Census jobs available

Census jobs are still available in the Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax areas, even though the U.S. Census Bureau has suspended field operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2020 Census field offices are still open and operating with reduced staff. Full and part-time jobs are available. The hourly pay rate ranges from $22.50 to $27.50 an hour. Apply at 2020census.gov/jobs.

Giant and Safeway are limiting occupancy

The new Giant in Seven Corners.

Giant Food is implementing new social distancing policies in all its stores to better protect the safety of customers and employees during the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced April 7.

A customer count system will be established on April 9 to ensure occupancy is limited to 20 percent of a store’s overall capacity. “To manage customer occupancy limits, an associate will be stationed at the front entrance tracking shopper flow,” Giant Food states.

New app spotlights restaurants offering takeout

Takeout Ethiopian cuisine is available at Meaza Restaurant in Bailey's Crossroads. 

Visit Fairfax has launched a mobile app listing restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and wineries offering takeout during the coronavirus pandemic.

The free Take Out Trail mobile passport program, accessible via computer and smartphone, is aimed at boosting business at restaurants, wineries, and breweries forced to close during the pandemic, while giving residents options for ordering food from places they might not have tried before.

Revised county budget drops tax increases

The Fairfax County Government Center

Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill submitted a revised FY2021 budget proposal to the Board of Supervisors April 7 that addresses the economic losses and hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a major change from the advertised budget presented by Hill in February, the new version would not increase the real estate tax rate and would not set a new 4 percent admissions tax.

Annandale routes spared from Connector cutbacks

The 401 Connector bus on John Marr Drive in Annandale. 

Fairfax County Connector service will be cut back, beginning April 11, due to reduced ridership resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Thirty-eight bus routes will continue to operate on their regular schedules, including the 401, 402, and 306 routes, which serve the Annandale area.

Model predicts daily coronavirus deaths will peak in Virginia April 22

The peak day for COVID-19 deaths in Virginia is projected to occur on April 22, when 59 people will die, according to a model, updated April 7, by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

That’s a big change from an earlier projection by the IHME. An article published in the Annandale Blog on March 29 reported the peak in daily deaths from coronavirus in Virginia would be 32 deaths from COVID-19 on May 6. (The IHME projections are updated daily).

Dulles Expo Center to be transformed to a medical facility to handle COVID-19 patients

Gov. Ralph Northam tries on a face mask made by a Department of Corrections inmate. 

Construction will begin this week on three temporary alternative medical sites to handle the overflow of COVID-19 cases in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam announced April 6.

One of those sites, at the Dulles Expo Center can accommodate 315 acute or 510 non-acute beds. It should be up and running in about six weeks. The other site will be at the convention centers in Hampton Roads and Richmond.