Fairfax County will host Virginia’s first-ever Smart City Challenge next month.

Scheduled to kick off on Jan. 23, the challenge is a month-long virtual competition where teams of participants will develop and pitch potential solutions to challenges in health, transportation, housing, education, energy, infrastructure, public safety, and other facets of society.

Fairfax County has partnered with several public, private, and nonprofit groups to organize the contest, including Smart City Works, the McLean-based nonprofit Refraction, Virginia Tech, Girls in Tech DC, and the Universities at Shady Grove.

“The goal of the Challenge is to advance equitable and inclusive opportunities for all people to thrive in the greater Washington, D.C., region,” Smart City Works said in a Dec. 21 press release announcing the challenge.

While the challenge was designed with the D.C. area in mind, anyone, from college students to startups, can participate regardless of where they live. Organizers say they will put a particular focus on encouraging women and people of color to get involved.

Registration is currently open. There is an admission fee of $15 for students and $30 for everyone else “to help defray hosting and other expenses,” Smart City Works says on its website.

Conducted entirely online through Zoom, the challenge will give participants a month to form teams and use data, resources, and mentors made available by organizers to develop ideas for how technology or other forms of innovation can be used to make communities more equitable, livable, resilient, and sustainable.

Teams will present their projects to a panel of judges, who will evaluate the pitches based on innovation, regional impact, practicality, and equity and inclusivity. Winners will be awarded more than $350,000 in cash and in-kind prizes, along with an opportunity to implement pilot projects with Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and other partner organizations.

Alongside the actual competition, the challenge will feature streamed and recorded discussions with government, nonprofit, and business leaders throughout the month. Anticipated speakers include Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Dominion Energy CEO Bob Blue, and Fairfax County Deputy County Executive Rachel Flynn.

“The Smart City Challenge is the perfect opportunity to tap bright minds to improve the lives of everyone in the Washington, D.C., area through technology, innovation, and problem-solving,” Refraction CEO Esther Lee said. “We are excited to bring together forward-thinking businesses, entrepreneurs, universities, government, and nonprofits to showcase collaboration and thought leadership.”

Fairfax County previously partnered with Smart City Works and Refraction to start the Northern Virginia Smart Region Initiative, which aims to foster innovation and economic growth in the area.

The county contributed $50,000 when the two nonprofits successfully applied for a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to fund the initiative in 2019.

Photo by Michelle Goldchain

More people in Fairfax County are facing food insecurity this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as illustrated by increased requests to the county and local pantries for groceries.

Fairfax County received 5,980 requests for emergency food from Mar. 1 to Dec. 21 of this year, a 56% increase from the same timeframe in 2019, according to Shweta Adyanthaya, a public information officer for the county’s Health and Human Services Department.

“The height of the requests came in the early months of the response — April to September — and then leveled off to average levels of requests since then,” Adyanthaya said. “Those households in need of food resources are referred to nonprofit and faith-based community partners, as well as other county resources.”

She encourages residents in need to use the county’s map application to locate food distribution groups near them.

One nonprofit in the Tysons area is Food for Others, which operates out of a warehouse in Merrifield.

Food for Others spokesperson Bridge Snydstrup told Tysons Reporter that the nonprofit is distributing food to an average of 4,000 families weekly, double the number of families it served pre-pandemic.

“The majority of people we are serving right now are unemployed due to COVID-19,” Snydstrup said. “Many of our clients work in the service industry and have either lost their jobs or had their hours significantly reduced due to the pandemic.”

She said that donations are also ticking up, helping the nonprofit meet the additional need.

“The Northern Virginia community has been extremely generous in helping FFO respond to the COVID-19 crisis,” Snydstrup said. “So many people have reached out asking what they can do to help and have either donated food or made monetary donations.”

However, volunteer rates are down overall, even though many in the community are interested in helping out.

“We have to limit the number of people in our warehouse to allow for social distancing and to ensure that our staff, volunteers, and clients are safe,” Snydstrup said. “We do have limited volunteer slots in our warehouse on weekdays, [and] those interested can sign up on our website.”

The best thing to do for those who want to help but are unable to volunteer is to host a food drive and drop off the donations.

Students in the area are also stepping up, Dranesville District School Board representative Elaine Tholen said in her newsletter on Monday (Dec. 21).

Last week, Cooper Middle School and Langley High School held a joint food drive for SHARE of McLean that brought in more than 6,500 non-perishable items. More than 40 students volunteered.

“We are thrilled to share it was an overwhelming success,” Tholen said. “We continue to be amazed by the generosity displayed by our school community and pyramid at large.”

The increase in demand for food assistance and drop in available volunteers are trends playing out nationally too.

Feeding America’s network of food banks have distributed nearly 57% more food in the third quarter of this year compared with 2019, according to an Associated Press analysis.

Meanwhile, NPR reported that food banks are seeing fewer volunteers, in part because the usual volunteers include older people, who are staying home to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

Food donation photo via Dranesville School Board Representative Elaine Tholen.

With COVID-19 vaccines expected to take months to roll out to the general public, one Tysons-based company has developed software that it believes will enable schools, businesses, and other facilities to open their doors with an added layer of security against the novel coronavirus.

Senseware (8603 Westwood Center Dr.) has adapted its air quality monitoring platform to detect the presence of COVID-19 particles or conditions that facilitate their spread.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority announced on Dec. 18 that it will host a webinar with FCEDA President and CEO Victor Hoskins and Senseware CEO and co-founder Serene Almomen on Jan. 7.

Presented in conjunction with the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, the webinar is the latest segment in a 10-part series called “Catalyst for Change: How Companies Turn Disruption into Success.”

“Safety is the critical component of bringing employees back into working on-site at offices during this unprecedented time,” Hoskins said. “This webinar will focus on how Senseware…has developed a platform for detecting COVID-19 particles in order to enable a safer environment for employees returning to the workplace.”

Since COVID-19 primarily spreads through respiratory droplets and other particles carried in the air, Senseware says that its platform can determine the effectiveness of ventilation systems in mitigating the coronavirus’ transmission by monitoring the air supply flow rate, particle sizes, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide and ozone levels.

The company says it has integrated bio-sensors into its system that can detect the existence of viruses, including the novel coronavirus, and other harmful microbes.

Using the data collected by its sensors, Senseware sends reports to customers and automatically issues an alert if air quality conditions become unhealthy or unsafe.

“Knowing if [the] COVID-19 pathogen is in the air we breathe in real time will play a major role in safely repopulating spaces,” Almomen said. “We are excited to share how we introduced this new innovation to help promote people safety and wellbeing during this critical time.”

The FCEDA webinar will take place virtually on Zoom. Registration is free and can be done through this link.

Image via CDC on Unsplash

McLean Community Center Executive Director George Sachs will retire next year, MCC Marketing and Communications Director Sabrina Anwah confirmed to Tysons Reporter yesterday (Monday).

Sachs has served in the role for more than a decade, a tenure that includes overseeing the massive, $8 million renovation of the community center’s Ingleside Avenue facility that was completed in December 2018.

While more details about Sachs’s decision to retire likely won’t come until the new year, MCC has put out an advertisement for the position on the Fairfax County government’s job database.

As the MCC’s chief administrative officer, the executive director plans, organizes, and manages the agency’s facilities, programs, and services, which range from community events and classes to musical and dramatic performances at the 386-seat Alden Theatre.

According to the job posting, the executive director is also responsible for hiring and training both professional and volunteer staff, supervising MCC’s website and public communications, reviewing the budget, and serving as a liaison to elected officials as well as local public and private groups, among other duties.

Qualifications include:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in arts administration, recreation administration, or a closely related field; plus five years of progressively responsible supervisory experience administering diversified recreational or cultural programs, preferably in a large recreational or cultural facility. A master’s degree may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
The following must be obtained within 90 days of employment:

• CPR
• First Aid
• AED

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to foster a healthy organization and encourage teamwork and collaboration.
• Demonstrated success and experience in recreation operations, planning and programming.
• Ability to identify and mitigate risk in operations.
• Experience with budget development and management.
• Ability to oversee a robust communications and marketing strategy.
• Experience overseeing capital projects and improvements.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).
• Knowledge of virtual meeting and conferencing platforms.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, credit check, and Child Protective Services check.
• Must be able to communicate with others verbally and in writing.

The job posting notes that the position requires frequent evening meetings, along with occasional weekend and holiday work. Applicants may also be required to lift up to 15 pounds, and while the job “is generally sedentary in nature,” the ability to read and work on a computer is essential.

The advertised salary range is between $95,447 and $159,078 annually.

The posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 15. MCC will hold panel interviews to select its next executive director.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is exploring the possibility of revising its master plan for Clemyjontri Park in McLean to allow for a proposed arts center from the McLean Project for the Arts.

Park Authority staff kicked off the process last week with a virtual public meeting on Dec. 17, when MPA Executive Director Lori Carbonneau presented conceptual renderings for the proposed arts center and detailed how it would align with Clemyjontri’s core mission of providing a playground for children of all abilities.

“We have a vision of a natural marriage of art and the outdoors that this center can create,” Carbonneau said. “It’s going to celebrate our natural heritage, and it’s going to offer a way to extend the vision [property donor Adele] Lebowitz had of creating a place where all can play.”

