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Morning Notes

VDOT: Slow Down, Beware of Slick Spots — “[VDOT] crews worked overnight to treat roads and will continue to do so today, as needed. If you can delay travel until the sun comes up, great. If not, please assume that all surfaces are icy. Your commute *will* take longer today. Reduce speeds, no heavy braking, and use your headlights!” [Twitter]

Fairfax County Government Open on Time — “Fairfax County Government offices are open on Wednesday, Jan. 30, however employees have been granted unscheduled leave. Employees are reminded that they should notify their supervisor if they elect to use unscheduled leave. Emergency service personnel should report as scheduled.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Fairfax Connector Running Extra Service — “To accommodate passengers who are reporting to work later than usual this morning due to inclement weather, Fairfax Connector will operate extra service on the following routes today: 394, 395, 599, 698, 699.” [Twitter]

Wind and Wind Chill Warnings — Fairfax County is under a Wind Advisory through 6 p.m. tonight; wind gusts of up to 50 mph could result in downed trees and power lines. A Wind Chill Advisory will go into effect at 9 p.m., as whipping winds and falling temperatures cause wind chills to dip to -5 to -10 degrees. [Weather.gov, Weather.gov]

Prison Sentence for Fraudster — “A woman was sentenced in Alexandria federal court to 15 years in prison for defrauding over 50 victims out of more than $5.4 million. Among the victims was a 71-year-old McLean woman with cancer.” [Patch]

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UPDATE: FCPS Closed Wednesday Due to Icy Conditions

Update at 8:20 p.m. — Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed Wednesday.

Earlier: A snow “grand finale” is sweeping across the Tysons area, after an afternoon that saw schools and some government facilities close early amid weather worries.

Rain, sleet and snow fell, with the latter whitening the ground and untreated roads. Nearly 1.5 inches of snow had fallen on Vienna as of 4:45 p.m., the National Weather Service reported, and 2.3 inches had fallen by the time the flakes tapered off.

The early dismissal for the federal government and others led to an early evening rush hour. As of 5:30 p.m. traffic on the outer loop of the Beltway in the Tysons area was still heavy.

The snow also led to some slippery spots on local roads, and a few reported crashes, though serious weather-related traffic jams were largely avoided. With the snow ending, the concern now turns to falling temperatures and potentially icy conditions overnight.

More snowy images from around the area, and advisories from local governments, below.

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Morning Notes

Video: Students Brawl at McLean McDonald’s — Cell phone video shows dozens of students from McLean and Langley high schools brawling in the McDonald’s at the corner of Old Dominion Drive and Dolley Madison Blvd. No one was reported injured from the fracas, which happened Friday night after a basketball game between the two rival schools. [Fox 5]

McLean Community Center Closing Early — In addition to the early dismissal for Fairfax County Public Schools, other weather-related early closings are being announced today. Among them: the McLean Community Center is cancelling all classes that begin at or after 1 p.m. [Twitter]

Fairfax No. 2 on Va. Net Worth Rankings — “Fairfax County is ranked #2 in a SmartAsset study showing the top 10 Virginia counties with the highest net worths. Despite having the highest per capita income on the list, Loudoun County came in only at #7 due to also carrying a significantly higher per capita debt burden, also the highest on the list.” [Fairfax Times]

Potomac School Student is Top Science Talent — “Carolyn Beaumont, a senior at the Potomac School, has been named a Top 40 Finalist in the 78th Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high-school seniors.” [InsideNova]

FCEDA Touts New Businesses, Jobs — “In 2018, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) worked with 143 businesses that announced the addition of more than 8,900 jobs to the Fairfax County economy.” [Fairfax County EDA]

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FCPS Closing Two Hours Early Tuesday

Fairfax County Public Schools will be closing two hours early on Tuesday due to expected winter weather which may lead to a messy evening commute.

The school system made the announcement late Monday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory ahead of the wintry precipitation, warning of “hazardous conditions” on the roads.

