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Community Champion: Leah Tenorio
As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the incredible contributions of community advocates who work to support and uplift the Hispanic community in the District. One such dedicated individual is Leah Tenorio, whose decades of service have left a lasting impact on our neighborhoods and families.
Leah has spent over 26 years as Director of Hispanic Ministry and Social Justice at Good Shepherd Catholic Church (GSCC), empowering residents through education, advocacy and community engagement. Through her role, she helped to found Progreso Hispano (now called the Progreso Literacy and Citizenship Center), which merged with United Community in 2013 to expand its program and reach.
Throughout her career, Leah has championed initiatives that strengthen families and communities. She has particularly valued her involvement with VOICE, a program under GSCC Social Justice, which advocated for improved facilities at our local high schools. Through her efforts she helped secure funding for upgrades to the playing fields and the turf fields at Mount Vernon and West Potomac High Schools. Leah also started a Tutoring Program at GSCC, pairing volunteer mentors with children from kindergarten through high school to provide academic support, guidance and encouragement. Learn more about this program.
A lifelong Mount Vernon resident and graduate of Fort Hunt High School, Leah raised her four children here with her husband, Ricardo. In her free time, she loves staying active and playing pickleball with her six grandchildren.
For Leah, Hispanic Heritage Month is "a time to acknowledge and celebrate all the positive contributions and influence that Hispanic culture has made to our country. And it is an opportunity for us to stand together in unity."
Thank you, Leah, for your unwavering dedication, leadership and advocacy. Your compassion and commitment strengthen our community and inspire us all!
| Federal Shutdown Resources | | |
We are now 24 days into the federal shutdown, and I continue to be deeply concerned about how this is affecting our tens of thousands of federal employees and contractors.
The County provides several ways for residents to receive support during this time:
Fairfax County continues to monitor the situation and I remain committed to doing everything I can to help ease the burden on our community. For more information click here to view my October Advisor with more information and resources.
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Respiratory Illness Season: What to Know about Flu, COVID-19 and RSV
Getting vaccinated and practicing healthy habits can help you avoid the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Healthy habits include washing your hands, covering your coughs and sneezes the proper way, cleaning surfaces regularly and staying home when sick. The respiratory illness dashboard provides up-to-date information in the Fairfax Health District. Learn more.
Are You a Health Data User? Take the New FCHD Survey
Do you live, learn, work or play in Fairfax County? Have you recently used community health data? If so, please take the Health Department's quick 5-minute survey to help us improve the LiveHealthy Fairfax Dashboard. Your opinions matter! Take the survey.
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October 19-25 Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2025
Lead could be hiding in your paint, water or soil, and there is no safe level of it in the blood. Get kids at risk for lead exposure tested, especially at ages 1 and 2. Learn more.
Hands-Only CPR Helped Save a Life
On May 17, Benjamin Shaul, went into cardiac arrest at his home after feelings of indigestion. His wife called 911 and initiated chest compressions. Upon arrival, EMS personnel continued CPR and defibrillated once, which resulted in return of a pulse. For every minute that passes without CPR a person’s chance of survival decreases by about 10%. Hands-Only CPR has been proven to be just as effective as traditional CPR with breaths during the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest. Learn more.
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Primo Family Restaurant
If you’re looking for a place that feels like home, look no further than Primo Family Restaurant (1636 Belle View Blvd). For 37 years, Primo’s has been a community favorite, serving authentic Greek, Italian and American comfort food made with care, the finest, pasture-raised ingredients – many produced in Virginia – and served with a smile. Our office hosted our first Small Business Forum here in September, bringing together local entrepreneurs and County specialists to learn how to safeguard their business. A special thank you to owner Jimmy Nicopoulos for his warm hospitality and for everything he does to support our community and welcome visitors to the Mount Vernon District. Stop by 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., daily.
