View as Webpage

October 8, 2025

Neighbors,

As the federal shutdown enters its eighth day, Fairfax County took a small action yesterday to help federal workers and contractors who have been furloughed, laid off or took deferred resignations.

The Board of Supervisors held a special meeting on Tuesday to extend the personal property tax deadline until Nov. 5. This extension is retroactive to Monday, Oct. 6 when personal property taxes were originally due.

Although not limited to those directly affected by the shutdown, this action will help the approximately 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors who live in Fairfax County. Hopefully, it provides some financial breathing room for those who need more time to pay their car taxes as they go without paychecks.

For most federal workers, this Friday is payday — but they won’t receive their checks if the shutdown continues. And employees who took deferred resignations got their last paychecks last week. Because of these hardships, the county is doing what it can to help.

For example, we created an online hub with resources for federal workers, including assistance with basic needs, job posting sites, training opportunities, mental health resources and more.

I have also posted a list of nonprofits in the Hunter Mill District that offer financial assistance, food and emergency housing. Local faith groups are also providing help like the First Baptist Church of Vienna’s Operation Daily Bread which is collecting donations for furloughed workers and their families

For federal workers seeking connection and community, the startup wellfed offers three free classes each week, including meditation, career and job search workshops and coworking. This organization was founded by two fired federal workers, and I met with co-founder Rebecca Ferguson-Ondrey earlier this year to learn more about their mission.

Fairfax County also recently participated in the regional launch of Talent Capital. It’s an AI-powered platform to help workers making career transitions, offering free job matching, career training, reskilling, credentialing and coaching. Unlike static job boards, it’s powered by agentic AI — technology that thinks, adapts, and acts on behalf of the job seeker.

While I know that federal workers and contractors will encounter more challenges ahead, they aren’t facing them alone.

Regards,

Walter

• In the Community
• Join Me for a Community Walk on Saturday
• artoverVA Offers Free Show Tickets
• CDC Approves Covid Vaccinations
• Reston and Vienna Fire Station Open Houses
• Take the Business Pulse Survey
• What's News in Vienna
• Events and Activities

0.5K for the South Lakes Food Pantry

To raise awareness and money, I took 650 steps (give or take) in the 8th annual “Do It Your Way 0.5K” at Lake Anne Plaza. This annual fundraiser supports the South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry. It distributes food to more than 200 families every Thursday, serving the entire South Lakes school pyramid. Last year, students visited the pantry more than 11,000 times. Big thanks to Roberta Gosling and other pantry members for letting me help lead the pre-race warmups.

Out of the Darkness Walk

I also joined the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk. This event aims to send a powerful message: you are not alone.

Alongside my fellow Board members, I walked to help remind everyone that suicide is preventable — and support is always within reach.

Help available: If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 for free, confidential help. Or call the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board’s Emergency Services at 703-573-5679, or walk into the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health for 24-hour emergency psychiatric services.

Celebration of the Arts Festival

I spoke at the Celebration of the Arts, a two-day outdoor festival at Capital One Center that was presented in conjunction with Tephra ICA. If you missed it, the festival featured interactive installations, hands-on workshops, live music and food. It was a beautiful day and venue to connect with the arts, creativity and the community.

Join me for a “Walk with Walter” on Oct. 11

What’s happening: Join me on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. at Hunters Woods Plaza for a guided community walk.

We’ll explore the trails near Hunters Woods Plaza and along the way, local docents will share insights on nature, public arts and history, including native and local plants, Reston’s local mosaics and history of the Hunter Woods neighborhood.

This walk is sponsored by the One Hunters Woods initiative and Reston Community Center.

One Hunters Woods: Conceived by the Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition, One Hunters Woods is a community-driven project that aims to bring residents together for recreational, cultural and community events on or near the Hunters Woods Plaza. This is the second One Hunters Woods event, and the initiative kicked off in conjunction with National Night Out in August.

What’s happening: “Fall into the arts” with a month of free or discounted shows, performances and events from dozens of local artists and arts organizations. Check out ArtsFairfax’s inaugural artoberVA.

Show highlights: Through Oct. 31, you can enjoy music, dance, cinema, literature and theater, and meet artists too. Here are some highlights:

• “The Turn of the Screw” (through Oct. 26): Enjoy discounted tickets to this musical adaptation of the Henry James classic ghost story.
• Fall for the Book (through Oct. 11): Free admission to Northern Virginia’s largest and oldest literature and book festival. Meet authors like best-selling nonfiction writer Erik Larson who will talk about his newest book: “The Demon of Unrest.”
• Shakespeare Opera Theatre’s Oktoberfest (Oct. 12): Free admission to this event that features German food and drink, live music, and a drawing for season tickets to the theatre’s 2025-6 season.
• "The Last Five Years": Get discounted tickets for the NextStop Theatre Company’s performance “The Last Five Years,” a musical about two New Yorkers as they fall in and out of love. (Use code ARTMONTH30)

What’s happening: On Monday, the CDC officially adopted a recommendation that people ages 6 months and older may get Covid vaccines after consulting with a medical professional.

