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The first day of school is less than a week away, and for many students, teachers, and parents, it’s coming with even more anxiety than usual.
For the first time since mid-March 2020, nearly all Fairfax County Public School students will attend in-person classes five days a week starting on Monday (Aug. 23).
With COVID-19 still in the air and students younger than 12 unable to get vaccinated, FCPS has an array of health protocols aimed at curbing the risk of infection, including an indoor mask requirement, outdoor classes and dining where possible, and diagnostic testing for people who display symptoms.
However, the school system is not requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for employees or eligible students. Arlington Public Schools is the only Northern Virginia district to issue a vaccine requirement for staff so far, though the Alexandria City school board is expected to discuss the issue today (Thursday).
The Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, the union that represents FCPS educators and non-administrative staff, said earlier this week that it would support a mandate, and FCPS says it will “continue to consider all options that keep our staff and students safe.”
While many colleges and universities have issued vaccine mandates for students, legal and political concerns make it unlikely that any K-12 schools will take a similar stance, even though they already require other immunizations.
According to Fairfax County Health Department data, 78% of adolescents aged 12-17 and 65.6% of all Fairfax Health District residents have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.
“While mandatory vaccination is a policy decision and not a policy that the health department would be in charge of making, we do really support and urge everybody to get the information they need in order to make a positive decision to get vaccinated, which is really more important than ever with the Delta variant,” FCHD Director of Epidemiology and Population Health Dr. Benjamin Schwartz said during a virtual town hall on Monday (Aug. 26).
With the COVID-19 vaccines shown to be effective at preventing serious illness, albeit slightly less so against the Delta variant, should FCPS require the shots?
Meet Nom Nom, a sweet, affectionate kitty who, when super happy, purrs loud enough for the whole room to hear. She’s looking for her perfect family.
Nom Nom’s friends at 4Paws Rescue Team shared some words from her:
Hello, future friends! My name is Nom Nom, and I am a spritely and affectionate kitty. I’m always up for play time, and I especially love when I can try out my hunting skills on a laser toy, feather wand or catnip mouse. I also love climbing up to the top of the cat tree to survey my domain.
But don’t think you always have to play with me to keep me happy. When I’m not off on my own exploring or napping, I love curling up next to you or even right on top of you to keep you warm and show you how much I love you. If you’re covered in a soft blanket I can lay on or if you scratch my head when I’m near you, I will purr loudly enough for the whole room to hear! Sometimes I’ll even groom you to remind you that you are an important part of my family.
I haven’t been around other cats or dogs, but I’m a very agreeable lady, and if they are nice to me, I’m certain to do the same for them. And even though I don’t live with any children in my foster home, I am always polite with young humans when they come to visit.
I hope to meet my perfect family soon and go to my forever home!
Learn more about Nom Nom over on Petfinder.
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This past week, 25 properties were sold in Tysons Corner, McLean and Vienna, according to Homesnap.
These ranged from a $6.7 million McLean home to a 1 BD/1 BA condo that sold for $190,000.
A few of the recently sold properties include:
- 952 MacKall Farms Lane, McLean — 5 BD/5.5+ BA single-family home — $6,701,006
- 1418 Kirby Road, McLean — 6 BD/7.5+ BA single-family home — $5,800,000
- 405 Nelson Drive NE, Vienna — 6 BD/6.5 BA single-family home — $1,950,000
- 910 Canal Drive, McLean — 4 BD/3 BA single-family home — $1,399,000
- 2014 Pieris Court, Vienna — 3 BD/2.5+ BA townhome — $870,000
- 1600 Spring Gate Drive #2305, McLean — 1 BD/1 BA condo — $350,000
- 1533 Lincoln Way #203, McLean — 1 BD/1 BA condo — $190,000
In the market? Check out the latest in Tysons area real estate.
Image via Google Maps
The real estate market remains busy with new homes hitting the market each day.
This past week, 32 new homes were listed across Tysons, McLean and Vienna, according to Homesnap. These included:
- 892 Alvermar Ridge Drive, McLean
5 BD/5.5+ BA single-family home
Listed: $3,250,000 - 1103 Clover Drive, McLean
5 BD/5.5 BA single-family home
Listed: $2,349,980 - 6314 Evermay Drive, McLean
4 BD/3 BA single-family home
Listed: $1,395,000 - 1256 Pine Hill Road, McLean
3 BD/3.5 BA single-family home
Listed: $989,999 - 8028 Reserve Way, Vienna
3 BD/2.5 BA single-family home
Listed: $869,000 - 1800 Old Meadow Road #1410, McLean
2 BD/2 BA condo
Listed: $595,000
Image via Google Maps
Meet Shelby, the latest Pet of the Week. Shelby is a pint-size pittie with a big personality.
