Mattel is ready to hit the gas pedal on its new Hot Wheels Champion Experience in Tysons.
The interactive exhibit will open to patrons at Tysons Corner Center at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Friday), a week later than previously anticipated. It’s located on the mall’s second floor in the former Old Navy space next to Barnes and Noble.
The temporary, 16,000-square-foot pop-up will combine physical and virtual environments to enable visitors to design, drive and race Hot Wheels vehicles “without headsets, goggles, or other equipment,” according to a press release.
To bring Hot Wheels to life, Mattel partnered with SEE Touring Exhibitions Inc., a themed entertainment provider that also brought a Sistine Chapel exhibit to Tysons in 2021. The companies say the concept responds to a demand for interactive events in retail as an alternative to “passive consumption.”
“We recognize the importance of spending quality time together during the holidays,” Mattel and SEE Touring Exhibitions said. “Hot Wheels Champion Experience provides an opportunity for families to come together, regardless of their age, to enjoy a shared, nostalgic, and thrilling experience.”
Attractions include augmented reality rooms, a monster truck competition, a game where participants can defend Hot Wheels City from monsters, and Hot Wheels Central, where patrons can track how they’re performing on the various challenges and collect digital memorabilia.
Some exclusive clothes, toys and other merchandise will also be available.
Tickets for 90-minute time slots are currently on sale, starting at $32 for teens and adults and $25 for children. An end date for the experience hasn’t been announced yet, but the ticket vendor currently shows available dates through Feb. 25.
Hot Wheels is rolling into Tysons Corner Center one week after the arrival of CAMP, a toy and entertainment retailer whose new, permanent store is currently accompanied by an interactive, “Encanto”-themed experience. Disney Encanto X Camp opened on Friday, Dec. 8 and appears to be sold out for the rest of this year.
(Updated at 9:25 a.m. on 12/15/2023) The long-running effort to bring bus rapid transit (BRT) service to Route 7 is about to enter a new stage of planning, but for some Fairfax County leaders, the milestone doubles as a reminder of how much more still needs to be done to turn Northern Virginia’s vision into a reality.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement at its Dec. 5 meeting to help fund an engineering study and environmental analysis required to implement the bus system, which will serve the corridor from the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons to the Mark Center in Alexandria.
Though they voted 9-1 in support of the agreement, some board members raised concerns about a lack of clarity on the project timeline from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the regional organization that’s managing the planning process.
“I sit on NVTC, and I don’t have a comfort level yet that they have their hands wrapped around this,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said. “Constantly, I’m asking for schedules — when is this going to happen? — and they never provide them.”
Foust — whose district includes the West Falls Church Metro area at the southern end of the BRT’s future Tysons segment — called NVTC a “great organization” and voted for the agreement, which was only opposed by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity.
But Foust urged county and NVTC staff to provide a thorough breakdown of the long-range plan for the project known as Envision Route 7, including an estimate of when it would be completed “if everything goes as anticipated.”
“That would be very helpful, I think, in evaluating each step as we go forward,” he said.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay concurred, adding that the county doesn’t need specific dates but would find it “helpful” to get a more detailed timeline of key milestones to expect going forward.
He noted that NVTC has already been working on the dedicated Route 7 bus system for years, dating back to a transit study commissioned in 2013.
“The number one question I’ve had about this is, ‘What has been taking so long to get to this point and what does the future look like?'” McKay said. “What we do know is this will be a long-term project, but we need to have a reasonable understanding of what that means in terms of years.”
Fairfax County Department of Transportation acting director Gregg Steverson confirmed the request was “something we can provide to you.”
