Update at 10:30 p.m. — The fire is under control, the fire department says.

UPDATE 800 block of Dolley Madison Blvd in McLean: The fire is under control. Units and investigators will remain on scene for the next few hours. pic.twitter.com/y1zFMObVYc

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) March 3, 2020

Update at 7:55 p.m. — The fire has gone through the roof of the house, the fire department tweeted. Route 123 is still closed. All of the occupants are safe, a second tweet said. 

Earlier: Firefighters are working to extinguish a house fire in McLean that has caused the closure of Route 123.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted about the fire in the 800 block of Dolley Madison Blvd shortly before 7 p.m.

The fire department tweeted that the fire is located in the basement.

The Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination (MATOC) Program tweeted around 6:30 p.m. that all of Route 123’s lanes in both directions near the GW Parkway are blocked due to the fire.

UPDATE- house fire 800 block of Dolley Madison Blvd in McLean. Crews still working to extinguish. All occupants are safe. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/B7fivExKUD

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) March 3, 2020

Fire Department Activity. VA-123 NB/SB between VA-193 and the GW Parkway. Fairfax County, VA. All lanes are blocked in both directions. Expect delays.

— MATOC Alerts (@MATOC) March 2, 2020

Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter and map via Google Maps

The Fairfax County Park Authority and the McLean Project for the Arts have revealed plans for an arts campus at Clemyjontri Park in McLean.

The meeting last Monday (Feb. 24) kicked off with a reception before presentations gave an overview of the park’s history and the current proposal, followed by a Q&A.

Adele Lebowitz and her family donated the property (6317 Georgetown Pike) to the Park Authority in 2000. The Park Master Plan was approved two years later, kicking off several phases of development that turned the park into a place to play for kids who use wheelchairs or who have sensory or developmental disabilities.

Now, MPA wants to expand its offerings, which are currently at the McLean Community Center, with an arts campus that will be intreated into, but distinct from, the park.

“We are thrilled,” Lori Carbonneau, MPA’s executive director, said during her presentation. “There is no art gallery in the world who wouldn’t love to have the 80,000 visitors that come to Clemyjontri each year at the front door steps of an art gallery.”

The campus would include galleries, studios, a creative outdoor space and turf parking at the end of the park closest to Route 123, Carbonneau said.

Of the three proposed galleries, one would be a blackbox space allowing for light installations, she said.

Carbonneau said that she is excited about combining the interests of people visiting for the park and for the arts campus — like a garden with native plants that can be used for dyes for fiber arts.

At the park, MPA tentatively plans to hold exhibits eight-12 times per year with 80-120 attendees and special events three times a year with 100-250 attendees. Carbonneau noted that two of MPA’s four largest events — MPA ArtReach and MPAartfest — would stay in their current locations.

“This new facility would build upon the existing visual arts programming currently provided by MPA through a public/private partnership with Fairfax County at the McLean Community Center,” according to the county.

As for the project’s costs, Carbonneau said that MPA has a roughly $1 million budget and will need to fundraise for the project.

Compass Nonprofit Consulting Group has given MPA an in-kind grant of $50,000 worth of consulting work, she said.

Of the roughly 10 people who commented at the meeting, a handful mentioned potential issues.

One person raised concerns about adding security measures like a gate to keep frisky teenagers away, while another said that standing water at one area might impact construction.

“We are aware of neighborhood concerns about evening music,” Carbonneau said, adding that parking is also a concern, which could get resolved by offering a bus.

As the process continues for the proposal, the plan will have to head to the county board for special exemption process and get reviewed by the Park Authority.

“We’re not starting from scratch in terms of a new master plan,” Ryan Stewart, the park planning supervisor for the Park Authority, said.

The entire process could take a year or more. Carbonneau said aiming for completion in 2022 for MPA’s 60th anniversary would be “aggressive.”

“It’s a fabulous combination of the space and nature,” she said.

Local students will soon get to see their art displayed in two gallery shows this month.

McLean Project for the Arts plans to host youth art shows for students in elementary, middle and high schools in the McLean and Langley school pyramids.

The show for McLean pyramid students is set to run from Thursday (March 5) to next Saturday (March 14). An opening exhibition reception will be held on Thursday (March 5) from 4:30-6 p.m.

Then, students in the Langley pyramid will have their art displayed from March 19-April 1. A reception is set for Thursday, March 19, from 4:30-6 p.m.

People can see the art at the Emerson and Atrium galleries (1234 Ingleside Avenue), which are open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Photo via McLean Project for the Arts 

A McLean man linked to a neo-Nazi group has been sentenced for possessing firearms as a drug user and lying to buy a semiautomatic rifle.

