Hundreds of people filled Cherry Hill Park on Sunday afternoon for the “Falls Church Justice for Black Lives Rally.”

The rally came a few days after a student-led march in the city in memory of George Floyd. Both peaceful events protested police brutality and demanded change to systemic racism.

Today’s event served as a gathering to give local leaders a platform, including Edwin Henderson II, the founder of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation; Sasha Whitney, a cycling instructor; the city’s mayor; Fairfax NAACP’s President Sean Perryman; and City of Alexandria Councilmember John Chapman.

“Black lives matter when they lose their life,” Perryman said. “They have to matter all the time.”

Mindful of COVID-19, the participants spaced out on the grass with their kids and dogs as songs like “They Don’t Care About Us” by Michael Jackson and “Unity” by Queen Latifah blasted on speakers. Most wore face coverings.

The rally kicked off around 1 p.m. with the participants dancing to DJ Casper’s “Cha Cha Slide” before the organizers, Tara Guido and Loreto Jacqueline, gave brief speeches and then asked for a moment of silence for violence toward Black Americans.

The crowd erupted in clapping and cheering when Mayor David Tarter said that Gov. Ralph Northam recently announced that a Robert E. Lee monument will get taken down.

Tarter also pointed out the diversity of the participants. “We’re all here to raise our voices and say this country belongs to all of us,” he said.

Tarter ended his speech, urging people to head to the polls: “If you’re angry, vote in November.” Around the park, people could scan flyers with QR codes to help them register to vote via vote411.org.

“No more moments of silence. I need you to make noise,” @SeanPerryman3 told the crowd. So they did: pic.twitter.com/dXJvZ0mxqI

— Catherine Douglas Moran (@c_douglasmoran) June 8, 2020

Many of the messages centered around actions for long-term change.

Henderson II, with the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, told people to oppose mandatory sentencing and for-profit prisons and push for election reforms. (For people looking for more events to attend to honor Floyd, Henderson noted that the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation will unveil a banner in honor of Floyd near the Target (500 S. Washington Street) at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 8).

Perryman stressed the need for policy changes with the City Council, Board of Supervisors and local police departments and urged people to join advocacy groups. “This is a sustained fight,” he said.

Chapman, with the Alexandria City Council, echoed Perryman’s call for new policies. “We all know what we need to do,” Chapman said.

One message in particular — written on several signs — has an immediate impact: “Silence is violence.”

Participants at the rally who spoke to Tysons Reporter said that they are tired of police brutality and racism.

Khadimatu said she decided to come to the rally to represent her family back in Senegal. “There’s a movement that’s defending us,” Khadimatu said. “I hope this is what is going to cause change.”

Khadimatu said she came to the rally with her mom’s best friend, Corey, who heard about the event from her friend who lives in Falls Church. Corey said that she didn’t want to go to the protests in D.C. due to concerns about being in close proximity to a lot more people.

Matt Guey-Lee also said he was a “little nervous” about going to D.C. due to “safety issues.”

After hearing about the event on Facebook, Guey-Lee and the organizers got in touch so that he could bring a canopy for the rally. He said he was heartened to see that other people donated snacks and water for the event.

Guey-Lee said he felt strongly about coming to the rally and speaking out against racism, because he says every voice nudges another one.

“If a million people do just a little bit, it’s really, really loud,” he said.

The Walmart in Tysons has been closing early due to the protests against racism and police brutality, store employees say.

Two employees said the store (1500 Cornerside Blvd) has been notified by higher-ups at the “last minute” about closing at 5 p.m. Usually, the employees and managers don’t know how late the store will stay open until around 4 p.m. each day.

https://twitter.com/bgannon97/status/1267564815251357698?s=20

Shoppers looking to visit the store in the evening should call around 4:15-4:30 p.m., one employee advised. Walmart’s website does not mention the store’s hours early closings.

The store will likely close at 5 p.m. tonight (Friday), the employee said.

Due to the threat of looting, some Walmart stores have been closing early or temporarily closed last Sunday around the country. In Virginia, Walmart stores in Stafford County have been closing early at 5 p.m., Potomac Local News reported.

Image via Google Maps

Hat tip to everyone who tweeted and tagged @tysonsreporter about this

A Vienna resident told police that someone stomped on the American flags she put along the sidewalk in front of her house.