If you have a local business you would like to see featured here, please email mtvernon@fairfaxcounty.gov and tell us about it.
| | Community Information & Events | | |
In-Person Early Voting for the November 4, 2025 General Election
Early voting is happening now through Saturday, November 1 for the November 4, 2025 General Election to elect the Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and all seats for the House of Delegates. Fairfax County will also be voting on School Bond Referendums.
Where to vote early:
Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parkers Lane, Mount Vernon
- Monday – Friday: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sundays (Oct. 26): 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Lorton Community Center, 9520 Richmond Highway, Lorton
- Monday – Friday: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday (Oct. 26): 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Additional locations can be found here.
You can register to vote or update your registration by Friday, October 24, and same day registration is still available October 25 - November 4. For those planning to vote by mail, request an absentee ballot by October 24 at 5 p.m. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before election day.
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Help the Mount Vernon District Rise to the Top of the Leader’s Chart on the Sustain Fairfax Challenge!
The Sustain Fairfax Challenge is an online platform that shares personalized actions you can take to reduce your environmental impact and save money. Under each action you’ll find resources, incentives and programs that can help you complete actions and bring in savings.
As you complete actions, you earn points which help your community rise to the top of the leader’s board. Right now, our community is very low on the score board and I know that we can get the Mount Vernon District to first place! Let’s see what we can do to rise in ranks and take over the leaderboard! The Challenge is free to join and is open to all ages 13 and up. Join now and help our district rise to the top!
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Capital Area Food Bank Federal Workers and Contractors Food Distribution
To support those impacted by the ongoing government shutdown, Capital Area Food Bank is partnering with nonprofit partners to offer free food distributions for federal workers and contractors. Food insecurity remains high across the region, and a missed paycheck can make it even harder for families to get by. These distributions will help bridge the gap by providing boxes of shelf-stable pantry items and fresh produce until the government re-opens. Every Friday from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at United Community (7511 Fordson Rd) federal employees and contractors can stop by to receive food (ID will be checked). Anyone in need of food assistance can visit online or call the Hunger Lifeline at (202) 644-9807.
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Drug Take Back Day
Saturday, October 25, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parkers Lane
Look inside your medicine cabinet and make a difference! If you have medications you no longer need, haven't used or are expired, bring them to a Drug Take Back Day collection site! Learn more.
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Halloween Student Appreciation Day Tees Up at Laurel Hill
Saturday, October 25, 1 - 5 p.m.
Laurel Hill Golf Club, Eisman Golf Academy
Golf Fairfax invites golfers of all ages to Laurel Hill Golf Club for a spook-tacular celebration at the Eisman Golf Academy Student Appreciation Day. This free event combines the fun of fall with the spirit of golf and features games, contests, prizes, food and festive activities for the whole family. Participants are encouraged to RSVP and come in costume for a chance to win a prize for Best Costume! Learn more.
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Final Wave Complete: FCPD Reels in Nearly 50,000 Citations and Warnings
FCPD has concluded the 2025 “Road Shark” campaign, issuing nearly 50,000 citations and warnings to dangerous drivers on Fairfax County roadways over the last five waves. This represents a 43% increase from 2024, when officers issued approximately 35,000 citations and warnings. During the final wave, conducted from October 13 through October 19, officers issued 10,565 citations and warnings, to include more than 900 for speeding violations. Learn more.
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Fairfax County Announces Winners of 2025 Environmental Excellence Awards
Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Environmental Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding individuals, organizations and businesses that have made remarkable contributions to environmental stewardship and sustainability. This year's Environmental Excellence Awardees include:
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Michael McGrath - Wastewater Treatment Director at the Noman M. Cole, Jr. Water Recycling Facility
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Allison Homer - Senior Planner with OEEC the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination
- Get2Green Team
- Margaret E. Fisher
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Friends of Holmes Run (FoHR) and Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect (HACAN)
- Sewing Lab
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Friends of Historic Huntley Annual Meeting
Saturday, October 25, 2 p.m.
Martha Washington Library, 6614 Fort Hunt Rd
Join the Friends of Historic Huntley for an Annual Meeting with a free special presenter, Professor Cynthia Kierner, of GMU. She'll discuss the 19th century phenomena of "Exploding Steamboats and the Culture of Calamity," akin to our travel disasters of today. Learn more.
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Fall Fur-ward Family Fun Day
Saturday, November 1, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
FCAS, Lorton Campus, 8875 Lorton Road, Lorton
Get ready for a heartwarming celebration of pets, families and community at Fall Fur-ward! This free, family-friendly event is your chance to see how Fairfax County’s animal services are evolving, while enjoying a full day of fun, learning and connection. Learn more.
| | Cleaning Up Richmond Highway | | Our office continues to work closely with law enforcement, County agencies and community partners to make Richmond Highway cleaner, safer and more welcoming for everyone. Together, we’re advancing efforts to beautify the corridor, enhance safety and prepare it for the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (RHBRT) system, "The One" through property acquisitions. Below are recent updates highlighting improvements across the corridor. | |
Beautification and Property Acquisitions
As part of the Richmond Highway revitalization efforts for the RHBRT system - "The One", Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) in partnership with our office, installed art banners around the former United Bank site, a preview of ongoing beautification efforts as more parcels are acquired and cleared. The artwork was done by Gum Springs students who worked with mural artist, Nicholas Zimbro.
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Parking Enforcement and Community Reporting
Parking enforcement efforts remain active to address prohibited commercial parking, abandoned vehicles and other right-of-way violations present along the corridor. Watch my video to learn more.
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If you see illegally parked vehicles, please help us by using the County’s Online Parking Violation Reporting Tool or emailing photos and the location to MtVernon@fairfaxcounty.gov. To report anything happening on the roadway, from potholes and vegetation overgrowth to downed signage and more, use the MyVDOT Reporting Tool.
Property Cleanup on Frye Road & Richmond Highway
We recently cleared the vacant parcel next to the Shell, at the corner of Frye Rd & Richmond Highway, of junk and abandoned vehicles, an unpermitted food truck and unlicensed business activity. Our office is working with the Department of Code Compliance (DCC) to resolve remaining violations.
DCC is here to help – if you have questions, want to make a report or if you are the subject of enforcement, you can report problems online, learn about what happens during an investigation, reach DCC via email, phone (703-324-1300 / TTY 711) or visit in person at 12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 1016, Fairfax.
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New No Parking Signs Installed on Fairview Drive
In response to community concerns regarding vehicles parking in the travel lane, our office requested that VDOT install new “No Parking” signage on the south side of Fairview Drive. This improvement enhances safety and helps keep the roadway clear for drivers and pedestrians.
Requests for Signage
My office has also submitted additional requests for “No Parking” and “No Dumping” signage at several problem areas along the corridor. These requests are part of our broader effort to "clean up the highway" and deter illegal dumping, vehicle storage and other activities that detract from the appearance and safety of Richmond Highway. If you have locations in mind for signage, reach out to our office, MtVernon@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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New Apparatus in the Mount Vernon District
A new Brush 409 (6394) was placed in service on October 6, at Fire Station 9 in Mount Vernon. This 2024 Ford F450 is cross-staffed daily and cost $226,109, including communications equipment. A brush truck is a four-wheel drive vehicle that carries a small pump, water and tools used to extinguish brush/grass fires in limited access areas.
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The Commons Mount Vernon Project Update
The Commons Mount Vernon renovation and adaptive reuse project is moving forward, with an expected opening of Winter 2027. This month, crews have been working on courtyard stormwater utility work, ongoing roof construction and continued framing and drywall installation throughout the building. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work also remain underway. Exterior masonry repairs and the installation of the new canopy steel for the Welcome Center are progressing. For additional work being done this month, the construction update can be viewed here.
Sign up to receive email updates on The Commons Mount Vernon!
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