring submitted to Medicare for hospice services for patients who the government alleged either did not meet the hospice eligibility guidelines for the Medicare Program, Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, or for whom the hospice clinical record information maintained by Capital Caring was insufficient to support Medicare hospice coverage.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia worked with the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General on the civil matter.
Photo by Joe Gratz/Flickr
The Vienna Town Council is set to tackle proposed zoning amendments, as the moratorium deadline nears for new Maple Avenue projects.
The moratorium is scheduled to expire in November. The Vienna Town Council voted May 13 to extend the temporary suspension of the Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) zone to November 15 — more than a year after it first went into effect.
So far, the Vienna Town Council has approved four MAC projects:
- a combination Chick-fil-A and Flagship Carwash Center at 540 W. Maple Avenue that has received public backlash
- townhouse-style condominiums with retail at the northeast corner of W. Maple Avenue and Pleasant Street NW
- a much-debated redevelopment that would add ground-floor retail and more than three dozen multi-family residential condominium units to 380 Maple Avenue
- a controversial redevelopment of 430, 440 and 444 W. Maple Avenue into a four-story mixed-use development
The Town Council has also killed a MAC project — a proposed Sunrise Senior Living Facility at the corner of Maple Avenue and Center Street. Sunrise is suing the Town Council for allegedly discriminating against seniors and people with disabilities.
The work session is set to start at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall (127 S. Center Street).
In addition to the proposed zoning amendments, the Town Council is set to discuss alternative uses to the 380 Maple project tonight.
Final design guidelines and amendments are anticipated to be done this month.
Map via Town of Vienna
Vienna police are looking for the suspect(s) who damaged several vehicles around town — and also “ripped branches” from a tree.
“A citizen stated they were driving down Nutley Street when someone threw something over a fence in the area of Roland Street, leaving scratches on their vehicle,” police said.
Police said they did not find anyone in the area, but did find branches and a large rock in the road. “They also observed a tree where it appeared someone ripped branches from it. “
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. at Courthouse Road and Roland Street SW on Friday, Aug. 30.
In the last 10 days, the police received four other reports of damage to vehicles.
A man reported to the police that someone damaged his vehicle in the 700 block of Meadow Lane SW while he was visiting a friend on Friday, Aug. 30, night.
The Vienna resident said that someone threw paint on her car in the 500 block of Yeonas Drive SW between 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, and 9 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1.
“The resident was able to clean the paint off before notifying the police,” according to the police report.
On Labor Day (Sept. 2), a Vienna resident told police that someone had “tampered with” his vehicle in the 200 block of PArk Terrace Court SE. “An officer examined the vehicle but found no evidence indicating that anyone had done anything to the vehicle,” police said.
Last Tuesday (Sept. 3), a Vienna resident said that his son left his vehicle parked on Windover Avenue by James Madison Drive NW while he was in school and then found the vehicle damaged.
Photo via Facebook
The wait is over for Mediterranean restaurant Zenola. The restaurant announced on Friday (Sept. 6) that it opened in Vienna.
Zenola had previously pushed its expected opening from the winter to this summer.
“We’ve spent the last year renovating [our] space and creating a warm and inviting dining experience for our guests,” the restaurant said in an email.
Located in the former Maplewood Grill space (132 Branch Road SE) near the Fresh Market, the restaurant serves up Mediterranean cuisine. Diners can find pan-roasted quail, stuffed grape leaves and crab lasagna on the menu.
Founder and Executive Chef Samer Zeitoun was inspired by one small fruit: olives.
“Food is our passion and the olive is our inspiration,” Zenola says on its website, adding:
Olives are a foundational ingredient in each of the five great cuisines of the Mediterranean. Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Moroccan and Spanish cuisines each uniquely pay homage to the olive in their savory offerings. Which is best? We couldn’t decide so we give you the opportunity to determine for yourself by offering exquisite dishes from each…
From childhood, olives and olive oil have been staples of [Zeitoun’s] diet – his “comfort food.” He has spent a culinary career spanning more than 25 years in the pursuit and perfection of Mediterranean cuisine.
Interestingly, his last name literally translated means olive.
The restaurant is open for dinner every day starting at 5 p.m.
Photos via Zenola/Facebook
Local Schools Receive “Common Sense Recognition” — Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean and Cunningham Park Elementary School in Vienna are two of the 23 Fairfax County Public Schools recognized for their digital citizenship. [FCPS]
Ramen Chain Coming to The Boro — “A Japanese ramen chain that has 61 shops in 10 countries will make its D.C. area debut this fall, when it’s expected to open a branch in Tysons Corner… [Santouka] is expected open inside a modern, brick-lined space in the new Boro mixed-use development (1636 Boro Place, McLean) by early November.” [DC Eater]
Parking May Arrive Along Maple Avenue — “A consulting firm aiming to squeeze some additional parking in Vienna’s commercial core has come up with a unique option: Turn parts of Maple Avenue into parking strips.” [Inside NoVa]
Capital One Hosting Code Fest — “Girls Computing League, a nonprofit working to empower underrepresented groups in technology, will host its first national code fest InnovateGCL later this month. The Sept. 14 event at the new Capital One headquarters in Tysons Corner, Virginia, will have over 150 students showcase and develop new ideas on the topics of artificial intelligence, health, finance, education and many more.” [WashingtonExec]
Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Falls Church Pawn Shops — “An Arlington man previously convicted of a pair of bank robberies in Alexandria is facing more jail time. Budder Khan, now 29, pleaded guilty today to robbing two pawn shops in Falls Church, federal prosecutors announced. [ARLnow]
USAID Deploys Fairfax County Rescue Team to the Bahamas — “Members of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team [were] deployed to the Bahamas as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) responding to Hurricane Dorian.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
Blue, Yellow Line Metro Stations Reopen — “The six Blue and Yellow line stations south of Reagan National Airpor — Braddock Rd, King St-Old Town, Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield — will reopen as scheduled Monday, September 9, with completely rebuilt platforms and several customer improvements.” [Metro]
Falls Church city officials have mixed reactions to a proposal that would allow for more downtown development in exchange for protection of certain properties.
