Police arrested a Falls Church resident who works for the Town of Vienna for allegedly having child pornography.

City of Falls Church police arrested 36-year-old Tyler Weepie this morning (Tuesday) and charged him with four counts of possession of child pornography, the city said in a press release.

Weepie has worked as an engineering technician for the Town of Vienna since 2016, according to a Vienna press release, which said that Weepie has been placed on administrative leave.

Officers participating in the regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force made the arrest, according to the City of Falls Church.

“We’re obviously disappointed and disturbed by this news,” Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton said in a statement. “We support the important work of the ICAC task force and have zero tolerance for crimes against children.”

Currently, Weepie is being held without bond in in the Arlington County Jail, the press releases said.

Separately Tuesday afternoon, a Vienna man pleaded guilty to multiple child exploitation offenses, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.

Alan Tabish pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and the attempted transfer of obscene material to minors and will be sentenced on June 23, facing 7 to 12 years in prison, according to a press release.

Photo via Arlington County

Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

Fundraiser For Timber Lane PTA — “The Community Charity Champions philanthropic arm of HBC Group of Keller Williams Realty will host a fund-raiser for the Timber Lane Elementary School PTA on Tuesday, March 10.” [Inside NoVa]

No July Fourth Falls Church Fireworks — “The City of Falls Church announced [Monday] that its 40-year tradition of an Independence Day fireworks show will be suspended this year due to the construction on the new George Mason High School currently taking place. The City says it plans for the fireworks to return in 2021.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Fire Guts McLean Home, Closes Route 123 — Last night shortly before 7 p.m., a three-alarm fire in a McLean home prompted Route 123 to close. [Tysons Reporter]

Students Getting Glass Recycled — “Two enterprising George Mason High School students, junior Jonathan Oppenheimer and freshman Danny Oppenheimer, have started a glass recycling service for City of Falls Church residents in response to the City’s announcement that it would no longer collect glass in its weekly recycling pick-up service.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Today, voting is underway for the Democratic primary today:

It’s been slow but steady so far this morning as voters come out for the #SuperTuesday Democratic presidential primary today. Polls are open until 7 p.m. #election2020 #2020election #VAprimary #Virginia pic.twitter.com/vqA8NJXMAi

— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) March 3, 2020

Happy Friday! Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

Tysons Auto Group to Offer Luxury Hybrid Speedsters — “Tysons-based Exclusive Automotive Group has since updated its plans to include sales and service of both Karma Automotive and Koenigsegg vehicles. This will be the first presence for both in the D.C. area.” [Washington Business Journal]

Affordable Housing Spike Expected — “Fairfax County could soon more than double funding for its affordable housing loan program, with local leaders starting work on a new budget that would offer up more than $45.7 million to power affordable development.” [Washington Business Journal]

McLean Falls on Richest U.S. Places List — “The next Virginia town on the list was McLean at 30 with an average household income of $293,323. McLean fell from 25th place last year, although its average income rose from $283,992… Rounding out Virginia towns on the list was Wolf Trap at 47, down from 42 in last year’s ranking. The average household income increased from $261,610 to $265,175.” [Patch]

Falls Church Concerned About Upcoming Metro Parking Closure — “Falls Church’s Assistant City Manager Cindy Mester will be on an urgent conference call with WMATA officials and her counterparts in Arlington and Fairfax Friday in an effort to mitigate the impact on neighborhoods in the City of Falls Church of WMATA’s plans, announced less than two weeks ago, to close the parking lots at the East and West Falls Church Metro stations months ahead of the closing of the stations for platform repairs over the summer.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Thank you for sharing these great pictures with us. We recently had a local Daisy Troop tour the Vienna Police Station. We are glad the children had a wonderful time and also learned about police work. @TownofViennaVA @fcpsnews pic.twitter.com/cEHkZWSKbh

— Town of Vienna Police (@VPDVA) February 28, 2020

Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic candidate for president and senator from Minnesota, is coming to Falls Church tomorrow.

Klobuchar will be at a rally supporting her campaign ahead of the March 3 Super Tuesday primary in Virginia.

The event is set to take place at noon at the State Theatre (220 N. Washington Street). Doors will open at 11:15 a.m.

After stopping in Falls Church, Klobuchar will then head to Nashville, according to a press release from her campaign.

Photo via Amy Klobuchar/Facebook

Editor’s Note — This is a guest post written by Saira Uttamchandani, an eighth-grader and Falls Church resident, that was submitted by her mom Komal Mohindra. The story has been lightly edited.  

