Turkey Earthquake Rescue Worker Shares Experience — “Dr. Murteza Shahkolahi has helped to pull survivors from the rubble several days after the quake first hit…Shahkolahi is with Virginia Task Force 1, the team from Fairfax County, Virginia, which gets deployed around the world to respond to natural disasters.” [WTOP]
Politicians Pitch Springfield for FBI HQ — “A bipartisan group of Virginia’s federal, state and local leaders met in Springfield Wednesday, calling on the General Services Administration to choose the 58 acres of federally-owned land at the GSA Franconia Warehouse Complex for the new FBI headquarters.” [Inside NoVA]
A Look Inside NOVA Wild, the New Reston Zoo — “The safari park reopened for the season last week. This Friday, visitors can enjoy a lights show called the Great Migration. There are other plans to revamp and upgrade parts of this place in the coming years.” [FOX5]
Tandoori Restaurant Arrives in Woodlawn — “The long-awaited Tandoori Kabob & Grill restaurant, located at Sacramento Center in the Woodlawn section of Alexandria, opened Feb. 3. The family-owned restaurant offers a variety of fresh, made-to-order meals, including Tandoor and grill specials, combination meat platters, curry, rice, vegetables, gyros, and bread, as well as appetizers, desserts and beverages.” [On the MoVe]
Franconia Park Gets Playground Upgrade — Manchester Lakes Park is getting a new playground, an approximately $150,000 project expected to finish construction by the end of March. With the existing playground at the end of its lifecycle, the Fairfax County Park Authority will install new equipment, do drainage work and update the park’s trails to meet accessibility standards. [FCPA]
Herndon Native Scores in Capitals Return — “A series of unexpected events led to Joe Snively skating on the Capitals’ third line for Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes and he responded by recording points on both their goals in a 3-2 loss. The 27-year-old…hadn’t appeared in an NHL game in nearly two months, but he proved to be a bright spot for a team tapping deep into its depth.” [WTOP]
Artwork Decorates Richmond Highway Shopping Centers — “In recent weeks, new artwork has been popping up along the Richmond Highway Corridor. At Mount Vernon Plaza in Hybla Valley, paintings of birds and plant life have begun adorning the facades of several buildings housing retail tenants.” [On the MoVe]
Hope for Marijuana Sales in Virginia Fizzles Again — “Partisan gridlock thwarted any movement on the issue last year, and 2023 looks unlikely to be any different. A Republican-led House panel defeated on Tuesday the Democrat-controlled Senate’s main surviving retail bill, which would have allowed sales to begin next year” [Associated Press]
Herndon Gym to Host Blood Drive — “Following last year’s nationwide drop in blood supplies, area blood banks are still working to replenish their supplies. Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa in Herndon wants to help…Worldgate is partnering with the INOVA Blood Donor Services to host a blood drive on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 12:30-4:30 p.m.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Light rain starting in the afternoon. High of 68 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:00 am and sunset at 5:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
A new Singaporean restaurant at Tysons Galleria is ready to serve its first patrons tonight (Wednesday).
After offering a preview in December, the mall will officially welcome Jiwa Singapura at 5 p.m. on the third floor of its redeveloped Macy’s wing, across from the recently launched CMX CinéBistro movie theater.
The restaurant comes from international chef Pepe Moncayo, who’s best known in the U.S. for the Spanish-Japanese fusion establishment Cranes in downtown D.C.
“Jiwa Singapura blends street food and high-end dining, for a taste of some of the Asian city-state’s boldest, nuanced flavors,” the restaurant said in a press release. “The menu features classics like Hainanese chicken rice, laksa and chili crab, as well as nods to the family recipes of Singapore native and Moncayo’s wife, Aishah Moncayo.”
Though originally from Spain, Moncayo moved to Singapore in 2010 to work at a new restaurant. He met his wife and launched his first solo venture on the island before relocating to D.C. to open Cranes in 2019.
Brookfield Properties, which manages Tysons Galleria, previously told FFXnow that it made a deal with the Cranes team for Jiwa Singapura because the restaurant would be “a unique offering” not just for the mall, but for the D.C. area as a whole.
Moncayo says the “diverse and collaborative” community in Tysons is something he values after working and living in Singapore.
“Tysons has an urban presence with a small community feel and we felt it would be the perfect place to open this new and exciting concept of Singaporean cuisine in the Northern Virginia area,” he said in a statement to FFXnow. “We look forward to this new chapter and collaborating with our neighbors and other stakeholders in the community.”
