Chicken Salad Chick is coming soon to the former Loyal Companion space at Idylwood Plaza (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
If you live in the Falls Church area and enjoy chicken salad, you’re in luck. Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant, is set to open its first D.C area location in Idylwood in two weeks.
Chicken Salad Chick will celebrate its grand opening at Idylwood Plaza (7505 Leesburg Pike) on Wednesday, Aug. 7, offering one free large chicken salad every month for a year to the first 100 guests, among other prizes, according to a press release.
A train passes the Huntington Metro station’s parking garage (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Local Couple Behind Drug Ring Going to Prison — “A Fairfax County woman and her husband have been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison after being convicted of running a massive drug operation. Court documents say they distributed tens of thousands of dangerous fentanyl pills per month in Virginia.” [NBC4]
Gum Springs Cemetery Restoration Planned — “A decaying cemetery in Gum Springs that dates back to the 18th century will be restored and maintained as part of a preservation project between Fairfax County and various stakeholder organizations.” Residents interred at Peake Family Cemetery include friends of George Washington and descendants of Gum Springs founder West Ford. [On the MoVe]
Clifton Road Lane Closures Scheduled — “Weather permitting, lane closures will occur on northbound and southbound Clifton Road/Stringfellow Road (Route 645) between Regal Crest Drive and Autumn Willow Drive Sunday night, July 28; Monday night, July 29 and Tuesday night, July 30 for milling and paving at the Route 29 intersection.” The work is part of the Route 29 widening project. [VDOT]
Georgetown Getting More Visitors Than Tysons, BID Claims — The Georgetown Business Improvement District says the D.C. neighborhood got 12.3 million visitors last year and have been up 5% so far in 2024, “outpacing Tysons Corner.” The organization is studying new designs for its streateries, which have drawn both crowds and complaints. [Axios D.C.]
Tennis Courts Slated for Repair — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin repairing tennis courts #1 and #2 at Woodley Hills Park and #1 and #2 at Country Club View Park…Contractors are scheduled to mobilize onsite in early August weather permitting, and active construction is anticipated to be completed by mid-September 2024.” [FCPA]
Incoming FCPD Officers Graduate From Academy — “Session 86 is comprised of 32 newly sworn Fairfax County Police Officers. This latest graduating class is a unique and diverse session where eight different languages are spoken by 15 different officers…After graduation, officers will be assigned to one of the Fairfax County Police Department’s eight district stations and enter a 12-week field training period. [FCPD]
Animal Shelter Hosts Seminar on Chicken Care — “Kelly Rutkowski, managing director of Adopt a Bird Network, is hosting a free seminar on chicken behavior Sunday in Lorton, Virginia, in conjunction with the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. Topics that will be covered include chicken health, pecking order drama, feeding tips and more.” [WTOP]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with the temperature reaching a high close to 85 degrees. Overnight, the sky will remain mostly clear, and the temperature drops to around 67 degrees. [NWS]
A sign warns drivers that an upcoming school zone in Fairfax City is enforced by a speed photo camera (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Get ready for more speed cameras in Fairfax County school zones.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave its support this week for the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) to move ahead with the installation of 50 additional speed cameras in school zones following the success of its speed camera pilot program.
Kate Spade New York is now open at Tysons Corner Center (courtesy Kate Spade New York)
Kate Spade New York has officially made the jump from Tysons Galleria to Tysons Corner Center.
The fashion brand opened a new store in the larger mall last Friday (July 19) after closing its Galleria location in June. Located on the second floor next to Swarovski, Kate Spade New York sells handbags, jewelry, fragrances and other accessories.
DC Bike Ride is the district’s only car-free, social bike ride, bringing bicyclists from near and far together to celebrate our great city in a truly unforgettable way!
The 20-mile, car-free course is purposefully designed to be approachable for first-time riders and avid cyclists alike while taking riders past some of the city’s most iconic sights, including the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial for the perfect photo op.
More than just a bike ride, DC Bike Ride features live music and entertainment throughout the entire course to keep riders moving, several well-stocked rest stops to refuel with snacks and beverages, and a celebratory Finish Festival (open to the public) near the Capital Building with plenty of entertainment, beer, and delicious food to enjoy with family and friends.
DC Bike Ride takes place on Saturday, September 7 at 8 a.m. EST at the intersection of 12th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.
