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I want to wish you and your loved ones a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! I hope that your holiday season is filled with the comfort and joy of family and friends.
We've had an incredible year in the Braddock District and Fairfax County and I'm grateful to the dedicated Braddock District staff who work so hard to serve you. I'm also grateful to each of you – the members of our community who work with us every day to solve problems and make progress.
2024 in Review
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In 2024, we:
- Welcomed 3,585 attendees to our Braddock Summer Entertainment Series
- Resolved more than 2,000 constituent service requests
- Performed more than 1,500 free notarizations
- Hosted 650+ attendees and dogs at Braddock Bark
- Proudly unveiled 320 new units of affordable housing in the Braddock District
- Hosted 120 attendees at our Second Annual Climate Action Conference
- Attended 34 HOA and Civic Association meetings
- Hosted 20 summer concerts
- And much, much more!
Our team remains guided by the shared mission of providing an impactful experience with your local government and making Fairfax County a more inclusive, accessible, and reliable government you can count on. As always, we are here for you and want to know how we can do even better. Please don’t hesitate to let us know what you feel we should focus on in 2025.
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This is the last Walkinshaw Advisory of 2024. An abridged Advisory will be sent out on January 2 and the January Braddock Beacon will be distributed on January 10. | |
Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw | |
Please share this newsletter with your friends and neighbors. If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive Braddock District news and updates. | |
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Continue reading below for more information on:
- County Holiday Operating Hours
- Update on Lake Accotink Dam Assessment
- SoberRide
- First Hike Photo Contest
- Christmas Tree Recycling
- LLI January Forum
- Bauer Drive/Rolling Road Meeting
- The Most Wonderful Time to Recycle
- Keep Porch Pirates at Bay
- Take the Arts Participation Survey
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County Holiday Operating Hours | |
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As we celebrate the holiday season, the Braddock District Office will be operating with reduced staffing and may not be able to fulfill all walk-in requests.
Please contact us ahead of time at (703) 425-9300 to schedule notary services between now and January 3.
The Braddock District Office's holiday hours are:
- December 23 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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December 24-25 | Closed
- December 26 | 12:00 (noon) - 5:00 p.m.
- December 27 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- December 30 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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December 31 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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January 1 | Closed
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January 2-3 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Many Fairfax County facilities and offices will also have altered hours or closures over the next few weeks due to holidays.
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Regular Collection Day → Rescheduled Collection Day
- Wednesday, December 25 → Thursday, December 26
- Thursday, December 26 → Friday, December 27
- Friday, December 27 → Saturday, December 28
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Update on Lake Accotink
Dam Assessment
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The Fairfax County Park Authority began an assessment of the Lake Accotink dam earlier this fall to evaluate its structural integrity and identify any potential maintenance and/or repair needs. The assessment of the earthen portion of the dam has been completed.
The removal of the debris from the sluice gate is now scheduled for December 30, weather permitting.
Once the debris has been removed, the lake can be lowered so divers can inspect the concrete portion of the dam. If the work must be delayed because of weather conditions, the divers will not be able to return to the site until mid-February due to previous obligations during the month of January.
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Plan ahead and practice safe driving this holiday season! If you are going out to a party, event, or family gathering and plan on drinking, make sure you are making proper accommodations for safe travel.
The Washington Regional Alcohol Program partners with Lyft to provide free and reduced-price ride-share services in the region during various holidays throughout the year. Visit SoberRide – WRAP to get your Lyft discount code.
Visit WRAP's website for more information.
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The amazingly popular First Hike Fairfax Photo Contest returns for 2025! Grab your coat and camera and join the fun on New Year’s Day along more than 334 miles of Park Authority trails.
Participation is simple. Visit any FCPA trail on January 1, 2025, take a photo to commemorate the experience, and submit it online before 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 2. The photo submission link will be posted online by 7 a.m. on January 1, 2025.
The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers. Only one photo entry per person will be accepted (multiple family members may submit photos individually).
Complete contest rules, photo submission instructions, and other information is available on the First Hike Fairfax Photo Contest website.
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Natural Christmas trees will be collected for recycling from January 6-17, 2025. Lights, decorations, and stands must be removed to ensure collection.
After January 17 you can drop your tree at the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill Complex or (if you are a County collection customer) schedule a Brush Special Pickup to have the natural Christmas tree removed.
There is a fee to recycle your tree at the disposal centers. For questions, email DPWESSWMPTrashCS@fairfaxcounty.gov or call (703) 802-3322.
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Join the Lifetime Learning Institute (LLI) of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) for their virtual January Forum on January 8, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. on Zoom. The social gathering starts at 9:30 a.m.
The January speaker is David Tucker from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will discuss efforts to protect the bay and revive wildlife.
Visit LLI's website for information on registering or email Janice Viola at admin@llinova.org with questions.
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Bauer Drive/Rolling Road Meeting | |
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In response to a high number of crashes at the intersection of Bauer Drive and Rolling Road, VDOT has proposed prohibiting left turns from Bauer Drive onto northbound Rolling Road.
A community meeting was held last Wednesday to present the plan (view the presentation). The public comment deadline is December 31, you can send an email to MeetingComments@vdot.virginia.gov with “Bauer Drive” In the subject line or send mail to:
Ms. Houda Ali, P.E.
VDOT Northern Virginia District
4975 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Visit the Bauer Drive/Rolling Road webpage for more information on the proposal.
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The Most Wonderful Time to Recycle | |
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It's always a wonderful time to recycle, especially during the holidays when there are usually more recyclable materials in our homes!
Items such as glitter-free paper holiday cards, gift bags and boxes are recyclable while plastic bubble wrap, foil wrapping paper and tissue paper are NOT recyclable. Bows and ribbons and most plastic cups and utensils are not recyclable either, so try to avoid using those items.
If you have strings of holiday lights that no longer work, you can bring those to the electronics recycling center at the I-66 Transfer Station or to the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton. For information about other items that may or may not be recyclable, please check out the County’s Recycling Wizard!
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Keep Porch Pirates at Bay | |
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As the holiday season kicks into high gear, millions of packages are shipped daily, especially after Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. With more shopping done online our homes are prime targets for porch pirates. The Fairfax County Police Department wants to help you keep your deliveries safe and secure.
Here are some tips to protect your packages:
- Track Your Shipments
- Sign up for delivery alerts to know exactly when your package is expected to arrive.
- Request Safe Delivery Locations
- Choose options like requiring a signature, delivering to a secure locker, or having a trusted neighbor pick them up if you’re not home.
- Install Security Cameras
- Cameras and doorbell systems can deter theft and help law enforcement identify suspects.
- Consider a Package Drop Box
- Lockable drop boxes provide a secure spot for deliveries.
If you become a victim of package theft, report it immediately by calling the Fairfax County Police Department’s non-emergency line at (703) 691-2131.
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Take the Arts Participation Survey | |
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Arts and culture are vital to our community.
The Fairfax County Arts Committee is seeking your views about arts and culture preferences through a survey that will help various organizations (such as ArtsFairfax) plan for and understand community needs better.
The survey will take 5-8 minutes and will inform county arts policy, resourcing and marketing efforts to assure that everyone has access to the vibrant arts scene in Fairfax County. This survey includes demographic questions, but your responses are anonymous. Read more on the County's website.
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