Fairfax County’s Guide to Halloween — “It’s time for scary, silly and all kinds of costumes in all corners of our community. Here are a few things to know about Halloween in Fairfax County,” including where to find the most elaborately decorated houses and tips for handling trick-or-treating. [Fairfax County Government]
Free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic in Reston Today — Reston Community Center is hosting a Covid vaccine clinic from 1-4 p.m. at 2310 Colts Neck Road. Pfizer doses will be available for people 12 and older. Those interested can make an appointment through the county’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS), but walk-ins are welcome too. [Melanie Meren/Twitter]
Confederate Warning Structure at GMU’s Fairfax Campus Preserved — “The Bull Run Civil War Round Table (BRCWRT), in partnership with George Mason, has worked for six years to preserve the redoubt. They joined Mason officials Oct. 7, in a ceremony delayed more than a year by the pandemic, to dedicate pathways and historical markers at the site.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
How the Envigo Beagles Were Rescued — “What followed was two months of beagle mania, as people across the country showered the Humane Society with $2.2 million in donations and clamored to adopt the dogs…But the beagle emancipation was cloaked in secrecy. Almost no one was allowed to see the dogs leave Envigo.” [The Washington Post]
Fire Department Hosts First Open Houses of Pandemic — “In celebration of Fire Prevention Week, fire stations across Fairfax County held open houses on Saturday that attracted hundreds of people to tour the stations, see the fire trucks and ambulances, and participate in fun activities. The events were the first open houses held by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department since 2019.” [Patch]
Fairfax City Starts Review of Housing Needs — A comprehensive housing assessment is underway in the City of Fairfax that will “look at recent housing trends and development patterns and provide the foundation for a strategy to build the types of housing most in demand for a full range of incomes and households.” Community engagement sessions are scheduled for Nov. 2 and 3. [City of Fairfax]
Fairfax Symphony Opens Season With Guest Conductor — “Fairfax County Providence District Supervisor, Dalia Palchik, joined the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the launch of the premier orchestra’s 65th Anniversary Season. On Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Capital One Hall in Tysons, VA, Supervisor Palchik made her FSO debut to kick of the FSO season by guest conducting the National Anthem.” [YouTube]
Reston Home Tour Looking for Volunteers — “Reston Museum needs volunteers to serve as docents for the 20th annual Reston Home Tour, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each volunteer docent will receive a free ticket to the home tour, which they can use before or after their shift, according to a release.” [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 41. Sunrise at 7:22 am and sunset at 6:27 pm. [Weather.gov]
A woman was sexually assaulted by a man who brandished a firearm at a hotel in the Tysons West area earlier this month, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
The department’s Major Crimes Bureau Sex Abuse Squad is investigating a rape that reportedly occured on Oct. 1 at a hotel in the 8600 block of Westwood Center Drive — likely the Hawthorn Suites, according to a news release published today (Monday).
“Officers responded at 5:30 p.m., after receiving a report of a man that sexually assaulted a woman and brandished a firearm,” the FCPD said. “The suspect entered the unlocked hotel room, physically and sexually assaulted the victim and fled. A man known to the victim learned of the assault, saw the suspect and gave chase.”
According to police, the suspect was able to escape after pointing the gun at the other man. The woman was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Police say detectives have obtained surveillance footage from the hotel and Metro showing the man that they believe to be the suspect:
Detectives obtained video surveillance from the hotel of the suspect. As detectives continued to investigate, they also recovered video surveillance from the suspect entering the Metro at the Eastern Market station. The suspect switched to the Silver Line at the Capitol South station and exited at the Spring Hill station.
Officers with the Metro Transit Police Department determined the suspect entered the Metro at the Spring Hill station following the assault. The suspect took the Silver Line to Metro Center and switched to the Red Line in the direction of Glenmont. Detectives believe the suspect resides in the Washington D.C. area. The suspect is described as a Black man, 25-40 years-old, 5’8 – 6′, heavy build with short curly black hair that is partially dyed blonde.
A clip from the video shared by the FCPD shows a man wearing a necklace with a large medallion walking down a pedestrian bridge to a Metro station.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the investigating detectives at 703-246-7800, option 3. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone (1-866-411-TIPS) and online.
