Two Metro stations in Tysons will receive shuttle bus service as part of Metro’s plans to reopen more than a dozen stations this Sunday (June 28).

Metro announced yesterday (Monday) that the Greensboro and McLean stations in Tysons, along with the East Falls Church station are the three stations that will soon have shuttle buses but still won’t offer rail service.

A dozen other stations, including Clarendon, Smithsonian and College Park, will reopen this Sunday with rail service. “Beginning Monday, June 29, buses will be added to the system’s 14 busiest bus lines to provide more capacity and more frequent service as the region reopens,” according to Metro.

Metro closed 15 stations earlier this year due to limited cleaning supplies and decreased ridership. Once the stations reopen this Sunday, Arlington Cemetery will be the only station left without regular service, Metro said.

Meanwhile, Orange and Silver stations west of Ballston are undergoing work this summer, including platform reconstruction and work connecting Phase 2 of the Silver Line.

In addition to the reopened stations, Metro riders can expect bus service realignment starting Monday, June 29.

More from Metro:

Metrobus customers on the region’s busiest routes will notice more frequent buses, less crowding, and more regular service beginning Monday, June 29. An additional 136 trips are being added across 14 routes: 54, 70, 92, 30N, 30S, A4, A6, A8, P6, V4, W4, F4, P12, and T18.

To make these improvements possible, Metro will temporarily suspend bus service on four routes that currently have extremely low ridership — NH2, C14, G2 and M6. Customers along these routes are asked to use other Metrobus routes nearby.

Starting Monday, weekday service will be improved with additional buses on the 54, 70, 92, 30N, 30S, A4, A6, A8, P6, V4, W4, F4, P12, and T18.

Service will be temporarily suspended on the NH2, C14, G2 and M6. Use alternate bus service nearby.

New Principal — “Hoang Nguyen, who has served as assistant principal of Kilmer Center since 2016, has been named the new principal of Kilmer Center, effective July 1. Nguyen began his career in FCPS as a special education teacher at Armstrong Elementary before moving to Marshall Road Elementary to serve as a crisis resource teacher where he remained for seven years.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Ramp Changes — “Starting around June 24, drivers on southbound Nutley Street in the Vienna area will use a new ramp and traffic signal to reach eastbound Interstate 66, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials said.” [Inside NoVa]

Restaurants Team Up in Falls Church — “Open Kitchen D.C.’s gathering at Yayla Bistro back in March was just supposed to bring attention to another discrete treat buried within the region’s immigrant-owned restaurant scene, but it became one last gasp of normal life before the coronavirus pandemic hollowed out dining rooms across the nation.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Unemployment Problems — “Virginia has frozen unemployment benefits for more than 12,000 people who refused to return to work amid the ongoing public health crisis, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) announced Friday.” [DCist]

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Fairfax County.

The warning went into effect at 3:30 p.m. today (Monday) and will be in effect until 4:15 p.m. NWS said a severe thunderstorm near Dulles International Airport was moving northeast at 15 miles per hour at 3:30 p.m.

NWS said that damaging winds with up to 60 mph gusts and quarter size hail could cause trees and power lines to fall.

“For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building,” according to NWS.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Centreville VA, Reston VA, McLean VA until 4:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/DbYwpdhsFa

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 22, 2020

People who have missed hitting the gym for the last few months are seeing options reopen.

Several gyms and yoga studios in the Tysons-area pivoted to online classes in April. Ahead of Northern Virginia starting to ease COVID-19 restrictions, some fitness center owners and clients pushed for more opportunities.

Now, fitness centers are allowed to open indoor spaces at 30% occupancy under Phase Two, which Northern Virginia entered June 12.

Fairfax County offers indoor and outdoor public swimming only for lap swimming, diving, exercise and instruction. Public pools, including community pools, are not allowed to open for recreational use.

When Virginia enters Phase Three, Gov. Ralph Northam said that pools and gyms may open at 75% capacity. The date for when Virginia will enter that phase has not been announced yet.

Just because pools and gyms can open in limited capacities doesn’t mean that they will. Some gyms, like 24 Hour Fitness in Tysons, won’t reopen at all.

We want to know how you feel about going back to the gym during the pandemic. Let us know in the poll below.