Designed by the architectural firm //3877, the 10,000-square-foot restaurant features a main dining room with 170 seats, 30-foot-high ceilings, an open kitchen, and a bar area with 10 seats and four stand-up tables.
There is also a 16-seat “semi-private” dining room and a 3,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with 80 seats and a mini-bar.
The drink offerings include a wine list with nearly 60 labels, sake, a house rice pilsner developed in partnership with local favorite Caboose Brewing Company, and a signature rum and apple brandy cocktail named after Singapore’s iconic Merlion.
For now, Jiwa Singapura is only open for dinner, operating from 5-10 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, but lunch hours are coming soon, according to the press release.
(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) A man has died after being pulled by a Metro train at the Dunn Loring station this afternoon, prompting a suspension of service between Vienna and West Falls Church.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Rail Operations Control Center and Transit Police Department received a report shortly before 1:30 p.m. that a person was being dragged by a train.
“Despite lifesaving measures, unfortunately the adult male individual was pronounced deceased after being transported to the hospital,” a Metro spokesperson said. “The investigation is in its early stages, but preliminarily it appears that an item being carried by the individual became caught in the train doors before it departed the station, dragging the individual down the platform.”
Shuttle buses and Metrobus routes 28A and 2B can also be used as alternate travel options were offered as alternate travel options until train service between the Vienna and West Falls Church stations was restored around 2:50 p.m.
The Orange and Silver lines also briefly switched to single-tracking between Ballston and Clarendon in Arlington.
Confirming social media reports that the man’s dog was found on a train at the West Falls Church station, Metro Transit Police say the man was holding the dog’s leash, which was the “item” that got caught in the train doors.
“The deceased cleared the platform and was on the platform away from the car, but upon closer review, a leash appears to be tied to the person, which was unfortunately caught in the door, leaving the dog with no ID inside of the car,” the police department said. “This obstruction caused the individual to be dragged on the platform and onto the tracks.”
The dog is now being taken care of by police, the department says, which noted that the pet “does not appear to be a service animal.”
WMATA only allows pets other than service animals on trains and buses if they’re “carried aboard in a secure container from which it cannot escape.”
According to police, surveillance video showed that the man was about 450 feet away from the train’s cab, and the train operator made two “safe door checks” before starting the vehicle.
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission says it has launched an investigation into the incident.
Update on investigation at Dunn Loring #wmata pic.twitter.com/rGzEgUgAny
— Metro Transit Police (@MetroTransitPD) February 15, 2023
.@MetroTransitPD is on scene at Dunn Loring responding to a customer struck by a train. Orange
Line service suspended btwn Vienna and West Falls Church. Shuttle bus service requested. #wmata https://t.co/08nVrah4Tr
— MetroStrong (@wmata) February 15, 2023
Passenger critically injured at Dunn Loring Metro. PASSENGER'S DOG FOUND ON TRAIN AT WEST FALLS CHURCH METRO. #WMATA @ffxnow https://t.co/Mj8Md6b8yk
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) February 15, 2023
The Fairfax County School Board amended its new capital projects plan last week to prioritize finding solutions to overcrowding at McLean’s Kent Gardens Elementary School,
The Fairfax County Public Schools Fiscal Years 2024-2028 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) was approved unanimously last Thursday (Feb. 9) late in a five-and-a-half-hour meeting mostly spent debating new calendars for the next three school years.
“I understand that the CIP is not perfect, but there’s lots of data and information and a spending plan that we need to move forward on to continue our construction and enrollment projection work efficiently,” Dranesville District Representative Elaine Tholen said.
According to the CIP, which outlines the school system’s short-term capacity needs and renovation plans, Kent Gardens is currently at 121% capacity with 1,023 students. The only school with a higher capacity utilization — Wakefield Forest Elementary School — is in the midst of an expansion.
FCPS has made tweaks over the years to reduce the capacity deficit, adding temporary classrooms, rearranging the interior layout to be more efficient, and reducing the ratio of out-of-boundary students allowed in the school’s popular French immersion program from 40% to 25%.
However, staff have “exhausted ways to modify the building” and a more significant programming or boundary change is needed, said Tholen, whose district includes McLean.
