Dear Providence Residents,
Since last week, the Board and I have heard from over 2,000 residents of Fairfax County voicing their frustration on racial injustice and recommendations for the County. We are listening.
I've joined friends and neighbors at vigils across the Providence District in Miller Heights, Tinner Hill and Fairfax to share in the pain of the community.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted to identify options for funding the next phase of the
police body-worn camera program
, and develop a timeline and implementation plan for all future phases. We are continuing to explore our policies and look for ways to improve.
We have more work to do.
On Tuesday, June 16th, I
will participate in the
Fairfax County NAACP Town Hall: Proposals for Police Reform
. I hope you can join the discussion, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
We must also continue to work together as a community to slow the spread of COVID-19. After meeting the criteria provided by the Health Department,
Northern Virginia is now in Phase Two
. You can find the updated guidelines below. Please remember that face coverings continue to be required in all public places.
Please find several Providence District updates on the topics below in this edition of our newsletter:
- Phase Two for Northern Virginia
- COVID-19 Testing Information and Resources
- The Chairman's Taskforce on Equity and Opportunity
- Eviction Process Delayed
- Transportation Updates
- Summer Metro Closures
- Thank Your Waste Collection Workers
- Food for Others and Grow a Row FC
I hope this newsletter finds you and your family safe and well.
With Gratitude,
Supervisor Dalia Palchik
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Northern Virginia in Phase Two
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Governor Northam announced Northern Virginia and Richmond to enter
Phase Two reopening TODAY, June 12.
- Phase Two Guidelines can be found HERE.
Face Coverings Are Still Required in All Public Places
- Requirements continue, everyone age 10 and above will be required to wear a mask under the following circumstances:
- Inside all brick and mortar retail establishments, all personal care and grooming establishments, places where people congregate, and food and beverage establishments
- On public transportation
- When accessing state or local government services
- Exceptions will include:
- While eating, drinking, or exercising
- If one has trouble breathing or is unable to remove the mask without help
- If one’s health conditions prohibit wearing a face covering
As localities in Virginia begin to gradually ease restrictions in place for COVID-19, VDH urges all Virginians to stay safe. The best way to protect yourself and your family from COVID-19 is to stay home as much as possible. This is especially important for people at higher risk of severe illness, such as older adults and people of any age with
underlying conditions
. If you leave your home,
practice social distancing
by staying at least 6 feet away from others and wear a
cloth face covering
.
Under
Phase Two
, the maximum number of people allowed in social gatherings will increase from 10 to 50, and in general, the second phase allows the following:
- Restaurants: These businesses, including breweries and wineries, can serve diners indoors and outdoors at 50% of their lowest allowed occupancy. Bar and gathering areas must remain closed and tables must be spaced at least six feet apart. The maximum number of diners per party is limited to 50 people or less whether seated together or at separate tables. These businesses also must continue to follow Fairfax County’s location and operational conditions if serving customers outdoors.
- Exercise Facilities: Gyms, recreation centers and sports centers may open indoor areas at 30% of their lowest allowed occupancy. Customers must be screened for COVID–19 symptoms before allowed inside, including whether they have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher. Fitness equipment must be spaced 10 feet apart, and similarly, personal trainers or instructors and exercise class participants must stay 10 feet apart from each other.
- Pools: Indoor and outdoor pools may reopen for lap swimming, exercise, diving and instruction. Swimmers must be screened for coronavirus symptoms before entering. Only three people are allowed per lane to swim laps and no more than three people are allowed in diving areas at the same time. Swimmers and divers must and stay 10 feet apart, including during exercise classes or instruction sessions.
- Entertainment: Outdoor theaters, concert venues, outdoor and drive-in movie theaters, zoos and botanical gardens may reopen at 50% of their lowest capacity or a maximum of 50 people. Performers and audience members must stay 10 feet away from each other, and cars must be parked six feet from each other at drive-ins. Indoor entertainment and amusement businesses continue to remain closed, including museums, movie theaters, concert venues, bowling alleys, trampoline parks and arcades.
