Fire Department Unveils Platform for Sharing Emergency Information — “Community Connect is a free, secure, and easy to use platform that allows residents and/or business owners to share critical information about their home or business that will aid FCFRD firefighters and paramedics during an emergency.” [FCFRD]
Last New Route 7 Lane Opens in Reston — “The third westbound lane along Rt 7 between Riva Ridge Dr and Reston Ave is now open! It arrives ahead of schedule just like the third eastbound Rt 7 lane a couple weeks ago as part of the Route 7 Corridor Improvements Project.” [VDOT/Twitter]
Hybla Valley Mobile Home Park Residents Share Struggles — “The future for residents of Harmony Place is precarious. Tenants say much-needed repairs aren’t happening quickly enough. The rent, currently $900 per month, is expected to rise next year. And a major transportation project getting underway in the next few years could wipe out some homes and raise land values, making redevelopment of the park more enticing to developers.” [DCist]
Merger Between Tysons and Reston Consultants Allowed to Proceed — “A federal judge in Maryland on Tuesday ruled against the Department of Justice’s antitrust effort to halt Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.’s deal to buy Reston cybersecurity contractor EverWatch Corp…The acquisition — which is valued at $440 million, according to securities filings — was announced in March” [Washington Business Journal]
COVID-19 Relief Grants Available for Local Arts Groups — “ArtsFairfax, the nonprofit designated as Fairfax County’s local arts agency, today announces the Pandemic Recovery Grant, a funding opportunity that prioritizes underserved arts and culture organizations. ArtsFairfax will distribute $170,000 in Pandemic Recovery Grants to both established and emerging arts and culture groups impacted by COVID-19.” [ArtsFairfax]
Movie Theater Incentives Are a Go in Falls Church — “The Falls Church City Council in Virginia voted Tuesday night to approve controversial tax incentives for a new movie theater, a few weeks after the city’s planning commission recommended against the incentives…The first $20,000 in ticket tax revenue and $10,000 in concessions tax revenue each year would go to the city; the rest would go back to the developer, Mill Creek Residential Trust.” [WTOP]
Fairfax City Gets State Funding for Flood Projects — “The City of Fairfax, Va., was awarded $144,000 in grant funding from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to implement two projects to make the city more resilient to flooding…The outside funding will allow the city to develop a community flood resilience plan and to conduct a flood study for the Mosby Woods area.” [City of Fairfax]
Volunteers Wanted to Help Clean Scott’s Run — The Fairfax County Park Authority will host a fall Watershed Cleanup Day at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve in McLean at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 15). People of all ages are welcome to meet at the park’s lower parking lot to help “remove tires, bottles, cans and other debris from local waterways.” [FCPA]
It’s Thursday — Rain until evening. High of 66 and low of 60. Sunrise at 7:17 am and sunset at 6:34 pm. [Weather.gov]
The first union election that Fairfax County employees have been allowed to hold in over four decades is now underway.
With an election for representation that launched Monday (Oct. 10), firefighters, medics, fire marshals and other Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department workers will determine whether the union IAFF Local 2068 can represent them in upcoming contract negotiations with the county government.
Voting is being conducted electronically through the independent company BallotPoint and will continue until Oct. 31, according to IAFF Local 2068, which has a membership of approximately 1,500 FCFRD employees.
“Our department is filled with intelligent, highly qualified and highly trained people,” IAFF Local 2068 President Robert Young said in the news release. “We’re first responders who love our jobs, love serving the Fairfax community, and want to continue to ensure that we are providing the best fire and medical emergency services possible. Bargaining allows us to do just that, while also ensuring that the concerns of our members and our community are heard and treated equitably.”
Earlier today we issued the following Media Advisory re our Collective Bargaining Election –
“At the end of the day, this is about creating an equitable and collaborative relationship..We’re happy to have the overwhelming support of the community who made this possible.”#ffxva pic.twitter.com/ec5p5q0Vzh
— Fairfax Firefighters (@IAFF2068) October 10, 2022
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a collective bargaining ordinance on Oct. 19, 2021, giving county government employees the power to have a union negotiate their pay, benefits and working conditions for the first time in more than 40 years.
Public sector workers had been barred from collective bargaining in Virginia since the state Supreme Court ruled in 1977 that the General Assembly could prohibit the practice. The court cited the Dillon Rule that limits local governments’ powers and has become a source of frustration in Fairfax County.