The incident happened sometime in the morning on Memorial Day (May 25) in the 1000 block of Hillcrest Drive SW, according to Vienna police.

“The resident placed a small section of fencing around the flags to protect them,” police said. “However, the person then broke the fence and pushed over the flag.”

In a separate incident, police said a woman’s two bicycles were reported stolen from outside of the side entrance to Bazin’s On Church (111 Church Street NW) sometime between May 18-24.

Photo via Facebook

Fairfax County is nearing its 12,000th COVID-19 case, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

As of today, the county has a total of 11,904 cases, 1,401 hospitalizations and 410 deaths. The City of Falls Church has 56 cases, 11 hospitalizations and eight deaths.

Of the 389 outbreaks in Virginia, 61 are in the Fairfax Health District, which includes the county and its towns and cities — 51 are at long term care facilities, while two are healthcare settings and a correctional facility and educational setting both have one.

The Fairfax Health District also has Virginia’s only two reports of cases of the virus with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children.

The Fairfax Health District continues to lead the commonwealth in the number of PCR tests, which directly detect antigens, with more than 55,000 testing encounters.

Statewide and in the Fairfax Health District, the weekly average of the percent of positive tests has been steadily declining since late April and the number of testing encounters has increased, according to VDH.

Even with the increased testing, Fairfax County officials say more is needed to address a growing racial disparity with the cases.

The Hispanic population makes up 16.8% of the population in the Fairfax Health District, but 66.2% of the COVID-19 cases where race and ethnicity data is available, according to Fairfax County and the state health department. In mid-May, the Hispanic population made of 61.3% of the cases. (Roughly 20% of the cases don’t have race and ethnicity data.)

Officials said on Tuesday that they want to see more neighborhood testing sites and testing available for people who are asymptomatic.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash, graph via Virginia Department of Health

The McLean Farmers Market is among four farmers markets in Fairfax County that will soon reopen.

Some of the county-run farmers markets, including the one in Reston, had already returned in phases with coronavirus restrictions.

Now, the McLean one, along with the ones in Oak Marr, Annandale and Kingstowne, will open this month, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.

More from the county:

When possible, shoppers are encouraged to preorder their items directly from the local vendors. Go to the Farmers Markets website and click on the Vendor Preorder List for a list of all market vendors and their ordering policies. You can also click on an individual market for details on the vendors at that market and preordering instructions.

At the markets, customers are asked to comply with all COVID-19 safety procedures, including limiting shoppers to two persons per household, wearing facial coverings, and maintaining 6 feet of distance from others. There may be a waiting line, and there will be a one-way path through the markets. To give everyone the best shopping experience possible, please consult the 2020 Market Guidelines infographic before your visit.

Starting Friday, June 12, shoppers can head to the McLean Farmers Market on Fridays from 8 a.m.-noon at 1659 Chain Bridge Road.

The Vienna Farmers Market, which is run by the local Optimist Club, plans to reopen on Saturday, June 13.

Future Offices? — “Before the pandemic shut down businesses, a robust economy had powered a building boom, sending office towers skyward in urban areas across the United States… Developers were confident that the demand would remain strong. But the pandemic darkened the picture.” [Washington Business Journal]

Protest Held in Vienna — “Hundreds showed up to protest racial injustice in Vienna Wednesday evening after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. The event on the Town Green remained peaceful, and most attendees wore face masks.” [Vienna Patch]

U.S. Senate OKs Changes to PPP — “The U.S. Senate approved sweeping changes to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program Wednesday evening… The bipartisan bill… extends the eight-week period under which loan recipients can spend the PPP money while also addressing other details that have bedeviled small businesses in the hospitality realm.” [Washington Business Journal]

Movie Theater at Tysons Corner Center May Not Survive — “AMC Theatres said Wednesday it has ‘substantial doubt’ the company can remain in business after the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of all of its locations… All AMC locations are closed through June, and the company said it has enough money to reopen theaters this summer. However, if not allowed to reopen, the company said, it may be unable to borrow the funds needed to continue operating.” [Patch]

How Vienna Will Use CARES Act Funding —  “Vienna officials have identified 10 spending categories for the nearly $2.9 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding appropriated June 1 by the Vienna Town Council.” [Inside NoVa]

Reopened Clare and Don’s Beach Shack pic.twitter.com/KUttb0A0l6

— Falls Church Views (@fallschurchview) June 3, 2020

During this difficult time for so many families, it’s so good to see the great work of @secondstoryorg. We’re
happy to partner with them in sharing weekly ArtReach art activities for them to share with their community. #MPAArtReach @MikeQReports @artsfairfax @TysonsReporter https://t.co/2VmfdNqL8J

— McLeanProjectForArts (@MP4A) June 4, 2020

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Fairfax County and surrounding jurisdictions.

