Another boundary adjustment is in the works for schools in McLean.
Just two years after tweaking the McLean High School boundaries, Fairfax County Public Schools has proposed a study aimed at relieving crowding at Kent Gardens Elementary School (1717 Melbourne Drive), which is currently at 121% capacity — one of the highest rates in the system.
FCPS staff recommend that the study include the boundaries for Chesterbrook, Churchill Road, Franklin Sherman and Spring Hill elementary schools, as well as Kent Gardens, according to a presentation to the Fairfax County School Board last night (Monday).
It could also examine the boundaries for the Advanced Academic Programs at Haycock and Churchill Road, along with the potential need for a “split feeder” for affected middle school and high schools.
“We have a beloved school that is overcrowded, and as a community, we’re going to have to make some tough decisions,” Dranesville District School Board Representative Elaine Tholen said, thanking the McLean community for its involvement. “People are coming to the table and giving us input on what makes sense.”
The recommendation was shaped by community feedback from a scoping meeting held on April 26 and a subsequent online survey. The meeting had about 75 attendees, and the survey drew 171 responses, according to FCPS.
More than 100 comments advocated for the inclusion of Chesterbrook and Franklin Sherman, though Haycock, Spring Hill, Lemon Road, Timber Lane and Westgate elementary schools all got mentions.
FCPS isn’t recommending Haycock, Lemon Road and Westgate for the study, said Charles Fanshaw, interim assistant superintendent for facilities and transportation services.
“Adding students may require capacity relief. Additionally, Haycock Elementary School is currently approaching a capacity deficit,” Fanshaw said. “If these three schools were to be added to the scope, schools adjacent to these school boundaries would need to be considered as well.”
Community members also suggested that any boundary changes should be phased in for current Kent Gardens students and urged FCPS staff to consider future population growth and the walking distance to different schools.
Some proposed adding a French immersion program at another school, since the program’s popularity at Kent Gardens has been cited as a factor in the overcrowding. FCPS says it would take at least three years of planning to establish a new program, according to a webpage for the capacity issues.
If the proposed scope is approved by the school board at its July 13 meeting, FCPS will hold a community meeting on the boundary study this fall. Public hearings on the final adjustment haven’t been scheduled yet, but the school system anticipates it will take effect in fall 2024.
McLean residents have maintained for years that FCPS underestimates future student populations by using formulas that don’t fully take upcoming development into account, according to the McLean Citizens Association.
The school board approved a boundary adjustment for McLean High in 2021 that shifted about 190 high school students and 78 middle school students to the Langley High School pyramid. The change is being phased in through the 2024-2025 school year.
This spring, the board authorized staff to pursue a boundary study for Kent Gardens by amending its capital improvement program (CIP) to designate the school as a priority for boundary or capacity adjustments.
FCPS is replacing seven trailers behind the school with two new trailers, one with four classrooms and one with two. The updated facilities are expected to be fully implemented this summer before the next school year starts on Aug. 21.
Kent Gardens had 1,030 students enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year.
Photo via Google Maps
The first retail tenants at the Heming apartment building coming to Scotts Run in Tysons have been confirmed.
The Japanese restaurant Modan and fitness studio Body Fit Training have both leased ground-floor space in the 28-story high-rise at 1800 Chain Bridge Road, developer Skanska announced yesterday (Monday).
According to the Washington Business Journal, which first reported the leases, Modan comes from an affiliate of restauranteur Joon Yang, whose existing ventures include American Prime in Tysons and Epic Smokehouse in Pentagon City.
Described as “contemporary and sophisticated,” the restaurant will serve “modern Japanese fare, sushi and a highly unique and exclusive Omakase experience” when it opens in spring 2024, according to Skanska.
The press release highlights plans to use seafood from Japan’s Tsukiji fish market and a “unique approach to dry-aged fish.”
Modan will occupy nearly 7,000 square feet with “a grand entranceway, stunning restaurant accents steeped in Japanese flair, a chic bar and dining areas and private dining room.”
For Body Fit Training, the upcoming Tysons location will be its first studio in Northern Virginia. The gym says it delivers a customized, personal training-like approach in a group setting, offering a “progressive mix of cardio and strength workouts.”
The gym has leased 3,374 square feet at Heming and is expected to open late this summer.
“We designed this project with the community top-of-mind, and we’re so pleased to have these two retail leases join our neighborhood,” said Mark Carroll, executive vice president and regional manager of Skanska USA Commercial Development’s D.C. market. “We are very excited to welcome Modan and Body Fit Training to Heming.”
Under construction since August 2020, Heming will consist of 410 apartment units supported by 38,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and 49,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities, including a 25th-story outdoor courtyard for residents and a three-story plaza called the Levels.
The building is projected to finish construction this summer.
When fully developed, Scotts Run will consist of 6.5 million square feet of construction, including Heming and the completed Kingston and Haden apartments, Mitre 4 office building and Archer Hotel Tysons.
Other pieces in the works include a mixed-use apartment building called Paxton from developer Quarterra Multifamily — a rebranding of Lennar Corporation subsidiary LMC — and a Hilton hotel building.
Though the neighborhood’s retail elements are only just starting to roll out, Modan will have some competition when it opens: the Herndon restaurant Sushi Umi is slated to open a new location this summer just across the street at at 7615 Colshire Road.
For now, the primary attraction for residents looking to grab a bite to eat is ShipGarten, the outdoor pop-up featuring restaurants and bars in shipping containers at 7581 Colshire Drive.
Tension Over Annandale HS Band Director’s Resignation — “By the time Tyron Barnes prepared to address Annandale High School’s band students and parents during an end-of-year banquet in the school cafeteria on June 1, the group had already learned that he had resigned…In an email that same night, Barnes wrote that it had become apparent to him that some people didn’t want him leading the band program.” [WTOP]
New Historical Marker Unveiled in Gum Springs — “Thank you to the New Gum Springs Civic Association and Queenie Cox for inviting me to the West Ford Virginia historical highway marker dedication and Juneteenth Celebration. It was an honor to attend and celebrate the life of the ‘Father of Gum Springs,’ West Ford,” a formerly enslaved man who founded the community in 1833. [Supervisor Rodney Lusk/Instagram]
Ice Cream Shop to Replace Annandale Dance Studio — “International Dance is moving from its current location in Pinecrest Plaza to the former Treasure Trove spot in the Annandale Shopping Center on Columbia Pike. According to the Pinecrest Plaza website, an ice cream shop called Mimi’s Handmade will occupy the dance studio’s current location.” [Annandale Today]
Herndon Student Raises Funds for School Supplies — “Sanya Bhalla believes strongly in the importance of giving back to the community…As a way of continuing her charitable efforts, the Oak Hill resident recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase school supplies for underprivileged children in the area.” [Patch]
Vintage Car Garage Approved in Vienna — “A warehouse building in a southeast Vienna industrial park soon will be converted to store about 180 classic and exotic automobiles. Vienna Town Council members on June 20 voted unanimously to support a certificate of occupancy for Roadhouse Development Co. LLC to provide vehicle storage…at 831 Follin Lane, S.E.” [Gazette Leader]
More People Trying to Cross Train Tracks, Metro Says — “A man needed to get from one Metro platform to the other, so he risked his life by jumping onto the tracks and over the electrified third rail — twice. Alarming video caught on Metro security cameras shows a man crossing the tracks…in Northern Virginia on Friday. It’s just one instance of what Metro officials call a trend of dangerous trespassing in the rail system.” [NBC4]
Dominion Upgrades Power Poles in Springfield — “With some crew members digging a hole and others navigating a bucket truck, 13 older power poles were being replaced, hours before threatening weather was set to approach Monday afternoon…Green said the new poles are better suited to withstand inevitable summer storms, which include trees and heavy branches falling on wires, which often cause outages.” [WTOP]
Longtime Oakton Nonprofit Leader to Retire — “Eileen Ellsworth will retire as president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, the foundation announced Monday…Founded in 1978, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia supports a number social and civic ventures across the region, but board chair Catherine Schott Murray noted its role has expanded under Ellsworth.” [Inside NoVA]
It’s Tuesday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 81. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Low around 65. [Weather.gov]
Some pretty gnarly weather is bearing down on Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area.
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for the region until 9 p.m.
A Hazardous Weather Outlook issued earlier that could last until midnight forecast heavy storms with the worst impact expected to be east of I-81, including Fairfax County, where the likelihood of severe weather is considered “moderate.”
“Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the primary threats along with the possibility of a brief tornado,” Fairfax County said in a blog post sharing the NWS alert. “Additionally, there is a threat for flash flooding across the entire outlook area this afternoon and evening.”
Severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon with localized damaging wind gusts and large hail being the primary threats. Please stay weather aware, and be ready to seek shelter if warnings are issued. pic.twitter.com/cw9lnHTCmC
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 26, 2023
[2:20 PM] – A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING.
