Need an office for a Top Secret meeting? Venture to Venture X, opening soon in Fairfax.
Venture X’s new high-end coworking space is opening in Fairfax’s Mosaic District and offers many amenities other flex spaces do not, including secure facilities for those performing top secret work.
A tour Venture X’s 28,000-square-foot site — housing some 112 private offices — reveals luxury furniture, high-end finishes, lounge areas, 24-hour access, and comfortable collaboration spaces as well as oversized meeting rooms large enough for small-to-medium company-wide retreats, board meetings, and workshops.
Today’s flex space workers expect reliable, high-speed internet, but Venture X takes it to the next level by offering network security approved for secret-level government and corporate work. Venture X also offers a large, separate secure area specifically designed for a single company to occupy while performing top secret assignments.
The Mosaic location is convenient to the town center’s many amenities, including restaurants, bars, and shopping. It is also convenient to the Orange Line’s Dunn Loring Metro station — now connecting to Dulles International Airport via the Silver Line — as well as easy access to I-495 and Arlington Boulevard/Route 50. Learn more about the location and be sure to check out the floorplan!
Venture X, an internationally franchised company, designs its luxury accommodations for a diverse and varied membership that seeks to expand in-place and inspire its teams to achieve success. Venture in soon.
Venture X is located at 3060 Williams Drive, Suite 300, in Fairfax’s Mosaic District. See a testimonial video about Venture X. To schedule a tour or to learn more, call 703-952-5265 or see this website.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) An outcry stoked by conservative activists over Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) allegedly failing to promptly announce a student academic honor has reached the Virginia governor’s office.
In a letter released this morning (Tuesday), Gov. Glenn Youngkin urged Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the Fairfax County magnet school after it reportedly didn’t notify students commended by the National Merit Scholarship Program until after early college applications were due.
“We need to get to the bottom of what appears to be an egregious, deliberate attempt to disadvantage high-performing students at one of the best schools in the country,” Youngkin said. “Parents and students deserve answers and Attorney General Miyares will initiate a full investigation.”
Fairfax County Public Schools says it has initiated a third-party, independent investigation of its own but “stands ready to work with our partners at the state level,” should Miyares decide to pursue a review.
“Our preliminary understanding is that the delay this fall was a unique situation due to human error,” an FCPS spokesperson said. “The investigation will continue to examine our records in further detail and we will share key findings with our community.”
The school system said in a statement on Friday (Dec. 30) that families were notified as soon as the lapse “came to light.” Staff also sent emails and made follow-up calls to each college where the affected students had applied.
“FCPS understands the hard work and dedication of each and every student who competes for college acceptance and scholarship opportunities,” FCPS said. “We remain committed to supporting every student in reaching their full potential.”
The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes students who receive the highest scores in the country on the preliminary SAT, essentially a practice for the main standardized test considered by most colleges and universities for admissions.
According to the National Merit website, about 50,000 students qualify for the program every year based on an index score calculated by doubling the sum of their reading, writing and math scores.
Notifications are sent out in late September, with about two-thirds of those students being commended and one-third advancing as semi-finalists. Only about 7,250 students win actual scholarships each year.
However, FCPS only announced the school’s semi-finalists in September. Commended students at TJ didn’t learn they had gotten the honor until teachers handed out certificates on Nov. 14, Coalition for TJ co-founder Asra Nomani said in the Fairfax County Times.
The Coalition for TJ sued Fairfax County Public Schools in 2021 over changes to the admissions system that were designed to boost diversity at the magnet school. The lawsuit is currently in a federal appeals court.
Nomani said she learned about the issue from Shawnna Yashar, a member of the Fairfax County Parents Association, which was incorporated in June 2021 by leaders of the Open FCPS campaign that urged schools to reopen early in the pandemic.
Since publishing last Thursday (Dec. 29), Nomani’s story has gotten picked up by several, mostly conservative outlets, including Fox News and the Daily Mail. Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears tweeted on Saturday (Dec. 31) that she had “reached out” to Youngkin and Miyares about a possible investigation.
The Fairfax County Parents Association and other groups have called for TJ principal Ann Bonitatibus to be fired and are planning to hold a rally outside the school this afternoon, according to WUSA9.
FCPS confirmed that Superintendent Michelle Reid is scheduled to meet with families this evening “to listen to their concerns.”
Parent and 11th District Republican Committee Vice Chair Srilekha Palle told WUSA9 she considers the delayed notifications “a criminal act.” Harry Jackson, another Coalition for TJ founder and brief GOP school board candidate hopeful, claimed administrators “wanted to downplay the significance of these awards to students in the name of equity.”
“I believe this failure may have caused material harm to those students and their parents, and that this failure may have violated the Virginia Human Rights Act,” Youngkin said in his letter to Miyares.
The letter doesn’t say how the lack of merit scholarship notifications might violate the Virginia Human Rights Act, which protects individuals from discrimination based on race, religion, sex and other characteristics.
The cell tower by I-495 at the Old Dominion Drive bridge in McLean (via Google Maps)
(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) The search is still on for a new site to host a cell tower in McLean that has to be removed to make room for the widening Capital Beltway.
The monopole, which is owned by American Cell Towers and supports AT&T and T-Mobile service, was officially decommissioned on Dec. 9, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
“Cell providers are working to minimize any potential impacts to existing service, and VDOT is working with the project’s design-build contractor to facilitate a relocated cell tower as soon as possible,” the department told FFXnow.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors expressed concern at a Sept. 30 transportation committee meeting that losing the tower may cause wireless service disruptions, something that AT&T admitted was a possibility.
Fears of disruptions were particularly high after the removal of a cell facility at Lake Anne in Reston resulted in slow, spotty service for residents in that area over the summer, including for 911 calls.
Fortunately, those anticipated issues don’t seem to have come to fruition. Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust’s office, which represents McLean, says it hasn’t gotten any emails from constituents about the decommissioned cell tower, as of Dec. 20.
VDOT had hoped to see the tower relocated by Dec. 31 — an extension from the original deadline of Sept. 30 — but a new location still hasn’t been identified. VDOT didn’t respond by press time when asked if the deadline got extended again.
“[There’s] no timeline yet,” Jane Edmondson, Foust’s chief of staff, said by email. “The County has not yet received an application for a new location.”
Located by the Old Dominion Drive bridge, the 135-foot-tall monopole needs to be moved to make room for the I-495 Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project, which is adding about three miles of toll lanes on the Beltway from the Dulles Toll Road in Tysons to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean.
The project will also replace the Old Dominion bridge, which has just one lane each for eastbound and westbound traffic. The new bridge will have two lanes and a 14-foot-wide shared-use path on the south side. (Correction: This article initially said two lanes would be added on the bridge in each direction.)
While touted as necessary to mitigate traffic congestion, 495 NEXT has been criticized by some McLean residents as harmful to their neighborhoods and the environment.
Construction began in mid-2022 and is expected to continue into 2026, with the new express lanes opening in 2025.
Photo via Google Maps
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
Happy New Year!
I woke up to an email this morning from the WSJ beating the drum that a recession is coming. Do you know what a recession is good for? Lowering interest rates.
Historically, a recession has resulted in falling interest rates to help spur economic growth. I have a Masters in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins, so I love following the market trends over time to help me form an opinion on what is coming.
As a 15 year real estate veteran, I started during the 2008 recession and I have seen the market come full circle after the insanity of the last 2.5 years. I posted a prediction on the 2022 market and all of it came true, albeit I didn’t see the rates hitting 7% that fast, but I knew rates would go up.
So here are my predictions for 2023:
Interest Rates Will Decline
We’ve already seen rates hit 7% and come back down in the past few months. I think the rates will continue to decline, hopefully hitting 5% by the middle of Q3 of 2023. But remember this — as rates get lower, homes become more affordable for more people and that will spur more action in the market
Activity Will be Strong, Especially Towards the End of the Year
Activity began to pick up towards the end of 2022 as interest rates got better, and I think activity will continue to be good during the first half of the year. That said, I think the second half of the year will be even stronger than the first, mostly dictated by what rates are doing
Inventory will continue to be a problem. While the fear of covid is likely no longer keeping sellers from entering the market, I think you have some remorse from sellers who “missed” the craze of the pandemic, and a lot of people won’t want to give up their 3% mortgage rate, even if they hate their house.
Prices Will be Stable
Prices will continue to be stable, but pricing your home is #1 and #2 and #3 of how you will sell your home. Buyers are smart, they’re educated, and they’re tired. If a home is overpriced, it will NOT sell. If it’s overpriced and has any other strike against it, it will not sell. You *must* be strategic on your pricing.
If a house is “pretty,” which means updated and staged AND priced correctly, I still think we’ll see multiple offers potentially. Inventory is still low, so if it’s a desirable home, it’ll still sell.
Rent Will Rise
There have been so many news articles about rising rents. I think we’ll continue to see that in 2023 until big buildings start to see a slow down. If rates come down, and buyers can buy, why would they spend an extra $500 per month on rent?
If you are a first time buyer AND you make less than $129,600 (for 2 people or less), you can qualify for down payment assistance programs from the state to buy your first home (must be a principal residence). If you are renting and think you may qualify, read here for more information. There are all sorts of credits available if you do some research!
If you’re thinking of moving this year, it’s never too early to have a conversation to put a plan in place.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Fairfax County police are investigating a “smash-and-grab” jewelry store robbery at Tysons Corner Center.
The suspect used a hammer to smash display cases at Elite Jewelers, which is on the mall’s first floor near Macy’s, the Fairfax County Police Department reported at 5:53 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 1).
Police say the suspect was a man wearing a white, hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Surveillance footage shared by the department show the man wearing a disposable blue surgical mask and sneakers. In a couple of images, he appears to be talking on a cell phone.
The sound of the cases being smashed evidently prompted another unfounded panic about a shooting at Tysons Corner Center, though the FCPD confirmed that there were no shots fired.
Officers are on scene of Elite Jewelers in Tysons Corner Center for a robbery. Suspect smashed jewelry cases with a hammer. NO shots were fired. Male suspect, white hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans. Call 703-691-2131 with info. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/869qcwoJ36
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) January 1, 2023
As reported by ABC7, Daily Beast reporter Zachary Petrizzo said “mobs of people began running yelling about a shooter,” adding later that he hid in the mall’s North Face store before evacuating.
Maria Leaf, a reporter for the radio station WMAL DC, said she was getting her nails done when “when all of a sudden there were people running, screaming and what sounded like gunshots.”
“I yelled to my nail tech to shut the doors and turn the lights off,” she said after reporting that the incident sounded like a robbery. “Everyone here was shaken. Mall was packed due to it being a holiday. Supposed to be open till 7.”
Currently hiding out in a North Face store.
— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) January 1, 2023
I am safe. Locked in a dark salon. Sounds as if it was a robbery. Fairfax Co. police are here.
— Maria Leaf (@MariaLeaf) January 1, 2023
Anxiety about the potential for gun violence has been high at the D.C. area’s biggest mall since three shots were fired on June 18, sparking a panicked evacuation that injured three people. D.C. resident Noah Settles was indicted for that incident in September.
A shattering light fixture prompted another evacuation on Aug. 7 after the sound was mistaken for gunshots, and rumors of gunfire spread on social media last month when police chased a trio of men wanted for a robbery in Arlington. Police found a gun on one of the suspects, a teenager, but no shots were fired.
Regarding the jewelry store robbery, the FCPD said this morning that it had no updates to share, but its “detectives continue to investigate and ask for information.”
The department advises anyone with information to contact its non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.
Fairfax County Police Department’s in-car radio system (via FCPD/Facebook)
The new year got off to an awkward start for one Fairfax County police officer whose decidedly not-safe-for-work choice of late-night entertainment got some professional airtime.
The police radio channel picked up about eight minutes of pornographic sounds shortly after midnight on Sunday (Jan. 1), local public safety watcher Dave Statter reported. Statter observed that the noises suggested that someone was having sex or watching porn.
As it turned out, the latter theory was more accurate. The errant broadcast came from an off-duty police officer who was listening to “audio porn” while driving in his personal vehicle, the Fairfax County Police Department confirmed.
“Our investigation revealed that the off-duty officer was listening to ‘audio porn’ over his Bluetooth in his vehicle, which was captured on his activated police radio,” the department said. “The ‘audio porn’ in question has been positively confirmed as the same file broadcast over our police radio system.”
NEW: Steamy start to the new year for @FairfaxCountyPD & it wasn’t the humidity. For 8 mins this morning a stuck radio microphone gave a very strong impression someone, somewhere was having sex or watching porn. Will pass along any details from either #police or 911 as available. pic.twitter.com/Zz3QRJL7ra
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) January 1, 2023
The officer in question was interviewed by the FCPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Police determined that the officer forgot to turn off a portable radio left in the car’s trunk and that it “inadvertently activated” while he was driving, according to the news release. There was no one else in the car at the time.
The unnamed officer isn’t the first law enforcement official to land in hot water after accidentally broadcasting sexual activities over police air waves.
A sheriff’s deputy in Los Angeles came under scrutiny last month when a hot mic caught her getting busy with a partner during a work break. The sheriff’s department rules meant the woman could be suspended or fired for the incident, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The FCPD said its internal investigation into the New Year’s Day misconduct is still ongoing. The department declined to comment or speculate about any potential discipline the officer could face.
Its general orders allow for anything from oral or written reprimands to termination, depending “upon the severity of the misconduct and the employee’s previous disciplinary history.”
Photo via FCPD/Facebook
EEOC Finds Support for Sexism Claims Against Fire Department — “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) wrote a letter [last] month supporting [Kathleen] Stanley’s 2018 claim that the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department retaliated against the battalion chief by changing the terms and conditions of her employment after she stepped down as the interim women’s program officer.” [The Washington Post]
Man Fatally Shot on New Year’s Eve in Lorton — Fairfax County police are investigating a homicide that occurred Saturday night (Dec. 31) in the 9500 block of Unity Lane in Lorton. Police say they found Nahom Beyene, 42, of Lorton, in the threshold of a doorway with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. He died at the scene. [FCPD, WTOP]
Fair Oaks Chick-fil-A Closed — Chick-fil-A closed its location in Fair Oaks Mall on Friday (Dec. 30) after 22 years of operations. The fast-food company didn’t explain its decision, which was announced just one day earlier on Facebook, but there are still other locations in the area, including in Fairfax City, Fair Lakes and Vienna. [Patch]
Lorton Community Center Gym Now Open — “The new Lorton Community Center and Library were unveiled to the public at a highly attended ribbon-cutting ceremony in mid-October officiated by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck. The facility’s gymnasium remained closed to the public at that time since its flooring was installed incorrectly.” [On the MoVe]
Postmodern Belgian Writer Dies in Reston — “Claude Krijgelmans, Belgian postmodern Flemish writer, died in his sleep on Dec. 5, 2022, at his home in Reston. He was 88. Known for illustrative prose and experimental language, producing his first book at 19, Krijgelmans published some 16 works.” [Patch]
How Fairfax County Became a Tech Hub — “While government contracting has been a boon for the region, Fairfax County has also grown to attract commercial technology companies, Taylor adds. In the county alone, there are 44,000 open jobs, about 30% of which are in the tech industry, according to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA).” [Virginia Business]
McLean Historical Society Nears 30 Years — “The McLean Historical Society will celebrate its 30th anniversary Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave. There will be several speakers who will offer brief vignettes of early McLean, including Palmer Robison, Dan DuVal, Lindesay Aquino and Carole Herrick.” [Sun Gazette]
Get Preview of 2023 General Assembly Session — “Before Virginia’s 2023 legislative session convenes on January 11, get a preview from area State Senators Chap Petersen (Dist. 34) and Jennifer Boysko (Dist. 33) on January 4. The 7:00 pm program will be held via Zoom hosted by the Patrick Henry Community Library and Vienna Area and Reston-Herndon AAUW Branches.” [FCPL]
It’s Tuesday — Possible light rain overnight. High of 66 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:28 am and sunset at 5:00 pm. [Weather.gov]
New Year’s Eve is right around the corner, closing out an exciting first year for FFXnow.
Since officially launching on Feb. 22, the new home of Tysons Reporter and Reston Now has pushed to bring the local news reporting from those sites to other corners of Fairfax County, from Chantilly to Huntington, while maintaining their focus on the Tysons and Reston areas.
2022 had more than its fair share of challenges. Pedestrian fatalities reached heights not seen in at least a decade, and gun violence by both community members and police was a recurring concern. Meanwhile, Covid continued to ebb and surge, as remaining pandemic health measures like mask requirements and mass vaccine clinics disappeared.
However, this year also brought some key milestones, from the long-awaited opening of Metro’s Silver Line extension into Herndon and beyond to the relegation of Lee District and the names of two highways to history.
In quirkier news, the county welcomed its first medical cannabis dispensary and a pack of rescued beagles. Colby the llama got lost and found, and remember those tornadoes that touched down in Tysons and Centreville?
Before you start writing up new year’s resolutions or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s close out 2022 by revisiting FFXnow’s 10 most-read stories of the year:
- Three people injured while evacuating Tysons Corner Center, now closed after gunfire
- McLean ride-share startup seeks to challenge Uber and Lyft by putting drivers in control
- Fairfax County approves fines for running bamboo, starting next year
- Black bear filmed strolling by Adaire Apartments in Tysons
- Silver Line extension opening date pushed once again to summer 2022
- JUST IN: Wegmans announces opening date for Reston location
- Here’s a ‘LOOK’ at what’s replacing Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston
- Here’s what will replace Clyde’s in Reston Town Center
- BREAKING: Bow Tie Cinemas to leave Reston Town Center
- Trash troubles persist in Fairfax County, with residents reporting missed pick-ups
We hope you enjoyed reading FFXnow this past year and hope to bring even more timely, comprehensive coverage of everything Fairfax County in 2023. As always, you can share tips, photos and general feedback at [email protected] or our anonymous tip form.
Metro Rides Free for New Year’s Eve — “Take the train, bus or paratransit service starting at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 31, and #YourMetro ride will be free of charge. As a bonus, service is being extended. Metrorail will run until 2 a.m. and late-night Metrobus service on selected routes will operate until 3 a.m. for customers connecting from train to bus.” [WMATA]
McLean Company Faces Bankruptcy and Lawsuit — McLean cybersecurity company IronNet Inc. is struggling with a plethora of crises as a loss of $77 million and 35% of its staff pushes it toward potential bankruptcy. The public company also may be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange after failing to file a required financial report, and a class action lawsuit alleging executives misled investors is pending in federal court in Alexandria. [Washington Business Journal]
Pizza Restaurant Opens in Fairfax City — Marco’s Pizza had a soft launch yesterday (Thursday) that will continue from noon to 8 p.m. today. Located at 10160 Fairfax Blvd., Suite 100, the franchise is is the second that owner Niten Sabharwal and his wife Sonia have opened in Northern Virginia, joining a location in Fairfax Station. The chain is also planning an expansion to the Reston area next year. [Patch]
Get Ready for More Express Lanes Work in 2023 — Work will continue next year on the I-495 widening and the I-66 Trail, which the Virginia Department of Transportation hopes to complete by Bike-to-Work Day on May 19. VDOT is also studying whether to allow two-way travel on the I-95 Express Lanes from Springfield to Dale City and whether to extend toll lanes on the south side of I-495 to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. [The Washington Post]
County’s Sewage Plant Helped Preserve Electrical Grid — “During the generational Christmas Eve Cold Snap, the PJM electrical grid that serves the District of Columbia and 13 Mid-Atlantic states, which includes Northern Virginia, became severely overloaded…So, when PJM called Noman Cole at 4:20 a.m., staff answered.” [DPWES]
State Laws to Take Effect With New Year — “The minimum wage in Virginia will bump up to $12 per hour on Jan. 1, up from $11. The increase is dictated by legislation passed by Democrats in 2020 that pushes the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026.” Other scheduled changes include a decrease in Virginia’s grocery tax rate and the addition of a 5-cent plastic bag tax in Fairfax City. [DCist]
American Legion Bridge Traffic Headaches Persist — “The American Legion Bridge, a chronic source of misery for thousands of D.C.-area drivers, marks its 60th anniversary Saturday, highlighting the aging span’s pivotal role in the region’s crushing traffic congestion…Mounting maintenance needs have forced a debate about when the Beltway bottleneck should be rebuilt and how any expansion should jibe with broader traffic-relief efforts.” [The Washington Post]
McLean HS Student Chosen for Senate Leadership Program — “Only two students from each state are selected each year for the United States Senate Youth Program. This year, one of the Virginia delegates is from McLean High School. Congrats, Saehee Perez!” [FCPS/Facebook]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 34. Sunrise at 7:28 am and sunset at 4:56 pm. [Weather.gov]
A new dashboard looking at transit around the region illustrates Fairfax Connector’s slow climb back to pre-pandemic ridership levels.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission recently released an interactive website that lets users break down ridership at various local transit services and compare and contrast those figures.
For Fairfax Connector, data from the last year of ridership shows a stark upswing that started in June and has gradually brought the system back up to pre-pandemic levels.
The bus system had a promising start to 2020 with 669,501 riders that January — higher than numbers for that month in previous years. Those numbers dove over the next two months as the Covid pandemic kicked into gear, dropping to a low of 248,866 riders in April.
Ridership only marginally recovered through the rest of 2020 and 2021, but the pace of recovery picked up in 2022 and shot up from June to July, reaching a post-pandemic high of 738,968 riders in August 2022. In September, Fairfax Connector surpassed pre-pandemic ridership for the same month for the first time since February 2020.
The Connector isn’t alone in this recovery. DASH in Alexandria and the CUE bus in the City of Fairfax saw similar recoveries in the second half of 2022.
In Alexandria, DASH’s dramatic uptick in ridership seemed fueled in part by switching to a fare-free system. Fairfax County was considering a similar move for the Connector, but that was tabled by the Board of Supervisors earlier this month in favor of a discounted rate for low-income passengers.
Overall transit ridership in the area, though, remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels — in large part due to Metro accounting for more than 78.6% of the region’s ridership.
Metro didn’t have quite the same dramatic return to pre-pandemic ridership in Virginia that Fairfax Connector experienced.
While Metro’s combined ridership for rail and bus was higher every month in 2022 than it was in 2021, it’s still half what it was in 2018 and 2019. In Virginia, Metro’s ridership for September was roughly 4.1 million — less than half of the 9.2 million riders in 2019.
Fairfax County doesn’t have the same high percentage of access to transit — around 61.3% of the total population — compared to neighbors like Arlington and Alexandria, but that’s to be expected given that it’s significantly larger with less urbanized areas.
