Botched Bolts Behind Metro Mishap — “A Metro train pulled apart on the tracks last year because the agency was using the wrong parts, installing parts that were used incorrectly, and not checking to ensure things were done right… The 51-page report approved Thursday by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission details a litany of failures that led up to an eight-car Silver Line train bound for D.C. coming apart outside the McLean Station on Aug. 25.” [WTOP]
New School Rules — “The new Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, which was approved by the board on Thursday, includes more than two dozen changes meant to standardize the way discipline is handed down in the school system.” The changes go into effect this fall. [WTOP]
County Seeking Tysons Traffic Solutions — “A number of options to relieve traffic congestion around McLean and Tysons were presented at a previous community meeting. Fairfax County’s transportation department is seeking feedback on those options, and the deadline for comments has been extended to July 31.” [Patch]
Large Music Library in Falls Church Home — “A long-time local resident who is once again kicking off the Creative Cauldron’s summer cabaret series also happens to curate one of the most interesting home collections of the Tin Pan Alley era of music.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Virginia Nabs Top Spot on CNBC List — CNBC ranked Virginia #1 on its recently released “America’s Top States for Business” list. [CNBC]
Firework Sparklers Behind McLean House Fire — “The garage of a McLean home caught fire on [July 3] due to firework sparklers that were improperly disposed of.” [ABC7]
Egyptian Art Coming to Falls Church — “Falls Church Arts (FCA) is excited to be the first gallery to exhibit this unique collection of Egyptian Contemporary art by these wonderful artists from the Luxor, Alexandria, and Cairo regions of Egypt. These artworks were created over the last several weeks on papyrus especially for this exhibition, the first of its kind in the U.S.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Another McLean road requires lengthy repairs after suffering damage from Monday’s major flash flooding.
In addition to Kirby Road’s closure due to severe storm damage, Swinks Mill Road by Scott’s Run is also closed, Jennifer McCord, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, told Tysons Reporter.
“We are making plans for permanent repairs at all locations that will likely take at least several weeks,” McCord said.
The two roads are the only remaining ones closed in Fairfax County for long-term repairs, McCord said.
“Crews worked around the clock on cleanup this week, clearing debris, assessing damages and making temporary repairs to reopen roads, and continued to respond to heavy rains received yesterday evening,” McCord said.
Flood Update: All roads have reopened except Swinks Mill, Kirby & Princedale (long-term closures). Reopened roads may be a little rough, so pls use caution. Crews continue to assess damage & work on repairs. Report damage at https://t.co/12wxgee8pi or 800-FOR-ROAD. Thanks! pic.twitter.com/UBlvuum9NT
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) July 12, 2019
Photos courtesy @jase700/Twitter, map via Google Maps
Vienna police arrested a 29-year-old man who allegedly hit a boy at Foster’s Grille.
The incident occurred at noon on Sunday (July 7) at the restaurant’s Vienna location (138 W. Maple Avenue).
From the police report:
A citizen was in Foster’s Grill with her juvenile son. A man was seated at the bar, randomly yelling and making the other customers uncomfortable. At one point, the man got up, went behind the juvenile, and struck him on the back. The man then left the restaurant.
Officers located the man in the area and found him to be incoherent. The man became irate with the officers, and it was determined that he may be a danger to himself or others.
Police arrested the man, who is a resident of Cornflower Court in Vienna, on an Emergency Custody Order and took him to a nearby medical facility for an evaluation.
Police told the mom about the warrant process if she wants to pursue charges against the man for misdemeanor assault on her son.
Around 12:40 p.m. while police were investigating the alleged assault, a different man came up to the boy and asked about the police activity, according to the report.
“The man was advised by officers to continue on his way,” police said, adding that the man walked through the middle of the investigation. “At one point, the man approached the juvenile and made a statement that concerned the juvenile.”
Police said that the man eventually left the area.
In a separate incident, Vienna police are looking for the man who allegedly exposed himself in Patrick Henry Library last month.
The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on June 27. Police said a woman reported that “she was in the library when an unknown man exposed himself in front of her.”
The man then left the library (101 E. Maple Avenue), and police were not able to find him, according to the police report.
Photo via Facebook
(Updated at 10:50 a.m.) A fallen tree briefly closed Georgetown Pike in McLean this morning.
The Fairfax County Police Department tweeted at 10:33 a.m. about the closure, which was on Georgetown Pike between Boyle Lane and Potomac River Road.
Then at 10:48 a.m., police tweeted that Georgetown Pike had reopened.
UPDATE: Georgetown Pike is now open.https://t.co/ZDlZEc1Rxl
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 12, 2019
Photo via FCPD/Twitter, map via Google Maps
The shopping center near Walmart is finally starting to come together.
According to a contractor working at the scene, construction on the initial buildings of Tysons West Phase III is expected to wrap up within the next month or so.
There are four buildings under construction between the Walmart and Leesburg Pike just west of the Spring Hill Metro station.
In contrast to the towering heights planned to the east, the offerings at Tysons West Phase III are more typical of strip malls like the Pike 7 Plaza a few blocks south. The new shopping is set to include a Smoothie King, Jersey Mike’s, COX and Dunkin’ Donuts.
The contractor said construction at the retail buildings closest to the Walmart was going to be the soonest to open, while the two closer to Leesburg Pike will open later.
The opening is slightly later than the spring opening.
Bey Lounge is at risk of losing its live-entertainment permit after a slew of noise complaints got the restaurant and bar in trouble with the Town of Vienna.
