Labor Day is around the corner and there will be closures around the area.
All Fairfax County government offices, public schools, and public libraries will be closed on Monday (Sept. 7), according to the county website.
Trash and recycling will be collected on a regular schedule if community members are customers of Fairfax County, the website said, which added that people with a private company should contact the company directly. However, the administrative office will be closed on Monday.
The Fairfax Connector will be running on a Sunday Schedule on Monday.
The Metro will be running on a Sunday Schedule from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Monday, according to the WMATA website.
The Mary Riley Styles Library in Falls Church (120 N. Virginia Ave) will be closed on Monday, according to the website, along with all city offices.
In the Town of Vienna, all government offices and the Vienna Community Center will be closed but waste collection will run on a regular schedule, according to the website.
The McLean Community Center will be closed on Monday.
Tysons Reporter will also have the day off Monday.
Photo via Jon Sailer/Unsplash
FCPS Town Hall Tonight — “Join FCPS Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand for another opportunity to ask questions and provide your thoughts on Wednesday, September 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. The focus for this Town Hall will be resources for parents, including technology and other supports.” [FCPS]
Fired Capitals Head Coach Selling Local Mansion — “It’s barely been a week since the Capitals fired head coach Todd Reirden, but his Falls Church mansion is already on the market. The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom house sits on 2.3 acres, and was listed Monday for $2,250,000 by Keller Williams agent Jordan Stuart.” [Washingtonian]
Tysons Galleria Debt — “The owner of the high-end Tysons Galleria mall said it plans to avoid defaulting on $282 million in debt slated to mature Tuesday as the owners of retail centers across the nation continue to struggle amid the coronavirus pandemic.” [Washington Business Journal]
Push for Vienna Police Reform — “In June, Sam Ressin read the news reports of protests against racism and police brutality in Minneapolis. Then he looked at his own community of Vienna, in Fairfax County.” [DCist]
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
Although Halloween in Vienna will look a little different this year, COVID-19 isn’t stopping the town from holding socially-distanced fall festivities.
Currently, the town is collecting donations for “Halloween in a Bag” until Oct. 1. The collection, based on their “4th of July in a Box” over the summer, will deliver 750 bags with enough supplies for two kids per household to celebrate Halloween from home.
The bag will include a pumpkin decorating kit, Halloween candy and treats, festive crafts, recipes and activities, vampire teeth and an assortment of Halloween fun, according to the Vienna Voice. Bags are $20 each.
Then, the Vienna Business Association and the Town of Vienna will host Distanz Oktoberfest — a twist on the usual Oktoberfest celebration — from Oct. 2-4.
The celebration will feature various festivals that fall into four different categories: Festival Food, Beer & Wine, Market Platz/Retail and Business Expo/Professionals.
On Oct. 31, the town will host the “Halloween Wave Parade.” At 10 a.m., locals can expect 10-15 floats to travel through the four quadrants of Vienna.
The parade is looking for more sponsors — businesses can apply to be a sponsor on the VBA website. Sponsors will have their logos displayed as the parade moves across town.
Photo by David Menidrey/Unsplash
Crumbl Cookies, a gourmet cookie delivery and takeout business, is opening in the Town of Vienna next week.
The cookie business recently announced it plans to celebrate its new location at 203 Maple Ave. E with a grand opening next Thursday, Sept. 3. The next day, they will be offering free delivery all day with orders placed on Friday, Sept. 4. Customers can place orders through the Crumbl Cookie app or on their website.
“We’re excited to bring Crumbl to Vienna and hope the local residents love these cookies as much as we do,” said Jason McGowan, the co-founder and CEO of Crumbl Cookies.
In each Crumbl store, cookies are mixed, baked and prepared fresh by staff in an open kitchen for customers to watch.
“Having our customers see every cookie being made is one of the best experiences of our stores,” said Sawyer Hemsley, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Crumbl Cookies.
The store features four different specialty cookies each week in addition to two favorites, warm chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookie. Some of the specialty flavors include Muddy Buddy, Biscoff Lava, Funfetti, Snickerdoodle and more. The store also offers cold milk and gourmet ice cream to order on the side.
Crumbl will be open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The store is closed on Sundays.
“Nothing beats biting into a warm, delicious cookie that has been delivered straight to your door,” said Melanie Bunker, the owner of the Vienna location. “We’re really excited to bring this experience to Virginia.”
Photo via Crumbl Cookies/Facebook
As Fairfax County Public Schools prepares for virtual classes, some private schools in Reston and Tysons are bringing students back into classrooms.
Four private and parochial school administrators told Tysons Reporter a high demand for in-person instruction and their ability to socially distance students are the main reasons they are offering in-person learning.
Green Hedges School in Vienna noted an increase in enrollment interest for the 2020-21 school year, according to Jenn Boehnen, who is the head of the school.
After initially planning for a hybrid of in-person and online classes, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced in July that the public school system, which is the largest one in Virginia, would open virtually on Sept. 8 for the fall. Concerns about public health safety and staffing levels prompted the switch to fully online classes.
Unlike big public schools with larger class sizes, the private school administrators Tysons Reporter spoke to said that they will be able to keep students spaced out.
Green Hedges is requiring that students sit in assigned seats for lunch and snack time, according to the school’s reopening plan. The seats will be 6 feet away from each other and students will have the option to eat outside when possible. Additionally, the school is instructing students to stay 6 feet away from each other during recess.
Photos the school shared on Facebook show desks spaced out in the classrooms.
Oakcrest School near Crowells Corner plans to move classes with 20 or more students outside, weather permitting. The school is looking to use its 23-acre campus to keep its approximately 260 students safely spread out.
“We’re trying to implement as many safety precautions as possible without disrupting the normal rhythm of the school day,” said Miriam Buono, who heads up operations at Oakcrest.
To further ensure social distancing, Oakcrest is implementing unilateral stairways to avoid overcrowding in the halls. The school is also extending passing periods from five to 10 minutes to compensate for the stairways and to allow students to step outside for mask breaks.
In addition to figuring out how to keep students physically distanced, school administrators are also finding ways to deal with another new element: getting kids to wear face coverings for several hours.
To address the issue of mask fatigue, St. Joseph Catholic School in Herndon is allowing teachers and students to pull down face coverings when 6 feet apart or when alone. Students will also be able to remove their masks while eating.
Even while many private schools in the Fairfax County area are planning for in-person learning, some are offering a virtual option for families with health concerns. The school administrators told Tysons Reporter that they have to remain flexible if new state guidelines or a COVID-19 surge requires a switch to fully-virtual learning.
Some local schools are taking a hybrid approach, like BASIS Independent McLean in Tysons. The school planned to reopen with a combination of in-person and online classes, Inside NoVa reported.
Administrators want parents to know they are tracking the ongoing conditions to determine whether or not in-person classes are safe.
Photos via Green Hedges School/Facebook
New PPP Loan Guidance — “New guidance from the Small Business Administration changes the compensation limits for certain Paycheck Protection Program borrowers who are considered owner-employees.” [Washington Business Journal]
Here’s Where VA COVID-19 Cases Are Up — “Richmond, a city of over 230,000 people, recorded more new cases than Prince William County, which has over 470,000 people. Localities leading in new cases on Thursday were Fairfax County with 81, Richmond City with 73, Prince William County with 66, and Virginia Beach with 55.” [Patch]
Painted Rocks Share Positive Messages — “Local Girl Scouts met in person in the middle of last month, for the first time since the pandemic began, to paint stones for ‘Rock Your August with Kindness,’ the Vienna Arts Society’s (VAS) third summer project. The public may admire or even take home the approximately 150 rocks painted by the Scouts, said VAS member Mary Ellen Larkins, who co-chaired the project with MaryBeth Davis.” [Inside NoVa]
Families Living in Tysons High-Rises — “Tysons shows that high-rise housing can be an appealing home for all ages. In Tysons, 21.4% of residents are under 20 years old, an increase of about 20% since Tysons’ redevelopment plan for more housing was implemented in 2010. The majority of Tysons’ housing stock consists of mid- to high-rise, elevator buildings.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
The wait is almost over for the opening of Viva Sol Juice Company, a new smoothie and juice bar along Maple Avenue.
Viva Sol Juice plans to have a soft opening starting tomorrow (Thursday) before its official debut on Saturday (Aug. 29) at 124 Maple Ave W. in the Vienna Shopping Center, owner Kelly Hartranft told Tysons Reporter.
Hartranft grew up in Vienna and graduated from Madison High School. She opened a cafe in Delaware in 2017 after finding dairy-free bowls helped ease symptoms from her autoimmune condition, according to Viva Sol Juice’s website. “With the opening of Viva Sol Juice Co., the evolution of Viva Bowls, a larger and more extensive menu is now available to the local community,” according to the website.
Self-described as “Vienna’s original superfood cafe,” the business focuses on offering plant-based, gluten-free food and drinks. Customers can expect to find 100% cold-pressed juice, bowls, smoothies, doughnuts, and brunch at the new spot.
The online menu includes bowls, smoothies, all-day brunch, cold-pressed juice, an espresso bar and season menu items.
For the soft opening, Viva Sol Juice will offer “sneak peek” ordering through UberEats from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. On Friday and Saturday, people will be able to come to the new location between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Once fully open, the regular hours will be from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends.
Photo courtesy Kelly Hartranft
Churches, nonprofits, fire stations and many other institutions can now temporarily offer daycare in the Town of Vienna.
The Vienna Town Council met last Wednesday (Aug. 19) to approve an emergency zoning ordinance that eliminates hurdles to new childcare services. The ordinance will allow commercially- and industrially-zoned properties and public, semi-public and private institutions to offer daycare.
“I think this is going to be really great for the businesses that want to try this,” Mayor Linda Colbert said.
