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| Monthly Newsletter from Chairman Sharon Bulova |
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| Stay Connected |
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Email
Website
Office
(703) 324-2321
Please contact my office with any comments, questions, concerns or ideas.
I look forward to hearing from you!
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Greetings,
The big orange moon that rose in the night sky last week is called by lots of names - Sturgeon, Blackberry, Corn. The Cree of Ontario called it the Flying Up Moon because it appears in the sky during the time of year when young birds fledge. My favorite name is Sturgeon.
 The Sturgeon Moon is the eighth full moon of the year, appearing in late August. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, it is called Sturgeon because these fish were caught most easily in August and early September. Early settlers would have heard this name from Algonquian-speaking Native Americans. Of these, the Dogue (also known as the Taux) populated much of what is now Fairfax County. These tribes and others were already living within the original boundaries of the land grant given to Thomas Fairfax, the 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, by King Charles II in 1649.
In 1746 Lord Fairfax completed a survey of his landholdings and set a boundary stone at its farthest western boundary next to a little spring located in the hills of West Virginia near its border with Virginia and Maryland. Visiting the present day
six-ton Fairfax Stone, it's not hard to imagine the world 272 years ago. Native American hunters may not still be roving the countryside, but you can stand under a bright Sturgeon moon and hear the gurgling of that same pretty little spring that grows eventually into the mighty Potomac River. I think it's a fascinating site.
 As an encore to Fairfax County's 275th Anniversary Celebration last year, Lord Nicholas Fairfax will be back in Fairfax to lead a charity motorcycle excursion. The route will circumnavigate the original Northern Neck Proprietary (all the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers from the Chesapeake Bay to the Fairfax Stone.) For more information about the Charity Ride and how to participate in some of the activities, you can go to
lordfairfaxride.org. A big thanks goes to former City of Fairfax Mayor John Mason who is organizing these events with the HOGs (Harley Owners Group) of Fairfax.
If you are still hungry for Fairfax County history, a wonderful new book was just published by John Browne, The Story of Ravensworth. You may recall John Browne as "the map guy" during our A Look Back at Braddock history project and the book Braddock's True Gold. John's fascination with old maps and old roads led him to the story of William Fitzhugh (referred to as "William the Immigrant") and his purchase in 1685 of Ravensworth, the largest colonial land grant in Fairfax County. John's excellent work and that of other talented historians can be found by visiting Fairfax County's History Commission website.
See inside this September Byline to read the latest Fairfax County news as we welcome John Butler as our new Fire and Rescue Chief and share energy-saving tips and progress. I hope everyone has enjoyed some summertime rest and relaxation. Fall is a busy time with lots of activities ahead.
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Lord Fairfax Charity Ride Begins September 22 |
Lord Fairfax, the 14th Baron of Cameron, will lead a charity ride for the benefit of
The Lamb Center,
The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office Project Lifesaver
,
Fairfax Mason Research Fund at George Mason University
, and
Bethlehem Baptist Church Community Support Program
.
This ride is an extension of Fairfax County's 275th Anniversary celebration and will generally follow the boundary of the original Northern Neck Land Grant (5.2 million acres). Riders may participate in a one, two, or four day ride beginning on September 22! During the ride, there will be stops along the way at beautiful historic sites connected to the Fairfax family, as well as new historic sign unveilings.
Participating organizations include the City of Fairfax, Patriot Harley-Davidson, Fairfax Harley Owners Group, Fairfax County, Fairfax County Sheriff's Office, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, and Visit Fairfax. Visit
lordfairfaxride.org to sign up or learn more!
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| Register for the Lord Fairfax Charity Ride, Sept. 22-25, 2018 |
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| Chief John Butler Sworn in as Fairfax County's Fire & Rescue Chief |
On Tuesday, September 4, John Butler was sworn in as Fairfax County's new Fire & Rescue Chief. With his impressive experience in leadership, innovation, and above-and-beyond service to our nation and local residents throughout his career, we look forward to having Chief Butler at the head of Fairfax County's Fire & Rescue Department.
Fairfax County has a world class Department.
Our elite Urban Search and Rescue Team has responded to crises throughout the world. In 2015 we were proud to host the World Police & Fire Games, showcasing our impressive skill and planning ability.
Firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, volunteers and admin staff provide quality, first rate service to all those who live here every day.
Under Chief Butler's leadership, we look forward to moving ahead and making even greater strides into the future.
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| Winery at Bull Run Receives Grant Funding from State and County |
The Winery at Bull Run - a working farm vineyard focused on crafting fine Virginia wines while paying tribute to the history and preservation of 19th-century pastoral Fairfax County - will almost double its operations with help from a combined $200,000 grant from Virginia and Fairfax County. Governor Ralph Northam announced the news on August 23 at the winery, along with Fairfax County officials and the winery's owners. The winery will receive a $100,000 grant from the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, and Fairfax County will contribute $100,000 as a local match. This money supports the winery's more than $1.7 million investment in new equipment and a new, 8,000-square-foot production facility. The expansion will create 10 new full-time jobs and 28 new part-time/seasonal jobs. In addition to the 100 tons of grapes produced by their own estate vineyards, the winery will also purchase an additional 182 tons-or $436,820 worth-of Virginia grapes over three years. NewsCenter uncorks the story.
