Tysons | FFXnow - Part 499

Morning Notes

Published January 9, 2023 at 7:30AM

Trees wrapped in lights at the Vienna Town Green (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

TikTok Video of Fake Fairfax Bus Sign Goes Viral — “The City of Fairfax does not want you to run over jaywalking pedestrians in order to teach them a lesson…A video posted to TikTok by the user @hamandgreenpepperomelette shows the back of a Fairfax City CUE bus with a bogus sign that reads: ‘Don’t stop for pedestrians if they jaywalk. Let them learn a lesson.'” [Patch]

Route 28 South Closure in Centreville Tomorrow — “Overhead sign installation on Route 28 South approaching I-66 will require overnight closures of the Route 28 South collector-distributor lane, the ramp from Braddock Road/Walney Road to Route 28 South and I-66 East, and the ramp from I-66 West to Route 28 South nightly, Tuesday, January 10, through Thursday, January 12.” [VDOT]

Around Town

Annual ‘Polar Plunge’ to boost Special Olympics returns to Mosaic District

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 6, 2023 at 2:15PM

Participants line up for the 2022 Polar Plunge at the Mosaic District (courtesy Sean Wallach/Special Olympics Virginia)

Special Olympics Virginia is ready to make another splash at the Mosaic District.

The nonprofit’s annual Polar Plunge fundraiser will return to the Merrifield community for a fourth year on Saturday, Jan. 14. As in previous years, participants will jump into a pool of icy water to raise money for the organization’s more than 18,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Live Fairfax: Ready to achieve your 2023 resolutions?

By Sponsor

Published January 6, 2023 at 12:30PM

Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.

Happy New Year Fairfax!

News

McLean group urges county to fund West Falls Church Metro pedestrian upgrades

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 6, 2023 at 10:15AM

Haycock Road bridge over I-66 (via Google Maps)

A proposed shared-use path on Haycock Road over I-66 is among several pedestrian and bicycle projects in the West Falls Church Metro station area that the McLean Citizens Association believes Fairfax County should prioritize for funding.

The organization, which routinely weighs in on issues affecting the greater McLean area, approved a resolution on Wednesday (Jan. 4) endorsing 19 projects recommended by an advisory group that the county convened to study the West Falls Church Transit Station Area’s (TSA) active transportation infrastructure.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published January 6, 2023 at 7:30AM

Winter decorations and a disco ball hang from the ceiling at Tysons Galleria (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Tysons Corner Center Sees Uptick in Arrests — “Arnest supervises the [Fairfax County Police] Tysons Urban Team. It’s a unit that launched in 2013. Data shared with WUSA9 shows the unit made 787 arrests in 2022. That’s compared to 377 in 2021 and 406 in 2020. They say…those number[s] were likely smaller because of the pandemic.” [WUSA9]

Nashville-Style Chicken Sandwich Chain Coming for Hybla Valley — “A rapidly expanding restaurant chain has plans to open a new location in the Hybla Valley section of Alexandria. Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken recently signed a lease with KLNB to occupy an end space at 7508C Richmond Highway.” [On the MoVe]

Countywide

Covid hospitalizations jump over holidays, briefly putting county’s community level at ‘medium’

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 5, 2023 at 3:15PM

All Fairfax Health District COVID-19 cases, as of Jan. 3, 2023 (via VDH)

Fairfax County ended 2022 with a “medium” level of COVID-19 in the community, the first time it reached that level since August.

Continuing an upward trend that began around Thanksgiving, the county is averaging 291 cases per day for the past week, the highest weekly average since Aug. 13, per Virginia Department of Health data.

Around Town

NEW: Paul French Bakery and Cafe coming to Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 5, 2023 at 2:15PM

Paul French Bakery & Cafe at Tysons Galleria (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

In the future, Vienna residents will no longer have to brave Chain Bridge Road traffic to get a taste of Paul Bakery’s bread and macarons.

The 133-year-old French bakery and cafe is planning to expand right into the heart of the town in Jades Shopping Center, replacing Al Nakheel Lebanese Cafe & Market, which closed last year.

News

McLean Symphony founder and longtime conductor Dingwall Fleary dies

By Vernon Miles

Published January 5, 2023 at 10:15AM | Updated March 24, 2023 at 2:41PM

Dingwall Fleary Jr. conducting an orchestra (courtesy photo)

The McLean Symphony’s founder Dingwall Fleary Jr., a conductor described by friends and colleagues as “larger than life,” has died.

Fleary, 82, had been the conductor of The McLean Symphony since 1972 and the Reston Community Orchestra since 1996. He died after experiencing a heart attack on Friday, Dec. 30, according to a message from the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bethesda, where he served as a music director.

Countywide

County’s running bamboo ordinance takes effect with potential fines

By Matt Blitz

Published January 5, 2023 at 9:30AM

Bamboo spotted by the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County property owners are officially required to contain running bamboo on their property — or face potential fines.

Effective as of Jan. 1, the county’s new running bamboo ordinance calls for property owners to get the invasive grass species under control and imposes civil penalties on property owners who let it “spread to adjacent properties or any public right-of-way.”

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published January 5, 2023 at 7:30AM | Updated January 5, 2023 at 8:46AM

Sunset over Hidden Creek Golf Course in Reston (photo by Cindy Ross)

(Updated at 8:45 a.m.) Two Shot in Bailey’s Crossroads — “Officers are in the 6000 blk of Glen Carlyn Dr in Bailey’s Crossroads for a shooting. Two victims taken to the hospital with injuries not considered life threatening. No suspect description. Call 911 w/info.” [FCPD/Twitter]

Summer Camp Registration Coming Up — “Registration for Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) summer camps serving children ages 3 to 16 will begin Jan. 10, 2023. Registrations fill up very quickly, so families are encouraged to visit the Park Authority Camps webpage to view more than 1,000 programming options to prepare” [FCPA]