The acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil is scheduled to return to Tysons with the show “Volta” — an extreme sports-themed program with bicycle, unicycle, and rope skipping tricks.
The circus is planned to open up inside a “big top” pavilion near the Tysons Galleria mall, the same location the troupe used when they visited Tysons last year.
The show is scheduled to run from July 26 through Sept. 8. Tickets range from $49 on the far exterior of the semi-circular arena to $250 “VIP” tickets close to the stage. Behind-the-scenes tickets with backstage tours are available for $495.
Prices on the tickets are subject to change as the event draws closer.
The circular arena is designed to visible from every angle for the audience. The ticketing information warns that poles holding up the tent could block some portions of the stage, but the main action will be visible from all seats.
Merchandise, like souvenir programs, apparel and accessories will also be available for purchase at the show.
The show’s description includes a warning that the flashing lights may cause difficulties for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Photo via Facebook
Metro has an ongoing project to provide mobile phone and data service inside its train tunnels, but you wouldn’t know it in the tunnel between Tysons Corner Center Metro station and the Greensboro Metro station.
Tysons Reporter tested cell service multiple times in the tunnel and every time, service was lost. For transit riders, it can be a frustrating coverage gap on the mostly above-ground Silver Line through Tysons.
“This is not good for those on business and personal calls traveling around and through the Tysons area using the Metrorail,” one anonymous tipster wrote to Tysons Reporter. “If fixed, you could have 25 minutes of seamless cell coverage from Wiehle-Reston almost to Ballston.”
The call drops remain more than ten years after Metro signed a contract for cell carriers to wire tunnels to provide continuing coverage. A series of problems delayed the implementation of the plan, however.
The tunnel frustrations haven’t been enough yet to deter local ridership; Tysons stations have had increasing ridership despite declines in other parts of the region.
There is cell coverage elsewhere on the Silver Line, with connectivity available between the Potomac Avenue and Stadium Armory Metro stations, for instance. Additional cell coverage is planned for several stretches of tunnels on the Red, Green and Yellow lines, with the current goal being wireless coverage system-wide by 2021.
But given the plan’s history of delays, riders might be better off just waiting until they’re on the other side of the tunnel to make that phone call.
A string of residential burglaries first reported in December has continued, with 10 additional burglaries that are believed to be related to the initial 13, according to police.
Fairfax County Police say the home burglaries “are committed by a group of professional individuals, mainly targeting victims of Asian or Middle Eastern descent.” They’re asking for the public’s help in solving the crimes.
More from an FCPD press release from late last week (burglaries in the Tysons Reporter coverage area are highlighted in bold.):
Detectives continue to ask for the public’s help in solving numerous residential burglaries in the McLean, Reston, and Fair Oaks police districts. In addition to the 13 addresses we released in December, detectives are also looking at ten other cases that may be related. Below is a list of the additional cases being investigated:
- 8400 block of Reflection Lane, Vienna
- 8200 block of Falstaff Road, McLean
- 4800 block of Muddler Way, Fairfax
- 12500 block of Cerromar Place, Fairfax
- 1300 block of Earnestine Street, McLean
- 1400 block of Woodhurst Boulevard, McLean
- 7800 block of Loughran Road, McLean
- 9700 block of Middleton Ridge Road, Vienna
- 10000 block of Park Royal Drive, Great Falls
- 1600 block of Admirals Hill Court, Vienna
After the initial burglaries were reported near the end of 2018, officers and detectives increased proactive patrols, met with community members, and continue to remain vigilant in identifying the suspects involved. It is believed that the crimes are committed by a group of professional individuals, mainly targeting victims of Asian or Middle Eastern descent. In many of the cases, detectives found entry was made through the rear door of the victims’ homes. The burglaries occurred primarily in the late afternoon and evening hours. Total losses are in excess of a million dollars.