(Correction: This story initially misidentified Gregg Steverson as the NVTC acting director.) Read More
Mixed Reactions to N. Va. Move for Wizards and Capitals — “Officials announced plans to bring the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards to a new arena in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood. The new $2 billion arena, leased to Monumental Sports & Entertainment, is scheduled to break ground in 2025 and open sometime in late 2028.” [ALXnow]
Fundraiser Supports Family of McLean Man Found in House Fire — “The fire broke out Monday morning at a home on the 4000 block of Ridgeview Circle in McLean…A GoFundMe campaign for his family was launched Tuesday and has already raised more than $10,000.” [ARLnow]
School Board Plans Vote on New Grading Policy — “This Thursday, December 14, the School Board will determine whether to adopt as policy the use of the 100-point scale, with 50% as the lowest passing grade for submitted assignments, for all high school credit-bearing classes.” Calling inconsistent grading is one of the top frustrations she hears from families, Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren says more time is needed for a thorough review. [Melanie Meren]
Richmond Highway Study Seeks to Create Sense of Place — With major construction still years away, the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development’s Community Revitalization Section and the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) will hold “a two-day workshop in late January in which panelists will create a placemaking strategy for a four-mile section of the corridor” in the near-term. [On the MoVe]
Nearby: Prince William Approves Data Center Projects — “After a 27-hour meeting, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Wednesday approved the PW Digital Gateway, allowing construction of what’s expected to become the largest data center corridor in the world.” [Inside NoVA]
Virginia Gets Funding for Wildlife Crossings — “To reduce the risk of car-creature collisions, earlier this year the Virginia Department of Transportation released the state’s first-ever Wildlife Corridor Action Plan; how long the wait will be until parts of the plan are implemented, however, will depend on funding.” Initial funds came this fall in the form of two federal grants totaling more than $1 million. [Virginia Mercury]
WaPo Profiles McLean Neighborhood — “The entrances of McLean Hamlet at Falstaff Road and Titania Lane have afforded many appreciative chuckles to passersby who remember their high school Shakespeare classes…But talk to residents about what makes the neighborhood special, and literary theming is the last thing they mention.” [Washington Post]
Free “Sober Rides” Available for Holidays — “Those who may have had too much to drink this holiday season will again be able to avail themselves of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s “SoberRide” service, conducted in conjunction with Lyft. The 2023 program will be in operation nightly from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. each night from Dec. 15 to Jan. 1.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Thursday — Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching a high of around 45 and a gentle northwest wind blowing at 3 to 5 mph. As night approaches, the sky will remain clear and the temperature will drop to a low of about 29. [Weather.gov]
The owner of 8221 Old Courthouse Road has received the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s support for its plan to convert the 1980s-era Tysons office building into multi-family housing.
The proposal filed by 8221 Old Courthouse Road LC — an affiliate of residential developer Dittmar Company — seeks to repurpose the existing, three-story building as one and two-bedroom rental apartments. Up to 55 units are planned, including six workforce dwelling units.
While the conversion won’t alter the building’s exterior, it will replace approximately 90 surface parking spaces with a publicly accessible, 7,840 square-foot pocket park along Old Courthouse Road and a private, 8,400-square-foot outdoor amenity space for residents on the property’s eastern side, which abuts an Extended Stay America hotel.
The developer has also agreed to update Old Courthouse and Lord Fairfax Road to the west with expanded sidewalks and landscaping panels, along with high-visibility crosswalks and new curb ramps at the intersection.
“The applicant — again the long-term owner of this building — is very excited to be looking forward, turning the page, turning to the next chapter in this building’s life cycle,” said Robert Brandt, the applicant’s representative at the planning commission’s Dec. 6 public hearing. “We think this is an excellent opportunity to convert it and add some additional housing here on this site and in Tysons.”
The elimination of more than half of the 2-acre site’s parking took center stage at the hearing, which concluded with the commission unanimously recommending that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approve the application.
Though no public speakers attended the hearing, several community members sent written comments to express concern that the project will create parking and traffic issues, particularly for Freedom Hill Elementary School to the south, according to Providence District Commissioner Jeremy Hancock.
Reserved for residents and their guests, the 66 parking spots that will be provided meet the county’s current minimum requirements for the Planned Tysons Corner (PTC) Urban District, which the developer has opted into, Brandt told the commission. New, generally reduced off-street parking standards that the Board of Supervisors adopted in September won’t take effect until Jan. 1.
“We are not requesting a parking reduction, and the applicant and staff, I believe, are comfortable with the amount of parking that we are providing,” Brandt said.
He noted that the property owner intends to deliver the 66 parking spaces even if the number of apartment units decreases as the design gets refined. An additional eight spots will be added off-site through striping on Lord Fairfax Road.
According to Brandt, converting the office building into housing will decrease traffic around the site by 207 daily trips on average. Parents will also no longer have to compete with commuting workers when driving their kids to and from school.
Hancock, however, suggested more could be done to try to mitigate traffic during those pick-up and drop-off times, especially while the apartment building is under construction.