Localized damaging wind gusts, hail, and rain that may cause flash flooding are possible. pic.twitter.com/Bzyn38J36R
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) June 26, 2023
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the region along and east of I-95 could see wind gusts of “up to 75 mph, large hail and possible isolated tornadoes.”
The department is advising travelers to pay close attention to weather reports and to potential limit travel as conditions evolve, warning that the storm could take down trees and power lines and result in flooding.
“Whenever severe weather is expected, we partner with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia State Police to coordinate efforts,” VDOT Commissioner Stephen C. Brich said. “Teams throughout the Commonwealth are prepared to address impacts from this storm. We ask for the public’s assistance to remain safe and stay aware of changing weather and road conditions in their area and along their travel routes.”
The storms are moving to the East Coast from the Midwest, which were hit by hail ranging from the size of a baseball to a grapefruit yesterday (Sunday), according to the Capital Weather Gang. Tornadoes have reportedly damaged dozens of homes and killed at least one person in Indiana.
Here’s more advice on navigating the upcoming weather from VDOT:
Obey all “road closed” signage.
“Turn around, don’t drown” – Do not attempt to travel through flooded roadways. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the primary causes of flood-related deaths occur to individuals driving into or walking in or near flood waters.
- 6 inches of flood water is enough to knock an adult off of their feet
- 12 inches can move most cars
- 18-24 inches can carry away most large SUVs, vans and trucks
Be alert to debris, downed trees and power lines
Move over for emergency crews operating in or near roadways
Be alert to High Wind Advisories, especially on bridges or taller structures. High-profile vehicles such as tractor trailers, SUVs or box trucks are especially vulnerable and should not cross a bridge when a High Wind Advisory is posted.
As frustrations persist over the pickleball courts at Glyndon Park, the Vienna Town Council has resorted to appealing to Fairfax County for assistance.
The council voted on June 19 to send the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors a letter asking them to identify potential sites for pickleball near the town, whose only existing facilities — the four courts at Glyndon — have been plagued by noise complaints from neighbors.
“We are asking you to help Fairfax County residents have more options of locations to play pickleball with longer hours,” Mayor Linda Colbert and the town council said in the draft letter. “The county owns facilities near the town that could be used for pickleball. Because of their relative distance from residential neighborhoods, several of those facilities are far better suited to use for pickleball than Town of Vienna owned property.”
Earlier this year, the town reduced the hours when pickleball was permitted at Glyndon Park (300 Glyndon Street) in an effort to alleviate tensions between neighboring residents and local players.
Under the new policy, set open play hours were eliminated, and a reservation system was implemented for players who live in Vienna. The town is also encouraging players to use quieter paddles.
Since the policy took effect on March 1, the Vienna Police Department has received 18 noise complaints about pickleball being played outside the designated hours, Vienna Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Herman reported at a June 5 town council meeting.
Seven of those complaints were determined to be unfounded, and 10 resulted in police issuing a warning. At least four complaints have been made to police since that meeting, according to the VPD’s weekly recaps.
Despite those complaints, residents told town staff that the situation has been more tolerable this spring, and most regular court users seem to be abiding by the rules. The ongoing issues appear to stem from non-regular users who “either ignore the posted rules or do not know the rules,” Herman said.
“The residents feel that the limited number of people due to no open play is a big factor that is helping them tolerate pickleball play,” Herman said. “There is a concern that allowing open play will generate additional noise as the number of players will increase. The issue is not from the ball, but from the amount of people congregating.”
Based on 48 random visits to the park, town staff observed up to 18 people on the courts at one time, but that could increase if open play was encouraged, particularly with the warmer summer weather bringing more people outside, according to Herman.
The Vienna Pickleball Club had requested a return of designated open play hours when anyone can show up and use the courts, reporting some confusion around the reservation system and concerns that newer players are being left out.
From March 1 through May 20, the courts were reserved approximately 37% of the available pickleball times, Herman reported.
While the council agreed to keep the new hours, Councilmember Chuck Anderson suggested contacting the county about adding more pickleball facilities in the area, such as at Nottoway Park or even James Madison High School.
“Given the fact that we as Vienna residents pay 100% of Fairfax County property taxes and given the fact that a number of non-Vienna residents play pickleball in Vienna, I think that we certainly on strong moral grounds for asking the county to help us out on this issue, which helps them out too, because these are Fairfax County residents who want to play pickleball,” Anderson said.