City staffers have identified a lack of park and open space, financial pressures to redevelop historic structures and a need for flood prevention as some of the challenges the city faces it pursues its 2024 vision. To address those issues, staffers want the City Council to consider a new program.
The Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program would let development rights get shifted from one area to another in the city. It consists of three components:
- sending zones: certain areas the community wants to protect
- receiving zones: areas designated as places for additional development
- bank: sells available development rights
City staffers have suggested that existing parks and open space, the floodplain and parcels with historic structures become sending zones, while multiple parcels along Broad and Washington streets become receiving zones.
According to the draft proposal:
A Transfer for Development Rights (TDR) program is one possible tool to preserve and increase green space, protect sensitive areas such as floodplains, and preserve historic structures. TDR can also help to diversify the City’s housing stock by creating a tool to facilitate the provision of missing middle housing which is critical to supporting a growing community.
As for the receiving zone, developers would be able to build townhomes or small condo buildings, based on a variety of factors, according to the proposal.
Currently, the city has a special exception process for mixed-use development. Staff said that they envision TDR complementing the special exception process, by allowing infill development on small sites.
The program received mixed reviews from councilmembers during a work session on Tuesday (Sept. 3).
Councilmember Ross Litkenhous noted that if owners of properties along the floodplain sell off the development rights, they would be selling off the value of the future property — possibly leading to home deterioration.
City staff said that the city would purchase — possibly granting a life estate to the current owners — floodplain properties and then tear down homes on those properties once the residents move out.
Councilmember Dan Snyder requested more information from staff about where similar programs have been implemented, downsides, possible public reaction and cost.
“I want to know what are we going to face if we go forward,” he said. “I’m not negative toward the concept, but I’m trying to get a fuller understanding.”
While Snyder said he wants to be supportive of the proposal, he said he doesn’t think the proposal should be on “a fast track right now.” “Are we simply transferring dense development from one place to another?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, Mayor David Tarter took the strongest stance against the proposal.
“I hate to say this, but I have some serious reservations about this plan and I think it has limited applicability,” Tarter said.
Tarter said that if the program is by-right — meaning it wouldn’t go through the special exception process — “unintended consequences” could result.
Tarter pointed to Arlington County, saying that TDRs have to go through the special exception process and that the county retains control of the receiving and sending sites.
“As it’s proposed tonight, as I understand it, there would be limited supervision of the transfer [by the city],” Tarter said, adding that he’s confused about how the transfers would work.
Tarter added that he does want to see the city find cost-efficient ways to buy up floodplain property.
The proposal heads to the work session for the city’s Economic Development Authority on Oct. 1.
Image via City of Falls Church
Shoppers at Tysons Corner Center may want to plan to take the mall’s elevators while several escalators are out of order.
Tysons Reporter walked around the mall yesterday (Thursday) and spotted six escalators closed off.
The most extensive escalator work Tysons Reported spotted was at Macy’s. The department store has multiple escalators closed. Enough escalators are open for shoppers to navigate the store’s multiple levels without needing to take an elevator.
The escalator inside Bloomingdale’s going from the first to second levels is closed, which means that shoppers trying to get up to the second level have to take the store’s elevator.
An employee said that the escalator has been broken for a “long, long time,” but should hopefully be working again soon once a required part comes in to finish the repairs.
Elsewhere in the mall, the escalator on the first level by the food court that goes up to the second level has an “Out of Order” sign.
Next to Victoria’s Secret and the exit on the second level to The Plaza, both escalators connecting the first and second levels are out of order.
Tysons Reporter reached out to the mall to find out how long the escalators have been out and what’s being done to fix them, but has not heard back.
Hat tip to R. Luper
Diners can spot Stanley Cup champ Alexander Ovechkin’s signature on a painting of himself at Randy’s Prime Seafood and Steaks in Tysons.
A spokesperson for the restaurant confirmed to Tysons Reporter that the Washington Capitals captain signed the painting.
The painting — one of five paintings in the restaurant by artist Jack Gable — depicts Ovechkin on the ice holding the Stanley Cup triumphantly above his head.
Randy Norton, the CEO of Great American Restaurants and the restaurant’s namesake, previously told Tysons Reporter that the Ovechkin painting “was the easiest one to pick” when he planned the paintings with the artist.
Norton called the Washington Capitals winning the Stanely Cup last year as “such a wonderful event.”
“I can still see the people celebrating in the streets on the streets around the arena,” Norton said.
https://twitter.com/MLB_News247/status/1169318294932705281?s=20
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