“There really is only that one entrance there [to Freedom Hill Elementary],” he said. “I hope it’s acceptable to you that we continue to work on that and maybe address some of the concerns that were raised so we’re increasing the impact on those particular times in school.”
Brandt agreed that there’s “an opportunity to continue that discussion” before the application goes before the Board of Supervisors, which doesn’t have a public hearing scheduled yet.
Planning Commission Chairman Phil Niedzielski-Eichner, an at-large member who previously represented Providence District, called the application “a remarkable improvement” over what the developer initially brought to the county in February.
“The reduction in the impervious surface and expansion of the open space, particularly along the roadway…will add to the value of the neighborhood,” Niedzielski-Eichner said, “because it’s an amenity that will likely be replicated if other buildings in the area have the same ability to be converted. I suspect that’s going to happen, and I think that can only benefit the area.”
The District dominates Washingtonian’s 2023 survey of its readers’ favorite restaurants, but a couple of the highlighted establishments can be found right in Fairfax County.
Looking at eateries that came out on top in the poll’s 21 categories, readers picked Andy’s Pizza as their favorite place for pizza in the D.C. area and Call Your Mother as their favorite spot for breakfast.
A bagel shop and deli with a flagship location in D.C.’s Petsworth neighborhood Call Your Mother is expected to open a brick-and-mortar location at Chesterbrook Shopping Center in McLean next year after launching a mobile truck there in May.
In its survey, Washingtonian lauds Andy’s Pizza for serving the “best New York–style slices and pies you’ll find in these parts.”
The pizzeria has eight locations across the region, including ones in Tysons and Old Town Alexandria. After five years, the Tysons Galleria location still seems to be going strong, the one constant in a food hall that has otherwise struggled to take off.
Speaking of food halls, The Block was voted no. 3 in the region by Washingtonian readers, behind Union Market and The Roost in D.C.
Claiming to be Northern Virginia’s first food hall, The Block launched at 4221 John Marr Drive in Annandale in 2016 and expanded to Bethesda in 2019. Focused on Asian cuisine and snacks, its current Annandale tenants are Bold Dumpling, Balo Kitchen, Pokeworks Co. and SnoCream Company.
“These Asian food halls pack a lot into their smaller spaces, including stops for bubble tea, hibachi, and dumplings,” Washingtonian said.
Other restaurants with Fairfax County ties that showed up in Washingtonian’s poll include:
- Tatte Bakery & Cafe (no. 3 for Favorite Breakfast) recently opened a Reston Town Center location
- Han Palace (no. 3 for Favorite Chinese Restaurant) debuted in Tysons in 2020
- Kogiya (no. 3 for Favorite Korean Restaurant) “grills up quality beef and pork” at 4220-A Annandale Road
Voters also recognized Ellie Bird and Rice Paper in nearby Falls Church City among the best new and Vietnamese restaurants, respectively. Ruthie’s All Day in Arlington, Thompson Italian in Falls Church and Alexandria, and The Inn at Little Washington were voted as Virginia’s top three restaurants.
Published on Monday (Dec. 11), this was the 46th iteration of Washingtonian’s annual reader poll.