Fairfax Health District COVID-19 cases over the past 26 weeks, as of Oct. 17, 2022 (via VDH)
Booster COVID-19 vaccinations for kids aged 5 to 11 were put on hold late last week, as the Fairfax County Health Department transitions to updated vaccines that target omicron variants of the disease.
Federal health officials expanded their recommendation for the bivalent booster vaccines to include that younger age group on Wednesday (Oct. 12), saying the updated shots will provide better protection against “more transmissible and immune-evading” variants.
The bivalent boosters were authorized for people 12 and older at the end of August. The county health department says it has seen “a mild demand” for the vaccine since it became available in September.
“Typically, there is a surge when additional eligibility is updated, but the situation cools after a couple of weeks. That is typical of this update as well,” FCHD spokesperson Lucy Caldwell said. “We have no issues with vaccine supply and it is widely available throughout the community, pharmacies, medical providers, and our County sites, at this time.”
The authorization for the previous Pfizer booster shots for kids 5 to 11 ended on Oct. 12, so the health department stopped administering boosters for that age group until the new ones arrive.
The bivalent boosters will be available for kids at the Fairfax County Government Center and South County Hyland Center vaccine clinics starting tomorrow (Tuesday). Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are also allowed.
About 14% of kids aged 5 to 11 have gotten a Covid booster since they became eligible in May, according to FCHD data.
The FCHD reports that 85.7% of residents in the Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church as well as the county, have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, including:
- 93% of people aged 18 and older
- 99.5% of 16-17 year olds
- 95.9% of 12-15 year olds
- 63.6% of 5-11 year olds
- 18.6% of kids aged 6 months to 4 years old
After an initial surge, vaccine demand has slowed among families with infants and toddlers, a nationwide trend that worries public health experts. While still low, Fairfax County’s rate for that age group is more than twice as high was the national rate of 9%, FCHD Director of Epidemiology and Population Health Dr. Benjamin Schwartz said.
“Despite this higher rate, the health department continues to stress the importance of protecting these young children who can suffer severe COVID-19 and who may bring COVID-19 into a family where it can spread to others who may be vulnerable,” Schwartz said.
Overall, 78.1% of the district’s population, or 924,525 people, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including 85.7% of adults.
The expanded availability of the bivalent boosters comes as the county braces for a possible resurgence of the coronavirus later this fall and winter.
While cases remain relatively low, with the district averaging 160 cases per day for the past week, the first two years of the pandemic saw massive spikes in the disease’s spread during the winter, peaking with a seven-day average of 2,590 cases on Jan. 13, 2022.
Schwartz attributes those previous surges to a combination of new variants, people spending more time indoors, and holiday travel and gatherings.
“We need to remain vigilant and maintain good immunity in the population by staying up to date on vaccination and getting recommended boosters,” he said. “In addition, people who with respiratory symptoms should stay home and away from others and should be tested for COVID-19.”
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention also reported last week that there have been signs of an earlier, more active flu season this year, particularly in the southern and southeastern U.S. Activity in Virginia is already moderate, as of Oct. 8.
Flu season typically peaks in December through February, but “significant activity” can last as late as May, according to the CDC, which recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot “ideally by the end of October.”
Notably, kids under 4 years old have accounted for 13.8% of hospital visits for influenza in Virginia so far this year — the largest proportion of any age group, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Caldwell said that trend “aligns with national figures” and urged everyone to get a flu vaccine this fall.
“We don’t want a flu outbreak compounding what we are experiencing with COVID,” Schwartz said.
The Fairfax Health District has recorded 244,081 Covid cases, 5,017 hospitalizations, and 1,659 deaths during the pandemic.
A couple in Merrifield have been sentenced to prison for using the wife’s real estate job to steal people’s identities.
Caprice Foster, 51, and Marcus Foster, 33, took personal identifying information from at least nine people and used it to “buy a luxury vehicle, lease high-end residences, and obtain loans and credit,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said Friday (Oct. 14).
