Beware Hypothermia From Freezing Weather — “The National Weather Service forecast calls for overnight lows Friday and Saturday night reaching well below freezing. High temperatures this weekend are not expected to rise above 26 degrees, and wind could be a factor as well.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
No Lane Closures This Holiday — “With the holidays hopping and the new year around the corner, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)…will suspend most highway work zones and lift most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia for: Christmas, from noon Friday, Dec. 23 until noon Tuesday, Dec. 27 [and] New Year’s, from noon Friday, Dec. 30 until noon Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.” [VDOT]
Burke Man Indicted for Child Porn — “A Fairfax County, Virginia, man arrested in October has been formally indicted on eight felony counts related to child pornography. The defendant, 25-year-old Dominick Baldi, of Burke, has pleaded not guilty and will go on trial in the beginning of March.” [WTOP]
Ceremonial Army Horses Coming to Lorton — “The horses that help transport military service members to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery will soon find a temporary home just off Gunston Road in Lorton. On Dec. 15, the U.S. Army and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that the Caisson Platoon horses…will be housed at the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area on a rotational basis through December 2027.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Brings Message From Santa to Kids — “Children who celebrate Christmas can hear a very special message from Jolly ole Saint Nick by calling 703-255-6333…Children can listen for the sounds of sleigh bells and other last-minute activities as Santa explains how teamwork, Mrs. Claus and the elves helped him stay on schedule this holiday season. Santa’s message will…remain on the line through Dec. 25, 2022.” [Town of Vienna]
New Firefighters Graduate — “The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department on Dec. 16 welcomed its 21 newest members at its 155th Recruit School Graduation, held at the McLean Community Center’s Alden Theatre…The department now has more than 1,400 uniformed personnel assigned to 39 fire stations.” [Sun Gazette]
Herndon Contractor Shares Hiring Plans — “Herndon government contractor Serco Inc. plans to hire 120 new workers in 2023 and up to 200 total over the next two years after winning a five-year contract from the Naval Air Systems Command to support the Department of Defense’s F-35 program.” [Washington Business Journal]
McLean Blood Drive Coming Before New Year’s Eve — “As the region’s blood supplies remain extremely low due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the McLean Volunteer Fire Department is teaming up with Inova Blood Donor Services to hold a blood drive on Friday, Dec. 30. The Inova bloodmobile will be located in the fire department’s lower parking lot, with access from Lowell Avenue in McLean.” [Patch]
It’s Friday — Rain (with a chance of 1-2 in. of snow) in the morning. High of 51 and low of 15. Sunrise at 7:26 am and sunset at 4:52 pm. [Weather.gov]
Seven incumbent delegates have confirmed to FFXnow that they are gearing up to run in 2023, the first election since redistricting.
With all 100 Virginia House of Delegate seats up for a vote next November, a number of incumbents representing parts of Fairfax County — all Democrats — have started making plans to run for reelection in the recently redrawn districts, including:
- Irene Shin in District 8
- Karrie Delaney in District 9
- David Bulova in District 11
- Vivan Watts in District 14
- Paul Krizek in District 16
- Kathy Tran in District 18
- Eileen Filler-Corn in District 18
In addition, Del. Marcus Simon announced his reelection campaign for District 13 last week in a Falls Church News-Press column. While both Shin and Delaney told FFXnow they plan to run, they said formal announcements will come early next year.
The redistricting process, which drew new electoral lines based on population changes over the past 10 years, has shaken up at least a few races.
Most notably, both Filler-Corn and Tran have committed to running in the redrawn District 18, which encompasses a large portion of Springfield to the county border in Occoquan. It’s made up of residents from four previous districts, including ones that the delegates each previously represented.
With both being Democrats, they’ll have to face each other in a June primary to earn the Democratic nomination for the November general election.
In October, Tran announced on social media that she will seek reelection “to fight for our rights and build a more just and equitable future for all of our kids.”
I’m excited to announce my campaign in the new 18th House district!
I’m proud to live in the heart of the district, raise my kids here & already represent so much of the community. I’m running to fight for our rights & build a more just & equitable future for all of our kids. pic.twitter.com/Id0rC3akCH
— Kathy Tran (@KathyKLTran) October 6, 2022
A spokesperson for Filler-Corn, the former House speaker, told FFXnow in an email that she plans on “running in the district where she lives, which is HD18.”
Earlier this year, Filler-Corn was ousted as the minority leader by her colleagues in a private vote. Tran has not said if she voted for or against Filler-Corn.
FFXnow asked them about running against one another in the primary, but neither has responded as of publication.
That isn’t the only district where incumbents may be pitted against one another in a primary in about six months from now.
While Simon has already announced his reelection bid in District 13, which includes Merrifield through Falls Church City and to the border with Arlington, longtime Del. Kaye Kory told FFXnow by email that she has not made a decision yet on running.
“Right now, I am focused on preparing legislation for the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session in Richmond,” she wrote. “Since the filing deadline is not until April 2023, I will have plenty of time to act following adjournment.”
In District 6, which covers Great Falls and McLean, Delegates Kathleen Murphy and Richard “Rip” Sullivan would potentially face each other as well. So far, neither has announced their candidacy or respond to FFXnow’s inquiries as of publication.
Del. Ken Plum (D), whose 40-year tenure representing Reston and other portions of the county makes him the longest-serving member of the House, told FFXnow by phone that he’s still considering whether to run again in District 7.
“I’m getting through these legislative sessions and will make a decision, probably, in February,” Plum said. “I haven’t really decided yet.”
He told Reston Now last year that he had “no such plans currently” to retire.
Redistricting also created three open seats, including districts 15 and 19, which both have portions of the county.
In District 15, which covers Burke to the county line, Springfield District school board representative Laura Jane Cohen declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination back in November.
At least two Democratic candidates — Woodbridge residents Rozia “J.R.” Henson and Mayka Little — will vie to represent District 19, which is mostly in Prince William County. It is 39% Fairfax County constituents, concentrated in Lorton and the southern portion of Richmond Highway.
It’s a bit more complicated in District 12, which covers Vienna, Oakton, Dunn Loring, most of Tysons, and Fair Oaks. Back in September, delegate Mark Keam resigned to work in President Joe Biden’s administration, triggering a special election under the old boundaries prior to last year’s redistricting.
In October, nonprofit leader Holly Seibold won the Democratic nomination over Providence District school board member Karl Frisch by just 67 votes. Later that month, Monique Baroudi secured the Republican nomination.
Early voting has already started, with the special election set for Jan. 10. The winner would only serve for about a year and would have to run again in November in the new district.
In other local elections coming next year, five county supervisors will run again, while two are stepping down. Several Fairfax County School Board members will not seek re-election.
Fairfax County top prosecutor Steve Descano told FFXnow last week that he’s gearing up for 2023 as well, in what could be the most heated local election race of the cycle.
Photo via Doug Kerr/Flickr
Another steakhouse is staking out a claim in Tysons.
The Iowa-based, family-owned chain 801 Chophouse has leased space in the Westpark Corporate Center (8484 Westpark Drive) that was vacated a few years ago by McCormick & Schmick’s, the Washington Business Journal reported yesterday.
This will be the first East Coast location for the business, which originated in Des Moines in 1993 and has since added six more sites, all in the Midwest. 801 Restaurant Group also owns an upscale seafood restaurant called 801 Fish and the American eatery and cocktail bar 801 Local.
At 12,500 square feet, the Tysons Chophouse will be the brand’s biggest restaurant yet, 801 Restaurant Group Executive Managing Member Jamie Lynch told the WBJ.
“We are very excited to venture out in the Tysons area,” Lynch said. “I think it’s an exceptional growth opportunity for the restaurant group to stand up the 801 Chophouse’s biggest location, and the newest, in the D.C. market. We need to earn our stripes, get out there, be humble and put together a collection of people and just try to get better every day.”
801 Restaurant Group didn’t immediately return FFXnow’s request for comment, so here’s more from the WBJ on the company’s existing ties to the Tysons area:
Lynch runs the business with his father, restaurateur Jimmy Lynch, who hails from Greater Washington. Jimmy Lynch and his wife grew up in the McLean area. Jamie Lynch was born in D.C. on the Fourth of July, and as he tells it, there’s a political connection between the first 801 Chophouse in Des Moines and the D.C. region.
Des Moines has long been host to the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses, for both the Democrats and the Republicans, though the Democrats have recently floated the idea of moving their kickoff to another place. Regardless, the Des Moines 801 Chophouse has hosted more than a few presidential aspirants over the years, and the restaurant features its own private space called the Caucus Room. The restaurant’s appeal extends beyond politics, however.
