Veterans Day on Monday (Nov. 11) will celebrate the servicemen and women who currently or previously served in the United States Armed Forces.
The federal holiday means many people will have a long weekend, meaning more time to relax at home, check out local events or get away.
Whether you’re hopping on a plane, speeding away in a train, hitting the roads or staying local, Tysons Reporter wants to know what your weekend travel plans are.
Fairfax County police say that an intoxicated woman kicked and tried to bite police late last night (Wednesday) after being arrested at Tysons Corner Center.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. “Mall Security called [the] police to report two people engaged in suspicious activity,” according to a police report.
Police arrested a 43-year-old woman from Leesburg for being drunk in public. While the woman was getting into the police car, she “kicked two officers and attempted to bite a third,” the report said.
Police also charged her with three counts of assault on law enforcement.
A man was rescued from an overturned Buick on Anderson Road near Magarity Road in Tysons today (Thursday).
The crash happened near Lost Dog Cafe in Tysons shortly before 12:30 p.m., Erica Webb, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Police Department, told Tysons Reporter.
Rescue personnel have now gotten the trapped man out of the car, Webb said.
“No one was transported [to the hospital],” Webb said, adding that it is unclear if the man was injured or not.
Anderson Road was briefly closed after the crash and is now open again, Webb said.
Sunrise is eyeing the site of an approved mixed-use development after the Vienna Town Council killed plans for a Sunrise facility farther up Maple Avenue.
Now, Sunrise wants to open an assisted living facility at 380 Maple Avenue, according to a Nov. 1 submission to the town.
That spot is currently the site of a contentious, approved redevelopment, which would add a four-floor building with ground-floor retail and multi-family condominium units at 380 Maple Avenue.
From Families to Seniors
The Vienna Town Council approved the plans for 380 Maple Avenue in June. But after new councilmembers joined in July, the Vienna Town Council decided to hold a public hearing on possibly rescinding the rezoning application.
In September, Dennis Rice, the owner and developer behind the development at 380 Maple Avenue, told the Vienna Town Council that selling the project to an assisted living facility could address neighbors’ lingering concerns.
“I think the town needs an assisted living facility, and it’s a good location for it,” Rice told the council in September, adding that having the development house seniors instead of families would eliminate concerns about the number of new students going to local schools.
First Proposed Facility Faced Backlash
Sunrise’s original plans to bring a facility to the Maple Avenue and Center Street received a myriad of concerns from residents and councilmembers over parking, retail and the downtown location.
In June, outgoing Councilmember Tara Bloch put forward a motion to approve the project, which would have needed five “yes” votes to pass because of a protest petition, and the Town Council ended up rejecting the proposed 82-unit facility with a 3-4 vote.
A month later, Sunrise Senior Living decided to sue Vienna officials for $30 million, alleging that the Town Council’s rejection violated the Virginia Fair Housing Law by discriminating against seniors and people with disabilities and that the Town Council treated Sunrise differently from other developers seeking rezoning under the Maple Avenue Commercial Zone.
The Town of Vienna disputes the allegation that the council violated the Virginia Fair Housing Law, according to Town Attorney Steve Briglia.
Next Steps
Town officials will soon look over Sunrise’s new plans.
The Board of Architectural Review is scheduled to discuss the facility at its work session tomorrow (Friday) at 8 a.m.
Next Wednesday (Nov. 13), the Planning Commission’s work session is set to focus on a proposed proffer amendment and conditional use permit for Sunrise.
Image via Town of Vienna, map via Google Maps
B.GOOD is getting ready to serve up grain bowls and burgers near the Spring Hill Metro station next week.
The fast-casual chain is set to open its Tysons location (1495 Cornerside Blvd, Suite 118) next Thursday (Nov. 14), Sammy Brodsky, a spokesperson for B.GOOD, told Tysons Reporter.
Diners can expect a variety of grain bowls, salads, burgers, milkshakes and smoothies, according to a press release.
