Supervisor Jeff McKay and candidate Timothy Chapman doubled down on a bitter feud at a debate for the Democratic nomination for the Board of Supervisors Chair in Tysons this morning.

The debate at Valo Park (7950 Jones Park Drive) touched on a variety of countywide issues, with Chapman repeatedly slinging attacks at McKay over school spending and Metro expansion.

When the issue of a recent ethics complaint against McKay came up, sparks flew between the candidates, while the other two candidates, School Board member Ryan McElveen and Georgetown law professor Alicia Plerhoples, tried to stay above the fray.

The complaint alleges that McKay purchased a home at a discount from a developer who brought business before the Board of Supervisors — a violation of state ethics law. The question of the ethics violation was raised by moderator Julie Carey, who asked Chapman why his campaign didn’t come forward as the source of the allegation.

“We wanted to confirm allegations were accurate and correct,” Chapman said. “They are… Anybody who understands real estate knows these allegations here are very troubling.”

But McKay fired back that the allegations were false and started as a smear campaign.

“There is zero credibility. The allegations are completely false,” McKay said. “To try to smear me, because you’re not winning a campaign is a Trump maneuver.”

Plerhoples and McElveen centered most of their responses on affordable housing and school overcrowding issues but did reluctantly weigh into the debate when prompted by Carey.

“Whether the ethics complaint has merit or not, public officials have a duty to investigate for public trust,” Plerhoples said. “It doesn’t get suspended because it’s an election year.”

McElveen said the issue is emblematic of a larger problem.

“The supervisor districts have devolved into fiefdoms,” said McElveen. “I would address that at the county level.”

For most of the debate, the four candidates widely agreed that the lack of affordable housing and overcrowding of the schools were two of the biggest problems facing the county. McElveen specifically called out the Fairfax County School Board’s decision not to immediately tackle the McLean High School boundary question.

The proposal had been backed by School Board member Jane Strauss (Dranesville) but faced pushback from other members of the board, like School Board member Dalia Palchik (Providence), who said the change needed to wait for further planning.

“We have overcrowding at Marshall and McLean High School,” said McElveen. “Frankly, the School Board has been very political on not taking on that challenge. I say we need to act now.”

The primary will be held on June 11.

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!

Monday (March 4)

• McLean CBC Study Task Force — 7-9 p.m. at Fairfax County McLean Government Center (1437 Balls Hill Rd) — Tonight the task force developing policy recommendations for downtown McLean’s future will continue looking at where the rural transitions to urban in McLean. Staff is also scheduled to present potential land use scenarios.

Tuesday (March 5)

• McLean Citizens Association Meeting with Superintendent Scott Brabrand — 7 p.m. at Mclean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) — At an MCA-hosted meeting, the Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent is scheduled to discuss priorities and challenges facing the schools, particularly regarding the overcrowding at McLean High School. Residents will be able to ask Brabrand questions.

Thursday (March 7)

• 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show — 6:45 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) — The McLean Community Center will be hosting an all-day trip to Philadelphia to see 10 acres of landscapes and gardens. The trip is $138, or $133 for McLean residents, and includes transportation, tickets to the show, a morning snack and driver’s tip.
• 2019 Shape of the Region Conference — 8-11:45 a.m. at Valo Park (7950 Jones Branch Dr) — The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia will host a conference looking at the economic inequality in the region and how closing that divide can help businesses. Registration is $65.
• Adventures in History: Ancient Egypt — 4:30-5:30 at Dolley Madison Library (1244 Oak Ridge) — Library staff will host a class for kids ages 6-12 on ancient Egyptian history, featuring games, stories and skill-building exercises. The event will include a costume contest.

Sunday (March 10)

• Jazz Brunch at Blackfinn — 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Blackfinn Ameripub Merrifield (2750 Gallows Road) — The bar and eatery near the Mosaic District is hosting a relaxing Sunday brunch featuring live music from the Blue Dot Jazz Troupe. Seating is first come, first served with free admission.
• 2019 Trombone Summit — 2 p.m. at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave E) — University of North Texas’ “U Tubes” and the Capitol Bones will host a trombone festival at Jammin Java.

