Herndon Pub’s Cheesesteak Voted Best in Region — “A stalwart in pub food, Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern of Herndon claims the title of Best Cheesesteak in our NoVA Wars: Cheesesteak Edition reader poll. Readers chose Jimmy’s as the winner through four rounds of bracket-style voting. In the end, it topped Falls Church’s Celebrity Delly for the title.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Temporary Fix Proposed for Georgetown Pike Traffic — “VDOT is proposing to restrict left-turns from northbound Dead Run Drive to westbound Georgetown Pike” in McLean during rush hour in the hopes of easing congestion exacerbated by construction on I-495. “The meeting will take place Wednesday, from 7-9 p.m., Churchill Road Elementary School Cafeteria.” [Patch]
Apartment Complex in Bailey’s Crossroads Nears Finish — “Three Collective, the new three-building apartment complex at the Skyline Center in Bailey’s Crossroads, is nearing completion. The three buildings had been office buildings and were repurposed for residential uses. [They] have a total of 720 ‘flexidential’ apartments where tenants can live, work, or do both.” [Annandale Today]
Business Community Opposes Digital Sales Tax — “Trade associations representing hundreds of companies that do business in Virginia have come out swinging against a proposal to expand the state sales tax to cover digital goods, something Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin proposed and Democrats endorsed in their budget legislation.” Signatories of a letter sent to legislators include the Northern Virginia Technology Council. [Associated Press/WTOP]
Development Restricted on Great Falls Property — “Fairfax County supervisors on Feb. 20 unanimously approved creation of a new 29.81-acre agricultural-and-forestal (AF) district in Great Falls, which will protect the property from more intensive development in exchange for a tax break.” The land is mostly forested or undeveloped, but about 4.8 acres are being used for agricultural purposes, and there are three residential structures. [Gazette Leader]
Sorority Donates Books to Lorton School — “The Alpha Beta Alpha Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. donated over 200 books featuring characters of color to Gunston Elementary School in honor of Black History Month.” The books were collected by the sorority chapter over the past month and “selected or approved by Gunston Elementary’s librarian.” [On the MoVe]
Oakton Student Wins State Diving Championship — “Flint Hill Huskies senior diver Michayla Eisenberg finished her high-school career by winning the girls private-school state championship with a 506.7 point total, the highest in her prep career. The state title was her second in a row, dominating and winning by 186 points this season and finishing second as a sophomore.” [Gazette Leader]
Free Prom Dress Shop Set for Reston Return — “Reston Community Center is gearing up to host its annual Diva Central event on Saturday, March 16. Now in its 22nd year, Diva Central is a single-day prom and formal dress shopping event that is open to middle- and high school-age students who need formal dresses and/or accessories.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Expect rain throughout the day, potentially turning into a thunderstorm after 4pm, with a high near 69°F. Winds will be breezy from the south at 21-24 mph, gusting up to 37 mph. Rain will continue into the night, with a possible thunderstorm before 10pm. Temperatures will drop to around 31°F, accompanied by windy conditions. [Weather.gov]
Updated at 10:25 a.m. on 2/28/2024 — The National Weather Service has moved up the start time for its Wind Advisory to 3 p.m. today (Wednesday).
Earlier: A Wind Advisory has been issued for the D.C. area, including Fairfax County.
The alert is currently scheduled to start at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and continue until 4 a.m. Thursday (Feb. 29), according to the National Weather Service.
“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the NWS said, warning that winds could reach 20 to 30 mph with gusts of up to 50 mph.
The strong winds will conclude what’s expected to be a rainy day in the county. The NWS is forecasting a 100% chance of rain tomorrow, but temperatures could still reach a high of 63 degrees, continuing an abnormally warm February for the East Coast.
A cold front is anticipated following tomorrow night’s high winds, bringing temperatures slightly down on Thursday, according to the Capital Weather Gang.
The full Wind Advisory is below.
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM WEDNESDAY TO 4 AM EST THURSDAY…
* WHAT…West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.
* WHERE…Portions of central, north central, northeast and northern Maryland, The District of Columbia, central, northern, northwest and western Virginia and eastern and panhandle West Virginia.
* WHEN…From 6 PM Wednesday to 4 AM EST Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
(Updated at 11 a.m. on 2/28/2024) Allegations of racist lending practices against Navy Federal Credit Union have solidified into a class action lawsuit.
Attorneys representing nine members of Navy Federal filed a complaint in federal court on Feb. 20 alleging that the Vienna-based financial institution “systematically discriminates” against people of color, particularly Black, Hispanic and Native American applicants, when determining whether to approve mortgage loans.