Localities finally got the authority to adopt ordinances recognizing labor unions and giving employees the ability to collectively bargain in May 2021, when a bill passed by state lawmakers and signed by then-governor Ralph Northam in 2020 took effect.
Under its approved ordinance, Fairfax County will recognize separate bargaining units representing general county employees, the fire department, and police, an approach that some workers’ groups had opposed.
Since no other unions have been accepted for firefighters, the only options in the current election are to approve Local 2068 as the bargaining unit or “no one,” organizer Jeremy McClayton told FFXnow by email.
General county employees and the police will hold their own elections. They both have multiple unions vying to serve as their bargaining unit, according to McClayton.
Fairfax County Public Schools has yet to grant collective bargaining rights to its employees, though a resolution for the school board to adopt is being developed.
On the county side, the Board of Supervisors confirmed Sarah Miller Espinosa as its labor relations administrator on June 7. The administrator serves as a neutral party tasked with establishing union election procedures, overseeing negotiations, and mediating disputes.
If Local 2068 wins, the union will begin contract negotiations with the county in the spring.
Young said in the press release that, with collective bargaining, the union hopes to create “an equitable and collaborative relationship” between workers and the county.
“It’s about ensuring that all of our employees are heard, that they’re all a part of the decision making process, and that they all have a sense of ownership of their careers and lives,” Young said. “We’re happy to have the overwhelming support of our elected officials, and all the members of the Fairfax community who made this election for representation possible.”
Praline Bakery is no longer serving up cake, macarons and other pastries in the Mosaic District.
The bakery closed for good this fall after its lease ran out, according to a farewell message posted to the door at 2987 District Avenue, Suite 160.
“We have so appreciated your business these last five years,” the Praline Mosaic team wrote in the message. “Your support has meant the world to us. We have loved getting to know you, petting your pooches, and watching your kids grow up. We hope that we provided a little bit of sweetness to your lives.”
Specializing in French baked goods, Praline came to the Merrifield neighborhood in 2016 as the first expansion of Praline Bakery & Bistro, a Bethesda, Maryland-based business started in 2006 by former White House pastry chefs Susan Limb and Patrick Musel.
Praline’s original Bethesda store in The Shops at Sumner Place shopping center and a location at The Wharf in D.C. remain open.
While the Mosaic location is permanently closed, the closure letter suggested the team may have another venture in the works.
“While the shop won’t be open anymore, there are still cookies to be baked! If you would like to reach out and learn about what we are doing next, email [email protected] or [email protected],” the letter said.
FFXnow attempted to contact Praline by email and phone but hasn’t heard back, as of press time. However, a Shopify store called Book Girl Bakes appears to be coming soon.
In other Mosaic District developments, BASH Boxing is now open at 2905 District Ave, Suite 195. The Arlington-based company officially opened the doors of its newest gym on Sept. 23 and will have an opening party event on Oct. 27, according to its Instagram.
BASH didn’t return FFXnow’s requests for comment.
H/t to Adam Rubinstein
This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
Whether you engage in a weekly game of bridge with friends, or compete in tournaments to earn masterpoints, playing the game pays off “in spades” when it comes to maintaining and even improving cognitive health.
“It’s a great way to maintain memory processing skills, as well as challenging your basic logic skills. It’s a lot of fun!” says Eleanor Linde, who regularly plays five time a week. Eleanor lives in McLean and is looking forward to moving to The Mather, a Life Plan Community that is coming to Tysons in 2024. “Bridge is a wonderful way to connect with people” says Eleanor. “I’m delighted that a group of future Mather neighbors has already met once.”
Van and Fran Hitch are also avid bridge players who are moving to The Mather. When Fran retired, the couple decided to take bridge lessons together, and got hooked. “I thought this was just a game I was learning,” said Van. “But I quickly found out it involves a great deal of strategy and communication with your partner.”
Research shows that those who play bridge regularly can reap a handful of valuable health benefits, regardless of their skill level.
A Brain Workout
It’s been proven that regularly playing cards and board games helps us retain mental acuity in later life, improves performance on cognitive tests and even protects against the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Bridge in particular is a rigorous mental workout, requiring concentration, problem solving and multitasking (including, but not limited to, memorizing cards played and continually analyzing mathematical odds while noting verbal and non-verbal clues from other players).
