After delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, several new films are hitting the screens at newly-reopened movie theaters.
“Tenet,” “Wonder Woman 1984” and “Bill & Ted Face The Music” are some of the films poised to hit theaters soon.
In the Tysons area, ShowPlace Icon in The Boro and AMC Theatre in Tysons Corner Center recently reopened. Angelika Film Center’s website says the Mosaic District location is “coming soon.”
Gov. Ralph Northam forced movie theaters to close in the spring, but under Phase Three, which started July 1, movie theaters can open at 50% capacity.
Let us know in the poll and comments below if you are comfortable heading to movie theaters again.
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ShowPlace Icon is now screening movies again at The Boro.
The 72,000-square-foot theater (1667 Silver Hill Drive) — the seventh for the luxury movie theater chain — temporarily closed its new Tysons location due to COVID-19 restrictions just weeks after opening. During its closure, the theater sponsored The Boro’s drive-in movie series in June and July.
The theater announced that it reopened today (Friday). Competitor AMC Theatre reopened yesterday in Tysons Corner Center.
Today and this weekend, ShowPlace Icon is screening “Inception” to celebrate the film’s 10th anniversary, “Unhinged,” “Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula” and “Words on Bathroom Walls,” according to its website.
Audience goers are required to wear face coverings. The theater is encouraging people to buy tickets and concession items in advance to reduce contact. A full list of safety measures to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 is on the theater’s website.
The theater’s 14 auditoriums can seat 1,795 people, but the movie chain said that it will have reduced seating due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As families, educators and school systems grapple with how to return to school during the coronavirus pandemic, some parents are turning to “learning pods” this fall.
Learning pods — also known as “pandemic pods” — are essentially micro-schools. Small groups of kids learn together in-person either from a tutor or parents.
A New York Times survey found that most of the families who said they plan to use learning pods said that they address both concerns about health risks at school and desire for in-person education.
Some local parents say that having multiple families chip in makes hiring a tutor more affordable and that the pods will make it easier for them to go back to work than if their kids were learning virtually.
However, the concept has raised questions about the wealth disparity with education.
Fairfax County Public Schools recently brought up concerns about “tutoring pods,” saying that the school system is declining requests from parents to have FCPS teachers lead their pods.
“While FCPS doesn’t and can’t control these private tutoring groups, we do have concerns that they may widen the gap in educational access and equity for all students,” the statement said. “Many parents cannot afford private instruction. Many working families can’t provide transportation to and from a tutoring pod, even if they could afford to pay for the service.”
Let us know in the poll and comments below what you think of learning pods.
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The Barns at Wolf Trap won’t have live performance this fall, including Chamber Music at The Barns, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Wolf Trap said in the announcement on Monday that the Wolf Trap Foundation is “enormously thankful” for the support from the community, donors and patrons, and they look forward to gathering together in the future when it is safe to do so.
Ticket holders for events that were rescheduled for fall 2020 will be contacted directly via email with more information on individual shows, according to the press release.
Despite not holding live performances, Wolf Trap has presented a series of digital projects to continue their arts and education mission. People interested can visit Wolf Trap Sessions for their collection of online performances.
Their digital artistic content includes Park Pop-Up featuring performances by local artists, UNTRAPPED Online featuring newly recorded and re-released performances by the Wolf Trap Opera and Field Trip Fridays geared toward kids and their arts education.
They also recently launched the Music Moves Us fund to support the foundation’s projects to further community initiatives and promote next-generation artists.
Photo via Wolf Trap/Facebook
The number of new COVID-19 cases appears to be remaining steady in Fairfax County, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health.
The Fairfax Health District’s percent positivity has hovered between 5-7% since mid-June. Currently, it is at 6.4%, while the percent positivity statewide is 7%.
The weekly average of new COVID-19 cases has remained between 16-200 since mid-June in Northern Virginia. Statewide, the average has been dropping since mid-July after a spike.
The epidemic curve for the Fairfax Health District, which shows the number of new cases in a week by the date symptoms started, has remained mostly the same since June and saw a decrease in early August, according to Fairfax County’s dashboard.
As of today, the Fairfax Health District has a total of at least 17,154 cases, 1,975 hospitalizations and 550 deaths. Statewide, there have been more than 103,000 confirmed cases, 4,400 probably ones and 2,396 deaths.
The Herndon area (zip code 20170) has the fifth-highest cases per 100,000 people in Fairfax County, according to the county. The Dunn Loring area (zip code 22027) is the sixth-highest.
While the age group for people ages 18-49 has seen the most number of cases, people ages 65 and older have died the most from the virus in the county.
