Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and 25 other technology companies will be represented at a virtual career fair hosted by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority on Thursday (Jan. 28).

The Cyber and Cloud Virtual Career Fair will focus on the information technology, cyber, and cloud industries. Participation is free of charge for job seekers, and the FCEDA is encouraging professionals of all experience levels to attend. People with security clearances are especially in demand, though that is not a required qualification.

“Our region is a top cyber and cloud hub and there has never been a better time to land a job in this industry because of the thousands of open jobs here,” FCEDA President and CEO Victor Hoskins said in a press release. “We are proud to be working with such a diverse group of companies that are letting us help them cast a wide net to find the right talent to fill these jobs and keep our networks, businesses, agencies and people secure.”

This is the latest in a series of job fairs that the FCEDA has been organizing throughout the past year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous events included fairs focused on hiring and reskilling, and women in technology.

According to the FCEDA, the first three job fairs in the series “collectively attracted over 2,100 attendees and resulted in 3,100 completed conversations between job seekers and hiring reps from a wide range of employers.”

The tech industry is expected to grow rapidly in Fairfax County in the coming years. About half of the more than 86,000 open jobs on the FCEDA’s job board are in technology fields, and the D.C. area is projected to add more than 130,000 tech jobs within the next five years.

The FCEDA’s job fair series is part of an initiative funded by Fairfax County to attract, retain, and retrain workers.

“Cloud and cyber companies are an important and growing facet of the Fairfax County tech economy,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “I am delighted to see the talent initiative that the Board of Supervisors funded helping residents find jobs and emphasizing the importance of these sectors to Fairfax.”

Because the cyber and cloud career fair will be conducted virtually, candidates do not need to be currently located in Northern Virginia, and some companies are open to remote work options, the FCEDA says.

Interested job seekers can visit the FCEDA’s Work in Northern Virginia website to register and to see a full list of participating companies.

Photo via Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

A former Oakton High School student is seeking a new trial in her lawsuit against the Fairfax County School Board involving a sexual assault that occurred on a school band trip in 2017.

Attorneys representing the plaintiff, known as Jane Doe, and the school board delivered oral arguments to the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit remotely on Monday (Jan. 25).

According to Public Justice, the nonprofit representing the plaintiff and her family, Jane Doe — then a junior — and another bandmate — then a senior — were sitting next to each other on a bus when he touched her without her consent.

Filed in 2018, the nonprofit’s original complaint alleged that administrators and employees failed to take meaningful and appropriate action. According to the complaint, administrators threatened to discipline her and discouraged her from reporting the assault to police or taking legal action.

In August 2019, a jury with the U.S. District Court in Alexandria found that Jane Doe was sexually harassed and that the experience negatively impacted her education. But the jury did not find the Fairfax County School Board could be held liable for the deprivation of her education as a result of her assault.

The jury determined that the school board did not have “actual knowledge” about the assault, though one juror later said there was confusion over the term’s definition. As a result, the jury did not discuss the final question in the case, which asked whether the school board acted with deliberate indifference toward Doe’s complaint.

FCPS’s liability, which appears to hinge on the extent to which school officials knew an assault had taken place and whether they took sufficient action to address the plaintiff’s concerns, is now being relitigated.

“There may be hard actual knowledge cases, but this isn’t one of them. This family did all they could to put the school on notice,” Public Justice attorney Alexandra Brodsky said in her argument on Monday. “This court should remand a new trial so a jury can reach, for the first time, the question of whether the school did enough.”

Stuart Raphael, the attorney for the school board, argued that the board did not have “actual knowledge” because Doe — in a conversation with Fairfax County Public Schools Director of Student Services Jennifer Hogan — did not describe her experience as sexual assault or nonconsensual. He added that Doe was “incredulous” when another administrator asked if she would press charges.

He argued that these facts, as well as inconsistencies between the stories that reached administrators, support the jury’s initial finding that the school board had no “actual knowledge” of the sexual assault.

“It cannot be that a school administrator’s failure to understand what constitutes sexual harassment is an absolute bar to liability,” Brodsky said.  “That’s why this court and others have treated a failure to categorize reports of sexual harassment as evidence of a deficient response.”

Updated at 5:05 p.m. on 1/29/2021 — The opening of a temporary ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street has been postponed to next weekend due to anticipated inclement weather, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced today.

Earlier — Drivers exiting onto Nutley Street in Vienna from Interstate 66 West will be directed to a new, temporary ramp starting Sunday (Jan. 31).

Here are the details from VDOT on the new traffic pattern, which is expected to stay in place for approximately 18 months:

New Ramps for I-66 West to Nutley Street North and South

• The current ramp from I-66 West to northbound Nutley Street will close.
• Drivers will access northbound Nutley Street using a new ramp to Nutley Street North and South located slightly west of the current exit, then stay to the right to northbound Nutley Street.
• Drivers will access southbound Nutley Street using the new ramp from I-66 West, stay to the left, then turn left at a temporary traffic signal to southbound Nutley Street.

A temporary traffic signal will be installed while the temporary ramp is in place so that drivers headed south on Nutley can turn left.

To complete paving work for the change, the Virginia Department of Transportation will close the existing ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street North from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 30 and 31.

During that time, drivers looking to get off of I-66 West will be detoured to the exit for the Vienna Metro station. They will then have to stay right on Country Creek Road and Virginia Center Boulevard to reach Nutley.

According to VDOT, the new, temporary I-66 West exit ramp is needed to accommodate construction on a new Nutley Street interchange as part of its Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project.

When construction is finished, the new Nutley interchange will have two roundabouts, which VDOT says “will provide safer, more efficient travel for vehicles entering and exiting I-66 and improve safety for vehicles and pedestrians traveling on Nutley Street.”

The department also notes that all work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if there are inclement conditions.

“Drivers should always use caution and pay attention to lane markings and roadway signs in construction work zones,” VDOT says in its news release.

Images via Google Maps, VDOT

(Updated at 10:15 a.m.) Inova Health Systems has cancelled all appointments for people looking to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Starting today (Tuesday), the nonprofit healthcare provider will cease administering first doses of the Pfizer-BioTech vaccine for the foreseeable future due to a change to the Virginia Department of Health’s distribution process that has “severely diminished” supplies for Inova.

According to Inova, vaccine doses are now being sent directly to local health districts, which are responsible for allocating supplies.

“We understand and share the frustration that this news brings to our patients,” Inova said. “When we receive more supply inventory, we will first prioritize patients who had an appointment scheduled and then focus on opening further appointments up to eligible groups.”

Anyone whose appointment has been canceled will be contacted by Inova to reschedule once the needed supplies are available.

People who have already received a first dose and need a second one will be prioritized, and their appointments have not been affected, Inova says.

Inova says it has administered more than 70,000 vaccine doses to healthcare workers and select groups in phase 1b of Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, including patients aged 75 and older, emergency first responders, public safety personnel, and school employees.

Fairfax County Public Schools formed a partnership with Inova that enabled about 40,000 teachers and staff to start receiving the vaccine on Jan. 16. FCPS spokesperson Lucy Caldwell said then that all workers who wanted the vaccine should be able to get the two required doses through Inova’s clinics, which were expected to last three weeks.

“This is very disappointing news but we will continue to work with our partners from Inova and the Fairfax County Health Dept to secure vaccine for our staff as soon as we can,” FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand said in a statement. “We must keep the faith.”

With vaccinations stalled, the union that represents FCPS educators and staff called on Brabrand to hold off on plans to resume in-person learning for students.

“Educators want more than anyone to be back in schools, but COVID-19 continues to surge in our community,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers President Tina Williams said in a statement. “We urge Fairfax County Public Schools to alter the return to school timeline given the current health metrics and this unfortunate shift in vaccine availability for school staff.”

The changes in vaccine distribution methods will also reduce the already insufficient supply available to the Fairfax County Health Department, according to Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.

McKay explained the changes in a newsletter released last night:

The Virginia Department of Health has announced that they will only receive 105,000 vaccine doses per week from the federal government. For context, last week the Fairfax County Health Department alone received over 22,000 doses from VDH for the 168,000 residents eligible for a vaccine. This is in part due to two changes at the federal and state levels, not the County level. At the federal level, there is a nationwide shortage of COVID-19 vaccine. At the state level, unfortunately they have decided to change distribution to per capita, as opposed to the amounts County’s and hospital’s have ordered.

McKay says the county will prioritize the more than 50,000 people 75 and older who had registered to get vaccinated before Virginia expanded eligibility for phase 1b. Public safety personnel and people living in correctional facilities and homeless shelters will continue to get the vaccine through special clinics.

“It is profoundly unfortunate that despite all of our efforts at the local level that we must again ask for patience, which is frustrating for all of us,” McKay said. “I hate to have to share this news, but I also want to be transparent about the situation we are in.”

Photo by Karen Bolt/Fairfax County Public Schools

Virginia Detects First Case of COVID-19 Variant — “The first case of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 has been identified in a sample from an adult resident of Northern Virginia with no reported recent travel history. The B.1.1.7 variant, which first emerged in the United Kingdom in late 2020, is associated with increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19.” [Virginia Department of Health]

Additional Ice Accumulation Possible This Morning — “Icy roads and trees can be expected in many areas this morning, but the majority of wintry weather is now behind us. However, hazards may linger into this afternoon as temperatures will only rise slowly this morning.” [National Weather Service/Twitter]

Fairfax Supervisors Prepare to Endorse American Legion Bridge Transit Study — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on whether to support the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s I-495/American Legion Bridge transit demand study. Recommendations include several proposed routes to and from Tysons. [Sun Gazette/InsideNoVA]

Judge Allows Thomas Jefferson High School Admissions Lawsuit to Move Forward — “The ruling issued Thursday by Fairfax County Circuit Judge John Tran tosses out some aspects of the lawsuit but allows the core allegations to go forward. The lawsuit contends that state regulations require TJHSST to operate as a school for the gifted, as measured by scores on standardized tests.” [WTOP]

The Boro is giving away free tickets this week to its upcoming Valentine’s Drive-In Movie Series.

The series will run from Feb. 12-14, and in order of their screening date, the featured films will be “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” and “Valentine’s Day.”

Details for entering the contest for free tickets can be found on The Boro’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Winners will be selected randomly and contacted by The Boro later this week.

The Boro decided to offer a Valentine’s Day-oriented film series after finding success with drive-in movie screenings last summer and on Halloween.

“We witnessed a huge demand for this type of activation when we quickly sold out our summer drive-in series,” The Boro Director of Marketing Tanya Graves said. “We’re excited to bring it back in this new capacity, helping people celebrate Valentine’s Day in a safe, but still romantic way.”

Gates for the screenings, which will be held behind The Loft at the intersection of Broad Street and Silver Hill Drive, will open at 6:30 p.m. The movies will begin at 8 p.m.

Paris Baguette will provide complimentary hot chocolate and sweet treats for the event. The Boro is also encouraging visitors to stop by its restaurants and retailers before the screenings.

“The last few months have been tough on everyone so The Boro wanted to offer the community a safe and fun outdoor activity to enjoy together,” Graves said. “We also want to support our retailers by inviting guests to grab dinner beforehand at one of our many dining options like North Italia, Santouka Ramen, and Poki DC.”

Tickets are now on sale through Eventbrite. They cost $25 per vehicle, and parking spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Limited spaces are available to promote social distancing,” The Boro says on the event page.

The Boro is asking that people remain in their vehicles for the duration of each screening, except to use the bathroom or visit Boro Place retailers. Vehicles will also not be able to arrive late or leave early unless there is an emergency.

Audio for the movies will be available through a dedicated FM radio channel.

Like The Boro’s previous drive-in movie screenings, the Valentine’s Day series is being produced by DC Fray and District Fray Magazine.

Photo via The Boro Tysons/Facebook

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Fairfax County through 9 a.m. tomorrow.

According to the National Weather Service, between one to two inches of snow is possible throughout much of the region.

Here’s more from the NWS alert:

IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening and morning commute.

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.

The Virginia Department of Transportation announced at 11 a.m. today that it has about 400 trucks staged along roads this afternoon to treat roads.

The department offered the following advice to drivers in preparation of possible wintry precipitation and freezing conditions:

• Closely monitor weather reports for shifts in forecasts in your area.
• Plan ahead. If road conditions become hazardous, delay travel for your safety and to give crews time to clear or treat roads.
• Be aware of the potential for ice. With freezing temperatures in the forecast, any precipitation may freeze quickly. If you must drive, use extreme caution in areas prone to freezing such as bridges, overpasses, hills, curves, and ramps. See more winter driving tips.
• Monitor road conditions from home on www.511virginia.org, on the free mobile app, or call 511 from any phone in Virginia.