My dad has never been an overly emotional type. But the day that he found he’d be on the trivia show “Jeopardy!,” he let out an uncharacteristic whoop of joy.

My dad, Mahesh Uttamchandani, was introduced to the trivia show in 10th grade when his teacher didn’t feel like instructing one day and had no lesson plans, so he played an episode of “Jeopardy!” instead. That day, he fell in love and he has held that torch ever since.

In December, my dad received a thrilling call that invited him to Los Angeles for the taping of the show. He went through a rigorous testing process in the lead up.

Our family flew out to L.A. on a Saturday, so we had a few days before my dad was scheduled to tape his show on Tuesday to do some sightseeing. I had never been to L.A. before, so I enjoyed eating In-N-Out and seeing the Walk of Fame and the Santa Monica Pier.

Then, Tuesday arrived, and we could not have been more excited. My dad had to get up at 5 a.m. to get to the studio on time, to get his makeup done, fill out paperwork and be prepped on the rules and protocol. My mom, sister, uncle and I instead got to sleep in and be there at 10:15 a.m. instead.

The guides led us into the studio and my breath caught in my throat. The studio smelled and was very cold. There are two sections — one for the audience — and one for production guests and friends and family of the contestants.

During the commercial break between the first round of questions and Double Jeopardy!, Alex Trebeck, the host of the show, let the audience ask him questions, which was amazing. For example, we got to ask about his favorite pizza toppings, his back up career plans and his most memorable contestants.

One interesting thing about “Jeopardy!” is that they tape all of their episodes for a week in one day. The contestant match-ups for each episode are completely random, so some contestants, like my dad, were at the studio all day.

Each episode takes around 30 minutes to film, provided there are no malfunctions or retakes needed — like if Alex reads a question incorrectly. In addition, the episodes are filmed months in advance, so my dad’s show will air on March 6, but was shot on Jan. 7.

There was a small break for lunch after the third episode and the contestants were taken to the Sony cafeteria on set, but we were not allowed to dine there because the contestants had to stay sequestered in case we somehow got the answers to the questions.

My dad was in the last episode filming that day. One thing I noticed was that there is a very tiny window where contestants can buzz in and have a chance to be called on. You’re supposed to buzz in during that perfect window after Alex finishes reading a clue, but before lights on the side of the game board flash — otherwise, you miss your chance.

My dad struggled with the buzzer in the first round but managed to answer a few questions correctly.

I won’t spoil the ending for you but I invite you to watch on the episode on Friday, March 6, and cheer on one of your Tysons neighbors!

Welcome back from the long weekend! Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

McLean Rep Lauds Environmental, Housing Efforts —“Buoyed by his party’s sweeping victories locally and statewide last fall and the infusion of new blood on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor John Foust (D) was upbeat about a host of initiatives Feb. 20 during his annual “State of McLean” speech to the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce.” [Inside NoVa]

Falls Church Officials Face $1.207 Million City Hall Overrun — “City Manager Wyatt Shields said the cost can be absorbed by the surplus the City built up in the current fiscal year by delaying a first payment on the bond for the new high school and otherwise favorable (low interest rate) economic conditions.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Woes About Broad-Washington Project — “Public access to the parking lot, a surface lot sitting directly behind Thompson Italian, Clare and Don’s and adjacent the State Theatre, is considered by those businesses among their most critical assets for attracting the customers they need to succeed.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Vienna Business Leaders Talk Advocacy — “Vienna’s business owners galvanized and spoke out last July when the Council briefly flirted with rescinding an approved mixed-use rezoning at 374-380 Maple Ave., W. Business people who spoke at the six-hour-long meeting that began July 15 offered a perspective that wasn’t being heard, said Bollettino, adding it was fortunate the Council did not move forward with the proposal.” [Inside NoVa]

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tysons Reporter also created a list of events happening for Mardi Gras, which is tomorrow.

Tuesday (Feb. 25)

• National Pancake Day — 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at IHOP (6655 Arlington Blvd) — The community is invited to enjoy a free small stack of pancakes.
• Cherish The Ladies — 8 p.m. at The Barns (1635 Trap Road) — This musical event includes step dancing, instrumental music and vocal arrangements. Tickets start at $27.

