New Cancer Treatment Facility to Open in Merrifield — “Virginia Cancer Specialists, which operates 10 locations in Northern Virginia, will be opening its new 60,000-square-foot facility on April 13 in the Merrifield area. The new center located at 8613 Lee Highway will replace the VCS’ current center at 8503 Arlington Blvd.” [Patch]
Tour de Hunter Mill Coming to Vienna — Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn will host the inaugural district-wide bicycle tour, which will take cyclists from Reston to Vienna and back again through the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons. The event will take place on May 15 with a $25 registration fee for anyone 16 and older. [Hunter Mill District Supervisor’s Office]
Vienna State Senator Skeptical of Marijuana Legalization — Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposal to amend a bill legalizing marijuana to make it effective on July 1 appears to have enough support to pass when the Virginia General Assembly reconvenes this month, but State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) says he’s “not a fan of setting up a marijuana industry in this state, which appears to be the purpose of the legislation.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Online Forum Scheduled for Vienna Town Council Candidates — An online candidate forum for the upcoming Vienna Town Council election on May 4 will be recorded and available to view starting on April 12. The event will be posted to the town government’s YouTube channel and air on TV regularly until the election. [Sun Gazette]
Tysons Company to Bring Broadband to the Arctic — “OneWeb plans to start offering broadband from space in the Arctic region this fall, a capability the company hopes will attract U.S. military and other national government customers…Following the latest launch of 36 satellites on March 25, OneWeb has 146 in operation.” [Space News]
Editor’s Note — Tysons Reporter is running Q&As with the candidates who qualified for this year’s Vienna Town Council election on May 4. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Steve Potter is one of four candidates running for the three Vienna Town Council seats up for election this year. A U.S. Navy veteran and professional consultant, Potter is seeking his second term after joining the council in 2019.
Interviews with fellow incumbents Howard Springsteen and Nisha Patel are also available.
Why did you decide to run for reelection?
I’m running because we’re in the midst of numerous projects that I’ve been a part of and would like to see through completion. I believe continuity, knowledge, and experience are going to be more important in this election than in previous elections because of the magnitude of the initiatives involved and the long-term effects they will have on the community. They include the zoning code rewrite, transportation and traffic studies, land purchases, library and parking expansion, police station construction, new sidewalks, infrastructure upkeep and repairs, and economic development.
What has it been like dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic? How well do you think the town has handled its pandemic response?
I think the major focus has been on financial relief for our businesses and identifying sources of funds and revenues that can help our businesses through tough times. Just the RISE grant alone, we had 254 businesses and nonprofits who got $2.76 million in grant funding. So, we have been able to help people with those kinds of relief to get them through. There was another relief fund for $100,000 for the Town of Vienna residents and business workers, and there’s been loan and grant application systems.
We have temporary permits that we’ve put in place for outdoor commercial activity for our restaurants. We did things for child daycare businesses in commercial zones and expanded opportunities in that area. We’ve done…an eight-course boot camp for new business owners. There’s a weekly newsletter that provides business-related news. We’ve had several social media campaigns to promote local businesses. So, I think we have done a lot in terms of being able to support the community and help folks get through this.
What are your thoughts on how the zoning code rewrite has gone so far?
The zoning code prior to the rezoning update was very antiquated. It was very ambiguous. It allowed multiple interpretations on a single subject, and it was also conducive to having very large buildings, high density very close to the borderlines, small setbacks, and all of these things didn’t contribute to what really needed to be done in today’s world, in our minds.
Bringing it back to the drawing board has allowed us to look at how each ordinance interfaces with each other, to look at the logic of having a 1.2-mile stretch [on Maple Avenue] of the same code, and just allows us to look at things differently so that we can update things that reflect smart growth, reduce density, increase green space, allow for greater setbacks, and are environmentally sound. Read More
Editor’s Note — Tysons Reporter is running Q&As with the candidates who qualified for this year’s Vienna Town Council election on May 4. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Nisha Patel is one of four candidates running for the three Vienna Town Council seats that are up for election this year. A working mother with two medical practices, Patel has served on the council since 2019 and is now seeking her second term.