The information was primarily obtained through Caprice Foster’s work as a real estate agent and timeshare salesperson, per the news release:
To carry out their fraud scheme, the Fosters created numerous false identification documents in other people’s names, including social security cards and driver’s licenses, and they also fabricated tax and employment documents in their victims’ names. The Fosters opened fraudulent bank accounts using stolen identities and deposited stolen and altered checks into these accounts. The Fosters also incorporated a business that they used in furtherance of the fraud. Mr. Foster even impersonated victims in state court eviction proceedings to prolong the Fosters’ stay in residences they fraudulently leased.
Caprice Foster was sentenced to 80 months in prison, while Marcus has been sentenced to 58 months.
According to the Department of Justice, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis joined prosecutors at the sentencing announcement, along with officials from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Photo via Tierra Mallorca/Unsplash
Tysons has its new anchor organization.
Tysons Partnership — the nonprofit charged with implementing Fairfax County’s vision for Tysons — will be phased out in favor of a newly created Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) that will advocate for local residents, businesses and nonprofits, the partnership announced today (Monday).
County government officials joined representatives from Tysons businesses, residential neighborhoods and nonprofits to officially create the new organization last week, voting on Thursday (Oct. 13) to elect its first board of directors and appoint Tysons Partnership acting Executive Director Richard Bradley as the acting CEO.
“The extensive coordination and commitment from the County together with the business and residential communities allowed everyone to focus on a vision and mission that would best serve Tysons as a whole. Tysons Community Alliance blends the best of public sector interests and the flexibility of the private sector working together,” said Tysons Partnership Board Chair Josh White, who will serve as the TCA’s first board chair.
As proposed to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this past spring, the alliance will function as a community improvement district. Like the business improvement districts that support neighborhoods like Rosslyn in Arlington County, it will fund events and projects in Tysons, such as sidewalk improvements, by collecting a special tax imposed on property owners.
The TCA has been in the works for almost two years now, as Tysons Partnership sought a new business model that would be more sustainable than the voluntary donations and county funding it had been relying on since its creation in 2011.
Supported by $1 million in Economic Opportunity Reserve funds from the county, a Tysons Vision Work Group of 31 public and private-sector representatives convened last year to develop a new organization “that would continue to support equitable growth and a thriving Tysons,” according to the partnership.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik says the group liked the idea of a community improvement district that it would advance the interests of the overall community, not just businesses, a model that could be replicated elsewhere in the county if the TCA is successful.
“I am very pleased with the results of everyone’s commitment, efforts and belief in the success of Tysons,” Palchik said in the press release. “I am confident Tysons Community Alliance will serve as a model for Fairfax County and the country.”
Funded for its first eight months with $2.5 million from the county’s fiscal year 2022 carryover review, which was approved last Tuesday (Oct. 11), the TCA’s mission consists of four focus areas:
- Communications and branding to tell the Tysons’ story
- Research and business support to catalyze inclusive economic growth
- Placemaking/place management to activate the public realm through events and pop-up spaces
- Transportation and mobility to champion livability through walkability and connectivity
At its first meeting last week, the alliance approved its board of directors, officers and an executive committee. It also established bylaws and an administrative structure.
As acting CEO, Bradley has been charged with leading a search for the organization’s permanent leader. An official brand relaunch is expected in January.
“The future growth in Tysons will depend on a blending of residential and business uses and activation of public space,” Gates of McLean Condominium Unit Owners Association Board President Lisa Samuels, a TCA board member, said. “This is the wave of the future for urban centers, as more people look to live and work within their same community and participate in its success. As a local resident, I am extremely pleased with the process and the collaboration in standing up the Tysons Community Alliance.”