- Personal Care: Beauty salons, barbers, spas, massage centers, tanning salons and tattoo shops continue to remain limited to 50% of their normal capacity as specified under Phase One. Customers must make appointments to come in, and both customers and employees are required to wear face coverings.
- Retail: The requirements for non-essential retail shops remain largely the same, and they may reopen at 50% capacity.
- Religious Services: The guidelines for religious services will largely remain the same with occupancy limited to 50% capacity.
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More than 20 sites across the Fairfax Health District are offering COVID-19 testing for both insured and uninsured residents, and the Health Department urges anyone with
symptoms
or anyone who is a close contact to someone who is sick to be tested.
- The full list of testing facilities can be found HERE.
- Patients are required to pre-register online and have an appointment.
- The testing is free to anyone 18 or older - with or without insurance.
- A doctor's referral is not required.
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The Chairman’s Taskforce on Equity and Opportunity
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We must address the greater systemic issue of racial disparities that our country faces, and how we can improve here in Fairfax. On Tuesday, Chairman McKay announced a new Taskforce on Equity and Opportunity, created to reflect on our journey and inform the path forward. The Chairman's Taskforce will explore the range of situations and conditions that contribute to disproportionate trends, facilitate shared responsibility and collective action, build on the strengths of our community, and lift up solutions to make all residents and neighborhoods more resilient.
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The Va. Supreme Court issued another extension to its Declaration of Judicial Emergency through June 28. Although the General District Court may still hold eviction proceedings, either pending or newly issued evictions will be served through June 28, instead of June 7.
Federal and state protections are now in place to help renters and homeowners unable to make their monthly payments due to COVID-19. There are also resources available for property owners, developers and the homeless.
Follow this link
for resources and information, including protections, for renters, homeowners, property owners, the homeless, and others.
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I-66 and Cedar Lane Bridge
:
Overnight Traffic Stoppages of up to 30 Minutes on I-66 East Near Vienna Metrorail Station Continue All Week for Vaden Drive Bridge Beam Lifts
I-66 East will be reduced to a single travel lane with multiple 30-minute traffic stoppages between Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) and Nutley Street during overnight hours through Saturday, June 13, for crews to lift beams in place for the new Vaden Drive bridge over I-66. Drivers should expect delays and total traffic stoppages of up to 30 minutes in this area, and should consider using alternative routes. Stoppages are currently planned for Thursday and Saturday nights.
Cedar Lane Bridge detours continue to Hilltop, Route 29, Gallows and Cottage roads. The bridge is being demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the widening of I-66 as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project with completion of bridge work expected around Thanksgiving. When completed, the fenced bridge will have a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on the east side and a sidewalk on the west side.
Free and expanded Fairfax Connector bus service during the Cedar Lane Bridge construction is available for routes 462 and 467. For more information, visit
www.fairfaxconnector.com
; call 703-339-7200, TTY 703-339-1608 (M-F, 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.)
Pedestrians and bicyclists are enjoying the first street open to them in Fairfax County along a half-mile stretch of one lane on Tysons Boulevard from Westbranch Drive to near International Drive now temporarily closed to vehicles.
For more information, call the FCDOT Active Transportation Team at 703-877-5600, TTY 711 and visit the
project website
.
Shreve Road Corridor Study:
The
website for the corridor study
is now live. This study is assessing potential safety and operational improvements along more than two miles of Shreve Road (Route 703) between Route 29 (Lee Highway) and Route 7 (Leesburg Pike). The study is addressing community concerns related to speeding, pedestrian safety, sight distance and drainage. Thank you for your participation in this process.
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Free Metro shuttle bus service is available between Ballston and seven Orange and Silver line stations while the stations are closed this summer for construction.
The shuttles run every 10 minutes on weekdays and 15 minutes on weekends, with an express from Vienna. There is no shuttle service to East Falls Church, McLean, and Greensboro stations. Free parking is available at West Falls Church, Dunn Loring, Vienna, and Wiehle-Reston East. Metro service hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. For more shuttle information, go
here.