The overall plans for the arts center have not changed since the public’s first glimpse of the project in February. If approved, it would house three galleries, studio classrooms, staff offices, and an outdoor event space, potentially with gardens and public artwork.

However, what was initially envisioned as a campus with multiple pavilions has now been consolidated into a single building, a change that Carbonneau says came out of talks with prospective architectural and engineering firms that toured the park on Mar. 12.

In addition to lowering maintenance costs, having just one building would make security and cleaning easier, and MPA would only have to invest in one central heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system, a concern that emerged as the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of proper indoor ventilation.

Carbonneau and Park Authority staff emphasized that the project is still in its infancy, meaning that it’s too early to give concrete answers to many questions, including the potential cost to its impact on parking and traffic.

When asked about potential plans to address existing issues with crossing Georgetown Pike, Ryan Stewart, the chief of long-range planning for the Park Authority, said the agency will consult with the Virginia and Fairfax County transportation departments throughout the master planning process.

MPA would schedule arts center programming around peak park usage, with exhibition openings and other special events generally taking place between 7 and 10 p.m., according to Carbonneau, though the organization has not studied park usage beyond publicly available data.

“During COVID, any analysis would be unsatisfying because of the very different traffic patterns that we’re all experiencing right now,” Carbonneau said. Read More

Emergency responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department are on the scene of a house fire in the 1100 block of Pine Hill Road in McLean.

The blaze was visible through the house’s second floor when crews first arrived around 10 a.m. today (Tuesday).

Units on scene of a house fire in the 1100 block of Pine Hill Road in McLean area. First arriving reported fire showing from 2nd floor. Crews working to extinguish. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/vuIgR267nz

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 22, 2020

The FCFRD reported at 10:21 a.m. that the fire has been extinguished, and crews are now clearing smoke from the home. No injuries have been reported.

Responders from Arlington County and Montgomery County provided assistance.

UPDATE: house fire in the 1100 block of Pine Hill Road in McLean area. Fire is out. No extension. Crews clearing smoke from home. No reported injuries currently. @mcfrs and @ArlingtonVaFD assisting. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/ODGI3KsPtb

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 22, 2020

COVID-19 may have put a damper on a lot of year-end festivities, but many hallmarks of this holiday season are still going strong.

There is a certain magic in getting bundled up for ice skating or sipping mulled cider (or hot toddies) at outdoor restaurants. For something spectacular, families can enjoy holiday light shows or their neighbors’ tacky Christmas lights.

All of these and more winter activities can be done in Fairfax County through January. This year, you can justify these cold weather-friendly events to your heat-loving friends even more, since the risk of COVID-19 transmission is lower outside.

Does winter hold a certain spark for you? Are you going stir-crazy at home and need places to go? Tell us below how you are taking in this season, and drop recommendations in the comments.

Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare has opened an outpatient center in McLean, marking the Tennessee-based mental health services network’s first venture into Virginia.

Located at 7927 Jones Branch Drive, the Pasadena Villa Outpatient Center will specialize in treating adults with mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, Odyssey announced in a press release on Dec. 17.

In addition to providing outpatient services, the center houses a partial hospitalization program that provides access to more intensive treatment and support for individuals who experience depression, anxiety, or behavioral challenges, and may be at risk of putting themselves or others in danger.

Treatment services are available both in-person and virtually, according to the center’s website.

“We’re thrilled to be able to serve the McLean community,” Odyssey CEO Scott Kardenetz said. “Outpatient treatment programs are an integral component of ongoing recovery for so many, and we’re excited to partner with the clinical and payor communities in providing clincally excellent care for those struggling with mental health disorders.”

The new McLean facility is one of four outpatient centers in Odyssey’s Pasadena Villa Psychiatric Treatment Network, which says it provides care for “adults who suffer from severe and persistent mental illness while maximizing social functioning in the real world.”

Headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., Odyssey operates more than 20 behavioral health facilities that collectively have over 300 beds in eight states around the U.S.

Photo via Google Maps

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Monday (Dec. 21)

• The Longest Night (Online) — 5 p.m. — The Lewinsville Presbyterian Church (1724 Chain Bridge Rd.) in McLean is offering a virtual service for the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The church says the event is a “more quiet and reflective” alternative to Christmas services that is “particularly meaningful people who, for a variety of reasons, find no joy in the Christmas season.” The service will stream on the church’s website and YouTube channel.
• Holiday Happy Hour (Online) — 7:30 p.m. — The Providence District Council will send out 2020 with a “networking happy hour” for its December meeting, according to a Dec. 11 notice from the civic organization. Residents can access the gathering through this Zoom link.
• GMHS Auction (Online) — From Dec. 21-28, Falls Church City Public Schools is hosting an online auction of classroom supplies, theater seats, and other memorabilia from George Mason High School, which is in the process of being replaced by a new campus. A link to the auction will be on the FCCPS website.