The lawsuit builds on a Dec. 14 story by CNN that found Navy Federal was more than twice as likely to reject Black mortgage applicants than their white counterparts, even when they have similar incomes, property values and neighborhood characteristics.
“Navy Federal claims that it champions community and that it is dedicated to embracing and celebrating diversity and inclusion in all the communities it serves. Of course, actions speak louder than words, and Navy Federal’s claims of community devotion ring hollow in the face of its systematic discrimination against non-white borrowers,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump said at a press conference in New York, where the lawsuit was publicly announced.
Consolidating four initially separate legal challenges, the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, since Navy Federal’s global headquarters are at 820 Follin Lane in Vienna.
Navy Federal, which serves current and former members of the military and their families, gave conventional home purchase mortgage loans to 77% of white applicants in 2022 but only 48% of Black applicants — a 29% disparity that’s the biggest of any major lender in the country, CNN reported, citing data that the credit union was required to report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Hispanic applicants were approved 56% of the time, while Native Americans and Asians saw approval rates of 64% and 69%, respectively.
Brought by plaintiffs from across the country who say they were either denied a loan or, in one case, issued one at a higher-than-average interest rate by Navy Federal, the 65-page complaint argues that the credit union’s practices amounted to racial discrimination in violation of federal laws, including the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
The complaint also alleges violations of state laws in California and Florida, where some of the plaintiffs are located.
“Harming its members and engaging in unlawful behavior is nothing new to Navy Federal, a company that has shown it simply does not care about equal housing, non-discrimination, or its members’ well-being,” the complaint says, noting that the credit union was ordered by the CFPB in 2016 to pay $23 million to members for making misleading threats in order to collect debts. Read More
(Updated at 4:30 p.m. on 2/28/2024) The Town of Vienna will kick off March with its third annual Restaurant Week.
More than 40 restaurants in the town will offer special deals during the promotional campaign, which will run from March 3-10. For the first time, the town will celebrate the week by hosting a drop-in social event near the Town Green on Tuesday, March 5 from 4-6 p.m. with giveaways and live music.
Sponsored by the Town of Vienna Economic Development Department, the program aims to boost resident and visitor activity in the town, while also boosting business for the participating restaurants, with a goal of increasing the number of patrons at each eatery during the week.
“While some restaurants are offering multi-course, prix fixe menus, others are offering exciting specials, or creating new menu items just for the week,” a press release says. “Alongside meticulously curated menus, local restaurants and eateries are introducing discounted à la carte dining and exclusive deals. These enticing options are designed to tantalize the palates of discerning food enthusiasts, encouraging them to explore new and delightful cuisines.”
Vienna introduced its own restaurant week in 2022 and revived the concept last year, when it more than doubled the number of participating eateries.
This year’s event will begin the same day that nearby Fairfax City’s Restaurant Week ends. From bakeries and cafes to fast-casual chains and fine-dining restaurants, the full list of participants is below, sorted by the type of food offered.
Asian
- Burapa Thai And Bar (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Chit Chaat Cafe (delivery, carryout)
- Oh My Dak (carryout, dine-in)
- Peking Express Of Vienna (curbside pickup, delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Royal Nepal Bistro (carryout, dine-in)
- Sushi Koji (dine-in)
- Sushi Yoshi (carryout, dine-in)
- The Mixx Delight (carryout)
- Viet Aroma Asian Cuisine (carryout)
American
- America’s Best Wings (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Bazin’s On Church (dine-in)
- Bear Branch Tavern (carryout, dine-in)
- Big Buns (curbside pickup, delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Caboose Tavern (dine-in)
- Domino’s Pizza (curbside pickup, delivery, carryout)
- Foster’s Grille (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Maple Ave Restaurant (dine-in)
- Social Burger (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- The Virginian Restaurant (carryout, dine-in)
(Updated at 10:30 a.m.) Fairfax Connector is now in its sixth consecutive day without service, as workers continue their strike for better pay, benefits and working conditions.
More than 600 bus drivers and mechanics ceased working last Thursday (Feb. 22) when their union — Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 — called for a strike after months of negotiations with Transdev, the private company that operates Fairfax Connector, for a new labor contract to replace one that expired on Nov. 30.
