Updated at 5 p.m. on 9/4/19 — Power was restored at 1:27 a.m. this morning (Wednesday). “The outage was caused when a third-party, non-Dominion contractor cut into one of our energized cables,” a Dominion Energy spokesperson said.
Updated at 5:15 p.m. — Battalion Chief Steve McFarland told Tysons Reporter that said that the three workers were injured while installing a conduit box and that the power outage resulted because of the incident.
Updated at 4 p.m. — Three people were injured in an electrical incident at a job site in the 8200 block of Greensboro Drive, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted.
One person was transported by the Fairfax County Police Department’s helicopter to a local burn center, while the other two people were driven to a local hospital.
The Fairfax County Police Department tweeted that the three people had non-life threatening injuries.
Sgt. Greg Bedor, a police spokesperson, told Tysons Reporter that the police department received the call about the incident at 3:30 p.m.
Units are on scene in the 8200 block of Greensboro Drive with three patients who were electrocuted. One transported by @FairfaxCountyPD Helicopter to local burn center. Two transported by ground to area hospital. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/anISDlBcIs
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) September 3, 2019
Earlier: More than a thousand people are without power along Greensboro Drive in Tysons this afternoon (Tuesday).
The outage spans east of the Greensboro to the Spring Hill Metro stations along Greensboro Drive and is affecting 1,555 customers, according to the Dominion Energy power outage map.
An employee at United Bank told Tysons Reporter that she heard what sounded like an explosion before the power went out around 3:30 p.m. — it is unclear if the loud sound is connected to the outage.
Dominion Energy expects power to be restored between 5-10 p.m. today (Sept. 3).
The cause of the outage is “pending investigation,” according to Dominion Energy.
The traffic signal is out at the intersection of International and Westpark drives, according to Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Police Department tweeted that traffic lights are out at Greensboro and Westpark drives.
Traffic lights are out at Greensboro Dr./Westpark Dr. Our motor units are working to have the lights restored as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience – please stay clear of the area! #FCPD pic.twitter.com/0XGdZFPOuN
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) September 3, 2019
Map via Dominion Energy
Jay Westcott contributed to this story
The City of Falls Church is looking to implement a pilot program for scooters as a deadline nears for scooter regulation.
Legislation passed during the General Assembly session in January allows localities to regulate scooters and motorized skateboards, however, the localities have until Jan. 1, 2020 to take action to implement any regulations. After that date, the scooter companies can zoom around as they see fit.
Scooters, an increasingly popular alternative transportation option, are already around the area.
The City Council is set to discuss the proposed pilot program, which would allow the city to regulate bicycles and motorized skateboards, scooters and bicycles for hire, at a work session tonight (Tuesday).
The proposed program would allow the motorized vehicles and bicycles for hire to ride on the sidewalks and streets and would limit speeds to 20 miles per hour for bicycles and motorized bicycles and to 10 miles per hour for scooters and skateboards.
Additionally, the city would cap the maximum number of devices to 25 per company, allowing the company to increase the number with extra permit fees. Each company would have to pay a permit fee of $100 per device.
The proposed pilot program is set to go before the City Council for a review on Sept. 23 ahead of a planned adoption in October or November.
The City Council is also scheduled to discuss spot pedestrian improvements tonight.
“The ultimate goal is to provide an adequate and safe walkway system and for the city to ultimately achieve ‘Walk Friendly Community’ designation,” City Manager Wyatt Shields wrote in a memo to the mayor.
City staff chose several projects recommended by the Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation totaling $100,000 — the amount set aside in the FY 2020 city budget for short-term spot improvements for pedestrian safety.
One project costing $45,000 would install a new sidewalk at S. Oak Street near Seaton Lane to close an 80-foot “missing link” along the busy corridor near TJ Elementary School.
The staff also recommended a $40,000 improvement that would install a new sidewalk at 304 S. Maple Avenue, closing a 60-foot gap in the sidewalk.
Finally, the staff plan to use $15,000 to install handicap-accessible ramps at locations that need them.
Some of the projects identified by the Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation didn’t fit the city’s budget, like removing utility pole obstacles.
Fairfax County wants community input as it looks ahead to the next 20 years.
