The list of top contenders for the 2025 RAMMYS Awards is here, and it includes a few nods to the dining scene in Fairfax County, particularly in Tysons.
Among the five finalists for Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year is Ometeo, which was eligible for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s (RAMW) annual awards for the first time after opening at Capital One Center (1640 Capital One Drive) in Tysons in December 2023.
In the future, a share of tax revenue generated by the Tysons Transportation Service District could go to transportation-related projects shepherded by the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), including ones on private property.
The district’s advisory board voted last Wednesday (April 9) to recommend that $1 million be allocated to the TCA for fiscal year 2026 to support its work to close gaps in the Tysons transportation network, reduce traffic from single-occupant vehicles, and boost public awareness and engagement.
The Fairfax County Park Authority’s annual farmers market season kicks off Wednesday (April 16) with the McCutcheon/Mount Vernon Farmers’ Market outside the Sherwood Regional Library (2501 Sherwood Hall Lane) in Fort Hunt.
It will be one of three sites to begin 2025 operations in April, with seven others opening their seasons in May.
States Jockey to Poach Federal Agencies From D.C. Area — “Ahead of Monday’s deadline for agencies to submit plans to relocate offices out of the region, officials in Ohio, Texas and Florida have been lobbying to land key agencies, sensing that D.C.’s loss of these major employers could be their economic gain.” [Washington Post]
School Board Debates Expanding Cell Phone Restrictions — “During a recent work session meeting, FCPS proposed to ban the use of cellphones from the start to end of school, including lunchtime and in between classes. Phones and tablets would no longer be used for instructional purposes … The recommendations would align with a new law passed by the Virginia General Assembly to keep phones away from bell-to-bell.” [WUSA9]
Seven Corners Bakery to Close After 30 Years — “After 30 years in the Seven Corners Center, Tiffany’s Bakery is closing for good. Their last day is April 26. Owner Beatrice Echegoyen plans to focus her energies on the other Tiffany’s Bakery, at 7022 Columbia Pike in Annandale … Both shops offer cakes, cookies, pastries, croissant sandwiches, and made-to-order cakes.” [Annandale Today]
Possible Summer Opening for Reston Shake Shack — Shake Shack is aiming to open its new location at Reston Town Center in June. Construction “was well underway” when The Burn recently passed the nearly 2,800-square-foot space previously occupied by The Counter. [The Burn]
Virginia Opts Out of Michelin Guide — “Virginia is noticeably absent from the forthcoming Southern restaurant guide that Michelin announced earlier this month … The state tourism office declined to participate in the pay-to-play guide — a whopping $360,000 to be included, reports Axios Richmond’s Karri Peifer.” [Axios DC]
Local Teacher Competes to Be ‘America’s Favorite’ — Marcy Fisher, a first grade teacher at Union Mill Elementary School in Clifton, says it’s a “very emotional experience” to reach the quarterfinals of a national “America’s Favorite Teacher” contest. Voting to determine the semifinalists is open to the public until Thursday (April 17) at 7 p.m. [WTOP]
County’s Poet Laureate Offers Free Workshop — “To celebrate National Poetry Month, explore the intersection between music and spoken word at the Making Your Mixtape: Poetry Writing Workshop on April 19, led by the Fairfax County Poet Laureate Angelique Palmer.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Metro Recognizes Anniversary of Train’s Debut — “On this day 10 years ago, the first 7000-series train debuted on the Blue Line, departing from Franconia-Springfield.” The trains became a headache for Metro after a derailment in Arlington in 2021 led to all of them being removed from service for inspections. [WMATA/Bluesky]
It’s Tuesday — Scattered showers and possible thunderstorms after 2pm accompany a partly sunny day with highs near 65. West winds start at 10-15 mph, increasing to 21-26 mph and potentially gusting up to 41 mph. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation. At night, expect mostly clear skies with lows around 44. [NWS]
The number of Fairfax County residents counted as unemployed and looking for work in February spiked 17% from the same month in 2024 in new data.
