May 29, 2020
Dear Neighbor,

As we communicated earlier this week, Northern Virginia entered Phase 1 of Governor Northam's plan to reopen Virginia today. During Phase 1, restaurants can operate with outdoor seating at 50% capacity, non-essential retail stores can operate at 50% capacity, and places of worship can operate at 50% capacity. You can read the complete Phase 1 guidelines here.

One of the keys to continuing to reopen safely will be expanding our capacity to conduct contact tracing to stop the chain of transmission of the virus. That's why I'm very happy that the Fairfax County Department of Health announced plans to hire 400 additional contact tracers. Anyone interested in applying for a position can learn more here.

Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance that temporarily allows restaurants and fitness centers to expand their operations into parking lots at 50% of their normal capacity. This ordinance will give many of our restaurants the ability to serve their customers in a safe and socially-distanced way.

The Fairfax County Park Authority and Fairfax County Public Schools also announced that athletic fields are open for unpermitted use. Walk-on use is allowed during regular hours as long as groups follow CDC guidelines to limit group size to 10 or fewer and practice social distancing. Thanks to our Braddock District School Board Member Megan McLaughlin for pushing to make this happen in a coordinated way.

Unfortunately, the Memorial Day weekend reopening of our outdoor park facilities and parking lots did not go as well as it should have. While many patrons followed the rules and CDC guidelines, others did not. There were reports of large group gatherings, violations of social distancing guidelines, and violations of park rules. At Lake Accotink Park, there were numerous instances of people wading or swimming in the lake, which is against the rules and, more importantly, unsafe.

So we need your help to encourage all park users to recreate responsibly. I hope you'll share this graphic with your neighborhood and community groups.

Continue reading for more information on:

  • Governor Northam's Executive Order Requiring Face Coverings
  • SCC Seeking Comment on Utility Service Disconnections
  • CVS Drive-Thru Testing Centers
  • Library Curbside Pickup Update
  • July Summer Concert Cancellation
  • Fairfax RISE Grant Program
  • Grocery and Pharmacy Pick Up Program Continues
  • June 16 Deadline to Request Absentee Ballot

Yours in service,
Supervisor James Walkinshaw
Governor Northam COVID-19 Update
From the Office of Governor Ralph Northam:

Science shows us that face coverings can help stop the spread of the virus. That is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing cloth face coverings, even those made from household items or common materials in public settings.All patrons in the Commonwealth aged ten and over shall when entering, exiting, traveling through, and spending time inside the settings listed below cover their mouth and nose with a face covering, as described and recommended by the CDC:

1. Personal care and personal grooming businesses, including but not limited to, beauty salons, barbershops, spas, massage centers, tanning salons, tattoo shops, and any other location where personal care or personal grooming services are provided.

2. All brick and mortar retail businesses, including both essential and non-essential brick and mortar retail businesses, as delineated in Amended Executive Order 61 and Amended Order of Public Health Emergency Three (2020).

3. Food and beverage establishments, including but not limited to, restaurants, dining establishments, food courts, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, and farmers markets, when permitted to reopen for indoor dining.

4. Entertainment or recreation businesses, including but not limited to, racetracks, historic horse racing facilities, theaters, performing arts centers, concert venues, museums, and other indoor entertainment centers, bowling alleys, skating rinks, arcades, amusement parks, trampoline parks, fairs, arts and craft facilities, aquariums, zoos, escape rooms, public and private social clubs, and all other places of indoor public amusement, once permitted to reopen to the public. Face coverings shall also be required when patrons are outdoors at these businesses if a distance of six feet from every other person cannot be maintained.

5. Train stations, bus stations, and intrastate public transportation, including buses, rideshares, trains, taxis, and cars for hire, as well as any waiting or congregating areas associated with boarding public transportation. This requirement shall not apply in any area under federal jurisdiction or control.

6. Any other indoor place shared by groups of people who are in close proximity to each other. This restriction does not apply to persons while inside their residence or the personal residence of another. Face coverings may be removed to participate in a religious ritual.

7. State or local government buildings when accessed for the purpose of securing public services, with the exception of students in daycare centers or participating in-person classes in K-12 education or institutions of higher education.

B. Face Coverings Required-Employees of Essential Retail Businesses
All employees of essential retail businesses as listed in Amended Executive Order 61 and Amended Order of Public Health Emergency Three (2020), section C, paragraph 1 shall wear a face covering whenever working in customer facing areas. Amended Executive Order 61 and Amended Order of Public Health Emergency Three (2020) is so further amended.

