ShowPlace Icon is now screening movies again at The Boro.
The 72,000-square-foot theater (1667 Silver Hill Drive) — the seventh for the luxury movie theater chain — temporarily closed its new Tysons location due to COVID-19 restrictions just weeks after opening. During its closure, the theater sponsored The Boro’s drive-in movie series in June and July.
The theater announced that it reopened today (Friday). Competitor AMC Theatre reopened yesterday in Tysons Corner Center.
Today and this weekend, ShowPlace Icon is screening “Inception” to celebrate the film’s 10th anniversary, “Unhinged,” “Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula” and “Words on Bathroom Walls,” according to its website.
Audience goers are required to wear face coverings. The theater is encouraging people to buy tickets and concession items in advance to reduce contact. A full list of safety measures to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 is on the theater’s website.
The theater’s 14 auditoriums can seat 1,795 people, but the movie chain said that it will have reduced seating due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Job seekers have the chance to apply for a new seasonal gig. The Fairfax County Office of Elections recently announced it’s hiring more than 200 workers for the November election.
The positions came about because the elections office is expecting a significant rise in absentee voting this year, Brian Worthy, a Fairfax County spokesperson, told Tysons Reporter.
Applicants can apply to be considered for three various positions, according to the job listings.
About 200 people are needed to process mailed absentee ballots, starting around Sept. 28 and likely working until a few days after the election. Meanwhile, about 40 people will get hired to assist in–person absentee voters at satellite locations from Oct. 14-Oct. 31. A limited number of people are needed for the administration tasks like data input, which the job description did not include a timeframe for.
“Skills we are looking for are people who have attention to detail and basic computer skills,” Worthy said, adding that applicants must also be registered voters in Virginia. Other requirements and a detailed description of each position can be found online.
“For all positions, you are hired as a seasonal employee, paid hourly, and must go through a background check including fingerprinting. The work is seasonal with no benefits and is dependent on the election schedule,” the listing said, adding that most employees will be paid around $14 an hour. The opportunities are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“We are still in the hiring process so we don’t have a count of how many positions have been filled yet,” Worthy said.
Anyone interested in applying can fill out an online Survey Monkey form. Applicants shouldn’t be surprised if they don’t hear back right away, Worthy said.
“The hiring process does take some time, so people might not hear back immediately,” according to Worthy, who added that he encourages people to apply early so they will have plenty of time to complete the onboarding process.
According to Fairfax County’s website, there are also openings for local election officers. The county said that it’s received roughly 10 times the normal number of applications for the election officer roles.
Photo via Tiffany Tertipes/Unsplash
Falls Church’s Sunset Cinema is coming back for its 17th year with new safety measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The annual event screens movies at Cherry Hill Park. This year, the movies will start at 7:45 on Fridays.
The event will be held in a socially distant format with spots marked across the lawn. Up to 20 households are permitted, and people must bring their own seats, blankets, snacks and masks, the city recently announced.
The movie lineup is:
- Sept. 18: “Moana”
- Sept. 25: “Onward”
- Oct. 2: “Remember the Titans”
People must pre-register for the free movies. Registration for city residents starts on Monday, Aug. 24, and on Monday, Aug. 31, for non-city residents. Households can only register for one Sunset Cinema event.
Space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to the city. In the case of inclement weather, registrants will be notified of a movie make-up date.
Image via the Falls Church website
An upcoming protest in Merrifield is part of nationwide mobilization at post offices across the U.S.
From Alaska to Florida, 602 volunteer-led protests are set to take place at 11 a.m. local time tomorrow (Saturday) to demand Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s resignation and “save the post office from Donald Trump.”
The protests are in response to DeJoy’s cost-cutting measures for the financially-rocky United States Postal Service, which critiques said could delay the expected surge of mail ballots for the November election.
After facing a backlash, DeJoy said he will pause the changes until after the election. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly slammed mail-in ballots, said he opposes more funding for the USPS because of mail-in voting.
The protest at the Merrifield post office (8409 Lee Hwy) will be wheelchair accessible, according to the event description. Protests will also take place in Reston and Arlington.
The nationwide mobilization is backed by several unions and organizations, including MoveOn, Service Employees International Union, the NAACP, the Working Families Party, The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, American Federation of Teachers, Indivisible and Vets for the People.
Organizers are asking participants to wear face coverings, remain 6 feet apart from each other, bring hand sanitizer and keep the protests peaceful and nonviolent.
“Individual hosts are responsible for compliance with their own local laws and event requirements (including orders limiting the sizes of events),” the event description said.
Image via Google Maps
Former Governor Eyeing Run for Seat — “Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe filed paperwork with the State Board of Elections Thursday to seek the governorship in 2021 but has not made a decision yet whether he will actually run for office. In the paperwork, McAuliffe listed himself as a Democratic candidate for governor.” [Patch]
Unemployment Update — “After two successive weeks of significant drops, initial claims for unemployment benefits increased slightly in Northern Virginia last week.” [Inside NoVa]
Traffic Alert for Gallows Road Over I-66 — “Installation of bridge beams for the new Gallows Road Bridge over I-66 will require reducing Gallows Road over I-66 to one travel lane in each direction from 11 a.m. Saturday, August 22, through 8 a.m. Monday, August 24.” [Virginia Department of Transportation]
Lender Could Seize Vienna Hotel — “A portfolio of 48 hotels nationwide, including one in Vienna and several others in Virginia and Maryland, could be seized in a $780 million foreclosure lawsuit.” [Washington Business Journal]
Unemployment Benefits Bump? — “Virginia is applying for federal funds made available by President Donald Trump to supplement state unemployment benefits by $300 a week, Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration said Wednesday.” [Inside NoVa]
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
The ASPIRE HOUSE McLean Designer Show House opens this weekend, giving people an inside look at a 9,600-square-foot custom home decorated by dozens of designers.
The house (952 Mackall Farms Lane) features 30 rooms created and decorated by more than two dozen designers and architects, according to the event description.
Originally supposed to open in May, the event got pushed to June and then to late September. Now, the show house is set to open this Saturday (Aug. 22) to the general public through Sunday, Sept. 13. The show house will be open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
People can take house tours with up to 12 people every 15 minutes, with admission for the last tour starting at 4 p.m., and tour the rooms online.
Safety protocols for the in-person tours due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic include hand sanitizing stations around the show house, face masks required for entry and advising people to stay 6 feet away from each other.
Tickets cost $50 for adults and $45 for military and seniors. The proceeds will go toward a scholarship fund that will support aspiring design talent from underrepresented communities.
Hairstylist Daniel Bechara is looking to raise money ahead of his plans to help repair damaged homes in Lebanon, where he was born and raised.
Bechara, who owns Salon Daniel (6828A Old Dominion Drive) in McLean, started a GoFundMe to raise $50,000. So far, the fundraiser has netted more than $7,000 in six days.
Bechara’s fundraiser joins a growing list of local businesses in the Tysons area that are supporting relief efforts following a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, on Aug. 4.
“August 4, 2020 was a day that shattered my heart, the hearts of my fellow Lebanese people, and the rest of the world,” Bechara wrote on the fundraiser’s page. “Lebanon has experienced dark times, but nothing as devastating as the effects of COVID-19 followed by the massive explosion.”
Bechara shared that he moved to the D.C. area in 1985 and has been providing support to his family and parents in Lebanon, as the country grapples with economic turmoil.
Bechara said he plans to head back to Lebanon in early September to repair homes with the support of the mayor of Dekwaneh, a suburb near Beirut.
“$500 can put a house back into working condition (ie- repair broken glass and provide basic necessities like a microwave, pots, pans),” Bechara wrote, adding that he pledges to make contributions from his own wallet to rebuild four homes.
Photo via Salon Daniel/Facebook
One person has been taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a crash in McLean today (Thursday), according to Fairfax County police.
Police received the call shortly after noon for a collision involving two vehicles at the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Swinks Mill Road, police spokesperson Tara Gerhard told Tysons Reporter.
One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Gerhard said.
As of 12:50 p.m., traffic is backed up a short distance along both roads near the intersection, according to Google Maps. Gerhard said that she was not notified of any road or lane closures.
Map via Google Maps
Dogs in Falls Church will soon have a new daycare destination with the upcoming arrival of Dogtopia.
The daycare, boarding and spa service for dogs plans to open soon at 108 W. Jefferson Street in Falls Church. The business has more than 90 locations across the U.S. and Canada, including one in Tysons near the Spring Hill Metro station.
The business initially planned to open earlier this summer, but pushed the opening due to construction and economic factors. Now, they hope to finish construction by the end of September and open in early October.
Not only does the business work to care for dogs, but they also want to make an impact on the community.
“We have this awesome foundation that we work with and we do truly believe in always giving back to our community,” Cat Michael, the general manager of Dogtopia of Falls Church, said.
First, they are raising money to provide a service dog to local veterans. Second, they are looking to set up employment opportunities for adults with autism. Lastly, they want to raise funds to help the youth literacy programs across the country.
They are currently pairing up with Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. in Falls Church every Thursday night of September to raise money toward their first goal of providing a service dog to local veterans.
“We are currently fundraising to hopefully train to place one dog by the time we open in a veteran’s home in the Falls Church community,” Dogtopia of Falls Church’s Owner Jim Hannesschlager said.
The upcoming location also wants to keep the community safe. To combat COVID-19, Dogtopia Falls Church installed an HVAC air filtering system. They plan to deep clean and sanitize every room with pet-friendly sanitizer to maintain cleanliness while keeping pets safe from harsh chemicals.
The location will also offer contactless pet drop-off and aim to eliminate possibilities of cross-contamination of pet belongings.
Dogtopia is offering a Founders Program for two weeks leading up to the opening. People who sign up will receive two weeks of unlimited daycare prior to the grand opening, according to their website. This offer is available for the first 50 dogs registered.
Photos by Michelle Goldchain, image by Katie Runnerstrom
The McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) is looking for students to submit entries for the upcoming Children’s Art Walk.
In previous years, the Children’s Art Walk was an open-air gallery, but due to the pandemic, the juried show will take place virtually. The New Dominion Women’s Club of McLean is sponsoring the exhibit, which is a part of MPAartfest.
Students in the Langley and McLean public school pyramid, as well as students at private and parochial schools, can participate, Bethany Nguyen, MPA’s marketing consultant, told Tysons Reporter.
Entries will be accepted between Aug. 24-Sept. 6. MPA asks students to submit art related to one of three themes: “Abundance,” “Small Stories” and “Natural Inclinations.”
MPAartfest is scheduled to take place Oct. 4-18. People will be able to view the exhibit, which will also include art made by kids during MPA’s summer art camps, online during the duration of the festival.
Last year’s Children’s Art Walk featured work from more than 150 students, according to MPA.
Photo via McLean Project for the Arts/Facebook