The city and county-level unemployment figures released by the Virginia Employment Commission last Thursday (April 10) kickstarted what could be a series of punishing monthly jobless reports in coming months, as the D.C. region begins to adjust to the ripple effects of the Trump administration gutting the federal government and tariff-related uncertainty.
A Merrifield man who evaded arrest for eight years will spend the next decade in federal prison in connection to drug charges.
Otis Chevalier, 46, was sentenced last Thursday (April 10) to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to both the distribution of and the conspiracy to distribute the drug phencyclidine — otherwise known as PCP, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Keep an eye on your grass: Fairfax County’s Department of Code Compliance (DCC) will start investigating grass complaints starting today (Monday).
In a newsletter last week, Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw noted that today marks the start of “grass season,” the period when the county accepts complaints about too-tall grass. The season typically lasts from April through October.
Search and Rescue Task Force Returns From Floods — On Friday night (April 11), Virginia Task Force 1’s “45 team members and 2 canines returned home to waiting family members after assisting Frankfurt, Kentucky with swift water rescue resources and damage reconnaissance. We are honored to be able to serve whenever and wherever the need arises.” [Virginia Task Force 1/Facebook]
Chantilly Pickleball Facility to Open This Week — “The Dill Dinkers team has announced that their 12 p-ball courts will be ready for players on Thursday, April 17. The 30,000 s.f. sporting venue is located in the Sully Place Shopping Center off of 50, east of State Road 28. The space used to be a Babies R Us store.” [The Burn]
Pilot Falsely Linked to DCA Crash Sues for Defamation — “A transgender pilot is suing a popular right-wing influencer after he falsely connected her to the midair collision that killed 67 people near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, in January. Jo Ellis, a helicopter pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard, filed the defamation lawsuit against social media personality Matt Wallace in a Colorado federal court.” [WTOP]
Single-Family Residents Object to Apartment Expansion — “Residents of the single-family neighborhood that backs up to The Jefferson Apartments in Seven Corners expressed significant concerns about a proposal to add more housing to the site. The property owner has submitted an amendment to the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan to add 101 additional multifamily units on the surface parking lot at … 6166 Leesburg Pike.” [Annandale Today]
First Look at Forthcoming Reston Restaurant — “Award-winning Vienna restaurant Clarity is eager to complete its new outpost near Reston Town Center, with a goal to be open for business in the spring of 2026 … Expect vibrant lunch offerings and a robust happy hour.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
VDOT to Pause Lane Closures for Easter Weekend — “Whether you are on spring break or driving to see family and friends, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) wants to help make your travels egg-cellent. VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, April 18, until noon on Tuesday, April 22.” [VDOT]
Deadline to Get a Real ID Approaches — “You have under a month to obtain a Real ID before it’s required for domestic flights and access to some federal facilities like courthouses and military bases — but if you’re a D.C. or Maryland resident, chances are you’re on it.” In comparison, only 59% of Virginia residents have obtained the new ID. [Axios DC]
Local Food Critics Check Out Tysons Supermarket — “Move over H Mart, Great Wall and 99 Ranch. Tysons has a new Asian market and it’s a stunner. Opened in January, the 18,000-square foot Marufuji Japanese Market is a Japanophile’s dream, chockablock with (mostly Japanese) food products, plus some home goods thrown in.” The Washington Post’s Tom Siestema also recently assessed the new specialty grocer. [Arlington Magazine]
It’s Monday — Expect a mostly cloudy day with temperatures reaching near 69, and a calm wind turning south at 5-7 mph in the morning. Night will likely bring showers and possibly a thunderstorm, with a low temperature around 58. There is a 60% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
A new audit report suggests ways Fairfax County leaders can improve collection rates and recoup more of the costs of providing ambulance services.
Even as that discussion starts, the county is working to collect payments for ambulance services provided last year after encountering problems with a contractor that left many bills in limbo.
Vienna residents officially have less than a month to check out books and other materials from Patrick Henry Library before it closes for a long-anticipated renovation.
The branch’s last day of service at 101 Maple Avenue East will be Friday, May 9, though any materials on hold will need to be picked up by May 6. Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) finalized the date after providing an update to its Board of Trustees on Wednesday (April 9).