Here’s what her friends at Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation had to say about her:
Are you an adventurer looking for a big dog personality in a travel-size package? Small enough to never have to leave behind but tough enough to handle any terrain!
Shelby is pint-sized pittie with a character the size of Texas. She’s a triple shot Americano in a half-sized espresso cup, a pocket rocket with a mischievous side that is easily overlooked in favor of her zest for life and cuddly, silky soft fur!
Shelby is a carpe diem kinda girl. She seizes the day and comes out full throttle, ready to embrace whatever adventure awaits. She is a whirlwind of love, life and unbridled joy.
She is looking for an active family with teenagers or adults only, a fenced-in backyard and perhaps another high-energy doggy playmate. Bring on the fun — she may be little but she be mighty!
If you are interested in adopting Shelby, please contact Kat Sanders [email protected].
Are you and Shelby the perfect match?
This summer was supposed to be a celebration, or at least a period of transition, when the U.S. could go from grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic to recovering from it.
For a while, things looked promising. Infections were down, and vaccinations were up. With the end of Virginia’s distancing and capacity restrictions came the return of eating at restaurants, summer concerts, traveling, socializing, and large-scale events, including Fourth of July festivities.
Just as white-collar offices were starting to bring workers in and students are preparing to head back to school, however, the Delta variant took over, and the immediate future doesn’t look quite so rosy. Mask-wearing is back in, and vaccine mandates could follow suit, since about a quarter of Fairfax County adults have yet to get a shot.
According to a recent poll by The Washington Post and George Mason University’s Schar School, 59% of respondents from D.C.’s Virginia suburbs say they have mostly or fully returned to normal, pre-pandemic lives. That’s lower than the national rate of 66% but higher than the overall D.C. region (50%).
Published on Sunday (Aug. 8), the poll surveyed 1,000 people nationwide and 1,000 people in the D.C. area from July 6-21, but conditions have changed since then, with all of Northern Virginia going from moderate to substantial community transmission in the past two weeks.
Has the rise of the Delta variant convinced you to change or cancel any plans recently? Are you thinking twice about eating at a restaurant or taking a summer vacation, or has the pandemic stopped factoring into your decision-making? If you’ve made a change that isn’t included in the poll, share in the comments below.
Electric scooters have arrived in Fairfax County.
The devices started appearing early last week after the county introduced the companies Bird and LINK as the first two vendors in its Shared Mobility Device program, which was established in 2019 after the Board of Supervisors approved regulations for motorized scooters and skateboards.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, e-scooters had overtaken docked bicycles as the most popular form of shared transportation in the U.S. They have been embraced by some as a quirky, more environmentally friendly alternative to cars, particularly for short “first mile/last mile” trips, though research suggests more work needs to be done to make them truly sustainable and accessible.
The recent explosion in dockless e-scooters around the country spurred states and localities to start regulating the devices, partly in response to complaints that they clutter up sidewalks and pose safety hazards for pedestrians, particularly people with disabilities.
In Fairfax County, vendors are limited to an initial fleet of 300 scooters with an option to expand to 600 vehicles depending on demand. The scooters must have a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour and can be prohibited on sidewalks by signage.
The county also requires vendors to pay a $5,000 bond to cover potential clean-up costs, and users that leave scooters in places that block car or foot traffic could be hit with a misdemeanor and fines.
Now that e-scooters are here, how likely are you to use one? Are you excited to have this travel option, or do they seem like more of an obstacle than a convenience?
This week’s Pet of the Week isn’t your average cat or dog — it’s Tootsie! Tootsie is a sweet bunny who, though at times is shy, loves being hugged and exploring.
Here’s what Tootsie’s friends at Friends of Rabbits have to say about her:
Tootsie is a very sweet bunny who likes to explore, spend time with people and get treats. She is a bit shy and has nipped once when she needed to be released from being held. She likes to be hugged, though, to investigate people, and to have her head rubbed. She is a lovable bunny and is ready for her forever home.
Tootsie is not experienced with dogs or cats, but she likes children. She can be skittish but is friendly when she wants to be and enjoys attention. Her foster dad doesn’t consider her territorial. She’s a big fan of boxes (which she likes to push around), brown paper and toilet paper rolls filled with hay. She’s a great eater, including hay (and everything else!). Her litter box habits are pretty good, and she always uses her litter box to pee but not so much to poop.
Could you and Tootsie be the perfect match?
