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June 4, 2025

Neighbors,

Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors received an update on the county’s scam prevention efforts during the meeting of our Older Adults Committee that I chair.

Scams are only increasing with consumers losing at least $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 — a 25% increase compared to the prior year — according to the Federal Trade Commission’s latest data published this year. And these data surely undercount the problem due to underreporting by embarrassed and traumatized victims. While people of every age are victimized, older adults lose the most money to scams — a median of $1,000.

Fraudsters continue to find new schemes to take your money. For example, you may have gotten a fake text message from the Virginia DMV just this week, saying your driver’s license will be suspended due to an overdue parking ticket. This is a variation of the last spring’s “you haven’t paid your tolls and must pay now” scam.  

To help residents avoid scams, in 2017 the Board directed the county to create the Silver Shield Anti-Scam Campaign, and it hosts the annual Scam Jam event held in partnership with AARP. (Watch the video below to hear my remarks at this year’s Scam Jam.) The county also created a dedicated webpage to keep you informed about the latest scams in our area.

But did you know that the county is also hard at work behind the scenes to protect you? Our Adult Protective Services, for instance, leads the multi-agency Financial Exploitation Task Force. It includes the police, county and state agencies, and U.S. Postal Service, and the group meets monthly to coordinate and investigate scams. Law enforcement is challenged by the fact that many scammers operate outside of the United States, and with new technologies emerging we should all expect these global scams to become more sophisticated. Use of the federal government against the international scam industry is an obvious answer but still only a distant hope — at least for now.  

At yesterday’s meeting locally, we also heard about a new scam prevention initiative by the county’s Consumer Protection Commission. It is pursuing a new educational effort to help you avoid scams, and it’s modeled after the UK government’s “Take Five” campaign. During this year, the commission will be working to further advance its initiative, including talking to other local governments and regional bodies in the D.C. region.

These are just some of the ongoing efforts that we’re making to fight back against scammers, so stay tuned to learn more as we launch more programs and initiatives. In the meantime, if someone you don’t know contacts you and tries to convince you to click on a link to send money somewhere — beware!

Regards,

Walter

• Donations in Memory of Cathy Hudgins
• Take a Nature Walk With Me June 7
• Vote Early Saturday, June 7
• Reston Town Center North Community Meeting
• Metro's New Credit Card Payment Option
• What's News in Vienna
• Events and Activities

To honor and remember Cathy Hudgins who passed away last week, her family suggests donations be made to the Friends of Southgate Community Center. This nonprofit group supports the community center that was named after her.

Among many other accomplishments, Cathy led the effort in 2006 to build the Southgate Community Center in Reston, working tirelessly to secure the land lease, acquire funding and inform the vision for the center. In 2021, the Board of Supervisors renamed it the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate, honoring her enduring contribution. I was honored to be there with her and her family for the renaming ceremony (see photo).

Her visitation and funeral service are this Friday, June 6 at Saint Thomas à Becket Catholic Church, 1421 Wiehle Avenue Reston.

Take a Nature and History Walk

With Me on June 7

Planning to vote early in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor and attorney general? There will be 16 early voting sites open this Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including the North County Governmental Center (across from the Reston Regional Library.) All 16 sites will also be open on weekdays with the North County Governmental Center open from 1-7 p.m. Monday to Friday. The last day to vote early is Saturday, June 14, and Election Day is Tuesday, June 17.

Attend a community meeting on Monday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. for an update by Inova and Fairfax County staff on the joint rezoning application for Reston Town Center North. You’ll get an overview of the application, have an opportunity to ask questions, and learn about the next steps in the process. The meeting will be held at the North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston (across from the Reston Regional Library.) For more information, email my office or call 703-478-0283.

Called “Tap. Ride. Go.,” Metro announced its new option to pay for your ride on the rails using a contactless credit card. Simply tap a credit or debit card at the Metrorail fare gate and go. Or, pay with a mobile wallet/smartwatch virtual card. (Metro plans to expand this quick, easy payment option to its buses and parking garages in the future.) Of course, you may continue to use your SmarTrip card (physical or mobile) to pay for rail and bus rides and parking.

