Dear Neighbor,


This week, we honored two amazing Braddock District residents at the Lord and Lady Fairfax Awards Program. Jim Hickey and Diane Hoffman have each spent decades serving our community as volunteers and community leaders. Jim is well-known throughout the community as a leader in the Friends of Lake Accotink Park and an emcee at our Braddock Nights concerts. Diane is a key member of our Braddock Land Use & Environment Committee, bringing her expertise as former Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District. Join me in congratulating them!


Purple Bin Glass Recycling

Shortly after being sworn in in 2020, I noticed that there were some parts of the Braddock District lacking convenient access to our Purple Bin glass recycling program. While the pandemic created some delays, we've been working hard to correct that.


Yesterday, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services' Solid Waste program installed a new Purple Bin at the Burke Centre VRE station parking lot (10399 Premier Ct, Burke). Purple Bins are glass-specific receptacles for recycling services not provided by general mixed recycling. 


Glass creates many problems for single-stream recycling. It is heavy, can contain contaminants, and is expensive to transport. Glass collected in the purple containers is crushed and reused locally for county projects, an environmentally-friendly option that avoids the emissions associated with long-distance transport of glass for landfilling or recycling.

Best of Braddock Awards


As we approach the end of 2022, it's time to nominate your neighbors and fellow Braddock residents who contribute to making our community a better place to live, work, and play. This year's Best of Braddock nominations can be submitted through this form


Those who have been recognized in the past include postal service carriers, crossing guards, volunteers with animal rescue groups, park volunteers, people helping with foster care, county staff working in Neighborhood and Community Services and Department of Public Works, as well as people who have shown kindness to their neighbors in need. I hope everyone will take a moment to consider a neighbor deserving of a Best of Braddock award!  Please submit your completed nominations to Braddock@fairfacounty.gov or in-person to the Braddock District Office (9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke, 22015).

Continue reading below for more information on:


  • Omicron Resistant Bivalent Booster Now Available for individuals 5 Years and Older
  • Honor the Leader! Non-Profit, Business, and Education Award
  • PLUS System Transition Starts Tomorrow
  • Transportation Updates
  • Congressman Connolly Hosting Senior Issues Forum
  • Items Needed for Homeless Veterans
  • Early Voting Underway
  • DEA October Drug Takeback Day
  • Hunger is Scary
  • GMU Testing New Outdoor Alert System
  • 2022 Martha Glennan Disability Inclusion and Equality Awards
  • Public Health Information
Yours in service,

Supervisor James Walkinshaw



Omicron Resistant Bivalent Booster Now Available for individuals 5 Years and Older

The Fairfax County Health Department is accepting appointments for individuals 5 years and older to receive the new Pfizer Bio-N-Tech COVID-19 Bivalent Booster shot. If you would like to vaccinate yourself or your child, appointments are now available at the Fairfax County Government Center and South County Hyland Center and health department district offices. Schedule your booster appointment at the Fairfax County Health Department website.


The CDC recommends a single dose of the new COVID-19 bivalent booster at least two months following a completed primary series or previous booster vaccination. The bivalent vaccines, also known as “updated boosters,” target the Omicron’s BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, as well as the original COVID-19 strain. The updated Pfizer booster is for people ages 5 and over and the Moderna version is for those 18 and older.

Honor the Leader! Non-Profit, Business, and Education Award

Nominations are open for Leadership Fairfax's 2022 Northern Virginia Leadership Awards and must be submitted by tomorrow, October 21.


Nominate a leader for service to the community in five categories - Regional Leadership, Trustee Leadership, Nonprofit, Corporate and Education. Recognize an individual for their visionary leadership across the region and sectors or an organization for its service to the community and social responsibility.


Honorees will be recognized at a ceremony on Friday, December 9.

PLUS System Transition

On October 31, Fairfax County will transition from its legacy online land use system to the new Planning and Land Use System (PLUS). PLUS is a major endeavor undertaken by the County to Planning, Land Development, and Environmental Health to make their applications more accessible and customer responsive. Customers will be able to use this platform to create and submit applications, pay fees, track applications, and find existing permits. Beginning tomorrow, October 21, and ending on October 31, the legacy system will not be available for use as existing plans are integrated with the new system. 


If you would like to learn more about this new system and how to interact with it, residents are welcome to join the Fairfax County PLUS staff for live webinars answering all your questions about the new Planning and Land Use System—PLUS. You can also access all Webinar Wednesday sessions through the GoTo Webinar PLUS Channel.

Transportation Updates

I-66 Outside the Beltway


Ramps from I-66 West to Route 50 East and West will be closed tonight, Thursday, October 20 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Traffic will be directed to continue farther west to Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) South, stay to the right to I-66 East, then follow signs to Route 50 East or West.


