At Tuesday's Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board designated January 21st as a Day of Racial Healing, January 27th as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and January 19th-25th as Teen Cancer Awareness Week in Fairfax County. The Board also recognized Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

I was thrilled to introduce Matthew Savage as the newest member of my staff and present a Board Matter inviting the community to the inaugural Providence District Lunar New Year Open House.

The Board also took the following actions:

Providence District

• Approved the installation of "$200 Additional Fine for Speeding" signs as part of the residential traffic administration program along Hayden Lane from Reedy Drive to Woodburn Road.

• Authorized Fairfax Transportation to accept FY2025-26 Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) Program funding from VDOT to design and construct the Shrevewood Elementary School Safe Routes to School (SRTS).

• Approved the proposal to modify an existing car wash and add self-service vacuum stations for Mr. Wash on 8218 Leesburg Pike.

• Approved The Commons at McLean, a mixed-use development with seven multi-family residential buildings, a full-size athletic field, and a 4.3-acre public park, and includes 231-319 workforce housing units.

• Approved the rezoning of The Virginian at 930 Arlington Boulevard from the R-1 district to the Planned Continuing Care facility district to enable them to run a Continuing Care Facility.

• Approved the proposed Plan amendment for the Alliance Center to allow a multi-family residential mixed-use development in the Merrifield suburban center.

Countywide

• Authorized the advertisement of a public hearing on February 18th at 4pm to consider adopting proposed additions to the Fairfax County Code to establish the residential cut-through permit program.

Providence Spotlight

I am honored to spotlight Senator Emilie Miller, who was the first woman from Northern Virginia to serve in the Virginia State Senate. Her service has and continues to be an example in advocating for people’s rights. During her tenure in the Senate, she most notably aided legislation allowing women to attend Virginia Miliary Institute (VMI) as well as representing this effort at the Supreme Court. 

Senator Miller represented parts of Fairfax County, including Providence District and all of Fairfax City. She represented George Mason University in her Senate district; and she continues to be a leader in our community for higher education and learning. The George Mason University Library celebrates the Emilie F. Miller Collection as well as an important student parking lot. Senator Miller continued her community passion by serving on the Board of Directors of Fairfax County Council of Arts for several years, serving twice as Chair of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, and as Chair of the 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee. Senator Miller’s children attended Fairfax County Public Schools, and her son is a graduate of the Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology. Senator Miller continues her life-long service for our community as Providence District’s representative on the Barbara Varon Volunteer Selection Committee.

Oakton Restaurant Week

Kick off the new year with dining deals from your favorite spots! Enjoy Oakton Restaurant Week, hosted by the Greater Oakton Community Association from January 17th through the 26th. Celebrate Oakton’s birthday with specials from 11 participating restaurants during this inaugural event!

Stuff the Bus

The buses are fueled and ready to roll as Stuff the Bus, Fairfax County’s post-holiday food drive, now in its 15th year, hits the road in the fight against hunger in Fairfax County. Beginning January 18th, and continuing weekly over the course of several weeks, Fastran buses will visit local grocery stores to collect nonperishable food donations for area food pantries. 

MLK Jr. Week of Service

Join Volunteer Fairfax for MLK Jr. Week of Service which honors Dr. King’s legacy by uniting the community for meaningful action. The week features a Community Conversation webinar on January 22nd about Responding to Our Community’s Mental Health Challenges and an in-person Give Together Day of Service on January 25th at the James Lee Community Center, where volunteers will complete projects benefiting local nonprofits.

Truth in Voice, Truth in Service

In honor of National Day of Racial Healing, join Neighborhood and Community Services on January 25th, as they promote unity through youth engagement and community service activities. There will be a youth dialogue session, lunch, live music, resource tables, and Day of Service activities.

Registration is required at your local Fairfax County Teen or Community Center. This event is for 7th-12th graders.

Plastic Bag Tax: A Success in Reducing Waste

Since its implementation in 2022, the county’s plastic bag tax has led to the elimination of over 3.6 million disposable plastic bags, with 2 million fewer used in the first eight months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023! Revenue from the tax is funding vital environmental programs, making this initiative a win for sustainability and waste reduction.

Traveling Players Ensemble

The Traveling Players Ensemble have upcoming classes and camps for kids and teens. Registration is now open. Register soon as space is limited!

