House Passes Bill to Create Fund for New N. Va. Sports Arena — “Virginia’s House of Delegates voted to pass the arena bill 59-40, sending the proposal to an uncertain future in the Senate…The proposal to build a new arena at Potomac Yard for the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals has met with a mixed reception.” [ALXnow]
South Block to Land at Dulles Airport — In addition to new locations in Chantilly and Fairfax City, the Arlington-based company is planning to open a spot at Dulles International Airport’s Concourse D this year. Offerings will include the usual smoothies, acai bowls and juices, along with “grab-and-go sandwiches and salads from D.C.’s Wellfound Foods.” [Washington Business Journal]
McLean Group Skeptical of Tysons Development Swap — “A proposal to replace a previously approved office building with a 240-unit residential structure at the Arbor Row development in Tysons failed Feb. 7 to get support from the McLean Citizens Association (MCA), which opposed what members said was a lack of workforce housing.” [Gazette Leader]
Former Fairfax City Mayor Has Died — “Fairfax City, Va., is mourning the loss of a beloved community member, mentor, and friend. Former Mayor John Mason, who died Feb. 7 at the age of 89, served on Fairfax City Council from 1986 to 1990 and as mayor from 1990 to 2002…His impact was felt well beyond Fairfax City’s borders through his leadership of organizations such as the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.” [City of Fairfax]
Fairfax Aerospace Contractor to Boost Capacity — “Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Trident Systems…is investing $3.7 million to expand capacity at its operation in Fairfax County for the production of space electronic systems for the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, and U.S. Intelligence Community. The project will create roughly 50 new jobs.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Farmers’ Market Workers Secure Labor Contract — “The Monday vote in favor of ratification with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 makes FRESHFARM the first farmers market operator in the country whose employees have approved a collective bargaining agreement. They unionized last year, with contract negotiations starting shortly after.” [WTOP]
Tysons Tech Startup Raises $47 Million — “Software testing startup Antithesis has raised $47 million in seed funding, valuing the company at $215 million, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters…In an interview on Monday, [co-founder Will] Wilson said that Antithesis’ artificial intelligence-powered software can scan programs under development for bugs in codes.” [Reuters]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high temperature near 43 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind ranging from 10 to 16 mph and gusts reaching up to 26 mph. Night will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 28 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 5 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]
The family that has run Vienna’s Princess Jewelers for nearly four decades is stepping down.
The retail jewelry store at 529 Maple Avenue West will permanently close on March 16, as owners Lee and Lim Nguonly retire after 38 years in the business. A liquidation sale is underway and will continue through that final day.
In a public announcement of the impending closure, the Nguonly family expressed “deep gratitude” to their customers and supporters, many of whom have already reached out in appreciation.
“Our customers were like family to us. Our children grew up alongside theirs. We shared in countless milestones in our customers’ lives — engagements, anniversaries, births,” Lee Nguonly said. “It’s been an honor and joy to share these momentous occasions with so many customers. We are very grateful for their loyal patronage.”
Located in the Village Green Shopping Center, Princess Jewelers first opened its doors in 1986. In addition to selling engagement and wedding rings and other diamond and gemstone jewelry, it offers repair, appraisal and custom design services.
With a staff of certified gemologists and goldsmiths, the business says it was able to build up a reputation for quality craftsmanship and customer service over the years, earning Lee Nguonly the title of “Business Person of the Year” for 2000 from the Vienna Chamber of Commerce (now the Vienna Business Association).
In a blog post for Patch in 2013, one customer gushed that they were treated “like I was a princess” when they visited Princess Jewelers to get their wedding ring fixed. The shop not only repaired the ring, but also created a second ring with diamonds they had from their mother.
“The key to our success was the mutual interest and trust — be it on the broad level of community and business, or between jeweler and customer,” Lee said in a press release.
As it prepares to close its doors for the last time, the business is selling all of its diamond and gemstone jewelry at a discount, with prices starting at 50% off for in-stock inventory. The sale doesn’t include loose stones or custom designs, according to a public relations representative.
A health provider that specializes in treating eating disorders has expanded into Tysons.
