Housing a Focus of County Board Chair Race — Primary challenger Lisa Downing “cited as her chief concern the shortage of homes in the county that are large enough and also affordable to middle-income families in the region.” Chairman Jeff McKay says there are 4,000 units of affordable housing “in the development pipeline and in the past year invested $94 million toward its goal” of 10,000 new units by 2034. [Washington Post]
County Resident Arrested in Alexandria Shooting — “A 28-year-old Fairfax County man wanted for a Jan. 4 shooting incident faces numerous charges after allegedly striking an Alexandria Police Department cruiser in the Landmark area earlier this month.” [ALXnow]
Hybla Valley ES Nears Finish on Renovation — “The two-year, $33 million renovation project at Hybla Valley Elementary School is substantially complete, and the building has been turned over for use, according to a spokesperson from Fairfax County Public Schools…Work is expected to be complete by Memorial Day, with minor project closeout work to be performed over the summer” [On the MoVe]
Annandale Bank to Close This Summer — “The Wells Fargo Bank at 4260 John Marr Drive in Annandale will permanently close on July 26, states a letter to customers from District Senior Manager William Lionhood. Other Wells Fargo branches will remain open” [Annandale Today]
State Covid Hospitalization Data Dashboard Discontinued — “The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association will discontinue its COVID-19 dashboard on Thursday. The dashboard was first made available in April 2020 and has been updated daily with information from Virginia hospitals about the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 cases.” [Inside NoVA]
New Capital One Ballpark Draws Crowds — “The much anticipated Capital One Park opened in early April, and the new open-air state-of-the-art baseball stadium on Route 123 in McLean near Tysons drew rave reviews and generated big crowds and much excitement from spectators, players and coaches.” [Gazette Leader]
Capital One Hall Builder Wins International Design Award — “HGA has been selected as a winner in the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) 2023 Interior Design Competition in the Entertainment category for Capital One Hall in Tysons…The award will be presented at REVEL in Design, IIDA’s annual kick-off to NeoCon June 11, 2023, in Chicago.” [HGA]
Historic Lorton Houses to Open for Tours — “May is Historic Preservation Month…Curators with the Park Authority’s Resident Curator Program will host two open house events to share the home improvements made to two of Lorton’s historic houses. Enjoy a tour of the Stempson House and the Hannah P. Clark/Enyedi House on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.” [FCPA]
It’s Thursday — Light rain. Cloudy. Mild. High of 67 and low of 49. Sunrise at 6:15 am and sunset at 7:56 pm. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 12:20 a.m. on 4/27/2023) Preliminary construction activities will kick into gear this weekend on a long-gestating project to move part of an electric transmission line underground in the Spring Hill area of Tysons.
Starting this Friday (April 28) evening, Dominion Energy will close the Vesper Trail from Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) to Vesper Street so its crews can install a manhole needed for the project, spokesperson Peggy Fox said. The trail closure will last until Tuesday (May 2).
“This closure is necessary to keep community members safe while we install a manhole,” Fox told FFXnow.
Replacing an existing above-ground line, the new 230-kilovolt transmission line will span approximately half a mile from Dominion’s Tyco Road substation to the vicinity of a planned Spring Hill substation just southwest of Leesburg Pike and Spring Hill Road.
An underground line will be safer and less visually obtrusive, while helping Tysons meet the demand for electricity as the area continues to develop, Dominion has said. Removal of the existing overhead line will also “facilitate” construction on The View, a mixed-use development planned next to the Spring Hill Metro station, according to documents filed with the State Corporation Commission.
The project was endorsed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in March 2020 and approved by the SCC on June 24, 2021.
Dominion notified residents in the area on April 14 that construction on the power line would begin this month, noting that the county has waived noise restrictions for the project until Oct. 31 since some work will occur at night.
“To limit traffic impacts on major roadways, particularly Leesburg Pike, construction will be performed at night,” the utility company said. “This allows our crews to obtain necessary lane closures to complete the work safely and efficiently.”
Split into five phases, the project includes the installation of two manholes, which will occur throughout the day and night so they can be completed “as expeditiously as possible.”
“There will be more impacts to the trail in fall 2023 when we begin installing the underground line in this area, and outreach will take place prior,” Fox said by email. “No impacts to electric service are anticipated as a result of this work.”