“I’ve read that playing bridge is one of just a handful of pastimes that can increase your brain power — and we definitely are challenged,” says Fran. “We both like to work out and keep our bodies in shape. Bridge does that for our brains.”
A Social Exercise
Of course, regular bridge players reap the benefits of social interaction, which is also good for brain health, as well as mood.
“The social part is just as important to us as playing the game,” says Fran. “Starting with our very first lessons, we’ve met some really nice people. Some have become very close friends.”
A Boost for the Immune System
One study found strong evidence that playing bridge protects physical health, because it stimulates the area in the brain responsible for the immune system.
“Bridge is good for you. We look forward to playing with our future neighbors at The Mather,” says Fran.
The Mather, projected to open in Tysons, VA, in 2024 for those 62 and better, is a forward-thinking Life Plan Community that defies expectations of what senior living is supposed to be.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Tysons’ gradually expanding network of health care services will soon include a new option for pets.
PetMedic Urgent Care, a small but growing franchise based in Massachusetts, will open its first location in the D.C. area at Tysons West (1495 Cornerside Blvd) next year, the company announced yesterday (Tuesday).
The clinic will operate similarly to human urgent care centers, providing medical services for non-life-threatening conditions after regular business hours and on the weekends, according to the press release, which was previously reported by the Washington Business Journal.
“We are thrilled to be offering veterinary urgent care in Virginia,” PetMedic founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nir Ben-Ari said in a statement. “The need for urgent care in the veterinary space is high to alleviate burnout in our teams and to provide a stronger continuum of care.”
From the news release:
The clinic is staffed by an experienced emergency medicine team and is complete with a modern surgical suite, laboratory, digital X-ray, ultrasound, and cutting-edge software that allows for an efficient workflow for team members.
PetMedic won’t offer vaccinations, wellness visits and other “routine” services provided by veterinary practices. Patrons will be able to make same-day appointments online.
Founded in January 2020, PetMedic currently has three locations: two in Massachusetts and one in Portland, Maine. According to its website, the business has four new clinics in the works, but the Tysons one is the only expansion outside of those two states.
“Pet parents love the after-hours and weekend options, and our healthcare network appreciates the extra hands when they’re overloaded,” Ben-Ari said. “It’s a win-win for the community in every respect.”
To address humans’ medical needs, Tysons welcomed an emergency room from Reston Hospital Center this summer to support the area’s growing population. The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine also opened a primary care office in McLean in February.
Centreville Man Charged in Fairfax Hit-and-Run — “City of Fairfax Police arrested a 34-year-old Centreville man for driving away from a multi-car crash on Saturday afternoon, according to the weekly crime report. Responding around 1:03 p.m for the report of a crash, officers found two vehicles that had sustained significant damage at Main Street and Judicial Drive.” [Patch]
Metro Plans Bus Network Redesign — “Metro is going on the road with Better Bus, a new initiative to rethink, redesign, and revitalize bus service. In a bold inaugural effort to redesign the current bus network, Metro is holding events across the region to hear from customers and the community.” [WMATA]
County Assisted With Alexandria Apartment Fire — “Apartment fire in 6200 block of Edsall Road on 10/8 at 10:41 AM. One occupant rescued by firefighters from second-floor window via ladder. No reported injuries. Cause: Unattended cooking on stove. Damages: $12K. Three occupants displaced. @AlexandriaVAFD assisted” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Reston Community Center Adds Board Members — “On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at the request of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appointed three Reston residents to the nine-member Reston Community Center Board of Governors: Beverly A. Cosham, Paul D. Thomas and Shane M. Ziegler…The three-year terms for Cosham, Thomas and Ziegler will begin on November 7″ [RCC]
Input Sought on New Annandale Community Space — “The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is hosting a series of Community Engagement Forums regarding the upcoming community space at Heritage Center in Annandale. The 1,800-square-foot space is located in a retail shopping plaza and will house the Boys & Girls Club.” [NCS]
Firefighters Free Dog’s Paw From West Falls Church Playground — “Excited for his afternoon playdate with friends yesterday, Baloo wanted to try the monkey bars; it was his first time. He was nervous, and as he pawsed to plan his leap, a digital pad got stuck in one of the holes on the playground. Fortunately, his friends were there to help.” [FCFRD]
Full Launch of New County Land Use System Pending — “Fairfax County’s land use systems will partially shut down from Friday, Oct. 21, to Monday morning on Oct. 31, when the new Permitting and Land Use System (PLUS) becomes fully operational…For several weeks after Oct. 31, data will still be migrating, and the processing of records might be affected.” [Annandale Today]
McLean-Based Hockey Star Details Morning Routine — Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will start his 18th season with the D.C. hockey team today (Wednesday) against the Boston Bruins. Resident of a five-bedroom mansion in McLean since 2012, Ovechkin says he starts each day at 7 a.m. with a shower, feeding time for his black Labrador, and a walk. [Axios D.C.]
