Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

VDOT agrees to support Scotts Run stream restoration in McLean

Published July 19, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated July 19, 2022 at 2:47PM

Scotts Run stream seen from Old Dominion Drive (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Fairfax County has sealed the deal on a plan to restore a portion of Scotts Run stream parallel to the Capital Beltway.

The county’s Board of Supervisors approved an agreement today (Tuesday) with the Virginia Department of Transportation, which will contribute almost $1.4 million to the project’s design and construction.

Around Town

Turkish cafe East West opens in Tysons, with hookah bar to come

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 19, 2022 at 10:15AM

The Turkish cafe East West has opened in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Tysons has a new hangout option for those looking to spend a summer day chatting over a cup of coffee.

Last week, East West Restaurant opened its second cafe at 1992 Chain Bridge Road, the former home of the Italian Da Domenico, which closed in November 2020 after 39 years of business.

Countywide

Fairfax County Public Library to shorten hours, citing recruitment challenges

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 19, 2022 at 9:30AM | Updated July 20, 2022 at 1:50PM

Fairfax County Public Library will soon modify its hours due to staffing issues (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 1:50 p.m. on 7/20/2022) Fairfax County Public Library will trim back its hours, starting next month, due to challenges in hiring staff.

Starting on Aug. 14, the county library system’s eight regional branches will be open from 1-9 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays.

Countywide

Covid vaccines reach over 1 million Fairfax Health District residents

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 18, 2022 at 2:15PM

An FCPS employee gets vaccinated against COVID-19 at an Inova clinic in January 2021 (photo by Karen Bolt/Fairfax County Public Schools)

More than 1 million residents of the Fairfax Health District have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The milestone in the roughly 19-month-long vaccination campaign came within the past week, according to the Fairfax County Health Department, which puts the current count at 1,001,144 people, or 84.6% of the population. The health district encompasses Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.

News

Tysons Marriott adds ‘bourbon-inspired’ restaurant with $25M hotel renovation

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 18, 2022 at 1:30PM | Updated July 18, 2022 at 4:12PM

The newly renovated Tysons Corner Marriott has a new restaurant and bar called Tysons Rickhouse (courtesy Marriott International)

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) The Marriott in Tysons has finished a $25 million renovation that included redesigns of all 400 hotel rooms, expanded meeting space and the introduction of a new restaurant, the hospitality company announced this morning (Monday).

Replacing Shutters Bar and Kitchen on the hotel’s ground floor, Tysons Rickhouse is described as a “bourbon-inspired” restaurant that serves American food sourced “from the local Virginia area” as well as over 40 kinds of bourbons and whiskeys, according to a press release.

News

Man sleeping in vehicle carjacked in Merrifield, police report

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 18, 2022 at 11:00AM

Fairfax County police car lights flashing (file photo)

A man taking a nap in his vehicle in Merrifield earlier this month awoke to the startling realization that he was being carjacked, the Fairfax County Police Department reported on Friday (July 15).

According to the department’s recap for the week of July 8-14, a man was recently arrested in a neighboring jurisdiction for the carjacking, which occurred in the 8500 block of Lee Highway around 8:01 p.m. on July 10.

Countywide

Most-read Fairfax County stories of the week: July 11-15

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2022 at 3:00PM

Thomas A. Edison High School (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

The weekend is almost here. Before you treat yourself to some ice cream or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.

Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:

Countywide

FCPD to release video of gun incident after Fairfax County NAACP urges speed

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2022 at 11:50AM | Updated July 15, 2022 at 12:29PM

Fairfax County police badge (via FCPD/Facebook)

The Fairfax County Police Department will release video footage this afternoon (Friday) of a recent incident in West Falls Church where officers pointed their guns at a person who was filming them.

Police Chief Kevin Davis will host a press conference at 2:30 p.m. It was announced almost exactly one hour after the Fairfax County NAACP released a statement urging the FCPD to immediately release all body camera and vehicle dashboard camera footage related to the gun-brandishing incident and fatal shootings in Springfield and McLean.

News

After community complaints, Vienna opens up noise ordinance for review

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2022 at 11:00AM

Vienna Town Hall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

At the urging of some residents and even a Fairfax County School Board member, Vienna is revisiting its noise rules, especially for businesses and other commercial sites.

The town last rewrote its noise ordinance came in 2011, but with sound issues becoming a growing source of tension between residents and businesses, the Vienna Town Council agreed on Monday (July 11) to initiate a new review — with no guarantee that anything will change.

Around Town

Shipgarten, Tysons’ food and drink ‘theme park,’ set for grand opening this weekend

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 14, 2022 at 3:00PM | Updated July 15, 2022 at 8:57AM

Tysons Biergarten, left, and RollBar, right, operate out of shipping containers inside a tent at Shipgarten in Scotts Run (courtesy of Shipgarten/Instagram)

(Updated at 8:55 a.m. on 7/15/2022) After spending weeks perfecting various food and drink offerings, Shipgarten is ready to formally introduce its dining-in-shipping-containers concept to Tysons.

Launched on May 26 with its Tysons Biergarten revival, the Scotts Run pop-up will celebrate the completed rollout of its four restaurants and five bars with a three-day grand opening, starting at 3 p.m. tomorrow (Friday).