In a press release, the union said yesterday (Monday) that it met with Transdev but didn’t reach an agreement, stating that the company “failed to offer an acceptable deal,” particularly when it comes to retirement contributions.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has said Northern Virginia’s largest public bus system can’t resume service until the strike ends, forcing the Connector’s approximately 26,000 daily riders to find alternate travel options. The county has suggested teleworking, carpooling, walking, bicycling or using other transit, such as Metro and Virginia Railway Express (VRE).
County data indicates that most commuters drive to work, as public transportation usage fell during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 10% in 2019 to 5% in 2022. However, Fairfax Connector’s ridership appears to have bounced back last year, exceeding 2019 levels with 774,875 passengers as of June, according to the Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s transit data dashboard.
In addition to workers, the Connector provides a crucial travel option for many students, who can get a free pass if they’re in middle or high school that can also be used for Fairfax City’s CUE bus and, for select schools, Metrobus.
According to ATU Local 689, the next bargaining session isn’t scheduled until March 5, when federal mediators are expected to attend. This strike has already surpassed the last Connector work stoppage, which lasted four days in 2019.
Local Man Dies in Alexandria Jail — “Ahntais Lucas, 39, from Fairfax County, was found unresponsive and alone in his cell experiencing a medical emergency. The release said the jail’s medical staff tried to treat Lucas but he was pronounced deceased at 4:42 a.m.” Lucas’s death is under investigation by Alexandria’s sheriff’s office and police department. [ALXnow]
McLean Man Forced to Drive at Gunpoint — “A McLean man was kidnapped at gunpoint early Sunday morning and forced to drive to his home and another location in Maryland, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Investigators determined that around 12:30 a.m…the victim had arranged to meet with the suspect” in D.C., but upon arriving, he was confronted by two people with handguns. [Patch]
Update Coming on Fairfax County Parkway Construction — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a hybrid ‘pardon our dust’ meeting Wednesday night, Feb. 28 at the VDOT Northern Virginia District Building, 4975 Alliance Drive…on the work underway at Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) and Popes Head Road (Route 654) to replace the traffic signal with an interchange.” [VDOT]
Potential Beltway Crash Averted by Helping Drivers — “Michel Cochran, 82 was driving between the Little River Turnpike and Braddock Road exits in Annandale around 10 a.m. on Feb. 16 when she had a major heart attack and died.” A state trooper says other drivers helped move Cochran’s car out of the path of oncoming vehicles, called 911 and delivered CPR. [Annandale Today]
Virginia Tornado Drill Delayed Due to Primaries — “The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) announced Feb. 20 it was rescheduling the Virginia statewide tornado drill, which has been slated for 9:45 a.m. on March 5, to the same time on Thursday, March 7. VDEM officials moved the drill to ensure it would not have any impacts on the primary elections.” [Gazette Leader]
Milk Tea Shop Now Open in Lorton — “Kokee Tea, a specialty drink and dessert café, opened Feb. 15 at Liberty Market in Lorton. The store, which specializes in milk tea and other types of teas, cold clouds and ice-blended drinks, will hold a grand opening event Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. with giveaways for the first 100 customers.” [On the MoVe]
Park Authority Rolls Out Virtual Golf Notifications — “Tired of searching through tee time cancellations to see whether your desired spot has opened up? Get ‘No-Tee-Fied’ with Golf Fairfax’s new virtual tee time waitlist and assistant, powered by Noteefy. This new system allows golfers to receive real-time notifications when their desired tee time becomes available.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Reston Restauranteur Makes Pricey Home Purchase — “Warren Thompson, president and chairman of Reston-based Thompson Hospitality Corp., the nation’s largest minority-owned food and facilities management company, acquired Wildersmoor House in Great Falls for $14.75 million earlier this month, according to public records. The estate was first listed in May 2023 for $17.995 million. It is the region’s most expensive sale of 2024.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Tuesday — Expect showers after 1 p.m. with a 50% chance of precipitation, partly sunny skies, and a high near 64. Showers are likely after 4 a.m., with a 70% chance of precipitation, cloudy conditions, and a low around 57. New precipitation amounts may be less than a tenth of an inch. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax County School Board is moving ahead with its plan to change middle school start times.
According to Fairfax County Public Schools, research has shown that later start times could positively influence student academic performance and mental and emotional well-being.
Last September, the school system awarded consulting firm Prismatic Services a contract to develop a plan for changing middle school start times to 8 a.m. or later. The goal is to make these changes without changing high school start times or impacting the FCPS budget.
Currently, all middle schools start at 7:30 a.m. FCPS moved high school start times to around 8 a.m. in fall 2015 through its Blueprint for Change adoption. At the time, the then-superintendent said revisions to middle school start times would be considered at a later date.