It’s Wednesday — Possible light rain overnight. High of 69 and low of 49. Sunrise at 7:16 am and sunset at 6:36 pm. [Weather.gov]
The end of Fairfax County’s state of emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic won’t mean the end of expanded outdoor dining.
At a land use policy committee meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors indicated strong support for permanently relaxing the county’s permitting rules to let restaurants and other food and drink service establishments set up temporary outdoor dining areas.
Under the proposal put forward by county staff on Oct. 6, restaurants would only need an adminstrative permit to provide outdoor dining in parking spaces and other hard-surface areas, such as an existing patio or sidewalk, for a six-month period.
“The administrative permit would place limits on the size of the outdoor dining area, the hours of operation, and the duration of the permit,” said Jennifer Josiah with the Fairfax County Department of Land Development Services. “No site-related plans would be required, as long as there’s no land disturbance.”
She noted that regular health department inspections would continue, and businesses would still have to get approved by the fire marshal “to ensure all safety standards are met regarding tents, heaters and seating areas.”
The new process would be similar to the looser regulations in place since May 2020, when the board approved an emergency ordinance letting some businesses operate in outdoor tents to encourage social distancing and limit the spread of COVID-19.
The Board of Supervisors declared a local state of emergency for the pandemic on March 17, 2020, giving the county more flexibility to respond. In addition to enabling more outdoor dining and fitness activities, the board reduced fees for hospitality-related development and streamlined the process for establishing temporary medical facilities.
All of those provisions must end one year after the state of emergency concludes. The county told FFXnow this summer that the board could end its declaration in September, but the vote was evidently postponed, as staff were still reviewing the implications.
Staff have recommended that all of the emergency measures be allowed to lapse except the one for outdoor dining.
According to the county, 91 businesses have taken advantage of the ordinance since it took effect, though as of Sept. 1, the Department of Code Compliance only found five sites still using parking spaces for outdoor dining. When board members expressed surprise at that number, Josiah allowed that there may be more businesses that weren’t counted.
“We were working off a list that the health department gave us of all the eating establishments and food establishments that they licensed,” she said.
The administrative permits for outdoor dining will likely carry a $200 to $500 fee, similar to those offered for other temporary uses, such as farmers’ markets. In comparison, the minor site plan approval typically required costs $3,901.
To ensure compliance, staff suggested that the county could require businesses to regularly renew their permits, but the board appeared to lean away from the idea of expiration dates.
“I think the one thing the pandemic has clearly shown a lot of people is the beauty of the outdoors and dining outdoors,” Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity said, shouting out street closures in Old Town Leesburg and Alexandria. “…I’m clearly in favor of doing this as easily and as quickly and as flexibly as we can with no need to come back on the administrative permit.”
In a rarity, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay was on the same page as his lone Republican colleague, noting that permits could always be revoked if there are issues with accessibility, noise, and other conditions.
According to Josiah, the county has gotten “relatively few complaints” about outdoor dining, but on a few occasions, tents have collapsed, though no injuries have been reported.
As was the case in the Town of Vienna, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross predicted that noise will be the biggest challenge to address, singling out the Skyline Plaza in Bailey’s Crossroads as an area where amplified music has drawn complaints.
County Zoning Administrator Leslie Johnson noted that a separate special exception permit is required for public entertainment. Though the county has a noise ordinance to regulate sound levels, Gross said the outdoor dining ordinance should still include clear, specific guidelines on noise.
“I think we really owe it to the residents nearby,” Gross said. “I have a lot of residential areas that are hard up against the fence line of a shopping center, so we need to have that kind of protection in there.”
Like any cliff worth ascending, bringing the first indoor rock climbing gym to Tysons required perseverance, patience and a little faith in the process.