The amendment, which she called “long overdue,” designates Kent Gardens as a priority for boundary or capacity adjustments, directing staff to review and identify options. The CIP previously only recommended that the school be monitored.
“I want to thank Principal [Holly] McGuigan and the Kent Garden Elementary School students, parents and community members for speaking to us over the last year on this topic,” Tholen said. “I do agree with them that dealing with the overcrowding should’ve happened long before this and I will not make any excuses for the delay.”
At-large board member Abrar Omeish noted that FCPS paused consideration of boundary adjustments in 2018 so the school board could update its policy, though no changes have been adopted even after a consultant presented a final report on Dec. 14, 2021.
“I’m excited to see when that will be coming forward, but…in the meantime, [at] Kent Gardens, the problem there has only grown, and we haven’t been able to address it, so this is an opportunity to do that,” Omeish said.
FCPS has since resumed evaluating boundary changes, implementing adjustments in the McLean and Justice high school pyramids in 2021 that are now being phased in.
The CIP also lists the Marshall High School pyramid as a priority for a boundary review in anticipation of the planned Dunn Loring Elementary School, though a potential scoping isn’t expected until 2026.
With the prioritization of Kent Gardens approved, FCPS will present an analysis and recommendations to the community sometime this year, Tholen said. The review will take into account public input that has already been shared, including at a community meeting on the capacity challenges in October.
“Community input will be sought on these options before a final decision is made,” Tholen said.
Architect of the Capitol Fired After Reckless Driving Probe — “President Joe Biden has fired the embattled Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, following a scathing inspector general report on his personal and professional management and calls for his removal.” The inspector general found that Blanton’s family was misusing his work vehicle after a 2021 reckless driving incident involving his daughter near the Tysons Walmart. [NBC4]
Springfield Lego Center Chooses Master Builder — “Andrew Litterst’s [most impressive LEGO creation] is a bunch of LEGO Star Wars spaceships mounted on an electric LEGO train so that they chase each other on tracks around the room. So it’s no wonder he was just named LEGO’s Master Builder in the D.C. region — the first to hold that title at the soon-to-open LEGO Discovery Center” [DCist]
Man Arrested for Mount Vernon Carjacking — “Authorities in Fairfax County say a man is under arrest and faces charges after an 81-year-old woman was assaulted and carjacked Saturday night in Alexandria. The attack happened around 4:50 p.m. in the 7600 block of Richmond Highway.” [FOX5]
Bill Would Require Schools to Spend Covid Relief Funds — “Legislation backed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin that would require Virginia school divisions to spend any federal pandemic funds they haven’t yet used or forfeit them is headed to the Senate for consideration. An October report from the Virginia Department of Education shows Fairfax County Public Schools have the most unspent relief funds, representing more than $170 million.” [Virginia Mercury]
Nonprofits Brace for End to Emergency SNAP Benefits — “Southeast Fairfax County food pantries operated by nonprofits like United Community and Lorton Community Action Center may experience unusually strong demand the weekend of March 18-19, if families remain unaware of the change, said Araujo.” The final emergency allotment will be tomorrow (Thursday). [On the MoVe]
Vienna Leaders to Discuss Public Safety Trends — “Vehicle break-ins will be one topic of discussion at the first Mayor and Chief at Your Service of 2023 on Thursday. Mayor Linda Colbert and Police Chief Jim Morris will participate in the public forum at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Vienna Police Department’s Community Room” [Patch]
Mosaic District Chocolate Shop Marks Valentine’s Day — “When Neuhaus, a Belgian chocolate shop, set out to open its first Virginia location, this Fairfax neighborhood’s bustling, upscale environment stood out. The store opened its doors on District Avenue last October, and has since embraced enthusiastic and welcoming local customers.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Mount Vernon Town Hall Flies Over District — “From development news to the Bus Rapid Transit progress, Supervisor Dan Storck shared updates on the Mount Vernon District over the last year at the annual Mount Vernon Town Meeting…One of the meeting highlights is a virtual flyover tour overviewing updates in the Mount Vernon District, which has approximately 133,000 residents.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 64 and low of 45. Sunrise at 7:01 am and sunset at 5:47 pm. [Weather.gov]
Depending on who had the microphone, last week’s public hearing on the proposed redevelopment of Metro’s West Falls Church station suggested it will either overwhelm local roads or avert “climate arson,” to use one speaker’s phrase.