Click here to read the full press release.
SCC Seeking Public Comments
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is offering the opportunity for public comments regarding its orders suspending utility service disconnections for non-payment of bills because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.

In April, the SCC extended its suspension order for an additional 30 days, to June 15, 2020. In that extension order, the SCC warned that the costs of unpaid utility bills eventually are borne by other utility customers, many of whom may themselves be struggling to pay bills during the economic crisis.

The Commission requests commenters to address several specific questions:

  • Should the mandatory moratorium on utility service disconnections currently in place be extended beyond June 15, 2020? If so, for how long?

  • If the commenter advocates extending the mandatory moratorium on service disconnections indefinitely or for a significant period beyond June 15, please identify the programs and mechanisms, public or private, that will provide sufficient funding to ensure that costs of unpaid utility bills are defrayed and will not result in even higher costs on other utility customers.

  • Should the mandatory moratorium on service disconnections be replaced on June 15 (or some specific later date) with voluntary measures by utilities to reduce or avoid service disconnections, such as offering extended payment plans with no late fees and/or waivers of reconnection charges?

Deadline to submit public comments is June 5.

Click here to submit public comments.
39 CVS Drive-Thru Testing Centers
39 CVS Pharmacy locations in Virginia have added drive-thru COVID-19 testing center, including the 7205 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA; 3921 Prosperity Avenue, Fairfax, VA; and 10090 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax, VA locations.

COVID-19 testing will be available to eligible individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to age guidelines. A physician’s referral is not required.

Patients will need to pre-register, provide their insurance information as appropriate and verify their eligibility for testing. Once they have registered, the patient will be provided with an appointment window for that same day or up to two days out. Results should be provided within three days.

Click here to register and find a location near you.
Public Library Curbside Pickup Update
Fairfax County Public Library’s Contactless Curbside Service program begins Monday, June 1. 

Curbside Pickup hours at all branches are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
 
To pick up your holds, please park in the designated area of your library’s lot and call the branch phone number. Provide your library card number to staff on the phone and remain in your car until your holds have been deposited on the pickup table and library staff have returned to the building. 
 
You may request a particular book or a grab bag based on your reading preferences by calling the branch. Contacting the library with requests ahead of time will provide a faster pickup experience.
 
All returned library materials should be deposited in the library’s book drop. Do not return library materials to staff or the pickup tables. 
July Summer Concerts Cancelled
We are sorry to report that The Fairfax County Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series will be canceled through July due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. FCPA-sponsored Fourth of July events have been canceled as well. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health-related guidelines continue to recommend against large gatherings. Click here t o learn more.
Fairfax RISE Grant Program Update
The RISE Grant Program application period is set for June 8 - 15. Reminder emails will be sent out Monday, June 1 to notify interested individuals on the updated schedule.

The grant program’s primary purpose is to provide immediate relief to small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fairfax County hopes to help small businesses and organizations remain in business through the COVID-19 emergency and address gaps that may exist among complementary programs.

Department of Economic Initiatives will send a second email reminder on June 8 to remind interested parties on the grant program application opening.
All microloan applicants will be emailed as well.

Click here to learn more and register to receive email reminders.
Grocery and Pharmacy Pick Up Program
In response to the increasing needs of COVID-19, Fairfax County Health Department Neighbor to Neighbor Program has launched a grocery shopping and pharmacy pick-up service for county residents age 60+ who need this service.
To Request Shopping and Pharmacy Pick-Up

Contact

Fairfax County Aging, Disability & Caregiver Resource Line
703-324-7948

Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Shopping and Pharmacy Pick-up Program is provided in partnership with Fairfax Fire and Rescue and the Department of Family Service.

Service is provided free by vetted and background checked volunteers and will be provided to private residences. Financial assistance is available to those who are eligible. The service will not be provided to long term care retirement communities, assisted living, nursing homes, group homes or other facilities.
Upcoming Elections
JUNE 23, 2020 PRIMARY ELECTIONS

On Election Day Polls Are Open From 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

GENERAL INFORMATION


CANDIDATES

Republican Primary Election - Member, United States Senate
  • Daniel M. Gade
  • Thomas A. Specialle II
  • Alissa A. Baldwin
Democratic Primary Election - Member, United States House of Representatives, 11th Congressional District
  • Gerald E. "Gerry" Connolly
  • Zainab M. Mohsini

NOTE: Due to COVID-19, all voters are eligible and strongly encouraged to vote absentee. When requesting a mail in ballot, people can use 2A as the reason for the request.   Click  here  to request a ballot.

You can also access printable applications  here. Additionally, the courts have determined that the witness signature is not required if you have concerns that it would require your coming into contact with others under during the pandemic.
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