The chain prides itself on offering a “wide-range of better-for-you fare to health-conscious locals,” according to a press release. This will be B.GOOD’s first spot in the D.C. area and 65th location in the U.S.
“There is a diverse population of savvy diners who know what good food is all about, and there is ongoing demand for fast, healthier food options,” Chris Fuqua, B.GOOD’s chief executive officer, said in the press release about choosing the Tysons area.
B.GOOD is one of several newcomers to Tysons West Phase III — including newly opened Smoothie King and Dunkin’ Donuts. Sandwich shop Jersey Mike’s is also planning on opening at the redevelopment across from Walmart.
A grand opening next Thursday will include smoothie samples and prize giveaways, along with free entree deals for the first 50 attendees’ next visits and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., according to the press release.
The eatery will be open from 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays.
(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) Shoppers can customize their sweats at the new Roots store set to open today (Thursday) at Tysons Corner Center.
The Canadian brand’s store is located on the second level by Victoria’s Secret and plans to open at 10 a.m., according to Francesco Tribuzio, a spokesperson for the company.
Roots sells women’s, men’s and kids’ clothing, with a focus on leisurewear and leather goods branded with the beaver logo.
“The new store at Tysons Corner will be a 4,845 square foot store designed to look like a traditional Roots cabin with original furniture and fixtures,” Tribuzio said.
The first 50 shoppers will receive a deal for $50 off a purchase of $100 or more, Tribuzio said.
Shoppers can add patches, letters or numbers to their sweat in-store and digitally personalize leather goods or the Award Jacket.
The three incumbents for the Falls Church City Council — David Tarter, Phil Duncan and Letty Hardi — won reelection yesterday.
The city announced the official results today, saying that 45% of the 9,910 active, registered voters in the city voted in the election.
“The last ‘off-year election’ (with no federal or gubernatorial races on the ballot) was Nov. 3, 2015, where 42.1% of active voters participated,” the press release said.
Here are the results for the City Council race:
- Letty C. Hardi: 31.1%
- David Tarter: 30.3%
- Philip Duncan: 25.2%
- Stuart Whitaker: 12.5%
The councilmembers will be sworn in on Monday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers (300 Park Avenue). The City Council will then vote on the mayor and vice mayor on Monday, Jan. 6.
For the city’s school board, Philip Reitinger was re-elected and will be joined by newcomers Susan Dimock and Laura Downs.
Here are the results for the school board race:
- Laura Downs: 31.5%
- Susan Dimock: 30%
- Philip Reitinger: 24.1%
- Douglass Stevens: 13.7%
Democrat Parisa Dehghani-Tafti was newly elected as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church.
Come January, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to see four new faces — and all of them are Democrats.
Democrat Dalia Palchik defeated her Republican opponent for the Providence District seat, which represents Tysons and Merrifield.
In addition to Palchik, new faces on the 10-member board will include Democrats James Walkinshaw for the Braddock District, Walter Alcorn for the Hunter Mill District and Rodney Lusk for the Lee District, according to unofficial election results.
Voters reelected Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, along with Penny Gross (Mason District), Daniel Storck (Mount Vernon), Kathy Smith (Sully) and Pat Herrity (Springfield).
With Republican John Cook, who represents the Braddock District, retiring, Herrity will be the only Republican on the board.
Current Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay won the board’s chair.
Absentee votes now counted and Pat Herrity (R) has hung on in Springfield District in Fairfax County- the last Republican standing on a new Board of Supervisors that will be 9-1 Democratic. School Board will now be 12-0 Democratic.
— Ben Tribbett (@notlarrysabato) November 6, 2019
In a celebratory newsletter thanking her supporters, Palchik wrote, “I am proud to be the first Latina to hold this position.”
Palchik, who currently who is the Providence District member on the Fairfax County School Board, ran on a platform focused on education funding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In an interview with Tysons Reporter, Palchik said that she wants to tackle affordable housing — “the number one challenge… in the Tysons area” — and finding solutions to the last mile challenge.
“Big Win” for Democrats
Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34) called yesterday’s election a “big win” for Democrats in Virginia. For the first time since 1993, Democrats took control of both the State Senate and the House of Delegates.