More from the National Weather Service:

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM TUESDAY TO MIDNIGHT EST TUESDAY NIGHT… * WHAT…ANY RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES EXPECTED. * WHERE…THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. * WHEN…FROM 3 PM TUESDAY TO MIDNIGHT EST TUESDAY NIGHT. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS…PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT THE EVENING COMMUTE. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL BELOW FREEZING DURING THE EVENING, CAUSING ANY MOISTURE OR SLUSH TO FREEZE ON UNTREATED SURFACES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. EXPECT SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1. &&

Photo via Fairfax County Police Department

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Morning Notes

Fire at Tysons Corner Center Garage — Firefighters extinguished a car fire that scorched part of a Tysons Corner Center parking garage and filled the area with smoke Saturday afternoon. [Twitter]

Fire Department Hiring Firefighter/EMTs — “Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will begin accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/EMT on Saturday, January 26, 2019. The application period is currently scheduled to remain open throughout 2019.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

‘Stuff the Bus’ on Track for Huge Haul — “By the time this year’s Stuff the Bus concludes on Feb. 18, the county expects to surpass 250,000 pounds of collected food.” [Fairfax Times]

Snow May Snarl Tuesday PM Commute — Per Fairfax County: “If you plan on commuting Tuesday evening, be aware of the potential for travel disruptions. Plan ahead by allowing for extra travel time, and consider using public transportation and telework options.” [Twitter, National Weather Service]

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Box of Money Found in Vienna Park

Someone found a box full of money in Vienna’s Northside Park this week, according to police.

The find was reported to the Vienna Police Department around 5 p.m. Tuesday. There’s no word on how much money was found or what it was doing in the park, which sits along the W&OD Trail.

Also in the latest Vienna police highlights, a pedestrian was reportedly struck by a snow plow Sunday morning.

359 Block Maple Avenue, East 19-000516 January 13 6:50 a.m. Vehicle-1 (a pickup truck with a snow plow) was plowing the parking lot. Pedestrian-1 was walking across the parking lot and was struck by Vehicle-1 as he was backing up. Pedestrian-1 suffered minor injuries

Last Friday, a Vienna woman reported being harassed by a man she met online.

A resident began corresponding with a man over social media. After the two met in person, the man expressed interest in the resident and began continuously harassing her when she declined his advances. On January 11 the woman found an envelope in her mailbox that contained innocent photos of her taken from social media along with sexually explicit photos of an unknown person.

Map via Google Maps

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Morning Notes

Scam Alert for Businesses from FCPD — “These scams consist of an email being sent to an employee (secretary, assistant, etc.) claiming to be their boss, and asking the employee to do something such as change direct deposit information or buy several gift cards and send the codes back. The scam email comes from an address that looks similar to the boss/executive’s actual email.” [Facebook]

New Tysons Building Offers $639K One Bedroom Condo — “The Monarch luxury condo development in Tysons has put up units for sale. This unit is a one bedroom priced at $639K. The units offer sweeping views, outdoor areas and high-end finishes. Community amenities include a club room, outdoor pool, rooftop social room, pet spa and more.” [Patch]

RV Owner Reprimanded for Dumping in Vienna — “A resident living in the 200 block of McHenry Street, S.E., told Vienna police on Jan. 4 at 5:45 p.m. that a man was dumping waste illegally from a recreational vehicle into the street’s gutter. An officer spoke to the man, who advised he was fixing the plumbing in the kitchen of the vehicle and had dumped the contents from kitchen drain into the gutter, mixing the contents with bleach.” [InsideNova]

Should Teachers Be Armed? — “Virginians are divided on whether they would support legislation to train schoolteachers and administrators to be armed on school grounds, according to a poll conducted at Virginia Commonwealth University. ‘It was almost split right down the middle,’ said Robyn McDougle, director for the Center for Public Policy in VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.” [Connection Newspapers]

Snow May Disrupt Evening Commute — “The main band of snow is likely to come through during the evening and overnight hours. As the onset of snow may coincide with the evening commute, especially in our western areas, build in extra time to get home or consider leaving a little early to beat the rush. Some slick spots could develop, especially on untreated roads.” [Capital Weather Gang, Twitter]