Our local @NWS_BaltWash forecast office stresses difficulty level of tonight's forecast while noting it has increased snow amounts for its reasonable worst case scenario – which is what we call a "boom" scenario. pic.twitter.com/7Rap15uRjp

— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 25, 2021

Photo via Joshua Hanson on Unsplash

The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County took a steep decline this week, data from the Virginia Department of Health shows.

Today’s average for the past week was 366 cases, compared to roughly 681 cases during the prior week of Jan. 18, and 535 cases on Jan. 11. However, the number of new cases per day continues to be higher than when the outbreak first peaked last spring and early summer.

For example, VDH reported 705 new cases for the Fairfax Health District, including 689 cases in Fairfax County, 12 in the City of Falls Church, and four from Fairfax City. That is well above the spring high of 434 on May 28. The highest number of new cases for one day — 1,485 cases — was reported on Jan. 17.

Similarly, hospitalizations in the county are also on the decline after peaking in early May. The weekly average of hospitalizations has hovered at numbers less than 20 for the last few months, according to VDH data. Today, VDH reported seven hospitalizations and a rolling average of eight.

3,254 people in the Fairfax Health District have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic. There have now been 57,833 cases and 768 deaths.

Roughly 40 percent of the county’s total population over the age of 16 is eligible to receive the vaccine. So far, 57,702 people have received the first dose of the vaccine, and 6,141 people have been fully vaccinated. Statewide, 416,200 people have received the first dose, and 58,779 are fully vaccinated.

County officials have noted that, while many people are eligible for the vaccine, a limited amount of vaccines is currently available.

In a Jan. 21 letter to Gov. Ralph Northam, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay urged the state to increase the county’s vaccine supply.

The county has more than 100,000 residents registered through the health department’s vaccinations system.

“We average about 10,000 doses a week, which does not meet the demand nor the expectation of the 100,000 people we now have in the queue,” McKay wrote.

People can register online or by calling the county’s vaccine hotline at 703-324-7404.

I wrote to @GovernorVA about our need for more vaccine in FX. We have put every local resource into vaccinating as many ppl as possible. We lead VA in vaccinating, but demand outpaces vaccine available from the state. Ppl are anxious, however know vaccinations are our priority. pic.twitter.com/CXfBufuyzj

— Jeff McKay (@JeffreyCMcKay) January 21, 2021

Image via VDH

(Updated at 12:05 p.m. on 1/26/2021) The Mosaic District in Merrifield is getting a new men’s salon: Boardroom Salon for Men (2920 District Ave., Suite 165), slated to open its doors on Saturday (Jan. 30).

This location marks Boardroom Salon’s debut in the D.C. area. The salon got its start in 2004 in Southlake, Texas, and has since expanded to 42 locations across the U.S. Its co-founders — husband-and-wife duo Bruce and Heather Schultz — plan to continue growing this year.

“The Mosaic District brings a distinct community atmosphere to Northern Virginians looking for upscale retail, residential, restaurant and entertainment offerings,” Boardroom Salon Fairfax Manager Nicole Morales said in a statement. “We look forward to introducing Boardroom with our professional talented stylists and barbers to clients who want an elevated grooming experience in a sophisticated yet still approachable way.”

The salon features dark-wood paneling and a lounge with oversized leather chairs and complimentary beverages. Its signature haircut service, The Benchmark, provides tailored haircuts, massages, a steamed towel, a parrafin hand dip, and styling advice.

For COVID-19 safety, team members wear masks and gloves and take their temperatures before each shift.

Clients can purchase one-month, six-month, or annual memberships, which provide unlimited haircut services and a 10% discount on all products and services, as well as complimentary referral Benchmark haircuts to give to friends and family.

Memberships are honored at all Boardroom locations, which can also be found in Arizona, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The salon is also planning to open a venue in Maryland.

In honor of the opening, Boardroom Salon is offering discounts and promotions. A limited number of Founder’s Memberships are available, giving buyers exclusive discounts and a branded Boardroom silver beverage tumbler. Clients can also buy discounted three-month haircut memberships, starting at $125.

Boardroom will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sundays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The salon is also seeking applicants for stylist and front-of-house positions.

Photo courtesy Boardroom Salon for Men