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09.24.2026
Dear Neighbor,
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As we can tell from the weather outside, fall is in full swing! 🍂🍂
My favorite thing about this month is that there’s always something to celebrate. This month, we are uplifting our Hispanic and Latino neighbors during Hispanic Heritage Month. We are observing holidays like Rosh Hashanah and the Mid-Autumn Festival. And, we’ve been combatting food insecurity as a part of Hunger Action Month. I am so proud of everybody who came out last Saturday to our Stuff the Bus event, where the Braddock District collected over 650 pounds of food in a single day for Britepaths. 🚌🚌
Speaking of things worth celebrating, this past Monday was one of my favorite unofficial holidays of the year: the 21st of September, memorialized by Earth, Wind, and Fire’s classic song September. Co-writer Allee Willis always said the date was chosen simply because it sounded good, with no deeper meaning, but she didn't actually know the full story. It wasn't until after co-writer Maurice White's death that his widow, Marilyn, revealed the truth: September 21st was the due date of their son, Kahbran.
Though Kahbran was ultimately born on August 1st, the date and the sentiment stayed in the song. No matter what the date means to you, chances are you somebody nearby remembers the 21st night of September, and all those golden dreams and shiny days.
I like to say that in Braddock we wrap our arms around each other --- in good times and bad. This song captures that same community spirit.
As you browse through our newsletter, we hope that you find your own reason to celebrate September, and your own way of wrapping your arm around a neighbor. There are plenty of ways to get involved, including attending the Burke Centre Festival, volunteering on National Public Lands Day on Saturday, or nominating somebody for a Best of Braddock award.
And, as always, our office is here to support you. Governance is mutual, and we rely on a diversity of perspectives to create solutions for everyone. Please email my office at braddock@fairfaxcounty.gov or call us at (703) 425-9300 if you have anything to share. We love to listen, and if we can’t help you, we’ll put you in touch with someone who can.
| | Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer | | |
In this issue:
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🎬Committee Meeting Recap
- 👥What's Happening Around Braddock?
- 🚗Closures, Delays, and Alerts
- 💚💛Must Do at Mason
- 🍎Health and Human Services
- 💵Money Matters
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🏠Parks and Environment updates
- 🚌Transportation
- 🗨️In the Community: Photo Gallery
- 🐶Pet Adoption Corner
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Transportation Committee:
On Tuesday, the Transportation Committee meeting received updates from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) on their study to extend bi-directional express lanes on I-95 as far south as Fredericksburg, as opposed to the current reversible express lanes that only go in one direction at a time at peak traffic hours.
Additionally, VDOT accepted feedback from our affected communities requesting that the plan to extend express lanes on the beltway east of the Springfield interchange includes space for future rail connections; that project will next proceed to the Transportation Planning Board. Together, improvements to our transportation capabilities along I-95 and I-495 will expand options for commuters, reducing congestion and air pollution.
Fairfax County transportation staff provided an update on the Active Transportation Projects Audit which included authorship of new transportation project management guidelines for staff. I support County staff's efforts to streamline our processes for transportation projects from planning phases through construction, to better serve our transportation and safety needs.
Safety and Security Committee:
Virginia HB 55, effective July 1, 2026, created a framework allowing certain Northern Virginia localities to use automated noise-abatement monitoring systems to identify and enforce vehicle exhaust violations. The law defines an exhaust violation as a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle whose exhaust exceeds 95 dBA, or otherwise violates a qualifying state/local ordinance.
How It Will Work:
- Four microphones to determine where the noise is coming from.
- A fifth microphone to measure sound pressure.
- A wide-angle camera that tracks the source of the sound.
- Two directional HD cameras that separately record passing vehicles.
- A system-generated audio/video evidence package with timestamps intended to be court-defensible.
I am in favor of this idea, but I think that one of the most important things that we need to do as a county, is informing the public about how these cameras work, and making clear that these ARE NOT ALPRs or Flock Cameras.
After the pilot, additional locations will be evaluated using calls for service and citations, input from residents/community partners, and requests from the Board of Supervisors. The initial two locations aren't necessarily the permanent locations; the County intends to use the pilot's data to determine where additional systems might be appropriate.
