Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Morning Notes

Published June 14, 2023 at 7:30AM | Updated June 14, 2023 at 10:16AM

A bicyclist passes a deer standing by the W&OD Trail (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reston Barnes and Noble Opening Delayed — The bookstore’s grand opening at The Spectrum has been postponed to tomorrow (Thursday). Barnes and Noble didn’t return multiple requests for comment from FFXnow. [Barnes & Noble Reston/Instagram]

D.C. Area Is Currently in a Drought — “According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the D.C. region is currently in a moderate drought — the least severe of four drought levels. May 2023 was the driest May on record in D.C. since 1999, with 2.4 inches less rain than in an average year.” If the Potomac River drops low enough, “residents could be asked to conserve water.” [DCist]

Around Town

NEW: Starr Hill Brewery to expand in Tysons with new pub

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 13, 2023 at 1:30PM

Starr Hill Biergarten is expanding at Capital One Center with a brewpub, coming in 2024 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Visitors to Capital One Center in Tysons might’ve noticed signs advertising an upcoming change for Starr Hill Brewery, operator of the development’s rooftop beer garden.

The company confirmed today (Tuesday) that it will expand its presence in the neighborhood with a new, street-level brewpub, featuring a new food menu and two bars.

Around Town

Springfield’s Lego Discovery Center has an opening date

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 13, 2023 at 11:45AM

The discovery center is slated to open in the summer of 2023 (via LEGO Discovery Center)

The much-anticipated Lego Discovery Center at Springfield Town Center (6500 Franconia-Springfield Parkway) will open on Aug. 9, meeting its promised summer launch date.

The company announced the grand opening date yesterday (Monday), inviting community members to sign up for its newsletter for access to pre-sale tickets.

Countywide

AG Jason Miyares petitions for merit award investigation report, drawing FCPS objection

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 13, 2023 at 10:15AM

Fairfax County Public Schools (file photo)

The unexpectedly long-running saga of Fairfax County Public Schools’ delayed National Merit Scholarship commendation notices has added a new page.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has petitioned the Fairfax County Circuit Court to require FCPS to turn over the full report it commissioned from an outside law firm in January, killing any hopes school officials had that releasing a summary of the review’s findings would resolve the state investigation.

News

Finished Nutley Street interchange at I-66 expected to open tomorrow

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 13, 2023 at 9:30AM | Updated June 13, 2023 at 9:55AM

An aerial view of the Nutley Street and I-66 interchange, as of April (via VDOT)

The new Nutley Street interchange at I-66 just south of Vienna is about to achieve its final form.

Lanes that will let drivers going from Nutley to I-66 bypass the dreaded roundabouts are scheduled to open tomorrow (Wednesday), the Virginia Department of Transportation recently announced.

News

County-owned West Falls Church and Bailey’s Crossroads sites may become affordable housing

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 12, 2023 at 3:30PM

2859 Annandale Road (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County is moving to make two vacant properties in the Mason District available for development as affordable housing.

At Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross’s request, the Board of Supervisors directed staff on June 6 to schedule public hearings on potential transfers of county-owned land at 2859 Annandale Road and 5831 Columbia Pike to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA).

News

BREAKING: Man dies by suicide after shooting and stabbing in Reston, police say

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 12, 2023 at 2:50PM | Updated June 12, 2023 at 3:09PM

Fairfax County police car lights flashing (file photo)

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) A man who died by suicide in Richmond today (Monday) was responsible for a shooting, stabbing and carjacking in Reston yesterday, Fairfax County police say.

Officers were dispatched to a home in the 12000 block of Thunder Chase Drive at 1:58 a.m. yesterday, where they found one person inside with “multiple gunshot wounds,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Around Town

Persian restaurant is opening in Chef Geoff’s former Tysons space

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 12, 2023 at 1:30PM

Joon, a new restaurant coming to Fairfax Square in Tysons, will serve Persian cuisine (courtesy Joon)

A new restaurant has moved into the Fairfax Square space once filled by Chef Geoff’s.

Described as a “high end” Persian restaurant from noted chefs Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan, Joon will open at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8045 Leesburg Pike in Tysons.

News

Man will serve two years in prison for fatally shooting friend in Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 12, 2023 at 9:30AM

The Fairfax County Courthouse (file photo)

A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to serve two years in prison for a fatal shooting at the Vienna Park apartments that the judge described as “a parent’s worst nightmare.”

What began as an intoxicated hangout between friends ended in tragedy when Vienna resident Andrew Gordiyenko shot 21-year-old Matthew Chadwick on June 10, 2021, according to defense attorney Erik Jurgensen’s recounting of the incident at a sentencing hearing on Friday (June 9).

News

Plan to convert former Inova HQ into live-work development advances

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 9, 2023 at 1:30PM

Developer Madison Highland proposed a "game table community park" outside 8110 Gatehouse Road in its plan to repurpose the office building as a live/work development (via Fairfax County)

The proposed repurposing of Inova Health System’s former corporate headquarters in Merrifield as live/work and workforce housing units got a hearty recommendation from the Fairfax County Planning Commission earlier this week.

The commission recommended on Wednesday (June 7) that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approve the plan from Madison Highland, a developer focused on live/work projects that’s pursuing similar conversions at the Skyline Center in Bailey’s Crossroads.