Why did you decide to run for reelection?
I first ran because I felt like we needed a new, fresh perspective on how we handle the development in the town. We did make significant changes over the past two years, but these changes are not permanent yet. I want to complete the job that I set out to do: Maintain smart growth to strengthen the commercial district in town while still maintaining our hometown character.
Vienna has this very unique character. It’s the kind of place where we want to see growth and development, but we don’t want it to change that character. It’s like a “mom and pop” town. It’s a safe place to have your family; there are so many family and community events. The people care about the town and each other. I want to make sure that’s not diluted or changed in any way, shape, or form.
What has it been like dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic? How well do you think the town has handled its pandemic response?
The people in town really rallied behind our local businesses, especially our restaurants. We anticipated a significant decrease in meal tax income, but the numbers were surprisingly on the favorable side, which we really appreciate. Without the residents, we would’ve suffered so much more.
Our new Economic Development Manager [Natalie Monkou] has tried hard to figure out ways to get people out and enjoying the community and supporting businesses. She’s been a huge resource for businesses needing information about CARES Act funding.
As a council, we adjusted the budget very conservatively to ensure essential services were maintained. We got CARES funds. But we do need to keep the pandemic in mind, and budget conservatively. We’ve attempted to attack that in the 2021 budget, but I’m only one voice of seven, and I’m occasionally outvoted.
This coming year, I would like us to lower our real estate tax just a slight fraction because I feel like, with the pandemic, it’d be nice to give something back to the people, however insignificant.
What are your thoughts on how the zoning code rewrite has gone so far?
For commercial zoning, we had a big issue with our previous laws. We eliminated the Maple Avenue Commercial zone because the buildings were too large and too dense. Going forward for new commercial zoning, I would push for more open space, reasonable building height, reasonable lot coverage, and adequate parking.
The residential zoning is just fine, but there are certain people who are in special circumstances and cannot have a front porch or handicap ramp.
What issues do you see as a priority in terms of what you want the zoning code update to address?
I’ve been the proponent of increased outdoor living space with patios, decks, and screened-in porches. We have to figure out how to do that in a reasonable manner so that everyone’s happy — I know there are concerns about houses getting bigger.
We need to look at how we can help residents build ramps and porches and make it easier for residents to navigate the code. The permitting process needs to be simplified, and the zoning codes need to be a people’s document. It needs to be so that the average person can find the information they need and act accordingly. Read More
Editor’s Note — Tysons Reporter is running Q&As with the candidates who qualified for this year’s Vienna Town Council election on May 4. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Howard Springsteen is one of four candidates running for the three Vienna Town Council seats that are up for election this year. A retired Fairfax County employee and firefighter for the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Springsteen has served on the council since 2009 and is now seeking his sixth term.
Why did you decide to run for reelection?
Well, I’ve been on the council since 2009, and I still think I make a difference. I enjoy serving the town and serving the community, and I just think we have a lot of issues that we’re dealing with that I’d like to see through to fruition. We have a great mayor and council right now. Everyone’s pulling together as a team, and I enjoy doing it…I bring a really good history with my experience of the community, and also my experience on the council is very valuable. I have a good institutional knowledge, what has worked, what hasn’t worked, what needs to be done.
What has it been like dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic from your perspective?
It’s been really challenging this year, but we’ve continued to maintain essential town services. Sidewalks are being built, maintenance projects being done, water and sewer pipes being done…We’ve cut the budget back, but I think the biggest challenge we’ve had is trying to keep everyone safe and maintaining essential town services and moving forward with projects.
We started the new police station…That was five, 10 years in the planning stages, and we’re getting that done. We bought the First Baptist Church that gives us much more ability to have additional recreational facilities around town, so we’re surviving.
