If last week’s surprise rainstorm was any indication, the Tysons area is in for a wet spring and some extensive flooding.
Last year was the rainiest on record for the region, which has not only taken a toll on local roads but also hit the area with flooding that has frequently closed streets.
A map put together by the Federal Emergency Management Agency showed the regional flood hazard areas, which unsurprisingly mostly follow local creeks.
Most of the flood hazards around Tysons itself are on the periphery. Old Courthouse Spring Branch just west of the Spring Hill Metro station is vulnerable to flooding, as is Scott’s Run, which runs through Tysons East.
In Vienna, the main flooding hazard is Wolftrap Creek, which runs along the Tysons-Vienna border. There are several low roads through the area, like Old Courthouse Road, which are subject to being washed out during flooding. The area north of Vienna along Piney Branch is also susceptible to flooding.
A 2016 study found that the sewer system along Maple Avenue in Vienna would be unable to handle significant rainfall, but sewer renovations remain unfunded.
In McLean, Dead Run Stream and Pimmit Run are both flood hazard areas, though Dead Run Stream has recently completed a series of revitalization projects whose aim was partially reducing the amount of flooding in the park.
Vienna police arrested a Herndon resident after they say he was caught placing posters for a white nationalist group around the town, our sister site Reston Now first reported.
Last Saturday afternoon, a caller told police that two men were placing posters on light posts at a shopping center at 180 Maple Avenue, according to Vienna police.
Officers responded and reportedly observed one of the men placing a Patriot Front poster on a Town of Vienna utility box in the area of Nutley Street and Maple Avenue.
Patriot Front is identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified as a “white nationalist hate group.” It was described as a “political activist organization” in Vienna’s weekly crime report; an inquiry from Reston Now confirmed that Patriot Front was the group behind the posts.
Police issued a summons to a 21-year-old man from Longleaf Lane in Herndon for destruction of property, and the man was released on his signature, the report says. The Vienna Police Department does not release the names of criminal suspects in its crime report.
Earlier this year, Patriot Front tweeted that its “activists” put up the posters around Herndon and Reston in January and then in Reston again in February and March. Posters were also recently placed around Vienna and Arlington, according to the group’s social media account.
The posters include slogans like “reclaim America” and “better dead than red.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Patriot Front broke off from the alt-right group Vanguard America in the aftermath of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va.
Photo via Facebook
Cyclebar, a premium indoor cycling studio, is planning to come to Tysons Galleria later this year as part of a series of transformations for the north end of the mall.
Macy’s, one of the mall’s anchor tenants, is mid-closure and Tysons Galleria is already in plans to replace the store with a selection of smaller venues like an Apple Store and iPic theater.
Don Brazelton, the owner of the Tysons franchise location, said the location is part of a stretch of wellness-oriented outlets planned inside the former Legal Sea Foods that closed in September. Brazelton said other fitness locations, like a yoga studio, could join the cycling studio.
“We’ve been trying to get one in the Tysons area for a while,” Brazelton said. “We were talking to the Boro and a couple of other places, but the economics given to us at the Galleria made it impossible to turn down. When you take into consideration some of the short term and long term plans — that mall is going to be entirely different. It’s going to have a different energy. We wanted to be a part of that, and they wanted us to be a part of that.”
The chain already has locations in Falls Church and on Arlington’s Columbia Pike. Brazelton said the “premium aspect” of Cyclebar fits well with the Galleria, which is noted for its higher-end, luxury retailers.
Among the amenities, Brazelton noted that the location will have heated tile floors and top-rated cycles.
Despite this, Brazelton said he’s committed to keeping the studio affordable.
“Typically, prices at cycling studios range from $110-130 per month depending on who it is,” Brazelton said. “I’m going to let people in my studio for $89 a month for unlimited rides.”
It’s hard to say where this fits in with other cycling studio subscriptions, as prices at cycling studios can vary significantly.
Brazelton said the Tysons location is targeting an August 2019 opening.
Photo courtesy Don Brazelton
The acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil is scheduled to return to Tysons with the show “Volta” — an extreme sports-themed program with bicycle, unicycle, and rope skipping tricks.
The circus is planned to open up inside a “big top” pavilion near the Tysons Galleria mall, the same location the troupe used when they visited Tysons last year.
The show is scheduled to run from July 26 through Sept. 8. Tickets range from $49 on the far exterior of the semi-circular arena to $250 “VIP” tickets close to the stage. Behind-the-scenes tickets with backstage tours are available for $495.
Prices on the tickets are subject to change as the event draws closer.
The circular arena is designed to visible from every angle for the audience. The ticketing information warns that poles holding up the tent could block some portions of the stage, but the main action will be visible from all seats.
Merchandise, like souvenir programs, apparel and accessories will also be available for purchase at the show.
The show’s description includes a warning that the flashing lights may cause difficulties for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Photo via Facebook
Metro has an ongoing project to provide mobile phone and data service inside its train tunnels, but you wouldn’t know it in the tunnel between Tysons Corner Center Metro station and the Greensboro Metro station.
Tysons Reporter tested cell service multiple times in the tunnel and every time, service was lost. For transit riders, it can be a frustrating coverage gap on the mostly above-ground Silver Line through Tysons.
“This is not good for those on business and personal calls traveling around and through the Tysons area using the Metrorail,” one anonymous tipster wrote to Tysons Reporter. “If fixed, you could have 25 minutes of seamless cell coverage from Wiehle-Reston almost to Ballston.”
The call drops remain more than ten years after Metro signed a contract for cell carriers to wire tunnels to provide continuing coverage. A series of problems delayed the implementation of the plan, however.
