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The Fairfax County Park Authority has some new financial muscle behind its efforts to clear invasive plants from Blake Lane Park in Oakton.

A $20,000 grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation will enable the agency to clear an additional 1.2 acres of land and replant it with native shrubs and trees, the FCPA announced last week.

The invasive plant removal efforts will specifically target Ailanthus altissima, also known as tree-of-heaven, a tree native to China and southeast Asia that got introduced to the U.S. in the 1700s.

In addition to being prolific and difficult to remove once it takes root, tree-of-heaven is a host for spotted lanternflies, according to the park authority. The winged pests secrete a honeydew substance that can attract other insects like wasps and ants and spur mold growth, ruining forests and crops.

Since a spotted lanternfly made its way to Fairfax County via a grocery store shipment in Annandale in 2021, the park authority has urged community members to kill the insects immediately.

According to the Jan. 4 news release, Blake Lane Park was chosen for the grant to the Fairfax County Park Foundation “due to the high density of Ailanthus altissima, and strong community volunteer support” for the FCPA’s Invasive Management Area program (IMA).

“Conservation and restoration of our parks and woodlands requires a communitywide effort and our Invasive Management Area program is a shining example of a community-forward approach to achieving those aims,” FCPA Resource Management Director Laura Grape said. “We are very grateful to Dominion Energy and to our community volunteers for their tremendous dedication to environmental stewardship and helping us make a lasting difference at Blake Lane Park.”

The grant went to the Fairfax County Park Foundation, which raises private funds and obtains grants for the park authority to supplement its public funding. The FCPA will match the grant to “provide long-term maintenance and community engagement” at Blake Lane Park, according to the release.

Located at 10033 Blake Lane, the 10-acre park features a forested trail, a dog park, two soccer fields and an open play area. It was targeted for development as a new elementary school, but resident opposition — and the realization that the Dunn Loring Center could be converted instead — nixed that plan.

The park is one of 65 sites in the IMA program, which recruits volunteers to help remove invasive plants and restore habitats. Program Manager Patricia Greenberg previously told FFXnow that 70 to 75% of the county’s parkland is covered by invasive species.

The park authority says the grant for Blake Lane Park will cover enough seedling purchases to plant 100 stems per acre.

“We know how important it is to care for our air, water, and land — including the wonderful parks in our communities,” Dominion Energy spokesperson Peggy Fox said. “We’re proud to support the Fairfax County Park Foundation with an education and stewardship grant to enhance our local parks.”

(Updated at 2:10 p.m. on 11/13/2022 to correct zip code) It’s going to be a busy Saturday for Settle Down Easy Brewing. In addition to marking its fourth anniversary, the Merrifield area brewery will throw a grand opening party for its new Oakton restaurant and bar from noon to 8 p.m.

Replacing the shuttered Austins Big and Tall store in Hunter Mill Plaza at 2952E Chain Bridge Road, The Oakton Tasting Room is envisioned as not just a place to grab dinner and drinks, but as the kind of hangout spot that Settle Down Easy owner Frank Kuhns says is missing from Oakton — despite nearly 37,o00 people calling it home.

“In Oakton, there’s one zip code — 22124 — and we are going to promote that and the level of how proud you are to be a resident of Oakton,” Kuhns told FFXnow. “We’re going to create this family-friendly, energetic, exciting space for the residents of Oakton, but everyone is welcome of course. We want Oakton to have its own special place to call its own.”

A resident of Oakton himself, Kuhns started looking to expand Settle Down Easy at his wife’s suggestion. As COVID-19 pandemic restrictions eased, the couple was looking to go out for wine and appetizers but noticed a dearth of happy hour options in the area compared to nearby Vienna and Fairfax.

They hope The Oakton Tasting Room will fill that void, with a still-casual yet more refined ambiance than the industrial feel of Settle Down’s existing brewery at 2822 Fallfax Drive.