“801 Chophouse is, hopefully, a timeless and quintessential steakhouse, with some contemporary elements to it,” Lynch said. The restaurant boasts a deep inventory of meats, wines, spirits, and fresh fish, brought to the table by servers wearing green coats. It seeks to foster a celebratory air without feeling stuffy, snooty or snobby. “It’s first class in terms of the commitment we have to being a true steakhouse.”
According to its website, Chophouse has an “in-house meat program” that serves “only aged USDA prime cuts, wet and dry-aged products and select Japanese and domestic Wagyu beef.”
Non-steak offerings include a “fresh sheet” with seafood and seasonal vegetables and fruit, desserts made in-house, and wine and cocktails.
Per the WBJ, an opening for the Tysons location isn’t anticipated until late fall 2023, but if successful, the restaurant could pave the way for a broader expansion in the D.C. area, potentially including introductions of 801 Fish and 801 Local.
Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.
Do you love Christmas lights?
If so, this insider video is for you. I surveyed Facebook groups for the must-see Christmas lights and these made the top of the list!
Hope you enjoy piling into the car with hot chocolate and your people as you make memories that will turn into traditions.
Explore Fairfax with Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney.
Sharmane Medaris | Live Fairfax | www.soldbysharmane.com | [email protected] | @soldbysharmane | 813-504-4479 | 374 Maple Avenue Suite 202, Vienna, VA 22180
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Chopt quietly put its Vienna location on the chopping block over the weekend.
The fast-casual salad eatery had its final day of business in the town on Sunday (Dec. 18), according to a notice posted to the door at 160 Maple Avenue West. Employees at the McLean location (1449A Chain Bridge Road) confirmed that the closure is permanent.
The notice didn’t provide a reason for the closure, and the company’s corporate office didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Chopt can still be found in McLean, Fairfax’s Pickett Shopping Center, and Kingstowne Towne Center. Just last month, the business moved and downsized its location in Rosslyn.
Chopt opened at the Vienna Shopping Center in May 2016, joining a row of fast-casual restaurants that moved in after the local grocery chain Magruder’s shuttered in 2013. The strip also features Mod Pizza, Taco Bamba and Cava, which may soon depart as well.
Cava confirmed that it’s replacing the recently closed Zoës Kitchen at 418 Maple Avenue East, but didn’t say whether the restaurant will be entirely new or a relocation of the existing site.
With Chopt’s departure, the Vienna Shopping Center has four vacant spaces available for lease, including a 6,005-square-foot suite and the former Rose Kabob space, according to a site map. After Magruder’s closure, the 73,852-square-foot center underwent a renovation and reopened in April 2016.
More than a year after Fairfax County government workers got collective bargaining rights, a proposal could extend the option to their public school counterparts.
After months of work, Fairfax County Public School administrators presented a draft resolution to the school board last week that would let employees organize and elect a union to negotiate labor contracts, setting terms for pay, benefits and work conditions.
The 22-page document was developed by a workgroup of FCPS leaders and 17 different school employee associations.
“Over the course of a full year of meetings, totaling over 60 hours together and untold number of hours of prepwork by workgroup members, we reached consensus on the framework for a resolution,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) President David Walrod said at the public hearing on Dec. 15 public hearing.
The proposed resolution guarantees workers the right to discuss workplace issues and engage in collective bargaining activities without facing coercion or intimidation. It also asserts that the school board has the authority to determine budgets and funding and can “take whatever actions may be necessary to carry out its mission during emergencies.”
If approved, FCPS would recognize separate bargaining units for:
- Licensed instructional staff, including full and part-time teachers, librarians and counselors
- Operational support employees, such as assistants, custodians, food service workers and bus drivers
- Administrators and supervisors, including principals and program administrators
Substitute and temporary employees are currently excluded from collective bargaining, but after July 1, 2023, they could seek inclusion in one of the existing units or file a request to be recognized as their own unit.
Walrod and other employee group representatives urged the school board to adopt the draft resolution.
“FEA agrees with the strong resolution presented to the FCPS School Board and the community,” Fairfax Education Association President Leslie Houston said. “Our number one priority was to ensure all FCPS employees were represented at the bargaining table. This resolution must be passed swiftly and intact.”