The pickleball-lined courts closest to Vienna are at the Providence Rec Center in West Falls Church and Westgate Park in Tysons, according to the county’s park locator.
The Fairfax County Park Authority is designing a conversion of one tennis court at Cunningham Park into a shared-use court to accommodate pickleball, according to its website.
“We do not yet have a detailed schedule for the Cunningham Park pickleball improvements other than it is to occur during fiscal year 2024” from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, FCPA spokesperson Benjamin Boxer said.
The county isn’t planning right now to add pickleball at Nottoway, but that “does not preclude improvements at the park at a future time,” Boxer said.
At last week’s council meeting, Colbert said she had already discussed the town’s request with Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who suggested adding “some data points” to the proposed letter.
“Other than that, we had a very good, positive conversation,” she said.
According to the Town of Vienna, the letter hasn’t been sent to the Board of Supervisors yet, but Colbert is expected to finalize it later this week.
Fairfax County’s plan for bus rapid transit (BRT) service on Route 7 in Tysons sailed through the planning commission last week.
The commissioners recommended on Wednesday (June 21) that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approve a comprehensive plan amendment establishing guidelines for the future public transportation system, including the route and station locations.
If the amendment is approved at the board’s scheduled public hearing on July 25, the project will become eligible for funding through the county’s Transportation Priorities Plan and state and regional grants, Fairfax County Department of Transportation senior planner Sean Schweitzer told the planning commission.
“This is for future planning. This is not an immediately funded initiative. It’s also very timely,” Planning Commission Vice Chairman Timothy Sargeant noted, referencing FCDOT’s collaboration with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission on a larger study that could eventually extend the Route 7 BRT to Alexandria.
Known as Envision Route 7, that study has been underway since 2013 and shifted its focus last fall to a portion of the system that will run through Falls Church City down to Seven Corners.
Because the Tysons section is at a more advanced stage of planning, with an overall route alignment in place since 2021, Fairfax County hopes to initially implement service within Tysons down to the West Falls Church Metro station as a temporary southern terminus.
As shared with the planning commission at a committee meeting on May 11 and with the public at virtual community meetings on June 7 and 8, the Route 7 BRT will serve nine stops in the Tysons area:
- West Falls Church Metro
- Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) at Chestnut Street
- Patterson Road, near the Tysons Station and Idylwood Plaza shopping centers
- George C. Marshall Drive
- Fashion Blvd, serving Tysons Corner Center
- International Drive and Fletcher Street
- International and Greensboro Drive, next to Tysons Galleria
- International and Lincoln Circle
- Spring Hill Metro station
To give the buses a clear path, since BRT is intended to be faster than a regular local bus service, the county has proposed designating two future lanes on Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) as BRT-exclusive lanes. The service will also repurpose two existing lanes on International Drive to Lincoln Circle.
The buses will occasionally enter mixed traffic at the West Falls Church station and when turning left from International Drive onto Spring Hill Road, where they will use Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes to reach the Metro station.
“We know that the middle of Tysons doesn’t really have too much in the way of transit options,” Schweitzer said. “So, this preferred alignment helps to kind of expand the overall transit network within Tysons and gives people…different modes to use in order to get around Tysons and, ultimately, in the future, to Alexandria.”
FCDOT staff is studying how to incorporate improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians into the project, Schweitzer told the commission. Also to be determined is whether the BRT will keep stopping at the West Falls Church Metro station or stay on Route 7 after service is extended into Falls Church.
Franconia District Commissioner Dan Lagana suggested the county could learn from the existing BRT systems in Arlington and Alexandria when designing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, such as wider or raised crosswalks.
“I use and drive by, for example, the Metroway in Alexandria frequently, and…the city has done an outstanding job, Arlington and Alexandria,” Lagana said. “But there are some clear gaps now that we’ve seen it in action and we know crosswalks in the area are insufficient.”
Schweitzer said the county has been collaborating with its neighbors in Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church, including through the Envision Route 7 study.
“We’re making sure all our transit projects and studies are kind of lining up so it can create, in the future, an expansive BRT system and also connect to the West End Metroway as well in Alexandria,” he said.
(Updated at 11 a.m. on 6/27/2023) The Fairfax County School Board voted 9-1 last night (Monday) to raise member salaries to $48,000 with an additional $2,000 for the board chair, starting Jan. 1, 2024.
Aiming lower than what staff proposed, the raises are comparable to compensation for other paid school boards governing large school systems elsewhere in the country and raises approved in previous years, Mount Vernon District School Board representative Karen Corbett-Sanders said.
