Vienna | FFXnow

Morning Notes

Published April 27, 2022 at 7:30AM

Blossoms are out at Lewinsville Park in McLean (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

West Potomac Soccer Coaches Fired After Hazing — “In a message to West Potomac High School soccer families, Principal Tanganyika Millard said that after an April 21 practice, a ‘parent reported a student was injured after being singled out to run through a ‘gauntlet/tunnel.” Head coach Ahmad Sasso and two other coaches were fired after the incident.” [WTOP]

Dead Firefighter Escorted to Funeral Home — “#FCFRD members gathered to salute Captain Kimberly Schoppa during her dignified transfer. Units from her last assignment, Fire Station 27, West Springfield, carried her to the funeral home. Thank you to Fairfax County Police Department for the escort.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department/Facebook]

Around Town

‘Dirty soda’ shop coming to Vienna in May, bringing sweet refreshments

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 26, 2022 at 3:00PM

Vienna's new Coco's Sodas + Sweets will serve soft drinks flavored with syrup, fruit, and other add-ins (courtesy Coco's Sodas + Sweets)

During a recent sojourn to Utah, Ben and Heather Cichelli concocted a drink that changed their lives.

Now, the couple is bringing that drink — a blend of Diet Coke, coconut syrup, and fresh lime dubbed The Coco — and many others to the Town of Vienna, where they will open a new soda shop, Coco’s Sodas + Sweets.

Countywide

With contest deadline approaching, students advocate for Louise Archer historical marker

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 22, 2022 at 3:00PM

Louise Archer Elementary School students research their school's namesake (via Louise Archer Fourth Grade/Twitter)

Students have one week left to submit their ideas for new markers honoring Fairfax County’s Black and African American history.

The county is set to close the submission period for its 2022 Historical Marker Project on April 30. The project is part of a larger initiative to highlight the experiences of Black and African American residents that launched in February, coinciding with Black History Month.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 22, 2022 at 7:30AM

Tulips across from Vienna Presbyterian Church (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

It’s Earth Day — The Fairfax County Park Authority launched a new Earth Day website this week to provide information on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and ways to promote environmental stewardship. The annual occasion started in 1970 “to generate awareness and support for environmental protection.” [FCPA]

Community Raises $20K for Young Reston Soccer Player — “Aaron, a player in the Great Falls-Reston Soccer Club, recently told his coach that he couldn’t come to practice because he didn’t have any cleats. The elite soccer player explained that he was one of the 15 people who’d been displaced by a fire at the Stonegate Village Apartment complex in Reston on April 10.” [Patch]

Around Town

As Independent Bookstore Day nears, Vienna shop reflects on five years of building local literary community

By Rick Horner

Published April 20, 2022 at 3:00PM

Bards Alley bookstore in Vienna (file photo)

The next few months will be busy ones for Vienna’s local, independent bookshop.

First, there are Independent Bookstore Day celebrations to prepare for on April 30. Then, in July, Bards Alley will mark its fifth anniversary since opening its doors at 110 Church Street NW in 2017.

Countywide

Fairfax County students compete for international robotics championship

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 20, 2022 at 1:35PM

James Madison High School students built a robot that will compete in the 2022 FIRST World Championship (via JMHS/Twitter)

Houston is the place to be this week for the robotics community, and several Fairfax County students scored exclusive invitations.

Fairfax County Public Schools has three teams in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) World Championships, which kicked off today (Wednesday) at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 20, 2022 at 7:30AM

Traffic and construction on I-66 outside the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Two Hospitalized in West Springfield Crash — “Yesterday at 4:09 PM, units responded to three-car crash on Old Keene Mill Rd at Hillside Rd. #FCFRD used “jaws of life” to free 2 persons from one car. Both transported to hospital w/serious, non-life threatening, injuries. 1 person from another car transported w/minor injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

Virginia Hits 14-Year High in Crash Fatalities — “In 2021, 968 people died in crashes on Virginia roads. That’s up 14.3% from 2020, when there were 847 crash fatalities. And it’s the highest number of annual deaths since 2007, which saw 1,026 fatalities.” [WTOP]

Countywide

Mediterranean restaurant ‘Lezzet,’ a Centreville favorite, opens in Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 19, 2022 at 2:20PM

Inside Lezzet, a new Mediterranean restaurant in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Lezzet’s first week in Vienna went down as smoothly as a bite of buttery rice pilaf.

The Centreville-based Mediterranean restaurant has gotten a warm welcome at the Cedar Park Shopping Center (262 Cedar Lane), where its second location opened on April 10, General Manager Burcin Can says.

Countywide

Vienna man reports armed robbery, possibly by people seen buying guns

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 18, 2022 at 1:30PM

Vienna police SUV (via Vienna Police Department/Facebook)

In a sequence of events that could’ve been ripped out of a pulpy crime thriller, a man in Vienna was reportedly taken for a ride and robbed at gunpoint — potentially by a trio spotted patronizing a local gun shop earlier that day.

Around 2:40 p.m. on April 9, the man was picked up by three men in a vehicle, one of them an acquaintance, at the Giant shopping center (359 Maple Avenue), according to the Vienna Police Department’s recap for the week of April 8-14.

Countywide

Person rescued from fire at 122-year-old Vienna home on Saturday

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 18, 2022 at 9:00AM

The house at 135 Park Street NE in Vienna after a fire (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna was shaken on Saturday (April 16) when a fire tore through a house that has stood in the town for more than a century.

Units from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were called to the 100 block of Park Street NE around 4:28 a.m. for a house fire.