The watch went into effect right after 3 p.m. and will last until 10 p.m.

The NWS says that damaging winds along with large hail are possible tonight. People can expect showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening, with possible flooding incidents.

Be aware and be prepared! If thunder roars, go indoors! #FCFRD RT @NWS_BaltWash: Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued until 10PM. pic.twitter.com/4L3NMo2OVc

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) June 4, 2020

Hundreds of people flooded Park Avenue in the City of Falls Church calling for justice after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Two rising juniors at George Mason High School — Ariana H. and Sarah E. — organized the walk, joining the global protests and rallies over Floyd’s death. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder following a viral video showing his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes, while three other officers at the scene were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

“We had been watching the protests going on around the country and wanted to bring it closer to home,” the organizers said in a statement to Tysons Reporter.

The walk started around 1:30 p.m. with participants meeting in West End Park for brief comments before marching. Protesters shouted “No justice! No peace!” Floyd’s name and other chants as they made their way down Park Avenue, peacefully escorted by the city’s police department.

“Hands up! Don’t shoot!”

“Hey, hey! Ho, ho! These racist cops have got to go!”

“Black Lives Matter!”

With the temperature hovering at 90 degrees Fahrenheit, medics stationed themselves along the route, and several people passed out water bottles.

Many residents lined the route, waving signs and photographing the march from their porches and front lawns. At one point, several workers at a nearby construction site took selfies with the protesters.

Ariana provided the following statement to Tysons Reporter ahead of the event:

Here’s our vision. Our community is often isolated from the injustices experienced in other communities. We are just two rising juniors at George Mason High School who wanted to raise awareness in our community and march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all people who have lost their lives simply because of the color of their skin. As a community, we can do better.

As two non-black people, we wanted to give the floor to black people in our community and make sure their voices are heard. It’s time for us to be allies and actively work to dismantle the systemic racism that has plagued our country for far too long. We had been watching the protests going on around the country and wanted to bring it closer to home.

We have the privilege to opt ourselves out of these times, but that will not bring the change that is needed. We have a duty to listen to our black peers and educate ourselves because it is not enough to not be racist; we must be anti-racist.

The City of Falls Church will see another event sparked by Floyd’s death later this week. On Sunday, locals plan to host the Falls Church Justice for Black Lives Rally at Cherry Hill Park at 1 p.m.

Once a week, Jayesh Edwards, a high school student in McLean, lathers up his pet hedgehog with unscented soap for babies. He uses a toothbrush to clean her quills, bathing her in lukewarm water in a sink.

“Her stomach is like fur, and you brush it all over. She really likes it,” Edwards told Tysons Reporter. “It’s like she’s getting massaged.”

Outside of bath time, Serena Quilliams — a twist on the famous tennis player’s name — can be found munching on her favorite treat of carrots or sleeping in Edwards’ sweatshirt pocket.

“Hedgehogs are normally [the size of] a soda can,” Edwards said. “She’s like 1.5 soda cans. She’s pretty big.”

She is now one of several pet hedgehogs in Fairfax County after the Board of Supervisors approved legalizing them — along with chinchillas and hermit crabs — as pets in January 2019. The City of Falls Church followed shortly after, allowing pet hedgehogs as of last June.

Hedgehog legalization in both the county and the city followed prickly debates focused on their high levels of maintenance as nocturnal animals — like requiring a room temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent hibernation, according to the Hedgehog Welfare Society.

Members of the county’s Animal Services Advisory Commission and Humane Society, along with Falls Church’s animal warden and police chief, argued against pet hedgehogs, calling them expensive pets that are challenging to care for and expressing concern that legalization could fuel the exotic pet trade.

“We’re going to open up our city to invasive species again,” Rebecca Keenan, the animal warden for the city, told city officials last June.