Including the addition of a transition pole at the end of the new line and removal of the old overhead line, the project is expected to finish in late 2024. At that point, Dominion says it will begin construction on the Spring Hill substation, which will occupy a 1-acre site near Raglan Road Park.
The new substation will support customers south of Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and outside of I-495, according to Dominion.
The Town of Vienna will reduce its real estate tax rate by a full cent for the upcoming fiscal year 2024, which begins July 1.
Approved unanimously by the town council on Monday (April 24), the reduction is bigger than the quarter-cent decrease first proposed by Town Manager Mercury Payton last month, but it still won’t be enough to completely counterbalance the rising property values most homeowners experienced this year.
The new tax rate of 19.5 cents per $100 of assessed value represents the 11th consecutive year where the town has adopted a flat or reduced rate compared to the previous year, according to a press release.
“While that rate doesn’t quite equalize everyone, it does help account for the increase in assessments,” Vienna Finance Director Marion Serfass told the town council. “…As homeowners in Vienna, we’re all pleased to know our houses are increasing in value. We’re not quite so pleased to pay increased taxes on them, but this lowering of the tax rate will offset that somewhat.”
On average, real estate assessments in Vienna increased by 10% this year, Mayor Linda Colbert said in the press release.
According to Colbert, the town council asked staff to revisit their financial forecasts to see if it would be possible to “to reduce that burden on taxpayers.”
“Thanks to conservative budgeting, no increase in health insurance rates for Town staff and an increase in other revenues reported later in the budget process, the finance staff determined that Vienna could further reduce the tax rate in the proposed budget and still operate at high standards,” Colbert said.
When presenting his proposed $50.1 million budget in March, Payton said the town anticipated getting increased revenue from business licenses, meals and sales taxes and interest rates, enabling it to address inflation and employee compensation.
Though the one-cent real estate tax rate reduction won’t stop many residents from getting higher bills, it will lower the average increase while allowing the town to maintain a rainy day fund with over 18% of the next year’s budget, the town says.
“We don’t want to be in a position where we cut the tax rate too far,” Serfass said. “We’re all worried about storms on the horizon. We don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, so we’re trying to be conservative.”
The proposed budget, which adds one staff position each in the public works and planning departments, is scheduled to go before the town council for a final vote on May 15.
Going forward, all Fairfax County Public Schools workers will be required to undergo regular background checks and notify the school system of any arrests while they’re employed.
The expanded background check policies will be implemented after an investigation last year found “systemic gaps” in the hiring process, FCPS announced yesterday (Tuesday).
The independent investigation was prompted by the discovery that former Glasgow Middle School counselor Darren Thornton had remained employed for months after he was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in Chesterfield County.
Effective since March 12, the new regulation is part of a “continuing effort to provide safe schools and workplaces for all students and staff,” FCPS said.
All employees, including temporary, hourly and substitute staff, will be reviewed through the National Sex Offender Registry, starting this month. This summer, anyone hired before August 2006 will also need to make an appointment where their fingerprints can be scanned for review by the Virginia State Police and FBI.
Employees hired between Aug. 1, 2006 and July 1, 2022 already have digital fingerprint scans on file, so those will be automatically resubmitted, FCPS says.
All employees are now required to disclose to the FCPS Office of Equity and Employee Relations (EER) any arrests for felonies, misdemeanors or other “acts that impact a person’s ability to work” that occurred after they were hired.
FCPS says its Department of Human Resources will start submitting all employees for criminal record background checks “periodically to monitor for unreported criminal record activity.”
“Additional types of background checks may also be used for periodic monitoring,” FCPS said. “Not every arrest would lead to action; however, a barrier crime, felony or a crime that impacts a person’s ability to work may have cause for dismissal.”
FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid told families on Aug. 18 that Thornton had been fired after officials were notified of his March 11 conviction and sentencing, which called for supervised probation in place of a suspended five-year jail sentence.
Thornton was originally arrested in November 2020, but Chesterfield police later said their emails alerting FCPS to the sex crime charge bounced back. The 50-year-old Mechanicsville resident was arrested for a second time in a separate sting operation on June 9, 2022.
After he was terminated by FCPS, Virginia State Police arrested Thornton for failing to provide complete and accurate information to the state’s sex offender registry.
In addition to indicating that it will require regular background checks, the Fairfax County School Board said following the independent investigation in September that it will make changes to its processes for verifying licensure, documenting employee leave and dismissing workers convicted of certain crimes.
David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, expressed support for the new background check policies, stating that the Thornton case showed the limits of relying solely on law enforcement for notification of crimes by employees.
“Ensuring that employees have a clean criminal record at the start their career is important but ensuring that employees maintain clean criminal records is an important part of ensuring the safety of our students and staff,” Walrod said in a statement. “I commend the district for taking this step, and I am glad to see that Dr. Reid has taken decisive steps to ensure this happens.”
Spurred by the Thornton case, the General Assembly passed a law last month requiring all public school divisions in Virginia to designate a contact for law enforcement and courts who will manage reports related to any school employee arrests or convictions for felonies. Sponsored by state Sen. Scott Surovell, the measure will take effect on July 1.
Narcan Distributed at FCPS Opioid Town Hall — “At Woodson High School on Monday night, health officials, educators, and police addressed the issue at a town hall…Additionally, families were trained in how to use Narcan, and then dozens lined up outside the town hall to receive their own doses.” [DC News Now]
New Plan to Reduce Helicopter Noise Announced — “Helicopters will fly at higher altitudes and flight paths over Northern Virginia will soon be altered to reduce helicopter noise, US Representative Don Beyer announced Tuesday alongside representatives from the federal government, the aeronautics industry, and elected officials from Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, and Fairfax.” [Washingtonian]
Special Grand Jury Sought for Tysons Police Shooting — “Carl Crews, an attorney for the family of Timothy McCree Johnson, said he was informed Tuesday by Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano that a judge had approved the prosecutor’s request to empanel the special grand jury.” Last week, a grand jury declined to indict the officer who allegedly fired the shots that killed Johnson. [Associated Press/WTOP]
School Zone Speed Cameras Now Issuing Citations — “On April 10th the County started issuing citations to drivers going 10mph and over the limit in the selected areas. Prior to this, drivers violating the speed limit in these locations only received a warning. Over 1200 warnings were issued between February and April 10th.” [Jeff McKay newsletter]
FCPD Welcomes Most Rookies in a Decade — “This week, Chief Kevin Davis welcomed 56 candidates starting their first day at the FCPD Academy. Session 84 is the largest academy class in almost 10 years and one of the most diverse classes ever.” The department is working with George Mason University on a long-term study to understand how officers adapt over their careers. [FCPD]
Del. Seibold Reflects on First Legislative Session — “Del. Holly Seibold (D-Oakton-Vienna) accumulated a pretty good batting average in her rookie season, at least when it comes to getting bills enacted into law.” The General Assembly unanimously passed and Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed two of her five submitted bills — one letting courts appoint an interpreter for speech-impaired and deaf individuals and another dealing with the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. [Gazette Leader]
Reston Cybersecurity Company Acquired — “Just about eight months after the Baltimore-based ZeroFox went public on the Nasdaq with a valuation of over $1 billion, the cloud-based security and analytics product suite provider has announced its acquisition of LookingGlass Cyber Solutions in a deal comprising 9.4 million shares of stock, convertible debt and cash.” [Technical.ly]
Vienna Farmers Market to Return Next Week — “The Vienna Optimists’ Farmers Market will make its springtime return to the Vienna Community Center on Saturday, May 6 from 8 a.m. to noon. Now in its 16th season, the market…will feature about two dozen local vendors, accompanied by lively music from local performers.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Wednesday — Light rain. Increasing cloudiness. Mild. High of 66 and low of 43. Sunrise at 6:17 am and sunset at 7:55 pm. [Weather.gov]
The primary for Fairfax County commonwealth’s attorney may be the most cutthroat race on the ballot in a year when local voters will also choose representatives on the Board of Supervisors, school board and General Assembly.
On Friday (April 21), Democratic incumbent Steve Descano and challenger Ed Nuttall appeared together on WAMU’s “The Politics Hour,” the weekly radio show hosted by Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood, and the conversation got spicy.
At one point, Descano accused Nuttall of associating with “MAGA, antisemitic conspiracy theorists.” Nuttall responded by calling Descano “a liar” and “incompetent.”
There was also considerable back-and-forth about each other’s work backgrounds, current crime rates, office morale, management styles, and political affiliations.
In between arguments and personal attacks, though, the candidates managed to work in some policy debate, disagreeing on how the commonwealth’s attorney’s office (CA’s office) should handle cases involving police officers, where to allocate county funding, and how to best support victims of violent crimes.
Descano and Nuttle did find common ground on some issues. Both agreed they wouldn’t prosecute residents for getting an abortion or purchasing the pill mifepristone if those health care options were ever limited or outright banned.
The two also praised the Board of Supervisors for its continued funding of the top county prosecutor’s office over the last two budget cycles, though they diverged on how exactly the money should be used.
But the agreements were overshadowed by discord and name-calling from the two Democratic candidates.
One of the main areas of conversation was how the CA’s office works with victims of violent crimes. On his campaign website, Nuttall pledges to hire a “victim services liaison” if elected to ensure victims’ concerns are heard — a part of the job that he says Descano has “mismanaged.”
“There are zero communications between the victim services department and the police department and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office,” Nuttall said. “They don’t get along. They don’t communicate. He doesn’t return their phone calls. He doesn’t return emails.”
When asked if he believes Descano is doing this purposefully, Nuttall said it’s more about not knowing how to do the job.
“I think he doesn’t know how to handle crime. I think he mismanages the office. I think he’s incompetent,” the challenger said.
Descano countered that he’s made the office more professional with more hires, while improving its electronic database. He’s focused on diversion programs, which he says have made community members safer and more trusting of the legal system. Descano also highlighted a bond data dashboard released last year as evidence of his office’s transparency.
“What we’ve done is…made [the office] run more efficiently, made it run better, made it run better for victims,” Descano said. “One thing that really bothers me about this race is that Ed Nuttall…is being the Republican that he is and has taken Republican talking points and, quite frankly disgustingly, is using victims in a way that is pretty gross.”
Nuttall accused Descano of creating so much disharmony between his office and the Fairfax County Police Department that dozens of officers have left the force, leaving the department understaffed and overwhelmed. He also said a number of prosecutors have departed due to Descano’s management style.
Descano disputed that assertion, noting that the FCPD has the largest recruiting class in more than a decade. He said his office staff has “doubled” with only a 6% vacancy rate. In addition, the office’s casework is greater.
“We are one of the few Commonwealth Attorney’s offices in the entire Commonwealth that handles both felony and misdemeanor crimes,” Descano said.
Nuttall said many of those hires were “non-legal, essentially political positions,” including several social media people.
“What he’s done is instead of using those resources for prosecuting violent felonies, he’s lost violent felonies on discovery violations,” Nuttall said. “He’s lost important cases. He’s retraumatized victims by failing to provide the essential services that he needs.”
Police shootings also came up, including the Feb. 22 fatal shooting of Timothy Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center. Last week, a grand jury opted not to indict the officer accused of firing the fatal shot. Descano said, in his mind, it remains “an open case” and is looking for a path forward, while Nuttall said he would stand by the decision the grand jury made.
In December, Descano announced he would seek reelection after his narrow 2019 victory. Two months later, Nuttall, a former county prosecutor turned private defense lawyer, declared he would challenge Descano in the Democratic primary.
The “Politics Hour” conversation showcased the vitriol between the two campaigns. Descano accused his challenger of seeking support from “MAGA, antisemitic conspiracy theorists” after Nuttall appears to have welcomed a donation from someone who was spouting antisemitic rhetoric.
Nuttall denied that the incident played out as described, saying he asked for a donation prior to the person’s offensive remarks and postings.
“I am not antisemitic. I am not MAGA,” Nuttall said. “I am not a Republican.”
The Democratic primary will be held on June 20, with early voting set to begin May 5.
When Vienna Elementary School celebrates its 150th anniversary next month, the occasion will double as a milestone for the entire Fairfax County Public Schools system.
Opened in 1923, the 74,904-square-foot home of the Vikings at 128 Center Street South is the oldest continuously operating public school building in the county, though the school as an institution can trace its origins back to the founding of FCPS in 1870.
“Vienna was one of the first three or four schools that began FCPS,” Vienna Elementary principal John Carmichael said. “So, while we’re celebrating Vienna’s birthday, it’s really Fairfax County Public Schools’ birthday as well.”
Vienna Elementary School will commemorate its sesquicentennial by hosting a birthday party on May 19 to excite the 381 students who currently fill its halls, complete with cake, games, music and food from Vienna Inn.
Carmichael and other school administrators have been planning for the celebration for about a year now. Around Thanksgiving, they brought current and former parents of students into the fold by convening a committee to help organize and promote the event.
While there will be speeches reflecting on the school’s history, including recognition of its segregated beginnings, the organizers want to keep the proceedings fun and engaging for all students, from kindergarteners to sixth graders, Carmichael told FFXnow.
Aside from the president of the school’s student council association, a sixth-grader who will comment on her time at the school, kids will be able to savor the treats and games free of any obligations.
“We want the students to be able to enjoy and, just as they would in a birthday, get to play games, activities, have cake and eat food,” he said, noting that some students have asked if he remembers what it was like when the school first opened.
Though he does “have the white hair,” he quipped, Carmichael’s memories don’t stretch back quite that far.
Vienna Elementary cites 1872 as its founding year, since that’s when the original school building on its current site opened. However, that location was preceded by one on Park Street between Church Street and Maple Avenue that was established for white students only in 1870 after Virginia passed the Public Free Schools Act.
“Two segregated schools operated in Vienna during those early years,” Jeff Clark, an FCPS spokesperson and unofficial resident historian, said. “The Vienna ‘Colored’ School, as it was called in historic records, for Black children, operated out of a church on Lawyers Road until a one-room schoolhouse was constructed in the 1890s.”
The “colored” school later became Louise Archer Elementary School, whose first principal will soon be honored with a historical marker.
The existing Vienna Elementary School building was the fourth one on the Center Street site. Preceded by a four-room school that burned down in 1919, the facility was built in 1922 and consisted of eight classrooms and an auditorium before expanding with subsequent additions and renovations — most recently in 2010, per the FCPS capital improvement program.
The school remained segregated until 1965, when FCPS finally integrated schools system-wide.
Carmichael says he plans to acknowledge that history in his opening remarks at next month’s celebration. Other attendees will include Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid, Providence District School Board Representative Karl Frisch, and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.
A Facebook page has been set up so people can RSVP to the event. Anyone who attended Vienna Elementary or is otherwise connected to the school is welcome to stop by, Carmichael says.
“We’re trying to just bring anybody that may have gone to the school in the past,” he said. “If they’re able to come, they’re more than welcome to join, because at the end of the day, a school is really just a family. It’s a community.”
Photo via Google Maps
McDonalds and Chick-fil-A will soon have some new competition for Vienna high school students looking to chow down while relaxing with friends after class.
The D.C.-based fast food chain Z-Burger is set to open later this spring in the former Pizza Hut at 541 Maple Avenue West, continuing an expansion into Northern Virginia that began in McLean and recently spread to Alexandria.
Adjacent to 7-Eleven and a Shell gas station, the restaurant is within walking distance of James Madison High School and Louise Archer Elementary School.
“We’re going to be mostly catering to the schools, the high school…Over there is a void for a really good burger place,” co-owner Peter Tabibian said, describing Z-Burger as closer in quality and approach to Shake Shack or Five Guys than the McDonald’s across the street.
After launching Z-Burger in Tenleytown in 2008, Tabibian has been working with his business partner, McLean resident Kevin Ejtemai, to expand the restaurant’s footprint beyond D.C. The pair are also behind the Persian restaurant Maman Joon, whose latest location opened at Tysons Corner Center earlier this month.
Though the windows are still covered by paper, Z-Burger has finished building out its roughly 1,200-square-foot space in Vienna, according to Tabibian. Employees are now being trained at the McLean location.
He anticipates that the new restaurant will open around mid-May.
In addition to beef burgers, Z-Burger sells chicken sandwiches, cheesesteaks, veggie burgers, hot dogs and 75 different flavors of milkshakes, which Tabibian says are popular with both kids and adults.
“We can compete with any of those guys, the burger guys, because we have a little bit more variety and we use really good ingredients,” he said. “Our meat is the foundation of our success because everything is fresh.”
The business also makes an effort to get involved with the local community, whether that giving some proceeds to schools during “Dining for Dollars” fundraisers or handing out free burgers when the federal government shuts down.
“We do a lot of stuff for the community,” Tabibian said. “That’s who serves us, so we try to help out where we can.”