Metro Would Slash Service in Proposed Budget — “Metro proposed a budget Tuesday with service cuts officials say would make the transit system ‘unrecognizable’ and have a devastating economic impact on the region. On the table are across-the-board service cuts, including the closure of 10 Metro stations, earlier station closing times, the elimination of nearly half of all current Metrobus routes, fare hikes, layoffs, and salary and hiring freezes.” [DCist]
Federal Officials Grilled on FBI HQ Choice — “Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), chairman of a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee with oversight of public buildings, called the hearing to examine why a GSA official selected Greenbelt despite a three-member panel’s unanimous recommendation to put the FBI headquarters in Springfield.” [Washington Post]
Electric Vehicle Service Center Proposed — “Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: RIVN), the producer of Amazon.com Inc.’s electric delivery fleet, is eyeing Fairfax County for its first Northern Virginia service center…A location is not identified in the letter, though an earlier, temporary version of the letter, since superseded, filed last month suggested somewhere in Tysons.” [Washington Business Journal]
New Fire Station Approved for West Annandale — “The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved a project to replace the West Annandale Fire Station and to use a vacant commercial building nearby as a temporary fire station during construction.” Built at 8914 Little River Turnpike, the new station “will better accommodate modern equipment and provide improved living space, including space for female staff.” [Annandale Today]
County Gets Funding for Richmond Highway BRT — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently authorized the acceptance of “just over $22.5 million in grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the purchase of right of way (ROW) related to the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. That amount will be matched with around $5.6 million in local dollars from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.” [On the MoVe]
Fairfax County Home Sales Declining — “Northern Virginia’s five largest jurisdictions in November mostly posted relatively small drop-offs in sales from a year before, according to new data, although Fairfax County’s decline was more steep than most.” The county saw a 13.7% drop to 734 closings last month compared to November 2022. [Gazette Leader]
Dominion Energy Plan Gets Thumbs Down From Regulator — “A utility regulator with the State Corporation Commission is recommending the body reject Dominion Energy’s most recent long-term plan because of its inclusion of new natural gas plants…Because of a projected increase in data center development in Northern Virginia, as well as expected upticks in electric vehicle use, Dominion’s plans call for the addition of four natural gas combustion turbines to provide energy that can be quickly turned on during times of peak demand.” [Virginia Mercury]
Retiring Reston Farmers Market Manager to Be Honored — “Fairfax County Chair Jeff McKay introduced a measure at [the Dec. 5] board of supervisors meeting to invite John Lovaas to an upcoming meeting and honor him for his 26 years as the founder and manager of the Reston Farmers Market. The board voted unanimously to adopt the measure.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 45 degrees today, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph. As for tonight, the skies will remain clear, with temperatures dropping to a low of around 27 degrees. [Weather.gov]
Democrats are again pushing for legislation that would allow local governments to hold referenda on increasing their sales and use tax to pay for school capital projects such as construction and renovations.
The party hopes the effort, which has been tried twice before but defeated by Republicans, will be successful now that Democrats are set to control both the House of Delegates and the Senate following the November elections.
“We think with the change in the dynamics in the House that this bill has a very good chance,” said Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, adding that a similar version of the bill passed with bipartisan support last year in the Democratic-controlled Senate before dying in the House.
Under current law, only nine localities can impose a 1% sales tax to fund school construction and renovation projects. They are the counties of Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick and Pittsylvania and the city of Danville.
Local governments have control over adjustments to their property tax rates — but aren’t allowed to change the sales tax rate without explicit permission from the General Assembly.
In 2021, Virginia invested nearly $1.3 billion into programs distributing grants and loans for school construction after a survey found over half of Virginia’s schools are more than 50 years old, with replacement costs for each in the millions.
“It’s really about empowering localities to make their own decisions about how they want to fund schools, and this is a new tool in the toolbox,” McPike said.
Lawmakers have already set a “precedent of permitting localities to impose a sales tax increase for school capital projects through the referendum process,” he said, “but what the bill would do is essentially allow all localities to make that choice and figure out if that’s the right fit for their community and their community needs.”
Former Republican Del. James Edmunds, R-Halifax, introduced a bill last session to add Prince Edward County to the list of localities allowed to impose a 1% sales tax for school capital projects. However, a House Finance subcommittee failed to hear the proposal.
In 2019, Edmunds successfully carried legislation to add Halifax County to the list of permitted localities.
Republicans have been reluctant to support changes to the law that could allow the raising of taxes, outgoing Sen. Tommy Norment, R-Williamsburg, told the Mercury last session.
If the legislation can make it out of both chambers, the bills will still require approval by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who could sign them into law, veto them or suggest changes.
This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted under a Creative Commons license.
A growing, Florida-based Asian street food chain has its sights set on Merrifield.
Hawkers is planning to open a restaurant in the Mosaic District next year, an employee at the company’s Arlington location confirmed to FFXnow.
According to Fairfax County’s permit database, the 5,312-square-foot eatery will be located at 8190 Strawberry Lane, Suite 1 — the space occupied by the Vietnamese restaurant Four Sisters until it closed on May 14, concluding 30 years of business in Fairfax County.
Hawkers was created in 2011 by four friends who wanted “to bring the bold flavors of Asian street food to the streets of Orlando,” according to its website. The company has since expanded to 15 locations across seven states, breaking into the D.C. area with a Bethesda restaurant in 2020 and a Ballston one that opened last year.