At a meeting last Thursday (Feb. 22), the school board received an update on the plan from Prismatic Services President Dr. Tatia Prieto, who said the goal is to recommend start times to the board in January 2025 with the intent to implement changes by 2026, if the board adopts them.
“To get there, we have a number of milestone activities,” Prieto said. “The background report, which we’re currently engaged in, [covers] the history of efforts in Fairfax around this issue. We’re also developing a number of case studies with a few large school districts to look at lessons learned from their implementation.”
The firm will also conduct on-site observations at selected middle schools.
“This is going to include observing bus observations at selected middle schools in order to get a good feel for things,” Prieto said.
The plan also includes a total of eight public information sessions for the community — four in the spring and four in the fall.
“The spring ones are going to be more informational in nature,” Prieto said. “We’ll communicate about sleep research, and let participants discuss how later school start times could be beneficial and could be implemented. And then the fall ones will present two to four alternatives for input.”
Additionally, the firm will conduct online surveys and forums. One major concern in changing school start times is transportation constraints, which Prieto said would be covered in the information sessions.
“Analyzing the potential impact of moving middle school start times on both the number of drivers needed, and on all the special programs will be part of our work on this project,” Prieto added.
Mount Vernon District School Board Representative Mateo Dunne questioned how a possible time change would affect extracurricular activities like sports, particularly in the fall and winter when the sun goes down earlier.
Prieto pointed to Anne Arundel County Public Schools, which also hired Prismatic Services to help change its school start times.
“All of their middle schools start at 9:15. They shifted their sports program — which is much more extensive than what you currently have — to the after hours, and are not experiencing any problems,” she said.
Dunne also asked how a change in the start time would affect staff and teachers working at middle schools. Prieto said they propose surveying teachers to find out if they foresee any potential issues.
“I will add that we did develop, as one of the initial documents for this, a list of the key stakeholders we need to talk to,” she said.
Springfield District Representative Sandy Anderson requested more information on how later start times has affected attendance at other schools.
“I have an eighth grader. I can’t imagine having him have to get to school on his own at 9:40, so that is terrifying to me,” Anderson said.
A McLean resident has pleaded guilty to spending federal COVID-19 relief funds intended for his home business on personal expenses, including gambling and real estate payments.
Mehdi Pazouki, 65, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday (Feb. 23) to defrauding the Small Business Administration of approximately $455,000 in loans created to help businesses survive during the pandemic, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of Virginia.
The office says Pazouki applied for funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program between August 2020 and August 2021 that he claimed would be spent on Systems Integration Services Inc., the IT consulting company he ran out of his McLean home.
“He actually intended to, and did, use [the money] to fund his gambling at area casinos, pay down personal debt, and purchase real estate,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
More from the Department of Justice:
Within days of receiving his first EIDL disbursement, Pazouki spent over $27,000 in EIDL money at Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, West Virginia. Pazouki also used the PPP and EIDL money for down payments on two different real estate properties, to pay off his personal credit card debt, and to fund his personal investment account. Pazouki also falsely represented to the SBA in loan forgiveness applications that the PPP money had been used for legitimate business expenses, which resulted in the complete discharge of the loans.
Pazouki could face up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced on May 24, though the press release notes that “actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced last August that the Justice Department had recovered over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that were allegedly obtained through fraud by over 3,000 defendants.
The PPP and EIDL programs were both created by the CARES Act in 2020 to assist small business owners during the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders implemented early in the pandemic. Up to $659 billion was available for PPP loans, and $224 billion in EIDL grants and loans were approved through February 2021, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which found that at least 3,000 loans totaling about $156 million went to ineligible applicants.
The PPP program ended on May 31, 2021, while the Small Business Administration shut down its application portal for EIDL funds in May 2022.
Photo via Chris Liverani on Unsplash
A local family with decades of culinary experience unveiled a new restaurant last week that serves Indian food, tapas-style, at Tysons Corner Center.
Dhoom opened this past Thursday (Feb. 22) on the mall’s second floor near Shilla Bakery. Paired with the counter-service eatery Naan & Beyond, which opened earlier this year, the sit-down restaurant is the latest establishment run by the Arora family.
They also own Diya Bistro in Ashburn, and their past ventures include Diya Tysons, which was located inside Tycon Courthouse, and the original Naan & Beyond in D.C., which shuttered in January 2022.
