Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Possible changes to McLean Community Center board elections raise concerns for some

Published April 14, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated April 14, 2022 at 2:49PM

The McLean Community Center is co-located with McLean Central Park (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The McLean Community Center wants to update its policies, and its counterpart in Reston has emerged as a possible model.

The MCC governing board has started exploring a possible revision of the memorandum of understanding that dictates its relationship with the Fairfax County government.

Countywide

FCPS offers free online tutoring with federal Covid relief funds

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 14, 2022 at 12:45PM

Masked and socially distanced students utilize laptops during Fairfax County Public Schools' limited return to in-person classes in late fall 2020 (via FCPS/Facebook)

After a year of readjusting to in-person learning, local students now have a new option for getting some additional academic support.

Starting today (Thursday), all Fairfax County Public Schools students have unlimited access to online, on-demand tutoring through Tutor.com, and thanks to an infusion of federal coronavirus relief funds, the services come at no cost to families.

Countywide

Barbie pop-up truck coming to Tysons Corner Center this Saturday

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 14, 2022 at 10:30AM

A Malibu Barbie truck will visit Tysons this weekend (courtesy Malibu Barbie Tour)

Perhaps lured by yesterday’s 80-degree temperatures, a truck hawking Malibu-themed Barbie swag will swing by Tysons Corner Center on Saturday (April 16), kicking off a four-stop tour through the D.C. area.

The Malibu Barbie Truck Tour will be parked in the mall’s Events Plaza (1961 Chain Bridge Road) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., bringing an array of merchandise paying tribute to the oft-criticized yet still-popular plastic doll from Mattel.

Countywide

FCPS to end weekly and drive-thru COVID-19 testing next week

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 14, 2022 at 9:45AM

Fairfax County Public Schools is winding down its COVID-19 testing services for students and staff.

The school system announced in a newsletter last night (Wednesday) that, next Friday (April 22), it will discontinue the optional weekly screening testing and diagnostic drive-thru testing sites introduced last year as part of its efforts to support in-person learning during the pandemic.

Countywide

FCPS unveils ‘Trust Policy’ to prevent information sharing with ICE

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 13, 2022 at 3:55PM

Fairfax County School Board discusses a proposed "Trust Policy" at a work session (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County Public Schools is finalizing a new policy that will bar discrimination based on immigration or citizenship status and prohibit staff from disclosing that information unless required by law or a court order.

Requested by the school board last May, the proposed Trust Policy aligns closely with limits on information sharing by county government employees that the Board of Supervisors adopted in January 2021, FCPS staff said at a school board work session yesterday (Tuesday).

News

Spring brings ‘Kite Fest,’ free yoga to The Boro in Tysons

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 13, 2022 at 2:15PM

The Boro in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

D.C.’s Blossom Kite Festival is over, but kite-flying enthusiasts in Fairfax County have a new opportunity to let loose closer to home.

The Boro in Tysons will have various kite-related activities and flying demonstrations for its inaugural “Kite Fest,” set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 23.

Countywide

FCPS superintendent search needs more student input, group says

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 12, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated April 12, 2022 at 4:26PM

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand discusses plans to manage potential surges in COVID-19 infections when schools reopen (via FCPS/YouTube)

(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) As Fairfax County Public Schools nears an announcement of its next superintendent, students, faculty, and community groups have started to voice concerns about the transparency of the months-long process.

Organizers of the Pride Liberation Project, an FCPS student-led LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization with over 100 members, urged the school system to solicit more feedback from students, saying that the community outreach for the superintendent search was inadequate.

News

Tysons tax revenues help fully fund design of Route 7 widening

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 12, 2022 at 1:30PM

Route 7 seen from Route 123 in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County has secured all the funding it needs to design a future widening of Route 7 from Route 123 to I-495 in Tysons.

The Tysons Transportation Service District Advisory Board approved allocating up to $7.8 million from the district’s tax revenues to the Route 7 project last month, a move recommended by Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff.

Countywide

New I-66 West ramp to alter Nutley Street traffic, starting Wednesday

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 12, 2022 at 10:30AM | Updated April 12, 2022 at 1:11PM

A new turn lane and traffic signal will direct drivers from Nutley Street to I-66 West (via VDOT)

Updated at 1:15 p.m. — Work on the temporary Nutley Street ramp to I-66 West has been delayed. It will now be conducted overnight from Wednesday into Thursday (April 13-14), VDOT says.

Drivers who use Nutley Street near the Vienna Metro station will need to adjust to yet another new traffic pattern, starting tomorrow (Wednesday).

Countywide

FCPD: Man and teenager face murder charges in West Falls Church shooting

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 11, 2022 at 3:00PM

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis announces arrests in the fatal shooting of Falls Church resident Nelson Alexander Sr. (via FCPD/Facebook)

A 19-year-old Falls Church resident and an unidentified 17-year-old have been charged with murder after a shooting in West Falls Church last fall led to the death of 73-year-old Nelson Alexander Sr., Fairfax County police announced today (Monday).

Timothy Kashawn Bradshaw Robinson served as the “getaway driver” in a “botched robbery” at a Wells Fargo walk-up ATM in the 2900 block of Annandale Road, according to Fairfax County Police Department officials.