How well do you think the town has handled its pandemic response? What’s been your approach to balancing keeping people safe and supporting businesses?
We have different areas of responsibility than [Fairfax County] does. We don’t have a health department. We have a police, public works. I think Natalie [Monkou], who’s our new economic development person, has done a good job. Linda [Colbert], the mayor, has worked with the business community. We’ve had a lot of campaigns, lot of carry-outs. We’ve extended these ordinances where you can have tents in the parking lot.
We really have gone out of our way to reduce the regulations and actually try to be as helpful to businesses as possible. It’s still a challenge for businesses, but…we’re definitely trying to reach out to the community. We got CARES funds. We’ve used those in areas that we could. We basically have used a commonsense approach. We maintained county services with an eye towards safety, and I think it’s paying off.
What are your thoughts on how the zoning code rewrite has gone so far?
I’m not opposed to growth. I just want reasonable, realistic, responsible growth…We repealed the MAC [Maple Avenue Commercial zone], so by doing this code update, we’re being very measured. We’re getting community input, we’re getting buy-in, and it probably won’t be approved until the end of this year or beginning of next year.
We’re being very careful. We did a survey. We want to reach out to folks. We did the residential first and the commercial. I don’t believe in knee-jerk reaction. Development’s going to happen, but we want to do it so it’s managed. The town’s in the driver’s seat, not the developers. That’s the key. The town and residents need to be in the driver’s seat, and we have to do it to be very respectful of our past and sensitive to our future. Read More
The ballot for the Town of Vienna’s May 4 election has been finalized, with four candidates — three incumbents and one challenger — vying for the three seats that are up for a vote.
Councilmembers Nisha Patel, Steve Potter, and Howard Springsteen all announced on Feb. 1 that they will be campaigning to retain their seats. Patel and Potter are both seeking second terms after being elected to the council for the first time in 2019, while Springsteen has served six consecutive, two-year terms since 2009.
The fourth candidate is Vienna Planning Commissioner David Patariu, a lawyer who was appointed to the commission in October 2019. This is his second time running for a position on the town council after he joined six other candidates in last year’s race.
The Town of Vienna holds elections annually on the first Tuesday of May. Three town council seats go on the ballot every year, and even years also feature mayoral elections.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE).
All Vienna residents who are over 18 years old and have U.S. citizenship are eligible to vote in town elections. New voters can register in person with the general registrar’s office at the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway), by mail, or online.
Vienna will not be utilizing ballot drop-off boxes for the upcoming election, according to the Fairfax County Office of Elections.
However, that could potentially change. The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill during its special session in February that requires the establishment of drop-off locations for absentee ballots, aiming to make permanent a measure that was implemented on a temporary basis last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislation went to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk on March 1 with a deadline of 11:59 p.m. on March 31 for him to act on it.
Voting for McLean Community Center Board Begins — Residents of Small District 1A-Dranesville can now request a ballot to vote in the McLean Community Center’s 2021 governing board election. 13 candidates — five adults and eight teenagers — qualified to run for three adult and two teen vacancies. Ballots and affidavits verifying voters’ residency must be returned to MCC by mail or in-person by 5 p.m. on May 15. [McLean Community Center]
Metro Orders New Fleet of Railcars — “Metro has selected Hitachi Rail Washington LLC (“Hitachi Rail”) to build the system’s 8000-series railcars in the U.S. The contract, valued up to an estimated $2.2 billion, includes a base order of 256 railcars, with options to build up to 800 in the fleet. The project is expected to create direct and indirect jobs in the region.” [WMATA]
Vienna Leaders Skeptical of November Municipal Elections — Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill last week that moves all municipal elections to November. Elected officials in the Town of Vienna, which traditionally holds elections in May, argue that having separate local elections makes them less partisan and prevents them from getting overshadowed by state and national races. Supporters of the change say it will save money and ensure better voter turnout. [Sun Gazette]
Virginia Issues Preliminary Guidance for Graduation Ceremonies — Virginia plans to allow in-person graduation ceremonies for high schools and colleges this year. Draft guidelines from the Department of Education state that masks and social distancing will be required, and attendance will be capped at 30% capacity, with a maximum of 5,000 people for outdoor events and 500 people for indoor events. [Patch]
140 Anti-Asian Hate Incidents Reported in D.C. Area in Past Year — “140 hate incidents have been reported against Asian Americans across Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. since March 2020, according to a new report by Stop AAPI Hate…The report comes as eight people, including six Asian American women, were killed in a shooting rampage in the Atlanta area.” [DCist]
McLean Depression Treatment Company Joins NASDAQ — “Greenbrook TMS Inc., the McLean mental health company that first went public two years ago in Canada, is now trading in the U.S. markets. The local depression therapy provider made its debut Tuesday on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol ‘GBNH.'” [Washington Business Journal]
(Updated at 9:20 a.m.) Fairfax County Gets New General Registrar — “The Fairfax County Electoral Board appointed Scott O. Konopasek as the county’s new general registrar and director of elections at its March 11, 2020, meeting. He will lead the Fairfax County Office of Elections following the retirement of the current registrar Gary Scott who has worked in the office for the past 24 years. Konopasek’s tentative starting date is April 19.” [Fairfax County Government]
Metrobus to Expand Service Starting March 14 — Metro will increase bus service to 80% of pre-pandemic levels starting next week to accommodate increased ridership demand. Some routes, including Route 28A between the Tysons and King Street-Old Town Metro stations, will have service completely restored to pre-pandemic levels, while others will get supplemental buses or have weekend service restored. [WMATA]
Tysons One East Developer Joins Expansion of The Boro — The D.C. developer Akridge has partnered with The Meridian Group on its plans to expand The Boro in Tysons with additional mixed-use development. Akridge is also behind the Tysons One East tower that Fairfax County approved last year for Old Meadow Road near the McLean Metro station. [Bisnow]
House Fire in Vienna Extinguished — “Units on scene of a house fire in the 10400 block of Hunt Country Lane. First arriving reported smoke showing from two story home. Small fire located and extinguished. All occupants safe. Crews checking for extension.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department/Twitter]
McLean Student Wins State Journalism Competition — “McLean High School senior Marina Qu has been named the 2021 Virginia Journalist of the Year by the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers. Qu serves as editor-in-chief of The Highlander newsmagazine and The Tartan literary magazine; she has been on both publications’ staff for three years.” [FCPS]
FEMA Gives Virginia Funding for COVID-19 Vaccinations — “The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded $38.6 million in funding to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Virginia. A grant of $1,814,688 will be used to pay for staff needed to administer vaccines, while a grant of $36,750,003 has been made available to establish a number of mobile vaccine sites across the state.” [Patch]
Vienna Decks Out “Love” Sign for St. Patrick’s Day — “Friends of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail Trail Patrol volunteer was kind enough to pose for this. #LOVEViennaVA sign has been decorated for St. Patrick’s Day, so snap away #spring #March.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Two People Shot in Springfield — “Officers are investigating a shooting in the 6100 block of Hibbling Ave. in Springfield. Two people taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Updates to follow.” [Fairfax County Police Department/Twitter]
