McKay Messenger
Lee District
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310
703-971-6262
LeeDist@FairfaxCounty.gov
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Hello!
School is back in session and with fall around the corner, things are very busy.
I have included information below about this summer's activities in Lee District, and matters that have come before the Board of Supervisors which have an impact on our district.
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Scroll Inside this issue
:
Back to School
Local NAACP Receives Award
Fight Against Opioids
Laurel Grove Baptist Church
Franconia's Penny the Pig
Constituent Services
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Back to School
Remember Safety First
The new school year has arrived! I hope you all had a restful and rejuvenating summer, preparing you for a new fall schedule and back to school in your neighborhood.
With the return of school comes the return of heavier pedestrian, vehicular, and bicycle traffic, which includes buses, parents who drive their children, and very importantly, the children who are bicycling and walking to school. All of these add to an already busy rush hour in the mornings, and create more traffic in the middle of the afternoons.
Pedestrian safety is always a top priority of mine, and we’re doing a lot to improve it here in Lee District. Just recently, we welcomed the County’s first HAWK (High-intensity Activated crossWalK) signal to improve safety in Springfield, as well as new crosswalks and refuges near Hayfield Elementary and Secondary School. The Richmond Highway Corridor has seen a number of similar pedestrian improvements made, and many more are coming.
I have also been a vocal proponent of installing cameras on the “STOP” arms of a handful of buses. I walk my two children to the bus stop every morning, and I cannot tell you how many times I see cars passing their stopped bus, endangering everyone in the area. In addition to my own experience, many constituents have complained about the same issue for years, and the police report it is a significant challenge as well. The School Board is making headway on this request, and is working with the state to receive necessary approvals. This makes a lot of sense, and the companies that install these devices do so at no-cost to the County.
The Fairfax County Police Department always does a lot to prepare for the new school year, as well. Here is a list of the things to be aware of for everyone’s safety, and to avoid receiving citations:
- Stopped school buses - Remember to stop in both directions, unless separated by a median, for any school bus that has its lights and “STOP” arm activated.
- Pay attention to the school crossing guards, always doing as they ask.
- Speeding in school zones - be alert and aware in school zones or wherever school buses are, and be mindful of the speed limits.
- Ensure everyone in your vehicle is correctly wearing a seatbelt or in a car seat.
It’s up to us to be familiar with the laws in our communities to keep everyone safe.
Have a great school year!
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Local Chapter of NAACP Receives
Thalheimer Award
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As some of you may have heard, the Fairfax NAACP branch won the national association’s highest honor for a local operation, the Thalheimer Award, which is the NAACP's top award given to branches and units for outstanding achievements. This award recognizes the implementation of strategic priorities and goals of the NAACP. Some of these include equity in education, civic engagement, enhancing advocacy, equality throughout economics and politics, ensuring criminal justice, and much more.
I am proud that our local chapter won this outstanding award. I was also given the honor to join the celebration, saying a few words of thanks and appreciation for all they have done for bringing awareness to and helping our citizens. Well done to our local chapter and to its president, Kofi Annan!
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Fairfax County Ups Its Fight Against Opioids
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The Office of Strategy Management for Health and Human Services has just hired it's first Opioid Task Force Coordinator, Sarah White. I was an advocate for the funds to create the new position, which was allocated by the Board of Supervisors in the FY 2017 budget. This important effort was put in place to stem the unfortunate impacts of such a pervasive health crisis, which is devastating families throughout our Fairfax County communities, including Lee District.
Using prevention, treatment, and harm reduction, in addition to evaluating data regarding the problem, Ms. White can target interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of the Task Force goals.
There are approximately 100 people who die each day from opioid or heroin overdoses nationwide. Between 2014 and 2016 there were 199 opioid deaths in Fairfax County. In that same time frame, there were less deaths attributed to motor vehicles (137) and gun violence (127). In the last decade the latter two have not changed, but opioid deaths have risen significantly within the County in just the past three years. Our youth seem to suffer more from the effects of these opioids here in the County than we have seen nationwide, with 15- to 24-year-olds seen in emergency departments for overdoses more than any other age group.
We have seen overdoses occurring in both men and women, and across all age groups. There is no typical user of opioids. Everyone should be aware of the
signs
, and
know what to do
if you are with someone who o
verdoses. T
he
Heroin/Opioids
site is a great place to read more about this problem, and learn how to get involved to help turn the tide on opioid abuse.
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Laurel Grove Baptist Church
Groundbreaking Ceremony
On December 20, 2004 at about 4:11 a.m., an electrical fire destroyed Laurel Grove Baptist Church.
On Saturday, August 3, 2018, Laurel Grove Baptist Church celebrated it's much-awaited approval to move forward with the rebuilding of it's new sanctuary.
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This church, which goes back 134 years, shows the historic significance, dedication, and contributions of the African-American community here in Lee District.
I was humbled to play a role in the restoration of such an important part of our history by supporting the church through the many years of waivers, building permits, and more.
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Franconia's Own Penny the Pig
If you haven't visited with Penny yet, then you are in for a wonderful, loving treat when you go to visit our community's very own famous teacup pig. Penny gives everyone a warm welcome, and is an absolute delight to spend time with. She has been greeting visitors at Nalls Produce at
7310 Beulah Street
since 2011, and just celebrated her seventh birthday on August 11, 2018, as you can see in the picture below.
Penny loves to hang out with her friends, who are free-range roosters, chickens, and geese. She loves company, and is always happy to walk over to say hi to visitors.You can plan a one-on-one
feeding
with Penny, who will adore you when you give her strawberries, watermelon, and sweet potatoes, her favorite foods. Call (703) 971-4068 to set up your time with her.
You will fall in love with Penny as I and all of my friends and family have done. Fortunately, you can keep in touch with Penny after your visit by signing up for her fan club. When you go by and visit, tell her Jeff McKay says hi! (She knows me and my family.)
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Thank you for subscribing to my monthly e-newsletter. I hope these updates will keep you in the loop with some of the major events in our District.
If you'd like to learn more about something in the newsletter or have an idea for a future edition, please don't hesitate to contact me or my staff.
Sincerely,
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Jeffrey C. McKay
Lee District Supervisor
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
703-971-6262
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