Photo by Danielle Cerullo on Unsplash

Treasure Shop Closing in McLean — “The Treasure Shop in McLean announced it will close after 49 years in business due to the COVID-19 situation and increasing costs. The last day is June 30.” [Patch]

Latest on COVID Cases — “The Virginia Department of Health reported 551 additional cases of the coronavirus Sunday, a lower increase after four consecutive days of new daily cases increasing. The latest cumulative totals are 57,994 cases, 5,840 hospitalizations, and 1,611 deaths.” [Patch]

Restaurant Struggling — “A longtime business in McLean seeks support to avoid closing due to the coronavirus pandemic’s financial impact. McLean Family Restaurant, a 51-year Kapetanakis family operation, made the plea to customers Wednesday on Facebook.” [Patch]

FCPS May Add Holidays to Calendar — “The Fairfax County School Board is considering a 2021-22 Standard School Year Calendar… Version A has the school year beginning on Monday, August 23, 2021, and ending on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Four religious holidays would be observed: Rosh Hashanah on September 7, 2021; Yom Kippur on September 16, 2021; Diwali on November 4, 2021; and Eid  al Fitr on May 3, 2022.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Mall Issues — “Brookfield is chasing small retailers to pay thousands of dollars in rent on outlets that were forced to close during the coronavirus pandemic, even as the Canadian investment group skips payments on its mortgages and asks lenders for forbearance… Brookfield has requested forbearance from lenders who are owed payments on a dozen of its malls, according to reports circulated to credit market participants who have bought the debt.” Brookfield operates Tysons Galleria. [Washington Business Journal]

The final phase of the Echols St road reconstruction project will take place over next two weeks, weather permitting. Rolling traffic mgmt strategies (rather than a detour) will be utilized; traffic delays may be experienced. If possible, travelers may wish to avoid this area. pic.twitter.com/eqLjrkxQDb

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) June 21, 2020

During his press conference yesterday, Gov. Ralph Northam outlined the plans for Phase Three of easing COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia.

While Northam said that the statewide numbers “are trending in a positive direction,” the date to enter Phase Three has not been determined yet. The earliest date under consideration is next Friday, June 26, he said.

“People need and they deserve to be able to plan, so I want Virginians to see what Phase Three will generally look like,” Northam said. Northern Virginia entered Phase Two last Friday, June 12.

Here’s what Phase Three may look like, according to Northam:

• fitness centers/gyms may open at 75% capacity
• pools may open at 75% capacity with physical distancing
• childcare services may open
• social gatherings may include up to 250 people

The cap on the capacity for non-essential retail, restaurants and beverage services will be lifted, but physical distancing will still be required.

Meanwhile, entertainment venues like zoos, museums and other outdoor venues may open at 50% capacity with a maximum of 1,000 people.

Just like in Phase Two, the safer at home and teleworking recommendations will still be in place, Northam said, adding that face coverings will still be required in indoor public spaces.

“Studies increasingly show how effective face coverings can be to reduce the spread of this virus, but we all need to wear them and wear them properly,” Northam said. “This is easy to do.”

Personal grooming services and recreational sports will still need to follow physical distancing and overnight summer camps must remain closed.

“We are going to be cautious and careful and watch the data for a little while longer before we move forward,” Northam said, noting that other states have seen surges after easing COVID-19 restrictions “prematurely.”

Image via Facebook, image via Governor of Virginia

Juneteenth Rally in Vienna — “A rally will take place outside the First Baptist Church of Vienna Friday evening on Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.” [Tysons Reporter]

ICYMI — Government offices in Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church are closed today due to Juneteenth. [Tysons Reporter]

List of LGBTQ+ Books — Fairfax County’s public libraries have a variety of LGBTQ+ books for tweens available in the digital collection. [Fairfax County]

Library Parking Plans Move Forward — “Vienna Town Council members on June 15 approved an agreement with the Fairfax County government for the design and construction of a parking structure at the soon-to-be-renovated Patrick Henry Library.” [Inside NoVa]

As Virginia rolls back COVID-19 restrictions, stores and services are returning in Tysons.

The Boro has been sharing on its social media accounts when retailers and restaurants in the development have reopened.

According to The Boro’s Facebook page, businesses that have opened their doors again include:

• MyEyeDr: appointment-only
• Tysons Nail Lounge: appointment-only
• The Shade Store: appointment-only
• Flower Child: limited dining capacity
• Fish Taco: outdoor seating and limited dining capacity
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe: take-out only
• Ethan Allen
• Ideal Dental Solutions

Tysons Reporter verified that the stores listed above have reopened.