What's News in Vienna

Meet the Mayor June 6

Share your thoughts over coffee with Mayor Colbert on Friday, June 6 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. when she sets up “office” at 29th Parallel Coffee, 106 Lawyers Road, NW. The mayor is also available to meet in her office on weekdays by appointment. To make an appointment, send an email or call 703-255-6304.

Liberty Amendments Month Begins June 14

Celebrate America during Liberty Amendments Month. The month-long event kicks off on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m. with a parade down Maple Avenue, ending at the town's Juneteenth festival at First Baptist Church which I’ll be attending. Check out the event calendar for all the celebratory activities including the naturalization ceremony, educational panels, mixers, and even a mobile museum.

Chillin’ on Church Returns June 20

Chillin’ on Church is a block party for the whole town held every third Friday, beginning June 20 through Sept. 19. Enjoy food, local beer and wine, music and family-friendly activities on historic Church Street starting at 6:30 p.m. On June 20, savor the offerings from 12 food trucks and live music by the Sudden M-Pac Band. 

🎸 Say "hello, hello, hello" to Beatlemania, a Beatles tribute band, on June 6 at Reston Station.

🎾 Compete in a pickleball fundraiser tournament to support grieving families on June 7.

🐶 Bring your furry friend for entertainment and exhibitors at Petpalooza on June 7 at Reston Town Center.

🔭 Gaze at the stars at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on June 7.

🐕 Enjoy Paws on the Plaza on June 7 at the Tysons Corner Center plaza, featuring a dog park, splash pad, vendors, food and more. 

🎵 Listen to Cowboy Mouth serve up their New Orleans-inspired blend of rock, blues, punk, funk, country, pop and soul on June 7 at Reston Town Center.

📼 Learn how to digitize your own materials, such as VHS tapes and audiocassettes, during the June 7 Memory Depot Orientation at Reston Regional Library.

🎸 Listen to prolific songwriter and performer Tom Goss sing about the joys and struggles of modern love on June 7 at The Leila Gordon Theater at Reston Community Center.

🎹 Swing to the Shenandoah Conservancy’s performance of some of Duke Ellington’s most beloved works on June 8 at Reston Town Square Park.

🔔 Hear The Joy and Payn of Ringing as Virginia Bronze performs a handbell concert on June 8.

🦆 Take a trip on June 10 to the Flag Ponds Nature Park along the Chesapeake Bay to look for songbirds and shorebirds.

🩺 Participate in the free physical, environmental, social and emotional wellness activities, screenings and workshops at the June 8 Healthy Together Fairfax community fair.

📚 Join Books ‘N Brews as Bards Alley hosts an adult book fair at Caboose Tavern on June 8.

🚴 Register for the Reston Century bike training series as prep session 2 kicks off on June 8.

🏋️‍♀️ Take a complementary fitness class offered by Beloved Yoga on June 9 at Reston Station Plaza.

🎵 Enjoy Part Harmony perform Motown and doo-wop at Lake Anne Plaza on June 11.

📚 Find your next great read at Font Books’ Boozy Book Fair on June 12 at Shipgarten.

🎵 Enjoy a summer evening of reggae music when Oasis Band performs at Halley Rise on June 12.

🏋️‍♀️Take a Pilates-based class that includes strengthening exercises through Vienna Parks and Recreation starting June 16.

🤿 National Geographic Explorer in Residence Tara Roberts recounts her quest to identify sunken slave shipwrecks on June 17 at the McLean Community Center.

✈️ See iconic WW II aircraft in flight at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on June 14.

👩🏾‍🏫 Join the June 17 Building Permits 101 workshop as Fairfax County Land Development Services staff teach best practices for hiring a contractor, how to avoid scams and what projects require permits.

🌱 Bring your seeds and exchange them for new ones during the month-long seed swap at the Reston Regional Library.

Find all events for these local organizations: Reston Community Center, Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation Programs, Tephra ICA and Arts Fairfax.