As they did earlier in the planning process, supporters of the project seemed to have an edge over skeptics at the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s meeting on Wednesday (Feb. 8), arguing that the over 1-million-square-foot development would deliver needed housing and amenities, while making the transit station area more accessible and vibrant than the parking lots that it would replace.
“It is not pleasant to go through an enormous parking lot to get to Metro,” said Aaron Wilkowitz, a resident of the Mount Daniel neighborhood. “I would absolutely love it if we replace that parking lot with dog parks and with playgrounds and all sorts of wonderful things that my family can enjoy and that neighbors can enjoy.”
Developers EYA, Rushmark Properties, and Hoffman & Associates (FGCP-Metro LLC) are seeking to rezone the nearly 24-acre site to allow 810 multifamily residential units, 85 townhouses, a 110,000-square-foot office building and up to 10,000 square feet of retail.
The development would also bring about 2.1 acres of park space and transportation improvements — most notably, a 10-foot-wide shared-use trail on Haycock Road over I-66, as recommended by a community advisory group late last year.
Even the more critical speakers praised the inclusion of the Haycock Metrorail Connector Trail, but they worried about whether the developers will deliver. County planner Bryan Botello noted that the design needs to be approved by the county and state transportation departments.
Some residents questioned whether the grid of streets and 1,095 parking spaces sought at the site — 40% fewer than the 1,781 spaces required by the county — will support traffic, especially with development also coming to the adjacent Virginia Tech campus and in nearby Falls Church.
Ellison Heights-Mt. Daniel Civic Association president Adrianne Whyte warned that, if the parking and loading space is inadequate, “existing roads will become dysfunctional.”
“If this rezoning is approved, the development envisioned by all three parcels combined will dramatically change the stability of our neighborhood, increase the traffic on the roads within and around our neighborhood, and probably negatively impact the quality of life of the residents and other surrounding neighborhoods,” Whyte said.
Resident Cheryl Sim expressed skepticism that the future West Falls Station Blvd linking all three properties will mitigate traffic on Haycock, noting that the Falls Church and Virginia Tech developers have said the road will be closed “on occasion” for events.
A resident of the Pavillion Condominiums next to the site countered that he would welcome street closures if it means he no longer has to travel to Falls Church to find “vibrant community life.”
FGCP-Metro LLC will construct the project in phases, with much of the transportation infrastructure coming first to maintain access to the Metro station and bus stops — a condition of its agreement with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
That includes the on-site segment of West Falls Church Blvd and other planned internal streets. The developers will also be required to complete the Haycock trail before the county permits 40 residents.
“The impetus of this project is really to achieve WMATA’s twin aims of boosting ridership and upgrading its aging infrastructure, so we are providing a lot of infrastructure up front, about $30 million worth,” Walsh Colucci lawyer Andrew Painter said for the applicant.
Proponents argued that putting housing at transit stations alleviates traffic by giving residents direct access to transportation options other than cars, suggesting that, if anything, the development should be more dense than what’s proposed.
“People have to live somewhere,” said Joseph Schiarizzi, who chairs Falls Church’s Environmental Sustainability Council but spoke as an individual. “And they’re either going to drive through our neighborhoods, through Leesburg Pike and completely block it up, or they can live near where they work…Literally on top of a Metro, obviously that’s where the most possible people should live. It just makes sense, and to do anything else is really climate arson, I believe.”
While the planning commission deferred a decision to March 8, Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder observed that the most enthusiastic about the project tended to be younger, including a mother who testified at 11:20 p.m. despite having “a 2 a.m. wake-up call waiting for me at home” in the form of a 4-month-old kid.
The woman said she and her husband moved into the Gates at Westfalls Condominiums so they could be in walking distance of Metro, which they both use for their work commutes.
“If we had it our way, we would never drive our cars, but that can be hard to do in this area, so we are very excited and grateful to have more options to walk to in the near future,” she said.
Rendering via EYA
As Fairfax County pines for a better tree canopy, county staff is hoping a credit program expansion can spruce up the area’s street trees.
While developers could already a 10-Year Tree Canopy Credit for trees built on-site, trees in the public right-of-way aren’t eligible despite positive impacts on the environment and site development. At a meeting last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors raised no objection to an information item expanding eligibility to include trees.
The change in urban design guidelines across Fairfax County makes street trees eligible for that 10-Year Tree Canopy Credit and implements a new set of standards, along with minimums and maximum tree sizes, for street trees.