The tunnel frustrations haven’t been enough yet to deter local ridership; Tysons stations have had increasing ridership despite declines in other parts of the region.
There is cell coverage elsewhere on the Silver Line, with connectivity available between the Potomac Avenue and Stadium Armory Metro stations, for instance. Additional cell coverage is planned for several stretches of tunnels on the Red, Green and Yellow lines, with the current goal being wireless coverage system-wide by 2021.
But given the plan’s history of delays, riders might be better off just waiting until they’re on the other side of the tunnel to make that phone call.
Fairfax County Police say investigating a trail of broken eggs and gunshots yesterday (Thursday) led to a combative encounter on the 2000 block of George Washington Road.
Officers responded to a report from a homeowner whose entertainment center was damaged when a bullet came in through the window, according to a police report.
While investigating the gunshot, an unusual set of circumstances led police to a combative suspect.
According to the police report:
As officers were checking the area, they saw broken eggs on the outside wall of a nearby home. Officers spoke with a man inside that home, Varun Srivastav, 21, of Fairfax. Officers learned there was a handgun inside in Srivastav’s home. This agitated Srivastav who became combative and hit two officers. Srivastav was arrested but continued to assault officers while being escorted to the cruiser. Once he arrived at the Adult Detention Center, Srivastav assaulted two deputies.
Police say Srivastav was charged with four counts of assault on law enforcement and resisting arrest, with additional charges possible pending investigation.
Photo via FCPD
Sanrio fans rejoice, a truck loaded with Hello Kitty merchandise is scheduled to stop by the Tysons Corner Center mall tomorrow (Saturday).
The truck is scheduled to stop in the mall’s plaza between 10 a.m.-8 p.m. to offer “supercute treats and merch” while supplies last.
The Hello Kitty truck started in 2014 at the Hello Kitty Convention. Since then, two Hello Kitty trucks have roamed the streets and byways of the United States, offering everything from Hello Kitty macarons to chubby bunny bows.
The Hello Kitty website advises visitors to arrive earlier rather than later.
“Items on the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck are also limited as it can only hold so many wonderful items at a time,” according to Sanrio, the brand of Japanese characters that includes Hello Kitty. “Please consider visiting earlier in the day to ensure that you’ll find what you’re looking for!”
Hat tip to Turquoise Jackson. Photo via Sanrio.
The eastbound lane of Linway Terrace, a two-way street in McLean just north of Chesterbrook, is scheduled to be closed between Bryan Branch Road and Linway Park Drive for much of next week.
The closures will last from Monday, March 25 through Thursday, March 28, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The closures are planned to last from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day for stormwater pipe replacement.
“Linway Terrace will have alternating one-lane traffic via flagging,” VDOT wrote in a press release. “Drivers can expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.”
Linway Terrance isn’t the only street nearby with roadwork planned soon. Kirby Road, just to the east of Linway Terrace, will likely experience closures as a new sidewalk and other improvements are constructed later this year.
Photo of Linway Terrace via Google Maps. Map of work zone via VDOT.
After a moratorium on new applications and a long series of discussions, the Town of Vienna is ready for the public debut of the new Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) zoning changes at two workshops next week.
The community workshops will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, March 29, and from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE).
The workshops will demonstrate how the community feedback has been translated into changes in the design guidelines, according to the Town of Vienna newsletter.
Some of the first changes proposed addressed the scaling of buildings, one of the biggest topics of controversy in last year’s MAC debates. Further changes have been added over the last month of workshops between the Town Council, Planning Commission and Board of Architectural Review.
The workshops are scheduled to be “open house” style, meaning residents can drop in and leave at any point. No formal presentations are planned.
Image via Town of Vienna
As spring comes around, there’s a better than usual chance that Fairfax County residents might find baby animals in their back yards or on trails.
But Fairfax police say folks should think twice before trying to step in and help a baby animal, according to a press release. More often than not, police said human intervention could hinder the animal’s chances at survival.
Animal protection officers said the most commonly found animals in Fairfax County are squirrels, red foxes, raccoons, rabbits, skunks, opossums and songbirds.
According to police, signs that an animal needs help include:
- Signs of flies, worms or maggots, which look like grains of rice
- Was caught by a cat or dog
- Signs of trauma, such as an open wound, bleeding, or swelling
- If the parents are known to be dead or are separated and cannot be united
- Is very cold, thin or weak
- Is on the ground unable to move
- Is not fully furred or feathered
Still, police noted that baby animals rehabilitated by their parents are much more likely to survive than those assisted by humans.
According to the press release:
A young animal’s best chance for survival is to receive natural care from its parents and remain wild. Survival rates of rehabilitated animals are often low and many do not survive their first year upon release back into the wild. Before intervening, please learn more about which wildlife species and situations you are most likely to encounter and ways to determine whether an animal needs help.
Police said many animals brought to wildlife professionals are in no actual need of human help. Baby animals left alone are not necessarily orphaned or abandoned and many species of wildlife hide their young for safety and leave them alone for extended periods of time.
According to the release:
If you come across a baby animal and feel the need to intervene, we offer guidelines below to determine if the animal needs help. If an animal is displaying these signs, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, veterinarian or our Animal Protection Police for further assistance and instruction. Please do not handle any baby wild animal and do not attempt to offer food or water unless instructed to do so by a professional. This can do more harm than good.
If you have questions about whether an animal needs help or to locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, police say people can contact the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline toll-free at 1-855-571-9003. This helpline is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 pm. Animal Protection Police can be reached through the non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.
Photo via Facebook
