Reminder: Winter Weather Advisory Today — “A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued from 9 PM Thursday to 5 AM Friday. Expected snow in the county at this time is between 2-4 inches. Plan on slippery road conditions and continue to monitor the forecast.” [Ready Fairfax/Twitter]
Vienna Police Warn of “McAfee Antivirus” Scam — “The scam usually begins with an email that purports to be from McAfee informing citizens that they are being charged $300 for ‘McAfee Total Protection anti-virus software’ unless they cancel the order by calling a phone number provided in the email. If you call the number provided, you will be greeted by a scammer posing as a McAfee employee who will ask for personal information, including a bank account number supposedly to verify the account.” [Vienna Police Department/Twitter]
New Tysons Gym Opens Today — PureGym has a grand opening today (Thursday) for its new Tysons Square gym, the British company’s first in the U.S. PureGym says Tysons stood out for “its mix of office and residential, as well as its accessibility by car, bus and rail via Metro’s Greensboro station.” [Washington Business Journal]
Park Authority Board Reverts to Virtual Meetings — “The Fairfax County Park Authority Board’s regular meetings and committee sessions will return to a virtual format until further notice. Meetings will be accessible via livestream beginning Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. This change is reflective of current social distancing recommendations and safety concerns related to the current surge in COVID-19 cases.” [FCPA]
Tysons Nail Salon Relocates to Reston — “Beauty Nail Bar, currently operating out of Tysons, should open at its new location (1675 Reston Parkway) by the end of February, according to owner Nam Huynh of Wolf Trap. He said he decided to move his operation for more space, but it will otherwise be exactly the same.” [Reston Now]
(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) Up to 5 more inches of snow could come to Fairfax County and nearby areas.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, warning that an additional 2 to 4 inches of snow is forecast to come between 9 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) and 5 a.m. Friday (Jan. 7). It said drivers should expect slippery road conditions.
A winter weather advisory means that hazardous weather is “occurring, imminent or likely.”
The chaotic weather comes after over more than a half foot of snow fell across the county on Monday (Jan. 3), causing crashes and shutting down services, roads and power.
Per the alert:
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THURSDAY TO 5 AM
EST FRIDAY…* WHAT…Snow. Total snow accumulations 2 to 4 inches. Isolated high amounts of around 5 inches are possible.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of northern and central Maryland, and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 9 PM Thursday to 5 AM EST Friday.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Friday morning commute.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The heaviest snow is expected between 10 PM and 2 AM when snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour are possible.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
When venturing outside, watch your first few steps taken on steps, sidewalks, and driveways, which could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury.
Fairfax County Public Schools announced just after 5 p.m. that classes will be canceled again. Students were scheduled to return from winter break on Monday, but it has now been extended four extra days.
“Across Fairfax County, we continue to receive reports of roadways, sidewalks and pathways that remain unsafe for our students, and so we are closing schools out of an abundance of caution, and the concern for safety of our students,” FCPS said on social media.
Unlike with previous cancellations, the school system says its COVID-19 testing sites will all be open for students and staff experiencing symptoms. Plans to resume meal kit distributions are also move forward.
Across Fairfax County, we continue to receive reports of roadways, sidewalks and pathways that remain unsafe for our students, and so we are closing schools out of an abundance of caution, and the concern for safety of our students.
— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) January 5, 2022
(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream is looking at opening a new location in Vienna at Cedar Park Shopping Center (280 Cedar Lane SE).
Located in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood, the ice cream shop drew attention last year for selling cicada-inspired sundaes.
The business and a representative for the shopping plaza didn’t immediately respond to inquiries for details about the new Vienna spot, but a county permit database shows a vacant space is being modified for the local mainstay.
According to the database, Toby’s Ice Cream will have a location in the plaza with a commercial kitchen, merchandise area, and dining area.
The Washington Business Journal reported last week that the space will allow an occupancy of nearly 30 people with a dining area of about 148 square feet.
Toby’s in Arlington was closed for the holidays from Dec. 23 to yesterday (Jan. 4).
Cedar Park Shopping Center is turning into a new hot spot for foodies in Vienna. The Japanese restaurant Sushi Koji opened to customers in mid-December, while America’s Best Wings and the Centreville-based Turkish restaurant Lezzet are expected to arrive early this year.
Lezzet told Tysons Reporter on Dec. 20 that it was anticipating a February opening.
Photo via Google Maps
A new technology repair store has arrived in Vienna, just in time to assist anyone already encountering issues with the phone they got for Christmas.
Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions — a national chain of electronics and appliance repair franchises — announced last week that it recently opened its latest location in Vienna Shopping Center (136D Maple Avenue). The store occupies the space next to Ben & Jerry’s that was previously filled by Motophoto.
The store is scheduled to host a grand opening celebration from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 8) that will include refreshments, discounts, giveaways, and other attractions, according to a press release.
“We are excited to bring Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions to Vienna,” Asurion District Manager Graham Pointer said by email. “It’s a rapidly developing area that combines a small-town feel with thriving businesses. We are eager to be at the forefront, anticipating and responding to the technological needs of this community.”
With more than 650 stores in the U.S., Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions fixes consumer electronics, including phones, computers, and gaming consoles, according to its website. The press release says diagnostics on all gadgets are free, and there is a 90-day limited warranty for all repairs.
The retailer was originally known as uBreakiFix but is now undergoing a nationwide rebranding after it was purchased by the global technology insurance company Asurion in 2019.
The Vienna store is Asurion’s 26th location in Virginia. The company also has venues in Fair Lakes, Falls Church, Springfield, and Herndon.
The McLean Citizens Association (MCA) will weigh in tonight (Wednesday) on the bicycle and pedestrian safety projects that it believes Fairfax County should fast-track.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors set a goal on Oct. 5 of spending at least $100 million on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements through June 30, 2027, stating that federal relief funds have given the county some flexibility to make one-time investments.
In an email to members, MCA says Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust has asked for its help identifying priorities for McLean, as county leaders consider which projects to potentially fund and expedite.
MCA’s transportation committee has identified 14 projects in a draft resolution that its board of directors could vote on during a virtual meeting at 7:30 p.m. President Rob Jackson said changes to those plans could occur, but he suggested proposals should be done so before the meeting to build support.
“Even assuming the $100 million is split evenly among the nine Magisterial Districts, our priorities complete [sic] with projects in the Herndon and Great Falls areas,” Jackson noted in an email. “So, the Committee’s prioritizations and rationale for those priorities are critical.”
The projects would be in addition to the county’s ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan and other existing county efforts.
In its draft resolution, MCA’s transportation committee cites demand, safety concerns, and connectivity to public transit and schools as factors it considered when choosing projects to designate as priorities.
High Priority Projects
Most of the projects are near Haycock Elementary and Longfellow Middle schools, which the resolution says suffer from cracks and bulges on area sidewalks.
In addition to proposing sidewalk repairs along Westmoreland Street between Gordon Avenue and Haycock Road, the draft resolution focuses on possible improvements north of Haycock Road:
- Repairs to an asphalt trail between Westmoreland and Great Falls Street
- Widening the concrete sidewalk by 1 foot on the bridge over I-66 to accommodate pedestrians walking side-by-side or going in opposite directions
- An engineering study looking at options to make the walkway between the I-66 bridge and Great Falls Street consistently 5 feet in width, reduce sloping, and add a painted crosswalk across the Turner Avenue intersection
Other key projects included in the draft resolution address concerns to the north end of McLean:
- Study a potential pedestrian bridge across Dolley Madison Boulevard and other safety upgrades, such as traffic beacons at the Ingleside Avenue or Elm Street crosswalks
- Repair an asphalt trail along Balls Hill Road between Thrasher Road and Heather Hill Lane
The seventh high-priority project is to construct a sidewalk near Lemon Road Elementary School on Redd Road from Idylwood Road to Reddfield Drive in Pimmit Hills.
Secondary Projects Identified
The resolution also includes a list of secondary projects that MCA would like the county to pursue when possible:
- Repair portions of an asphalt trail along Dolley Madison Boulevard between Old Dominion Drive and Lewinsville Road
- Maintain and upgrade asphalt trail along Georgetown Pike just east of Dead Run Creek
- Repair an asphalt trail along Douglass Drive from Georgetown Pike to Father John Court
- Construct sidewalks along the north side of Birch Road from Birch Grove Court to Kirby Road and on Linway Terrace from the intersection of Old Dominion and Birch
- Create a trail along Lewinsville Road between Swinks Mill Road and Bridle Path Lane
- Conduct a study of a potential trail along the south side of Old Dominion between Balls Hill and a bridge over I-495
Photo via Google Maps
Tysons Mass Vaccine Site Reopens — After two days of canceled appointments due to snow, the Tysons Community Vaccination Center at Tysons Corner Center will resume regular operating hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are strongly encouraged. [VDH]
County Waste Collection Resumes Today — “Due to Solid Waste staff being re-assigned to snow clearing duty, we will collect Monday’s trash and recycling routes on Wednesday and will continue on a sliding schedule throughout Saturday.” [Fairfax County Public Works/Twitter]
Founders Row Lands Family-Friendly Restaurant — The team behind Rooster & Owl, an upscale American restaurant in D.C., will open a new, more casual spot called Ellie Bird in Falls Church City’s Founders Row development in late 2022. Planned dishes like seafood paella and grilled corn ravioli were inspired by the takeout offerings that Rooster & Owl created during the pandemic. [Washingtonian]
Palchik Makes History with NVTC — Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik will be the first Latina person to serve as vice chair for the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, which advocates and coordinates funding for public transit across the region. Palchik and the rest of the commission’s appointed 2022 slate will be approved at a meeting tomorrow (Thursday). [NVTC]
Tysons IT Contractor Acquired — “Fairfax-based management consulting firm ICF International Inc. announced Monday that it had completed its acquisition of McLean-based IT federal contractor Creative Systems and Consulting. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.” [Virginia Business]
Fairfax County Public Schools won’t hold classes for a third consecutive day this week, citing inclement weather in an announcement released just before 5 p.m.
The region could see freezing rain between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday), according to the National Weather Service, following Monday’s snowstorm that pummeled the region with over half a foot of snow in areas.
The NWS has issued a “Potential Winter Commuting Hazard” for Fairfax County, warning that there is a 30-50% chance of light freezing rain after 4 a.m. “that could turn into a glaze of ice on area roads.”
“Plan ahead by staying off the roads if possible,” the county said in a blog post. “If you do need to travel, allow for additional time and be extra cautious and alert while driving.”
FCPS said in a Facebook post that meal distribution will return at regular locations on Thursday (Jan. 6), and school offices will open later in the day tomorrow (Wednesday).
The school system tentatively expects to open its COVID-19 testing sites to staff and students who are experiencing symptoms, though a final decision won’t be made until tomorrow morning. Pre-registration is required, and only PCR tests will be available.
Testing is not required for students to be able to return to schools, whenever they reopen.
FCPS’ announcement comes after Monday’s snowstorm caused tens of thousands of Fairfax County homes to lose power and hundreds of crashes. As of this evening (Tuesday), Dominion’s power outage map showed over 7,000 customers in the county with electric issues.
The storm disrupted travel, but Fairfax Connector buses were slated to resume tomorrow (Wednesday). County officials asked commuters to use its BusTracker system in case any detours were still in effect.
Freezing rain expected near/just east of I-95 corridor early Wednesday. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect. pic.twitter.com/s7XnZzrFJ5
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 4, 2022
If you meet a dancer who grew up in Vienna within the past half-century, chances are good that they trained at Cuppett Performing Arts Center.
Commonly known as Cuppett’s, the family-owned dance studio is in the midst of its 60th season, and despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, its leaders hope to celebrate the milestone with the same enthusiasm and sense of community that has made it a beloved town institution.
“You might think this is silly, but several people over the years have told me that Cuppett’s has its own soul,” owner and co-artistic director Amy Cuppett told Tysons Reporter. “…It’s like the studio is a foundation right there, but what happens within those walls, it’s almost magical, and…a lot of our students, they’re friends for life.”
The History
Cuppett’s has come a long way since Amy’s mother, founder Alzine Cuppett, started the studio in the basement of her Vienna home in 1962.
A professional dancer during the 1940s, Alzine trained under multi-hyphenate icon Gene Kelly through the school that his family ran in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She performed at the Roxy Theatre in New York City, in the Broadway musical “Marinka,” and as a Radio City Rockette.
After World War II, she moved to the D.C. area with her new husband and was raising five children when the principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel asked her to teach dance to the Vienna Catholic school’s kindergarten students.
The classes proved so popular that Alzine’s husband built a dance studio into their house, and Cuppett Performing Arts Center was born, eventually outgrowing the basement and moving to its current location at 135 Park Street in 1980.
Born 10 years after her five siblings, Amy Cuppett recalls literally sleeping under a record player while growing up.
“She was a single mom at this point. If I wanted to be with her, I’d go downstairs and kind of curl up and listen to her teach,” she said.
Though she took ballet, jazz, tap, and other dance classes, Amy initially veered away from the arts as an adult, pursuing a college degree in finance and a career in real estate and mortgage banking. The stress of those industries wore her down, though.
She returned to Cuppett’s in 1996 with a child of her own and an unexpected desire to teach, despite her mother’s reservations about the high-reward, low-pay profession.
“Teachers don’t get paid what they should, in my opinion,” Amy said. “But it’s definitely something that you have to love, and at the time, that’s what I was feeling: this huge passion and very ambitious about my ideas that I had.” Read More
A decade-long fixture of Route 123 is shuttering.
Bed Bath & Beyond confirmed its Tysons store is slated to close permanently at the end of February. A store employee told Tysons Reporter that its lease will end at that time.
Closing sales for the home improvement store began last Thursday (Dec. 30), a manager said. Bed Bath & Beyond didn’t respond to messages seeking additional comment about the closing and how it will affect the workers there.
Bed Bath & Beyond arrived at 2051 Chain Bridge Road in February 2011 as a relocation of a smaller store on Leesburg Pike. At 55,695 square feet in size, the Tysons store was one of the company’s largest U.S. locations when it opened, according to a Washington Business Journal report from that time.
The property is owned by Benderson Development, a Florida-based real estate company that acquired it in 2015 for $29 million. It didn’t immediately respond to messages asking about plans for the site.
The Bed Bath & Beyond news comes as Tysons shoppers brace for the loss of another longtime retail anchor in the form of Tysons Corner Center’s L.L. Bean store, which will close on Jan. 17. The mall also saw its Disney store shutter in September.
A fundraiser that was frozen last year by the coronavirus pandemic is coming back with a new location at the Mosaic District.
Special Olympics Virginia last held a polar plunge at Penny Lane Park in Merrifield in 2020 to help with its programming aimed at serving people with intellectual disabilities. Now, the event is slated to return this year on Jan. 15, with a costume contest at 1 p.m. and people jumping into the water at 1:15 p.m.
This time, though, the nonprofit’s event will have pools in the Mosaic District’s main park and pedestrian area, located by Target along Strawberry Lane.
The donations help individuals participate in the organization’s athletic training and compete at Olympic-like events, while providing school-based programming and health screenings for free to recipients.
“In early 2020 our polar plunges helped sustain us through the first year of the pandemic, and we hope [that] this year, our first year back to in person plunging, they will help continue to get us back on the playing field,” Ellen Head, senior director of development for Special Olympics Virginia, said in an email.
Special Olympics Virginia officials have been watching COVID-19 case numbers and discussing how they should proceed, given concerns over the worsening spread of the virus. Organizers have been reassured by the outside nature of the event — a lower risk environment for the spread of the virus — as well as a masking requirement for parts of the event.
Like other organizations, the nonprofit’s donations have declined amid the pandemic, but it has added virtual programming for participants that it plans to continue beyond the lifespan of the virus.
The organization has raised over $24,000 of a $30,000 goal. Head said it hopes to multiply that goal in coming years.
Photo courtesy Special Olympics Virginia