Drawing from a mix of East Asian cuisines, the menu features dim sum, meat and shrimp skewers, noodles, fried rice, green papaya salad, a Po Po Lo’s curry based on a family recipe and more. The beverage menu includes cocktails, sake, wine, beer and Japanese whisky.
Oath Pizza has closed
In other Mosaic District news, Oath Pizza appears to have closed, but it’s not entirely clear whether the shutdown is temporary or permanent. A sign posted to the restaurant’s door since late November states that it “will be pausing pizza operations for a short period of time.”
“We look forward to fulfilling your delicious pizza needs again soon,” says the notice signed by the Oath Pizza team. “Thank you all for your ongoing support and we look forward to serving you our brand of Feel Good Pizza again soon.”
However, the company’s website no longer functions, and other locations have also reportedly closed, including in D.C. and its home state of Massachusetts. According to the Nantucket Current, the slew of closures might stem from a lawsuit filed by investors in May that accused Oath Pizza CEO Andrew Kellogg of self-dealing.
Even with the lawsuit, though, Oath Pizza has continued adding franchises, including its first California location, which opened in early August. The Mosaic District restaurant (2920 District Avenue, Suite 150) opened in October 2017 as the chain’s first expansion outside the Boston area.
Oath Pizza didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Just a couple of doors away, interior renovations have begun on a store from the Beaufort Bonnet Company, which sells baby and children’s clothes. The shop will be 1,344 square feet in size and located at 2920 District Avenue, Suite 143.
Signs posted to the storefront indicate that the shop is “coming soon.” The company didn’t respond to inquiries from FFXnow by press time.
Hat tip to Adam Rubinstein
Fairfax County is exploring avenues for regulating or even prohibiting the construction of high-pressure natural gas pipelines under residential streets.
The county’s Board of Supervisors directed staff last week (Dec. 5) to evaluate options for “Board evaluation of, or possible prohibition of” gas pipelines that utilize local street rights-of-way based on their size, the type of pipe used and other operational factors.
The request was spurred by safety concerns from residents, according to Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, who introduced the motion.
“The residents have questioned the safety and need for this type of line to be located under a local residential street, citing concerns about a higher risk for gas leaks and related hazards in the event of a rupture due to construction activities within proximity of the line,” Foust said.
While no specific project is mentioned in the board matter, which passed unanimously without discussion, Foust confirmed to FFXnow that the potential risks of having major gas pipelines under residential streets was brought to the board’s attention by Pimmit Hills residents, who have spent several years now fighting a planned pipeline through their neighborhood.
The 2-feet-wide underground line proposed by Washington Gas would replace an existing 14-inch-wide line and complete the Strip 1 Tysons project that has been in the works since 2012. When finished, the 5-mile pipeline will run from Tyco Road in Tysons to a new regulator station at the Pimmit Hills Center (7510 Lisle Avenue).
Pimmit Hills residents have rallied against the project, which they argue will endanger their homes and families. Washington Gas has said an alternative route putting the pipeline under Route 7, instead of residential streets, would be more disruptive and time-consuming.
After the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals ruled in February 2022 that the project needs to get additional county approvals, Washington Gas sued the zoning board and four residents in a lawsuit that challenged the board’s authority to overrule an administrator who determined the project could proceed.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Oblon overturned the zoning board’s ruling on Oct. 12, determining that the pipeline is a distribution line and, as a result, not subject to the county’s zoning code.
“Washington Gas’ entire series of pipelines engage in the distribution of gas. They are all exempt from the Zoning Ordinance…exactly as the Zoning Administrator originally stated,” Oblon wrote in his opinion, disputing the defendants’ argument that the pipe counted as a transmission line because it doesn’t directly serve the affected properties.
The defendants have appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals and are seeking to put any construction on hold while Fairfax County develops a possible ordinance, according to Christine Chen Zinner, one of the residents. A hearing on the request for a pause is scheduled for this Friday, Dec. 15.
Kurt Iselt, another defendent and Pimmit Hills resident, says the community is “grateful” that the Board of Supervisors is looking at potential regulations after the October court ruling suggests “the clock on this ticking time bomb is running out.”
There have been several Washington Gas incidents that have hurt individuals and damaged property, so the very thought of placing such a large scale high pressure transmission line in a densely packed residential area raises many safety concerns. These safety concerns impact the entire county due to the recent court ruling, so we’re relieved to see the Board of Supervisors moving in the right direction. Taking steps to study the matter is helpful, and we’re aware of several easy fixes to clarify this ordinance with minimal to no unintended consequences.
