Work on a new ramp linking eastbound I-66 to the West Falls Church Metro station is expected to start today (Monday).

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said in a press release that the work, which is a part of the I-66 Eastbound Widening Project, will connect two existing ramps.

“This direct access will save time for motorists on I-66 East who are headed to the West Falls Church Metrorail station and reduce traffic on Route 7,” Mark Gibney, VDOT’s design-build project manager, said in the press release.

More from VDOT:

When the project is complete, drivers will exit I-66 East for Route 7, stay left to connect to the ramp from Route 7 East to I-66 East, then stay right to reach Falls Church Drive and the West Falls Church Metrorail station.

All improvements will be performed within existing VDOT right-of-way.

Construction activities will begin with shoulder strengthening on the left side of I-66 East approaching the Route 7 interchange and along the left side of the Route 7 East ramp to I-66 East so traffic can be shifted to the left.

The two existing ramps will remain open during construction, although traffic shifts and occasional overnight traffic stoppages will be required. Construction will occur during daytime and nighttime hours.

VDOT expects the new ramp to open later this year.

Map via Google Maps 

During these challenging times, we want to know what you’re doing to try to stay happy and healthy.

Self-care ranges from physical health to emotional wellness. While social distancing guidelines and Virginia’s stay-at-home order have restricted certain activities like gathering with friends at a restaurant, shopping at malls and going to movie theaters, many businesses have pivoted to virtual offerings.

Previously, Tysons Reporter has rounded up online workout classes from local gyms, bookstores offering delivery and curbside pickup and virtual religious services.

We also have a list of restaurants offering take-out and delivery in the Tysons area. For people wanting to make their own staycation, we have a guide for that too.

Let us know how you’re practicing self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vote for your favorite from the list below and feel free to share your other top picks in the comments section.

Photo via Avrielle Suleiman on Unsplash

Tesla Pursuit in Tysons — “Police officers chased three Tesla vehicles likely stolen from a Virginia dealership overnight Friday, ending with two drivers fleeing and another driver getting caught, police say… A Fairfax County Police officer noticed a Tesla driving on Route 7 near the Beltway about 3 a.m.” [NBC 4]

Local Companies Going Green — “Can you imagine finishing a meal by eating the very same utensils you used to consume it? How about the ability to choose between plain, sweet, and savory flavored edible utensils? If the folks at The Mather have their way, plastic utensils will soon be a thing of the past and the planet will be better for it.” [Inside NoVa]

Shop Local on Saturdays — “Falls Church Mayor David Tarter signed a proclamation Friday declaring all Saturdays in May as ‘Small Business Saturdays 2.0’ to encourage citizens to direct their buying to the City’s small businesses during the lockdown over the Covid-19 pandemic.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Tysons CEO Talks COVID-19 — “Tysons-based business intelligence software firm MicroStrategy Inc. is heading into an economic minefield caused by the spread of Covid-19 — but CEO Michael Saylor said he feels pretty good about the future.” [Washington Business Journal]

https://twitter.com/WTOPtraffic/status/1257284370920022016?s=20

(Updated at 2 p.m.) The Virginia Chamber of Commerce unveiled its list recognizing 50 small, fast-growing companies — and 10 businesses in Tysons and McLean are included.

Now in its 25th year, the “Fantastic 50” list highlights private Virginia companies that received high marks on their four-year revenue history, according to a press release from the chamber.

Eligible companies must have revenues between $200,000 and $200 million and demonstrate positive revenue growth and net income from last fiscal year to the most recent one, the press release said.

“Small business is the heart of our economy and we are pleased to honor the entrepreneurial spirit and hard work of Virginia’s fifty fastest growing businesses,” Barry DuVal, the president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, said in the press release.

Tysons-area businesses that are 2020 Virginia Fantastic 50 winners:

• Alpha Omega Integration, LLC, Tysons
• The Author Incubator, McLean
• Spatial Front Inc., Tysons
• Criterion Systems Inc., Tysons
• Artemis Consulting Inc., Tysons
• MicroHealth, LLC, Tysons
• DayBlink Consulting, Tysons
• ValidaTek, Inc., Tysons
• E3/Sentinel, Tysons
• M2 Strategy, Tysons

Additionally, Alpha Omega Integration, LLC in Vienna received the 2020 Virginia Vanguard Service Award.

“Although we are unable to honor these business leaders and their dedicated teams in-person, due to COVID-19, we applaud each of these companies who continue to set the bar higher every year and want to ensure they receive the recognition they deserve for their contributions to the commonwealth,” DuVal said.

The full list is available online.

A boy in Falls Church can now hang out with his friends online because of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic chapter.

Kevin, the 12-year-old boy, received his wish for a computer in early April, according to a press release from Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic.

“The leukemia fighter can now connect with his friends, play games and catch up on schoolwork next year,” the press release said.

While Make-A-Wish was able to grant Kevin’s wish, the mid-Atlantic chapter is struggling to grant the “record number” of wishes by children with critical illnesses.