Previously, the town only allowed residential properties to get conditional use permits for daycare, Kelly O’Brien of the town’s Planning and Zoning Department said.
Now, places like businesses, churches and nonprofits can temporarily bypass the town’s typical procedures and restrictions on daycare.
O’Brien said that the temporary ordinance stemmed from a local business’s requests to provide emergency childcare — an urgent need in the town and Fairfax County as many schools in the area switch to fully virtual learning this fall.
Roughly half of the respondents to a Tysons Reporter poll in mid-July said that childcare is a concern for them once summer ends.
Because it’s an emergency temporary zoning ordinance, Town Attorney Steve Briglia said that the proposal, which will last for 60 days, did not need to get approval from the town’s Planning Commission.
Briglia said that the town staff will immediately advertise to readopt the ordinance, and the readopted ordinance would last until Jan. 31, 2021.
“We’ll know well before then whether the schools are going to be in session for the second semester. If they are, we won’t really need this,” Briglia said. “If they are going to be further suspended, we’ll have plenty of time to readopt and modify this as you feel fit.”
Vienna businesses and institutions looking to offer childcare will still need to meet the health and safety regulations set by Fairfax County and comply with state regulations for daycare facilities, Briglia said.
When new Councilmember Ed Somers asked why the town hadn’t previously allowed more places to offer daycare, O’Brien said she wasn’t sure, but that the town does plan to get community feedback on the idea for the long-term.
Councilmember Ray Brill Jr. said that competition with home-based daycare could be the reason, while Councilmember Chuck Anderson said that daycare has changed over the decades.
“It seems like a logical thing to do,” Somers said.
Image via Town of Vienna
Coffee drinkers will have to wait at least another month for Fairfax-based Simply Social Coffee to open in the Town of Vienna.
Owner Kathy Pao told Tysons Reporter that the new coffee shop delayed the opening plans to possibly sometime in October at BB&T’s former spot in the Cedar Park Shopping Center.
Pao said that she signed the lease for the Vienna location last November after picking the location for its drive-thru window and proximity to the Fairfax coffee shop. While Pao originally saw the drive-thru window as a “perk,” she didn’t realize that she would need approval from the town to use it for food and drinks.
Currently, Pao is seeking a conditional use permit from the town to use the former bank’s drive-in teller as a drive-thru window.
Origianlly, she was planning to open the shop and drive-thru component at the same time this month. With delays from the pandemic and uncertainty about the conditional use permit, she now plans to open the shop — but not the window — sometime in October.
“It’s not one particular delay. It’s an accumulation,” Pao said. “It just adds up.”
Despite the extra work for the drive-thru window, Pao said she sees it as an extension of the coffee shop’s focus on building community relationships.
When the coffee shop opens, Pao hopes that people will support her female- and minority-owned business during the pandemic.
“I think these days, people do appreciate the mom and pop stores a little bit more,” Pao said.
Photo via Simply Social Coffee/Facebook
In the opening scenes of “Peter Polo and the Snow Beast of Hunza,” young readers are instantly transported to the 13th century and an unfamiliar world to the fields of the gritty “sport of kings” — polo. Here, players mounted on horseback display their physical prowess while caked in a veil of mud and readers take in a sliver of the adventure that is about to unfold.
Vienna local and novelist Craig Bradley is the author of the book, which debuted earlier this year and has been showcased at several area independent books stores.
The new adventure novel, illustrated by Laurie Conley, takes middle-grade children on a historical journey with Marco Polo’s fictional younger brother, Peter Polo.
The game of polo dates back to 600 B.C. and has been described as the “oldest of all sports” that several countries throughout East Asia claim they gave birth to. It also nostalgically connects to Bradley’s travels in Asia.
Bradley, a father of two boys, said he wrote the book for his sons, but also to pique younger readers’ interests in history and cultures that may be less familiar to them. Bradley, who spent a lot of time traveling abroad, decided to write about the history that originally drew him in as a child.
“I hope younger readers can walk away with an interest in Mongolian culture and a ‘snow beast,'” said Bradley. “Children’s books often have a lot of magic, but this book explores different cultural perspectives that kids may not be as familiar with.”
Bradley initially wrote the book about 15 years ago. However, it wasn’t until now that the book was released in April.
This may be Bradley’s first published book, but he has written short stories for a long time: “It’s easier than ever to submit short stories nowadays online.” His biggest piece of advice is for those who are interested in writing to simply start writing.
Bradley is currently working on a sequel to the book, called “Peter Polo and the White Elephant of Lan Xang.” The book will follow Peter and his friends as they try to stop a war between two kingdoms in South Asia. Bradley is optimistic that the book will be out by early 2021.
For people looking to get a signed copy of Bradley’s book, Bards Alley in Vienna will host a book signing as well as other events for Indie Bookstore Day on Saturday, Aug. 29.
Cover illustration by Laurie Conley, photo courtesy of Craig Bradley