Traffic Pattern Changes and Extended Ramp Closures at the I-66/Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) Interchange October 20-22


Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) South travel lanes approaching I-66 shifted into their permanent alignment using a new bridge span beginning during the early morning hours Saturday, October 15. Route 123 North and Route 123 South traffic now each have their own bridge span over I-66. The Route 123 Interchange is being rebuilt as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.

 

Crews also began final paving of the I-66 ramps at Route 123. The ramp from Route 123 North to I-66 West closed Wednesday morning, October 19, and will continue to see closures tonight. The ramp from Route 123 South to I-66 West will then close tomorrow morning, October 21, through Saturday night, October 22. During these closures traffic will access I-66 West using the new ramp to the future westbound 66 Express Lanes.

 

Drivers should expect delays if traveling in the area and consider using alternate routes.

Congressman Connolly Hosting Senior Issues Forum

Join Congressman Gerry Connolly for his annual Senior Issues Forum, where he and a panel will get the chance to discuss the many issues that the Senior community faces. They will be sharing resources and legislative measures that are being taken to better the lives of the senior citizens in the 11th Congressional District, as well as answering questions and addressing concerns from the audience.


The Panelists for this year’s Senior Issues Forum include:


• David Melton, Public Affairs Specialist for the Social Security Administration

• Tara Turner, Director for the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging

• Sarah Henry, Director for the Prince William County Area Agency on Aging

• Carolyn Pennington, Executive Director of the Shepherd's Center of Northern Virginia


Please be sure to register for this virtual forum HERE. 

Items Needed for Homeless Veterans

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a nonprofit charity that provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families, helping more than 1 million veterans in positive, life-changing ways each year. Last year, the organization provided more than 163,000 rides to veterans attending medical appointments and assisted in filing over 151,000 claims for benefits.  DAV Chapter 10 serves the Northern Virginia region and the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).


Please consider assisting Chapter 10 in providing needed items for homeless veterans in the Washington DC metro area. For years, DAV Chapter 10 has supported the Washington DC VAMC homeless veterans stand down, Winterhaven. They have provided volunteers, sponsored meals, donated needed items and provided donations. Last year they reached out to all of you and the response was amazing.

 

In coordination with the Washington DC VAMC homeless veteran program, Chapter 10 has created a list of requested and needed items via Amazon. To see the list and purchase items, Click Here!

 

Be sure to have it delivered to the gift registry address:

 

Shane Liermann, Adjutant

807 Maine Ave, SW

Washington, DC 20004

 

All items must be purchased by October 25th to ensure that they are received in time for Chapter 10 to deliver them directly to the Washington DC VAMC.

Early Voting Underway

Same Day Registration


Though the registration deadline has passed, the General Assembly approved legislation that provides the ability to register to vote at any time, up to and including Election Day beginning in the 2022 General Election.

 

Same-day registration refers to the ability to register to vote in-person and immediately vote a provisional ballot. 


The provisional ballot is counted once it is determined that the voter is eligible and qualified to cast a ballot.

 

Read more at the Department of Elections website.

 

Early Voting

 

In-person and mail-in early voting will continue through November 5, the Saturday before election day on November 8. For those voting by mail, please remember to mail your ballot at least one week before the date of the election. If you decide to vote early in-person, the following locations in and near the Braddock District are open to voters on the following dates and times:

 

September 23–November 5 at the Government Center

 

Weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday (Only October 29, and November 5) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday (Only October 30) 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

 

Fairfax County Government Center

12000 Government Center Pkwy

Conference Rooms 2/3, Fairfax 22035

 

October 27–November 5 at Satellite Locations

 

Weekdays 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday (Only October 29 and November 5) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday (Only October 30) 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

 

Burke Centre Library

5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke 22015


West Springfield Governmental Center

6140 Rolling Road, Springfield 22152


Mason Governmental Center        

6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale 22003

 

For a full list of all Fairfax County early voting sites, visit the Fairfax County Early Voting website.

 

Volunteer as a Poll Worker— Vietnamese and Korean Speakers Needed

 

The Fairfax County Office of Elections needs bilingual election officers to assist voters in the General Election on November 8 and in future elections. Specifically, individuals who speak Vietnamese and English fluently or Korean and English fluently are encouraged to serve in Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church.

 

Officers will perform all regular election duties, including assisting voters in English, but will be assigned to precincts with a significant number of voters who may primarily speak Vietnamese or Korean. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment.

 

Fairfax County is the largest voting jurisdiction in Virginia with 264 precincts countywide. It takes thousands of enthusiastic and trained election officers to ensure efficient and well-run elections. Compensation begins at $175, and training is provided online for new officers. To apply, visit the Vote4Fairfax website (be sure to indicate if you speak Vietnamese or Korean). Visit Working at the Polls for more information.

DEA October Drug Takeback Day

On October 29, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will sponsor its October National Drug Takeback event. Drug takeback programs are a safe method for disposing of prescription drugs and are organized and closely monitored by local, state, and federal government agencies.

