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Several Roads Closed Around McLean Due to Downed Trees

High winds have brought down trees and closed a number of roads around the McLean area Monday.

As of about 2:30 p.m., Fairfax County police reported the following closures:

Along with the road closures, more than 250 Dominion customers were without power Monday afternoon. The winds are starting to die down, but additional wind damage is possible as strong gusts continue.

The strongest gust reported so far today in Fairfax County was a 58 mile per hour gust at Dulles International Airport at 10:19 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Photos of the tree damage and closures via Twitter:

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Monday Morning Notes

Downed Trees Block Roads — A High Wind Warning is in effect for Fairfax County for most of the day. A number of trees are reported to have fallen in parts of the area, blocking roads, including in McLean on Old Dominion Drive at Franklin Park Road and on Georgetown Pike near the Beltway. [Twitter, Twitter]

Police Department Mourns Fallen K-9 — “Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler, Jr. announced the unexpected death today, Feb. 22, of K-9 Doby, one of our K-9 officers.” [FCPD]

FCPS Gets More Than Half of Budget — “For the second year in a row, Fairfax County plans to grant all of the transfer funds requested by the county school board… FCPS accounts for 52.9 percent of the county’s general fund budget. Hill’s proposed county transfer to the public school system exceeds the $2.1 billion requested by the school board.” [Fairfax Times]

The Case for Suburb-to-Suburb Transit — “The Purple Line, which is expected to begin service in late 2022, will provide an important suburb-to-suburb link, and local officials should seriously consider constructing extensions to Tysons Corner and Largo.” [Greater Greater Washington]

More Childless Households in Falls Church — “While the 2.4 million population in the Northern Virginia region, overall, is characterized by a continuing growth in numbers of children, and households with children, this is not true for Falls Church… the number of households with children in the City has actually decreased by 5.3 percent in that same period.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Local Doc Goes on Medical Mission Trip — “On Jan. 26, 2019, a team from… Virginia Oral, Facial & Implant Surgery of McLean flew from Dulles Airport to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic” on a medical mission trip to treat “both children and adults of Dominican and Haitian background.” [McLean Connection]

New Look for Tysons Reporter — Tysons Reporter is debuting a new, cleaner look for our site today. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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NFL Network Reporter Talks About Life-Saving Surgery at Inova Fairfax

NFL Network reporter Kim Jones went on the Today Show Wednesday to tell the story about how local doctors saved her life.

In November, Jones suffered a medical emergency while covering a Washington Redskins practice. She ended up at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where doctors determined she was suffering from a rare aortic dissection and quickly performed emergency surgery that saved her life.

An aortic dissection is a tear in the heart, the same condition that killed comedian John Ritter.

Jones told the Today Show anchors that she’s lucky to be alive and grateful for the doctors who saved her.

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Merrifield Business Association Updates Website, Tries to Recruit Millennials

The Greater Merrifield Business Association is “shaking off its low-tech past and ramping up efforts to connect with members and promote the community,” the Sun Gazette reports.

Among its recent efforts are a new website, pictured above, and the recruitment of younger members.

More from the Sun Gazette:

The organization is making its board larger, trying to diversify and get younger, Thompson said…

“We had an older-age demographic in the organization,” he said. “Not very many young people. Nobody had e-mail, nobody had Twitter. We were so far behind with the times and we were suffering from it. There are so many things that we do well, but we need the Millennials with us in this organization.”

The organization’s mission is “to build a strong network of local businesses, support our local community, and increase the customer traffic to our businesses,” according to the GMBA website.

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TV Reporter Helps Driver Who Crashed in McLean During the Snow

A reporter with local CBS affiliate WUSA 9 was on assignment during yesterday’s snowfall when she came upon a single-vehicle crash on Great Falls Street in McLean.

A y0ung woman had lost control of her Jeep Patriot on the snow-covered road, spun, hit the curb and damaged a front wheel, disabling the vehicle. The reporter, Peggy Fox, helped the driver get help and also helped to direct traffic before police arrived.

The responding officer offered some advice to others driving in the snow: slow down.

That wasn’t the only story Fox filed yesterday. She also caught up with sledders at the popular sledding hill behind nearby Lemon Road Elementary School.

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FCPS Opening on Two Hour Delay Thursday

Fairfax County Public Schools will open two hours late Thursday, giving road crews and mother nature extra time to clear slippery and slushy roads.

FCPS made the announcement earlier this afternoon.

Today’s earlier snow has given way to sleet and rain, including some freezing rain. Around 4 inches of accumulation were reported in places like Vienna and Falls Church.

The earlier Winter Storm Warning has been cancelled and replaced with a Winter Weather Advisory. From the National Weather Service:

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS
EVENING…
…WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED…

* WHAT…MIXED PRECIPITATION. ADDITIONAL SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF LESS THAN ONE INCH THROUGH MID AFTERNOON, THEN ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH THROUGH 10 PM. ALL FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION TO RAIN BY 10 PM.

* WHERE…PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA.

* WHEN…UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT THE EVENING COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW, SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. EXPECT SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

WHEN VENTURING OUTSIDE, WATCH YOUR FIRST FEW STEPS TAKEN ON STEPS, SIDEWALKS, AND DRIVEWAYS, WHICH COULD BE ICY AND SLIPPERY, INCREASING YOUR RISK OF A FALL AND INJURY.