With the narrow adoption of House Bill 582 in 2020, Virginia opened the door for public workers to collectively bargain for the first time in 44 years.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution for county employees on Oct. 19, 2021, and last month, fire department workers became the first group to elect a union representative for negotiations.
Leaders of SEIU Virginia 512, a union representing general county employees, said they support FCPS workers also getting the right to unionize and negotiate their work contracts.
“The Fairfax County employees of SEIU believe that every working person deserves the right to join a union with their co-workers and bargain for a better future for all families,” SEIU Virginia 512 Fairfax County President Tammie Wondong said. “When FCPS educators and support staff have a seat at the table, kids and families throughout our community will succeed. That’s why we fight for Unions for All.”
The school board hasn’t set a timeline to vote on the resolution, but any contract talks won’t apply for the fiscal year 2024 budget, which will be proposed on Jan. 12. According to the draft resolution, any negotiations with financial implications need to start by Sept. 1 and be agreed to by Nov. 1 to be included in the next budget.
School Board Chair Rachna Sizemore-Heizer, an at-large member, said by email that the board will continue working on the collective bargaining resolution after FCPS finishes its winter break on Jan. 3:
I appreciate the efforts of the working group consisting of many stakeholders that worked hard to come to consensus on the draft collective bargaining resolution. I also appreciate the time and perspectives of those who came out to speak to the school board at the collective bargaining public hearing. It is vital to hear from our community on this important topic. I will take the comments under advisement as the school board continues to work on collective bargaining after the winter break.
Photo courtesy David Broder/Twitter
Rainy Day Ahead — “Rain spreads over the area during the morning and becomes heavy at times during the midday to afternoon. Any isolated pockets of freezing rain well west or northwest dwindle quickly. Rain could even linger through the evening. Pretty much a washout.” [Capital Weather Gang]
New Park Now Open in Bailey’s Crossroads — “The Fairfax County Park Authority has achieved substantial completion on the development of Boyd A. and Charlotte M. Hogge Park in Falls Church. The ADA-accessible park includes a picnic pavilion, open play area, multi-sport courts for pickleball and basketball, playground, community gardens, trails and parking.” [FCPA]
Local Families Struggle to Find Child Care — “Across Fairfax County, families have faced a challenging child care environment since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the county’s plans to add more child care facilities and spaces in coming years…The county will soon have one fewer daycare center when Inova Mount Vernon Hospital (IMVH) closes its onsite child care provider” [On the MoVe]
Murder Charge in Rose Hill Man’s Death Dismissed — “A Fairfax County judge on Tuesday dismissed the second-degree murder charge against a man who had been accused of fatally assaulting his 82-year-old father, ruling that investigators had not gathered adequate probable cause to move the case forward.” [The Washington Post]
Bill Would Require Notification of School Employee Arrests — “Law enforcement and court officials would be required to notify Virginia school systems any time a school employee gets arrested under a bill introduced ahead of the 2023 General Assembly session…The bill comes months after a Fairfax County middle school guidance counselor remained employed by the state’s largest school system, despite an arrest and conviction.” [WTOP]
Frying Pan House Fire Started with Ashes — “House fire 12/19/22 at 2:12 p.m., in 13000 block of New Austin Court in Frying Pan area. Cause: improperly discarded firepit ashes inside of plastic trash garage. Damages: $5K. No injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
County Maps Out Food Inspections — “A map-based food inspection report app provides instant access to thousands of inspection reports conducted by the Health Department. The environmental health team permits and then inspects more than 3,500 retail food establishments within Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.” [Fairfax County Government]
Bicycle Ride Raises Funds for Veteran Suicide Awareness — “A 435-mile bike ride for veteran suicide awareness that started in Springfield, Virginia has raised nearly $4,000 in just four days…U.S. Navy veteran Jake Welch completed his second cycling challenge in November to help bring attention to veteran suicide and raise funds for Hope For The Warriors.” [ABC7]
It’s Thursday — Rain throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 34. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 4:52 pm. [Weather.gov]
A major winter storm is headed for the D.C. area, just in time to disrupt holiday travel.
While the snow and ice created by a “bomb cyclone” is expected to stay further west, Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area are in for a downpour, according to the National Weather Service.
