Dear Neighbor,

Since last month's tragic crash on Burke Centre Parkway, I've heard from many of you with questions about speed enforcement and suggestions for improving safety at the intersection where the crash occurred.

To address those questions and to provide the community with an opportunity to share their experiences and ideas for improving safety on Burke Centre Parkway, I am hosting a virtual community meeting with representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT), and the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD).

FCPD will update the community on its recent traffic enforcement initiatives and VDOT will share its process and timeline for evaluating potential design changes to the intersection where the crash occurred. Your feedback is key, and I hope you can join us.

The virtual meeting will be on Tuesday, August 15 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Join here or call in at (571)429-5982 Conference ID: 747 680 291#

Free Back-to-School Immunizations

The Health Department is offering free childhood and school required immunizations for children during the month of August and is offering additional clinic appointments and expanded clinic hours.

You must call (703) 246-7100 to make an appointment.

View a quick guide for school and daycare minimum immunization requirements in Virginia with breakdowns for each grade or learn more about school required immunizations from the Virginia Department of Health.

Check out the County Health Department’s website for more information on their free immunizations for children and more about the vaccines recommended for each age group.

Ready Fairfax

This week's weather highlighted the importance of emergency preparedness.

Ready Fairfax is a Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMS) preparedness program designed to educate and empower community members to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, including natural and human-caused disasters.

They offer a Community Emergency Response Guide in English, Spanish, Korean, Arabic, Mandarin, and Vietnamese for a multitude of emergencies from natural disasters to cyber-attacks and community emergencies. I encourage you to keep a copy of this guide and check out Ready Fairfax's website to keep you, your family, and your community ready for anything.

Stay alert by:

• Subscribing to Fairfax Alerts or Mason Alert

Fairfax Alerts is a system that shares County Emergency Alerts, you can choose to subscribe to other alerts and reminders including traffic alerts, river watch, tax reminders + more

• Registering for Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department's Community Connect

Platform for families and businesses to share critical information to aid Fairfax County's first responders and emergency response personnel

• Visiting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Alert page for Fairfax County when severe weather is expected
• Following DEMS' Emergency Blog
• Checking out Fairfax County's Operating Status

Other important resources include:

• Who to contact about downed trees and wires
• Guide to tornado preparedness and thunderstorm preparedness
• EnviroFlash - the US Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality notification system
• ReadyFairfax's Facebook and Twitter

Additionally, September is National Preparedness Month! If you are interested in spreading the word about emergency preparedness to your community, consider joining the Emergency Management Volunteer Corps.

Yours in service,

Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw

Please share the newsletter with your friends and neighbors. If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive Braddock District news & updates.

Continue reading below for more information on:

• This Week's Braddock District Summer Entertainment Series Performers
• Crane Removal at One University
• Virtual Public Meeting for FCDOT Transportation Alternatives Funding
• LDS Deck Details Boot Camp
• Meeting of the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink Postponed to August 14
• Proposed Outdoor Dining Zoning Ordinance Amendment Meeting
• FCPD Offers Free Home Security Assessments
• Election Officers Needed for November 7 General Election
• FCPD Traffic Safety Initiatives
• Invasive Species Spotted in Northern VA
• Nominate a Citizen of the Month!
• Request a Mason Speaker for Your Next Event

This Week's Braddock District Summer Entertainment Series Performers

8/11 - Royal Lake: Memphis Gold

Memphis Gold has come a long way on a journey that has lasted half a century. Having released four full length albums to date, he has shared the stage billing with such artists as James Brown, Louisiana Red, The Temptations,

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic All Stars, Little Jimmy King, David Banner, and many more.

Nine international tours and several festivals worldwide have brought Memphis Gold’s high energy blues to audiences internationally. The blues world continues to discover and love the music of Memphis Gold. Living Blues Magazine, the oldest authoritative Blues Magazine in America placed him on the cover in 2009, and Gibson Guitars recognized him by awarding a custom guitar and endorsement. His music can be found on BB King’s Bluesville on XM Radio, Comcast Music on Demand, and radio stations throughout the world.

8/11 - Lake Accotink: Swingology

Swingology is a DC-area band performing hot jazz, bossa nova, manouche, swing and traditional jazz. You will hear violin, guitars, bass, accordion and may feel you’re at Parisian cafe or Prohibition era speakeasy.