Andrew Thomasberg, a 21-year-old who is a member of the Atomwaffen Division, purchased a semiautomatic rifle for a third party, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

“He transferred that firearm to that third party after purchasing it,” the press release said. “Thomasberg also possessed at least four firearms while unlawfully using controlled substances, including marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and opium.”

Thomasberg pleaded guilty in November to possessing firearms while being an unlawful drug user and making a false statement in order to illegally purchase a firearm

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today that he was sentenced to one year in prison.

More from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia:

According to court documents and testimony, Thomasberg, who has a prior criminal conviction for a dangerous firearms offense, was associated with white supremacist organizations, such as Vanguard America, Atomwaffen Division, and Patriot Front.

In text message communications, while Thomasberg possessed firearms and was a regular drug user, he glorified racially motivated violence and referred to mass shooters as “saints.”

Additionally, Thomasberg informed law enforcement that only one day before he was arrested, he had submitted an application to join Patriot Front. Patriot Front is “a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them alone.”

Photo via Joe Gratz/Flickr

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

The Langley School, a private school in McLean, wants a multi-million-dollar makeover.

Today (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved issuing $21 million in revenue bonds by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to the school for a renovation.

“The bonds will be entirely supported by the revenues of The Langley School,” according to county documents.

County documents said that the funding will help cover the costs of renovating, equipping and acquiring a three-story academic building that would serve as the school’s “hub,” along with:

• flexible learning spaces
• primary school facilities
• fifth-grade space
• library
• music facilities
• renovating existing campus primary school facilities

“In addition, the applicant requested the ability to pursue refinancing or refunding certain prior debt, funding reserves, capitalized interest and/or swap breakage costs related to the proposed bonds or the prior bonds and funding certain costs of the issuance of the proposed bonds,” the documents said.

The school (1411 Balls Hill Road) teaches kids from preschool to eighth grade.

Image via Google Maps

A puppy is now back home with its owner after local Fairfax County firefighters helped catch the roaming dog.

“Engine 401, McLean, B-Shift was driving along local street when they were flagged down,” Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted earlier this week. “A resident was worried for a puppy that was roaming around alone.”

Captain David Hessler was able to get the pup, which did not have tags, by using webbing, the tweet said.

The dog’s owner got in touch with the fire crew and is now reunited with the dog.

Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter

The Great Eight snapped a photo with local firefighters responding to a call at a house near his own in the McLean area.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted out the photo this morning (Friday). The firefighters were all smiles with Caps star Alexander Ovechkin, sporting a hooded Nike sweatshirt, posing in the middle.

“Yesterday after a false alarm next door, this really GR8 neighbor checked in with E442, Wolftrap, to make sure all was well,” the tweet said.

The Washington Capitals captain lives about two miles north of Tysons.

Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter

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

Next week, people will be able to get more information about a proposal that would add an arts and education center at Clemyjontri Park in McLean.

Located in the Langley neighborhood, the park (6317 Georgetown Pike) features a playground, swing set, carousel and trackless train, with opportunities for kids who use wheelchairs or who have sensory or developmental disabilities. The park also has a picnic pavilion.

“The name CLEMYJONTRI is derived from the donor’s four children: Carolyn (CL), Emily (EMY), John (Jon), and Petrina (Tri),” according to Fairfax County’s website, adding that the Fairfax County Park Authority owns and operates the park.

Now, the county and the McLean Project for the Arts want to build a gallery exhibition space and arts education classroom facilities at the park, according to the county.

More from the county on the idea:

MPA envisions an all-inclusive art center which provides a creative respite for the community that is integrated into, yet distinct from, Clemyjontri Park. The center could potentially exhibit the work of contemporary artists; offer arts instruction and classroom space; and include public artwork in the park. ​

This new facility would build upon the existing visual arts programming currently provided by MPA through a public/private partnership with Fairfax County at the McLean Community Center (MCC).

MPA will continue its award-winning exhibitions in the Emerson Gallery and maintain its robust visual arts instruction and DuVal Studio, both at the MCC.

The Fairfax County Park Authority and the McLean Project for the Arts plan to hold an open house to discuss the proposal on Monday (Feb. 24).

The meeting is set to start at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7 p.m. at MPA’s Emerson Gallery at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue).

Staff from both the county and the McLean Project for the Arts plan to attend the meeting to answer questions.

Photo via The Pushy Lawyer/Facebook