The town’s Board of Zoning Appeals is set to hold a public hearing next Wednesday, July 17, on potentially revoking the Bey Lounge’s live entertainment permit.
Located at 303 Mill Street, Bey Lounge offers Lebanese cuisine, hookahs and live music. Over the last several months, the lounge received a number of noise complaints.
Town Attorney Steve Briglia told the Town Council on Monday, July 1, that a General District Court had found Bey Lounge guilty of three noise violation cases, ordering the hookah bar to pay $1,500. Briglia said that the cases won’t be appealed to the Circuit Court.
Zoning Administrator Frank Simeck filed an application to revoke the hookah bar’s live entertainment permit, prompting the public hearing next week, which starts at 8 p.m.
Photo via Google Maps
CubeSmart is looking to bring another self-storage facility to the Town of Vienna.
The town’s Board of Architectural Review will review the application during its work session tomorrow (Friday) morning.
According to town documents, the proposed four-story facility would occupy 125,000 square feet at 223 Mill Street NE — near a current facility at 300 Mill Street NE.
Elsewhere around the area, CubeSmart is located in Tysons (1764 Old Meadow Lane), Falls Church (6875 Lee Hwy) and Merrifield (2950 Gallows Road).
Image via Town of Vienna
Fresh off a first-place win at the North America International Championships, McLean resident Wolfe Glick is headed to the 2019 Pokémon World Championships in D.C. next month.
Glick took the first place in the video game division in a national championship tournament in June, winning part of a $250,000 pot in scholarships and prizes.
According to a press release from The Pokémon Company International, the tournament will be invite-only with attendees from over 35 countries vying for a series of prizes August 16-18 in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place NW).
Glick says Pokémon is still a fun hobby rather than a job or sport, and he plays mostly to keep in touch with friends.
“I started playingPokémon competitively back in 2011 when there was a local tournament in the Washington D.C. area,” Glick said in an email. “I’ve kept competing all these years primarily because if I were to stop I would have a harder time seeing the friends I’ve made over the years through the game.”
There were a few tense moments for Glick at the most recent match. He noted that there were a few close calls, but he managed to pull through.
“I’m very excited for the World Championships and hope to do well,” Glick said.
Photo via The Pokémon Company
Following a similar announcement in Arlington, the City of Falls Church declared a state of emergency after Monday’s flooding.
This means that through the City Emergency Operations Plan, affected residents could qualify for aid and assistance as directed by state law and city code.
Specified assistance includes fee waivers for bulk-waste pickup on Wednesday, July 17, and rebuilding permits for damaged property, according to the City of Falls Church press release.
The emergency declaration will remain in effect until otherwise noted. More information can be found online.
The full press release is below.
Acting City Manager Cindy Mester declared a local emergency for the City of Falls Church, effective 8:30 a.m. on July 8, 2019, in response to the flash flood emergency. This declaration activates the City Emergency Operations Plan and authorizes the provision of aid and assistance as prescribed by State law and City Code and the ordinances, resolutions and approved plans of the City of Falls Church, in order to mitigate the effects of the weather event. The emergency state remains in effect until rescinded.
To help in the aftermath of the flooding, the City is waiving fees for solid waste bulk collection for the Wednesday, July 17 pick-up and for permits.
Residents must call 703-248-5160 (TTY 711), Option 1 to request special collection by noon on Tuesday, July 16. Bulk items left curbside will not be picked up unless a resident calls to schedule a special collection. This offer is only for current residential curbside customers. Contractor-related work is not eligible for curbside special collection pickup. Brush collection fees are not waived. Visit www.fallschurchva.gov/Special for complete details. Items that are eligible for special bulk collection with waived fees include:
- Furniture
- Household Appliances
- Rugs
- Other items too large or heavy to fit into a trash container.
Permits for flood-related rebuilding are still required, but the fee is waived. This includes electrical repair, gas appliance replacement, and more. More information can be found through the City’s Building Safety Division and Permits Counter: 703-248-5080 (TTY 711); www.fallschurchva.gov/Permit.Residents and businesses can take the following steps to help in the aftermath of the flooding:
- Call your insurance company, if you have not already done so, to report damage.
- If any gas appliances were exposed to floodwaters, do not attempt to either relight or disconnect them by yourself. Contact Washington Gas: 1-844-WASH-GAS (1-844-927-4427), Option 1
- The Virginia State Bureau of Insurance has staff specifically trained to handle disaster insurance questions and problems. Their website also has free consumer guides on what to do after an insured commercial or home property loss. Virginia State Bureau of Insurance: 1-877-310-6560.
I mean, I guess I always did want waterfront property. #flooding pic.twitter.com/0kfIUPmm2e
— Joey Wilhelm (@mrbeersnob) July 8, 2019
One day after a GoFundMe campaign launched to help the McLean Little League repair damage to its complex from Monday’s flash flooding has already raised more than $18,000.
Started yesterday (Wednesday), the fundraiser has raised about a quarter of its $75,000 goal.
“We have set up this fund to help cover the cost of repairs (given our location, we do not have flood insurance),” according to the GoFundMe.
Currently, the McLean Little League complex is closed.
Work to repair the damage will include rebuilding two dugouts, repairing fencing on three of the four fields and cleaning up the fields at the complex (1836 Westmoreland Street), Jen Nance, the president of the McLean Little League, previously told Tysons Reporter.
The aim is to get the work done before the fall season starts.