Opened in 2018, the Merrifield location serves food from a taco stand run by El Tio Tex-Mex Grill, but it primarily focuses on brewing, manufacturing five barrels of craft beer at a time to serve at a 40-seat bar.

The Oakton Tasting Room will be as much a restaurant as a brewery. Along with beer, it will offer wine, cider, and food for both lunch and dinner in a collaboration with local farmer’s market staple, The Fermented Pig, whose handcrafted meats and charcuterie boards made an impression at earlier events with Settle Down Easy.

An official menu isn’t available online yet, since it will likely evolve as the restaurant figures out what works and what doesn’t. However, all ingredients will be sourced from farms within a 100-mile radius, according to Kuhns.

“We want to be hypersensitive to our carbon footprint, we want to respectful to the environment, and we want to provide something to support other local businesses within 75 to 100 miles of our Oakton Tasting Room,” he said.

At nearly 4,000 square feet in size, the tasting room has the capacity for 150 customers. While there’s no outdoor seating at the moment, Kuhns says they hope to work with their landlord to add that next summer.

Nods to Oakton will range from black-and-white photos in the bathrooms showing the area’s history to a beer exclusively available at the tasting room called 123, after Route 123. Settle Down already serves a 2 Cloud 9 beer in Merrifield, reflecting its location near Route 29.

Expected to draw a sizable crowd, The Oakton Tasting Room’s grand opening will include a ribbon-cutting, cake at 3 p.m., and surveys of food and drink offerings. Merrifield patrons can get in on the excitement too: the first 50 customers who get a beer at both locations that day will receive a free gift and a commemorative coaster.

After inflation, supply chain issues and increased personnel expenses doubled the cost of the Oakton buildout from what was planned, Settle Down has no immediate plans to expand further, but the team is considering ways to help its Merrifield location stand out.

“I think probably in early 2024, we will look for the next venture for Settle Down Easy,” Kuhns said. “…That could be us doing a manufacturing warehouse. That could be a collaborative partnership with The Fermented Pig. We don’t know yet, but I know we want to continue to grow, so our plan in the next two years is to have more growth for our business in Virginia.”

The play marks the debut of Oakton’s new theater director

This year, Oakton High School added a new theater director in Samantha Jalajel, who came over from Robert Frost Middle School, and for her debut high school production, the director chose “Wendy & Peter Pan,” a new take on the J.M. Barrie classic penned by Ella Hickson.

The play is a re-telling of the classic children’s story which features Wendy Darling as the protagonist who flies away with Peter Pan to Neverland.

“I was trying to find a show that could fit a large group of students, and an ensemble that had characters who were important,” Jalajel said. “I’ve always wanted to do ‘Peter Pan,’ but I never could because of the flying, which wasn’t available at my old school. I knew this would be super-fun and family friendly.”

She read six different scripts about Peter Pan before finding the Hickson version, which puts Wendy at the forefront of the story.

“This story is a lot different than what people may know about Peter Pan in that it’s more about Wendy’s journey to Neverland to find her lost brother, and it shows a lot of her strength throughout that journey,” Jalajel said. “There are some strong women with strong actresses in lead roles. I came in knowing the school had strong women and I wanted to give them the opportunity to be on stage.”

The Oakton production will have five characters flying and a set that Oakton’s crew has been working on the past month. A cast of about 25 actors have been working hard every day after school to get the play ready for this weekend’s performances, Nov. 17 to 19.

“It’s been incredible to see these kids grow so much and leading this show,” Jalajel said. “It’s a challenge to create one beautiful picture on stage and putting it up in eight weeks, but all the students have risen to the challenge. I’m impressed with how much these kids are able to do.”

Senior Gwen Ihde plays Wendy, who she describes as “very strong, though someone who is carrying too much responsibility.”

“This show has so many characters and it’s really different from the original story of Peter Pan, and it’s fun and there’s flying,” she said.

Junior Ben Miller plays Michael Darling, one of Wendy’s brothers.

