Tysons | FFXnow - Part 376

Morning Notes

Published October 11, 2023 at 8:15AM

A bicyclist on Merrilee Drive near the Dunn Loring Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Board of Supervisors Contenders Diverge in Views of County — “Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D) and his Republican challenger, Arthur Purves, politely exchanged views — with the occasional sharp elbow — during a televised Oct. 2 forum.” [Gazette Leader]

Murder Charge Filed in Woman’s Fatal Shooting — Eric Antonio Rubio, 36, of Alexandria, has been charged with second degree murder and use of a firearm to commit a felony for the death of Brenda Ochoa Guerro, who was found unconscious in the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital parking lot on April 13. Rubio and three others were arrested in May for concealing a dead body. [FCPD]

News

New signs encourage Vienna pedestrians and drivers to see ‘Eye to Eye’

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 10, 2023 at 3:30PM

Members of the Vienna Transportation Safety Commission, which includes the Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and residents install a sign for the new "Eye to Eye" safety campaign (courtesy Vienna Transportation Safety Commission)

Some new traffic signs have popped up around Vienna, but unlike traditional stop or speed limit signs, these yellow, reflective placards are intended more for sidewalk users than road users.

Volunteers with the Vienna Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) started posting the signs on pedestrian signal poles around town in late September for their “Eye to Eye” campaign, which encourages walkers to make eye contact with drivers before stepping into a crosswalk.

Countywide

Nearly 1 in 4 Fairfax County residents are food insecure, report finds

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 10, 2023 at 11:45AM

My Market is stocked with both perishable and nonperishable food (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Finding sufficient, quality food remains a challenge for many people across the D.C. area, even with the immediate economic disruptions triggered by the pandemic in the rear view mirror, the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) says in a new report.

Released last month, the nonprofit’s 2023 Hunger Report found that the region is still seeing elevated levels of food insecurity that are nearly identical to what was reported a year earlier. In Fairfax County, 24% of residents are food insecure — the exact same percentage as in 2022.

Around Town

Sneakers sculpted from ‘high-end trash’ will set foot in Tysons Corner Center this week

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 10, 2023 at 11:00AM

Falls Church artist Andy Yoder's sneaker sculpture exhibit "Overboard" is coming to Tysons Corner Center (courtesy Overboard)

Take a seat, Ben Affleck. A new artistic statement about Nike’s trendy Air Jordans is coming to town.

Falls Church artist Andy Yoder’s well-traveled exhibit “Overboard” will take up residence at Tysons Corner Center starting this Friday (Oct. 13), the latest installation resulting from the mall’s ongoing collaboration with local arts agency ArtsFairfax.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 10, 2023 at 8:15AM

A seating area on Wilkins Plaza at George Mason University's Fairfax campus (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

GMU’s Fall for the Book Kicks Off Today — After a week of preview events, George Mason University’s annual book festival officially returns today for its 25th anniversary. The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a talk by roller derby skater Gabe Montesanti about her new memoir and continue through Saturday (Oct. 14). [Fall for the Book]

Police Investigate Linked Thefts and Vehicle Break-Ins — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau, Criminal Investigations Division, are investigating a series of vehicle break-ins and package thefts that occurred between October 3-4. The suspect is believed to be responsible for breaking into several vehicles and stealing items during the late-night hours in both the Fair Oaks and Reston police districts.” [FCPD]

Around Town

Halal hot chicken chain coming to Vienna in first step of N. Va. expansion

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 9, 2023 at 2:30PM | Updated October 11, 2023 at 10:36AM

The Red Bird, a hot chicken chain, is coming soon to Vienna's Cedar Park Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 10:35 a.m. on 10/11/2023) A fledgling hot chicken chain with ambitions of becoming “the next Chick-fil-A” is flocking to Northern Virginia, starting with the Town of Vienna.

Signs for The Red Bird recently emerged in the windows of the former McDonald’s at the Cedar Park Shopping Center, which hasn’t yet identified the new tenant on its site plan. Mickey D’s abruptly vacated the 1,353-square-foot space last summer after more than a decade there.

Experience the 51st Annual Festival of Leaves on October 13-14!

By Sponsor

Published October 9, 2023 at 1:30PM

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the beauty of autumn and experience the charm of a small-town?

Here’s what you need to know about the Festival of Leaves:

Neighborhood Expert: Spooky Halloween activities

By Sponsor

Published October 9, 2023 at 12:30PM

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.

I’ll admit — I don’t like scary movies, I don’t like scary haunted houses, but when I was a kid in my hometown of Slingerlands, New York the fire department always did an awesome Halloween event where kids could go to a haunted house and younger kids could bob for apples, do crafts, bounce house, donuts, and other activities for more candy.

News

Route 29 pedestrian path in Merrifield no longer ends at ditch

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 9, 2023 at 10:15AM

There's now a continuous shared-use path along northbound Route 29 between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street (courtesy VDOT)

A ditch will no longer force pedestrians and bicyclists to ditch the shared path along Route 29 in Merrifield.

Construction has been substantially completed on a new, unbroken shared-use path spanning about one-third of a mile between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced on Friday (Oct. 6).

Countywide

Fairfax County to mark solar eclipse with event ‘extravagaza’

By Fatimah Waseem

Published October 9, 2023 at 9:30AM

Residents gathered to view a solar eclipse in 2017.

As a “ring of fire” eclipse descends this Saturday (Oct. 14), Fairfax County is prepping with a series of events.

The annular eclipse occurs when the moon is at its furthest point from the Earth, appearing such that it is smaller than the sun. The result is that it leaves a ring of light around the edge of the moon.