A janitors’ union has tentatively reached a contract agreement with commercial cleaning companies in the D.C.-area — avoiding a strike that could have affected Tysons offices.
Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ struck an agreement with the Washington Service Contractors Association today (Tuesday, Oct. 15), according to a press release from 32BJ SEIU.
The janitors’ union was planning two strikes later this afternoon ahead of the approaching deadline for the new contract agreement.
The strike was meant to demand wage increases and full-time hours — some janitors currently earn $12.60 per hour for part-time work in Northern Virginia, according to the union.
In total, the strike would have hit more than 1,200 office buildings in D.C., Virginia and Maryland, according to the press release.
Union spokeswoman Julie Karant told Tysons Reporter that more than 4,000 janitors and 500 buildings in Northern Virginia would have been affected by a strike.
Some of the Tysons office buildings were the janitors work include:
- Capital One Tower (1600 and 1680 Capital One Drive)
- Freddie Mac building (8250 Jones Branch Drive)
- Northrop Grumman (7575 Colshire Drive)
- MITRE Corp. (7525 Colshire Drive)
The deal, which covers more than 10,500 jobs, is pending approval by union members, and the union plans to release more details on Monday, Oct. 20, “pending a ratification vote by union members,” the press release said.
“Associated Building Maintenance Co., Inc. remains the only employer out of 58 companies that has not signed the agreement,” according to 32BJ SEIU.
Wednesday (Oct. 16)
- Panel Discussion on Human Trafficking — 7 to 9 p.m. at Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Second Floor (400 Center Street S.) — This panel will discuss human trafficking in local neighborhoods and how to end it.
- Boro Fall Festival — noon to 2 p.m. at Whole Foods (1635 Boro Place) — This free event offers attendees a chance to try fall foods, participate in crafts, enjoy live music and enter into a raffle.
Thursday (Oct. 17)
- Avenir Pumpkin Festival — 5 to 8 p.m. at Modera Avenir Place Apartments (2677 Avenir Place) — This event is free to attend and features a Biergarten, music and pumpkin decorating.
- Local Candidate Forum — 7 p.m. at George Mason High School (7124 Leesburg Pike) — This public forum will allow community members to gather and hear from local candidates running for office on Nov. 5.
- Wild Game Beer Dinner — 7 to 10 p.m. at Caboose Commons (520 Mill Street NE) — This event will feature a five-course meal from chief David Rabin. Tickets are $90 and will include meat such as antelope, bison and goat.
- Meet Author Bill Lewers — 7:30 p.m. at Patrick Henry Library (101 E. Maple Avenue) — This author will discuss his upcoming fiction book “Gatekeepers of Democracy,” which discusses those who serve on election day. Copies will be available for purchase during the book signing.
Friday (Oct. 18)
- “One Man, Two Guvnors” — 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) — This play explores the life of someone who ends up employed by gangsters in England around 1963. Tickets start at $15.
Saturday (Oct. 19)
- Vienna Halloween on the Green — 10:30 to 12:30 p.m. at the Vienna Town Green (144 E. Maple Avenue) — Kids ages two to 10 are welcome to join in some seasonal fun including trick-or-treating, crafts, games, pumpkin decorating and age-appropriate activities. This event is free and open to the public.
- Recycling Extravaganza –– 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Recycling Center (217 Gordon Road) — People are encouraged to bring things they may not be able to get rid of at the curb including toxic chemicals, shredded documents, and electronics. A list of accepted items can be found online and people wishing to drop things off must prove residency.
- Party for a Cause — 9 p.m. t0 2 a.m. at Inca Social (2670 Avenir Place) — This free event will raise money for breast cancer awareness and support for families.
Sunday (Oct. 20)
- McLean Pet Fest — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McLean Central Park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd) — This event gives pet owners the chance to learn about opportunities that will enhance the lives of their furry friends while watching a pet-parade. This event is free and open to the public.
- Ito’s Taste of Colombia — all night at Blend 11 (111 Church Street NW, Suite 101) — Chef Andrés Julian will prepare a five-course meal for guests that includes traditional Colombian dishes. The price is $55 with an optional $21 wine pairing.
Photo via McLean Community Center/Facebook
At the developer’s request, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is pushing its consideration of single-family homes in Merrifield to January.
Toll Mid-Atlantic LP Company is looking to knock down the existing house and structures by the Bear Branch stream valley and Lee Hwy to build 28 homes.
The redevelopment would keep about 35% of the property as open space. Each home would have a two-car garage, a 15-foot front yard setback and a 20-foot rear yard setback, according to the plans.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposed infill project in September.
The proposal was set to have a public hearing before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors today (Oct. 15), but the developer requested that the public hearing get pushed to the second board meeting in January.
Images via Fairfax County
Tysons’ new Burlington is currently closed due to a trash compactor fire earlier this month — but may reopen soon.
Signs on the door say that the store is temporarily closed. “We apologize for the inconvenience,” the sign says.
The store opened at 8355 Leesburg Pike in September.
Smoke entered the store from a fire in a trash compactor behind the building on Oct. 4, Ashley Hildebrandt, a spokesperson for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, told Tysons Reporter.
A reader told Tysons Reporter that the Burlington has been closed since at least Sunday, Oct. 6.
Tysons Reporter reached out to Burlington to ask when the store closed and when it plans to reopen. This story will be updated if the company responds.
Two employees at nearby Burlington stores said that while a reopening date has not been announced yet, they have heard that the store may reopen by next week.
Stationery and gift company Paper Source is planning on opening a store in The Boro.
Building permits indicate that work is underway on the store at 1643 Boro Place.
Paper Source has nearby locations in D.C., Reston and the Mosaic District.
The store joins a long list of retailers gearing up to open at the new Tysons development.
Photo via Paper Source/Facebook
Luxury bed company Hästens is now open in Tysons Galleria.
Based in Sweden, the company sells expensive beds — some over six-figures. The company is the official bedding supplier of the Swedish royal court.
This is the first D.C.-area location for the chain. The closest stores are in New York City.
Located on the first level between Coach and Lilly Pulitzer, the store is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays.
Photo via Facebook
A virtual reality entertainment center plans to open this week at Tysons Corner Center — more than a year after signs for the VR business popped up at the mall.
The Void is set to open on Friday, Oct. 18, and people can experience “Avengers: Damage Control,” which launches the same day, an employee at the business, told Tysons Reporter.
“Coming soon” signs have been at the mall for more than a year.
Tysons Reporter spotted that the VR company failed — and then passed — five inspections at the mall from June to October. A spokesman for the mall wasn’t able to confirm that the failed inspections caused the delay.
It’s unclear if the year-long wait is typical for the company.
In June 2018, The Void announced several new locations — the Santa Monica location opened at the start of this year, while the Minneapolis one opened this summer, followed by the Atlanta location a few weeks ago.
The VR business, which is backed in part by Disney, has locations in eight locations — including the Tysons one — in the U.S. and three in Canada. The company is looking to expand in the U.S. and internationally.
Tickets are $39.95 per person and up to four people can take part in groups, according to the website. People can find The Void located on the first level by Barnes and Noble.
Heres What’s Closed Today — Government facilities, transit options and community centers are affected by Columbus Day — also known as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” in some areas — today. [Tysons Reporter]
FCPS OKs CBD Oil — “The Fairfax County School Board has approved a policy on the storage, dispensing, and administration of cannabidiol oil and THC-A that aligns with Virginia law that became effective on July 1.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Reston Hospital Center Coming to Tysons — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 24 unanimously approved plans by Reston Hospital Center to convert an existing three-story restaurant/bank building at 8240 Leesburg Pike into a freestanding emergency room that will be associated with Reston Hospital.” [Inside NoVa]
New Owners for Tysons Office Building — “American Real Estate Partners (AREP) has acquired 1660 International Drive, a 212,731-square-foot, Class A office building in McLean, Va., from NewTower Trust Company in a $71 million deal, according to AREP.” [Commercial Observer]
Vanpooling in Tysons — “Tysons is aiming to increase the number of residents to 100,000 and the number of employees to 200,000 by 2050. It also wants to reduce the number of cars on the road… In order to accomplish both of these goals, Tysons has to help people get to work without driving themselves alone.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Voter Registration Deadline on Tuesday — The voter registration deadline is on Tuesday (Oct. 15). [Virginia Department of Elections]
Rabid Raccoon Found in Falls Church — “City of Falls Church Police report the Fairfax County Health Department confirmed Wednesday, Oct. 9, that the animal put down on Oct. 4 was suffering from rabies. Police say no human was exposed to the sick raccoon but warn that residents should be aware of the endemic threat of rabies to the area.” [Falls Church News-Press]
The View Moves Forward — “The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted 10-0 Thursday night to recommend approval of the View at Tysons, setting up a final vote Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.” [Washington Business Journal]
A Thoreau Middle School teacher was arrested for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a teen, according to Fairfax County police.
Police arrested 31-year-old Matthew Snell of Maryland in El Paso, Texas after he allegedly tried to leave the U.S.
More from FCPD:
Yesterday, parents found inappropriate text messages from the man to a teen and self-reported to the school. Detectives from the Major Crimes Bureau Child Abuse Squad acted swiftly to corroborate the information.
Snell became aware of the ongoing investigation and left our jurisdiction as arrest warrants were authorized and obtained. Through coordination with other law enforcement partners, he was tracked to the El Paso International Airport where he was safely taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service. Snell will be extradited to Fairfax County to face charges.
Snell faces charges of carnal knowledge of a child and taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial relationship.
Fairfax County Police Department worked with the Vienna Police Department, United States Marshals Service, the National Targeting Center, Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection.
Anyone who has information about the case can call Major Crimes Bureau detectives at 703-246-7800.
Image via Google Maps
Tysons Reporter has learned that a retired foreign service officer is joining the race for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Providence District seat.
Eric Jones started working for the U.S. State Department in 1990 and retired in 2016, according to his LinkedIn.
Jones and his wife Yelena, who is a realtor, bought their home in Fairfax in 2005, according to The Washington Post.
Jones has been endorsed by the Republican Party, Pat Ferguson, who works in Fairfax County’s Office of Elections, told Tysons Reporter.
His name is expected to show up on the Virginia Department of Elections’ list of candidates on Monday, Ferguson said.
The previous Republican candidate for the seat, Paul Bolon, died from a heart attack in August at the age of 69.
Jones will face Democratic candidate Dalia Palchik on Nov. 5.
Image via Fairfax County Republican Committee