Whole Foods has outdoor seating on the ground level and reopened its coffee bar, according to The Boro. The grocery store’s website says that it’s offering shopping hours from 7-8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for customers ages 60+, at high-risk of severe COVID-19 complications or with disabilities.

F45, which has been hosting outdoor boot camps in Boro Park, is planning to reopen on Saturday, June 20, according to a Facebook post from the gym.

“The waiting area and 10ft ‘workout boxes’ have been marked out, and all our trainers have been trained in all safety and sanitization protocols,” the post said.

In addition to the reopenings, the development also recently welcomed a new business: Colour Bar Studio. The salon opened June 2 at The Loft (1640 Boro Place, Suite 204).

The salon is run by a mom and her two daughters, along with nine other employees, according to the business.

Services include hair extensions, coloring and styling. All of the employees are wearing face masks and disinfecting equipment after each client, according to the business. The studio is open by appointment-only.

Photo by Gordon Beall, courtesy Colour Bar Studio

Instead of his usual press briefings in Richmond, Gov. Ralph Northam headed to Fairfax County to address the coronavirus pandemic’s racial disparities in Virginia.

Surrounded by state and local elected officials, Northam held a bilingual press briefing at the Fairfax County Government Center today (Thursday) to talk about the disproportionate impacts of the virus on Black and Hispanic communities.

Northam said that 45% of the COVID-19 cases and 35% of the resulting hospitalizations affect the Hispanic and Latino communities, even though they account for approximately 10% of Virginia’s population.

The concern is not new. For the last several months, Fairfax County’s Hispanic population has been hit hard by COVID-19. Local officials working to address the growing racial disparity say the county needs more testing and increased outreach to vulnerable communities.

“Everyone, everyone in Virginia deserves to have access to testing and access to care,” Northam said.

Jeff McKay, the chairman of Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors, highlighted that the county has seen more than 69,000 PCR testing encounters so far — the highest in Virginia.

The county is now shifting to community testing sites and is continuing to hire contact tracers, who “reflect the demographics of the populations they are serving,” McKay said.

McKay also pointed to other county resources, like a list of COVID-19 testing sites and the multi-lingual call center (703-222-0880) to connect residents to housing, food, financial assistance and more.

“Our board feels strongly that the disproportionality of this pandemic affects all of our residents in this county,” McKay said.

During the press conference, Northam applauded recent news: Prince William County ending its program between local police and ICE and the Supreme Court’s decision to extend DACA protections.

“I hope that this will help set a new tone of trust and support with our Latino communities,” Northam said about Prince William County’s decision.

Phase Three 

Northam also addressed the current and future plans for rolling back more COVID-19 restrictions.

While Virginia’s COVID-19 data are “trending in a positive direction,” the state will not enter Phase Three this week, he said. He did, though, unveil what that phase will look like.

Phase Three includes:

• safer at home recommendation
• encourage teleworking
• face coverings required in indoor public spaces
• social gatherings may include up to 250 people
• cap on non-essential retail lifted

“Just because there are more places to go does not mean you need to go there,” Northam said. “The virus has not gone anywhere. We are adapting our lives around it, but it has not changed.”

Northam said that health officials need more time to evaluate the COVID-19 data. Next Friday, June 26, is the earliest date under consideration for Virginia to enter Phase Three, he said.

“We want to make sure that we are inclusive,” Northam said in response to why he chose to hold his press briefing in Northern Virginia instead of Richmond, adding that he met with local leaders before the press briefing.

Image via Facebook

The full list of movies for The Boro’s new drive-in series has been released.

On Monday, The Boro announced the drive-in movies on Facebook. The four-week-long series kicks off tomorrow (Friday) with “Dreamgirls.”

Here is the full line-up:

• Friday, June 19: “Dreamgirls”
• Saturday, June 20: “Grease”
• Thursday, June 25: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
• Friday, June 26: “Back to the Future Part 1”
• Saturday, June 27: “Back to the Future Part 2”
• Thursday, July 2: “Batman”
• Friday, July 3: “Mission Impossible 3”
• Thursday, July 9: “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”
• Friday, July 10: “Star Trek”
• Saturday, July 11: “Jurassic Park”

The gates will open at 7 p.m. and the movies will start at 8:30 p.m. People can reserve a vehicle or non-vehicle spot for $20.

Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash