A new tavern coming to Vienna will cater to beer lovers and W&OD Railroad Regional Park visitors.

Construction on the upcoming Bear Branch Tavern, owned by Chris Lefbom and Adam Lubar, began last week after city officials gave the green light on June 20. The faculty will serve a full restaurant menu, cocktails and more than 20 draft beers, Lefbom said.

Located at 133 E. Maple Avenue, the tavern will offer a large variety of amenities for patrons including two bars, a patio, indoor and outdoor fire pits, an oyster bar, frozen drink machines, bike racks as well as water coolers for people along the nearby W&OD trail.

“We took over an old bank so we decided to keep the framed drive-thru area and turn it into a three season-enclosed porch area with operable windows,” co-owner Chris Lefbom said.

The owners hope to open the tavern for operation in February 2020. Lefbom said that they will have “a little more clarity on the menu” once they hire a chef, which they are still in the interview process for.

“Adam and I have lived in Northern Virginia since we were toddlers and have always loved the small-town feel of Vienna,” Lefbom said. “We feel the area could use the addition of a neighborhood tavern and we love being next to the W&OD trail in the heart of Vienna.”

Image via Google Maps, second image via Vienna Planning Commission

The Virginia Department of Transporation is looking to secure an emergency contract for one of two McLean Roads undergoing long-term repair.

The 1300 block of Kirby Road and Swinks Mill Road by Scott’s Run are still closed due to severe storm damage from July 8 flash flooding. VDOT has said that both roads will stay closed for several months.

In an update yesterday (Thursday), VDOT said that it wants an emergency contract for bridge and road repairs at Kirby Road.

As for Swinks Mill Road, VDOT tweeted today (Friday) that reconstruction of the road’s bridge starts Monday (Aug. 12).

VDOT also provided information on the progress this week for both roads:

Kirby Road at Pimmit Run (VA-695)

• Structure and bridge crews removed debris from Little Pimmit Run and Pimmit Run.
• Soil boring cores and test results were completed.
• Survey work and underground utility location is complete.
• Design plans are being finalized for an emergency contract.

Swinks Mill Road at Scotts Run (VA-685)

• Crews removed asphalt and guardrail debris from Scotts Run.
• Soil boring cores along with results were completed.
• Survey work and underground utility location have been completed.
• Bridge design plans are complete.
• Repairs will be performed by VDOT structure and bridge crews, who will begin work once ordered materials are received.

“Coordination with external agencies is ongoing to ensure efficient repair of damaged utilities, including coordination with federal/state permitting agencies to relocate Little Pimmit Run to its previous stream alignment,” according to the press release.

Kirby and Swinks Mill roads weren’t the only ones damaged — VDOT said that “extensive repairs” were made to 12 McLean-area roads right after the storm.

Good News! Work to reconstruct the Swinks Mill Road bridge begins Monday— and Kirby Road isn’t far behind! https://t.co/WgpybIc0R3

— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) August 9, 2019

Photo 3 via VDOT

Fairfax County police are investigating a robbery at the T-Mobile store in downtown McLean.

The incident took place around 7:30 p.m. last night (Wednesday) at 1400 Chain Bridge Road, according to a police report.

Police said that five people stole merchandise and assaulted an employee in the store.

“The suspects are described as black, in their teens,” police said.

In a separate incident last night, police said that someone was assaulted in the 7900 block of Tysons One Place right by Tysons Corner Center shortly before 7 p.m.

More from FCPD:

While taking trash to the compactor area of a building, the victim found a man already in the room. Without warning the man began to cut the victims arm with a knife. The victim did not require medical treatment and the injuries were described as superficial.

Police are still looking for the man, who police described as “a black man with dreadlocks, in his 20s, 5’8″ and very skinny. He was last seen wearing all black clothing with holes in his jeans.”

Falls Church city leaders and residents are working together on flood prevention to minimize damage from storms like the one that hit last month.

The City of Falls Church held a meeting to discuss the impact of the severe flash flooding on July 8 with residents Wednesday night (Aug. 7).

The meeting kicked off with a staff presentation to update the roughly 50 people who filled the council chambers.