The NWS has already issued a Flood Watch for the region that’s set to be in effect from 11 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday) to 1 a.m. Friday (Dec. 23).
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY
NIGHT…* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE…DC and portions of Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Cecil, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Prince Georges, Southeast Harford and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park.
* WHEN…From Thursday morning through late Thursday night.
* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Moderate rainfall is expected Thursday into Thursday evening, with rainfall totals of one to two inches. This may lead to isolated instances of flooding, especially in urban and poor drainage areas.
The Virginia Department of Transportation advises those planning to travel for Christmas to leave today instead of tomorrow, particularly if they’re going to be in the western half of the state.
“Crews have already begun pretreating and brining the roads and will begin deploying trucks early Thursday morning to treat roads as needed,” VDOT said in an advisory.
The department also warned that temperatures are expected to plummet into Friday, meaning fallen rain might refreeze into ice. Forecasts indicate this weekend may be the coldest Christmas in decades.
#NOVA fam – take 70 seconds to get the #WinterWeather update you need before #WinterTravel! We've got precipitation and LOW temps headed our way soon
@VaDOT @NWS_BaltWash @VDEM pic.twitter.com/O9sUTMNyul
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) December 21, 2022
The project to extend the I-495 Express Lanes north toward the American Legion Bridge has been under construction for half a year now, but some McLean residents remain as determined as ever to fight the Beltway’s encroachment into their neighborhoods.
Residents along Live Oak Drive in particular have consistently argued that they will face the most disruptions from the I-495 Northern Extension (495 NEXT) without getting the congestion relief benefits touted by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The latest blow came at the sight of workers cutting down trees that serve as a buffer between Live Oak and two existing I-495 (Capital Beltway) and George Washington Memorial Parkway ramps.
VDOT says the tree clearings were necessary to make room for the Beltway widening, a new retaining wall adjacent to I-495, and a planned noise wall adjacent to Live Oak Drive. But residents fear the redesigned interchange will be a new “Mixing Bowl,” the tangle of ramps and overpasses where I-495, I-395 and I-95 meet in Springfield.
“VDOT/Transurban are trying to shove through a new ‘Springfield Mixing Bowl’ right here in McLean,” Northern Virginia Citizens Association President Debra Butler said in a recent email to members. “Future demolition and construction will impact both sides of 495 at Georgetown Pike, Live Oak Drive, Langley Swim Club, Scotts Run Nature Preserve with a new ‘McLean Mixing Bowl’ with ramps as high as 271 feet [above sea level].”
Discussions of potential legislation underway
Organized in opposition to 495 NEXT, the association held a meeting at the Langley Swim & Tennis Club on Friday (Dec. 16) to discuss the tree removals and their issues with the project’s size.
Attendees at the meeting included Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34) and state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31), who have started talking to Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III about options for addressing resident concerns.
The association has suggested allowing commercial trucks in the I-495 Express Lanes, where they’re currently prohibited, and having them get on and off in Tysons instead of McLean, eliminating the need for some flyover ramps.
VDOT says a planned exchange ramp allowing vehicles to exit the toll lanes at the GW Parkway is intended for all vehicles, though one purpose is to give trucks from Maryland access to the general purpose lanes.
Legislators could also introduce a bill with new controls on public-private partnerships like the one between VDOT and express lanes operator Transurban, improving transparency and limiting their ability to substantially change a project’s design after a public hearing, Butler says.
Murphy confirmed she and Favola are having discussions about potential legislation, but no concrete proposals have formed yet, even with a Jan. 1 deadline to submit bills for the 2023 General Assembly session looming.
“Those are certainly things we are going to bring to the attention of the secretary of transportation to see what possibilities are available, and as soon as we finish those conversations, we’ll have a better idea,” she told FFXnow.
GW Parkway design questioned
In the works since 2018, 495 NEXT will extend the Beltway’s toll lanes about 2.5 miles from the Dulles Toll Road in Tysons to the GW Parkway. Around the parkway, the project will add a Live Oak Drive bridge further to the south, two more ramps for the express lanes, and three stormwater ponds.
The interchange’s design has noticeably evolved since VDOT held a virtual public hearing on the project in October 2020, with a ramp from the northbound I-495 toll lanes to the GW Parkway moving from the east side of the Beltway to the west side by Live Oak Drive.