“As a vast majority of local wishes involve travel or large group settings, approximately 30 wish children each month will… wait indefinitely for special wish moments they’d been looking forward to,” the press release said. “Disruptions to these wishes, along with major fundraising event cancellations and an ever-changing economic landscape, means our work is quickly changing and multiplying.”

Make-A-Wish launched on Wednesday (April 29) — Make-A-Wish’s 40th anniversary — the “Wishes Need Stars Like You” campaign to encourage people and corporate sponsors to financially support the organization’s efforts.

“The campaign serves as the first effort under the multi-year When Stars Align strategy, intended to highlight the past, present and future stars who align their time, talents and resources to make the Make-A-Wish mission possible,” the press release said.

Photo courtesy Make-A-Wish

Virginia officials are looking to ramp up COVID-19 testing efforts.

Gov. Ralph Northam has said that increasing testing capacity is key to determining when to walk back restrictions on businesses and large gatherings, WTVR in Richmond reported.

The article noted that Northam created a working group to address test backlogs, increase the number of test sites and tackle shortages of equipment needed for tests.

The Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County and its towns and cities, has seen more than 13,000 test results, according to data earlier this week from the Virginia Department of Health.

Fairfax County has a list of resources for people seeking COVID-19 tests. In Tysons, places with testing include the Inova Urgent Care Center (8357 Leesburg Pike) and Kaiser Permanente (8008 Westpark Drive).

Let us know in the poll below if you have gotten a COVID-19 test.

If you live in Tysons, McLean, Merrifield, Vienna or Falls Church and have gotten a test or plan to, please contact us at [email protected] if you are willing to share your experience for an article.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Fairfax County, new data from the county and state provide more insight with age and racial demographics.

Earlier this week, Fairfax County unveiled a new COVID-19 dashboard with geographic and racial data — for the first time providing case numbers by zip code groups.

Now, the Virginia Department of Health allows for comparisons between Virginia and individual health districts for cases, hospitalizations and deaths by age groups, sex, race and ethnicity.

The new data shows that the Fairfax Health District, which includes the county, cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and towns in the county, closely mirrors the overall state data — except for cases by race and ethnicity.

For cases by reported ethnicity, the Hispanic or Latino populations have the majority of the COVID-19 cases in the Fairfax Health District but not statewide, according to the data.

Hispanics make up 16.8% of the Fairfax Health District’s population, but 52.3% of the reported race and ethnicity data for cases, according to Fairfax County’s dashboard.

Meanwhile, “Other” categorizes the reported race(s) of patients with the majority of the cases in the Fairfax Health District.

More than 3,897 cases and 137 deaths have been reported in Fairfax County, according to state data. Statewide, there have been at least 16,901 cases and 581 deaths.

Images via Virginia Department of Health

New Unemployment Numbers for Fairfax County — “With 629,185 county residents in the civilian workforce and 16,992 looking for jobs, the county’s unemployment rate of 2.6 percent was up from 2.1 percent in February, according to figures reported April 29 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.” [Inside NoVa]

Falls Church Senior Home Needs Masks — “The Kensington Falls Church is asking community members to sew surgical gowns for use by its staff.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Electric Bills Going Down — “Most Dominion Energy residential customers should see their bills drop in May, according to a Thursday news release from the company. The reduction will be around $6 per month for the ‘average residential customer,’ the release said.” [The Virginian-Pilot]

Create a Love Letter to Tysons — “Tysons Reporter is looking for video submissions of verbal ‘love letters’ to neighbors around the Tysons area.” [Tysons Reporter]

Small Business Loan Success — The Fairfax County Economic Authority interviewed the owner of Tysons-based Falcon Labs on what it was like getting a PPP loan. [FCEDA]

Fairfax County police said they arrested a man for outstanding warrants after he allegedly tried to steal his ex-girlfriend’s car near the Fairview Park office complex.

Police said that the 33-year-old Reston man was seen acting disorderly and trying to steal the car around 9:30 p.m. yesterday (Thursday).

“Officers arrived and the man walked into an apartment and refused to come out,” police said. “He was taken into custody while trying to escape out the rear of the apartment.”

Police said they arrested him on two outstanding warrants for burglary and grand larceny.

File photo

People with green thumbs can now return to their rented garden plots from Fairfax County.

The county’s Park Authority reopened its 671 garden plots yesterday, according to Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust’s newsletter.

The plots are now available from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and all of the rules apply except for active gardening guidelines, according to the county.

“Gardeners must self-sanitize water hydrants after use and no tools may be shared,” according to the county.

More from the county:

Gardeners are expected to comply with all COVID 19 health and social distancing requirements.

We ask that gardeners:

• Maintain the recommended social distance of six feet from other gardeners.
• Please wipe the handles of the water hydrant after you use it.
• Do not share garden tools with others.
• Wearing gloves and a mask are recommended when interacting with others.
• Please begin to wrap up gardening activities by 5:45 p.m. so that staff can close the gates and replace parking lot barricades by 6 p.m.

Tysons Reporter previously reported on the Tysons-area garden plots, which are available at Nottoway Park in Vienna and Lewsinville Park in McLean.

Parks and park amenities are still closed in the county.