“He is a very small and inquisitive little boy who enjoys being smart. He doesn’t like his brother John because he is insistent on playing war,” Miller said. “I think people will enjoy this show because it has a very magical quality to it. All the actors are doing great work and it’s going to be a very colorful and meaningful show.”

Cea Reksulak, a junior, plays Tootles, one of the Lost Boys who tries to please everyone around him.

“He really just wants to be recognized as someone who wants to be brave and lead the Lost Boys,” she said. “I enjoy the show because the plot is really fun and is a cool take on the fairy tale that everyone knows. The tech is really awesome and all the cast and crew is really talented.”

Milad Shabazi, a junior, plays Martin the cabin boy, a pirate who is not great at his job.

“I like seeing everyone do their thing; watching that happen is really fun and seeing all the elements put together with tech is really fun,” he said. “It’s wonderful to be part of a community on stage.”

Even though there are differences in the story, there are plenty of things that stay true to the legacy of Peter Pan, including the crocodile, characters like Captain Hook and Tinkerbell, and of course the Lost Boys and pirates doing their part in the adventure.

“Everyone knows the tale of Peter Pan, but they don’t know all the other characters’ journeys, and that’s one of the cool things to see in this story,” Jalajel said. “You see Tootles become brave and Nibs step up as a leader, and Smee in a different light. That’s really fun. All of these characters really matter and you couldn’t tell the story without them.”

For more information or to buy tickets, visit oaktondrama.org.

The DC singer’s latest single, “Look My Way,” is rising up the charts

An accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, and performer, Washington, D.C.-born Kevin Ross has always determined his own course on his own terms.

“There’s an entrepreneurship feeling within the DMV which is so amazing,” he said. “There’s a lot of authenticity here in D.C., and it’s definitely made a big impact on the way I handle business and the sound of me artistically as well.”

He has a deep recollection of the first time music touched him—listening to Lisa Stansfield’s “All Around The World” from his car seat as a baby, and he discovered a love for artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson in his formidable years.

Ross attended D.C.’s prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and later graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music.

“I always knew I wanted to keep this feeling of having a gift that people responded to and to get paid for it has been beyond my wildest dreams,” he said.

Since launching his debut album, “The Awakening” in 2017, Ross quickly put himself on the musical map for his eloquent song craft. Not only have his own songs captured hundreds of millions of streams with several landing at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, but he’s also been in demand as a songwriter for other musicians.

Over his career, Ross has written top tunes for artists including Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj, Jamie Foxx, SWV, Johnny Gill, and Toni Braxton.

“I never wait around for anybody,” Ross said. “I’m always making music with collaborators

and by myself. Producing is part of who I was supposed to be all along as an artist. That’s not just an artist who can sing, but an artist who can write, produce, perform, and execute at the highest level possible in order to deliver to the masses.”

In 2023, Ross launched his own label, Art Society Music Group, and has released two R&B songs already this year, the popular “Look My Way” and “Show and Prove,” both off a soon-to-be-released EP project, “Midnight Microdose.”

“This music is very fresh,” he said. “I’m really excited about these songs and looking forward to performing them.”

Ross will be playing at The Birchmere on March 5, giving fans the first taste of his new songs done live.

“This is a hometown show for me,” Ross said. “I played The Birchmere a couple of months ago and we sold it out, and I’m happy to be back. This time around, I’m bringing more people with me for the stage, and we’ll have great music, great singing, a great band, and it’s going to be an amazing time.”

At the show, Ross will also be playing many of his songs off of “Drive 2,” the album he created during the pandemic that garnered two Top 10 singles, as well as songs from throughout his stellar career.

“When audiences listen to me, I hope the music makes them feel something and puts a smile on their face or provides comfort,” he said. “For me to be complete, I need to write, produce, arrange, mix, and perform on stage to affect people. I feel like I’m doing what I need to do, and this is where I’m meant to be today.”

Playing live, he added, is one of the best litmus tests one can have for their music.

