Wawa is announcing a sweepstakes for a new Tesla at the new Vienna location (465 Maple Avenue).
The planned giveaway is part of a pivot towards electrical charging. The Vienna location opted for Tesla chargers instead of traditional fuel pumps.
“As a follow up to the Wawa Store Opening in Vienna this past July, Wawa is launching a Tesla Model 3 Lease Sweepstakes giveaway!” the company announced in a press release. “The event is held during National Drive Electric Week to celebrate the retailer’s 500,000th electric vehicle customer to date.”
The event was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. People can enter the sweepstakes through an online form released after the event.
“Wawa selected the Vienna, Virginia store as a backdrop to announce this sweepstakes as it’s the first store in company history to open with electric vehicle charging in lieu of fossil fueling, which demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and continued desire to meet the needs of customers,” Wawa said.
As anyone working from home might have noticed, it can be difficult to work productively when there’s no sort of supervision. The Old Firehouse Center (1440 Chain Bridge Road) in McLean is offering a program that gives students that in-person pressure to stay focused on virtual learning.
“Old Firehouse Learning Connection is a supervised e-learning program held at the Old Firehouse Center, supervised by our staff, designed for students in 7th-12th grades,” the McLean Community Center said on its website. “The program will provide a supervised environment for students to complete their school-led virtual instruction.”
The program includes limited socially distant recreation during breaks and some help from staff with school work, but the focus is on providing a supervised environment.
The program runs rom Tuesday-Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sessions are each around one month long, and $300-$400.
- Session 1: 8101.220 — 9/8-10/2 — $400
- Session 2: 8102.220 — 10/6-10/30 — $400
- Session 3: 8103.220 — 11/4-11/24 — $300
- Session 4: 8104.220 — 12/1-12/18 — $300
No transportation will be provided and the program is only available to residents of McLean Small Tax District 1A.
Photo via Google Maps
The Town of Vienna has put out a quick guide on what’s open, what’s closed, and what’s still planned for the next month.
The Town Hall is still open to the public for those who need to make the trip to drop off or pick up forms. In general, however, citizens are discouraged from making unnecessary trips and should utilize online services whenever possible.
The Community Center has also reopened, but with adjusted hours and strict social distancing, reduced occupancy, and enhanced cleaning. The center’s hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday. The center is closed from 12-1 p.m. daily for cleaning.
Other openings include:
- Playgrounds
- Restrooms at parks
- The Community Garden
- Tennis courts
- Basketball courts
- The Vienna Dog Park
However, the Teen Center, Bowman House, Freeman Store & Museum and Town Green rentals remain closed.
Many of the year’s planned events have been cancelled, but the annual Halloween parade has been modified. According to the Town of Vienna:
This year, the Town’s annual Halloween Parade will come to residents’ neighborhoods. A wave parade consisting of 10-15 floats will visit all four quadrants of Town – but not every street – beginning at 10 am Saturday, October 31. The route will be released to the public after 3 pm Thursday, October 29. Don your costumes and wave from sidewalks near your home as the parade passes by.
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Amid national protests over police violence, the Fairfax County Police Department highlighted a few recent incidents in the McLean district that exemplified how encounters with the police should go.
The Fairfax County Police Department is no stranger to questionable use of force, but in the video, Sgt. Scott Shafer discussed details of two cases in the McLean Police District and one in the Fair Oaks district where a violent confrontation was resolved peacefully.
The first was at the intersection of Wild Blue Indigo Court and Wood Violet Court just south of Fairlee.
“In August, officers responded to a report of a naked man acting disorderly,” Shafer said. “Suspect was destroying items and shattered the front glass door of a home. It was determined there was a victim on scene who had been assaulted and needed stitches.”
Police said the naked man was peacefully taken into custody.
The other incident was outside of a Giant in McLean.
“Officers responded to this Giant for a weapon’s call,” Shafer said. “An argument occurred after an employee told a customer to wear a mask. The customer threatened the employee with a knife, stole an item, and ran away. Officers located the man who was holding a metal pipe and refused commands to stop. The man turned and threw a knife at the officers, thankfully missing them. Twelves knives were recovered from the man after he was arrested.”
Captain Dalton Becker, commander of McLean station, said the incidents just described are just a small piece of what officers see on a daily basis.
“I’m very proud of the McLean officers,” Becker said, “as well as all Fairfax County officers.”
The only officer-involved shooting of 2020 was in the McLean Police District. Police say that shooting occurred in January when a Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) entered a house while serving a narcotics search warrant.
Tysons-based Credit Union Raises $585,000 for Military Veterans — “The PenFed Foundation joined over 75 community and business leaders to raise over $585,000 to support veterans and the military community at the 17th annual Military Heroes Golf Classic on Monday, September 21st.” [PenFed]
How Substantial Park Requirements May Challenge Walkability Goals in Tysons — “Parks can create what urban theorist Jane Jacobs called “border vacuums.” Border vacuums are long stretches of monotonous space separating potential destinations.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Behind the Scenes of Library Book Selection — “Have you ever imagined what goes into the library’s decision to buy a book? Collection Services is the department at Fairfax County Public Library that selects and orders library materials.” [Fairfax County]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Police say a Fredericksburg man was arrested last Saturday night after a an alleged home burglary.