Acting Classes (grades 2-12)

Winter Plays: 



• Treasure Island (grades 4-8)
• Orlando (grades 8-12)

Summer Camps & Conservatories:

• Day camps at Tysons Corner Center (grades 2-5)
• Sleepaway at Christchurch Boarding School in VA’s Northern Neck (grades 4-12)

2025 NCOA Photography Award Contest- This is 75 

In celebration of its 75 years of service to older adults, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is hosting a photography contest to redefine aging as a period of vitality, purpose, and connections. Their goal is to break down stereotypes of aging in America by showing older adults who are engaged in life, interacting with multi-generations, volunteering and working in their communities, and being physically and mentally active. NCOA invites photographers to submit images and the personal stories of the subjects depicted in the photos as they reflect on what aging well means to them.


Inauguration Service Information and Travel Tips:

Metro is prepared to move customers for Inauguration Day with additional train service and earlier hours. Per the request of the United States Secret Service and the United States Capitol Police, Metrorail will open at 4:00 am on Monday, January 20th to accommodate the crowds. The following stations will be closed, and trains will bypass these stations for security reasons from Sunday, January 19th at 8:00 pm through 5:00 am on Tuesday, January 21st.

• McPherson Square (Blue, Orange, Silver lines)
• Federal Triangle (Blue, Orange, Silver lines)
• Smithsonian (Blue, Orange, Silver lines)
• Mt. Vernon Sq.-Convention Center (Green, Yellow lines)
• Archives-Navy Memorial (Green, Yellow lines)
• In addition, Pentagon (Blue, Yellow lines) will be closed on Jan. 20

Virtual Meeting on Prosperity Avenue Road Diet Proposal

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual public meeting on Monday, January 27th at 7:00 pm to discuss a proposal to reconfigure Prosperity Avenue in the Providence District. The proposed road diet will repurpose two of the four lanes of vehicle traffic between Hilltop Road and Gallows Road by adding protected bike lanes. The goal of the project is to increase multimodal access to the Dunn Loring Metrorail Station.

Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) Nomination Process

Now is your chance to help shape the county’s development! The 2025 Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process is now open through February 13th, and the public can submit proposed changes to a specific site or collection of sites. The nomination criteria are available on the SSPA webpage.

Fairfax Connector Service Changes

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has implemented changes to several Fairfax Connector routes, including the addition of Route 610, effective as of Saturday, January 11th.

These modifications are part of Phase II of the Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna, and Tysons (CCVT), and Franconia-Springfield service enhancements. The plan aims to align bus service with current ridership demand and offer a new connection between Centreville and George Mason University on Route 610.

495 Big Beam Weekend

Crews are preparing to install five steel bridge girders extending 295-feet in length across northbound I-495 (Capital Beltway) for a new express lanes ramp that will connect the Dulles Toll Road to northbound I-495. This major bridge girder operation, the Big Beam Weekend, is scheduled to occur Friday night, January 24th through early Monday morning, January 27th, and will impact travel significantly on northbound I-495 near Tysons and at the I-495 and Dulles Corridor interchange area. Motorists are urged to avoid the area throughout the weekend as northbound I-495 will be reduced from six to two lanes near Tysons, and multiple ramps at the I-495 and Dulles Corridor interchange will be closed and detoured.

In the event of inclement weather, the Big Beam Weekend will be rescheduled for the following weekend, Jan. 31st through Feb. 3rd.

Public Input on Programming for Ages 50+ in Tysons

Fairfax County's Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) invites the community to attend meetings and provide input on programming for ages 50+ at Arbor Row Center in Tysons. Located at Westpark Drive in Tysons, the new facility is expected to open in 2025. 



The new center is sponsored by The Mather, a Life Plan Community in Tysons. NCS and Arbor Row Center are partnering to offer programs for people ages 50+ in the new space and its adjacent outdoor area.  

Working Families Summit

On  Saturday, February 1st, from 8:30 am to 12 pm, at the Hyland Government Center (8350 Richmond Highway, Alexandria) the Human Services Council is inviting HHS boards, authorities, and commissions, community-based organizations, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to the Working Families Summit for a collaborative morning of learning, sharing, and strategic planning to address the unique challenges facing ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families in Fairfax County. 

To request a reasonable ADA accommodation or child care, please email Jill Clark at jill.clark@fairfaxcounty.gov. 

Dual Language Immersion Lottery Registration

Registration for the countywide lottery for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program is now open. Current pre-K and kindergarten students may apply for the kindergarten and first grade immersion programs for the 2025-26 school year. 



Dual Language Immersion is available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.