To solicit ideas and feedback, the county is hosting six community meetings around the county this month. The county will use the input to identify priority areas and success metrics for the county-wide strategic plan.
The Tysons and Falls Church area meeting will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Marshall High School (7731 Leesburg Pike) on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
The county is especially interested in these nine areas:
- cultural and recreational opportunities
- economic opportunity
- education and lifelong learning
- effective and efficient government
- health and environment
- housing and neighborhood livability
- mobility and transportation
- safety and security
- self-sufficiency for people with vulnerabilities
“Whether you are new to Fairfax County, have lived here all your life or are somewhere in between, we’re interested in your vision for the future of the county and your community,” according to the county website.
People interested in attending who need childcare, transportation assistance, interpretation services or ADA accommodations can reach Angela Jones at 703-324-5302, TTY 711, or [email protected].
Photo via Facebook
An event management company in the Falls Church area now has more space and more employees after a recent expansion.
Started in 1987 as a woman-owned company called Capitol Services Inc., CSI DMC is a full-service destination and event management company.
After three decades in the City of Falls Church, the company moved from its old 4,750-square-foot office at 108 N. Virginia Avenue to an 8,175-square-foot office right outside the city, according to a press release.
“We had been bursting at the seams in our headquarters space for a quite a while, and I knew we had to make a move to create more space for our business growth — although just down the road, we think Arlington Boulevard is a perfect spot to put down some new roots,” Amberlee Huggins, the company’s president, said in a press release.
The company increased its employees by 25% in the last year, Asha Sedalia Bruot, a spokesperson for the company, told Tysons Reporter.
The company now has more than 135 employees worldwide with 35 based at the new Fairfax County headquarters.
Photo courtesy CSI DMC
Dominion Energy Backs Electric School Bus Push — “Dominion Energy announced an initiative to bring electric school buses en masse to school districts around Virginia. The effort comes amid a Fairfax County group’s call for its school district to transition to all electric buses.” [Patch]
McLean Program Encouraging Green Thumbs — “The McLean Trees Foundation’s Neighborhood Tree Program returns for its sixth year… For $50, the foundation will help McLean homeowners select a tree and then deliver it, help to plant it and offer instructions on caring for it.” [Inside NoVa]
Transforming Tysons Into a Walkable City — “According to its comprehensive plan, Tysons is aiming to become ‘a true urban downtown for Fairfax County’ by 2050. But the question on a lot of people’s minds is how they will get there, and how they will get around within the four-square-mile area.” [Greater Greater Washington]
New Track at McLean School — “Fairfax County officials, school staff and students on Aug. 22 dedicated a new track on the grounds of Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean… The soft-surface track is 1,550 feet long, or just more than one-quarter mile, and will be used by Franklin Sherman Elementary students and community members.” [Inside NoVa]
Foust Shares His Favorite Local Spots — Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust shared some of his top picks of things to do and places to go around McLean in a guest article. [Connection Newspapers]
Therapy Dog Comes to Vienna School — “The student services department at Thoreau Middle welcomes therapy dog Jackson Granados as part of their clinical team. Jackson will be at Thoreau part-time with school social worker Joy Granados visiting select classrooms and students and traveling the hallways at arrival and dismissal times.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
New HQ in Tysons Building — “Strategic consulting firm Dean & Company has signed a 36,205-square-foot lease at 1600 Tysons Boulevard, with plans to move its corporate headquarters [there]… The company currently operates out of 8065 Leesburg Pike in Vienna.” [Commercial Observer]
Silver Line Work Affecting Tysons — “Beginning later this month, pedestrians and drivers will encounter daily lane and partial sidewalk closures along eastbound and westbound Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and northbound and southbound Route 123 (Dolley Madison/Chain Bridge Road), along the Silver Line Phase 1 alignment in the Tysons area.” [Inside NoVa]
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.
Known for their signature dog-themed art and extensive specialty sandwich options, one of the local Lost Dog Cafes has a lively spot in Tysons.
Lost Dog Cafe started in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood in 1985 by two animal lovers, the cafes have grown to five locations owned and operated by former employees, according to its website. The Tysons spot at 1690A Anderson Road opened in 2011.