Anyone with information regarding this recent string of incidents is asked to call the McLean District Station at 703-556-7750, the Reston District Station at 703-478-0904, or the Fair Oaks District Station at 703-591-0966. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by visiting http://www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org, or calling 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). They can also be sent in via text by texting “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES (274637). Text STOP to 274637 to cancel, or HELP to 274637 for help. Message and data rates may apply. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1000 if their information leads to an arrest.
For ongoing updates, please read our blog and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @FairfaxCountyPD.
Fairfax County Police say investigating a trail of broken eggs and gunshots yesterday (Thursday) led to a combative encounter on the 2000 block of George Washington Road.
Officers responded to a report from a homeowner whose entertainment center was damaged when a bullet came in through the window, according to a police report.
While investigating the gunshot, an unusual set of circumstances led police to a combative suspect.
According to the police report:
As officers were checking the area, they saw broken eggs on the outside wall of a nearby home. Officers spoke with a man inside that home, Varun Srivastav, 21, of Fairfax. Officers learned there was a handgun inside in Srivastav’s home. This agitated Srivastav who became combative and hit two officers. Srivastav was arrested but continued to assault officers while being escorted to the cruiser. Once he arrived at the Adult Detention Center, Srivastav assaulted two deputies.
Police say Srivastav was charged with four counts of assault on law enforcement and resisting arrest, with additional charges possible pending investigation.
Photo via FCPD
(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) Fairfax County, including Vienna, Pimmit Hills and McLean, was under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning as a line of storms rolled through the area Friday afternoon.
The storms brought gusty winds, hail and graupel to Tysons, McLean, Vienna and Falls Church.
“That was sudden. I’ve lived here 30 years and I never saw anything like that,” said one local resident at the Greensboro Metro station amid the storm.
More from the National Weather Service:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… LOUDOUN COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FAIRFAX IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 415 PM EDT. * AT 326 PM EDT, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR POINT OF ROCKS TO NEAR BLUEMONT, MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH. HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS. SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT…DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… GERMANTOWN, CENTREVILLE, ROCKVILLE, BETHESDA, GAITHERSBURG, RESTON, LEESBURG, OLNEY, SOUTH RIDING, HERNDON, FAIRFAX, VIENNA, BROADLANDS, LANSDOWNE, LOWES ISLAND, BRAMBLETON, MANTUA, PIMMIT HILLS, POOLESVILLE AND MCLEAN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… GET INDOORS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM WIND AND LIGHTNING. TREES AROUND YOU MAY BE DOWNED FROM DAMAGING WINDS, SO IF YOU ARE NEAR LARGE TREES, MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. DON’T DRIVE UNDERNEATH TREES OR IN WOODED AREAS UNTIL THE THREAT HAS PASSED. && HAIL…<.75IN WIND…60MPH
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Germantown MD, Centreville VA, Rockville MD until 4:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/j8AHW54arR
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) March 22, 2019
@dougkammerer hail storm in Vienna…ground now covered…so cool…thunder and lightning not so much. pic.twitter.com/l3rRWNZd1V
— Dan Fredericks (@fmdano74) March 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/marcussimon/status/1109183488530567168
What exactly is going on outside? Snow? Hail? Shnail? Either way, headlights on! pic.twitter.com/TFeniA9GBU
— City of Falls Church (@FallsChurchGov) March 22, 2019
Police were called to the Vienna’s Freeman House a few days ago after human feces was found in a closet.
The defecation happened at some point this past Friday or Saturday, according to Vienna police.
“An employee reported that an unknown person took a bucket into a closet in the store and defecated in it,” according to today’s Vienna crime report. No additional information was immediately available.
The Freeman House Store and Museum at 131 Church Street NE is described as “a historic country store that gives visitors an opportunity to step back in time to experience what general stores in Virginia once looked like.”
Photo via Historic Vienna Inc.
Sanrio fans rejoice, a truck loaded with Hello Kitty merchandise is scheduled to stop by the Tysons Corner Center mall tomorrow (Saturday).