A reminder that face coverings are mandatory on Metro trains and buses, including buses in Fairfax County.
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Thank Your Waste and Recycling Workers Next Week!
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Contest to Thank Waste and Recycling Workers Starts June 14
The men and women who keep our neighborhoods clean operate heavy machinery, work among distracted drivers in busy streets, and haul away our waste in the rain, summer heat, and snow. In 2020, the global pandemic has made their essential jobs even more difficult and dangerous.
We are excited to share the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is having a contest to ask Fairfax County residents to show their appreciation for Waste and Recycling Workers during the National Waste and Recycling Workers Week starting June 14th.
Residents can show their appreciation by doing things like
placing thank you signs at the curb on set day or doing chalk art on their driveways.
However you choose to say thanks, please send photos of your efforts to trashmail@fairfaxcounty.gov. The most creative idea may be used to decorate a trash or recycling container. All entries will be shared on the county’s Facebook page.
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Food for Others and Grow a Row FC
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Our office has partnered with
Food for Others
on a community based food drive to feed those in need during COVID-19.
Email Providence@fairfaxcounty.gov to get your community involved.
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Have sun and some space? Grow food for yourself and your community
Grow a Row FC
is seeking volunteers to join its community-wide effort to grow fresh produce for
Food for Others
and its food pantry partners during this public health and economic crisis. Participating is easy: Pledge to dedicate a row of your garden or a container to growing food to donate and report to Grow a Row FC the weight or size (example: five carrots) of your donations. No amount is too small.
Grow a Row FC has hundreds of seed packets as well as a limited supply of transplants, soil test kits and compost to give to volunteer growers for free. You don’t have to know anything about gardening: mentors are available to give advice and support. Volunteers can either deliver donations to the food bank themselves or take them to a drop-off site.
Additional volunteer garden mentors and hosts for drop-off sites are being sought in addition to growers. Sign up to volunteer on the website or by emailing
growarowfc@gmail.com
. This project is supported by Virginia Cooperative Extension and endorsed by the Fairfax Food Council.
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- DMV Reopening: Two DMVs located in Fairfax County (Franconia and Tysons Corner) are currently open for appointments.
- To minimize customer volume at DMV offices and CDL test sites, appointments will be required for specific services generally necessitating in-person service. Customers should use alternate service methods, such as online or by mail, when possible. Road tests are not available at this time.
- Glass Recycling is back! Drop Off Locations in or near Providence:
- 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031 (please avoid dropping off between hours of 9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.)
- 431 Mill St NE, Vienna, VA 22189
- 217 Gordon Rd, Falls Church, VA 22046
- Due to COVID-19, Fairfax County's free summer shredding events have been suspended until further notice. We will keep you posted with any updates.
- Fairfax County Parks are now open. Outdoor water parks and pools run by the Fairfax County Park Authority will be closed this summer.
- Fairfax Library Curbside Pickup started June 1. Curbside Pickup hours at all branches are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Fairfax RISE Grant Program is open until June 15. Apply here.
- All Fairfax County 2020 summer camp programs are canceled this summer. This includes: FCPA sponsored summer camp programs, REC-Pac programs held at local schools, summer camp programs sponsored by NCS, and SACC programs. Go to NCS Connects for new weekly activities for youth, teens, parents and guardians!
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Traveling Players: Family fun, Theatre Camps and More!
June 13 & 20
:
Auditions
for Award-Winning Summer Acting Conservatories (grades 4-12) A play uniting theatre and filmmaking. Limited space available. via Zoom
Exceptional Faculty, Personalized Attention, Innovative training
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We want to hear from you! Please reach out to us with questions, comments or just to say hello.
Office Phone
: (703) 560-6946
Email us
HERE
if you would like events included in our newsletter or you would like a member of our team to join your HOA meeting.
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