Wednesday (Feb. 26)

• Black Eminence: A Tysons-Wide Mixer — 5:30 p.m. at The Tower Club (8000 Towers Crescent Drive) — This event invites people to come together and play trivia to celebrate Black History Month while shopping from local businesses and enjoying music. Tickets are $15 for the public or $10 for members.

Saturday (Feb. 29)

• Battle of the Bands –– 6 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 E. Maple Ave) — This event invites people to listen to the final band perform a concert in a 22 session event. Tickets range from $10-$20. All ages are welcome.
• Zumba Dance Party — 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — The Marshall High School PTSA is hosting this event to raise funds for the seniors’ graduation celebration. Tickets are $10-$20 for the work-out dance sessions. All ages are welcome to this Zumba event.

Sunday (March 1)

• Sunday AcaFunday — 1 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 E. Maple Ave) — The co-ed acapella group “Impitched” will sing a variety of popular pop songs and will be accompanied by groups such as TBD and The District. Tickets are $10 before the event or $15 at the door.
• DC St. Patrick’s Parade Fundraiser — 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Ireland’s Four Provinces (105 W. Broad Street) — This event celebrates Irish culture and will help to support the 2020 DC St. Patrick’s Parade. There will be food, drinks, live music, drawings, prizes and live auctions.

Photo via Ireland’s Four Provinces/Facebook

Happy Friday! Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

Job Shadowing For High School Students — “Approximately 20 local businesses and organizations are hosting Fairfax County Public Schools students in job-shadowing events that began in January and will run through March.” [Inside NoVa]

Local Pizza Places Now Hiring — “Baddpizza, a takeout restaurant bringing Buffalo-style pizza and wings to Northern Virginia, are hiring for future locations in McLean and Falls Church.” [Patch]

Tysons Building For Sale — “The Tysons office building where Booz Allen Hamilton maintains its global headquarters is under contract to trade for $10M less than its previous sale.” [Bisnow]

Local Company Tops Fortune List for Best Workplaces — “The business magazine Fortune, in partnership with analytics firm Great Place to Work, has released its annual list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the United States… McLean-based Hilton took home the top spot on the list for the second year in a row, with Ultimate Software and Wegmans Food Markets rounding out the top three.” [Patch]

Former Dranesville District Supervisor Dies — “Barbara Phillips, a former ballet dancer and interpreter who once ran for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, died in her sleep Feb. 11 at age 85.” [Inside NoVa]

Starting this Sat, Feb. 22, there will be 13 #absenteevoting locations open across #FairfaxCounty for the March 3 Democratic Presidential Primary. Hours & addresses: https://t.co/HTUvwhSY0b#2020election #supertuesday #virginiaprimary #presidentialprimary #vote pic.twitter.com/m2xG7mhJJr

— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) February 21, 2020

The Virginia headquarters for the presidential campaign office for Elizabeth Warren sits at 450 W. Broad Street in Falls Church.

Tysons Reporter reached out to Warren’s campaign and connected with Rylie Cooper, an organizer from the office, to hear her opinions on the campaign’s progress and base in Falls Church.

Below are Cooper’s answers to questions from Tysons Reporter.

Tysons Reporter: How many people are engaged with the Falls Church campaign office overall? 

Cooper: We’ve had literally hundreds of volunteers come through our Falls Church office. On any given weekend, we launch canvasses with more than 30 people scheduled for each shift. One of my favorite events to launch out of this office was our Foreign Policy Professionals for Warren Canvass!

We had nearly 40 foreign policy professionals from all over the D.C. area ranging from professors and their students to foreign service members who organize themselves into a group and come together on a Sunday afternoon to knock on doors and talk to Virginia voters about Elizabeth and her plans to bring big, structural change to the Commonwealth.

TR: How have outreach efforts been going in the area? 

Cooper: The enthusiasm on the ground for Elizabeth Warren and her message for big, structural change has been very well received both here in Northern Virginia and across the Commonwealth. This area was especially really active following the 2016 election.

The people here are incredibly excited about the opportunity to elect a woman who represents their values. There was a significant organic and grassroots movement for Elizabeth Warren in place even before any of our staff even hit the ground. This is the same group who helped elect the most diverse state legislature in Virginia in 2017 and take it back for Democrats in 2019 and now they’re activating their networks for Elizabeth.

TR: What are the borders of the outreach area? 

Cooper: Our campaign is organizing everywhere. In addition to the Falls Church office, we have an office that focuses on Hampton Roads/Virginia Beach area and we have grassroots hubs in Central Virginia.