There’s also the health concern: hedgehogs can spread salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pet hedgehog advocates were quick to point out that cats, dogs, frogs, hamsters and many other animals can also carry the bacteria.

The salmonella concerns weren’t a surprise to Edwards, because he’s had a monitor lizard for nearly a decade and a turtle for the last three years. “My mom is allergic to dogs,” he said. “Hedgehogs don’t shed.”

Edwards said he was “really upset” when he found out in sixth grade that the county didn’t allow the exotic animals as pets. Undeterred, he decided to push for legalization by writing to and meeting with Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust.

“I did so much research. I was kind of prepared for anything,” Edwards said.

In January 2019, Edwards, who was then a Longfellow Middle School student, shared his extensive research by testifying before the Board of Supervisors.

He shared how hedgehogs — like his monitor lizard — require heat lamps and a specific temperature range. They can spread salmonella but the risk isn’t higher than many other pets, he said.

“Another thing is that they fight, but if you had done any research on owning a hedgehog, you would know that you don’t keep them in pairs, because they fight,” Edwards said, adding: “And if you don’t want baby hedgehogs, you would definitely not keep a male and a female hedgehog together.” The board erupted in chuckles.

Later that day, the board approved the legalization.

“As soon they allowed hedgehogs in Fairfax, we sort of jumped on it,” Mindy Thomas, a Fairfax County resident, told Tysons Reporter.

Earlier this spring, her 12-year-old son Rhett finally got his hedgehog, which he named Band-Aid. “He’s a lazy, fat boy,” he said.

Like Edwards, Thomas said he did his research and was prepared for Band-Aid’s night-time activity — “I’m a really sound sleeper [so] he doesn’t bother me too much” — but still had some surprises.

“The thing about hedgehogs is, a lot of videos say that the quills — you get used to them, which you do,” Thomas said. “They are pokey.”

And then there’s Band-Aid’s love of scrambled eggs without salt, in addition to his regular diet of cat food, which his cat Lucy tries to steal, along with mealworms as treats. The food’s exit looks “like little jelly beans,” he added.

The Thomases and Band-Aid inspired another Fairfax County family to become “hedgie” parents, with 17-year-old Steven Eckloff’s detailed 20-page PowerPoint winning his parents over to the idea.

Eckloff got his hedgehog Ollie on March 28 — two days before Gov. Ralph Northam announced the stay-at-home order due the pandemic.

To maximize his time with Ollie, Eckloff has adjusted his hours — waking up around 11 a.m. to stay awake later and then going to bed around 2-3 a.m. “I hear the little pattering of his feet when he’s running on the wheel at night,” he said, adding that Ollie likes to play with toilet paper rolls.

Since a ban was placed in the 1990s on the importation of wild-caught African pygmy hedgehogs — the most common type of hedgehog pet — to the U.S., prospective owners have to find their pets at breeders or shelters.

Many of the websites for hedgehog breeders in Northern Virginia that Tysons Reporter viewed included resources and guides for how to keep the pets safe.

Riddle’s Hedgehogs, a small to mid-scale breeder in Frederick County, asks for people’s addresses when they fill out their online applications and Christie Riddle told Tysons Reporter that she has caught people trying to skirt the law.

“Unfortunately, a couple of times I have had potential adoptees fill in an invalid address and go through the entire adoption process, arrive to pick up the hedgehog, only then to find out that a driver’s license is required to pick up the hedgehog,” Riddle said.

Riddle tells people she cannot sell to them if pet hedgehogs are not legal in their area, noting that appropriate veterinary care is often hard to find in those areas.

Additionally, Riddle screens applicants for certain warning signs.

“As a breeder, I look for red flags such as if it is intended for a young child,” Riddle said. “Hedgehogs are difficult for young children to handle. I look for stable homes that can care for a hedgehog long-term.”

“It is not a starter pet,” Caitlyn Maltese told Tysons Reporter, adding that she’s seen a lot of pet hedgehogs gaining traction on TikTok. “The most important thing for me is that people don’t get them unless they know what they are walking into.”

Maltese shared the less glamorous side of hedgehog ownership: a dirty wheel that she cleans daily, spending at least 30 minutes socializing them every day so they don’t get grumpy and a possible hefty price tag for care.

Maltese, who is part of a Facebook support group for hedgehog owners, said she’s “seen some horrific stuff” including rotting feet and stories of abandonment.

