Technical issues with Fairfax County’s car tax payment portal drew ire from residents this week, forcing some to make payments in-person and adding to already long lines for early voting.

In response to website issues, the county has waived penalties and interest on personal property payments made by 11:59 p.m. today (Tuesday).

According to Tony Castrilli, the county’s communications director, the county is working with its vendor to resolve the issue. “To make adjustments that will ensure as many payments as possible can be processed,” he said.

Some residents said the issue compounded already long lines at the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway).

Payments can be made online, by mail, by phone, and in person. Payments postmarked on or before today (Tuesday) are considered on time.

“We apologize for the inconvenience,” Castrilli added.

Staff Photo by Jay Westcott

Tysons Reporter’s parent company, Local News Now, is proud to announce three new full-time hires.

These hires, two of which are for newly-created positions, are made possible by a strong recovery in LNN’s advertising business since the depths of the pandemic-induced recession. We were further emboldened to add to our team, despite uncertainty about the economy and the pandemic, by our Patreon community and the support provided by readers.

LNN publishes Tysons Reporter, as well as ARLnow, ALXnow, and Reston Now. We also provide sales and technical services to PoPville.

The new hires will allow us to improve the breadth and depth of our local journalism, while also strengthening our increasingly-popular sponsored content offerings.

Angela Woolsey is joining us as the new Tysons Reporter editor, replacing Catherine Douglas Moran, who is now an Associate Editor at Industry Dive. Angela was formerly a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times.

Jo DeVoe is joining us as a reporter and copy editor for ARLnow and Tysons Reporter. She joins us from Hearst newspapers in Connecticut, including the Greenwich Time, where she primarily reported on education.

Carson Kohler will be joining the team on Nov. 2 as our new Content Marketing Manager, helping advertising clients maximize their sponsored content investment with us and better engage our readers. She is currently a writer with The Penny Hoarder.

Additionally, Scott Fields will be joining us as a part-time contributor, providing coverage for both our Arlington and our Fairfax County sites.

Thank you to our Northern Virginia and D.C. communities for your support and readership. We look forward to continuing to find ways to better serve you.

An Arlington County resident was sentenced to 65 years in prison last Friday for two sexual assaults, including one that occurred in Falls Church in 2014.

Alexandria City Circuit Court Judge Lisa B. Kemler sentenced Jesse Bjerke, 39, on Oct. 2 to serve 30 years in prison for the Falls Church sexual assault and 35 years for a similar sexual assault that took place in the City of Alexandria in 2016.

“The detectives assigned to the 2014 sexual assault case always strived for justice and closure for the victim,” Fairfax County Police Department Major Crimes Bureau Commander Maj. Ed O’Carroll said before the court accepted Bjerke’s no-contest plea earlier this year. “Our detectives never give up and I’m proud of their dedicated efforts on this case and all our others.”

According to Fairfax County police, the Falls Church assault took place at a community pool in the Yarling Court area on Aug. 1, 2014 when a man approached the victim, a 20-year-old female lifeguard.

The man displayed a firearm, used zip ties to bind the victim’s hands together, and injected her with the anesthetic drug Ketamine before sexually assaulting her.

A Virginia Department of Forensic Science analysis of evidence collected at the crime scene revealed the presence of Ketamine and DNA from an unknown man.

After submitting evidence from their case to the Department of Forensic Science, Alexandria City Police identified Bjerke as a strong person of interest and arrested him in February 2019 after a genetic genealogy analysis by Parabon NanoLabs confirmed that the same suspect had committed both assaults.

Investigators determined that Bjerke had also committed a sexual assault in Falls Church two years earlier after comparing forensic evidence collected at the crime scenes in both cases.

Fairfax County prosecutors indicted Bjerke for the Falls Church assault on Mar. 12. The charges included rape, object sexual penetration, abduction with intent to defile, and the use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

The venue for both cases shifted to the Alexandria City Circuit Court after Fairfax County and Alexandria prosecutors cooperated on a joint plea agreement and sentencing.

According to WTOP, Bjerke pleaded guilty to six felonies connected to the Alexandria sexual assault in October 2019. He pleaded no contest to the Falls Church case and was convicted in March.

Fairfax County police say that victim specialists from the department’s Major Crimes Bureau victim services division have been assigned to the case to provide resources and assistance to the victim.

Photo via Fairfax County Police Department

(Updated at 12:15 p.m. on 10/6/20)

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 (Oct. 5)

• Tysons Virtual Game Night (Online) — 7 -10 p.m. — Trivia, Charades, and drawing over video, the event description said. To register, use this link.

Tuesday (Oct. 6)

• 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.

Wednesday (Oct. 7)

• Unruly Theatre Project’s Virtual Improv Show (Online) — 7 p.m. — The Alden‘s professional teen improv company is dedicated to bringing comedic productions to the community, the website said. To register, use this link.
• Leaf Rubbing Collage Crafternoon (Online) — 3-3:30 p.m. — Take a break from virtual learning and go on a nature walk with Miss Meredith on the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Facebook page, the website said. The only supplies needed are crayons, paper, and leaves.

Thursday (Oct. 8)

• 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.
• Teen Craft with Clay Cafe (Curbside Pickup) — 3-3:30 p.m. –Everything you need to paint a pencil cup will be available in a grab-and-go kit provided by Clay Cafe (101 N. Maple Ave).
• The Thursday Evening Book Group (Online) — 7 to 8 p.m. — The Thursday Evening Book Discussion Group meets on the first Thursday evening of each month. Discussing The Nickel Boys: A Novel by Colson Whithead, the group will meet via Zoom. Email Marshall Webster, [email protected], to request the Zoom link.

Friday (Oct. 9)

• Oktoberfest — 3:30-8 p.m. — The Boro Tysons (8350 Broad St.) — The Boro is partnering with URBNmarket for a festively fall and socially distant Oktoberfest (maximum 6 people per registration), the event description said.

Saturday (Oct. 10)

• Oktoberfest — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. — The Boro Tysons (8350 Broad St.) — The Boro is partnering with URBNmarket for a festively fall and socially distant Oktoberfest (maximum 6 people per registration), the event description said.
• Falls Church Farmers Market — 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave.) — 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. to 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.

Photo courtesy Hilde Kahn

Construction has finished on new condo complex The Bexley Condominiums (1761 Old Meadow Road) in Tysons.

Developer NVHomes said on the website that move-ins at the project started in September, with virtual grand opening celebration scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10.

The development is located along Old Meadow Road, just sound of the McLean Metro station and Capital One headquarters. The road in front is being realigned to be better connected to the Capital One facilities. The project is part of a slate of new developments aimed at transforming Tysons East into a fully fledged community.

The condo units start at $679,990 with a two bedroom, two bath unit and $1,199,990 for three bedroom, two-and-a-half bath units.

“Elegant condominium flat in a walkable McLean location near Tysons,” NVHomes said on the website. “Generous list of included features, such as quartz countertops, LG appliances, and owner’s spa bath.”

Photo via NVA Condos/Twitter

Mosby’s Raiders led a guerrilla campaign against Union supply and communications lines throughout Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Today, Mosby Woods Elementary School honors the group’s commander, John S. Mosby, but that could change.

A public hearing on potentially renaming Mosby Woods Elementary School is scheduled for the Wednesday, Oct. 7, school board meeting. The change was proposed by Providence School Board representative Karl Frisch and at-large member Karen Keys-Gamarra.

Like countless other discussions about renaming or removing honors to the Confederacy or Confederate soldiers, there’s been vocal support and opposition to the change. Feedback emailed to the School Board fell along the now-familiar arguments that the outdated name does not represent diversity of the school district, or that Confederate leaders should be judged by contemporary rather than modern standards.

“As the parent of a 5th grader who has been at Mosby Woods since kindergarten, I strongly support changing the name,” one anonymous parent said in an email to the School Board. “We are long overdue to remove honorifics for those who fought to separate and destroy our nation.”

Potential name replacements included Mosaic Elementary School — in relation to the nearby Mosaic District — or renaming the school to honor recently deceased Chadwick Boseman, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or the less-recently deceased Alexander Hamilton.

Others made the case that Mosby was less of a cut-and-dry case, as Mosby himself wasn’t a dyed-in-the-wool secessionist the way Confederates like Jubal Early were.

“I understand and support the current movement to remove Confederate monuments, memorials, and public buildings named for Confederate leaders,” the emailer wrote. “However, I would note that the case of John Mosby is not as clear-cut as many of the others, and I would urge people to read up on this person before jumping to a conclusion. John Mosby was against slavery and secession. Although he personally opposed the Confederacy’s positions, he joined the war out of a sense of patriotism and loyalty to the state of Virginia.”

Despite Mosby’s recorded opposition to slavery, he did own a slave during the war. Mosby joined President Ulysses S. Grant’s administration in the years after the war and became a vocal opponent to the Lost Cause mythos.

If the change is approved, the Superintendent will return with a recommendation for a new name. Comments on the name change can be emailed to [email protected].

Image via FCPS

The Dead Run stream restoration completed in-part last year is continuing with improvements planned for the stretch of waterway between Georgetown Pike and Churchill Road in McLean.

Last year’s project revitalized the dream in McLean Central Park, combatting erosion and re-greening portions of the stream to be better suited to local wildlife.

The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Stormwater Planning Division has scheduled a virtual meeting to discuss the project on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m.

The Fairfax County government website said the upcoming expansion of that restoration will tackle the part of the stream north of the earlier improvements and include re-greening along one of the main tributaries.

“The project is a continuation of the stream restoration that was completed through McLean Central Park,” the Stormwater Planning Division said on its website. “It will begin at Churchill Road and extend to Georgetown Pike. The tributary behind the Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church is included in this scope of work.”

Stormwater Planning Division said part of the project’s goals is added protection to nearby properties at risk from the negative effects of erosion.

“Property will be protected by providing a stable stream bed, banks and alignment, which will reduce the rate of stream bank erosion and channel migration; trees at risk of falling will be removed or protected where possible; native vegetation will be installed to hold soil in place and provide habitat,” the Stormwater Planning Division said. “Health and safety will be protected via improved water quality, protection of public utilities, such as sanitary sewer lines, within the floodplain and stabilization of stream banks.”

The project design is expected to be completed by July 2021.

Image via Fairfax County

Wegmans Manager Talks Hype for Tysons Location — “I’m most excited about our brand-new Tysons store opening with over 400 of my newest friends on Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. Nothing is more exhilarating than seeing new customers walk through the doors of ‘their Wegmans’ and feel at home.” [Patch]

New Roles for County Bus Drivers — Fairfax County Public Schools’ bus drivers are taking on new roles during a hiatus in in-person learning. Some were matched with temporary jobs based on their skill set. [NBC 4]

Coffee With a Cop Scheduled for Oct. 7 — While this year’s national Coffee With A Cop observance was called off recently due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Fairfax County Police Department is moving forward with their own events in hopes of connecting with the communities they serve. [Patch]

In this week’s crime report, Vienna police said officer’s responded to calls for a thermostat quarrel and for the town’s very own wet bandits.

On Sept. 27 around 3:30 p.m., officers responded to a call about flooding in a vacant home on the 500 block of Kibler Circle. According to the report:

An officer responded to the report of a large amount of water running from a vacant home that was
newly built. The doors to the home were secure. A hose was running to one of the windows and
a substantial amount of water was observed on the floor of the kitchen and foyer. The builder was
notified and believed this was a result of a criminal act.

Other incidents this week included a call for a domestic fight between roommates over a temperature gauge. According to the report:

A resident reported that her roommate assaulted her and broke the thermostat in the apartment.
The roommate advised that she removed the batteries from the thermostat, making the resident
angry and that the resident assaulted her. The roommate agreed to fix the thermostat. Both women
were advised of the warrant process should they wish to pursue charges.

Photo via Facebook

The Pulte Home Company is looking for special exception to transform a section of land near Odricks Corner, just north of Tysons, into a cluster of independent living homes.

“The Applicant has consolidated four (4) residentially zoned and developed parcels that may be transformed into a community that will be limited to persons 60 years of age and older,” a law firm representing Plute said. “As shown on the special exception plat submitted with this application, the Applicant proposes a total of 59 dwelling units consisting of 36 multi-family dwelling units in a single building; 14 single-family attached dwelling units; and 9 affordable dwelling units. The affordable dwelling units comprise 15% of the total number of units.”

The proposal includes both multi-family buildings and single-family attached dwelling units. The project is located just across Spring Hill Road from Sunrise of McLean.

“The proposed multi-family building will be four (4) stories of residential units served by elevators,” the report said. “The building will be constructed on top of a parking podium, which will include resident parking and trash collection… The multi-family building will be comprised of 32 two-bedroom units and 4 one-bedroom units. The one-bedroom units will be approximately 950 square feet and the two-bedroom unit will range in size from approximately 1,300 to 1,700 square feet. The single-family attached dwelling units are designed as villas with a first floor master bedroom that allows one floor living. Each unit will have approximately 2,600 square feet of living area and a two-car garage.

The project also includes affordable dwelling units that are stacked, multi-family units with designated parking and designed to allow residents to age in place.

The proposed development is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission on Wednesday, Oct. 14.