At-large member Abrar Omeish opposed the motion, saying that she struggled to support it “from a moral perspective” when “education in general is hurting.” Hunter Mill District representative Melanie Meren and Sully District representative Stella Pekarsky abstained.
The raises will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. All school board seats will be up for election on Nov. 7.
FCPS staff recommended raising the annual pay for each of the 12 elected school board members to $60,404. An additional $2,000 increase is proposed for the board chair, a position that changes each year.
Prior to the board meeting, School Board Chair Rachna Sizemore-Heizer told FFXnow that the staff proposal “would align future board members’ modest compensation with new starting teacher salaries,” noting that the board has raised its pay just three times in the past 35 years, most recently in 2015.
A new teacher with a bachelor’s degree and a 260-day contract will make $66,177 for fiscal year 2024, which starts July 1, according to FCPS’ salary scales.
“Increasing compensation for future school board members acknowledges the significant time commitment of the work in one of the nation’s largest and most complex school systems and opens the door to public service for Fairfax County residents with diverse backgrounds and experiences who may not be able to consider serving otherwise,” Sizemore-Heizer said.
Like the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the school board is required by state law to vote on any member pay raises, which can only be proposed before July 1 of the year of an election.
Fairfax County’s school board last approved raises by a 5-4 vote in April 2015, bumping the salary for each member up from $20,000 to the current $32,000 rate. Virginia lets school boards give their chair an additional increase of up to $2,000, so the chair receives $34,000 right now.
In a summary, FCPS staff highlighted the school board’s various duties as it oversees the largest public school district in Virginia:
School Board members are responsible for developing and setting school division policy, approving the annual budget, hiring the Superintendent, and adjudicating student disciplinary and school division employee appeals. They spend many hours preparing for and attending official meetings, work sessions, committee meetings, public hearings, and other functions – nearly 150 meetings in the 2022-23 school year alone. Additionally, Board members attend school, PTA, and community meetings and events, visit schools, attend required professional development programs, and communicate with students, parents, staff, stakeholders, and other constituents.
The Board of Supervisors approved salaries on March 21 of $123,283 for supervisors and $138,283 for the chairman — slightly lower rates than what county staff had initially proposed. It was the board’s first raise since 2015.
While that vote was preceded by a public hearing with sometimes emotional testimony by residents and county workers, the school board’s vote took place around 1 p.m. without public comment. The Code of Virginia doesn’t appear to require a hearing, only a vote by the school board.
Notably, only three school board members are seeking reelection this year: Karl Frisch (Providence District), Melanie Meren (Hunter Mill) and Mason District representative Ricardy Anderson (Mason).
Sizemore-Heizer, an at-large member, is campaigning for the Braddock District seat after Megan McLaughlin announced in February that she’ll retire when her third and final term ends on Dec. 31.
At-large member Abrar Omeish, Karen Corbett Sanders (Mount Vernon), Tamara Derenak Kaufax (Franconia) and Elaine Tholen (Dranesville) have also opted out of reelection bids.
The other members — Karen Keys-Gamarra (at-large), Laura Jane Cohen (Springfield) and Stella Pekarsky (Sully) — are running for General Assembly seats. All of them won the Democratic primary for their respective races last Tuesday (June 20).
