Around Town

The Fairfax County Park Authority has composed a slate of summer shows, including Grammy honorees, drive-in movies and a range of dancers.

Nearly 200 live events will take place across more than a dozen locations between June 1 and Aug. 31.


Countywide

With just days to go before Fairfax County Public Schools finalizes its fiscal year 2025 budget, teachers voiced frustration this week with the news that school employees will get lower-than-expected pay raises.

As it stands, the Fairfax County School Board is on track to adopt a revised budget that includes a 3% pay increase for all school employees, down from the initially proposed 6%, starting July 1.


Countywide

Fairfax Connector is gathering public input on a plan to adjust bus service while increasing fares by 12.5%.

The Connector is increasing its base fare from $2 to $2.25 and express fares from $4.25 to $4.80 to match Metrobus fares, which will increase in an effort by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to address a budget shortfall.


Around Town

Two relative newcomers to Fairfax County’s dining scene have found favor with the Washington Post’s food critic.

Tom Sietsema, a critic for the newspaper since 2000, included The Maple Room in Vienna and Peter Chang in McLean on his round-up of the 26 best new restaurants in the D.C. area. The list was published yesterday (Wednesday) as part of a spring 2024 dining guide to celebrate “what’s new, but also what’s worth your time and money,” Sietsema wrote.


Countywide

Northern Lights Seen Over National Mall — “Rare, possibly one-of-a-kind video has emerged of the northern lights dancing over the National Mall and Washington Monument. Even though clouds in the D.C. area mostly obscured the epic display of auroras…a short window opened up just before dawn Saturday when the clouds parted. [Washington Post]

Tysons Auto Dealerships Up for Sale — The Koons dealership site at 2000 and 2050 Chain Bridge Road, which was considered for redevelopment by Comstock, “is now being marketed for sale as a Home Depot-anchored mixed-use district.” Marketing materials say the property is available “for three different opportunities: a ground lease, a sale and a joint venture.” [Bisnow]


Around Town

Paul Mitchell’s beauty school is departing Tysons Corner Center after almost two decades of providing hair care services and training at the mall.

After halting acceptances of new students, the school is observing its last day of business today (Wednesday).


Sponsored

The Dragons Concord is a tabletop roleplay gaming center that focuses on providing a safe and professional roleplay and miniature wargaming experience.

Our themed private gaming rooms, free public gaming tables, and growing staff of professional game masters, are all oriented toward one goal — to make roleplay gaming as accessible and fun as we can for everyone! We’ve had an amazing reception by the community since we first opened our doors last June, and to celebrate we’re hosting a special event at our store in Fairfax on June 1st.


Countywide

Depression-Era Building in Groveton Set for Demoliton — “A historic building in Groveton will soon be demolished in preparation for the construction of the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit system. The property at 6821 Richmond Highway…is described in Fairfax County documents as a two-story Colonial Revival commercial building of domestic origin that was built in 1934.” [On the MoVe]

Virginia to Study College Policies After Protests — “The Virginia House of Delegates has formed a select committee on maintaining campus safety and allowing students to exercise their First Amendment rights, after more than 125 arrests at four of Virginia’s college campuses” where students staged protests of Israel’s war on Gaza. [Virginia Mercury]


Countywide

Virginia has implemented new guidelines to establish a unified rating and improvement system to assess the commonwealth’s publicly funded early childhood care providers.

Approximately 75% of child care programs that received public funding previously did not participate in the state’s voluntary quality measures, according to Del. David Bulova, D-Fairfax, who co-patroned 2020 legislation that led to all publicly funded providers being required to participate.


Around Town

After a successful preview at last month’s Taste of Vienna, the men behind Evelyn Rose seem confident that their upcoming restaurant will prove worthy of its location.

The brainchild of owner Sam Schnoebelen and chef Nick Palermo, Evelyn Rose is on track to open in late May at 111 Church Street NW, replacing Bazin’s on Church after the bistro ended an 18-year run on April 27.


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