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Morning Notes

Free Connector Rides for Unpaid Feds — “Beginning Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, Fairfax Connector will provide free rides system-wide for federal government employees affected by the government shutdown who are still required to report for work. You must show your federal photo ID to the bus operator when boarding to ride free.” [Fairfax County]

County: Lend a Hand with Shoveling — “While snowstorms are exciting for many of us, for neighbors who are older, injured or have a disability, snowstorms can cause a great deal of anxiety and pose a threat to their well-being. If you are willing to help shovel out a neighbor in need, consider adding a discussion to your Nextdoor neighborhood, Facebook group, email list or HOA site letting your neighbors know you are willing to help.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Group Still Pushing for New Potomac Bridge — “Traffic congestion continues to be a major thorn in the region’s side and Jason Stanford of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance said state and local officials are seeking several possible solutions. The alliance’s top priority is advocating for construction of a new Potomac River crossing north of the American Legion Bridge.” [InsideNova]

Bitter Cold Coming Next Week — “Weather models project the onset of a severe and punishing winter weather pattern… A blast of a bitter Arctic air is forecast to plunge into the eastern U.S. late this week and this weekend, the coldest of the winter so far.” [Capital Weather Gang]

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What’s the State of Snowy Sidewalks in Tysons?

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As local leaders work to make Tysons more walkable, a big part of that push is going to involve keeping the sidewalks clear during snowstorms.

One day after the first snowstorm of 2019, Tysons seem to have mostly — but not entirely — met that goal.

While most of the roads are cleared by the Virginia Department of Transportation, Robin Geiger, head of communications for the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, says private organizations and individuals around Tysons are entirely to credit for the clear sidewalks.

“Neither VDOT nor the county clears snow and ice from public walkways (sidewalks and most trails),” Geiger wrote. “While not legally obligated, residents and businesses are asked to help keep sidewalks safe, when possible, by clearing snow off the sidewalks in front of their property so that all pedestrians, especially school children, those with disabilities and the elderly, may walk securely.”

“Homeowner associations may require members of their communities to clear the private walkways abutting their property,” she added.

According to Geiger, the only sidewalks cleared by the county are those outside county-operated facilities, like police stations, fire stations, libraries and community centers.

By early afternoon yesterday (Monday), many of the sidewalks near Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria were mostly or entirely cleared of snow. Undaunted by the cold, there were also a fair number of people taking advantage of the snow day to shop at both malls and other surrounding businesses.

Many of the outlying streets, like Jones Branch Drive, also had sidewalks on at least one side of the road clear, with some of the streets near residential developments remaining snow-covered. For many of the sidewalks on the fringes of Tysons, even those with a path through the snow are still covered with ice.

Geiger said if sidewalks in front of private property are not cleared by the owners or other private entities, the job falls upon Mother Nature.

“Many businesses, [homeowners associations], and residents clear sidewalks, but they are not required to by county ordinance,” said Geiger. “Some sidewalks do not get cleared during snow events.”

In Fairfax City, Falls Church, Alexandria and Arlington, ordinances do require business owners and residents to clear their sidewalks.

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County Government Opening Delayed As Snow Removal Effort Continues

Fairfax County government offices are opening at 10 a.m. today as VDOT crews continue to work to clear roads around Northern Virginia.

Most highways and main routes around Tysons appear to be clear. VDOT says it is working to clear neighborhood streets, some of which remain snow-covered.

“We’re focusing on neighborhood streets today,” the agency said on Twitter. “If you haven’t seen us yet, don’t worry, you will. If you’re clearing your driveway today, please pile snow to the right or it may get pushed back. No one wants to shovel a driveway twice.”

County courts opened on time today and trash collection started after daybreak, according to Fairfax County. Vacuum leaf collection has been suspended. Fairfax Connector service is operating on a Saturday schedule, with some delays expected.

Fairfax County Public Schools, meanwhile, are closed today, as is the federal government.

Officials are urging residents to completely clear snow from their cars before driving and to be careful on the roads.

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