Photo via Facebook

When Brian Truitt, USA TODAY’s film critic, is putting together interviews for the pop-culture podcast The Mothership, there’s one reaction he says he gets more frequently than others:

“You’re located where?”

The Mothership is one of several podcasts run through USA TODAY at their headquarters Valo Park, a sprawling state-of-the-art complex tucked away in Tysons’ northeast corner.

It’s no secret that media companies, including USA TODAY owner Gannett, are struggling to find a way to stay afloat. The company recently resisted a hostile takeover. But Shannon Green, senior podcasts producer for USA TODAY and co-host of I Tell My Husband the News, said podcasts have been at the forefront of the company finding new ways to tell stories.

USA TODAY podcasts range from Accused, a several-season true crime podcast put together by a team at The Cincinnati Enquirer, to the sports-themed For the Win.

The Mothership is hosted by Truitt, technology reporter Brett Molina and TV critic Kelly Lawler, and has been running weekly for four years. While Tysons has not traditionally been considered one of the country’s entertainment hubs, Molina said there are some distinct advantages to working outside of Washington D.C.

“One of the cool things about having this outlet in the suburbs is that we can live here,” Molina said. “People tend to think we work in New York or Los Angeles.”

But the non-traditional location means the podcasts work with an eclectic group of guests, like novelist Brad Meltzer or “Batman” writer and Arlington resident Tom King.

“Being out here means we have to catch whoever is in the area,” said Truitt.

New episodes of The Mothership air every Friday. This week’s episode is a discussion of romantic comedies. Molina noted that the group narrowly avoided making a “Tribute to Liam Neeson” episode, quickly scrapped after the actor made some troubling confessions.

Green said she was approached to run the podcasting at USA TODAY shortly after Serial brought podcasting into the mainstream in 2014 and the company leadership began to see podcasting’s potential. Green said investigative stories are unique suited for podcasts, using voices to convey ideas and emotions that can’t be conveyed in text.

Not all of the podcasts garner enough downloads to have advertising, but Green said enough do to bring in revenue and help fund more experiments with the medium.

One investigative podcast, The City, profiled the rise of a massive illegal dump in Chicago, including an augmented reality component that helped demonstrate the story of how the empty lot evolved over time. Green said the augmented reality technology helps bring a new visual level to a traditionally auditory form of storytelling.

Green also said bringing in new talent from nearby schools has been part of bridging the generational gap. Kate Gardner, a student at the Madeira School in McLean, interns at USA TODAY but also uses the equipment to help put together an audiodrama: The Ark of Light.

Green said working with Gardner that she’s learned a whole new side of audio production involving Foley sound effects and other methods.

Green said podcasting, audio dramas, and other types of audio-entertainment have become such a hit, primarily due to the intimate connection they offer listeners to the story.

“Spoken storytelling is extremely intimate and emotional,” said Green.

Tysons East Aims to Keep ‘Creative Class’ Around — “Lots of people come to the glitzy, suburban Tysons East neighborhood to work, but most of them leave as soon as the workday is over. Tysons wants to change that.” [Greater Greater Washington]

USA Today ‘Firmly Entrenched’ in Tysons — “The company split in 2015, spinning off TEGNA as a separate broadcast television and digital media entity that will soon to move to a new home atop Boro Tower in Tysons Corner. Gannett and USA Today remain firmly entrenched on Jones Branch Drive in the impressive, two-tower campus now known as Valo Park, where the news of the nation and world continues to be filtered through a bustling newsroom.” [FCEDA]

Local Companies Making Acquisitions — Two Tysons-based companies are making notable acquisitions. Global IT services provider Avineon is buying Michigan-based InfoGraphics, Inc. while Capital One is acquiring Wikibuy, a “tech start-up used by millions to price-check while shopping on Amazon.” [Citybizlist, CNBC]

Forum on Anxiety in McLean — “The Safe Community Coalition and McLean High School PTSA will host a screening of the documentary ‘Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety’ on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the high school.” [InsideNova]