Economic Development:
The County is proposing a more coordinated economic-development structure involving the County's various economic-development organizations, followed by the creation of a new fund that would finance programs and individual investments designed to advance specific County economic-development goals.
The Department of Economic Initiatives gave the committee a proposal to reorganize how Fairfax County coordinates economic development and to replace the existing Economic Opportunity Reserve (ERO) with a more targeted Economic Growth Fund. The original EOR was intended to support things such as capital development, real-estate acquisition and economic-development programming, with an expectation of creating value or economic growth over roughly a 10-year period. The proposed Economic Growth Fund would be structured differently.
The presentation also built on several recent initiatives, including the Chairman's Task Forces on Housing and Economic Competitiveness, the County's review of economic-development and placemaking agencies, and efforts to better integrate tourism, community programming and public arts.
I like that individual projects that don't fit within an existing program but nevertheless advance an established economic-development goal would be evaluated on an individual rubric for these projects. This includes consideration of direct benefits such as jobs and capital investment, as well as whether the project brings in additional funding or support.
If the Board supports the proposed approach, County Staff will draft the Economic Development Framework with targeted goals, develop criteria and an evaluation rubric for unique investments, and bring those materials back to the Board for review and approval in early 2027.
| What's Happening Around Braddock? | | Let Loose at the Burke Centre Festival! | |
Saturday, September 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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You can't miss the annual Burke Centre Festival celebration this weekend! This event is an entirely free festival including live performances, games and rides, community outreach booths, an arts and crafts shows, and much, much more!
Come say hello to our office! We have a ton of swag to give away, and we'd love to share it with you!
Learn more about the festival at the link below.
| Celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 26 | Saturday, September 26: Various times | |
This Saturday, come out and join me and Congressman Walkinshaw for the unveiling of new trail signage on the Gerry Connolly Cross County trail to celebrate National Public Lands Day! Be there at 9:00 a.m. and say hello!
Since 1994, National Public Lands Day has mobilized volunteers of all ages to engage in a celebration of service and stewardship of America’s public lands. The event is the largest single-day national volunteer effort to preserve, restore, improve and enjoy America’s public lands. There will be volunteer events throughout the day, so click the link below to find out how you can help.
| Fall For the Book is Here! | Tuesday, October 6 through Saturday, October 10 | |
Fall for the Book, Northern Virginia’s oldest and largest festival of literature and the arts, returns for its 28th annual festival from October 6-10, with bestselling authors taking the stage. This festival will be located at various places around Northern Virginia, so be sure to check their website to catch your favorite author!
All events are free and open to the public, though tickets are required for some events.
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Tuesday, September 29 @ Kings Park Library:
Lifelong Learning Series - How Older Investors Can Protect Their Money
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will provide a financial literacy webinar on How Older Investors Can Protect Their Money, at Kings Park Library and on Zoom.
The briefing will include concrete steps you can take to protect your money and online identity. You can learn more about registration details at this link.
Date: Tuesday, September 29
Time: 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kings Park Meeting Room
9000 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015
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Saturday, October 3 @ Burke Centre Library:
Social Security and Retirement Policy with Professor Sita Slavov
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Join Professor Sita Slavov to learn how current Social Security laws, policies, and regulations — along with their eligibility rules and benefit options — could affect you and your family.
You can learn more here.
Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Burke Centre Meeting Room 116 and 117
5935 Freds Oak Rd, Burke, VA 22015
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🖼️Due October 5: Enter the Braddock District Art Competition
Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer, in partnership with the newly created Braddock District Arts Advisory Council and ArtsFairfax, invite emerging and established visual artists from across Braddock District to showcase their unique visions in What does joy look like?: An Intergenerational Art Contest.
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🏅Due October 9: Nominate Somebody for a Best of Braddock Award
If you know somebody making a difference, be sure to nominate them for a Best of Braddock Award. This is an exciting opportunity to recognize the changemakers and stewards of our community.
| | Closures, Delays, and Alerts: Oh My! | |
⚠️Alerts
⛔Closures
You can get traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511.vdot.virginia.gov, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.
✈️Noise Advisory
During this period, area residents and businesses in Fairfax County will experience an increase in aircraft overflights as IAD air traffic is redistributed to the two outer runways.