Hunter Mill Road Traffic Stoppages Today — “On Mon 10/17 from 9AM-3PM, Hunter Mill Rd will have full traffic stoppages of up to 10 minutes each between Crowell Rd and Cobble Mill Rd to install beams as part of the Colvin Run bridge project. Expect delays and consider using alternate routes.” [VDOT/Twitter]
Racial Disparities Persist in Virginia Marijuana Arrests — “While marijuana arrests overall dropped in the year since Virginia became the first state in the South to legalize, Black adults accounted for nearly 60 percent of marijuana-related cases before the state’s general district and circuit courts…despite Black people accounting for about 20 percent of the state population.” [The Washington Post]
House Fire Reported in Lorton — “Units on scene of a house fire in the 7500 block of Billisam Court in Lorton area. First arriving units reported smoke showing from the roof. Crews have brought a fire in attic under control. Occupants safe. No reported injuries at this time.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Washington Capitals Star Sells Langley Farms Home — “The estate of Washington Capitals’ star T.J. Oshie — the home he and his wife acquired in 2017 from Boston Properties’ executive Ray Ritchey — sold in mid-September for $6.4 million, six months after the Oshies paid $7.4 million for a larger property in the same exclusive McLean community.” [Washington Business Journal]
See Pics From Lorton Community Center Grand Opening — “Today’s ribbon cutting of the Lorton Community Center & Fairfax County Public Library welcomed 500+ neighbors who couldn’t wait to visit the new and modern library, paint pumpkins in the art room, view the new gym, take hula lessons, workout room, sensory room, recording studio, Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC), and play at the new park to name a few.” [Supervisor Dan Storck/Facebook]
Learn What’s Happening in Tysons Development — “Suzie Battista and Beth Elliott from the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development will present the latest news about the changes afoot in Tysons. They’ll also introduce attendees to the new Tysons Tracker online platform, which provides public access to a wealth of information about local development projects.” [Fairfax County Public Library]
Supervisor Takes a Ride on Silver Line Phase II — “Silver Line Phase 2 is opening soon for passenger service! It was exciting to take @wmata from new Reston Town Center Station to Dulles Airport last week. It’s a great step forward for public transportation in our region.” [Supervisor Walter Alcorn/Twitter]
Lincolnia Students Catch Up on Learning — “Students in Fairfax County attended Saturday School at Glasgow Middle School, completely voluntarily. It’s part of a federal program to help students catch up after time spent remote learning during the pandemic.” [WUSA9]
Mosaic District Store Seeks to Make Women Look and Feel Great — “Russman’s clever branding has worked, it would seem, as Undeniable Boutique has become a standout in an area known for its top-notch shopping since its inception in 2011. Undeniable Boutique has also won the Best Women’s Boutique category in Best of NoVA® nine times in the years since Russman opened its doors. ” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Monday — Possible light rain in the morning. High of 66 and low of 54. Sunrise at 7:21 am and sunset at 6:29 pm. [Weather.gov]
The weekend is almost here. Before you check out the Richmond Highway corridor’s first parklet or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.
Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:
- Undeveloped site on Route 50 could become data center or warehouse
- Woman killed in crash near Fairfax Towne Center, capping deadly week for local pedestrians
- Teen in hospital with serious injuries from accidental BB gun shooting in McLean
- NEW: Two killed in moped crash on Dulles Toll Road in Wolf Trap
- New Lorton Community Center is now open, joining renovated library and park
- Police: Man shot at officers and led chase from Arlington to West Falls Church
- Fairfax County School Board commits to supporting transgender students, as community speaks out
- Fairfax County could introduce speed enforcement cameras with pilot next year
- Police search underway for missing woman, last seen in Reston
- Man killed on I-95 in Springfield by driver who tried to flee, police say
Ideas for potential stories can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the county are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below. Have a great weekend, Fairfax County!
A church in McLean and an orchestra based in Tysons have teamed up to do their part to assist humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine.
The Virginia Chamber Orchestra will put on a free Benefit Concert for Ukraine in the McLean Baptist Church sanctuary (1367 Chain Bridge Road) at 4 p.m. this Sunday (Oct. 16).
The concert will feature soprano singer Mandy Brown, violinist Emil Chudnovsky, and pianist Tatiana Loisha as well as the VCO String Quartet.
They will primarily perform classical music, including works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Joseph Haydn, and Antonín Dvořák, but Rogers and Hammerstein also appear. The program closes with “Shche ne vmerta Ukraina,” the national anthem of Ukraine.
While the concert is free to attend, the church will accept donations that will be used to provide medical supplies in Ukraine, according to VCO.
“The Virginia Chamber Orchestra is very pleased to partner with the McLean Baptist Church in presenting a Benefit Concert to provide medical supplies for the people of Ukraine,” VCO Board of Trustees President Douglas Lovejoy said in an emailed statement. “We welcome everyone to the concert and will appreciate your donations.”