“These changes give the Urban Forestry Management Division (UFMD) authority to have long-term oversight of street trees that are included in ten-year tree canopy calculations,” the agenda item said. “Perpetual maintenance and replacement agreements by the applicant are required to due to the potential for the removal of trees in rights-of-way and easements.”
Per a county news release, the new guidelines apply to developments in more urbanized activity centers:
- Tysons Urban Center
- Annandale
- Bailey’s Crossroads/Seven Corners
- Huntington
- Lake Anne
- Lincolnia
- McLean
- Merrifield
- Reston
- Springfield
- West Falls Church
Those areas tend to some of Fairfax County’s most notable “heat islands” and tend to be areas with lower area median incomes than the county average, according to the county.
“The result is intended to increase the number of street trees and associated tree canopy to improve environmental, social, and economic outcomes,” the agenda item said. “Trees planted will be monitored for success and adjustments to the planting details will be made as necessary.”
An office building adjacent to Freedom Hill Elementary School is the latest commercial property in Tysons to be considered for housing instead.
The owner of 8221 Old Courthouse Road has submitted a proposal to Fairfax County that would convert the existing three-story office building into 55 one and two-bedroom apartment units, including six designated as workforce housing.
Filed on Friday (Feb. 10), the application says the conversion will address the need for housing to serve Tysons’ growing population, while revitalizing an “underutilized” site, as the office market continues to cool.
“With pressure from newly delivered office space with high quality amenities growing, older office space in the Tysons office-heavy market is declining as demand for multifamily continues to increase,” Robert Brant, a legal agent for the property owner, wrote in a statement of justification. “The proposed office-to-residential conversion will infuse the neighborhood with some new renewed foot traffic.”
Built in 1986, the office building is on a 87,472-square-foot site owned by 8221 Old Courthouse Road LC, an affiliate of the housing developer Dittmar Company, according to county property records.
Current tenants include Northern Virginia Foot & Ankle Associates, an Atlantic Union Bank and the software company Armedia. However, vacancies “are expected to increase dramatically in the next few years,” the application says.
Renovations are also needed, but the owner has determined they’re “not viable” based on “the current and future outlook for the office market.”
“However, the property is well suited for residential use, being located on the edge of Tysons and adjacent to an elementary school site,” Brant said.
According to the application, the shell of the existing building would be retained, along with a 5-foot-tall brick wall separating the property from Freedom Hill Elementary. No changes to the building footprint or height are proposed.
However, the developer is seeking to eliminate 90 spaces from the surface parking lot, leaving 66 total spaces to serve the new residents.
The parking reduction will allow for a 7,000-square-foot, publicly accessible park along Old Courthouse Road, featuring “a meandering trail,” benches and gardens. The applicant also intends to provide approximately 8,400 square feet of private, outdoor amenity space for residents, including outdoor seating and grilling stations.
According to the submitted plan, the project will reduce the amount of impervious surface, which currently covers 81% of the property, and add landscaping, including an 8-foot-wide buffer between the street and sidewalk on both Old Courthouse Road to the north and Lord Fairfax Drive to the west.
As part of the project, the applicant says it will widen the sidewalks on Old Courthouse and Lord Fairfax to 8 feet wide and 6 feet, respectively.
“New pedestrian paths in the public park space, around the building, along the southern Property line, and to the building entrances at the front and rear…will be provided,” the application says.
The rezoning application hasn’t yet been formally accepted for review by the county.
Photo via Google Maps
(Updated at 5:50 p.m.) A former Fairfax County prosecutor who now practices as a private defense lawyer has joined the commonwealth’s attorney race.
Ed Nuttall launched a campaign yesterday (Monday) to challenge incumbent Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano for the Democratic nomination, which will be determined by a primary election on June 20.
“I have spent the last twenty six years living in and trying every kind of case imaginable in Fairfax County. I know how a courtroom works, how to run an effective office, and how to bring people together to keep our communities safe,” Nuttall said in an announcement in front of the Fairfax County Courthouse. “My opponent has shown over the last three years that he clearly doesn’t — that’s why I’m stepping up to run.”
According to his campaign, Nuttall has worked as a trial lawyer for over 26 years.
He joined the county’s commonwealth’s attorney office in 1999, prosecuting criminal and traffic cases, before becoming a member of the Tysons-based firm Briglia Hundley in 2003. In 2015, he launched the private firm Carroll & Nuttall with John Carroll — also a former prosecutor. The firm handles criminal, civil and family law.