“When you’re on stage and people pay to see you, they’re going to give you honest opinions, and you can watch how they respond and react,” Ross said. “Also, it’s a chance to stretch my music to the experience. You’re not restricted to the confines of what people hear. You can do what you may not have had time for on the record to express.”

With a new baby at home, Ross has plenty of emotional fodder for new material and looks forward to what’s ahead. He hopes to see many of his old friends in the DMV at The Birchmere.

“This is an all-purpose concert for the young and old,” he said. “I hope people are inspired, I hope people are motivated and come to party, and we’ll go through the whole spectrum of emotions this time around.”

The 22nd annual Cappies Gala, the Tony's-like awards for high school theatre, recognized students around the DC region with awards.

|Updated Tue, Jun 7, 2022 at 9:00 pm ET

OAKTON, VA — An Oakton High School student won an award at the 22nd annual Cappies Gala, a program recognizing excellence in high school theatre around the DC region.

The Cappies Gala was held Monday night at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Cappies, a program that trains high school journalism students to write reviews of high school theatre shows, provided awards in 40 performance and technical categories. The awards are considered the Tony Awards of high school theatre in the D.C. region.

The Cappies program trains student critics, who attend high school shows throughout the year. The best student reviews are published in local media. At the end of the season, student critics vote for the awards.

Oakton High School's Gwen Ihde took home an award in the category of 2022 Maryland Theater Guide Returning Critic.

Here is a full list of winners:

Find out what's happening in Oaktonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Along with the presentation of awards, the gala included performances from 11 schools nominated for best play and musical. The performances included "Mary Poppins" by Independence High School, "Tony N' Tina's Wedding" by Herndon High School, "Freaky Friday" by Langley High School, "Airness High School Edition" by McLean High School, "Anastasia" by Bishop Ireton High School, "The Heidi Chronicles" by Lake Braddock Secondary School, "Crazy for You" by South Lakes High School, "Puffs" by Fairfax High School, "Disney's Newsies" by Quince Orchard High School, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [Revised]" by Meridian High School and "Head Over Heels" by Robinson Secondary School.

Cappies was founded by the late Bill Strauss, a McLean resident who also founded the Capital Steps. The current director of the Cappies is his wife, Jane Strauss, a former teacher and Fairfax County School Board representative for the Dranesville District. The 2022 Cappies program had 48 participating schools, 1,628 reviews written, 279 reviews published and 308 voting critics.

A recording of the Cappies Gala is expected to be available Friday. For more information, visit www.cappies.com/nca.

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On-time graduation rates for high schools around Vienna continue to be above school division and state averages.

VIENNA, VA — Graduation rates remain strong for Vienna area public high schools, according to Virginia Department of Education data.

The on-time graduation rate data released last week showed Fairfax County Public Schools had an overall rate of 94.2 percent, comparable to 94.6 percent in 2021. James Madison High School, Oakton High School and George C. Marshall High School had rates above the school division and state averages.

James Madison High School's on-time graduation rate of 98.1 percent was above the school division average of 94.2 percent and the state average of 92.1 percent. It is also up from Madison High School's 97.8 percent on-time graduation rate in 2021.

In the neighboring Oakton High School, the on-time graduation rate was 97.8 percent, compared to 98.2 percent in 2021.

George C. Marshall High School, which serves some Vienna area students outside the Town of Vienna, had an on-time graduation rate of 94.9 percent. In 2021, the school had a rate of 97.4 percent.

Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The school district continues to see gaps between different student groups, although all student groups had improvements in on-time graduation rates across FCPS from 2018 to 2022.

Here is a breakdown of graduation rates for different student groups at FCPS:

According to FCPS, the school division's on-time graduation rate trends "reflect the impact of long-term programmatic reforms, targeted school support structures, staffing investments, and intentional student engagement and intervention strategies." School divisions have also benefited from state graduation flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic school closures, although fewer flexibilities are in place compared to 2021. State flexibilities will continue to be rolled back in the coming years.

More on-time graduation rate data is available on the School Quality Profile for Fairfax County Public Schools. From there, click on individual high schools to see school-level data.