In an update to the McLean Citizens Association, School Board members Elaine Tholen and Karen Keys-Gamarra outlined some changes coming up as Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) begins to take a look at long-term planning again.

One of the biggest topics in the area before the pandemic was a proposed realignment of McLean’s high school boundaries.

According to FCPS:

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is considering a boundary adjustment to provide capacity relief to McLean High School. Currently, McLean HS has more than 2,350 students in a building with design capacity of 1,993 students. Enrollment at McLean HS is projected to increase in the next five years.

Langley High School, which is close in proximity to McLean HS, recently completed a renovation that increased its design capacity to 2,370 students. Current enrollment at Langley is 1,972. Enrollment at Langley HS is projected to remain the same or decrease in the next five years. FCPS is not planning to recommend moving students out of Langley HS as part of this boundary adjustment.

Those plans got put on the back burner as FCPS dealt with the response to the pandemic, but Tholen said those plans are starting to come back.

“We don’t have specific dates around the McLean/Langley boundary change,” Tholen said. “That’s something that we had started working on at the end of last year and through community comments have incorporated Cooper [Middle School] and Longfellow [Middle School] into that process. We anticipate that we will be moving forward with that so we can have something in place for next fall.”

School Board members also said that the Board had told Superintendent Scott Brabrand that the proposal to change admissions the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology needed more data.

“the goal is to make sure those students who rise to the top will not be overlooked while giving oppurtunities to those schools that have previously not participated,” Keys-Gamarra said.

The McLean Citizens Association had previously criticized FCPS for the speed with which it introduced the merit lottery proposal, saying that the process needs more transparency and community engagement.

Fairfax County NAACP President Sean Perryman announced on Tuesday his bid for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

Perryman has been a practicing attorney for 10 years, working on policies relating to emerging technologies. He has been an active member of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee Steering Committee since 2018. He also served as counsel on the House Oversight Committee while working on the staff of late Congressman Elijah Cummings.

“I would be someone who every day would try to make sure I’m incorporating the voices of those that feel marginalized or unheard,” Perryman said. “That would be my primary goal of doing this.”

He joins a group of candidates vying for the Democratic Party’s nomination for lieutenant governor that includes Del. Elizabeth R. Guzmán (Prince William), Del. Hala Ayala (Prince William), former Democratic Party chairman Paul Goldman, and Arlington County businessman Xavier Warren.

Republican candidates include former delegate Timothy D. Hugo (Fairfax), Del. Glenn R. Davis Jr. (Virginia Beach), Fairfax County business consultant Puneet Ahluwalia, and Lance Allen, a national security company executive from Fauquier County.

Each candidate is vying for the role that will be vacated by Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D), who is running for governor.

Perryman is focusing his campaign on the values learned and utilized through his advocacy work and public service, as well as his work as the first director of social impact and diversity and inclusion policy at the Internet Association.

“I would say the ‘Es’: education, equity, economics and environment,” Perryman said. “That’s really the issues I view as the most urgent problems we’re facing and what we’re going to focus on as a campaign to get us out of this mess in the years to come.”

Perryman added that his decision to run for lieutenant governor comes amidst the “inequities that we already had” that were brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

Fairfax County Satellite Voting Locations Open — Voters can now cast their ballots at 13 satellite locations around Fairfax County, including the McLean Governmental Center, Providence Community Center, Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, and Thomas Jefferson Library in the Tysons area. [Fairfax County Office of Elections]

VDOT Extends 495 NEXT Public Comment Period — The deadline for public feedback on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension Project has been extended to Dec. 4. The extension comes after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution asking the department to give more time for public input. [Virginia Department of Transportation/Sun Gazette]

Vienna Girl Among First Female Eagle Scouts in U.S. — Katie Hunter, a 13-year-old Vienna resident, is expected to become one of the first girls in the country to be awarded the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank when she is inaugurated as an Eagle Scout in February 2021. [Patch]

New Trees Planted in Blake Lane Park — “We planted some more trees in Providence this Saturday! Blake Lane Park is full of green life and pollinators. Thank you to all of the volunteers” [Twitter]

Tysons Tech Company Hiring Data Engineer — “IronNet is looking for a Principal Cyber #Data Engineer to join their passionate small business headquartered in Tysons Corner, VA but operating completely remote!” [Twitter]

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

After conditions stabilized in July and early August, the sliding average of COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County is slowly on the rise.

Although the increase is best described as an uptick, the weekly average of new cases hit a count of 105 yesterday (Monday). Following a dip in July, the rolling weekly average of new cases hovered in the 90s.

In October, the health district also hit the highest number of new daily cases since June 7 when 399 cases were reported. State data show 185 new cases were reported on Oct. 8. 

Overall, there have been 22,089 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County, 2,195 hospitalizations, and 599 deaths.  After a slowdown in the rate of new cases per week in June and July, the number of weekly cases grew slightly in August and September. The weekly average for both months hovered around 424 cases. In June and July, that number hovered in the low 300s.

The West Falls Church area south of Route 29 has seen the highest case count in the Tysons area, with that zip code (22042) recording 1,145 COVID-19 cases to date. At 3,414.1 cases per 100,000 people, it has the sixth-highest case rate in Fairfax County, according to county data.

With four additional cases since early September, Dunn Loring remains disproportionately affected by COVID-19 with the 10th highest case rate in the county. Despite having a population of just 2,362 people, the 22027 zip code has reported 75 cases, or 3,175.3 per 100,000 people.

Despite these numbers and the size of the jurisdictions, Fairfax County’s case rate is somewhat low compared to other jurisdictions and health districts. As of today (Tuesday), the case rate is 1,919. Alexandria’s case rate is 2,512 while Arlington’s is 1,772.

Statewide, the number of COVID-19 cases is nearly 160,000, with 3,361 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

County health officials continue to urge residents to get tested if symptoms develop or if exposure is possible.

If you have symptoms or an exposure to COVID-19, please get tested. A positive COVID-19 test may be inconvenient in the short-term, but there are resources available to help.

Find out more: https://t.co/jFeSeKt48R#FFXCOVID pic.twitter.com/7S68Lpl37Z

— FairfaxCounty Health (@fairfaxhealth) October 12, 2020

Image via CDC on Unsplash, Virginia Department of Health

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!

Tuesday (Oct. 13)

• On Deck with Mercury, 6-8 p.m. — Southside Room of Vienna Community Center — (120 Cherry Street SE) — Monthly community forum for information-sharing and engagement on a variety of topics of interest, the website said.
• Great Books Discussion (Online), 7-8:30 p.m. — “Great Books” Book Club meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of most months. Discussing The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, the group will meet via Zoom. Email Marshall Webster, [email protected], to request the Zoom link.

Wednesday (Oct. 14)

• Kanopy Film Discussion Group (Online), 7-8 p.m. — Watch the movie and then join us to chat about it, the website said. Discussing the 2018 documentary, The Panama Peppers, by Alex Winter, the group will meet via Zoom. Email Pete Sullivan, [email protected], to request the Zoom link.

Thursday (Oct. 15)

• Preschool Story Time (Online), 10:30-11 a.m. — Mary Riley Styles Public Library will go live with virtual songs, stories, and rhythms on its Facebook page.
• Jane Austen Book Discussion (Online), 7-8 p.m. — Discussing Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, the group will meet via Zoom. Email Marshall Webster, [email protected], to request the Zoom link.

Friday (Oct. 16)

• Drive-Thru Drama (October 16-18), 6-8:15 p.m. — Drive-Thru Drama is a social-distance theatre format that brings people together for live theatre from the comfort of their own car, the website said.  Actors will perform one, cohesive story through short scenes across the McLean Community Center parking lot. Audience members will simply roll down their windows and drive the route from actor to actor. The entries will be timed in 15-minute increments.

Saturday (Oct. 17)

• Falls Church Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Avenue) — Enjoy fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music, and so much more at the Falls Church Farmers Market, the website said.
• Vienna Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at Vienna Community Center Parking Lot (120 Cherry Street SE ) — Sponsored by the Optimist Club of Greater Vienna, the Vienna Farmers Market features approximately 30 vendors from across the region offering locally sourced fruits, vegetables, and homemade eats, the website said.
• Lorenzo the Great Magic Show, 11-11:30 a.m. — Local magician Lorenzo the Great visits the Mary Styles Public Library just in time for a spooky magic show, the website said. The video will be available from Saturday (Oct. 17) through Saturday (Oct. 31) on its Facebook page.

Photo via Lorenzo the Great/Facebook

NOVA Parks is planning to host a dedication of a new greenhouse entrance to Vienna’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in a small ceremony next week.

The new greenhouse will be dedicated as the Volgenau Conservator, named after the Volgenau Foundation that has funded the programs at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.

According to NOVA Parks:

This beautiful greenhouse is the first main feature people will see as they enter the gardens from the Visitor Center. Overlooking the two lakes at the renowned public garden, the Conservatory was funded by a generous gift from the Volgenau Foundation. Meadowlark has grown into the premier garden of Northern Virginia. Its annual Winter Walk of Lights that normally sees over 70,000 visitors, opens early this year on November 11. With staggered online tickets, this show is expected to be more popular than ever this year as a safe outdoor attraction for the whole family.

The ceremony to dedicate the new greenhouse is scheduled for next Tuesday, Oct. 20, though in an effort to keep groups small the dedication will not be open to the public.