According to Washington Gas, the Strip 1 Tysons pipeline will have a maximum pressure of 325 pounds per square inch — 16% of what the system is designed to safely handle.
When asked about Fairfax County’s evaluation of high-pressure pipelines, Washington Gas Director of Strategic Communications Andre Francis noted in a statement that they’re already overseen by federal and state agencies, though the utility’s website says this project didn’t require any federal regulatory approvals.
“These natural gas pipelines are a necessary and integral part of the local natural gas distribution system,” Francis said by email. “Natural gas pipeline safety is fully regulated by the federal Department of Transportation and delegated to the state regulators. The federal regulations that govern natural gas utilities allow for these types of pipelines to be installed in residential streets. These pipelines are installed in accordance with safe, modern construction standards.”
However, gas lines of the intensity and size planned for Pimmit Hills could cause greater damage if they’re struck during construction, residents have argued.
“The fact that Washington Gas would even consider running large high-pressure gas lines under neighborhood streets is a countywide concern,” Foust said.
In addition to seeking to determine whether it could get a say in approving future pipelines, the Board of Supervisors asked county staff to review best practices for the “safety, installation and location of such ‘high-pressure’ gas lines.”
Recommendations will be brought to the board’s land use policy committee in March 2024.
First Snow of the Season Arrives — The D.C. area saw its first snow yesterday (Monday), thanks to a cold front that dropped temperatures overnight from 60 degrees on Sunday. In Fairfax County, preliminary snowfall totals ranged from 0.5 inches in Springfield to 1.5 inches in Mount Vernon, already topping the 0.4 inches recorded last winter at Dulles International Airport. [Washington Post, Inside NoVA]
Wizards and Capitals Could Move to Virginia — “A group of Virginia state lawmakers voted Monday in favor of a deal to bring the Washington Capitals and Wizards to a new arena in Northern Virginia, according to four people with knowledge of the situation.” The plan, which still needs to be approved by the General Assembly and local officials, would move the hockey and basketball teams to a facility in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard. [Washington Post]
Animal Shelter Event Leads to Dozens of Adoptions — “We’re thrilled to share that 55 pets found homes this past weekend during the #EmptyTheShelters Holiday Hope Event! Thank you to BISSELL Pet Foundation and Cathy Bissell for their support in finding so many pets loving families!” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Facebook]
County Reflects on Daunting Election Season — Fairfax County Electoral Board chair Katherine Hanley told the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 5 that this year’s local and state elections were “more complicated” than any other off-off-year election in her memory. Complications included an especially lengthy ballot and redistricting-related confusion. [Gazette Leader]
Herndon MS Gets Google Grant for Tech Clubs — “At a hands-on event Monday at Herndon Middle School, about 40 students had the chance to make a robot with the help of Google engineers. The company used the event to announce grants to start robotics and AI clubs in Virginia schools, including one at Herndon Middle School.” [WTOP]
McLean Companies Ordered to Pay for Covid Relief Fraud — A federal court has “ordered IT Services Now LLC and O@sis Group LLC, located in McLean, and their CEO, Mustafa Khabir, 51, of Haymarket, to pay $1,052,227 for submitting fraudulent applications to obtain federally guaranteed loans through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).” [DOJ]
Man Charged With Soliciting Minor on Snapchat — “A 48-year-old man from Washington, D.C., faces multiple criminal charges in connection with his solicitation of a minor and seeking other victims, according to Fairfax County Police. Detectives began their investigation after parents notified them their child had been communicating with someone called “Alex” on Snapchat.” [Patch]
Reston Pizzeria Offers Discount for Anniversary — To celebrate the third-year anniversary of its Wiehle Avenue location, Pupatella is offering 50% off all red, white and seasonal pizzas all day today (Tuesday). “Join for dine in or carry out…from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. at the Reston location only to enjoy $7-10 pizzas, or for happy hour from 3-6 p.m. for $7 signature spritzes.” [Pupatella]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 45, accompanied by calm winds shifting south at 5 to 9 mph during the morning. Overnight, the skies will remain clear, with temperatures dropping to a low of 32. South winds will prevail at 6 to 8 mph before becoming westward after midnight. [Weather.gov]