8/12 - Wakefield Park: Rocknoceros

Rocknoceros has entertained tens of thousands of fans around the country, performing at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and the Kennedy Center. Since its inception in 2005, Rocknoceros has won nine Washington Area Music Awards and has found its way into the hearts and homes of music-lovers of all ages.

All performances are held outdoors, bring lawn chairs/blankets. In case of inclement weather, call the concert hotline at (703) 324-7469 before leaving home.

Cancellations are posted one hour prior to show time. Follow Supervisor Walkinshaw on social media for updates on cancellations as well.

Crane Removal at One University

This Saturday, August 12, beginning at 9:00 a.m., contractors will be removing a crane from the central portion of the One University building site adjacent to the George Mason University campus. This will have traffic impacts on the immediate area.

The removal will take several hours and will block the northern curb lane on University Drive just west of Route 123, near Mason’s Field House. Drivers should expect brief stoppages to allow sections of the crane to be safely loaded onto flat-bed trucks. Flaggers will be present to help control traffic.  

Please prepare if you plan on traveling near Mason’s campus on Saturday.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public input meeting on projects to be submitted for FY25 Transportation Alternatives (TA) grant funding, including Lake Braddock Secondary School's 'Safe Routes to School' project.

The grant program invests in community-based projects that expand non-motorized travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historical and environmental aspect of the transportation infrastructure. 

The virtual meeting will be held Wednesday, August 16, at 6:00 p.m. At the meeting, County staff will give a presentation about the program, followed by a Q and A session.

To attend the meeting, join online or call in by phone (571) 429-5982 | Access Code: 726415250#

LDS Deck Details Boot Camp

Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) will offer an in-person Deck Details Boot Camp on August 15 from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. at the Herrity Building (12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax). Register here.

This training, presented by Residential Building Plan Reviewer Kyle Kratzer, will walk contractors and homeowners through Typical Deck Details, a document that serves as a pre-approved architectural plan for building decks in Fairfax County. Use of the county’s Typical Deck Details expedites the permitting process. Deck details are now available in seven additional languages: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

If you have questions about this training or would like to request an interpreter, contact Mary Mulrenan by email or call (703) 324-2743 TTY 711. You can also visit LDS’ website to read more about the boot camp or sign up for the September 25 session.

Meeting of the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink Postponed to August 14

The meeting of the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink scheduled for August 7 was postponed due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for Monday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m. in Conference Room 11 at the Government Center. The agenda includes a presentation on the Lake Barcroft dredging program and a presentation from the Fairfax County Park Authority on managed wetlands. Following that, the Task Force will break into subcommittees to begin their work. 

Meetings are open to the public and interested community members are welcome to attend to observe the Task Force's work or livestream the meeting on Channel 16. A recording of the July 24 meeting is available here. Updates on the Task Force can be found on the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink webpage.

Proposed Outdoor Dining Zoning Ordinance Amendment Meeting

Are you interested in learning more about the County's proposed outdoor dining regulations?

Join County staff at an upcoming virtual community meeting on Tuesday, August 15 at 3:00 p.m. to learn more.

Agenda items include an overview of the proposed regulations, along with discussion and time for questions and comments to be addressed. Links to join the meetings are included on the Outdoor Dining website under "Upcoming Meetings." A cover memo and draft text have been released and are available for public review. 

FCPD Offers Free Home

Security Assessments

The Fairfax County Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit's officers offer free home security assessments.

The officers review landscaping, security cameras, and lighting. You can set up an appointment for an assessment by contacting your local district station.

The Fairfax County Office of Elections needs election officers countywide for the November 7 General Election and the 2024 elections. Compensation begins at $250, and training is provided online and in-person for new officers.

Learn more about serving as a Fairfax County election officer or apply today.

There is a high demand for bilingual Virginia voters who speak Vietnamese or Korean to serve in the Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church areas. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment. More information on serving as a language election officer can be found on the County's Office of Elections website.