Wednesday (Dec. 23)

• Polar Express Pajama Party (Online) — 3-3:30 p.m. — The Mary Riley Styles Public Library invites families to join a reading of the book “Polar Express” over Zoom. Interested participants can register by emailing [email protected] through Dec. 22 to receive a Zoom link for the event and a goody bag.

Thursday (Dec. 24)

• Holiday Sing-A-Long — Earlier this month, Wolf Trap hosted two virtual concerts by the United States Marine Band, which performed festive music with a choir of 500 local singers. While the live performances took place on Dec. 5 and 19, video of the concerts is still available online to watch for free.
• Nochebuena Christmas Eve Dinner — 4 p.m. at Blend 111 (111 Church St.) — Vienna-based Latin American restaurant Blend 111 is celebrating Christmas Eve by offering a five-course tasting menu with optional beverage pairings. Diners can eat at the restaurant or customize the meal for carryout.
• Christmas Eve Illuminated — 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Immanuel Presbyterian Church (1125 Savile Lane) — The Immanuel Presbyterian Church’s Christmas Eve service will take the form of a drive-thru campus tour, featuring an illuminated nativity scene, live musical performances, and a “yummy treat” for visitors. Time slots are divided based on last name to avoid traffic back-ups in the parking lot, with 5:30-6 p.m. reserved for families with children under 12.

Friday (Dec. 25)

• Christmas Brunch — 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner (1700 Tysons Blvd.) — Entyse Bistro at the Ritz-Carlton will serve traditional holiday dishes and seafood in a four-course meal on Christmas Day. The menu costs $95 for adults and $45 for children aged 4 to 12. Reservations can be made by calling 703-744-3999.
• “Love for the Holidays” (Online) — Wolf Trap is streaming singer Darlene Love’s annual holiday show through the end of Christmas Day. Tickets to the on-demand show start at $35, and a portion of the proceeds go to support the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Photo by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash

For the first time since Mar. 12, high school athletes in Fairfax County have games to play.

Boys’ and girls’ basketball teams around the county will tip off tonight (Monday) to usher in an unusual winter sports season that will unfold in front of largely empty stands, marking students’ return to athletic competition after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out this year’s spring and fall seasons.

Under Virginia’s current COVID-19 rules, spectators are limited to 25 people per field for indoor sports and two guests per player for outdoor sports. The total number of spectators for any venue is capped at 30% of its occupancy capacity.

Though Gov. Ralph Northam signed an executive order on Oct. 30 permitting school sports to proceed, the Virginia Department of Health says participating in recreational sports that require close contact with others “during times of substantial COVID-19 activity in a community…is not advisable.”

With COVID-19 transmission rates now higher than the spring surge that led schools to shut down, winter sports have been postponed or canceled in Washington, D.C., and nearly all of Maryland. The City of Alexandria announced in November that its schools would opt out of the season.

Most of Virginia, though, appears to be forging ahead with the Virginia High School League’s “Championships + 1” schedule, which pushed fall sports to Feb. 2 and spring sports to Apr. 12.

However, Fairfax County Public Schools has put some restrictions in place.

While the VHSL is “strongly” encouraging masks without mandating them, FCPS is requiring nearly all athletes to wear masks even while competing, providing limited exceptions only for swim and dive, wrestling, and cheerleading. Athletes will also not have access to locker rooms this year.

“The expectation will be that kids come to practice/games ready to compete and will leave the facility immediately after the event,” FCPS said in a news bulletin sent to families yesterday.

While fans can’t attend games in-person for now, at least some competitions will be streamed live through the host teams’ websites or social media accounts.

The basketball season will officially begin with freshman games at 4:30 p.m., followed by girls’ junior varsity games at 5:30 p.m. and boys’ junior varsity at 5:45. Girls’ varsity games tip off at 7:00 p.m., and boys’ varsity teams will start at 7:30 p.m.

Here is what to expect tonight for schools in the Tysons area:

• James Madison is facing Annandale, with boys’ teams playing at home and girls’ teams visiting Annandale
• McLean faces Chantilly, with boys’ teams at home and girls’ teams away
• Marshall plays Justice, with girls’ teams at home and boys’ teams on the road

Langley High School’s games for tonight have been canceled, since the Saxons were supposed to play T.C. Williams High School, which is no longer participating in the season. However, the girls’ basketball teams are scheduled to visit Chantilly on Wednesday (Dec. 23).

Photo via Marshall High School Athletics/Twitter