Editor’s note: Starting March 24, Tysons Reporter will have “Morning Notes” every weekday instead of twice a week to accommodate more news.

Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

FCPD Makes Changes Due to Coronavirus — “The department has added staff and is available to take certain police reports over the phone. Community members are also encouraged to utilize the online reporting system.” [Fairfax County Police Department]

AP, IB Info for Students — “Traditional face-to-face [AP] exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home… The May 2020 IB examinations for Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme students will no longer be held.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Local Couple 3-D Printing Mask Shields — “As protective gear shortages put our frontline medical workers at risk, Vienna couple Amy and Jeremy Filko are 3D-printing shields to protect N95 masks. For each request received, the Filkos are covering shipping costs and sending four free masks to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.” [Washingtonian]

Dalia Palchik, Del. Marcus Simon (D-53rd) Host Virtual Town Hall — “In an audience that ranged up to 44 viewers, the two responded to questions both about the current pandemic and, for Simon, the recently-concluded legislative session in Richmond.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Capital One Ups Pay for Workers Not Teleworking — “Capital One Financial Corp. is hiking the salaries of its employees who work directly with customers as the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the country, the company announced internally and confirmed to the Washington Business Journal.” [Washington Business Journal]

Metro Cuts Back Service This Week — “Trains will be operating every 20 minutes on all lines except the Red Line, which will run every 15 minutes, according to a news release.” [Inside Nova]

Beginning Tuesday, March 24, 2020, Fairfax Connector customers will be required to enter and exit the bus using the rear doors. This does not apply to customers who need to use a wheelchair ramp. Fare collection on buses will also be temporarily suspended.https://t.co/wVHrkCaTbp pic.twitter.com/ignjpBRKgU

— Fairfax Connector (@ffxconnector) March 23, 2020

COVID19 BUS BOARDING CHANGE

Starting today: Use rear door when getting on or off the bus, except if you use wheelchair ramp or kneeling. Fares waived.

SERVICE IS VERY LIMITED. Let's keep it available for hospital staff & other critical workers. Essential travel only. #wmata pic.twitter.com/AqzOKVJKFy

— Metro Forward (@wmata) March 24, 2020

This is Thomas Jefferson Elementary in Falls Church, but sign is from Fairfax County. I didn’t think the city and county shared parks services, but maybe they’re working together during the pandemic?

— Falls Church Views (@fallschurchview) March 22, 2020

A new group in Falls Church plans to deliver groceries and prescriptions to residents who are at a high-risk for the coronavirus.

Called the Falls Church Area COVID-19 Aid, the group officially kicks off today, according to a press release. At no charge, the group will shop for and deliver groceries and medications via a “no contact” procedure.

“For those who are elderly, or disabled, or particularly vulnerable, it is much harder to get through social isolation and can be life-threatening,” the press release said.

Two Falls Church residents — Mike Michener and Ally Bernstein — separately posted a similar idea on NextDoor and, after seeing each other’s posts, decided to team up, according to the press release.

Now, the group has about 40 volunteers ranging from teens to retirees, the press release said.

People interested in using the service can call (703) 982-0736 to reach Falls Church Area COVID-19 Aid. People interested in learning more can contact Tamar Abrams at (703) 855-4900 and [email protected].

Photo by leonie wise on Unsplash

In response to the novel coronavirus, several local stores are offering special shopping hours for seniors and high-risk customers.

We’ve rounded up what we know so far about these hours, although some grocers have not defined the age minimum for being classified as a “senior.”

Here’s the latest update on specialized shopping hours for seniors and high-risk people:

• Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market: First hour of shopping every day
• Target: First hour of shopping on Wednesdays
• Whole Foods: (Vienna, Idylwood Plaza and Tysons): people ages 60 and older can shop at 7 a.m. before the stores open at 8 a.m.
• Safeway: 7-9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, per a store representative
• Harris Teeter: 6-7 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays for people ages 60 and older
• Giant: People age 60 and older or with compromised immune systems between 6-7 a.m.
• Walgreens: Tuesdays from 8-9 a.m., also open to caregivers and immediate families
• Trader Joe’s: Mondays from 9-10 a.m.
• Walmart (1500 Cornerside Blvd in Tysons): will open at 6 a.m. for seniors on Tuesday, March 24
• The Fresh Market: seniors and immuno-compromised people can shop 8-9 a.m. every day at all locations

Additionally, some stores are offering in-person and online express lanes for seniors:

“Harris Teeter will designate ExpressLane Online Shopping pick-up times from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for seniors only every Thursday until further notice and will waive the $4.95 fee & offer $5 delivery for seniors during these times,” according to the grocery store chain.

“Every day between 9-10 a.m., crew members will maintain an additional line outside the front door for our senior customers,” according to Trader Joe’s website. “This will ensure that those customers in need will have an expedited entrance to the store to help make their experience a more positive one.”

Ashley Hopko and Catherine Douglas Moran contributed reporting

As the number of coronavirus cases grows, Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed for the rest of the school year along with all other schools in the state.

In a press briefing today (Monday), Gov. Ralph Northam announced the closure of the schools.

All recreational and entertainment businesses must also close by midnight tomorrow (Tuesday), along with non-essential businesses that cannot limit patrons to 10 people or less, Northam said, adding that grocery stores, banks and pharmacies will remain open.

Northam said that restaurants can stay open for carry-out, curbside pick-up and delivery service.

“We are in this for months, not weeks,” Northam said. “So we are taking additional actions to keep Virginians safe.”

The state is currently seeking help to provide child care for essential personnel like health care providers.

So far, the state has 254 confirmed cases, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Fairfax County has the highest number of cases across all jurisdictions. The number jumped from 31 on Sunday to 43 today.

Governor Northam COVID-19 Briefing – March 23 https://t.co/u8kXFDq03u

— Governor Ralph Northam (@VAGovernor73) March 23, 2020

Image via Twitter

1 Million Cups Fairfax decided to move weekly meetings online to keep helping local startups and tech gurus during the coronavirus outbreak.

The group’s meetings and community events, which were usually in-person on Wednesday mornings, will be held online until further notice through a free digital software called Zoom, Silvia Ferguson, a spokesperson for the group, said.

Ferguson added that more details will be released online shortly.

1 Million Cups Fairfax, which is a part of a chapter initiative, allows local entrepreneurs to network with one another and receive feedback on business pitches.

Though Ferguson said that she isn’t sure how the economic downturn will potentially affect startups, she did say that members of Office Evolution — a co-working space that sponsors 1 Million Cups — and attendees that she has spoken to seem to be in good spirits.

The next 1 Million Cups Event will be held digitally this Wednesday (March 25)  from 9-10 a.m. People should be able to visit the event page soon for an updated link to the digital event, according to Ferguson.

Photo via 1 Million Cups/Facebook

It might look like it’s getting torn down, but the Safeway Fuel Station in McLean is really getting a makeover.

The gas station at 1698 Anderson Road has been listed by Patch as one of the cheapest places to get gas during the Thanksgiving holiday.

“We are planning a remodel [and] expansion of the fuel center to provide more offerings,” Beth Goldberg, a spokesperson for Safeway’s parent company Albertsons, told Tysons Reporter.

In lieu of the scheduled City Council meeting, Falls Church officials will host a virtual town hall tonight (Monday) about the coronavirus.

Two COVID-19 cases — both involving residents at The Kensington (700 W. Broad Street) — have been recently announced in the city.

Mayor David Tarter, School Board Chairman Greg Anderson, City Manager Wyatt Shields and Superintendent of Schools Peter Noonan are scheduled to provide updates during the town hall. Additionally, a Fairfax County Health Department representative will provide a briefing on the virus.

The event is set to start at 7:30 p.m. Viewers can watch it by streaming the video on the city’s website and submit questions to [email protected] for the officials.

After the town hall is over, a recording will be made available on the city’s website.

Image via City of Falls Church

Fairfax County Public Schools has changed the time for its grab and go meal sites at 34 school locations.

Starting Tuesday, March 24, FCPS will have the meals available from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The altered times will not affect the breakfast and lunch availability, according to FCPS.

Families can also find breakfast and lunch at 10 pop-up locations around the county and bus stop locations in several school neighborhoods. The complete list is available online, along with an online map created by the county to find food distribution sites.

Curbside pickup is available at Westgate Elementary in Falls Church and Oak View Elementary in Fairfax from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Meals are free for kids and $2 for adults. Families must bring their kids when requesting meals.

Photo via FCPS

(Updated at 12:55 p.m.) The streets and shops around Tysons are growing increasingly deserted as more and more people stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

It appears that local residents are taking social distancing and staying at home — if possible — seriously from photos sent to Tysons Reporter by readers to a visit by our staff photographer last week.

Traffic data from Google Maps showed that traffic was reduced around 10 a.m. than it normally is at the same time on most Mondays.

The Virginia Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras show few cars on Leesburg Pike in Pimmit Hills, Chain Bridge Road at the Tysons-Vienna border, Route 50 in Falls Church and I-66 in Merrifield.

Meanwhile, I-495 near Old Dominion Drive in McLean had some cars on the highway, the cameras show.

On Wednesday (March 18). Jay Westcott, Tysons Reporter’s staff photographer, noticed a “fair amount” of traffic in the area, but less congestion on I-66 in the morning.

Westcott noted that usually busy streets around Tysons were empty.

Traffic camera footage in Tysons, McLean, Vienna, Falls Church and Merrifield this morning: https://t.co/lUBvJiaKJx pic.twitter.com/cnGaRqyp02

— Catherine Douglas Moran (@c_douglasmoran) March 23, 2020

@TysonsReporter Right now on Route 7 Leesburg Pike.
Photo by Ed Schudel pic.twitter.com/MdIH6XAq1h

— WFO (@WFOcom) March 22, 2020

Not that there would be much to do for people who decide to venture outside — movie theaters, performing arts centers and many retailers are temporarily closed or pivoted to online options, while events have been canceled.

While they are still open, Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Center have altered their hours of operations and upped their cleaning schedules.

Local resident David Endres recently spotted seating blocked off at various spots in Tysons Corner Center:

To lower the risk of spreading the virus, eateries that have not temporarily closed have switched to delivery and take-out only options.

Westcott spotted orange plastic fencing around the seats at the McDonald’s at the intersection of Old Courthouse and Chain Bridge roads.

Meanwhile, Endres noticed these signs around Capital One’s headquarters near the McLean Metro station:

While Westcott saw few people in downtown Tysons by the malls, he did spot several people getting fresh air at local parks, like Spring Hill District Park, and along the W&OD Trail in Vienna.

While Fairfax County has closed its indoor park facilities and recreation, nature and community centers through March 29, people can still use the county’s outdoor parks and trails.

Have you recently snapped some photos of what the Tysons area is like right now? Feel free to share them with us by sending them to [email protected] or DMing us on our social media accounts: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Staff photographer Jay Westcott contributed to this story 

A second resident in a senior living facility in Falls Church has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Fairfax County health officials.

The county announced the new coronavirus case at The Kensington (700 W. Broad Street) on Sunday (March 22) — a few days after the first case was announced on Thursday (March 19).

“Fairfax County Health Department, The Kensington, and the City of Falls Church are fully collaborating on the investigation and taking immediate action to prevent further spread,” according to the county.

The man who first tested positive was isolated after he started having respiratory illness symptoms on Saturday, March 14, county officials said.

Seven other people who were sick at the assisted living and memory care facility received negative test results for the virus, the city said in a press release.

The City of Falls Church, which is a part of the Fairfax Health District, declared a local emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, March 16.

Image via Google Maps