This projects’ anticipated runway activity and volume is fully consistent with longstanding, approved FAA-flight paths that Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has widely publicized for many years. Runways always require regular maintenance, and this center runway project is required to keep Dulles running smoothly. During this period, the Airports Authority’s Noise Information Office remains fully available to you and your constituents via (703) 417-1204.
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Create a community mural with OLLI Mason! You will get to shape a Tree of Learning Community Mural. Design feedback day is Tuesday, September 29 at 4:00 p.m., and community paint days will be October 9 and 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.!
This is your chance to get involved in public art, so don't miss the fun! You can scan the code or visit olli.gmu.edu for more information.
| Health and Human Services | |
Five Things to Know from the
2025-2026 Youth Survey
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Main takeaways:
- Over 39,000 FCPS students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 completed the 2025-2026 survey.
- Students reported strong support at home, school and in the community.
- Mental health among students has improved since 2021.
- Most students reported no substance use in the past month and substance use was lower than national averages.
Read the full report below.
| Monday, October 5: Office Hours for Small Business | |
Got a business question? Join the Entrepreneur Help Desk! Get expert advice and local resources to grow your small business. Register today!
Fairfax County’s Department of Economic Initiatives will offer one-on-one conversations for small businesses with its Director of Small & Local Business Development. This drop in session will be held at the Braddock District office and will provide tailored strategic guidance and information how to use www.fairfaxcore.com.
There is limited ability, and slots go FAST, so sign up today!
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Join Golf Fairfax and the Virginia State Golf Association for the Adaptive Golf Play Day on Friday, October 16 at Burke Lake Golf Center, for an on-course experience designed for golfers with disabilities. The Adaptive Golf Play Day offers a supportive environment, where players can transition their skills from the clinics to the course, enjoy camaraderie with fellow golfers and continue developing their game.
Click the link below to learn more!
| | Public Comment on Braddock Multimodal Improvements Extended | |
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), in cooperation with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is designing multimodal and access improvements along a three‑mile stretch of Braddock Road between Humphries Drive and Ravensworth Road, including improvements to select ramps around I-495 interchange and a half‑mile of Ravensworth Road. This project carves into four Fairfax County parks: Canterbury Woods, Howrey Field, Accotink Stream Valley, and Wakefield Parks.
VDOT is now seeking public input on two environmental documents posted on the project webpage:
For the Categorical Exclusion (CE), due September 30:
A Categorical Exclusion CE is a full environmental document that includes a comprehensive evaluation of the project limits, potential impacts, and necessary mitigation measures to minimize effects on the community and natural environment. It is an important part of the NEPA process and is used for projects that, through detailed analysis, are determined not to result in significant environmental impacts.
For the Draft Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation, due October 19:
A Draft Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation for the use of public parkland was completed because VDOT was unable to obtain preliminary concurrence for a de minimis finding (net effects are not adverse) for Section 4(f) impacts to four Fairfax County parks along Braddock Road.
Submit your written comments to Mr. Steve Varner at the address below or by e-mail to Steven.Varner@VDOT.virginia.gov. Please reference “Braddock Road Multimodal Improvements” in the subject line.
Review the environmental documents on the project webpage at https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/BraddockMultimodal or during business hours at VDOT’s Northern Virginia District Office, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. Please call ahead at 703-259-2424 or TTY/TDD 711 to make an appointment with appropriate personnel.
| In the Community: Photo Gallery | 9.19.26: Braddock District showed up and showed out to Stuff the Bus, bringing over 650 pounds of food to be donated to Britepaths! | 9.17.26: The inaugural meeting of the Braddock Arts Advisory Council. Email us if you'd like to join! | Various dates: So happy to be at local Back to School Nights! | | |
Figaroa is an affectionate and fabulous senior lady! This 18-pound black-and-white kitty came to the shelter with her housemate, Taz. They are friendly and can be adopted together or separately. Figaroa's previous owner had this to say about her:
"She's really a people person cat, more so than any I've seen. When I was selling my house, she came out and met the real estate agent on the first day. I think she'd be great for someone who could treat her right and snuggle... She likes to be held on her back with her chest being rubbed."
If these words speak to you, learn more about Figaroa and the adoption process at this link.
| | Follow Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer on
Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Bluesky, and 'X.' | | | | |
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