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| Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit |
At the Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit on August 29, Mayors and Chairs throughout Northern Virginia discussed issues, challenges and major successes throughout our area. One of the most notable topics was of course, transportation, and how land use is one of the best tools we can use to combat traffic congestion. All of us look to create more walkable, compact and urban communities where you don't have to get behind the wheel of a car to pick up a loaf of bread. We also discussed the importance of multimodal transportation options so that residents can have access to many choices such as mass transit, bus, bike paths and walkways to get to their destination. Featured with me in the photo to the right are Mayor Allison Silberberg (City of Alexandria), Chair Phyllis Randall (Loudoun County) and Chair Katie Cristol (Arlington County). Not pictured: Chairman Corey Stewart (Prince William County).
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| Spanish Radio show: La Voz del Condado de Fairfax |
Fairfax County has launched an important and exciting new communications initiative to strengthen public outreach to our Spanish-speaking community. "La Voz del Condado de Fairfax" (The Voice of Fairfax County) is a weekly radio program on WUST 1120 AM, a 50,000 watt station. The show airs live every Tuesday morning from 7:30-8 a.m. during the important drive-time slot. The first show aired on July 10 and featured summer safety information from our Health Department. Recent shows have included information on elections and how residents can register to vote in the upcoming November general election, as well as a show about emergency preparedness and fire safety in light of the recent fires in the county caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. Each show leads with an overview of updated county news and information. A recording of each week's show also is also included on the La Voz del Condado de Fairfax Soundcloud playlist.
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| LED Streetlights |
Due to a recent agreement with Dominion Energy, Fairfax County will be able to begin upgrading our streetlighting. Moving forward, when a streetlight fails, Dominion will replace it with a longer-lasting, more efficient LED streetlight fixture. The county also will be able to convert entire stretches of existing streetlights to efficient LED technology at a lower cost than today. And, under the new agreement, Dominion will offer a wide array of LED streetlight options to better fit the look and feel of our various neighborhoods and town centers. Thanks to all those who helped make this agreement possible, including Dominion and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and its members! More information.
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| Home Weatherization Projects for Virginia Residents |
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission, which Fairfax County is a member of, has been working with its not-for-profit partner, the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) to help implement weatherization projects that residents may be eligible to participate in through a Dominion Energy program. To date, LEAP has completed 19 multi-family projects in Northern Virginia, positively impacting more than 1,428 families.
The LEAP weatherization program is funded by Dominion Energy and eligibility is based upon age and income of residents. This program is free to eligible Dominion Energy customers. Single family homes, multi-family homes (apartments or condos) and mobile homes all qualify. To help save on energy costs, qualifying residents will receive a free energy assessment and free energy-savings measures that may include:
- ENERGY STAR qualified LED light bulbs
- Efficient, low-flow showerheads
- Efficient, low-flow faucet aerators
- Pipe wrap insulation for hot water pipes
- Attic insulation and air sealing
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Proposed Changes to Existing Fairfax Connector Service
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Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is seeking public input on proposed changes to Fairfax Connector bus service
to help enhance the customer experience. Routes included in this service change proposal are Route 467 (new complimentary route to Route 462), Route 698 (new express service from the Vienna Metrorail Station to the Pentagon), and Routes 924 / 926. After receiving and reviewing public feedback, FCDOT staff is scheduled to present the final proposed changes to the Board of Supervisors in November 2018. If approved, the changes will go into effect in January 2019. To view details and submit feedback, please click here.
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Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.
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National Preparedness Month,
recognized each September, is a great reminder of how everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected.
Throughout September, Fairfax County's Office of Emergency Management will help Fairfax County become ready and resilient. Here are some main tips:
- Make and Practice Your Plan so your family knows what to do when an emergency or disaster strikes. Print out your plan and keep a copy in your emergency kits. Practice your plan by doing a family drill.
- Learn Life Saving Skills such as ways to mitigate your home against disaster damage, how to shut off your utilities or even take a CPR or Stop the Bleed class in case you need to be the help, until help arrives.
- Check Your Insurance Coverage by calling your insurance company and asking for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough coverage. Keep in mind, flood and earthquake insurance are separate policies and they take 30 takes to take effect.
- Save For an Emergency and put all your important documents together in your go bag because once a disaster or emergency is over, it will help speed up the recovery process.
Stay connected with the Office of Emergency Management by following
them on Facebook
and Twitter
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| Out of The Darkness Walk | Sept. 29 |
Each year, suicide claims more lives than war, murder, and natural disasters combined. Yet suicide prevention doesn't receive anywhere near the funding as other leading causes of death. Let's change the conversation about mental health and put a stop to this tragic loss of life. Sign up today for the 2018 Fairfax Out of the Darkness Walk, which will be held on September 29. Learn more and sign up here.
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| Celebrate Community at The Annual Taste of Annandale | Oct. 13 |
Come out and meet your neighbors at the Fourth Annual Taste of Annandale. This family-friendly and pet-friendly street festival is Oct. 13, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., along Tom Davis Drive in the heart of Annandale, VA.
The Taste of Annandale features live music and dance, food trucks, restaurants, a beer garden, 5K race, best-dressed pet contest, chili cook-off, photo booth, games, and a full-program of children's entertainment.
There is no charge to attend. For more information, visit tasteofannandale.com.
The certified 5K Race will start at 9:30 a.m. at the Kmart parking lot, 4251 John Marr Drive. Runners can register online
here.
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| Survey: Top 10 Issues Facing Fairfax County and Virginia? |
The Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations is conducting its annual survey of opinions about issues facing Fairfax and Virginia. This survey is open to all Fairfax County residents.
All survey responses will be sorted, compiled, researched further, and written into several 1-page Legislative Issues papers by Federation committees. The Issue papers are reviewed by the Federation Board and the Federation Member associations who vote for the Top 10 Issues. These are sent for action to the 26-member Fairfax delegation to the 2019 Virginia General Assembly with info copies to the 10-member Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
The survey closes Monday, September 17.
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