Located in the shopping center with the Safeway behind Mitre, Lost Dog Cafe was filled with about two dozen diners when Tysons Reporter visited around 8:30 p.m. on a Tuesday.
Jumping from the canvas onto the wall, the art gives nods to Tysons area history, including Northern Virginia’s trolley line in the early 2oth century, the amusement park at Great Falls, the opening of Tysons Corner Center in 1968 and the early stores at the intersection of Route 123 and Leesburg Pike.
The menu boasts 32 types of gourmet pizzas and 50 specialty sandwiches — all of the sandwiches are under $10, while the pizzas cost around $12 (small), $17 (medium) and $20 (large).
Diners can also chow down on salads, pasta, soups and make-your-own sandwiches. For drinks, Lost Dog Cafe offers extensive draft and bottle lists featuring local brews.
People at the Tysons spot can expect trivia from 6-8:30 p.m. every Tuesday, along with tap takeovers by local brewers and open mic nights a couple of times a month, an employee told Tysons Reporter.
For fans, the cafe sells Lost Dog-branded t-shirts, hoodies and hats in the $25-$50 range.
The Tysons location is open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sundays.
Vienna police are looking for the suspect who brandished a knife at customers inside the Panera Bread along Maple Avenue.
The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. last Friday (Aug. 23) at 136 W. Maple Avenue.
“A subject walked into the store and brandished a knife at customers inside the store,” police said. “The subject then left the store on foot prior to police arrival.”
A Panera Bread employee called the police, according to the report.
In a separate incident, police are investigating an attempted fraud involving the Giant at 359 E. Maple Avenue yesterday (Thursday).
Shortly before midnight, “a person called into Giant and impersonated a security officer for the supermarket chain in an attempt to scam one of their store employees out of a large amount of money,” police said.
“The employee realized it was a scam and hung up the phone before completing the unusual request,” police said.
Photo via Facebook
The left lane of eastbound Leesburg Pike at Gosnell Road is closed.
A traffic signal outage caused the lane closure, Fairfax County Police Department tweeted at 9:17 a.m.
Police are on scene, according to the tweet.
Drivers can expect delays.
TRAFFIC ALERT: The left lane of EB Leesburg Pike (Rt. 7) at Gosnell Road is closed due to a traffic signal outage. Officers are on-scene. Please use caution and expect delays. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/R9m83u5Rwa
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) August 30, 2019
Map via Google Maps
A few big names are coming to the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in September before summer ends.
Closing out Labor Day weekend celebrations, Grammy-award-winning singer Mary J. Blige is set to perform on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Tickets cost $45.
Later that week, Jennifer Hudson is set to bring her signature soul sound. The Grammy and Oscar winner will take the stage with the National Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $45.
Finally, the venue will host The Gipsy Kings — a group of flamenco, salsa and pop musicians from France that is nearing its 30th anniversary.
Tickets start at $39.50 and include a digital download of The Gipsy King’s upcoming album.
The list of Wolf Trap events in September:
- Sept. 1: UB40 and Shaggy
- Sept. 3: Mary J. Blige
- Sept. 5: Jennifer Hudson and the National Symphony Orchestra
- Sept. 6: The Piano Guys
- Sept. 7: Kacey Musgraves
- Sept. 8: Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes, Tonino Baliardo
The full Wolf Trap schedule is available online.
Photo via Wolf Trap
The unofficial end of summer is approaching with Labor Day coming up this weekend.
Drivers can expect moderate to heavy congestion between noon-6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, and Monday, Sept. 2, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
On Monday, HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-66 and I-395 and rush hour tolls on the 66 Express Lanes Inside the Beltway.
“With nearly 100 million Americans embarking on getaways with family this summer, and with 33% of Americans indicating they would go on at least one additional road trip, if gas prices remained low, which is occurring, odds are millions are packing up their cars for their final summertime excursion this Labor Day,” according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration expects 263 million passengers and crew to pass through security checkpoints nationwide from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Whether you’re hopping on a plane, speeding away in a train, hitting the roads or staying local, Tysons Reporter wants to know your Labor Day weekend travel plans.