The burglary took place on the 8100 block of Larkin Lane in the Dunn Loring neighborhood at around 11:48 p.m. According to police:
A homeowner was awakened by the sound of glass breaking on the lower level of the house. The homeowner investigated further and was confronted by an unknown man inside the house.
A 32 year old man was arrested at the scene and charged with unlawful entry.
Also in local crime, yesterday morning (Thursday) police say they located a 1998 Honda Accord in the 2800 block of Lee Landing Court in Falls Church that had been reported stolen. The police report said the juvenile fled the vehicle and led officers on a brief foot chase before he was caught, arrested, and charged with grand larceny, possession of burglarious tools, and obstruction of justice.
With the weather turning and more locals looking to take their workouts indoors, the Park Authority has announced a series of changes to the reservation system as the RECenter continues to reopen.
“As we move forward with our phased approach to RECenter operations, we need your help to assure that we can continue to operate safely in an ongoing pandemic,” the Park Authority said. “Beginning this fall, our RECenters will begin to offer a modified class program schedule and swim team pool rentals. Balancing these additional member needs with the requirements to assure appropriate COVID-19 safety measures will be more important than ever. Please help us ensure that we can make the most of our limited space so that all members have the greatest access possible to our facilities.”
The Park Authority asked that people only place reservations for times they will be in the facility, and call ahead to cancel if they can’t make it.
“We ask that you cancel at least 24 hours in advance so we can remove your reservation and make it available to other members,” the Park Authority said.
Starting on Monday, Oct. 5, the online reservation page is going through some changes to reflect an increase in capacity.
New reservation titles will be available for:
- Fitness Center Tickets
- Lap Swim/Water Walking Tickets
- Recreation Swim Ticket
- Aqua Flex Ticket
Under the new system, the reservation will be held for 30 minutes, after which it will be made available to others on a walk-in basis. Two no-shows result in a call from the Park Authority.
“Our primary goal remains the safe accommodation of as many current members, class participants and contracted swim organizations as possible under current COVID-19 standards,” the Park Authority said.
Reservations can be made online.
Photo via Google Maps
With a public hearing next month, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is hosting a pair of meetings to discuss a plan to extend the I-495 Express Lanes.
The change would extend the existing express lanes from the interchange of I-495 and the Dulles Toll Road up to the American Legion Bridge, already a notorious regional bottleneck for traffic.
The express lanes have tolls that range from 20 cents per mile to $1.25 per mile during rush hour with no official cap. Cars with three or more people do not have to pay the toll.
The goal of the project is to add capacity to the roads and reduce congestion on the Virginia side of the bridge, as well as reducing cut-through traffic
VDOT is hosting meetings from 7-9 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, and on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Each meeting is designed as a Q&A with staff following a presentation about the upcoming plans.
The meetings precede a presentation of findings from the environmental assessment and preliminary design plans in a virtual public hearing on Monday, Oct. 5 from 7-9:30 p.m. and an in-person (by appointment) hearing at the McLean Community Center on Thursday, Oct. 8, from 4-8 p.m.
Six years after the band retired for good, could The Allman Brothers Band be staging a comeback at Vienna venue Jammin Java tonight?
No. But the next best thing is here: DC cover band The Allman Others Band is performing a limited-capacity outdoor show tonight at 7 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Avenue E.)
“Comprising a super-group of Washington’s best local musicians, The Allman Others Band shows are full of familiar faces, classic tunes and many surprises, driven by the irresistible groove and funky extended jams that have been hard to find since the ‘Brothers’ played their final show at NYC’s venerable Beacon Theater,” Jammin Java said on the Facebook page. “Don’t miss The Allman Others Band as they energize the vast songbook of the Allman Brothers, bringing the music alive and taking you back to the Fillmore, one more time.”
The outdoor event is all-ages, with a limited seating capacity. Entry is first-come, first-served, so those wanting to get in the groove are advised to show up a little early.
Photo via Jammin Java/Facebook
Tysons Library Name Dropped in Restauranteur Memoir — “He mentioned Albert Camus’s ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ — he remembers reading it as a teenager at the library in Tysons Corner, Va, where he grew up…” [New York Times]
Capital One Center Wegmans Slated for Early November Opening — “The Wegmans location at the Capital One Center campus in Tysons is slated to open on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m.” [Patch]
Fairfax County Outlines Online Car Tax Payment — “Avoid the lines October 1-5! Pay your car taxes online. See all ways to pay including online, by mail, by phone, in person or drop off.” [Fairfax County]
Tysons-based MicroStrategy CEO Defends Choice to Invest in Bitcoin — “Before the Covid-19 crisis, the Tysons Corner, Virginia-based company had about $500 million mostly invested in short-term U.S. government securities. Saylor began to question that conventional strategy when yields tumbled in the wake of the pandemic. ” [Bloomberg]
