Dear Neighbor,

Like many communities in the nation, Fairfax County is experiencing a shortage of educators. But, as Superintendent Reid recently shared, classroom positions are 99% filled and the work continues to fill the remaining positions. Dr. Reid will be hosting Superintendent Community Conversations across the division this fall to get to know our communities. Events are being scheduled at high schools in each pyramid. Schools will share registration information with families and employees in advance of each event. See the list of events that have been scheduled. I encourage you to attend if you have questions or concerns about the upcoming school year.

The voluntary program allows drivers of fuel-efficient vehicles to pay their highway use fee on a per-mile basis rather than as a single payment when completing their vehicle registration. The highway use fee is a fee established by the Commonwealth that only applies to fuel-efficient vehicles at registration and registration renewal.

For those drivers who join the program and drive more miles than expected, the standard annual highway use fee is the highest payment cap. So there is no risk in participating in the program. Those interested in learning more can visit the DMV’s Mileage Choice Program, and those wishing to join the program can sign up here.

Supervisor James Walkinshaw

Supervisor Walkinshaw is excited to host the final weekend of the 2022 series of Braddock Nights Concerts and Children’s Arts in the Parks! Every event includes a free raffle where two audience members can win a Summer Entertainment Series t-shirt! Arrive by the start of the event to get a raffle ticket.

Across Fairfax County, residents are welcome to visit indoor locations during operating hours to stay cool during extreme heat situations. In addition to shopping malls, stores or movie theaters, you may consider cooling off at one of the many county facilities designated as Cooling Centers, including:

You are encouraged to first check that locations are open before you arrive and an interactive map is available to plan your visit.

Many residents from across the Braddock District have called Supervisor Walkinshaw's office and the Department of Tax Administration (DTA) to express their frustration with the 2022 personal property tax. Vehicle assessments are at an unprecedented level, as a result of the rising value of used cars and a market which has overvalued existing inventory during a major supply chain shortage in parts such as microchips that are necessary for the manufacture of new cars. In response to the abnormal uptick in vehicle values, the Board of Supervisors adopted a measure to decrease the vehicle assessment by 15%. Despite this step, many residents still faced steep increases. Roughly 90% of vehicles saw their value increase this year compared to just 12% in 2021. At the same time, the state vehicle tax subsidy, which has been capped since 2007, went down 8 percent.

To get a better understanding of the vehicle tax and what options may be available to you for relief, residents are encouraged to review DTA’s FAQ page. If you believe your assessment is inaccurate, there is an appeal process.

In August, Fairfax County will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the conversion of the Lake Accotink site into the outdoor recreational gem that it is today! Join the Friends of Lake Accotink Park (FLAP), Supervisor James Walkinshaw, and the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) in celebrating this beautiful mainstay of our Braddock District community.

If you are available to help FLAP and FCPA celebrate this momentous occasion, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities and shifts throughout the day! Sign up here to join FLAP's corps of volunteers, and you will receive a t-shirt for your time and help during the celebration.

Inova Blood Donor Services has indicated that it has only a two-day inventory of blood available and is asking for your help. Donations and inventory have not dipped this low since January, when the American Red Cross declared its first ever national blood crisis. Blood donations typically drop over the summer. To find a blood drive near you, visit the Inova Blood Donation page.

Starting this week, adults 18 years of age and older who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine and are interested in getting one can now make an appointment for the recently authorized Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted. Due to limited availability, Novavax will only be offered by appointment.

You can schedule an appointment at the Fairfax County Government Center or the Fairfax County South County Hyland Center vaccination clinics by visiting www.vaccines.gov or by calling the COVID-19 call center at 703-324-7404. Novavax is administered as a two-dose primary series, three weeks apart. More information on the COVID-19 vaccine is available at the Fairfax County Emergency Blog.

Since the BA.5 variant of COVID-19 became the dominant strain in the United States, many are wondering what resources are available in Fairfax. If you are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, effective treatment is available that can prevent illness from becoming worse, leading to hospitalization and death.

Fairfax residents continue to be encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine and stay up-to-date on their boosters. If you are eligible for a vaccination or a booster, please visit the federal resource page for COVID-19 vaccines or book an appointment through the Fairfax County Health Department. Vaccines are available to all individuals over 6 months of age.

If you tested positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed, it is important to take the steps recommended by the Fairfax County Health Department to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in your family and in the community.

Check the most up-to-date COVID figures at the Virginia Department of Health website.

Thursdays 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Sundays 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Receive free at-home tests from the Postal Service.

Receive free vision-impaired at-home tests from the Postal Service.

Check your at-home tests for their extended expiration date.

As Monkeypox has become of greater concern to Fairfax County residents in the past weeks, the County has released resources and information on the Monkeypox virus. The Fairfax County Health Department is working with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and with other local public health agencies to respond to outbreaks of monkeypox occurring in the U.S. and in other countries.

According to the CDC and FCHD, monkeypox is a disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Disease can spread through close contact including: