A stormwater retention project in Vienna that officials say will help contain runoff and slow down traffic is set to get another infusion of Fairfax County funds.
The county’s Board of Supervisors authorized staff last week to provide an additional $54,000 for the Town of Vienna’s Tapawingo and Kingsley road urban bioretention project. The vote took place without discussion at the board’s Feb. 21 meeting.
The money will come in addition to $200,000 that the county already allocated to the project under a funding agreement originally signed in October 2018.
“The increased Project cost is attributable to rising construction costs and larger bioretention cells needed to maximize water quality benefits,” county staff said in a memo explaining their recommendation that the agreement be amended.
The project will add two bioretention areas — or rain gardens — along Meadow Lane SW: one at the Tapawingo Road intersection and another further south at the Kingsley Road intersection.
To accommodate the cells, the existing corner pavement will be demolished and replaced with extended curbs, according to Vienna plans. The cells will be covered with a combination of perennial plants, such as switchgrass and bee balm, as well as grass sod.
According to county staff, the cells will treat stormwater runoff as it goes into Hunter’s Branch of the Accotink Creek watershed, providing “nutrient reduction and improved water quality.”
“Green stormwater controls are not only an aesthetic benefit provided by integrating nature into the urban built environment, but also planted cells are effective at removing nitrogen, phosphorous and in remediating metals that pose health impacts to aquatic life,” staff said. “For this reason, alternatives such as underground storage basins that offer limited infiltration and water quality improvement were not preferred.”
In addition to the stormwater benefits, town officials anticipate the curb extensions will help calm traffic on Meadow Lane, a 30-foot-wide street in a residential neighborhood, county staff said.
The road’s travel lanes at the Tapawingo and Kingsley intersections will be restricted to 20 feet wide, according to Vienna project manager Alan Chen.
The design, which was developed by Urban Ltd., also proposes 10-foot-wide crosswalks on all four sides of the Tapawingo intersection and on the north and east sides of the Kingsley intersection. The final design was presented at a community meeting on Nov. 3, 2021.
Under the 2018 agreement, Fairfax County agreed to cover the design and construction cost of the stormwater facilities. The additional funds authorized last week will cover the increased construction costs for the bioretention areas — but not for the curb extensions, Chen said.
The curb extensions and other remaining costs are Vienna’s responsibility, Chen told FFXnow. The town council will vote on whether to approve $84,564 for the project and the amended funding agreement on April 10.
In all, the project will cost just under $338,565. Assuming the town council approves Vienna’s portion and the new agreement, the town anticipates construction will begin in May.
Photo via Fairfax County
Northern Virginia leaders are taking steps to assist victims of the earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria in early February.
In an effort organized by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), elected leaders plan to announce a local aid program to collect funds that will be used to purchase food packages for those affected by the disaster.
In a release, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay said the profound loss of life in Turkey and Syria is heartbreaking.
”But I’m proud to be a part of a community that rallies together to help those in need both regionally and internationally,” McKay said.
The goal is to raise $25,000, according to NVRC Executive Director Robert Lazaro Jr. The money will be used to purchase more than eight tons of food. Each package contains 30 pounds of food and costs $45.
“We are working with [the nongovernmental organization Embrace Relief] that is purchasing food packages in Turkey which in turn are distributed to area residents,” Lazaro said in a release.
NVRC Chair John Chapman said residents and businesses have always stepped up to help those in need. Previously, the region collaborated on a winter clothes drive that sent tons of blankets, coats, socks and gloves to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion.
“This time is no different. I urge folks to visit the website to make a donation to provide food to those families tragically impacted by the earthquake,” said Chapman.
Members of Fairfax County’s Virginia Task Force 1 search and rescue team were deployed to Turkey and Syria after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit on Feb. 6, killing thousands of people and displacing millions. As of yesterday (Wednesday), the death toll reached roughly 51,000 people.
The task force, which was part of a national response team assembled by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), returned to Fairfax County on Feb. 20 after 11 days of searching for survivors.
Leaders will officially announce the program at the Fairfax County Government Center Forum on Friday (March 3) at 3 p.m. In the meantime, the commission has set up a link to collect donations for the victims.
Photo via VA-TF1/Twitter
(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) A law clerk and former D.C. police officer who also coaches freshman football at Herndon High School has launched a primary challenge against Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid.
Kelvin Garcia announced yesterday (Wednesday) that he will campaign for the Democratic nomination, positioning himself as a more progressive alternative to Kincaid.
Kincaid confirmed to FFXnow in December that she will seek reelection. She became the county’s first female sheriff when she initially took office after winning a special election in 2013.
“To me, there are two sides right now to the Democratic Party on the ballot this year,” Garcia said, as reported by the Washington Post. “There’s the old-world moderate and the progressive who wants to build a future for everyone.”
In addition to serving as an assistant freshman football coach for the Herndon Hornets, Garcia works as a law clerk for the firm Liberty Legal LC after spending a decade as a D.C. police officer from 2008 to 2019, according to his LinkedIn page.
According to the Post, Garcia decided to campaign for sheriff based on concerns about Kincaid’s management of the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, stating that he would make the first 30 minutes of inmates’ phone calls to family members free and house individuals based on their gender identity rather than sex.
The sheriff’s office currently classifies inmates based on their genitals.
A transgender woman sued the sheriff’s office in November 2020, alleging that she experienced discrimination and harassment while incarcerated at the county jail. A federal appeals court panel ruled in August that gender dysphoria is a condition protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, allowing the lawsuit to continue.
In a press release issued today (Thursday), Garcia said the county needs to “invest in people as they leave our facilities to break the revolving door that brings them right back” into the criminal justice system.
“Our system has let too many people fall through the cracks for far too long, and these problems start at the top,” Garcia said. “It’s time for a fresh perspective in Fairfax County — a perspective that will support every member of our community and leave no one behind. I’ll be honored to lead that effort.”
The primary election will be held on June 20, with general elections on Nov. 7.
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is ready to roll up its window in Vienna.
The latest franchise from the Pennsylvania-based ice cream company will open for business today (Thursday) at 237 Maple Avenue in Glyndon Plaza, a public relations representative confirmed to FFXnow.
The new shop will operate daily from noon to 9 p.m., following the same hours as other Bruster’s locations, including the one in Fairfax City.
“We are so excited to be a part of the community of which we are longtime residents,” Mohammed and Aisha Tariq, who own the Vienna franchise, said by email. “We visited the Bruster’s of Glen Burnie for years and are thrilled to have our own location and join the Vienna business community.”
The Tariqs have experience in the business world as operators of the First Start Childcare and Learning Center in Elkridge, Maryland. They were inspired to go from Bruster’s fans to owners by their kids, who they foresee potentially working at the shop once they’re older.
“We are excited for the opportunity to employ local youth in the area and teach them how to be successful entrepreneurs,” they said.
As previously reported, Bruster’s opened its first store in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, in 1989 and started franchising in 1993. It now has over 200 independently owned locations across 22 states, Guyana and South Korea, according to its website.
The business produces over 150 flavors that its franchises offered on a rotating basis. All of the ice cream is made on-site at each shop.
In addition, Bruster’s has limited-time and seasonal offerings, along with non-dairy, non-fat, sugar-free sorbets and sherbets. The featured flavors for March is a “Dino or Dirt Sundae” and “Cookie Craze,” which is described as blue vanilla ice cream with Oreo cookie chunks, crushed dinosaur-shaped sugar cookies, and cookie dough pieces.
Like the other locations, the Vienna franchise has outdoor seating but no indoor seating, instead serving patrons through pick-up windows.
Bruster’s previously had a location in Avenir Place near the Dunn Loring Metro station, but it closed in 2020 after the franchisee decided not to renew their lease.
Fairfax Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking — “According to court documents, in March and April 2022, Calvin Ray Brown, 50, and a co-conspirator sold counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl to a Fairfax County Police Department confidential source and undercover detective on multiple occasions…Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.” [DOJ]
Drive-Thru Taco Bell Proposed in Fairfax — “Planning commissioners expressed concerns about a pre-application proposal Monday evening from ABTB Mid-Atlantic, LLC to construct a Taco Bell restaurant with a drive-thru in the Boulevard Marketplace Shopping Center…Some commissioners said the new Taco Bell would likely experience the same traffic and parking issues already observed at similar drive-thru restaurants along Fairfax Boulevard.” [Patch]
Expansion Planned for Annandale Power Substation — Dominion Energy wants to upgrade and expand the Westcott Substation in Holmes Run Stream Valley Park. The project will replace “outdated equipment” with new technology that will help the utility company respond faster to outages and support “distributed energy resources, such as home solar panels, electric vehicle charging, and battery storage.” [Annandale Today]
State Lawmakers Still See Path for Underground Utilities on Route 1 — “State Senator Scott Surovell and his counterpart in the House of Delegates, Paul Krizek, have not given up on the possibility of getting utilities undergrounded along the Route 1 corridor as part of the Richmond Highway widening and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system projects.” [On the MoVe]
Cherry Blossoms Peak Bloom Predicted — “The cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin will reach peak bloom from March 22 to 25, 2023, the National Park Service announced Wednesday at a National Cherry Blossom Festival press conference…The National Cherry Blossom Festival will take place from March 20 to April 16.” [Washingtonian]
Lake Accotink Maintenance to Begin Mid-March — The Fairfax County Park Authority will remove debris from the dam’s spillway and replace flashboards that “control water flow through the spillway…The replacement of the flashboards, expected to begin in early April following the debris removal, will require FCPA to lower the lake surface elevation by approximately 2 feet” to complete the project by Memorial Day weekend. [FCPA]
State Education Superintendent Steps Down — “Jillian Balow has resigned as Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction, without providing a reason…Balow’s tenure was marked by controversy, especially regarding the ongoing revision of the state’s curriculum standards for history and social studies.” [The Washington Post]
Reston Startup Targets Software Updates — “A local cybersecurity startup wants to take the anxiety out of running updates to computer software. Trackd, a Reston company founded last year by a former National Security Agency network engineer, has emerged…with a software of its own that helps companies identify if an update, or patch, will cause disruptions to their networks.” [DC Inno]
FCPS Job Fair for Teachers Coming This Weekend — “We are searching for educators with strong academic backgrounds and a passion for making a difference. To meet hiring needs in instructional areas, we are hosting an in-person job fair at Oakton High School on Saturday, March 4, 2023 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.).” [FCPS]
It’s Thursday — Light rain in the morning. High of 64 and low of 51. Sunrise at 6:41 am and sunset at 6:03 pm. [Weather.gov]
Several locations linked to African American history in Fairfax County could be eligible to be designated as historic places.
Those buildings and neighborhoods include the Louise Archer School, the Tinner Hill neighborhood and Clifton Primitive Baptist Church. Along with other candidates, they appear in a draft African American Historic Resources Survey Report, which was released on Feb. 23.
The county is looking for residents to share their thoughts on the report ahead of its final version, anticipated late this spring.
“We’re looking for feedback on the historical context and properties as written in the report,” Leanna O’Donnell, planning division director at the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development, wrote in a statement to FFXnow.
Residents who want to weigh in on the report can do so through Friday, March 24. There will also be a virtual community meeting on the report’s findings at 6:30 p.m. on Monday (March 6).
“Any feedback will be taken into consideration as we finalize the report and help identify properties that could be nominated for inclusion in Fairfax County’s Inventory of Historic Sites, the Virginia Landmarks Register or the National Register of Historic Places,” O’Donnell wrote.
The survey report furthers the work of the African American History Inventory, a database of resources related to the county’s African American culture and history. That inventory came to be following an October 2020 motion from a commissioner on the Fairfax County History Commission.
In 2021, the county received funding through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources’ Cost Share Grant Program to support the current study.
The report includes historical information about African Americans in present-day Fairfax County, starting in the 1600s. It also features photos and descriptions of buildings and communities surveyed, as well as preliminary recommendations.
For example, the entry on Louise Archer Elementary School includes a description of the building’s location, its exterior and the surrounding area of Vienna, along with pictures of the building and some historical context.
“The evolved building is the third purpose-built school for African Americans in Vienna,” the report says. “Once Fairfax County schools began to integrate, Louise Archer School was the only formerly Black elementary school to integrate and remain open.”
The report calls the school “a strong candidate for NRHP listing.”
Of the sites not already listed, Lane’s Mill in Centreville and Luther Jackson Middle School in Merrifield were deemed eligible for the national register. Other potential candidates include McLean’s Chesterbrook Baptist Church, Clifton Primitive Baptist Church, Quander Road School in Belle Haven, and the Tinner Hill neighborhood in Falls Church.
The Gum Springs area was the only part of the county excluded from the survey. That area is “part of a more intensive survey effort focusing specifically on this prominent African American community,” according to a county press release.
The county has also moved to honor Black and African American history with new historical markers, selected late last year.
A candy land will soon come to life at Tysons Corner Center.
The temporary, traveling exhibit Candytopia will arrive at the mall in mid-March, filling a 16,000-square-foot space across from H&M that has previously hosted installations dedicated to the Sistine Chapel and Princess Diana.
Like the Dr. Seuss pop-up scheduled to visit the mall in April, Candytopia will feature a variety of interactive sets and photo opportunities — only this time, everything will be made out of or designed to resemble sweets.
And yes, there will be samples.
“We’re thrilled to partner with [Tysons Corner Center owner] Macerich again in bringing this sweet experience to one of its premier shopping destinations,” said John Goodman, CEO of Youtopia Entertainment LLC, which operates Candytopia. “There will be plenty of fun for people of all ages to discover and enjoy at our newest location and I am excited to see guests’ reactions to this unique entertainment experience.”
Candytopia launched in 2018 at Santa Monica Place, a California shopping center also owned by Macerich. The exhibit has since traveled around the country, including stops in San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia and Miami.
It’s currently open in Houston and Atlanta. Past visitors have included celebrities like singers CardiB and Pink, actors Gwyneth Paltrow and Adam Sandler, and basketball player Kevin Durant, according to a press release.
Elements of the pop-up include an art gallery with pieces made out of candy, a candy confetti room “complete with confetti-farting pigs,” and a pit filled with 250,000 marshmallows. The 14 different interactive sets will feature some touches specifically inspired by the D.C. area, Candytopia says.
Tickets went on sale today (Wednesday). They cost $23 for kids aged 4-12 and $30 for adults. Kids 3 and younger can get free entry.
The exhibit will open its doors in mid-March, though an exact date is still being determined, and it will remain at Tysons Corner Center until the end of May.
Macerich declined to comment on its long-term plans for the space opposite H&M, but temporary exhibits have become a regular sight at the mall, often but not always filling vacant storefronts. A recent Nintendo pop-up, for example, was located in the court outside Macy’s and proved popular over the winter holidays.
“Ticketed attractions are part of how Macerich delivers great entertainment to people in our markets who, now more than ever, are seeking fun, in-person experiences,” Tysons Corner Center Senior Marketing Manager Lindsay Petak said.
State Sen. Janet Howell will retire from the Virginia General Assembly after representing a significant swath of northern Fairfax County for over 30 years.
Rumors that Howell wasn’t planning to pursue another term began circulating during Virginia’s 2021 redistricting process, which paired her with Sen. Jennifer Boysko — a more junior Democrat currently representing the 33rd District — in the newly created 38th Senate District.
Now, at 78 years old, Howell has officially announced that she won’t seek reelection this year, meaning her three-decade tenure in the State Senate will conclude with her current term on Jan. 10, 2024.
In a statement first reported yesterday (Tuesday) by independent journalist Brandon Jarvis and shared today in a newsletter to supporters, Howell said she believes she has accomplished “most” of her legislative goals over her 32 years of service and now hopes to spend more time with her husband, including for travel.
“My focus has always been on education, from preschool through graduate school, and on helping our neighbors in need,” she wrote. “We have made great progress — yet much more must be done.”
State Senator Janet Howell (D) will not be seeking re-election this year. Her statement is below pic.twitter.com/WM2rKTRIO5
— Brandon Jarvis (@Jaaavis) February 28, 2023
Howell first took office in 1992 as senator for District 32, which encompassed Reston, Tysons, Wolf Trap, northern Chantilly and portions of McLean and Arlington County.
Second in seniority only to Sen. Dick Saslaw, who announced retirement plans last week, Howell is the longest-serving woman currently in the State Senate. When Democrats took control of the chamber in 2019, she became one of its most powerful members as the new chair of the influential finance committee, the first woman to hold that position.
According to her office, Howell views her top accomplishments as:
Guiding the budget to significantly increase funding for education and mental health services; reforming family violence laws; passing the first in the nation genetic privacy legislation; receiving national child advocate of the year award from American Academy of Pediatrics for increasing vaccinations.
In the wake of her retirement news, colleagues and the Fairfax County Democratic Committee lauded Howell as a “champion” for education, women’s rights and health care.
Congratulations on a great career Janet Howell! I enjoyed my 10 session serving down the hall from you, and being your constituent for most of your 32 year career. pic.twitter.com/ycYASrbTV4
— Marcus Simon (@marcussimon) February 28, 2023
Thank you Sen. Janet Howell for your more than 30 years of service to Fairfax and Virginia. A champion of families, education and health care, and the longest-serving female legislator in Virginia–we will miss you and wish you the best! pic.twitter.com/0xV4wEthjO
— Fairfax Democrats (@FairfaxDems) February 28, 2023
Senator Janet Howell has been an unmatched champion for Pre-K and K-12, is a calming voice of reason in our Caucus when things get heated, a passionate advocate for women's rights, our budget leader & a consummate team player who will be deeply missed by @VASenateDems https://t.co/f2cjBoME8G
— Senator Scott Surovell (@ssurovell) February 28, 2023
Howell joins a slate of at least 16 incumbent state legislators so far opting out of another term, including three others who represent parts of Fairfax County: Saslaw, Reston’s longtime delegate Ken Plum, and McLean delegate Kathleen Murphy.
Though she hasn’t made an official announcement yet, Boysko’s campaign has filed finance reports indicating she will seek election in the new District 38. Her office didn’t return a request for comment by publication time.
On the Republican side, military veteran Matt Lang will attempt to win the seat after unsuccessfully challenging Plum in 2021.
With each party putting forward just one candidate, primaries won’t be needed for this district. The general election on Nov. 7 will have an extensive ballot, with all 140 General Assembly seats, Fairfax County supervisors, the school board, and commonwealth’s attorney up for grabs.
(Updated at 1:45 p.m. on 3/2/2023) Compass Coffee is planning to open a second drive-thru location, and it will be right in Fairfax County.
The growing regional coffee business will add a full-service, drive-thru cafe at 7393 Lee Highway, a standalone building that previously housed a BB&T bank in the Shops at West Falls Church, confirmed Joel Shetterly, the vice president of marketing.
“We have something for every coffee lover — from delicious seasonal drink flavors to year-round classics like our nitro cold brew,” Shetterly said by email. “We also serve a delicious range of house-made breakfast sandwiches and pastries for folks who want to pick up breakfast on the go.”
A commercial alterations permit application filed with Fairfax County in mid-February indicates that the shop won’t have any on-site food preparation work or cooking.
The space will be about 3,000 square feet “with ample seating,” Shetterly told FFXnow.
Based in D.C., Compass Coffee launched in 2014 and now operates 16 shops across the region, including one that opened in Fairfax City on March 21, 2022. The company’s first drive-thru location arrived on Langston Blvd in Arlington this past October.
Compass Coffee is “shooting” for a summer opening for its West Falls Church location, which furthers the company’s goal of expanding in the area after getting “fantastic feedback” on its cafe at 10400 Fairfax Blvd, Shetterly said.
“We are thrilled to continue growing in the region,” he said.
Managed by EDENS, the developer that’s also behind the Mosaic District in Merrifield, Shops at West Falls is anchored by a Safeway grocery store. Other food service tenants include Subway, Fava Pot, The Original Pancake House and Vocelli Pizza.
This month marks the third anniversary of the first Covid case in Fairfax County, and the Board of Supervisors has voted to bring the state of emergency to a close.
The emergency declaration that has been in place since March 17, 2020 officially ends today (Wednesday).
The declaration provided increased flexibility and resources to address public health issues. The county said in a release there will be no direct impact of the declaration ending on the county’s operational responses, which were already scaled back in December.
The county’s relaxed policies on outdoor dining and using speakers for activities will continue until March 2024.