“Our menu features traditional Indian flavors with a modern twist, and our vibrant atmosphere is perfect for a night out with friends or a lively dinner with family,” Dhoom said in social media posts announcing its opening.
According to Dhoom’s website, the Arora family opened their first restaurant in New York City in 1982, but they’ve been based in D.C. and Northern Virginia “for decades,” even garnering some attention from Barack Obama when the then-president sampled food at D.C.’s Naan & Beyond in 2014.
Co-owner Ajay Arora, who works with his brother Rahul and their mother, Kusam, says the family decided to open Dhoom in Tysons “to do something different, to make people happy so they can appreciate the food and all the effort.”
Where Naan & Beyond takes a fast-casual approach, serving naan rolls and rice bowls, Dhoom aspires to be fine dining. It focuses on small, tapas-like platters of tandoori with both meat and vegetarian options, though there are also larger, “shareable” plates and even a $125 kabob feast that the menu says can feed three to four people.
Dishes include staples of American Indian restaurants, such as butter chicken, briyani and chicken tikka, which can come as a stuffed flatbread or as tacos. The restaurant also has a bar that serves beer, wine, spirits and cocktails.
Ajay noted that all of the food is made fresh.
“We are happy to be in Tysons,” he said. “We are just planning to stay busy and get some more business…and we are doing our best.”
Dhoom is located at 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Suite G21U, and operates from noon to 10 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday.
The restaurant was one of two newcomers to Tysons Corner Center last week, preceding the launch of the Pakistani clothing store Khaadi on Saturday (Feb. 24). Tenants on their way to the mall include the fashion retailers Primark and Mango, and the chain restaurants Maggiano’s Little Italy and the Cheesecake Factory.
The Fairfax County Park Authority wants to know how community members are using its park facilities.
The park authority has launched an equity survey, open through Monday, April 1, as part of its ongoing work to improve access to park programs.
“The Park Authority has intentionally been applying an equity lens to our park system in order to ensure that the accessibility and variety of our program offerings align with the present-day values and interests of our community,” Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole said. “This latest outreach effort is important to help us identify the barriers that yet need to be overcome such as economic, cultural, transportation and others so that we can continue to make the benefits of parks accessible to everyone.”
The survey asks about the use of parks, rec centers, summer camps, golf courses, nature centers and historical sites. In several cases, respondents have space to explain why they don’t use a given resource. Respondents are asked to provide some personal information, including race, ethnicity and home ZIP code.
“We’re particularly interested in understanding potential barriers that you experience which prevent you from taking full advantage of recreational opportunities,” the survey instructions read.
The survey builds on a recent equity study that found FCPA’s approach to funding some of its programs, including summer camps and rec center memberships, is not consistent with national best practices and is a barrier to their accessibility.
The current model requires fees to cover 100% of both direct program costs, such as equipment, and indirect overhead costs, such as building utilities. In contrast, the median cost recovery from fees across parks and recreation agencies nationally is 25%, and cost recovery typically does not include indirect costs, the study says.
Conducted by the consulting firm HR&A, the study points to greater racial diversity and diversity in household income in Rec-PAC, a recreational program that doesn’t have to recover 100% of its costs, compared to summer camps and other work operating with full cost recovery.
In the case of summer camps, 71% of campers come from households making at least $150,000 per year, even though just 40% of the county’s population meets that income bracket; 69% of summer camp participants are white, compared to 50% of the county’s population.
“These high fees make many programs unaffordable and therefore inaccessible to a large portion of the population, and it hampers the park authority’s ability to provide equitable services,” HR&A Managing Partner Stan Wall told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors when presenting the study’s initial findings in January.
The equity study includes two main recommendations. First, for an estimated $9.4 million, FCPA could reduce some fees across the board by factoring community benefit into its cost recovery requirement. For instance, children’s swim lessons would not require full cost recovery.
Second, FCPA could offer targeted subsidies to help lower-income households take advantage of recreation programs and resources.
In total, the study estimates it would take $17.2 million to implement a sliding fee scale for certain programs and flexible annual vouchers to cover some recreation expenses for qualified households, including costs for administrative work, outreach and software.
To fund these programs, the county could consider “a dedicated tax stream,” according to the presentation.
“The good news is that many other places have dedicated tax streams for parks and recreation, whether property tax levies or other creative funding streams, and these measures consistently have high levels of voter support,” Wall said.
The equity survey’s results will help inform the FCPA’s recommendations to its board and the Board of Supervisors, which are expected to come this fall.