Murphy told attendees at a Democratic watch party last night to think about the “misery we felt” when former Rep. Barbara Comstock won the 10th congressional district.
“We never wanted to feel that way again,” Murphy. “So what did we do? We went out and we won.”
Virginia Democrats win majorities in both the state House and Senate, giving them control of the legislature and the governorship for the first time in 26 years. Follow our full U.S. election coverage. https://t.co/z2PXWC7DHk
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 6, 2019
Voters Approve Funding for Public School Renovations
Fairfax County voters also OK’d a $360 million school bond referendum that includes $2 million in planning funds for a new “Silver Line elementary school,” along with:
- $19.5 million in construction funds for adding an addition to Madison High School in Vienna
- $49.6 million in construction funds for renovating Cooper Middle School in McLean
- $1.7 million in planning funds for renovating Louise Archer Elementary School in Vienna
Fairfax County uses bonds to pay for renovating and building new schools.
Kalina Newman contributed to this story.
It’s been two years since the fatal shooting of a Tysons man by U.S. Park Police, and McLean residents want answers.
The FBI has been investigating the Nov. 17, 2017 shooting where two U.S. Park Police fired into a Jeep Grand Cherokee and hit Bijan Ghaisar, a 25-year-old.
In June, U.S. Senators joined the call for answers in the shooting.
Tonight (Wednesday), the McLean Citizens Association is set to discuss a draft of a resolution that would urge the Park Police and FBI “to disclose urgently the findings from their investigation, in the interest of transparency and accountability to our community.”
MCA made a similar effort last year to obtain new information, according to the draft resolution.
“The Park Service and FBI have disclosed little information about the shooting despite numerous requests from Mr. Ghaisar’s family, elected representatives in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, state and local government representatives, the Washington Post, and our community,” the resolution says.
The MCA meeting is set to take place at 7:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center.
Now that Halloween and the election, Santa Claus is coming to Tysons for photos with kids and pets.
Presented by HGTV, the “Santa HQ” is returning to Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) on Saturday (Nov. 9) to let families “explore the wonder of Santa in the digital age,” according to a press release.
More about the HGTV event:
HGTV Santa HQ guests can customize their individual experience by using augmented reality to view the Elf Academy in magical ways. Visitors can use the workshop’s Magic Mirror to transform into one of Santa’s elves.
Guests can virtually change their elf’s outfits, create customized Elf Academy ID collector cards at the Elf ID station, explore Santa’s Workshop and Elf Academy using ELF-RAY Vision and test out the Naughty O’ Nice Meter. Families can continue their adventure with a custom photo opportunity and an in-person visit with Santa inside his modernized sleigh.
Adding another dimension to the holiday experience, Tysons Corner Center will provide multiple camera angles to capture your family’s entire Santa experience.
Photo packages start at $39.99. Santa HQ will be available until Dec. 25, according to the press release.
Shoppers at the mall can also bring an unwrapped toy and participate in “Help Through Holiday Giving” that will support the Salvation Army’s Giving Tree.
Additional Christmas events at the mall include:
- Nov. 15: Holiday Tree Lighting on The Plaza from 6-9 p.m.
- Dec. 7: Breakfast With Santa from 8-11 a.m.
- Nov. 9-Dec. 24: Dreamworks Spirit Activation
- Tuesdays from Nov. 19-Dec. 17: Sensory Santa from 6-8 p.m.
- Dec. 9 and Dec. 16: Yappy Hour from 6-8 p.m.
Over at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive), kids can take photos with Santa from Friday, Nov. 15 through Tuesday, Dec. 24. People can sign up for free photo packages from Nov. 9-27.
Santa will also do pet pictures from Nov. 18 until Dec. 16. with photo packages starting at $39.99.
The “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” photo takeover, Brookfield Properties and Autism Speaks are partnering up to offer “Santa Cares Day” — a sensory-friendly event for families with kids with autism and other special needs to take pictures with Santa — on Nov. 24.