Capital One Renovating Health Clinic at McLean HQ — “The McLean banking giant is renovating an 11,000-square-foot suite in its building at 1680 Capital One Drive to accommodate its growing headcount and add more health-care services for them, according to Erin Mical, senior director of workplace solutions at Capital One.” [Washington Business Journal]
Fairfax County Government and Employees Prepare for Collective Bargaining — “On Feb. 25, Fairfax County Supervisor and Vice Chairman Penny Gross (D-Mason District), Chair of the Fairfax County Collective Bargaining Workgroup, opened the second meeting between Fairfax County leaders and union representatives. The meeting was meant to solicit input toward the writing of collaborative labor-management policies.” [Connection Newspapers]
Fairfax County Fire Department Reorganizes — “Effective Saturday, February 27, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) has implemented an operational reorganization that adds an 8th battalion, while also dividing the county into two divisions. This resulted in a battalion chief and a second deputy chief of operations (DC) being added to each shift.” [FCFRD]
Northam Endorses Attorney General Challenger — Gov. Ralph Northam announced yesterday (Thursday) that he has endorsed Del. Jay Jones (D-Norfolk), who is vying to unseat incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring. If elected, Jones would become Virginia’s first Black attorney general. [Associated Press/WTOP]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Vienna Town Councilmembers Announce Reelection Bids — Howard Springsteen, a 12-year veteran of the council, and newcomers Steve Potter and Nisha Patel announced earlier this week that they will seek reelection on May 4, though no candidates have formally filed paperwork yet. [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
CVS to Offer COVID-19 Vaccine in Virginia — “CVS plans to offer COVID-19 vaccine appointments starting Feb. 11 at select locations in Virginia for people eligible in phases 1a and 1b…According to a CVS spokesperson, the list of specific stores for vaccines will be provided on the CVS website as stores receive shipments and appointments become available.” [Patch]
Police Charge Maryland Man for Using Stolen Identities to Buy Cars — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau charged Nickolas Mathis, 36, of Maryland, with multiple felony offenses following a serial crime spree involving the fraudulent purchases of several automobiles at dealerships in Fairfax, Tysons and Chantilly.” [Fairfax County Police Department]
Tysons Start-Up Seeks to Create 5G Network — “Tysons satellite communications company Omnispace LLC has raised $60 million in fresh funding…The startup, founded in 2012, aims to create seamless 5G connectivity to companies that operate across urban and more rural areas across the world.” [Washington Business Journal]
Virginia Senate Passes Bill Requiring Schools to Have In-Person and Virtual Learning Options — “Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, a co-sponsor of the measure, said the nearly yearlong stretch of remote learning has frustrated families, including his own, and threatened the loss of a generation of students.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors praised election workers and volunteers yesterday (Tuesday) for their work on the 2020 general election, which presented local voters with new opportunities and unprecedented obstacles.
With voters turning out in record numbers, Fairfax County’s election staff had to adapt to the logistical challenges introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic on top of implementing a slew of new state laws to improve voting accessibility, including the introduction of no-excuse absentee voting and the elimination of photo identification requirements.
“There’s no doubt we had an amazing year,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said. “[The election staff] came through with flying colors, and we definitely have to recognize that and appreciate that.”
While this year’s 79.4% turnout rate fell short of the 82.5% high mark set in 2016, the 605,023 ballots cast for the Nov. 3 general election were the most in Fairfax County history. There were also about 80,000 more active registered voters than in 2016 and only 25,667 inactive voters, compared to 64,041 in 2016.
Fairfax County Electoral Board Secretary Katherine Hanley confirmed again in a presentation to the Board of Supervisors that absentee voting drove turnout this year, with only 186,253 people voting in person on Election Day, an even lower number than election officials predicted.
By contrast, there were 414,381 absentee votes. The county received 222,003 by-mail absentee ballots, including approximately 85,000 that were returned through a drop box, and 192,398 people voted in person before Election Day at one of 15 early voting locations.
Fairfax County also had 4,389 provisional ballots.
According to Hanley, the Fairfax County Office of Elections contacted 2,113 voters about small issues with their mail ballots. 1,315 of those voters fixed their ballots, a 63% cure rate.
One thing that surprised election officials was the 17,633 ballots that were either surrendered or goldenrod, meaning that it was never received, lost, or left at home by the voter.
“That’s a much bigger number than we thought there would be,” Hanley said.
Because COVID-19 both triggered and coincided with so many changes in Virginia’s election policies, it is difficult to tell whether 2020 was an anomaly or a harbinger of long-lasting shifts in voter behavior, Hanley says. Read More
