🌱 Real Estate Assessment Increases + New Marco's Pizza Location

Hello all. It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the McLean Patch newsletter. Let's get this Wednesday started off right with a quick guide to the most important things happening these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Cooler; a little p.m. rain. High: 48 Low: 44.
• Thursday: Partly sunny. High: 82 Low: 45.

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Here are the top three stories today in McLean:

1. Fairfax County homeowners will see an average increase of 6.97 percent in their updated real estate assessments for 2023, which translates to an average assessment of $719,522. County Manager Bryan Hill said that the economy is recovering from the pandemic, but there is an over-reliance on real estate, especially for residential homeowners. As per the current tax rate of $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, the average tax bill will increase by just over $520. (Patch)
2. Marco's Pizza has entered into a multi-unit deal with franchisees CJ Hornbrook, Michael Silberman, and Mike Sontag to open 10 new restaurants across northern Virginia in the next three years. The franchisees are currently in the early stages of selecting sites across several locations in Virginia, including Annadale, Centreville, Haymarket, Manassas, and McLean. They plan to open the first two stores in 2023, with all 10 locations operating by early 2026. With more than 200 stores in development and over 250 agreements signed, the Ohio-based Marco's Pizza operates more than 1,100 stores across 34 states, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. (QSR Web)
3. Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare is expanding its Pasadena Villa Outpatient services to include a new location in nearby Chantilly to address the increasing need for high-quality mental health treatment. Virginia has a high demand for mental health treatment providers, as approximately 1.1 million adults in the state have a mental health condition, and many do not receive the care they need. The Chantilly clinic offers treatment for common mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and multidisciplinary teams work to create personalized treatment plans for each patient. (Yahoo Finance)

Today in and around McLean:

• Margarita Day At Chuy's, Fairfax (10:00 AM)
• Hiring Event At Sunrise Senior Living (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is opening a new location in nearby Arlington on Mar. 8, making it their seventh shop in the D.C. area. Customers who attend the grand opening celebration will receive free scoops of ice cream. The popular ice cream brand's other locations in Virginia are in Old Town Alexandria and McLean. (Patch)
• Five new homes have been listed for sale in the McLean area. Available properties range from a 1,202-square-foot, two-bed, two-bath home for $519,500 to a $4.5 million home with seven beds, nine baths, and 10,738 square feet. Get all the property details at the link. (McLean Patch)
• The Fairfax County Police Department is expanding its use of automated license plate reader technology in the county, despite concerns from civil rights groups, with 25 cameras set to be installed by the spring. (Tysons Reporter via Twitter)

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Featured events:

• Ash Wednesday Services @Lewinsville (February 22)
• Speech Therapy Clinic Grand Opening (February 25)
• Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show (February 26)
• Celebrate Mardi Gras Featuring Orleans Express of Maryland (February 26)
• An 8-Week Menopause Info & Discussion Group in Bethesda (February 28)
• Color Trends and Setting the Right Mood for your Home (March 3)
• Maryland Lyric Opera Presents: VERDI'S OTELLO (March 3)
• Maryland Lyric Opera Presents: VERDI'S OTELLO (March 5)
• Fairfax Choral Society’s 60th Anniversary Gala (March 11)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.