Tysons | FFXnow - Part 453

Morning Notes

Published March 2, 2023 at 7:30AM

An empty platform on Lake Audubon in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking — “According to court documents, in March and April 2022, Calvin Ray Brown, 50, and a co-conspirator sold counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl to a Fairfax County Police Department confidential source and undercover detective on multiple occasions…Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.” [DOJ]

Drive-Thru Taco Bell Proposed in Fairfax — “Planning commissioners expressed concerns about a pre-application proposal Monday evening from ABTB Mid-Atlantic, LLC to construct a Taco Bell restaurant with a drive-thru in the Boulevard Marketplace Shopping Center…Some commissioners said the new Taco Bell would likely experience the same traffic and parking issues already observed at similar drive-thru restaurants along Fairfax Boulevard.” [Patch]

Countywide

Fairfax County sites linked to African American history could be eligible for national register, report says

By Melanie Pincus

Published March 1, 2023 at 3:30PM

Lane's Mill Archaelogical Park is one of two sites identified as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the county's African American Historic Resources draft report (via Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development)

Several locations linked to African American history in Fairfax County could be eligible to be designated as historic places.

Those buildings and neighborhoods include the Louise Archer School, the Tinner Hill neighborhood and Clifton Primitive Baptist Church. Along with other candidates, they appear in a draft African American Historic Resources Survey Report, which was released on Feb. 23.

Around Town

Confetti-farting pigs and more to fly into Tysons Corner Center with new ‘Candytopia’ exhibit

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2023 at 2:30PM

The sets include a Rainbow Room with "confetti-farting pigs," per a press release (courtesy Bear Silber/Candytopia)

A candy land will soon come to life at Tysons Corner Center.

The temporary, traveling exhibit Candytopia will arrive at the mall in mid-March, filling a 16,000-square-foot space across from H&M that has previously hosted installations dedicated to the Sistine Chapel and Princess Diana.

News

Janet Howell, longtime senator for Fairfax County, won’t seek reelection

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2023 at 1:15PM

State Sen. Janet Howell has announced she will retire once her current term ends next January (courtesy Friends of Janet Howell)

State Sen. Janet Howell will retire from the Virginia General Assembly after representing a significant swath of northern Fairfax County for over 30 years.

Rumors that Howell wasn’t planning to pursue another term began circulating during Virginia’s 2021 redistricting process, which paired her with Sen. Jennifer Boysko — a more junior Democrat currently representing the 33rd District — in the newly created 38th Senate District.

Around Town

Compass Coffee chooses West Falls Church for second drive-thru cafe

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2023 at 11:45AM | Updated March 2, 2023 at 1:46PM

Compass Coffee has a location in Fairfax City's Point 50 shopping center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 1:45 p.m. on 3/2/2023) Compass Coffee is planning to open a second drive-thru location, and it will be right in Fairfax County.

The growing regional coffee business will add a full-service, drive-thru cafe at 7393 Lee Highway, a standalone building that previously housed a BB&T bank in the Shops at West Falls Church, confirmed Joel Shetterly, the vice president of marketing.

Countywide

Poll: As state of emergency ends, how are you approaching Covid?

By Vernon Miles

Published March 1, 2023 at 10:30AM | Updated March 24, 2023 at 2:36PM

A worker conducts a COVID-19 test for sick visitor at Fairfax County Government Center site (courtesy Fairfax County Health Department)

This month marks the third anniversary of the first Covid case in Fairfax County, and the Board of Supervisors has voted to bring the state of emergency to a close.

The emergency declaration that has been in place since March 17, 2020 officially ends today (Wednesday).

Countywide

Dulles Toll Road no longer accepting cash, starting today

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2023 at 9:30AM

The Dulles Toll Road by the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The days of saving up loose change to pay the Dulles Toll Road’s fees are officially in the past.

Effective today (Wednesday), the 14-mile highway also known as Route 237 has converted to an all-electronic, cashless payment system, joining the network of express lanes that criss-cross Northern Virginia.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published March 1, 2023 at 7:30AM

A train takes a tour of Tysons Corner Center's third floor near the food court (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Child Care Enrollment Starts Next Week — “Registration for 2023-2024 Fairfax County School Age Child Care (SACC) will begin on March 9. Registration will open on a rolling basis in alphabetical order by school…The SACC School Year Program…offers before- and afterschool care for children attending kindergarten through sixth grade in most Fairfax County public elementary schools and several community centers.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]

Couple Found Dead in Fairfax Home — Fairfax County police are conducting a death investigation after an adult man and woman were found dead in a home on the 8900 block of Walker Street. Police believe preliminarily that the “elderly couple” died in a murder-suicide incident. [FCPD/Twitter]

News

Bicycling advocates skeptical of lanes proposed on Merrifield’s Ellenwood Drive

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 28, 2023 at 2:15PM | Updated February 28, 2023 at 3:40PM

Ellenwood Drive at the Jersey Drive intersection in Merrifield (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) Fairfax County hopes to get a head start on its annual street paving and restriping efforts this year, thanks to the D.C. area’s warmer-than-usual winter weather.

The county and Virginia departments of transportation program will kick off next month in Merrifield with the proposed addition of bicycle lanes on Ellenwood Drive from Route 29 to Route 50, along with crosswalks at two intersections.

Countywide

Advocates say underfunding safety to blame for high pedestrian death count in Fairfax County

By Vernon Miles

Published February 28, 2023 at 11:50AM | Updated March 24, 2023 at 2:36PM

Columbia Pike in Bailey's Crossroads has been partially closed after a fatal pedestrian crash (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The traffic safety advocacy group Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (Fairfax FSS) says the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is primarily to blame for Fairfax County’s high pedestrian fatality count last year.

The Safe Streets Report compiled by Fairfax FSS examines the crashes that resulted in 32 pedestrian fatalities and 53 serious injuries in 2022. Like the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) earlier report, Fairfax FFS found that the county saw a dramatic increase in fatalities and serious injuries last year from any other year going back to 2010 — the first year where data is available.