Leesburg Pike in Tysons is getting new sidewalks and pedestrian ramps.
The work is a part of the Silver Line Phase 1, according to the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.
“This work includes the installation of underdrain, sidewalk crack repairs, manholes and other drainage structure repairs, and ensuring pedestrian ramps meet the latest ADA code standards,” the project update said.
Work has already been finished on the eastbound side, and now crews are working on the westbound side of Leesburg Pike before starting similar work along Route 123 near Tysons Blvd.
While the work is underway, pedestrians are asked to use temporary detours and drivers can expect signs and barricades.
“Large, slow moving vehicles may be exiting and entering the highway at various times,” the update said.
Photo courtesy Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
Editor’s note: Tysons Reporter will temporarily have “Morning Notes” every weekday instead of twice a week to accommodate more news.
Mental Health Services From FCPS — “Any FCPS parent may schedule a 30-minute phone consultation with a school psychologist or school social worker, for either themselves or their middle or high school student.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
COVID-19 Causes More Event Cancellations in Vienna — “The Town of Vienna has canceled all special events through June 30 and has extended limitations to Town facilities and modifications to some Town services until June 10… The Vienna Farmers Market tentatively plans to open Saturday, June 13.” [Town of Vienna]
Bus Changes Rolling In — “Effective Saturday, April 11, 2020, Fairfax County Department of Transportation will make temporary adjustments to Fairfax Connector bus service.” [Fairfax County]
Newest Spring Hill Stations Project Plans — “The latest plans include a 225-foot-tall building with 378K SF of office space and 20K SF of retail, two apartment towers reaching 270 feet and 215 feet, and a 60-foot-tall building with parking garage, retail and an expansive rooftop park. The 1.6-acre park, called the Galaxy Sports Deck, would include a turf field, two multipurpose courts and a children’s playground.” [Bisnow]
Stop Transporting Yard Waste — “Fairfax County residents are strongly discouraged from taking their yard waste to the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill. This will help the county to focus on collecting trash during the pandemic and encourage social distancing.” [Fairfax County]
Food Truck Startup Rolling in the Dough — “The Center for Innovative Technology… announced that CIT GAP Funds has invested in Tysons, Va.-based Curbside Kitchen, developer of a platform that manages and connects owners of commercial office and multi-family residential buildings with food truck vendors.” [Globe Newswire]
Patch Starts Small Business Guide — “To help local residents navigate what is open and closed in town during the coronavirus crisis, we’ve introduced a simple a small business guide. Businesses have provided their information.” [McLean Patch]
The number of unemployment claims in Fairfax County skyrocketed last month.
Claims jumped from a mere 145 claims the week of March 14 to 4,345 the following week, according to information from the Virginia Employment Commission. As of March 28, that number ballooned to 12,109 claims.
The latest numbers offer a glimpse into the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as thousands of county residents lose their jobs.
The county’s unemployment insurance claims data are similar to the statewide picture. The number of claims filed during the week ending on March 28 was 110,397 higher than the comparable 2019 week.
The Virginia Employment Commission says initial claims measure the clear economic impact of the COVID-19 virus.
Although many areas are reporting layoffs in service-related industries like accommodation and food services, the commission notes that there are indications that layoffs “are bordering to affect a wider range of industries.”
Map via Virginia Employment Commission
Tysons is no stranger to people jumping off of its tall buildings. Now, a building under construction at Capital One’s campus seems to be the latest spot for parachuters.
Two videos posted by Reddit users on Sunday (April 5) each appear to show a person parachuting off of the building that will include a Wegmans store, rooftop park, residential units and parking.
One dash cam video recorded at the intersection of Colshire Drive and Dolley Madison Blvd appears to show a parachuter float down from near the future Wegmans building and land in the middle of Scotts Crossing Road.
The user who posted the video said that the incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The second video, which was taken in The Gates of McLean development, appears to show a parachuter jump off the building.
“Two people jumped,” the user who posted the second video said in the comments. “I saw the first jump out of the corner of my eye and was able to catch the second on my phone.”
Fairfax County police received a report of two people jumping from a building near Capital One Drive and Scotts Crossing Road around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sgt. Greg Bedor told Tysons Reporter.
Police checked the area around the building, but weren’t able to find the jumpers, Bedor said.
“We are aware of the situation and have been in contact with local authorities,” a Capital One spokesperson said when Tysons Reporter asked about the Reddit posts.
On Monday (April 6), police took a report of a trespassing complaint in the 1600 block of Capital One Drive that happened on Sunday, Bedor said.
“Officers are actively investigating to determine if the trespassing complaint is related to the event described on [April 5],” he said.
People have jumped off of Tysons buildings seemingly for fun in the past. Previously, police investigated a series of BASE jumping incidents at the 32-story Lumen building.
“Dangerous and illegal activities such as this, particularly during a time when emergency medical services are already operating under pressure, are irresponsible and put unnecessary strain on limited community resources,” the Capital One spokesperson said.
Image via u/tlis on Reddit
With Passover and Easter quickly approaching, religious organizations and state officials are encouraging people to find alternatives to large group celebrations.
Easter Sunday falls on April 12 and Passover begins on Thursday (April 9) and ends on April 16 this year — around when statisticians hypothesize COVID-19 will peak in the D.C. area.
To obey state mandates, religious groups such as Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church and Saint John the Beloved in McLean are encouraging their patrons to worship at home this year or through digital means.
For Christians, Easter is a celebration of resurrection of Jesus from the dead, while Passover is a Jewish holiday to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses.
Fairfax County released a statement reminding people that it is illegal to gather in groups of 10 or more and requested that people celebrate at home with immediate family members.
“Consider the use of technology to gather people virtually in your home to have shared meals,” the statement said. “Through various media platforms, communal sharing and celebration of religious observances can continue while keeping each other safe.”
The Virginia Department of Health also released a public service announcement, primarily echoing Fairfax County’s statement.
“While the Passover Seder often includes extended family and friends, it is by tradition a ceremony of the home,” the Virginia Department of Health said. “The essence of the Seder can be the same: sitting with your family around the dining room table to remember the exodus.”
Similar recommendations will be in place for Ramadan, which begins later in the month.
“The purpose of Jumu’a is to gather the entire community together in one place for prayer and since that cannot be done safely, imams are asking each person to pray in their own home,” according to the Virginia Department of Health.
The New York Times published an article exploring how added stress from the pandemic might influence people’s mindsets and emotions during the spring holiday season.
The article’s author encouraged readers to celebrate through family activities like video chatting, reading to one another, playing games and signing.
For celebrations scheduled to take place this week, Saint John the Beloved, the Catholic church in McLean, has links on its website to online Mass and Easter celebrations at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Temple Rodef Shalom has updated its Facebook page to reflect the upcoming digital Seder celebrations, which will take place through Zoom from 5:30-8:30 p.m. People are asked to preregister and will receive a link shortly after.
For other religious ceremonies and support groups, Tysons Reporter previously did a roundup to see how places of worship are adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo by Sweet Amaryllis/Unsplash
(Updated 4/8/2020) In addition to their regular menu items for delivery or carry out, some local restaurants are turning into grocers to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grocery kits and markets from restaurants save residents a trip to the grocery store and help financially support local eateries.
Here’s a few of the restaurants-turned-grocers Tysons Reporter has found:
Great American Restaurants, which operates three eateries in Tysons, debuted “The Great American Grocery Essentials” on March 25, according to a press release.
For $69, the kit includes milk, orange juice, butter, rice, eggs, ground beef, chicken breast, toilet paper, baked goods, spaghetti and paper towels.
The kit is available for pick-up or delivery.
Farmers Restaurant Group has started an online market and grocery at the Founding Farmers locations in Tysons and Potomac, Md., according to a press release.
“The market will sell over 300 items with various ‘departments’ including a prepared foods market, bakery and pastry, butcher and deli, produce, an ice cream shop, basic groceries and household staples, tins of specialty roasted coffee, and an alcohol section,” the press release said.
In addition to the restaurant’s a la carte menu, the Tysons location will also offer scheduled, contact-free curbside pick-up and delivery options for its groceries starting today (April 7).
Delivery orders cost an addition $6.99 and will be available within a 10-15 mile radius of the two locations.
“Restaurant access to bulk food and material suppliers and partners could help ease the burden for everyone, especially with shortages at area grocery stores,” the press release said.
Earls, a restaurant chain that has a location in Tysons, recently launched “Earls Grocer” to sell pre-packaged grocery kits, meals and individual items for delivery or pick-up.
The grocery packs offered in the U.S. include the “Produce Pack,” “Dairy + Egg Pack,” “Pantry Pack” and “Protein Pack.”
Shoppers can also by individual items — like toilet paper, hand soap, BBQ rack of ribs, ground coffee and cheesecake — and prepared meals to feed two to four people.
In the U.S., the groceries can be delivered through DoorDash, UberEats or GrubHub.
The Palm, a restaurant chain that has a location in Tysons, is offering take-home meal kits, according to Facebook posts.
People can create their own meals with The Palm’s “Steak Kits.”
“From 7-ounce Center-Cut Filets to 18-ounce Rib-Eye Steaks, place your order at your nearest Palm for pickup or curbside service,” according to a Facebook post.
Know of a local restaurant offering groceries? Email us at [email protected]
Fairfax County has seen another jump in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Cases rose from 488 on Monday to 532 today (Tuesday), according to data from the Virginia Department of Health
As of today, there are 3,333 confirmed cases and 63 deaths statewide, including five deaths in Fairfax County.
The Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County, has the highest number of cases in the state, followed by Henrico County (267), which is near Richmond.
Nearby Arlington County has 237 cases, while Loudoun County has 209.
