The weekend has almost arrived. Before you head out to take in some cherry blossoms or catch up on some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit any recent news from the Tysons area that you might’ve missed from the past week.

These were the most-read stories on Tysons Reporter this week:

1. Fairfax County opens COVID-19 vaccine appointments to all “Phase 1b” groups
2. Vienna Police: Girl harassed outside Dunkin Donuts, man seeks to dump cannonball
3. Police identify driver in fatal crash on Arlington Boulevard
4. Man dies after crash on Arlington Boulevard in Merrifield
5. Deadline for comments on proposed Vienna Metro improvements coming Monday

Ideas for stories we should cover can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the community are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.

You can find previous rundowns of top stories on the site.

Photo by Joanne Liebig

As 2020 draws to a close, Tysons Reporter is looking back on the stories that defined the past year.

Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 was at the forefront of people’s minds locally as well as nationally. Readership spiked when the pandemic shut down Fairfax County in the middle of March and again toward the end of May, when Northern Virginia prepared to reopen.

Still, the past 12 months brought plenty of more conventional changes to the Tysons area as well.

The arrival of Wegmans to Capital One Drive in November generated much excitement, as did the introduction of the electric, self-driving Relay shuttle at the Mosaic District in Merrifield.

Fairfax County saw record levels of voter turnout for the Nov. 3 general election, while local officials considered tackling issues from affordable housing to abandoned shopping carts.

McLean residents debated the future of their downtown and the Interstate 495 corridor, and Vienna residents continued to report unusual crimes, as their town moved forward with plans for a new police station.

Overall, it was an eventful, often challenging year. Here are Tysons Reporter’s top 10 most-viewed articles of 2020:

1. Tysons Corner Center reopened stores in May with COVID-19 restrictions in place.
2. A Tysons office worker tested positive for COVID-19.
3. The Sheraton Tysons Hotel permanently closed on Apr. 3 as the hospitality industry reeled from the pandemic.
4. Government and community facilities in Fairfax County, Vienna, and the City of Falls Church closed in mid-March.
5. Tysons Reporter got a preview of Showplace Icon ahead of the movie theater’s grand opening on Mar. 6.
6. Northern Virginia delayed joining the state’s phased reopening plan in May as COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Fairfax Health District increased.
7. Brio closed its Tysons Corner Center restaurant in January with no official explanation.
8. A worker at a Fairfax Square office building in Tysons tested positive for COVID-19 in March.
9. Videos captured parachuters jumping off a building under construction on the Capital One campus in early April.
10. Local protests against racism and police brutality led the Walmart in Tysons to close early on June 5.

Photo courtesy Ed Schudel

Yesterday we kicked off the countdown of our most-read stories of the year.

Here’s the final list of the top 10 stories.

10. Chef Geoff’s Set to Close Tysons Restaurant in 12 Days (9,723 views)

The restaurant’s Tysons location closed on Friday, June 21, after 10 years at 8045 Leesburg Pike.

9. Body Found Along Leesburg Pike in Tysons (9,779 views)

In May, Fairfax County police said a body was found along Leesburg Pike near the Spring Hill Metro station.

8. Here’s a Sneak Peek Inside the New Whole Foods Store in Tysons (9,918 views)

Before the new Whole Foods opened to the public in The Boro, Tysons Reporter got to check out the store.

7. Here’s What’s Opening With the Whole Foods in Tysons (9,981 views)

Before Whole Foods opened, Tysons Reporter rounded up a list of other retailers and eateries waiting to piggyback off of that launch.

6. Roads Closed in Tysons Area Following Major Flooding (10,205 views) 

Tysons Reporter kept readers updated on road closures and weather-related incidents when severe flooding hit the Tysons area on July 8.

5. Tysons Malls Extend Hours For Black Friday Shopping (10,761 views)

Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria had extended their hours for shoppers on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

4. Fairfax County Investigating American Disposal Services for Failed Trash Pick-Ups (11,314 views)

In the spring, Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors decided to investigate reports of missed trash pick-ups by a solid waste and recycling collection company in preparation to take legal action. (The county ended up fining American Disposal Services.)

3. Nothing Found After Police Respond to Reports of Man With Weapon at Gannett HQ (13,323 views)

Fairfax County police responded en masse to reports of a man with a weapon at Gannett headquarters in Tysons one day in August. Police said that after a thorough investigation, “our detectives have concluded no criminal activity occurred.”

2. Lord and Taylor Closing at Tysons Corner Center With Clearance Sale (25,503 views)

Shoppers can find 20-40% discounts at Lord and Taylor before the department store closes at Tysons Corner Center in January.

1. Macy’s in Tysons Galleria Closing With Big Clearance Sale (29,019 views)

The biggest story of 2019 for Tysons Reporter focused on the discounts at Macy’s in January ahead of its closure in Tysons Galleria.