Monte Nido announced yesterday that it has launched a day treatment program for adolescents in Tysons. Located near The Boro at 8180 Greensboro Drive, the center is initially serving youth aged 11 to 17, but it plans to add services for adults “soon,” according to a press release.
“With eating disorders on the rise for both adults and adolescents, expanding access to care has never been more important,” Monte Nido & Affiliates CEO Cassie McLean said. “We’re striving to make treatment more accessible to everyone who needs it, and this new program will connect more individuals in the D.C. area to life-saving care and increase their opportunity to attain full recovery.”
Founded in 1996, Monte Nido & Affiliates now operates over 50 programs that provide treatment for people experiencing eating disorders. In addition to the new Tysons program, the company’s local centers include Clementine Fairfax in Fairfax Station and Clementine Twin Lakes in Clifton, which both offer residential services.
Monte Nido’s day program in Tysons is designed to help clients transition from more intensive, 24/7 care to outpatient therapy, according to the press release. Its approach to treatment for eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, includes individual and group therapy, nutritional education and cognitive processing therapy to address trauma.
“Our program offers personalized treatment approaches tailored to meet the distinct needs of each individual,” Monte Nido & Affiliates Chief Clinical Officer Melissa Spann said. “We believe that equipped with the appropriate tools and support, recovery is achievable at any stage of an individual’s journey with their eating disorder.”
An estimated 28.8 million Americans, or 9% of the population, develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), a nonprofit that operates free peer support services and a helpline at 888-375-7767.
Calls to national hotlines and hospitalizations related to eating disorders reportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by the additional stress and uncertainty. According to ANAD, over 70% of people with eating disorders have other conditions, particularly anxiety and mood disorders.
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week will be recognized this year from Feb. 26 to March 3. The annual campaign aims to educate the community about eating disorders and encourage those affected to seek help.
Fairfax County Public Schools is stepping up its requests for funding this year from both local and state leaders.
The school system is seeking an additional $254 million from Fairfax County for fiscal year 2025 — about 10.5% more than last year — to help fund a projected $301.8 million, or 8.6%, budget increase, FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid reported in a presentation to the school board on Thursday (Feb. 8).
According to Reid, the increase is necessary for FCPS to meet the needs of all its students and adequately compensate its staff, even though student enrollment remains below pre-pandemic levels and no new initiatives are included in the proposed $3.8 billion budget.
With the county government bracing for a tight budget year itself, Reid stressed that the local request could be reduced if Virginia contributes more than the $42.2 million increase currently expected based on Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed funding plan for the state.
“What I’m presenting…is what I believe we need to resource and sustain the excellent work that our staff are doing today and compensate our staff into the future to keep us competitive, with the hope that as our General Assembly deliberates…they’ll see the necessity of actually allocating a greater amount of state funding, which will help us out in terms of our county transfer,” Reid told the school board.
The disparity between the local and state funding for public education has long frustrated both county and FCPS leaders, who argue that the formula used to calculate funding needs for each school division is outdated and shortchanges Fairfax County — one of the wealthiest counties in the Commonwealth, but also its biggest and most populous.
Those grievances got validated last year when the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission released an anticipated study that found Virginia spends about $1,900 less per student than the national average, falling below nearby states like Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky.
If the Commonwealth matched the 50-state average, it would allocate $345 million to FCPS, according to Reid.
“So, just funding us at the average would be more than what we’re actually asking for in additional funds,” she said.
Multiple school board members acknowledged that the size of the funding request may give some community members pause, especially with only a modest growth in enrollment projected for FY 2025, which starts on July 1.
According to the proposed budget, FCPS expects to have 181,701 students next school year. Enrollment has ticked up over the past few years, reaching an estimated 180,398 students this year, but before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered classrooms in March 2020, the school system had over 188,000 students.
Even though there are fewer students, the cost of serving those students has grown, Reid said. In addition to adjusting for inflation and rising costs of living, FCPS is seeing more students who need more intensive support, including those in special education, non-English speakers and low-income students.
For example, an FY 2025, FCPS projects that nearly 37% of all students will be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, compared to 30.7% in the 2019-2020 school year, according to the budget.
“The needs are constantly changing,” said Rachna Sizemore-Heizer, who represents Braddock District on the school board. “Therefore, the amount of money we need to service those needs are constantly changing, and on top of that, we’re putting more and more on what we expect public schools to do. It’s educating, it’s mental health supports, it’s supporting families.”
What’s in the proposed budget
After the school board designated teacher recruitment and compensation as a top priorities, Reid has proposed allocating $170.7 million to a 6% salary increase for all employees. Another $55.3 million would cover the cost of a 2% compensation supplement adopted by the state, effective Jan. 1, and $24.1 million would go to retirement and health insurance costs.
FCPS is also considering creating a deferred retirement option program similar to the one available to county government workers.
However, the proposal only includes enough funding — $46.6 million — to maintain current class sizes, which range from an average of 21 students per teacher for elementary schools to 25 students per teacher for high schools.
Initiatives funded by the budget include:
- An expansion of inclusive preschool programs for kids under 5 ($2.1 million)
- Energy and environmental goals, including future grants for electric school buses ($1.9 million)
- “Extra duty” stipends for music and theater staff, mostly at the high school level ($1.1 million)
- The addition of boys’ volleyball and girls’ wrestling programs at all 25 high schools ($800,000)
- The third year of an ongoing human resources and payroll technology update ($700,000)
- Five additional athletic trainers, continuing a multi-year plan to provide two positions at every high school ($600,000)
All of those initiatives are either already underway or have been planned for several years, according to Reid.
“We’re not launching new work. We were very clear this year,” the superintendent said. “We want to fund the work we’ve planned and set out to do over the last several years and maintain the phases of the plans we’ve already begun.”
The school board will get a more detailed presentation and discussion on the budget at a work session this afternoon (Tuesday). Public hearings scheduled for tonight and, if needed, Feb. 20 will be held at 6 p.m. in the auditorium at Luther Jackson Middle School (3020 Gallows Road).
The FY 2025 advertised budget will then be approved by the school board on Thursday, Feb. 22.
Delayed Start for FCPS With Snow in Forecast — “All Fairfax County public schools and school offices will open two hours late. Central Office employees may report two hours later than their regular scheduled time, but no later than 10 a.m.” [FCPS/Twitter]
Metro Seeks Public Input on Budget — “Facing an unprecedented $750 million budget shortfall in the coming year, Metro is asking the public to provide feedback on the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Budget which includes drastic service cuts, fare increases, layoffs, and other severe cost cutting measures.” [WMATA]
Local Vietnamese Community Celebrates Lunar New Year — “Hundreds of people filled the parking lot and restaurants at the Eden Center in Seven Corners Feb. 10 to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Dragon. There were lion dances, a dragon dance, firecrackers, a flag-raising ceremony, and welcoming remarks by Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Gerry Connolly.” [Annandale Today]
Vienna State Reps Address Casino Questions in Town Hall — “As if to acknowledge the elephant in the room, state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37th) and Del. Holly Seibold (D-12th) spent the first 20-30 minutes of Saturday morning’s town hall meeting in Vienna answering questions about the possibility of a casino being built in Tysons.” [Patch]
Local Teens Invent Supercomputer Chip — “A group of teenagers in Fairfax County have created a supercomputer chip with the goal of reinventing the computer…These high schoolers are still working on the technology of the future. But this time, they have an actual prototype. Their latest invention is a supercomputer chip powered by light.” [WJLA]
County Board Expedites Dunn Loring ES Project — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agreed Feb. 6 to speed up processing of Fairfax County Public Schools’ application to build a new elementary school in Dunn Loring.” The move was requested by the Fairfax County School Board “to maintain the school system’s capital-improvement-program schedule,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said. [Gazette Leader]
Teachers’ Union Distributes Free Books in Lorton — The “America Federation of Teachers and the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers joined local officials in distributing 40,000 free books to families and educators from local Title 1 schools. The event took place Saturday as part of the Reading Opens the World Literacy Fair at the Lorton Community Center and Library.” [Patch]
McLean Student Advances in Essay Contest — “American Legion Post 270 in McLean recently announced the prize winners of its Middle School Essay Contest, in which about 50 local seventh- and eighth-graders participated. Caroline Gray, a seventh-grader at Cooper Middle School in McLean, won first prize and $50 and will now represent McLean…against winners of contests in other communities later in February.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Tuesday — Expect rain and snow before 11am, turning to a chance of rain from 11am to 1pm. Cloudy skies will clear gradually, giving way to mostly sunny conditions with a high near 44. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation and potential for under half an inch of new snow. Night will be mostly clear with a low around 33. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County Public Schools will start classes two hours late tomorrow (Tuesday) in case there’s snow.
No weather alerts have been issued for the county yet, but the National Weather Service’s current forecast indicates that rain is expected to continue through tonight, potentially turning into snow early in the morning.
“New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible,” the NWS says.
According to the Capital Weather Gang, weather models suggest the rain could turn into snow around 6-9 a.m., with the heaviest snowfall coming around 7-10 a.m.
Reston Community Center has already canceled all programs tomorrow, but its pool will open at 9 a.m.
WEATHER ALERT FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2024
All Fairfax County public schools and school offices will open two hours late. Central Office employees may report two hours later than their regular scheduled time, but no later than 10 a.m.Details: https://t.co/VFiNkAE0qP pic.twitter.com/K0AIJFB78W
— Fairfax Schools
(@fcpsnews) February 13, 2024
All RCC programs canceled for Tuesday, February 13. Pool opens at 9 a.m. For current status, call 703-476-4500. For RCC Weather Policy, click here: https://t.co/NhQwxBnNeV pic.twitter.com/yHwnyM4Hx0
— Reston Community Center (@RestonRCC) February 13, 2024
Image via VDOT
Vienna police are investigating a conflict between a guest and workers at the town’s hypothermia shelter that involved a bomb threat.
Officers responded to the Vienna Presbyterian Church (124 Park Street NE), which is hosting the shelter, at 3:04 a.m. on Feb. 2 after a man fought with a staff member and “threatened to bomb the church,” according to the Vienna Police Department’s Feb. 1-8 crime recap.
“A patron of the Church’s hypothermia shelter was sleeping in front of the exterior door,” the police summary says. “When a shelter worker asked him to move, the man became upset and smashed the window inside the door. The man then threatened to bomb the church before running from the scene.”
The man was arrested “off site” on Friday (Feb. 9) and has now been charged with two felonies, according to Vienna Presbyterian Church Missions Director Sue Hamblen. A Vienna Police spokesperson confirmed “an arrest was made and the man was taken into custody in Fairfax City.”
“We will pray that he receives the help he needs to reclaim his life,” Hamblen told FFXnow by email. “VPC recognizes the risks of opening our building to potential disruption, but our faith commands us to care for those in need.”
The church is a regular host site for Fairfax County’s Hypothermia Prevention Program, which provides overnight shelter during the winter to people experiencing homelessness. During its two weeks at Vienna Presbyterian, the shelter is overseen by the nonprofit New Hope Housing, which also helps transport guests.
The Feb. 2 incident began when the man “became extremely agitated,” a reminder of the mental health challenges that many guests of the shelter face, Hamblen says.
“Despite New Hope’s best efforts to deescalate the situation, the guest left in anger,” she said. “He broke one of our exterior doors with a skateboard and, in anger, suggested that he might consider setting a bomb off in the church.”
In response to the encounter, the church and New Hope both implemented enhanced security measures for the shelter. Church staff increased their video surveillance of the property and began making more impromptu visits overnight, while New Hope added a third worker to its on-site staff.
The Vienna Police Department also provided nightly patrols “as an additional safeguard” and worked with staff around 4 a.m. “on several mornings to inspect every single room, restroom, pew and stairwell to ensure all was secure,” Hamblen said.
Despite the occasional obstacles, Hamblen says Vienna Presbyterian is proud to serve as a hypothermia shelter, hosting over 500 guests across 154 nights since first joining the program almost 10 years ago.
“We have met some incredible people, and indeed faced a few challenges as well,” Hamblen wrote. “Our congregation loves this opportunity to serve those in need, and we realize that any one of us could be in a position to need a similar helping hand at any time in the future.”
Running until March 31, the Hypothermia Prevention Program relies on nonprofit partnerships and volunteering faith groups, along with the county’s permanent shelters. It typically draws over 1,000 people each season, averaging 215 guests per night during the 2022-2023 season, per the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness website.
A plan to consolidate the duties of Fairfax County’s Department of Animal Sheltering (DAS) and Animal Protection Police (APP) is drawing some pushback from the local police union.
Last month, county staff proposed to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors that DAS take charge of both animal care services and enforcement of animal protection laws, which would be carried out by animal control officers (ACOs). The recommendation came from both DAS and Fairfax County Police Department leaders.
However, the county’s chapter of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA), the elected union for the FCPD, argues the planned consolidation would have substantial negative impacts on the department’s existing animal protection police officers (APPOs), the community, pets, and wildlife.
“ACOs have different authorities and are not considered law enforcement officers under Virginia code, which would be a fundamental change to the position as it has been historically implemented in Fairfax County,” SSPBA Fairfax County President Steve Monahan told FFXnow.
Under the proposal, animal control officers would have a similar scope of authority as APPOs and handle all calls for service, including investigations of animal cruelty, search warrants, and rabies vaccinations. Currently, the FCPD’s Animal Protection Police unit handles encounters between humans and animals, including potential criminal situations.
ACOs would still get required training through the Commonwealth of Virginia, but they wouldn’t go through the police academy as APPOs do. The FCPD would continue to assist with criminal investigations.
“The proposed reduction of legal authority of ACOs within DAS’s model would inevitably result in FCPD patrol officers being tasked with additional animal-related responsibilities despite not having the same level of animal-related training as our current, fully sworn APPOs,” Monahan said.
The SSPBA says ACOs elsewhere in the state regularly fight for better pay, benefits, and training. The union believes Fairfax County’s proposal would exploit officers by requiring the same work with less pay.
“The county is proposing to replace the current structure with one that includes positions with less enforcement authority, less training, and fewer employee benefits and protections than their predecessors,” Monahan said. “Typically, whenever employees are asked to do the same work with less protections and benefits, this results in a high turnover rate and significant difficulty in filling vacancies.”
According to the staff presentation on Jan. 30, the county’s decision to split animal care and control functions between the DAS and the police department in 2016 didn’t “result in a successful integration of two separate departments working together to provide animal services.”
DAS currently manages two public animal shelters, one on West Ox Road in the Fairfax area and a second campus that opened in Lorton last October.
DAS Director Reasa Currier told FFXnow that having animal care and control services run by two departments with different missions is expensive and ineffective.
“Uniting animal care and control services under one department and utilizing Animal Control Officers will bring our county in alignment with surrounding jurisdictions and industry best practices, allow us to expand service delivery to our community, and reduce costs,” Currier said.
Additionally, she expressed confidence that ACOs can fully enforce animal protection laws, investigate cruelty and neglect, and rescue and transport wildlife.
DAS is also working closely with the SSPBA to ensure that APPOs aren’t negatively affected by the change and that their pay and retirement stay the same, according to Currier.
“This proposed model positions the county to meet the diverse needs of our residents and has worked successfully for decades in Alexandria, Arlington County, Prince William County, Loudoun County, the District of Columbia, Montgomery County and in jurisdictions nationwide,” Currier said.
If the proposal is included in the county executive’s advertised budget for fiscal year 2025, which will be presented on Feb. 20, the Board of Supervisors can then decide whether to adopt it.
Photo via FCPD
Maggiano’s Little Italy and the Cheesecake Factory are swapping one Tysons mall for another.
The chain restaurants will both move their long-standing locations at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) just down the road to Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) later this year.
Tysons Corner Center owner and developer Macerich announced that the older, bigger mall has signed a lease with Maggiano during an earnings call with investors last Wednesday (Feb. 7), the Washington Business Journal first reported.
Confirming the move, Maggiano’s Vice President Larry Konecny told the WBJ that the restaurant “made itself a part of the McLean community since its opening at Tysons Galleria” almost three decades ago, but the new location will “be more accessible” to Metro riders and “those joining festivities in the plaza.”
Maggiano’s opened on Tysons Galleria’s second floor in the mid-1990s. It was the company’s fourth location overall and its first expansion outside of the Chicago area, according to a 1995 report by the Washington Post.
The transition to Tysons Corner Center is expected this summer, but a closing date at Tysons Galleria hasn’t been established yet, a Maggiano’s employee told FFXnow. A representative for Brookfield Properties, which owns the Galleria, didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about when the lease will expire.
“Maggiano’s opening date is still tentative,” a Tysons Corner Center spokesperson said.
The Cheesecake Factory’s new Tysons Corner Center restaurant will also be a relocation, not a second site, an employee confirmed to FFXnow. The chain opened its 13,300-square-foot space on Tysons Galleria’s third floor — one level above Maggiano’s — in 2003.
“We’re not sure yet, but it might be at the end of 2024,” the worker said when asked about a potential closing date at Tysons Galleria.
The Cheesecake Factory anticipates opening at Tysons Corner Center in the fourth quarter of this year, the mall’s spokesperson says, adding that both new restaurants will be located on the east end near Coastal Flats.
The mall currently has two sizable vacancies on its first floor near Coastal Flats, one of which hasn’t had a permanent tenant since Gordon Biersch Brewery closed in 2020. Temporary pop-ups have included the locally owned Bisnonna Bakeshop and the art exhibit “Overboard.”
Maggiano’s only other Northern Virginia location is at Springfield Town Center, while the Cheesecake Factory can also be found at Fair Oaks Mall and in Arlington’s Clarendon area.
In addition to the two restaurants, Tysons Corner Center is slated to welcome the fashion retailers Khaadi, Primark and Mango this year after Rothy’s, the recycled shoes company, opened in January. Macerich also recently announced that Level99 will open a 40,000-square-foot gaming playground at the mall in 2025.
Pastor Dies After Fire at Newington Home — “The Northern Virginia pastor who was sent to the ICU with severe burns after an explosion in his Fairfax County home last month has died, according to his daughter. Kevin Corey was burning documents in a firepit in the backyard of his townhome on Powderbrook Lane…when neighbors heard the explosion about 8:30 p.m.” [NBC4]
FCPD Targets Crime at Annandale Apartments — “The Mason Police District reports ‘significant and positive outcomes’ from a crime suppression effort at Fairmont Gardens in Annandale. Between Jan. 3 and Feb. 3, patrol officers and detectives charged 85 people with 137 crimes in the area around Wadsworth Court.” [Annandale Today]
Fairfax Connector Workers Seek Progress in Contract Talks — “Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 members held a public demonstration outside the Fairfax County Government Center on Jan. 31. Union workers are demanding Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay stand with workers during their contract talks with Transdev, a French-owned company contracted to operate the county’s transit system.” [Fairfax County Times]
Inova Opens Urgent Care Clinic in Belle Haven — “The new Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care center opened at 6218-B North Kings Highway off Richmond Highway in Belle Haven. The new facility is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends.” [ALXnow]
County Revises Covid Vaccine Data Dashboard — “The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard has been updated with a new focus on 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine data. Currently, 18.6% of residents have received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. We encourage you to stay up to date with your vaccines.” [Fairfax County Health Department/Twitter]
Fairfax City Helps Fund Business Refurbishments — “Mayor Catherine Read joined Fairfax City business leaders on the porch of Hammrock’s Restaurant in Old Town on Thursday morning to celebrate 20 city businesses who benefited from the Façade and Interior Improvement Grant program…City businesses that wish to refurbish or improve the exterior or interior of their buildings, shops or offices can apply for an FCFI grant.” [Patch]
Lorton Brewery Hopes to Open by Summer — “Buildout of the new Bunnyman Brewing and Cafe has gotten underway at building W13 at the Workhouse Campus in Lorton, and one of the venue’s owners is cautiously optimistic that it will open before the busy summer season — even if it’s a soft launch during Memorial Day weekend.” [On the MoVe]
Laundry Dryers and Washers Donated to Fairfax Nonprofit — “We received an incredible donation from The Home Depot last week! The Fairfax Circle location generously gifted us brand-new washers and dryers, which we use every day at the Lamb Center to provide clean laundry for those we serve.” [The Lamb Center/Facebook]
It’s Monday — Expect rain to begin around 4pm, with a cloudy high of 50°F. There’s a 70% chance of precipitation. Rain will continue at night, with a low reaching 40°F, east winds at 6-13 mph and gusts up to 21 mph. Precipitation is certain, accumulating between half an inch and three-quarters of an inch. [Weather.gov]