You can join DC Bike Ride by visiting www.dcbikeride.com and choosing from a variety of Ride Passes that best suit your needs.
Use promo code LOCALNEWS15 to save 15% off a standard Ride Pass.
A sign reserves a parking space at Fair Lakes Promenade for people with accessibility needs (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Fairfax County is considering tweaking its zoning ordinance to ensure that last year’s parking requirements overhaul doesn’t lead to a decrease in accessible spaces.
Because developers build accessible parking in proportion to total parking, the number of accessible spots could go down if overall parking is reduced.
Exiting riders pass through the faregates at the Tysons Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
On this day 10 years ago, Metrorail arrived in Tysons and Reston, connecting two growing communities in Fairfax County to D.C. by train for the first time.
Decades in the making, the Silver Line’s Phase 1 launch on July 25, 2014 represented the D.C. region’s biggest rail expansion since the Green Line opened in 1991 and set the stage for a connection to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County that came to fruition with Phase 2 on Nov. 15, 2022.
Three deer congregate in a Vienna yard (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Watch Olympics Opening Ceremony atLibrary — “Let the games begin! Join us to watch a live steam of the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Games in Paris at the library! Light refreshments will be provided. No registration required. All ages.” The viewing begins at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) in the Centreville Regional Library meeting room. [Fairfax County Public Library]
Part of GW Parkway to Close Temporarily — The George Washington Memorial Parkway’s northbound lanes will temporarily close between Spout Run Parkway and Route 123 “to install drainage systems and conduct other required rehabilitation work.” The closures will last from 8 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday for the weekends of July 26-29 and Aug. 2-5. [ARLnow]
Fairfax City 7-Eleven Robbed at Knifepoint — “City of Fairfax Police arrested a 28-year-old man they say robbed a city convenience store at knifepoint early Monday morning. Officers responded around 12:54 a.m. to the 7-Eleven at 3810 University Drive for the report of a robbery.” [Patch]
Korean Bar Opens in Annandale — “1943 Classic, a Korean fusion bar and restaurant at 7220 Columbia Pike in Annandale, is having a soft opening. The vibe is dark and classy, with a low-hanging chandelier at the entrance. 1943 Classic is a popular nightspot in Korea, where the franchise has dozens of locations.” [Annandale Today]
Vida Fitness to Host Grand Opening in Reston — Vida Fitness will throw a grand opening party for its new Reston Row location from 7-11 p.m. this Saturday (July 27). The dress code calls for cocktail party attire “with black, gold, silver, and white strongly encouraged, and the festivities will include craft cocktails, live music and appetizers. [Vida Fitness]
Update on Dulles AirportDevelopment — “At their July 17 meeting, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board members were briefed by chief capital development officer Roger Natsuhara on the status of a number of key projects at Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles International airports.” [Gazette Leader]
LGBTQ Center Creates Community Hub inOakton — “The NoVA Prism Center in Oakton has emerged as a hub for LGBTQ community engagement in Northern Virginia. Leon van der Goetz, a transgender man, founded NoVA Prism Center in 2022 after he returned to the U.S. from Japan where he had been an English teacher. The organization has steadily grown since.” [Washington Blade]
Local Evangelical Pastor Embraces Tough Topics — “As lead pastor for megachurch McLean Bible Church, [Rev. Mike] Kelsey draws parallels between biblical context and current events for the thousands of congregants who call him their pastor. Provocative issues — race, social injustice, and politics — are on people’s minds and in his sermons.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, increasing in likelihood after 5pm, under cloudy skies with a high near 85. At Thursday night, shower chances dwindle after 11pm, with skies turning from cloudy to partly cloudy and a low of 69. [NWS]
A vacant office building at 1831 Wiehle Avenue in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Despite steady growth in employment numbers, office vacancy rates in Fairfax County continue to rise.
Stephen Tarditi, director of market intelligence at the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), presented recent data on office vacancies to the Board of Supervisors during an economic advisory committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
A crossing on Ridge Heights Road outside Langston Hughes Middle School in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Fairfax County officials are exploring privatizing the police department’s school crossing guard program as a potential solution to address staffing challenges and reduce the burden on officers.
The Fairfax County Police Department has struggled to meet the demand for crossing guards in recent years, leading sworn police officers to step in and provide additional support, Assistant Police Chief Bob Blakley told the Board of Supervisors at a Safety and Security Committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).