Numerous crashes have been reported around Fairfax County today, including crashes involving overturned vehicles. Virginia State Police’s Fairfax Division reported 114 crashes and 111 disabled or stuck vehicles as of 3:45 p.m.

VDOT is still urging residents to stay inside and off the roads if at all possible today.

“Even as conditions improve, drivers are asked to remain cautious this evening as sleet and freezing rain continue through the region,” VDOT said. “Crews continue to plow and treat roads, but with mixed precipitation and temperatures close to freezing, roads may become slick.”

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Traffic Light Across the Area As Many Enjoy a Snow Day

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(Updated at 9:30 a.m.) The Beltway and I-66 are mostly wet and drive-able as snow continues to fall, but it appears that the vast majority of drivers are heeding calls to stay off the rods today.

Only very light traffic could be seen on either highway as of 9 a.m., normally a time when both would be jammed with commuters.

It’s a similar story on Route 123 in Tysons and other local arteries, but with more snow in the road and fewer cars. Neighborhood roads and side streets are snow-covered but largely passable for those with the right tires and vehicles.

As of 8:45 a.m., Virginia State Police reported 11 crashes during the storm in its Fairfax Division.

VDOT is continuing to urge drivers to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary today, with morning snow giving way to sleet and freezing rain in the afternoon, to be followed by plain rain which will make everything a slushy mess.

“Drivers are asked to avoid travel for safety today as a winter storm moves through the region with a range of precipitation,” VDOT said. “Pockets of heavier snow may limit visibility and stick to the pavement, and a mix of freezing rain may quickly make roads slick.”

The federal government is closed today. Fairfax County schools, government offices, courts and park authority facilities are closed. The Fairfax Connector is running on a Saturday schedule. City of Falls Church government and schools are also closed.

Two inches of snow had fallen on Tysons as of 8:30 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

In addition to asking residents to stay off the roads during the storm, authorities are encouraging locals to take it easy while shoveling today’s wet snow. Per the fire department:

Your Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department encourages you to take safety precautions if you are going to shovel snow.

It is important to consider your physical limitations. Wear weather appropriate gear to keep you warm. Only shovel snow if you are physically able to do so. This snow is a wet and heavy type of snow. Remember to take it slow when shoveling snow!

Update at 1 p.m. — As the snow changes over to sleet and freezing rain, 3.5 inches of accumulation are being reported in Falls Church and 4.2 inches have been reported in Vienna, according to National Weather Service spotters.

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UPDATED: School Cancelled Wednesday As Winter Storm Barrels Toward Area

(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday) due to a winter storm that’s just hours away from reaching the area.

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued ahead of the storm, which is expected to drop several inches of snow and some sleet and freezing rain on Fairfax County.

Despite VDOT pretreating local roadways, authorities are urging residents to stay off the roads — if at all possible — after the flakes start flying early Wednesday morning. Delays and cancellations are likely for schools, governments and flights Wednesday.

More from the National Weather Service:

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY… * WHAT…HEAVY MIXED PRECIPITATION EXPECTED. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH EXPECTED. * WHERE…THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MARYLAND AND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. * WHEN…FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY. SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND MIX WITH AND CHANGE TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN DURING THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO PLAIN RAIN WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS LIKELY WEDNESDAY MORNING. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS…TRAVEL COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS COULD IMPACT THE MORNING OR EVENING COMMUTE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW, SLEET AND ICE WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. WHEN VENTURING OUTSIDE, WATCH YOUR FIRST FEW STEPS TAKEN ON STEPS, SIDEWALKS, AND DRIVEWAYS, WHICH COULD BE ICY AND SLIPPERY, INCREASING YOUR RISK OF A FALL AND INJURY. &&

More via social media:

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Cards Stolen from Reston Found in Vienna

A wallet was stolen in Reston — and several of the cards inside wound up in Vienna the next day.

The discovery was made Saturday morning at the intersection of Lawyers Road and Windover Avenue NW.

“A citizen was walking their dog when they found a driver’s license and a store card on the road and brought them to the police station,” said this week’s Vienna Police Department crime report. “When an officer notified the owner, they were advised the cards were in their wallet which had been reported as stolen in Reston, Virginia the previous day.”

The wallet, its other contents and the person who took it remain at large.

Map via Google Maps

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Morning Notes

Robbery Attempt in Falls Church — “The victim was getting out of a van when a man walked up to him, displayed a handgun and demanded money. The victim quickly backed away and the man ran away.” [FCPD]

Students, Retirees Send Valentine’s Day Care Packages — “On Jan. 27, nearly 150 individuals, from kindergartners to octogenarians, took part in The Potomac School’s third annual Intergenerational Valentine’s Day Service Event, hosted by Vinson Hall Retirement Community.” [McLean Connection]

Snow in the Forecast — “The first in this trio of storm systems is slated to arrive Saturday, with a second one possible Sunday and finally another targeting late Tuesday into Wednesday next week. The Saturday and late-Tuesday-Wednesday systems appear to have the most wintry potential locally, but they are also far from sure bets.” [Washington Post]

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