What it means: You may get the vaccine regardless of your age, and the shots aren’t limited to those with underlying health conditions.

However, the recommendations call for the decision to get vaccinated to be based on “shared clinical decision-making” between a patient and health care provider, looking at an individual’s health conditions.

In practice, this means that you may be asked if you have any questions or concerns if you get your shot at a pharmacy, according to this Washington Post story.

Who’s a health care provider: For the purposes of “shared clinical decision-making,” the CDC defines a health care provider as “anyone who provides or administers vaccines: primary care physicians, specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and pharmacists.”

Insurance coverage: The CDC says its recommendations mean that Covid shots will be covered by Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Private health plans will continue to pay for Covid vaccinations through 2026, according to AHIP, the national trade group for the health insurance industry. Check with your health plan, however.

What’s happening: Attend the family friendly open house at Reston Fire Station 25 (1820 Wiehle Avenue, Reston) or Vienna Fire Station 402 (400 Center Street, S.) on Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

• Learn how to avoid a lithium-ion battery fire at your home
• Join in fun activities
• See fire engines and apparatus

The open house celebrates Fire Safety Week, and this year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.”

Why it matters: Did you know lithium-ion batteries are probably in most of the electronics in your home? They power smartphones, tablets, power tools, many toys and more. If not used correctly or damaged — and sometimes batteries, especially low cost/quality ones are dangerous right out of the box — they can explode or start a fire like the Herndon townhouse fire caused by an electric lawn mower battery.

Battery safety tips: Follow these tips to avoid a lithium-ion battery fire, and learn more about what you can do to stay safe:

• Don’t leave batteries charging unattended or overnight.
• Charge batteries only with the charger that came with the device.
• Stop using batteries that are damaged, swollen or leaking.
• Store batteries in a cool, dry place away from flammable items.

Take the Business Pulse Survey by Oct. 21

What’s happening: Business leaders and owners are invited to take a quick online survey to provide the county with feedback on the current economic climate, operational challenges, and their outlook for the future.

• Take the Business Pulse Survey by Oct. 21.

Why it matters: This confidential survey will help the county to inform its economic development strategies, business support programs, and potential policy decisions to benefit the local economy. It’s also intended to capture a real-time snapshot of the health of Fairfax County’s business community.

Learn more: Visit the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives to find more information and resources.

Halloween on the Green Oct. 11

Saturday, Oct. 11 is sure to be a scream, after all it's Halloween on the Green! The whole family is invited to wear their best costumes and head to the Town Green from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for crafts, games, storytelling, prizes and pumpkin decorating (pumpkins are limited so come early).

Cops and Kids Fun Run Oct. 12

Join the Vienna Police Department for the Cops and Kids Fun Run on Sunday, Oct. 12, Wear your best Halloween costume and go for a light run around town with police officers beginning at 11 a.m. outside Vienna Elementary School. Afterwards, enjoy activities, games and treats. (Please note: registration is full for complimentary t-shirts.) 

Meet the Vienna Town Council Candidates Oct. 16

The North East Vienna Citizens Association will host a candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Vienna Police Community Room (215 Center Street, S.). You’ll hear brief remarks from the candidates, followed by a Q&A. If you can’t attend in person, watch the live broadcast on the Town of Vienna Community Network on Cox channel 27 or Verizon channel 38. Or view the live stream online.

🎭Enjoy the musical The Turn of the Screw starting Oct. 9 performed by the Creative Cauldron.

🎞️Attend the Washington West Film Festival on Oct. 9-11 at Reston Town Center.

📄Bring your documents to this free paper shredding event on Oct. 11 in Vienna.

📚Attend Fall for the Book on Oct. 11 at the George Mason University campus in Fairfax.

🩺 Come to the Fall Wellness Fair on Oct. 11 at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods.

🪘Relax with “Sunset Serenity: Sound & Nature Therapy” on Oct. 11 at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.

🎸 Listen to Smash Mouth perform on Oct. 11 at Rocktoberfest at Reston Town Center.

❓Test your musical knowledge in the game show MUSIC MANIA! with the Vienna-Falls Chorus on Oct. 12 at Capital One Hall.

🎼Listen to the McLean Symphony perform spooky classics and cinematic favorites on Oct. 12 at Capital One Hall.

🎸Listen Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary play on Oct. 12 at Wolf Trap.

💰Take a seminar on how to identify and avoid scams on Oct. 13 at the Vienna Community Center.

🎭Watch the Vienna Theatre Company’s production of “Under a Cowboy Moon” starting Oct. 17.

👻Make Halloween costumes for children in need on Oct. 18 with the Kids Give Back Fall Volunteer Festival.

🍷Attend the Langley Fall Tastings & Auction Benefit on Oct. 18 in McLean.

🍬Take the family to Trunk or Treat on Oct. 19 at Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church in Vienna.

🎭Audition on Oct. 20-21 for the Vienna Theatre Company’s upcoming production “The Sunshine Boys.”

🎃Celebrate Halloween eve with food, music and activities on Oct. 30 at Capital One Center. 



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