Man Pulled From Burning Car, Gets DWI — “Police say around 2:30 am on June 15, officers responded to Annandale Rd & Gallows Rd for a single vehicle crash. The driver struck a curb, hit a telephone pole then a tree and came to a rest on its side, according to FCPD. Officers found the car engulfed in flames and rushed to safely remove the driver. The 27-year-old driver was arrested for DWI.” [ABC7]
Metro Introduces Nighttime “Courtesy Stops” — “Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience…Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.” [WMATA]
Man Charged With Attempted Abduction in Annandale — “A man who Fairfax County police say attempted to kidnap a 4-year-old girl while she was sleeping inside an apartment in Annandale, Virginia, earlier this month, has been charged…The girl’s mother woke up to the sound of shaking window blinds and her daughter crying at around 4 a.m. The living room window was open, she told police, and the girl was on the floor.” [WTOP]
County Sees Uptick in U-Haul Thefts — “On June 15, during a routine patrol, Auto Crime Enforcement detectives located a stolen U-Haul in the Huntington area…During a search of the recovered vehicle, officers located a gun, three extended magazines, and more than 200 rounds of ammunition.” Police say 32 U-Hauls have been reported stolen or not returned in the county since January. [WUSA9]
New Coworking Site Open in Mosaic District — “SevaSpaces, a coworking space in Fairfax County’s Mosaic District, officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 7. Featuring eclectic art and furnishings, a gym and parking, SevaSpaces was designed to inspire creativity and collaboration, according to the company…A second SevaSpaces location is set to open in Tysons in August 2023.” [Fairfax County EDA]
Annandale Barbershop Relocates After Fire — “JJ Salon & Barber has relocated to a temporary location since its building on Columbia Pike in Annandale was heavily damaged in a huge fire in March. The owners, Jenny and Joey Lee, are renting a few chairs at the 7 Hair Line salon across the street at 7116 Columbia Pike in the shopping center with Subway and Pizza Hut.” [Annandale Today]
Renovation Planned for George Washington Rec Center — “The George Washington Rec Center…plans to close from July 24 to August 18, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA). Among the improvements slated for the facility are new pool filters; new and more secure doors at the front entrance; retiled showers; an updated party room; and a deep cleaning of the pool deck.” [On the MoVe]
Madison Student Wins Tennis Championship — “Winning a second straight state championship was at the least as equally fun and satisfying as the first, according to Simone Bergeron, but the Madison Warhawks senior admitted there were added expectations being the defending champion.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — A slight chance of showers between 8am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. High near 90. Low around 66. [Weather.gov]
The man who fired multiple gunshots in Tysons Corner Center last summer has been sentenced to three years in prison, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced today (Friday).
Noah Settles, a 23-year-old D.C. resident and rapper with the stage name No Savage, pleaded guilty on Feb. 9 to three counts of maliciously discharging a firearm in an occupied building and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge also gave Settles 10 years of probation and barred him from returning to Tysons Corner Center, according to Descano’s office.
“Today, the justice system has shown that perpetrators of gun violence will be held accountable for their actions,” Descano said. “Firing a gun into a public space is a serious crime, one that endangered our community members and threatened their future sense of safety. In cases like these, it is the prosecutor’s job to ensure accountability and use the tools at our disposal to prevent this sort of dangerous incident from happening again.”
Settles sparked a panic at Tysons Corner Center on June 18, 2022 when he fired three gunshots during a busy Father’s Day weekend, according to police and prosecutors. No one was struck by the bullets, but three people were reportedly injured during the chaotic evacuation of the mall.
The Fairfax County Police Department later identified Settles as the man who had fired the shots, describing the incident as the escalation of an argument between two “crews” based in southeast D.C.
“During court hearings, video footage from mall surveillance cameras and bystanders’ phone show Settles getting into an altercation with another group of young people, fleeing briefly, then turning back to fire three shots by a mall kiosk,” Descano’s office said.
Settles was indicted by a grand jury on seven charges, but charges of attempted malicious wounding, brandishing a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Three years of jail time was the minimum sentence possible under his guilty plea. The maximum was 33 years.
A new crop of plants will take root this fall along Maple Avenue and Church Street, the Town of Vienna’s main commercial roadways.
LSG Landscape Architects, a landscaping firm contracted by the town, will present its proposed design for the new planters next Thursday (June 29) after sharing the concept with the Vienna Town Council this past Tuesday (June 20).
The town is inviting residents, business owners and other community members to attend the informational meeting, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE).
“Homeowners understand the importance of curb appeal, especially when they want to sell their homes,” Vienna Park and Recreation Director Leslie Herman said in a press release. “We’re working with the Town’s economic development department to create a similar dynamic to create a welcoming, vibrant commercial area that attracts residents and visitors and ‘sell’ them on supporting local businesses.”
LSG has proposed replacing or refurbishing 81 landscape planters on both sides of Maple Avenue between East Street and 213 Maple Avenue West, along with 46 planters on both sides of Church Street between Mill Street and Lawyers Road.
The project will focus on flowers, shrubs and other low-lying plants, but some trees may be removed if they’re in “poor condition” or “to allow more light and reduce root competition with the new plant installations,” town staff said in its recommendation to the council.
Replacing planters that were first installed 20 years ago, construction on the new landscaping is expected to begin in mid-September and finish by the end of November.
“If all goes as planned, the commercial corridor’s planters will begin to burst with color next spring,” the town said.
Vienna previously hoped to have the new plants in place by this summer, but in March, the town council argued that funds should be allocated separately for design and installation, rather than all at once, leading to a delay.
The contract of $83,445 was ultimately awarded to LSG on May 1. The town will conduct a second bidding process for a contractor to build and install the new planters in August and September, per a timeline provided by LSG.