TR: What have been some successes? 

Cooper: I think our biggest success has been training our volunteers and empowering them with the tools they need to do this work on their own time, in their own communities and in the way that feels most impactful to them. We have nearly 1,000 people who have raised their hands to volunteer in over 100 cities, towns and counties across the commonwealth — including in every single congressional district.

We’ve knocked on nearly 75,000 doors and made over 43,000 calls since Jan. 1. We’ve had over 150 volunteer phone banks and canvass and over 700 one-on-one conversations with people wanting to get involved with the campaign. People are also really happy to be connected with other Elizabeth Warren supporters in their communities.

TR: Are there full-time staffers at this office? Are they paid? Volunteers? 

Cooper: We have several full-time staffers — all the staffers are paid. We also have several volunteers who come in to help around the office when they can. We’ve trained more than 100 volunteers. They come to our office when it makes sense, but they also organize out of their own garages and homes and with their neighbors.

TR: How are the outreach efforts different in the NoVA area compared to other places in the country? 

Cooper: Our campaign has been organizing in traditionally red and blue areas of states who will be voting in the next few weeks. Here in Virginia, we are reaching as many communities as we can across the state and that is how we are organizing across the country too.

TR: As a team leader what are your responsibilities?

Cooper: My responsibilities range from training and managing our organizers to preaching Elizabeth’s message to every single person I meet to working with our leadership team to make sure we have a happy and productive work environment to making sure our volunteers have a great experience every single time they volunteer.

TR: Has Warren visited the HQ or does she plan to make a stop anytime soon in the area? 

Cooper: She was in Arlington last Thursday for a town hall! It was so amazing to see people come from all over the D.C. area ready to get involved for that last final push leading up to Super Tuesday!

I just wish everyone could see her in a town hall like we did. It’s reassuring to know that a lot of the people who were able to witness the magic of an Elizabeth Warren Town Hall are now signed up to help us talk to Virginians all over the commonwealth and share that energy of the Arlington town hall with voters at the doors and on the phones.

The interview has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity. 

Photo courtesy Rylie Cooper

Mardi Gras is approaching and throughout the weekend leading up to Tuesday (Feb. 25), several local businesses and eateries around town are holding festive events.

Tysons Reporter rounded up where and when to Mardi Gras celebrations around the Tysons area.

Vienna and Merrifield 

On Friday, Feb. 21, Kim Stryker, a George Mason professor, will discuss holiday traditions and their origins during Folklore Friday at Bards Alley Bookshop (110 Church Street NW). The event is set to run from 7 to 8 p.m. King cake and Mardi Gras beads will be supplied. All are welcome to dress up in fun and festive attire for this event.

The Mardi Gras Bunco Party, hosted by the Vienna Arts Society (243 Church Street NW), next Saturday (Feb. 29) invites people to play Bunco, a dice game played with groups of 12 or more. A donation of $22 is suggested and refreshments will be served, according to the event page. This event runs from 7 to 9 p.m.

Inca Social (2670 Avenir Place) is hosting a Carnival Celebration next Saturday from 7 to 10:30 p.m. The cover charge is $6 and includes an evening of dancing, drink specials and beads.

People looking for Mardi Gras-themed baked goods can visit Amphora Bakery in Vienna (405 W. Maple Ave) to purchase king cake or a variety of decorative treats, according to its website.

Falls Church

Foodies can participate in a free Free Mardi Gras Crawfish Eating Contest on Tuesday (Feb. 25) from noon to 10 p.m. The contest will begin at 6 p.m., but drink specials will be available all day. People can submit their names to become a contestant but participation is not guaranteed. People who place in the top three will receive gift cards.

The Fat Tuesday Beer Dinner at the Dogfish Head Alehouse (6220 Leesburg Pike) in Seven Corners offers guests a four-course meal for the price of $55. Admission includes beer pairings and a hurricane cocktail, according to the event page. This event begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Sol Roots Band with guest Ron Holloway will be performing Mardi Gras-themed music at JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd) on Tuesday beginning at 8:30 p.m. The groups will be performing a variety of funk, soul, deep blues, R&B and rock, according to the event page.

This Sunday (Feb. 23), JV’s Restaurant will be hosting another Mardi Gras celebration for the community. This event will feature a DJ and dancing from 4-7 p.m., the Facebook page said.

Photo via Kristina Evstifeeva/Unsplash