Tonight, Thursday, February 10, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Supervisor Rodney Lusk and I will host a Virtual Lake Accotink Dredging Meeting alongside the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), and the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA).

Tomorrow's Black History Month Program

Join Fairfax County as we continue celebrating Black History Month. Tomorrow, Friday, February 11, from 7:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m., explore the past, present, and future as Fairfax County honors the Black Community with a special program featuring remarks by county officials and local leaders. The event will include performers and recognition of community initiatives. The program can be viewed on Channel 16 or via live stream. If you miss the live stream, you can view it on-demand beginning Monday, February 14.

Remember to submit your comments on the Braddock Road Multimodal Improvements Project before Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Residents and those who travel through the Braddock Road corridor are asked to provide input on the design options via an online survey either in English, Spanish, or Vietnamese.

As a reminder, on January 13, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) presented alternative concepts for three major intersections along the Braddock Road corridor: Rolling Road, Wakefield Chapel Road/Danbury Forest Drive, and Burke Lake Road. Anyone who would like to review the meeting recording can watch the video below. You can also view the project slideshow.

You can also find more detailed information on page 15 of the February Braddock Beacon newsletter.

Continue reading below for more information on:

Supervisor James Walkinshaw

Braddock District Supervisor Walkinshaw and Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk will host a virtual meeting to gather public input and present updates on the alternative analysis to residents regarding the Lake Accotink Dredging Project. This meeting is a follow-up to provide information on the options presented at past community meetings.

Public meetings were held in July and August 2021 to present the findings of the dredging alternatives analysis report prepared by the county’s consultant Arcadis. The report details options available for the location of dredge staging and sediment processing, and the placement of temporary pipelines. Arcadis has conducted further analysis of the preferred alternatives, and two additional alternatives were evaluated at industrial parks on Port Royal Road and Southern Drive.

The next step is to encourage the community to review and comment on the new information and selection of options for the dredging operation.

A public meeting (virtual) will take place tonight, Thursday, February 10, 2022, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Visit the Lake Accotink Dredging website for more information.

The public comment period is from Thursday, February 10 through Friday, March 11, 2022. Comments on the report may be submitted at the public meetings, via email to F515@Publicinput.com, or by U.S. mail to Fairfax County DPWES, Lake Accotink Dredging, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 449, Fairfax, VA 22035.

The Lake Accotink Dredging website has further information about the project, including details about previous meetings, which can be viewed under the Presentations to the Community section.

The program will include community leaders, guest speakers, and entertainers who will explore the past, present, and future while honoring the Black community in Fairfax County.

The program can be viewed on Channel 16 or via live stream. If you miss the live stream, you can view on-demand beginning Monday, February 14.

An online community survey was conducted in November and December on the Audrey Moore RECenter Renovation and Expansion Project. The survey report can be accessed by using this link.

The Audrey Moore Rec Center Expansion and Renovation project team invites the community to provide further comments on the survey results, including Rec Center usage and desired improvements. Comments will be accepted until March 2, 2022.

If you would like to submit comments after reviewing the survey report, use this link and send your thoughts.

Inova Blood Donor Services will host a blood drive at the Burke VFRD Station (9501 Old Burke Lake Road, Burke VA 22015) and would like to ask you to donate blood. There is no substitute for blood; it can only come from a volunteer blood donor.

Currently, less than 38% of our population is eligible to donate blood. If you are eligible to donate blood, click on the link to make your appointment today.

 Donating blood is safe, simple and only takes about one hour.

The Braddock District Land Use and Environment Committee will hold a joint virtual meeting with the Braddock District Council on Tuesday, February 15, at 7:00 p.m. The agenda will include:

• Information about the current sign regulations, enforcement of complaints, and an opportunity to share thoughts with zoning staff about what changes should be considered in the Signs Part II Zoning Ordinance Amendment

• A staff presentation and discussion on a Comprehensive Plan amendment regarding locating residential uses in areas with airport noise between the 60 and 65 DNL airport noise contours

• Updates and discussion on pending Braddock District land use cases.

Braddock District Land Use and Environment Committee meetings are open to the public and interested residents are encouraged to participate.