State health officials have pointed to a lag in reporting cases for spikes in daily updates on the VDH website.
Fairfax County Public Schools will have a virtual start to the year. But a program launched by Fairfax County will offer full-day, on-site programming for children in elementary and middle school.
The program, “Supporting Return to School,” aims to ensure that “all families have equitable access to the services they need to support children’s virtual learning,” according to the county.
Here’s more from the county on the initiative:
SRS will provide support for children’s active and engaged learning during the FCPS virtual academic day and promote children’s social, emotional and physical development. In addition to participating in distance learning, children will have opportunities to explore, engage, relax and enjoy activities that follow the SRS 2020-21 program curriculum, The Great Outdoors: Road Trips Through the Americas. What a perfect time for a virtual journey and to spend real time outdoors!
Enrollment begins on August 24 and space is limited. Each classroom will have a group of no more than 10 children who stay together every day. The program takes place on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 37 FCPS schools.
A sliding fee scale is available for income-eligible families. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack will be provided.
Photo via Unsplash
“Shop local” has become a popular refrain during the pandemic as small businesses struggle with the economic fall-out and health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.
Several small businesses have permanently closed during the pandemic, but many have found ways to keep their doors from shutting. Owners have told Tysons Reporter over the last few months that affluent residents, loyal customers and community support give Tysons-area businesses advantages.
Fundraisers to support businesses’ operations and employees, social media efforts by residents to promote local eateries and loans and grants from the government also aim to keep small businesses alive.
Even as businesses grapple with the pandemic, many are giving back to the community.
Lebanese restaurants and shops are fundraising for relief efforts in Beirut. A Mosaic District dry cleaners turned into a mask factory. Local eateries are donating meals to help food-insecure people in Vienna. Falls Church Distillers switched to making hand sanitizer when there was a shortage in March.
Let Tysons Reporter know in the poll and comments below how much you have been spending at small businesses during the pandemic.
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New Firm Helping Businesses With COVID-19 Rules — “The Tysons firm [Covidless Workplace Services], founded in June, aims to provide businesses with a set of recommendations and guidelines that not only help them comply with regulations but also implement best practices, said co-founder Dirar Hakeem.” [Washington Business Journal]
Koenigsegg Hypercar Will Be Sold in Tysons — “The manufacturer of one of the world’s most exclusive ‘hypercars’ has made it official and announced Tysons-based Exclusive Automotive Group as its only local dealer… The models will only be on site for special events, and even if you choose to acquire one, it’ll take one to two years to get it.” [Washington Business Journal]
Book Demand High — “Local libraries’ physical doors may be shut since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, but their virtual doors are seeing plenty of ‘foot traffic’ at all hours of the day in the City of Falls Church and surrounding areas.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Mask Campaign — “Four of Northern Virginia’s top health care organizations started a campaign Wednesday with a simple message about fighting the coronavirus pandemic: Wear a mask.” [Patch]
Fairfax County Public Schools invites the local community to a virtual town hall on Wednesday.
FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand will discuss the virtual return to school on Sep. 8 and address any questions. The event plans to run from 6-7 p.m.
People interested in viewing can watch via the livestream or on Channel 99. Questions regarding the virtual start to the school year can be sent to [email protected] or to 1-800-231-6359.
According to a recent message from Brabrand, weekly town halls will resume starting with tomorrow’s town hall.
Image via Fairfax County Public Schools
A temporary statewide moratorium on eviction proceedings will remain in effect from this week through Sept. 7, according to a Virginia Supreme Court Order.
The move comes amid an ongoing Congressional stalemate over the next economic relief package.
In a statement on Monday (Aug. 10) Gov. Ralph Northam said the decision is necessary to ensure all Virginians maintain “safe, stable housing” as the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic continues. He hopes to work with the Commonwealth’s General Assembly this month to craft more permanent legislative protections for homeowners and tenants.
So far, the state has pumped $50 million via the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) specifically for households facing eviction or foreclosure due to the pandemic. A number of county-based resources to navigate the issue are also available online.
The end of the federal moratorium on evictions, which expired last month, and the lapse of the $600 weekly boost to unemployment benefits, has left many renters in peril.
Roughly 27 percent of adults in the country missed their rent or mortgage payment in July, according to a nationwide survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. Roughly 34 percent of renters said they were unsure how they would make their August payments.
Given this economic backdrop, do you think Northam should further extend the temporary ban on eviction proceedings? Let us know in the comments below. Also, we’d love to hear from readers on their experiences with paying rent and mortgages and their interactions with landlords.
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