 

Safe disposal of unused or expired medications prevents drug abuse and misuse, accidental poisoning, and protects the environment.


Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Drop off unused or expired medications at the locations listed below

(Accepted items: prescription and non-prescription pills, e-cigarettes and vaping devices with batteries removed, small liquid packs/pods for e-cigarettes and vaping devices, prescription ointments, and medications for pets. Not accepted: illegal drugs, pressurized canisters [inhalers/aerosol cans], needles, large sources of liquids, non-prescription ointments and lotions.)

 

Hunger is Scary

Many kids across the Northern Virginia region go home to empty pantry shelves after school and on weekends. Through the Backpack Program, Northern Virginia Food Rescue supports nearly 500 families across 15 school communities. 

 

A $50 donation buys 7 backpack bags full of food (over 100 pounds) for students and their families.



Next Wednesday, October 26, Northern Virginia Food Rescue will also host the Hunger is Scary Fundraiser at its Manassas warehouse. The event will include food, a silent auction, and plenty of mingling.


Get your ticket today!

General admission tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now.

GMU Testing New Outdoor Alert System

GMU will test their new outdoor alerting system on the west campus and on Horizon Hall on October 27 and 28. The system on the west campus is replacing the aging lightning alert system that is currently there and will be tested on October 27.  



The lightning alert system consists of 1 fifteen second tone (when they are under a lighting warning) and 3 five second tones when it is all clear. While testing they will use a combination of the tones and text to speech. The text to speech will say something to the effect of “this is a test of the outdoor notification system.”


The system on Horizon Hall is new and will alert those who are on main campus when there is a tornado or active shooter situation and will be tested on October 28 in the afternoon. These systems will add to existing Mason Alert messaging. Those on campus or in the neighborhoods will likely hear this testing. The university will try to keep it as minimal as possible as the systems are set up and made functional.

2022 Martha Glennan Disability Inclusion and Equality Awards

Do you know someone or an organization that excels in providing equal rights and community inclusion for people with disabilities in the Fairfax area? Nominate them for the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board's 2022 Martha Glennan Disability Inclusion and Equality Awards!


Nominations are due BEFORE 5 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2022.


Three Possible Awards Categories:

  • Individual: Individual whose work has benefited the lives of persons with disabilities in the Fairfax area.
  • Group: A business, non-profit, or organization that has worked to benefit the lives of persons with disabilities in the Fairfax area.
  • Self-Advocate: Individual who has been a strong self-advocate or worked to better the lives of persons with disabilities in the Fairfax area.
  • Nominees may self-nominate or be nominated by another individual or organization. Awards may or may not be awarded for each category, dependent on nominations received.



Requirements:

  • Demonstration of a commitment to promoting equal rights and community inclusion for people with disabilities in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax or Falls Church.
  • Demonstration of how people with disabilities have significantly benefitted from their efforts.


For more information or to fill out the nomination form, click here.

Public Health Information

Omicron Resistant Bivalent Booster Now Available for individuals 5 Years and Older


The Fairfax County Health Department is accepting appointments for individuals 5 years and older to receive the new Pfizer Bio-N-Tech COVID-19 Bivalent Booster shot. If you would like to vaccinate yourself or your child, appointments are now available at the Fairfax County Government Center and South County Hyland Center and health department district offices.  Schedule your booster appointment at the Fairfax County Health Department website.


The CDC recommends a single dose of the new COVID-19 bivalent booster at least two months following a completed primary series or previous booster vaccination. The bivalent vaccines, also known as “updated boosters,” target the Omicron’s BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, as well as the original COVID-19 strain. The updated Pfizer booster is for people ages 5 and over and the Moderna version is for those 18 and older.

 


Mobile COVID Testing Sites


The mobile testing lab rotates between sites each day. Tests are available on the following days and times at these locations:


Tuesdays and Fridays, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

  • Bailey’s Community Center: 5920 Summers Lane, Falls Church


Tuesdays 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

  • Centreville Library: 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville


Wednesdays 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

  • Richard Byrd Library: 7250 Commerce St., Springfield


Thursdays 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Sundays 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

  • New Grand Mart: 6255 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria
  • James Lee Community Center: 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church


Saturdays 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

  • Groveton Baptist Church: 6511 Richmond Highway, Alexandria



More COVID-19 Information




If you tested positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed, it is important to take the steps recommended by the Fairfax County Health Department to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in your family and in the community.

Check the most up-to-date COVID figures at the Virginia Department of Health website.


Questions?


  • Contact the Health Department COVID-19 Call Center during business hours Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at (703) 267-3511.


  • Text FFXCOVID to 888777 to receive updates from Fairfax County about COVID-19; text FFXCOVIDESP to 888777 for updates in Spanish.


  • Email questions or concerns to ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov. This email account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
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