VDOT said at a virtual meeting on June 6 that it tweaked the design to reduce the impact of the ramps on the adjacent neighborhood, but a portion of Live Oak Drive will still be shifted to the west and narrowed to 22 feet wide with no sidewalks.
“[If] two cars come down for a Langley swim meet, if there’s an emergency, they’re not going to be able to get emergency vehicles” through, Butler told FFXnow.
According to VDOT, the two new ramps will be built within its existing right of way and “in the same area as the current interchange.” The design assumes that Maryland will eventually build toll lanes on its side of the Beltway as part of a joint agreement to replace the aging American Legion Bridge.
“The design of the interchange is such that when Maryland’s project moves forward, Maryland will be able to construct necessary ramp connections within the existing interchange footprint,” VDOT said.
Fears that Maryland won’t follow through on its half of the accord were further cemented last month when an approval vote got delayed. In addition to improving congestion more than 495 NEXT will on its own, the Maryland project is supposed to provide parts of the future GW Parkway interchange — including the noise wall for Live Oak Drive.
Though the interchange was presented as a two-phase endeavor at the 2020 public hearing, the Northern Virginia Citizens Association and even some elected officials have accused VDOT of being unclear about the extent of Maryland’s anticipated work in Virginia and its potential impact residents.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, who represents McLean, says VDOT has shown on past projects that it’s willing to address issues raised by the community, but that hasn’t been the case with 495 NEXT.
“Unfortunately, on the current I-495 NEXT project, the VDOT team has demonstrated almost no sensitivity to community concerns,” Foust said in a statement to FFXnow. “The lack of good faith effort by VDOT and its partner, Transurban, to address and mitigate impacts of the current project on long established residential neighborhoods, recreational facilities, and parks is unacceptable, surprising and very disappointing.”
A VDOT spokesperson says the project team has worked to minimize its impact on local neighborhoods. The design presented in June slightly reduced Live Oak Drive’s shift and preserved parking for the Langley Swim Club.
She also said VDOT provided notice of the planned tree clearings online and through flyers distributed to residences on Live Oak Drive. Additional clearings are expected in early 2023.
Though her house isn’t right on Live Oak, Butler says she can hear traffic on the Beltway, and the noise has worsened since the trees were removed. Quipping that she’s petitioning to have the road renamed “Dead Oak Drive,” she noted that VDOT hasn’t committed to replacing the trees or adding a sound wall if Maryland backs out.
“Our neighborhood is lost. It’s done, it’s dead,” Butler said. “…We’re too late, but we have an opportunity to maybe save other parts of Virginia, because this is driven by builders and lobbyists…It’s a big plan to get in the end what they want, which is projects that cost a lot of money and that go on forever.”
One of the two individuals arrested at Tysons Corner Center on Sunday (Dec. 18) will face several charges, mostly related to possession of a gun that police say was reported stolen in Prince William County.
The Fairfax County Police Department said Monday that a 16-year-old from Centreville has been charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a person underage, possession of a concealed weapon, possession of a stolen firearm and obstruction of justice.
The teen is one of three people sought by police in connection to a robbery in Arlington County. A second person taken into custody on Sunday — a man — has been released, according to the FCPD.
“Officers continue to work with Arlington County Police to positively identify the third suspect and determine if additional charges will be sought,” the department said.
UPDATE: Tysons Urban Team officers charged a 16-year-old teen from Centreville after yesterday’s arrest at the Tysons Corner Center. Officers continue to work with @ArlingtonVaPD & assist with their investigation. pic.twitter.com/CPei0BvFKm
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) December 19, 2022
According to the FCPD, an off-duty Arlington County police officer notified its Tysons Urban Team (TUT) at 7:54 p.m. on Sunday that they saw three people “believed to possibly be involved” in a robbery in that neighboring county.
“TUT officers waited for the three men to exit the mall and attempted to take them into custody,” the FCPD said. “The men ran back into the mall. Two of the men were taken into custody.”
No shots were fired, but social media reports of people running in the mall led to unfounded rumors of an active shooter. Police later said there were no gunshots or evacuation, though a gun was recovered in the arrest.
An Arlington County Police Department spokesperson said last night that a person had been robbed, but no further details about the robbery investigation could be shared due to a need “to ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigation.”
“The investigation into the Arlington County robbery is ongoing and no charges have been sought at this time,” APD spokesperson Ashley Savage said.