Once expected to launch in December, Vertical Rock Climbing and Fitness Center had a soft opening this weekend. After 10 months of supply chain and permitting delays, it welcomed founding members only on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 8-9) before expanding to all patrons yesterday (Monday).
“It’s definitely exciting that we’ve been able to do this,” Ethan Ford, Vertical Rock’s operations director, told FFXnow. “It’s come a long way from the furniture store that used to be here, and we’re hoping it does bring something great to this area.”
A smaller, bouldering-focused expansion of the company’s flagship center in Manassas, Vertical Rock Tysons occupies two floors in the back of a shopping strip at 8461 Leesburg Pike anchored by Best Buy and The Container Store.
Consolidated on the top floor, the gym contains 9,000 square feet of bouldering walls with 14-inch-high safety padding on the floor as well as weights and exercise equipment. A Kilter Board with holds that light up based on a route that users can choose with an app is available for training.
The bottom floor is devoted to Basecamp Coffee Roasters, a 2,000-square-foot cafe open to both gym members and the general public. Unique to the Tysons location, the coffee shop reflects the area’s more urban environment and is intended to foster a sense of community, Vertical Rock co-owner and CEO Ian Colton previously told FFXnow’s sister site Tysons Reporter.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to make one in Manassas,” Ford said. “Right now, this is the first one, so we are kind of hoping to bring that same community feeling we have at Manassas over here.”
After following truncated hours for its soft opening, Vertical Rock will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. A grand opening date will likely be set this week, Ford said.
The gym offers individual, family, student and military/police memberships, along with camps and youth teams.
Started in 2012, Vertical Rock is part of a wave of indoor rock climbing gyms that has already taken hold of nearby Arlington County and Alexandria City. However, this is first such facility in Fairfax County, which has been exploring ways to boost sports tourism in recent years.
“There’s gyms popping up everywhere, so being able to bring the first gym to this area is something really special,” Ford said. “I think that it’s going to make a great fit for this area.”
Fairfax County firefighters are currently responding to two separate gas leaks, one in the Town of Vienna and another in Burke.
In Vienna, the intersection of Tapawingo Road and Park Street has been closed to traffic, as crews shut down a gas leak from a 2-inch pipeline in the 100 block of Tapawingo Road SE. As of 12:30 p.m., the leak has been stabilized, but crews are waiting for the gas company to arrive.
Firefighters are also in Burke to address a different, active gas leak in the 9600 block of Bronte Drive. In both cases, the leak was caused by workers hitting a pipeline, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
The department said it doesn’t currently have information about what the workers were doing or estimates for when repairs will be completed.
UPDATE: situation is stable. Crews awaiting arrival of gas company. #FCFRD https://t.co/fBZMC2MzPR
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) October 11, 2022
Units on scene of (another) gas leak in the 9600 block of Bronte Drive in Burke. 2" gas line struck by workers. Active leak. Crews awaiting gas company to shut down line. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/q4x6bELp9D
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) October 11, 2022
A teenager ended up in the hospital over the weekend after another teen accidentally shot him with a pellet gun.
Fairfax County police officers were dispatched a home in the 6300 block of Georgetown Pike in McLean at 12:51 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 8) in response to the reported shooting, the Fairfax County Police Department said.
According to the police scanner, officers received a 911 call for someone being shot with “lots of screaming in the background.” Responders reported that a 13-year-old boy had sustained a gunshot wound to the head from a BB gun, and they were transporting him to Inova Fairfax Hospital.
Police confirmed only that the victim was shot with a pellet gun in the upper body, and that both juveniles involved were teens.
The victim was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries that were considered life-threatening, police said. As of last night (Monday), they remained hospitalized.
“It was a tragic accident that led to these injuries,” the FCPD said, noting that no charges are expected to be filed.
Nearly 350 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else in the U.S. each year, according to Fairfax County Public Schools, citing findings from the gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety.
According to Everytown’s Not an Accident database, there have been at least 223 unintentional shootings by children in the U.S. so far this year, killing 98 people and injuring 136.
On the south side of the county, police responded to reports of gunshots in the Rose Hill Shopping Center parking lot at 4:05 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 7).
“Witnesses heard gunshots and saw a group of juveniles run from the area,” the FCPD told FFXnow by email. “Several cartridge cases were recovered. No injuries or property damage was reported.”
The incident remains under investigation. The department says anyone with information related to the gunfire can call its detectives at 703-691-2131.