Photo via Meadowlark Botanical Gardens/Facebook

Fairfax County’s Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) community centers are scheduled to reopen beginning today (Tuesday). The nine community centers that are reopening include three in the Falls Church area:

• Bailey’s Community Center (5920 Summers Lane)
• James Lee Community Center (2855 Annandale Road)
• Willston Multicultural Center (6131 Willston Drive)

The other reopening community centers are Gum Springs and Huntington in Alexandria; Mott, David R. Pinn, and Providence in Fairfax; and Southgate in Reston.

Because of space limitations, community members must make reservations and sign a waiver in advance to visit a community center, according to a press release from the NCS.

The centers will be open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., offering self-directed activities, technical support and the Parent Connect program only. Organized sports and activities will not be permitted, according to the release.

Children who are under 9 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

The community centers will be holding temperature checks and health screenings upon arrival. They will also be requiring masks and social distancing, and they will be frequently cleaning high touch surfaces.

To make a reservation, participants can call their local NCS community center. More information is available on the reopening website.

Image via NCS

In 2010, a plan was approved to help turn Tysons into a fully fledged city. Now, the McLean Citizens Association is planing to talk to County leadership and learn about how those plans have progressed.

The MCA is hosting a conversation tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7:30 p.m. with Fairfax County Supervisors John Foust and Dalia Palchik on how Tysons has changed over the last ten years since the new Comprehensive Plan was adopted.

“The session, moderated by MCA President Rob Jackson, will be in person at the McLean Community Center and live-streamed on our Facebook Page,” the MCA said in a press release. “Prior reservations are required for admission to the in-person session, and all county COVID-19 guidelines, including the wearing of masks at all times, and social distancing will be enforced.”

Each supervisor is scheduled to share their thoughts on how Tysons has changed, followed by a question and answer session and some closing remarks.

Attendance of the in-person event is for MCA members only, though anyone can view the Facebook livestream. No more than 50 people will be allowed in-person, including speakers and support personnel. Registration for the in-person portion can be made online.

Questions should be sent in advance of the session to [email protected].

Image via Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Tysons Corner’s first Restaurant Week kicks off next Monday and runs Oct. 12 through Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Guests can eat in or take home food from fixed-price lunch and dinner menus that were designed specifically for Restaurant Week and showcase classic dishes, seasonal options, and fan favorites. The Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event.

Restaurateurs say they hope the week will bring customers back to their establishments after they experience the coronavirus precautions that have been put in place. They also hope that patrons who work and eat lunch in town but do not live there return to Tysons as a destination for foodies.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has obliterated the food service industry, with 37,000 jobs lost in Fairfax County, according to a recent report. The findings are the first step in a recovery strategy commissioned by Fairfax County and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.

Even after restaurants reopened, customers remain uncomfortable dining out.

“We realized that we can’t just open our doors and hope people go through them,” Dane Scott, the managing partner of Seasons 52, said.

Restaurants are taking extreme safety measures, Chamber of Commerce Chair Andrew Clark says.

“The irony is that restaurants are probably the cleanest places in town, but it will take a while for people to assimilate,” he said.

Tony Bass, the general manager of Urban Plates, is ready to change how people view Tysons with Restaurant Week.

“What I’m excited to show is that Tysons is a destination for food,” he said.

People who are dining for the first time since the pandemic started will see that things in the restaurants look different.

At Urban Plates, customers can still observe chefs making their food in the open kitchen, but can no longer approach the chefs, Bass said.

P.F. Chang’s has poured money into presentation, said operating partner Eric Padilla. The plateware is new, and dishes are served with a new flair.

“You’re not able to go to the movies, so we want to put on a show in the dining room,” he said. “Dinner is the main show: Come in, relax, have a good time, and take your mind off what’s going on.”

Scott, who sits on the Chamber of Commerce, said it has stepped up to care for Tysons’ businesses.

When Clark took over as chair this summer, he implemented some new initiatives. The chamber filmed a documentary on food safety and later threw a whisky-tasting event outside American Prime, complete with temperature checks and mask monitors.

Clark credited Restaurant Week taking off to volunteer photographers, videographers, printers and graphic and designers.

“There’s no money to be made,” he said. “They just love the community.”

Image via Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce

Please stop leaving bags of vomit outside Emmaus United Church of Christ (900 Maple Avenue E).

This week’s Vienna Police Report notes that, between Aug. 18 and Oct. 3, on three separate occasions an employee at the church has found bags of vomit left in the parking lot:

An employee at the Church reported that on three separate occasions someone had left bags filled with vomit in the parking lot near the playground area.

Another littered puke balloon was reported later in the police report, sometime between 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 8 a.m. on Oct. 7.

Other tales of crime and mischief in this week’s report included vandalism of political signs and a man suspected of stealing chestnuts from a neighbor’s tree:

A resident reported that he observed an elderly man in his backyard. When the resident confronted
the man, he began walking toward Marshall Road. The resident believes the man may have been
stealing chestnuts from the tree in his yard.

Photo via Google Maps