“It is not a starter pet,” Maltese said, adding that she researched extensively before deciding to become an owner.

She was living in Maryland when she got Albus, but then moved to the Mount Vernon District of Fairfax County right after the legalization, landing a shorter commute to her job in Alexandria.

Albus is “a complete sweetheart” and “very well socialized,” Maltese said. Unfortunately, he’s had a variety of health issues from teeth falling out that required Maltese to grind up his food to heart disease that meant she had to syringe feed him medication.

When she recently took him to the Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services in Fairfax, COVID-19 precautions prompted a new drive-thru service where staff brought Albus into and out of the facility while Maltese waited in the car.

Maltese, who has hedgehog insurance, said that the medical bills have reached hundreds of dollars. Through the highs and lows, she insists Albus is completely worth it.

“He’s like my first child,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of other pets, but he’s the one that has required so much… They are such wonderful creatures to have.”

Maltese added that she loves that he’s nocturnal because he’ll cuddle with her while she works during the day. “He’ll squeak when he’s dreaming.”

Maltese found a community of fellow hedgie parents on Facebook and also through her Instagram account for him. She’s also met people at Hedgie-Con, an annual convention for hedgehog owners in the U.S. and Canada.

“They were amazed by how friendly he was,” Maltese said about her Hedgie-Con 2019 experience. “It’s super nerdy.”

Albus walked away with 1st place in adult standard males and reserve grand champion of adult males. “He’s an award-winning hedgehog,” his proud mom noted.

One of the central arguments against hedgehog ownership was a concern about people struggling to care for their pets, leading to abandonment and surrenders.

Since Fairfax County legalized them, the county’s Animal Protection Police haven’t received any reports of abandonment. The one request to surrender ended up with getting the hedgehog re-homed so it never went to the shelter, according to information provided through Police Spokesperson Erica Webb.

Webb said that the Animal Protection Police did not have information to share regarding whether pet hedgehogs are affecting the exotic pet trade.

Neighboring counties have had similar experiences. “We have not had any hedgehogs come in, nor have we had any calls about them this year,” Talia Czapski with Loudoun County Animal Services told Tysons Reporter.

Chelsea Jones with Animal Welfare League of Arlington said they’ve only taken in one hedgehog during the last five years. “They are not surrendered to us very often at all,” Jones said.

Riddle said that Fairfax County’s legalization has boosted her business as a breeder.

“Demand has been greater in the past year, partly due to more interest from Fairfax County and also partly due to growing interest in general in having hedgehogs as pets,” Riddle wrote in an email. Riddle said the average cost of her hedgehogs, which can vary based on colors and sex, is $250.

Riddle said that the increase caused her to cut off her waiting list, which had 12 people as of late April. “Over the past year, 12.5% of my hedgehog adoptions have been from Fairfax County,” she said.

It’s unclear if hedgehog breeders are seeing the same uptick in adoptions like for cats and dogs due to people wanting furry companionship during the coronavirus pandemic. While the owners Tysons Reporter talked to said they like having hedgehog pets, the hedgehogs seem to have mixed feelings about their owners being home constantly.

“He’s definitely getting annoyed that I’m always around,” Thomas, who is doing online learning at home, said. Now, instead of cuddle time in the evening, he’s taking Band-Aid out of his cage several times a day and for longer periods of time.

Now that Edwards, the McLean student, has Serena Quilliams, she doesn’t socialize with the other pets. “The lizard would definitely attack her and probably get impaled,” Edwards said. “It wouldn’t go well.”

Overall, Edwards thinks pet hedgehogs are ideal pandemic buddies. “I hang out with her a lot,” he said. “She’ll play when you want to play.”

His assessment: “They are good pets.”

A Tysons-based program that supports adults with developmental disabilities recently received a $10,000 donation from a McLean family.

Langley Residential Support Services announced the donation yesterday, saying that it came from the Narang family through their Narang Foundation.

Langley Residential offers six homes across Fairfax County that house 24 people, along with drop-in services for about 30 other people living in Northern Virginia.

“These are just the kind of community enhancement and life-changing activities our family wishes to support,” RJ Narang, who is a board member of the foundation, said in a press release.

Betsy Schatz, the executive director of Langley Residential, said that the donation comes at a time of need: “We’ve been so affected by the pandemic.”

Photo courtesy Langley Residential Support Services