FCPD Traffic Safety Initiatives

'Safe July Initiative'

Throughout July, the Fairfax County's Police Department's (FCPD) officers participating in the Summer Crime Prevention Initiative hit the streets and took over 30 impaired drivers off the roadways of Fairfax County. Their efforts brought over 600 traffic charges to offenders displaying unsafe driving behavior, putting the community at risk on roads.

The department deployed officers from all eight district stations and teamed up with the DWI Enforcement Squad to achieve this goal. Crime analysts identified areas of concern and informed the deployment of these officers to specific locations across the County to prevent, deter, and take impaired drivers off the road.

As FCPD maintains the program through August, the coordinated efforts to reduce crime through strategic prevention and focused enforcement will continue to evolve and improve. Initiatives like these are vital to ensuring Fairfax County community members are safe and informed. FCPD is at the forefront of implementing strategic crime prevention tactics, and the success of these programs is demonstrated daily through the notable data trends.

Revving Up Road Safety

FCPD Motors and Patrol officers participated in a High Visibility Enforcement (HIVE) initiative — a program to deter and change dangerous traffic behaviors on Fairfax County roads – across the County towards the end of July.

The goal for HIVE was clear: make the roadways of Fairfax County as safe as possible.

This coordinated and targeted enforcement effort aimed to identify aggressive drivers and address hazardous driving behaviors. It is part of FCPD's ongoing commitment to reducing crashes and enhancing safety on roadways.

Traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility. FCPD reminds drivers to:

• Put the phone down and go hands-free.
• Avoid distractions.
• Be mindful of crosswalks and pedestrians.
• Share the road with bicyclists.
• Yellow means “slow down” and red means “stop.”
• Don’t speed.
• Allow ample time to get to your destination.
• Keep your eyes and mind on the road.

Road Shark's Final Wave Completed

FCPD successfully wrapped up their fourth and final 'Road Shark' campaign - partnering with Virginia State Police Troopers to issue almost 25,000 speeding citations and warnings to dangerous drivers on the roadways of Fairfax County.

For the last few months, officers and troopers around the County have been working to educate and ticket drivers exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors. The Road Shark campaign has proven to have a positive impact throughout the County, which has resulted in hundreds of Driving While Intoxicated arrests.

During wave 4, officers issued over 9,850 citations and warnings. This campaign has resulted in nearly 25,000 citations and warnings being issued, with over 1,300 having been for reckless driving on the roadways.

In conjunction with FCPD’s 2023 Monthly Traffic Safety campaigns, Road Shark has been an integral part of their approach to keeping community members safe in Fairfax County. Road Shark has contributed to the overall year-to-date reduction in crashes and a year-to-date increase in DWI arrests. There has also been a 55% decrease in fatal crashes in Fairfax County so far this year.

The Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima, is a non-native species imported from China in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The tree matures rapidly, spreads aggressively, and is particularly damaging to ecosystems because it poisons the soil around its roots, thereby preventing native trees and plants from growing nearby.  

In addition, this tree is a preferred food source for the invasive Spotted Lanternfly! So what can you do?

If you find the tree on your property, please take steps to remove it. It will only grow back if you simply cut it down, so be sure to kill it by destroying the root system with poison. Learn more about the safe and effective removal of this invasive on Plant NOVA Trees' website.

Spotted lanternfly identification information with links to the quarantine area can be found on the County's website. Keep an eye out for spotted lanternfly in Fairfax and report sightings with photos and address to ReportSLF@fairfaxcounty.gov or to (703) 324-5304. The popular mobile app, iNaturalist, is an effective and efficient method for reporting a SLF sighting.

Do you know someone who lives in the Braddock District who exemplifies selflessness, displays a love for their community, has a passion for serving others, or volunteers their time to better the Braddock District?

Nominate them today to be recognized in Supervisor Walkinshaw's monthly newsletter, The Braddock Beacon.

The nomination deadline for September Citizen of the Month is Friday, August 25, at 11:59 p.m.

Contact the Braddock District Office if you have any questions.

Request a Mason Speaker for

Your Next Event

Need an expert to deliver a presentation to your community organization or business? Check out Mason Speakers, a speaking bureau featuring nearly 100 George Mason University professors, researchers, and administrators.

Mason Speakers provide lectures and guest presentations to community organizations and businesses free of charge on a variety of topics. Learn more about Mason Speakers.