Recently, Northam urged Virginians to wear cloth face masks or coverings to reduce the spread of the virus — especially by asymptomatic people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear cloth face coverings — not surgical masks or N-95 respirators that medical workers need.
Data in graph via Virginia Department of Health
Editor’s note: Tysons Reporter will temporarily have “Morning Notes” every weekday instead of twice a week to accommodate more news.
Local Paper Looking for Help — The Falls Church News-Press has been asking for donations from $25-$5,000 to help keep the paper operating under the COVID-19 pandemic. [Falls Church News-Press]
How One Local Faith Group is Adapting — “The ongoing COVID-19 public-health crisis has caused many organizations to regroup. Among them is Arlington/McLean Young Life Capernaum, which works with young people with special needs.” [Inside NoVa]
Local Students’ Research Lauded — “Emily Sun and Abigail Xu, students at Langley High School, have been selected as the 2020 recipients of the STEM Excellence Award bestowed by the McLean area branch of the American Association of University Women.” [Inside NoVa]
Shopper Limits at Harris Teeter — “Kroger Co. will limit the number of shoppers it allows in each of its stores across the country — including its Harris Teeter-branded stores — beginning Tuesday…The standard grocery store building capacity is one person per 60 square feet. Kroger will now limit capacity to one person per 120 square feet.” [Washington Business Journal]
Falls Church Officials Mull COVID-19 Impacts — “Although it is only a very preliminary assessment, the City’s chief financial officer Kiran Bawa presented to the Council two possible scenarios for the fiscal conditions facing the City, moderate and a severe estimates, with one having the City losing $1.3 to $3.9 million in revenues below earlier projections in the last four months of the current fiscal year, and $5.5 to $8.5 million in the Fiscal Year 2021 that begins July 1.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Severe Thunderstorms Possible — “Isolated severe storms are possible late this afternoon and evening for locations near and to the south and west of the Potomac River. Damaging winds and large hail are the primary threats. There is an isolated threat for severe thunderstorms overnight across the entire area.” [National Weather Service]
Severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and tonight. See image for more details. pic.twitter.com/s73E9gUzze
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) April 7, 2020
The Vienna entrepreneur behind TicketFam decided to launch yet another startup to meet the rising demand for homemade face masks around the country.
Every Mask Counts only has two face mask designs on its website so far, but its founder, Arian Shahbazi, said that the goal is to educate people about the ongoing pandemic and promote safety.
“This website is created to promote people to wear protective face masks during this COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Shahbazi, who told Tysons Reporter that the company has over 150 masks ready to hit the market.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear cloth face coverings — not surgical masks or N-95 respirators that medical workers need — in public places to slow the spread of the virus.
For each mask sold, the entrepreneur said he will send another mask to a hospital in New York, where Shahbazi’s friend works as a health care professional.
Each mask sells online for $14.95 and includes free shipping anywhere in the United States, the website said. Customers can choose from either a Black Panther fabric design or a variated pink and white pattern in sizes small/medium or large/extra-large.
Soon, Shahbazi said people will be able to choose from over 10 different patterns, each of which are handmade and reusable after a wash.
For people in the Virginia and D.C. area, Shahbazi said he will also offer free curbside drop-off to people who are nervous about leaving their homes or accepting packages from the mail.
Shahbazi, who is producing the masks along with the help of close family members, said that there will be as little contact with the masks as possible.
Photo courtesy TicketFam
In response to everything happening with the COVID-19 pandemic, several local groups decided to raise money to feed medical workers at local facilities.
Though Hearts of Empowerment, the P.U.S.O. Foundation and Mighty Meals all typically serve different purposes in the community, they began a joint GoFundMe campaign to feed health care workers throughout the Tysons area, according to a press release.
Since the campaign’s kick-off on March 24, the organizers have raised $4,250 and counting. So far, more than 85 people have donated to the cause.
Hearts of Empowerment is a non-profit organization that wants to ensure that no charity is forced to close its doors due to a lack of funding, its website said, adding that it will donate $750 of the company’s own funds in addition to what is raised on the GoFundMe page.
The P.U.S.O. Foundation, which stands for Purposeful Unconditional Service to Others, works to empower people in underserved areas of the world, according to its website. The foundation will donate an extra $1,000, on top of what is crowdsourced, according to the GoFundMe campaign.
Mighty Meals — the group that will cater the food — was founded on a platform that everyone should have access to healthy and fulfilling meals, its website said. Mighty Meals will match the total donation amount by 25%, according to the GoFundMe.
“To date, we have delivered over 200 meals and our efforts will continue on a weekly basis as we have made it our goal to feed the staff of a new hospital every week,” a spokesperson for Hearts of Empowerment said.
On top of the funding for meals, Trophy Body Personal Training will be sponsoring free social distancing outdoor workouts for doctors and nurses, according to the GoFundMe.
Photos courtesy Hearts of Empowerment