Since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine in February, more than 15,000 civilian casualties have been recorded by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as of Monday (Oct. 10), though the organization believes the actual numbers of deaths and injuries are much higher.
Like in other communities across the U.S., acts of solidarity and support for Ukraine have become common in Fairfax County, from a regional winter coat drive and a fundraiser by local breweries to symbolic displays of the eastern European country’s blue-and-yellow flag.
The full program for Sunday’s benefit concert in McLean is below:
- “Sheep May Safely Graze” by Johann Sebastian Bach — VCO String Quartet
- “Uzun Hava” by Osman Kivrak — for violin and viola
- Selections from “44 Duets” by Béla Bartók, including Ruthenian songs from Ukraine
- “Allegro from Quartet in F Major, Op. 96 ‘American’” by Antonín Dvořák — VCO String Quartet
- “Polonaise Brilliante in D Major” by Henryk Wieniawski — Emil Chudnovsky, violin
- “Chanson d’amour” by Jan Tarasiewicz — Tatiana Loisha, piano
- “L’invitation au voyage” by Henri Duparc — Mandy Brown, soprano
- “The Winds are Blowing,” a Ukrainian folksong by Mykola Lysenko — Mandy Brown, soprano
- “Introduction” and “Rondo Capriccioso” by Camille Saint-Saëns — Emil Chudnovsky violin
- “Nocturne in C Sharp Minor” by Frédéric Chopin — Emil Chudnovsky, violin
- “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from “Carousel” by Rodgers & Hammerstein — Mandy Brown, soprano
- “Shche ne vmerta Ukraina” by Chubynsky/Verbytsky
Halloween is showing up on Tysons Corner Center’s doorstep a couple weeks early this year.
The mall’s Fall Festival this weekend will include a full Halloween experience, with trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and other activities.
The festivities will mostly unfold on the Plaza, where Maniac Pumpkin Carvers founder Marc Evans will put on live pumpkin-carving demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be face painting, a photo booth, a vender market, a beer garden from Barrel & Bushel, and a Seasons52 wine tent.
Live entertainment will be provided by country musician Scott Kurt and the bands Under the Covers and The Moonlighters. In addition, the Traveling Players Ensemble will stage a puppet show from 1-5 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday).
There will also be a kids’ corn maze set up on Sunday (Oct. 16).
Kids who arrive between noon and 2 p.m. on both days can participate in Tysons Mall-o-Ween, where they’l be able to collect candy from over 40 retailers in the mall. Free tote bags will be handed out at the Plaza.
Advance registration is required for Mall-o-Ween, but only one ticket is needed per family, according to an announcement on Facebook. The mall encourages kids to don costumes, but Halloween masks won’t be allowed inside.
The Town of Vienna is also getting a head start on the season of ghosts and ghouls with Halloween on the Green.
From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, the parks and recreation department will offer snacks, games and prizes, story times, moon bounces, crafts and pumpkin decorating at the Vienna Town Green. The event page says a limited number of pumpkins will be available.
For area residents who’d prefer to celebrate closer to the actual holiday, Vienna will have its annual Halloween parade at 7 p.m. on Oct. 26. Saturday, Oct. 29, will bring costume contests to The Boro and The Perch at Capital One Center, and a Festival of Frights to McLean Community Center’s Old Firehouse.
The Mosaic District in Merrifield will close the weekend with a Halloween Spooktacular, which will feature trick-or-treating and a screening of the 2019 “Addams Family” movie on Oct. 30.
Finally, on Halloween itself (Monday, Oct. 31), Celebrate Fairfax will throw a party at The PARC (8508 Leesburg Pike) with “face painting, balloon twisting, mad science activities, and of course candy and other treats,” according to the Facebook event page.
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.
We got a sneak peek of the newest Halley Rise community in Reston and its first Fall Festival.
A community event taking place onsite Saturday, October 22 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) featuring live music, food, and family-friendly activities (including pumpkin painting and make your own bouquet stations).
It will also include the introduction of the Farm at Halley Rise, an urban farm operated by Up Top Acres that grows food and flowers and provides produce to organizations working to reduce food insecurity.
Such a fun way to spend a fall Saturday!
Best,
Sharmane
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
