The news on COVID-19 is getting better every day. COVID-19 cases are trending down, including the number of deaths. And today the FDA approved the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine for use in adolescents 12 and older. More information is coming soon from our Health Department on when appointment scheduling systems will be updated. As the number of fully vaccinated residents increases, we can expect to see more easing of restrictions and more opportunities to get our lives and the economy back on track.

The key to a successful end to the pandemic is for everyone who can to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe, effective, free and there are many locations that now offer walk-in or same day appointments.

For more details, visit the Health Department Vaccine website.

VaccineFinder.org has been relaunched as Vaccines.gov by federal health agencies and partners. The website is a great tool for ZIP code level search for vaccine providers. It also has a Spanish-language counterpart, Vacunas.gov. In addition to searching online, you can find nearby vaccine locations by texting your ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) for information in English or VACUNA (822862) for information in Spanish.

If you know someone who has not received a vaccine yet, please share this information with them. Putting an end to the pandemic is something we all need to do together.

Finally, a reminder that Tour de Hunter Mill is this weekend! I'm looking forward to meeting our participants and enjoying a great bike ride. If you see us when you're out and about on Saturday morning, please give us a wave.

Two new federal funding sources are now available to help local businesses. Learn more.

This Friday, May 14 is the deadline to nominate a young county resident 13 to 21 years old for the county's first Juneteenth Resiliency Award.

Every day in Fairfax County, young people are facing adversities and overcoming them in amazing ways. In recognition of Juneteenth, this award will recognize and celebrate Black resiliency in youth and young adults ages 13-21 who have exhibited true perseverance (grit, determination, dedication and persistence) to strive toward meaningful contributions and outcomes in their lives and/or the lives of others in the Black community. Learn more.

Learn more about Juneteenth.

Jose on my staff fell in love with Bunny yesterday at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and you will too! Bunny is only seven months old and very sweet and cuddly! She's a mixed breed and should be around 44 pounds when fully grown. About Bunny

Learn more about the Animal Shelter's adoption process, including requirements and adoption fee structure. They have dogs, cats and small animals available to adopt, and do same-day adoptions.

The Reston P&Z virtual meeting is Monday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be hosted on the Webex platform. Details and the agenda will be found here. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 173 873 6216. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. (Please note that each meeting has a unique link and call-in information). 

The Wiehle Ave Study Group meeting is Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be hosted on the Webex platform. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 173 873 6216. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. (Please note that each meeting has a unique link and call-in information). 

The next (and 20th!) Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force meeting is May 24 at 7 p.m. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. The meeting will be hosted on the Webex platform. Details and the agenda for the meeting will be found here. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 173 603 4699. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. (Please note that each meeting has a unique link and call-in information). You will also be able to watch a live stream of the meeting on YouTube Live, which is also where you can watch the May 10 meeting.

This year's festival will be spread out across several central Vienna locations to provide socially distanced zones for carnival rides, entertainment and vendors. I will have a booth in the vendor zone on May 30 and 31, so please stop by to say hello to me and my staff!

Learn more.

Last week I had the opportunity to tour the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (MPSTOC) to learn more about the county's emergency operations and 9-1-1 Call Center. Very impressed with the dedicated public safety staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes for all county residents! MPSTOC is a partnership between Fairfax County and the commonwealth of Virginia that brings multiple agencies and functions together under one roof. Learn more

Many residents are receiving calls from 703-324-1000 (a Fairfax County Government phone number) that claim their Fairfax County data has been compromised and they will need to call another number to set up fraud protection. This is a scam – do not call any secondary number and give them personal or county information if you receive this or any similar call. Learn more.

The Optimist Club of Greater Vienna's Farmers Market is open 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Vienna Community Center until Oct. 30. Last Saturday, May 8, I joined Mayor Colbert and other town officials for a ribbon cutting to officially open the market for the season. Learn more. Photo credit: Adam Kincaid, Town of Vienna.

Tickets Now On Sale Online For RCC's Professional Touring Artist Series Shows

You can order tickets to the CenterStage at Reston Community Center for shows scheduled through mid-June. Learn more.

Three Fairfax County parks, three playgrounds and one of the Park Authority’s Farmers Markets have been named among the state’s best in the Virginia Living Magazine’s “Best of Virginia 2021” competition. In January, the magazine’s readers were asked to vote for “bests” across five regions in Virginia. The list includes Frying Pan Farm Park and the Reston Farmers Market. Learn more.