Join online or by phone: (571) 429-5982, Phone Conference ID: 730 922 969#.

The public comment period for Metro's Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget is officially open, and Metro's Board of Directors wants the public’s input. Metro is encouraging the public to share feedback before the comment period ends at 5:00 p.m. next Tuesday, February 15.

The FY23 budget focuses on providing safe, reliable and affordable transit service to the region. The budget takes into account the planned launch of Metrorail service to six new Silver Line stations, expanding Metro access to Dulles Airport and beyond, and the opening of Potomac Yard Station on the Yellow and Blue lines.

The budget proposals also include a number of service improvements on Metrobus and Metrorail, fare changes to provide better value to riders, and a $2.3 billion capital budget to continue aggressive construction and rehabilitation projects that are foundational for safe and reliable service.

A summary of key proposals can be found on WMATA's website, with full information about the proposals and ways to provide feedback available on WMATA's website.

Note: Due to the ongoing 7000-series railcar investigation, Metro customers can expect reduced rail service levels in early 2022. Service improvements would go into effect after 7000-series railcars return to service. Updates can be found here.

Fairfax County invites you to take INOVA's Northern Virginia Community Health Assessment, a 4 minute, anonymous survey to help identify the most pressing health-related needs in the community. Your input will inform ongoing efforts to deliver accessible quality care throughout the region.

The survey is available in 9 languages.

The annual Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District seedling sale will open Tuesday, March 1, 2022! These species were selected because of their value to native bees, but they also serve as valuable food sources for wildlife. All species are native to Virginia.

• TREE-mendous Flowers ($15) includes two each of the following species: American Hornbeam, Canadian Serviceberry, and Winterberry Holly.

• Un-BEE-lievable Blooms ($15) include two each of the following: False Indigobush, Eastern Redbud, and Silky willow.

Visit Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District to learn more about these plants and view photographs of the selections.

Using native plants in your home landscape can attract wildlife, protect water and air quality, conserve energy, and reduce carbon emissions. The program is offered in partnership with Fairfax County’s Urban Forestry Management Division and the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Potomac Work Area.

Payment can be made by credit card to the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. Pre-payment is required. To order online, visit the Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District. Orders must be picked up on Friday, April 1, or Saturday, April 2, 2022, at the Sleepy Hollow Bath and Racquet Club in Falls Church, or they will be donated to a reforestation project in Fairfax County.

For more information, contact the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District at conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov.

The Fairfax County Park Authority just opened registration for spring classes. Despite an enormous number of available classes to choose from, there are limited spaces available in our facilities, so timely registration via Parktakes Online is recommended to reserve your spot. Over 40% of summer camps sold out on the first day of registration.

Spring classes mark a return to the outdoors with programs at Rec Centers, nature centers, historic sites, lakefront parks, golf courses and schools. Virtual classes are available for those who prefer or cannot attend in person. Classes are available for infants through senior adults with thousands of programs to choose from.

From learn-to-swim classes to astronomy, from fitness to fishing, from golf to sewing, the Park Authority has something for everyone. Choose from skill-development in sports, explore new interests such as cooking or dance, or choose from over 100 outdoor recreation and nature offerings at our lakefront parks. Just in time for your future Olympians, enjoy ice skating classes for all ages and levels.

New, exciting classes available this spring include Comic Cartooning. Creating Comics, Paper Quilling Greeting Cards, Furniture Rehab. Explore science with classes, including NASA Space Discovery, Slime Time, Science Potions & Explosions, or sports offerings, such as Small Goal Soccer, Speed, Agility & Quickness, Sports Movement & Speed. Get on track for a healthy new year with Kettlebell Training, TRX Training, Active Living Weight Management, Stay Active/Independent for Life-Standing, and Balance and Beyond classes.

Check out Parktakes Online for a complete listing of classes or browse through Parktakes Magazine online. Take advantage of early-bird registration. Register for classes and Spring Break camps by February 11, 2022 and get $8 off each class and camp session.

Keep in mind you can register with confidence knowing that you can receive a full refund for any program should offerings change due to COVID-19 restrictions. For more information, call the registration hotline at (703) 222-4664 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.