A commercial warehouse space in Tysons that currently houses a fitness studio and gold dealer is being targeted for a different kind of recreational use.
A new business called Smok’d has proposed turning three suites at 8453 Tyco Road into a “high-end” indoor firing range with a smoking lounge, according to a special permit application submitted to Fairfax County last Thursday (June 27).
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA and D.C. with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or Laura@GuidingYourMove.com.
With America’s birthday approaching, it’s really important to remind you that not all of the fireworks actually happen on July 4th, so before you post in one of the Facebook groups asking about the noises, make sure you take note of the days and times so you can plan ahead to attend if that’s your thing!
One other mom tip — the fireworks are really loud. If you have a noise-sensitive kid, either bring headphones, or use one of my other tips to watch but not hear the noise.
The Town of Vienna Fireworks are traditionally held at Yeonas Park (the Vienna Little League Fields). This year, they’ll take place on Tuesday, July 2 at 9:30 p.m. (approx. when it gets dark).
However, there’s a lot of things leading up to the actual fireworks that you can attend: live music, kids entertainment, games, food trucks, etc. starting at 6 p.m. This event is BYOC (bring your own chairs, blankets, etc.). Chairs are not permitted on the actual field, but there is a paved path and sidewalks where you can put the chairs for folks who can’t easily get up and down from the ground. There’s also bleachers but they get filled up. Streets around Yeonas will get closed from 4-11 p.m.
There are more options around Northern Virginia like July 1st at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, Langley High School in McLean, etc. Lots of opportunities around town if you’re a fireworks enthusiast!
A man was arrested last week after reportedly harassing customers and staff at a Vienna pub over its Pride Month displays.
On Friday (June 28) night, a man walked off the street and began accosting patrons in Hawk & Griffin’s outdoor beer garden “because of our flags displayed for pride month,” the pub’s owners said the following day in a Facebook post.
Fairfax Car Wash Employee Killed in Crash — A customer at Flagship Carwash in Fairfax City hit a nearby car and three employees after exiting a car wash bay around 10:56 a.m. on Saturday (June 29), police say. All three workers were taken to a hospital, where one of them, 62-year-old Martha Clemencia Nguyen, died. [NBC4]
Guns Tossed From Car During Police Pursuit — “Three handguns were thrown from a car during a police pursuit in Springfield, Virginia, according to the Virginia State Police. Officials said that a Virginia State trooper was initiating a traffic stop on a Nissan allegedly traveling recklessly when it refused to stop and sped away on Route 644 near Old Keene Mill Road.” [WJLA]
Fires Reported in Vienna and Springfield — Fairfax County firefighters found grass and “multiple trees on fire” in the 8200 block of Alban Road in Springfield near the ramp to southbound I-95 yesterday (Sunday). They also battled a house fire in the 100 block of Patrick Street SE in Vienna. No injuries were reported. [FCFRD/Twitter, Statter911/Twitter]
Pro Cricket Team Still Looking for Stadium Site — “The Washington Freedom want to build a permanent stadium by the decade’s end with surge capacity up to 35,000 surrounded by some mix of hotel/conference center, retail and residential…After an earlier plan to build a cricket stadium at George Mason University died on the vine, the Freedom is now actively considering 12 to 15 sites in Greater Washington, [general manager Rohit] Anand said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Metro to Waive Evening Fares on July 4 — “Whether you take Metrorail, Metrobus, or MetroAccess, you won’t pay a dime to ride after 5 p.m. until the system closes. During the afternoon, you’ll also see us ramp up service to rush hour service levels on Metrorail to get tens of thousands of you to events safely and reliably across the region.” [WMATA]
Gum Springs Historic Marker Relocated — “One year after Gum Springs and Fairfax County officials celebrated the unveiling of a historical marker honoring Gum Springs founder West Ford, a small group of community members gathered June 21 to commemorate the sign’s placement in a new location.” [On the MoVe]
Tysons Has Region’s Highest Apartment Rents — “Tysons leads the pack in median apartment-rental prices in new data, with the cost to renters rising nearly 5 percent year-over-year. With a median monthly cost of $2,396 for one-bedroom units and $2,872 for two bedrooms, Tysons had the highest median rate of the 34 communities within the Washington metropolitan region tracked by Apartment List.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 80 accompanied by a north wind around 14 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. For Monday night, the weather will be mostly clear, with temperatures dipping to around 63 degrees, and a north wind at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
Fairfax County police arrested a man yesterday (Thursday) for allegedly touching a 6-year-old child inappropriately at a playground in West Falls Church.
Officers were called to the Kingsley Commons Townhouses in the 7300 block of Arlington Blvd shortly after 7 p.m. in response to a report that a man “unlawfully touched” a child.
“Patrol officers were able to quickly locate the man and take him into custody,” the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Friday) in a press release.
Police say Victor Villalobos, a 47-year-old man from Merrifield, has been charged with aggravated sexual battery of a juvenile under the age of 13. He was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he’s being held without bond.
“Detectives are urging anyone who may have had unlawful contact with Villalobos or has information about this case to contact our Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 4, and share any information they may have,” the FCPD said.
A revised policy for adjusting school boundaries appears to have most of the Fairfax County School Board’s support ahead of a possible vote next month.
While most members agreed that the current policy needs an overhaul to address capacity issues across Fairfax County Public Schools, some expressed reservations at a work session on Tuesday (June 25).
Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This week’s column is sponsored and written by JaneEllen Saums of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach JaneEllen at 703-861-3523.
Mason Neck State Park is an absolute treasure, and it’s located only 25 miles from Washington, D.C. near Lorton. It has over 1,800 acres, 9 miles of trails, a Visitor’s Center, playground, and a large shaded picnic area. It’s also possible to rent kayaks and canoes there or you can bring your own.
The Visitor’s Center overlooks Belmont Bay, and it has great exhibits, restrooms, and sells convenience items. Park rangers work the welcome desk, and if you have any questions or need assistance they’re a wonderful resource.
The Park was established in 1985 with the help of a local activist, Elizabeth Hartwell. She heard of the many plans to develop this land for a range of projects such as a planned community (like Reston), an outer Beltway, an airport, a natural gas pipeline, a landfill and a sewer line. She was ultimately able to get the land protected because of the Bald Eagle, and as the story goes, it was the Bald Eagle that saved Mason Neck and not necessarily the other way around!
The bald eagle population had been declining rapidly in the 1960s due to the use of the pesticide, DDT, and there were only 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. That’s less than 9 nesting pairs per state!.
Luckily, there were Bald Eagles at Mason Neck, and that was the main way Elizabeth Hartwell was able to keep the land from being developed — by protecting their habitat she was not only able to help save the Bald Eagle, but also this beautiful peninsula!
Luckily, the eagles have made a comeback, and it’s not uncommon to see at least one when hiking or kayaking here.
I recommend going up Kane’s Creek where there’s an abundance of wildlife. On the tours I’ve helped lead, we often see ospreys, great blue herons, tree swallows, bluebirds, and red wing black birds — and if we’re lucky — bald eagles, as well.
Several large special events are held at the Park such as the annual Eagle Festival in the spring and the Park After Dark event in the fall, as well as short programs with topics as varied as snakes, wildflowers, birds, turtles, and dragonflies. There’s a Junior Ranger summer camp program for children, and guided kayak tours after-hours in the early morning and late in the evening.
Thanks to Elizabeth Hartwell, and many other local activists, we have this beautiful park which allows you to easily get away from the hustle and bustle of the DMV.
Mason Neck is open from 6 a.m. to dusk during the summer and from 7 a.m. to dusk in the winter. I hope you’re able to come and explore it and see the wildlife, experience a paddle on the water, or participate in a guided walk while you’re there.
For information about Riverbend Park, which is another wonderful park in the DMV, click here.
JaneEllen McLaughlin Saums is a Realtor® with McEnearney Associates and is also a Master Naturalist with Fairfax County. 703-861-3523| jsaums@mcenearney.com | www.janeellensells.com | www.McEnearney.com | 1320 Old Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22101
Lake Fairfax Park isn’t the only spot in Fairfax County planning an early Fourth of July party this year.
The Fairfax County Park Authority’s Independence Day celebration in Reston will compete tomorrow (Saturday) with festivities in McLean, Lorton and Mount Vernon, where George Washington’s estate will kick off two days of fireworks tonight (Friday).
New Laws to Take Effect Monday — “Most laws that were passed by the General Assembly during the 2024 legislative session take effect in Virginia on Monday, July 1.” Highlights include a law championed by Fairfax County that will allow speed limits under 25 mph in business and residential areas, fines for moving violations in highway work zones and a ban on altering gun serial numbers. [Fairfax County]
Metro Fares Set to Increase — “Metro rail and bus riders: plan to start paying about 12 percent more per trip. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) reminded passengers this week that fares on its whole system will be going up starting June 30.” The increase was approved in April to help Metro address a $750 million budget deficit. [Washingtonian]
Kids to Get Free VRE Rides — “The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will make modest adjustments to its fare schedule for the first time in five years and eliminate fares for those ages 18 and under beginning Monday, July 1, 2024. Adult fares will increase approximately 5 percent, well below the rate of inflation since 2019.” [VRE]
Route One BRT Starts Engineering — “The Richmond Highway Corridor’s future bus rapid transit (BRT) system has taken another significant step forward with the news that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved the project’s entry into the Engineering phase” of a grant program that Fairfax County hopes will cover nearly half of the $937 million price tag. [On the MoVe]
N. Va. Restaurants Awarded for Their Wine — “Looking for a great selection of wine when you go out for dinner? Wine Spectator announced its 2024 Restaurant Awards on Tuesday, highlighting the best restaurants in the world for wine — and there are 31 winners in Northern Virginia.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Parking Restrictions Proposed around Madison HS — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a July 30 public hearing on whether to expand the Madison Residential Permit Parking District in response to a petition by residents on Carey Lane in Vienna. Residents say “large numbers” of James Madison High School students are taking up parking between Jerry Lane and Vale Road. [Gazette Leader]
Reston Arts Curator to Leave Post — “Jaynelle Hazard will be stepping down as executive director and curator of Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art on Aug. 1 to become the director and chief curator of Georgetown University Galleries.” She joined the Reston arts nonprofit — then known as the Greater Reston Center — in March 2020 and oversaw its rebranding in 2021. [Patch]
Park Authority Rolls Out Wonder Wagon for Summer — “The Park Authority’s new mobile nature center launched its 2024 Summer Activation series on June 19 at Justice Park with a wagonload of guided and fun-filled activities for the community. With 10 additional parks included in the series, our team invites you to accelerate your summer experience in a park near you” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching 84 degrees, accompanied by a gentle 8mph northeast breeze that will shift southeast later in the afternoon. Cloud cover will increase during the night, bringing temperatures to a low of 71 degrees. [NWS]
A Herndon man has been arrested for allegedly sexually soliciting a child online and then trying to meet them in Tysons, police say.
Detectives from the McLean District Station got a tip around 6:52 p.m. on June 7 that Gerry Frank Burde, 41, had contacted an underage individual “via an internet platform,” the Fairfax County Police Department said in a news release published today (Thursday).