While City Manager Wyatt Shields said that the city has started some utility improvements, like enlarging the stormwater channel and increasing stormwater detention, the city now needs to shift its focus from water quality to quantity.

The city’s annual budget has $1.6 million dedicated to stormwater projects, he said.

“This Is Not The First Time”

Mayor David Tartar kicked off the meeting by stressing a need for better flood prevention for possibly more severe flooding in the future.

“It seems like these once in a lifetime events are happening more often,” Tartar told the attendees, adding that the city wants to take a holistic approach to solving city-wide problems.

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Distilleries across the county are fighting a looming tax raise they say threatens their existence — and one Falls Church distillery is joining the fray.

Michael Paluzzi owns Falls Church Distillers and is currently petitioning Congressmembers to pass a bill that would freeze current tax rates in place before they expire at the end of the year.

If the tax rates expire, distilleries across the nation could see a spike in liquor production costs, possibly causing some local distilleries to nix plans for expansion or even close.

In an attempt to prevent that, Paluzzi gathered with more than 160 other distillery owners for a conference in D.C. last month to discuss dilemmas in the industry, set up congressional visits with senators and find a way to stop the federal tax increase.

Legislation and Numbers

The conference was held in conjunction with the American Craft Spirits Association, a non-profit organization consisting of distillery owners and stakeholders, along with the Distilled Spirits Council.

The association is one of the interest groups spearheading legislation to keep the current Federal Excise Tax.

Currently, the Federal Excise Tax rate for liquor is $2.70 per gallon. But, it will rise to $13.50 on Dec. 31 if no one acts.

It may be too late to get the law passed as an individual piece of legislation before the deadline, the association’s CEO Margie Lehrman told Tysons Reporter.

To work around this problem, the group hopes to instead piggy-back it onto other legislation set to be voted on, as a rider bill. She said because of support from over 272 cosponsors, the group is fairly confident this idea will work.

Impact on Local Business

“It is not a Republican bill. It’s not a Democrat bill. The entire alcohol industry is united,” Lehrman said.

Lehrman said she is fairly optimistic about the legislation passing as a “tax vehicle,” since the legislation has traction from over 70 senators around the country. However, Paluzzi worries that legislators will misunderstand the impact of the taxes on small companies.

Paluzzi said that legislators don’t want to be seen giving tax breaks to large distillery companies like Jack Daniels. “This [tax break] means nothing to them and everything to us,” Paluzzi said.

With the tax breaks from the federal government, Paluzzi was able to reinvest in his own business by hiring two new team members. “Any tax relief I was given was more than made up for in the local economy.”

As of 2010, there were fewer than 50 craft spirit producers in the U.S., Lehrman said. Now in 2019, there are over 2,000 — many of them still young companies.

Paluzzi said that it takes three to five years for distilleries to start making even a small profit because of high startup costs.

“This tax relief, for many, was a type of lifeline,”  Lehrman said.

Cultural Importance 

Both Lehrman and Paluzzi spoke to the cultural and historical value of distilleries.

Since the founding of Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street) in 2017, Paluzzi and his son, Lorenzo, make various types of craft vodka, whiskey, gin, rum and brandy.

Rooted in their love for liquor, they are also proud of the history behind the distillery. Not only is it the only privately owned distillery in Fairfax County, but it was also the first to open in the area since prohibition ended in 1933.

Lehrman told Tysons Reporter that craft distilleries are becoming increasingly popular among millennials.

“If we wanna think about a product that’s made in America, there is nothing more demonstrative of innovation,” Lehrman said.

Next Steps

Currently, the bill is in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Though no-one can say for certainty what the outcome will be, Paluzzi said he and other distillers will continue to network with other distillers and politicians while spreading awareness for this issue.

Paluzzi said that liquor has a “historical disadvantage” when it comes to the federal tax rate, and he wants to see “permanence and parity” with that of wine and beer.

“Virginia is the birthplace of distilleries,” Paluzzi said.

Image courtesy Michael E. Paluzzi

SoulCycle and Equinox are facing a backlash and boycotts, including in Tysons, after news broke that the company’s billionaire owner is hosting a fundraiser for President Donald Trump.

Stephen Ross, the owner of the parent company for the two fitness studios, plans to host a fundraiser for Trump on Friday and “will reportedly charge attendees up to $100,000 for a photo with the president,” ABC7 reported Wednesday (Aug. 7).

Many of the 150 comments under Equinox’s Aug. 6 Facebook post for the Tysons spot expressed disappointment and anger about the support for Trump.

People wrote that they plan to boycott Equinox by canceling their memberships and working out at other fitness places, like FlyWheel.

“I have been considering an Equinox membership for a while now, but not anymore given what I’ve learned about where my money would be going,” one person wrote.

Another commented, “Quit supporting Trump! Boycott until then.”

“Why is Stephan Ross hosting a fund raiser for trump??? I do NOT>>NOT>>NOT want a portion of my dues going to fund trump! Damn I just joined your Burbank Blink Gym..with this news I will have to look for a new gym,” another person wrote.

Comedian Billy Eichner and model Chrissy Teigen took to Twitter to push for boycotting Equinox.

https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/1159192308077563904?s=20

Just contacted @Equinox to cancel my membership after many years. Money talks, especially with these monsters. If it’s too inconvenient for u to trade one LUXURY GYM for another, then you should be ashamed. (No disrespect to the many wonderful employees at my local Equinox). Bye!

— billy eichner (@billyeichner) August 7, 2019

Equinox’s Tysons spot is at 8065 Leesburg Pike. SoulCycle’s only Virginia location is in Arlington.

Both Equinox and SoulCycle responded to the criticism on social media by saying that neither one endorses the political fundraising, adding that Ross is a “passive investor” who does not manage their business.

“SoulCycle has nothing to do with the event and does not support it,” SoulCycle tweeted

Equinox tweeted that “no company profits are used to fund politicians.”

A note from our CEO pic.twitter.com/UwxBWR76B0

— SoulCycle (@soulcycle) August 7, 2019

pic.twitter.com/TDYcT0kG4L

— Equinox (@Equinox) August 7, 2019

Ross has defended the fundraiser.

“I always have been an active participant in the democratic process,” Ross said to a Bloomberg reporter. “I have known Donald Trump for 40 years, and while we agree on some issues, we strongly disagree on many others and I have never been bashful about expressing my opinions.”

Photo via Equinox Tysons Corner/Facebook

A new program for older adults offers the opportunity to try out various forms of art and expression.

ArtsFairfax paired with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) to design a series of tutorial classes led by artists. Though these classes are spread out through the Northern Virginia region, the Lewinsville Senior Center (1613 Great Falls Street) will host a series of improvisation classes for onstage performance.

“The new program is an off-shoot program from the annual Creative Aging Festival, which celebrates the positive effects the arts and creative engagement have on older adults,” the ArtsFarifax website said.

The improv classes will be led by Heidi Fortune Picker on Wednesdays from 12:45-1:45 p.m. starting on Aug. 15. The program will conclude on Oct. 30.

These classes are available to anyone who is 50 or older and a member at the center.

If someone does not hold a membership, they can apply for one. Memberships can costs $24 to $48 a year, depending on household income.

Other classes throughout the region will be held at the Sully Senior Center (14426 Albemarle Point Place), South County Senior Center (8350 Richmond Hwy, Suite 325) and Lincolnia Senior Center (4710 N. Chambliss Street).

This weekend, people can partake in VietFest at The Plaza outside Tysons Corner Center.

The free annual festival, which celebrates Vietnamese culture and music, is set to take place from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 10-11) at 1961 Chain Bridge Road.

Hosted by the National Organization For Vietnamese American Leadership (NOVAL-DC), Vietfest describes itself as “the largest Vietnamese cultural festival on the East Coast.”

“There will be activities for the whole family to enjoy including games, entertainment, fashion, competitions, food, and more,” according to the Facebook event. “Last year’s festival had over 20,000 people attend.”

Volunteers are also needed for the event.

Photo via Vietfest – Vietnamese Heritage Festival/Facebook

A new restaurant is coming to a spot in a shopping center in the Pimmit Hills area.

Bing Bao is looking to open at 7505 Leesburg Pike, Suite D, according to a permit.

The spot currently appears vacant and a sign has fainting lettering indicating it used to be the home for Pella Windows and Doors.

No word yet on when Bing Bao will open or what’s on the menu.