Tysons | FFXnow - Part 585

Morning Notes

Published March 3, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated July 5, 2022 at 6:35PM

Townhouses on Lake Audubon in Reston (photo by Marjorie Copson)

Man Charged With Assault on Police Officer — “Yesterday, Michael Vaughn, 34, was charged with five felonies and two misdemeanor charges stemming from the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Feb. 15 in 8300 block of Fitt Court in Lorton. He remains held at the Adult Detention Center without bond.” [FCPD/Twitter]

FCPS to End Virtual Learning This Year — With vaccines now available for school-age children, Fairfax County Public Schools will discontinue a limited virtual program for students with medical concerns due to the pandemic. At-home instruction will only be for students with significant health risks that prevent them from attending school in-person after this academic year. [FCPS]

Countywide

Shake Shack eyes spring opening for Mosaic District restaurant

By Fatimah Waseem

Published March 2, 2022 at 3:45PM

Shake Shack plans to open at the Mosaic District this spring (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Shake Shack, a burger-and-shake restaurant, plans to open in Merrifield’s Mosaic District this spring.

A company representative tells FFXnow that while an opening date has not been determined, the burger joint expects to announce its grand opening in the coming weeks.

Countywide

Police Civilian Review Panel meets new executive director

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 2, 2022 at 3:00PM

The Police Civilian Review Panel's first executive director, Steven Richardson

Fairfax County’s Police Civilian Review Panel approved its annual report Monday (Feb. 28) and hosted its new executive director for his first meeting in the role.

Appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 22, Richardson is the first executive director for the panel, which was established in 2016 to review completed investigations of complaints alleging police abuse of authority or serious misconduct.

Countywide

Bird flu reported in Virginia ducks, but no confirmed county cases

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 2, 2022 at 1:30PM

Virginia has recorded five confirmed cases of bird flu in 2022, including one in a mallard duck (via Vincent van Zalinge/Unsplash)

A highly contagious virus spread among birds has been detected in Virginia, but there is no evidence yet that it has reached Fairfax County.

There have been five confirmed cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Virginia this year, four in wild birds and one in a domestic flock in Fauquier County, U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows.

Countywide

Fairfax County behavioral health vacancies double amid pandemic

By David Taube

Published March 2, 2022 at 12:55PM

The Merrifield Center provides behavioral health services, responding to emergencies and administering other social services (via Google Maps)

Job vacancies at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, which provides mental health, substance use and developmental disability services, have more than doubled since January 2021.

The CSB reported last week that the 193 vacancies have led it to consolidate two programs in recent months: a partial hospitalization program and New Generations, a treatment program for mothers and pregnant women. In January 2021, there were 91 vacancies.

News

Planned ‘The Maple Room’ restaurant in Vienna seeks outdoor dining permit

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 2, 2022 at 10:30AM

The former Amphora Restaurant site in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

More than a year after it closed, it remains unclear exactly what kind of establishment will replace Vienna’s Amphora Restaurant, but the food will likely be served outside as well as indoors.

Developer Sarantis Properties, owner of the now-vacant building at 377 Maple Avenue, is seeking a conditional use permit to allow outdoor dining for a new restaurant called The Maple Room.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 2, 2022 at 7:30AM

A Shell gas station and car wash on Franconia Road in Rose Hill is going to be replaced with a 7-Eleven, per permit applications (staff photo by Brandi Bottalico)

Expanded DMV Service Starts Today — “The Virginia DMV will offer both appointments and walk-in service Monday through Friday at all 75 locations starting Wednesday, March 2, Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller said in a news release. Walk-in service will still be an option at some offices on Saturdays.” [WTOP]

Local Students Learn About Russia-Ukraine Conflict — A political science and current affairs class at Langley High School has turned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into a central topic of discussion. Teacher David Kuhn says his students, some of whom have lived in Russia, have shared “perspectives…beyond what their [years] would indicate.” [WUSA9]

Countywide

Cirque du Soleil will return to Tysons this summer

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2022 at 2:15PM

Cirque du Soleil is bringing its show "Kurios" to Tysons this summer (courtesy Cirque du Soleil)

The circus is coming back to Tysons.

Cirque du Soleil announced yesterday (Monday) that it will erect its Big Top tents in Lerner Town Square (8025 Galleria Drive) near Tysons Galleria on July 29, marking its first appearance in the D.C. area in three years.

Countywide

Court ruling on Thomas Jefferson High School admissions changes draws mixed reactions

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2022 at 1:30PM

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (via Google Maps)

A federal judge’s ruling that recent changes to the admissions process for Fairfax County Public Schools’ prestigious magnet school were discriminatory has inspired both praise and condemnation.

As first reported by The Washington Post, U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton issued an opinion on Friday (Feb. 25) finding that the elimination of a standardized test and other alterations to how students are admitted into Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) were made “to the detriment of Asian-Americans.”

News

Tysons West developer plans to turn former Sheraton hotel into housing

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 1, 2022 at 9:45AM

A conceptual rendering of developer JBG Smith's proposed repurposing of Sheraton Tysons Hotel as housing (via JBG Smith/Fairfax County)

After giving travelers shelter for more than three decades, the now-shuttered Sheraton Tysons Hotel (8661 Leesburg Pike) could soon become home to hundreds of permanent residents.

Property owner JBG Smith wants to turn the 22-story building and its parking garage into a 544-unit multifamily residential tower with up to 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, according to a rezoning application submitted to Fairfax County on Feb. 14.