The truck is scheduled to stop in the mall’s plaza between 10 a.m.-8 p.m. to offer “supercute treats and merch” while supplies last.
The Hello Kitty truck started in 2014 at the Hello Kitty Convention. Since then, two Hello Kitty trucks have roamed the streets and byways of the United States, offering everything from Hello Kitty macarons to chubby bunny bows.
The Hello Kitty website advises visitors to arrive earlier rather than later.
“Items on the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck are also limited as it can only hold so many wonderful items at a time,” according to Sanrio, the brand of Japanese characters that includes Hello Kitty. “Please consider visiting earlier in the day to ensure that you’ll find what you’re looking for!”
Hat tip to Turquoise Jackson. Photo via Sanrio.
The eastbound lane of Linway Terrace, a two-way street in McLean just north of Chesterbrook, is scheduled to be closed between Bryan Branch Road and Linway Park Drive for much of next week.
The closures will last from Monday, March 25 through Thursday, March 28, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The closures are planned to last from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day for stormwater pipe replacement.
“Linway Terrace will have alternating one-lane traffic via flagging,” VDOT wrote in a press release. “Drivers can expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.”
Linway Terrance isn’t the only street nearby with roadwork planned soon. Kirby Road, just to the east of Linway Terrace, will likely experience closures as a new sidewalk and other improvements are constructed later this year.
Photo of Linway Terrace via Google Maps. Map of work zone via VDOT.
After a moratorium on new applications and a long series of discussions, the Town of Vienna is ready for the public debut of the new Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) zoning changes at two workshops next week.
The community workshops will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, March 29, and from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE).
The workshops will demonstrate how the community feedback has been translated into changes in the design guidelines, according to the Town of Vienna newsletter.
Some of the first changes proposed addressed the scaling of buildings, one of the biggest topics of controversy in last year’s MAC debates. Further changes have been added over the last month of workshops between the Town Council, Planning Commission and Board of Architectural Review.
The workshops are scheduled to be “open house” style, meaning residents can drop in and leave at any point. No formal presentations are planned.
Image via Town of Vienna
As spring comes around, there’s a better than usual chance that Fairfax County residents might find baby animals in their back yards or on trails.
But Fairfax police say folks should think twice before trying to step in and help a baby animal, according to a press release. More often than not, police said human intervention could hinder the animal’s chances at survival.
Animal protection officers said the most commonly found animals in Fairfax County are squirrels, red foxes, raccoons, rabbits, skunks, opossums and songbirds.
According to police, signs that an animal needs help include:
- Signs of flies, worms or maggots, which look like grains of rice
- Was caught by a cat or dog
- Signs of trauma, such as an open wound, bleeding, or swelling
- If the parents are known to be dead or are separated and cannot be united
- Is very cold, thin or weak
- Is on the ground unable to move
- Is not fully furred or feathered
Still, police noted that baby animals rehabilitated by their parents are much more likely to survive than those assisted by humans.
According to the press release:
A young animal’s best chance for survival is to receive natural care from its parents and remain wild. Survival rates of rehabilitated animals are often low and many do not survive their first year upon release back into the wild. Before intervening, please learn more about which wildlife species and situations you are most likely to encounter and ways to determine whether an animal needs help.
Police said many animals brought to wildlife professionals are in no actual need of human help. Baby animals left alone are not necessarily orphaned or abandoned and many species of wildlife hide their young for safety and leave them alone for extended periods of time.
According to the release:
If you come across a baby animal and feel the need to intervene, we offer guidelines below to determine if the animal needs help. If an animal is displaying these signs, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, veterinarian or our Animal Protection Police for further assistance and instruction. Please do not handle any baby wild animal and do not attempt to offer food or water unless instructed to do so by a professional. This can do more harm than good.
If you have questions about whether an animal needs help or to locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, police say people can contact the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline toll-free at 1-855-571-9003. This helpline is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 pm. Animal Protection Police can be reached through the non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.
Photo via Facebook