During his announcement, Nuttall and his supporters argued that Descano’s “idea of justice for all abandons victims of crime and ignores community safety,” criticisms that have been frequently leveled at Descano and his counterparts in Arlington and Loudoun since they were all elected in 2019 on promises of progressive reforms.
In a statement on Nuttall’s announcement, Descano lambasted his opponent as having “spent the last 20 years of his career defending bad cops that give our good police departments a black eye.”
Nuttall has “represented law enforcement in over twenty police shooting cases since 2002, serving as General Counsel to the Fraternal Order of Police Fairfax Lodge 77,” according to his official bio.
“In a time when Democrats nationwide are grappling with the need for police reform, to have the police union’s on-the-payroll defense attorney pretend to be an independent actor when it comes to holding bad cops accountable is a farce that Democrats in Fairfax County will see through,” Descano said. “My relationship with the police is a good one because they know I’m a trustworthy partner in public safety and that I won’t hesitate to hold bad cops accountable which is something all good officers want.”
Descano confirmed to FFXnow that he will run for reelection in December and officially launched his campaign last month.
Nuttall announced yesterday that he has already won the support of Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid and State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34), who are both seeking reelection this year.
In statements, Petersen commended Nuttell as “an experienced trial lawyer that understands how the courtroom works,” while Kincaid said “he has the experience and the integrity needed to do the job.”
“We are living in a time where criminal justice reform is on everyone’s mind,” Kincaid said. “It’s not enough to simply talk about progress. It’s important that we make progress. To make progress, you have to have the competence to get real things done.”
Photo via ABC7
Key Tysons Developer Dies — “Theodore N. ‘Ted’ Lerner, a self-made billionaire developer who became principal owner of the Washington Nationals and oversaw the team’s rise to prominence, capped by its victory in the 2019 World Series, died Feb. 12 at his home in Chevy Chase, Md. He was 97.” [The Washington Post]
Emergency SNAP Benefits End This Week — “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government passed a law to temporarily increase SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to support families. The law has recently changed, and the benefits will end Feb.16. Effective in March, SNAP benefits will return to normal, without the added supplement.” [Fairfax County Government]
Fairfax County Casino Draws Few Bets — “Marsden has left the door open for legislation to be re-introduced in 2024 in media interviews. However, discussions with lawmakers, county officials and a regional economic policy expert show there may be little appetite to go all in on a Fairfax County casino even if the proposal were to come up again” [Virginia Mercury]
Hot Chicken Joint Now Open in Lincolnia — “A new chicken place, called Hot Lola’s, opened Feb. 8 in Pinecrest Plaza. The restaurant, at 6544 Little River Turnpike, Unit A, is in the space formerly occupied by Granddaddy’s Skillet…Co-owner and manager Alan Vo describes the chicken as a combination of Asian and Nashville flavors.” [Annandale Today]
McLean Entrepreneur Expands Mac and Cheese Business — “McLean, Virginia, entrepreneur Myles Powell has grown his line of frozen, ‘clean’ mac and cheese — 8 Myles Mac N’ Cheese — from a handful of stores to more than 1,200 retail locations, including retailers like Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market, Balducci’s, and Target.” [WTOP]
Private Computer School Settles Fraud Claims — “Pinellas Corporation (Pinellas), a for-profit school offering computer training courses in McLean and Richmond, and CEO and sole owner Paul Giordano, of Washington, D.C., agreed to pay $450,000 to settle allegations that Pinellas paid bonuses to consultants based on their success in securing enrollments of students receiving military veterans benefits.” [U.S. Attorney’s Office]
Meetings on Lake Accotink Dredging Project Tomorrow — The Fairfax County Department of Environmental Services and Public Works (DPWES) will hold a virtual meeting at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and an in-person meeting at Kings Glen Elementary School on Thursday (Feb. 16). Staff will present their recommendations and details on the impacts and costs. [DPWES]
Hen Found in Herndon Home Dies — “Henrietta the Hen, who appeared mysteriously one day last December in Tas Robin’s garage in Herndon, died recently at her new home in Montgomery County, Maryland…Before Henrietta’s untimely death, the hen had settled into her new life in Maryland, according to Robin.” [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 35. Sunrise at 7:02 am and sunset at 5:46 pm. [Weather.gov]