Photo via Z-Burger/Instagram
County’s Last Bed Bath & Beyond to Close — After three Fairfax County locations closed earlier this year, Bed Bath & Beyond’s recent bankruptcy filing means the last holdout in Bailey’s Crossroads will soon follow suit. With all 360 remaining stores shuttering by June 30, sales after tomorrow (Wednesday) will be final, and stores will stop accepting gift cards on May 8. [Annandale Today]
Motorcyclist Dies in Crash on I-66 — “A 29-year-old motorcyclist died late Friday night after a crash on Interstate 66 in Fairfax County, Virginia State Police say. Jeffrey R. Armstrong, of Sterling, was driving a 2006 Suzuki GSX east on I-66 near mile marker 50 at around 11:25 p.m. Friday when police said the cycle rear ended a 2003 Honda Odyssey, ejecting him from the bike.” [WTOP]
Former FCPD Officer in Taser Incident Hired in Minneapolis — “A former Fairfax County police officer, who was charged with assault in June 2020 after bodycam video showed him arriving and quickly firing his Taser at a disoriented Black man, is now under investigation by the Minnesota police department that hired him.” [FOX5]
New Guidance Issued on Covid Vaccines — “On April 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced simplified COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.” As of Friday (April 21), Virginia has implemented the new rules allowing “individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness to receive an optional additional dose of the updated (bivalent) mRNA vaccine.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
Virginia Driver’s Licenses Get New, More Secure Design — “New driver’s license and ID card designs are rolling out in Virginia starting today, the Commonwealth’s Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday. The design features the Richmond Capitol building’s rotunda dome, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (the state insect), and an American Dogwood (the state flower).” [DCist]
Sen. Warner Discusses Issues Affecting Korean American Community — “In a meeting with the Korean community in Annandale April 22, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) spoke about issues ranging from the need to support local businesses to the reunification of Korea. Warner said he supports initiatives to help small businesses gain access to capital, increased investments in education and affordable housing, and efforts to crack down on hate crimes against Asians.” [Annandale Today]
Virginia Resumes Grading Schools on Absenteeism — “During the pandemic, the state suspended using a school’s chronic absenteeism rate as a factor in measuring school performance. But this week, the Virginia Board of Education shot down a proposal to extend that suspension to the 2022-2023 school year, meaning that for the first time since classrooms went virtual, attendance will be considered in school accreditation.” [The Washington Post]
Reston Library to Hold Book Sale This Week — “This is our largest one, typically held twice a year at Reston Regional. We offer 35-40,000 items, in over 20 categories. There are NO children’s books at these sales.” After a preview tomorrow, the sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday (April 30). [Friends of Reston Regional Library]
It’s Tuesday — Broken clouds. Cool. High of 61 and low of 41. Sunrise at 6:18 am and sunset at 7:54 pm. [Weather.gov]
Updated at 11:35 a.m. on 4/27/2023 — With rain in the forecast tomorrow (Friday), the cherry tree plantings have been postponed to May 6, the Tysons Community Alliance announced today.
Earlier: This year’s cherry blossom season has come and gone, but in Tysons, the seeds for future flowers are about to take root.
The Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), the nonprofit community improvement organization formed to replace the Tysons Partnership, has partnered with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to obtain and plant 17 cherry trees around the urban center.
The trees will be planted at Tysons Corner Center and Scotts Run this Friday (April 28), which is not coincidentally also Arbor Day.
“We chose cherry trees as our first official planting in Tysons because of their beautiful blooms and rich history in the region,” Tysons Community Alliance interim CEO Rich Bradley said. “Moreover, by partnering with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to plant these trees, it allows us to be an official part of what has become a truly regional celebration and one of the largest festivals in the country.”
About 50 volunteers are needed for the plantings, according to the TCA. They can participate in one or both of the two scheduled shifts:
Shift 1
- Location: Scotts Run, 1651 Old Meadow Rd, Tysons, VA, 22102
- Volunteer arrival time: 7:30 a.m.
- Training session: 7:45 a.m.
- Planting begins: 8 a.m.
Shift 2
- Location: I-495 pedestrian bridge (Tysons Corner Center side)
- Volunteer arrival time: 11:30 a.m.
- Training session: 11:45 a.m.
- Planting begins: noon
An official ceremony to celebrate the plantings is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Scotts Run trailhead.
The Arbor Day event extends a collaboration between the TCA and the festival that began earlier this month with the first annual “Pedal with Petals” family bicycle ride. The partnership was announced at the alliance’s official launch in February.
Held from March 20 to April 14 this year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival works with the nonprofit Casey Trees to plant trees around the D.C. area. The TCA will be responsible for maintaining the new trees in Tysons going forward, according to a spokesperson.
