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This Monday, January 20, is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day of reflection and remembrance for a pioneer and pillar of the civil rights movement.
Consider taking time to honor Dr. King's values and volunteer at an event – including Volunteer Fairfax's Week of Service.
Stuff the Bus
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Fairfax County's Stuff the Bus initiative began in 2011 in response to a critical need to help restock the shelves of local food pantries after the holidays.
This collaborative program is a partnership between Fairfax County Government and local nonprofits. Now in its 14th year, Stuff the Bus continues to support food assistance efforts for families and households. Stuff the Bus has collected more than 220 tons of food to feed people experiencing food insecurity in Fairfax County since its inception.
You can help stuff the bus this Saturday, January 18, at the Huntsman Giant (7501 Huntsman Boulevard, Springfield) from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m and other locations across Fairfax County.
Winners of First Hike
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The Fairfax County Park Authority hosted their Annual First Hike Photo Contest on January 1.
Photos are collected from residents who visited a Fairfax County Park on the first day of the new year. More than 400 contestants entered the contest this year. You can view all submissions on Flickr.
I love seeing the photos from around the County, especially in Lake Accotink Park and Royal Lake Park. Two category winners photographed Lake Accotink Park!
Congratulations to Braddock's own Alison Wright for winning Best in Show (Nature and Landscapes - see left) and Thomas Kinder for winning Best in Show (Wildlife - see below)!
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This contest reminds us of the incredible parks in our County, and the range of activities offered.
I look forward to spending even more time in our parks this year, whether I'm watching my son's soccer games, enjoying a Braddock Nights concert, or running on the Gerry Connolly Cross County trail. Hope to see you and your family in our parks this year as well!
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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:
- MLK Jr. Day Events
- SSPA Process Launched
- Christmas Tree Recycling
- Submit Comments on the Royal Lake Trail Project
- National Radon Awareness Month
- Plat Copies Available to Download
- Avoid QR Code Scams
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Neighborhood Clean-Up
Make a difference in your community and join the Kings Park West neighborhood for a clean-up on Monday, January 20, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. at Lakeside Park (5216 Pommeroy Dr, Fairfax).
Trash bags and grabbers will be provided. Time spent is eligible for volunteer hours.
Contact Kelley at parks@kpwca.org or (614) 203-2132 with questions.
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Blood Drive
St. Stephen's United Methodist Church (9203 Braddock Road, Burke) will hold a blood drive on Monday, January 20, from 2:00 - 7:00 pm in their Fellowship Hall.
You're eligible to donate if you weigh at least 110 pounds, are 16 years old, are in good health, and have not donated whole blood since November 25, 2024.
The team from Inova Blood Donor Services will also have an Alyx machine available for those who wish to donate double reds. All blood types are urgently needed, so now is a good time to be a donor and give someone the "gift of life." Appointments can be made online.
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Fairfax County’s next round of the Site Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process kicked off earlier this week.
SSPA is the County’s process for giving the public a way to propose a land use change, known as a “nomination,” in the Comprehensive Plan for a single site or collection of sites.
The Comprehensive Plan guides the County's land use and development decisions and sets forth the community’s future vision. The nomination period will run until February 13, and nominations will be accepted online through PLUS, the County’s Planning and Land Use System. Read more about the SSPA on the County's website.
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Natural Christmas trees will be collected for recycling for County customers until January 17. Lights, decorations, and stands must be removed to ensure collection.
Any resident can drop off their tree at the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill Complex. If you are a County collection customer, schedule a Brush Special Pickup to have the natural Christmas tree removed after January 17.
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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Submit Comments on the Royal
Lake Trail Project
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The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is nearing the completion of the design and permitting process for several trail improvements at Royal Lake in the Braddock District. As part of the process, the Park Authority has posted the environmental documentation for a Categorical Exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act, which is required to initiate the project. The documentation is available on the Royal Lake Trail Project webpage for public review, and comments will be accepted until January 27, 2025.
FCPA has worked closely with the Royal Lake community to develop the project scope and acquire the necessary funding to initiate five trail improvement projects surrounding Royal Lake, including:
- Royal Lake Bridge Replacement: Replacement of the pedestrian bridge over Rabbit Branch on the north side of Royal Lake.
- Royal Lake to Commonwealth Boulevard Trail: Construction of a new stream valley trail connecting an existing asphalt trail north of Lakeside Park to Commonwealth Boulevard.
- Richardson Court to Lakeside Park Trail: Repaving the park entrance trail from Richardson Drive to the soccer and baseball fields at Lakeside Park.
- Royal Lake Dam to Lakepointe Drive Trail: Paving of the natural surface trail linking the asphalt trail on top of the dam to the Royal Lake Loop Trail.
- Lakeside Park Shade Structure: Installation of a fabric shade structure and updated picnic equipment near the playground. This segment of the project is currently underway and is funded separately through local funds (not federally funded).
Comments can be submitted online or mailed to:
Fairfax County Park Authority
ATTN: Elizabeth Iannetta, Park Development Division
12055 Government Center Parkway
Suite 421
Fairfax, VA 22035
For more information about this project please call (703) 324-8725, email royal-lake@publicinput.com, or visit FCPA's website.
Friends of Royal Lake had requested a set of trail improvements back in 2019. Supervisor Walkinshaw asked then-Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn in 2021 to prioritize these in the upcoming budget. This resulted in a budget amendment providing $1,000,000 to Fairfax County for trail system connections at Lake Royal Park.
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National Radon Awareness Month | |
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Did you know that homes in Fairfax County are at a high risk for indoor radon?
Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that you can’t see, taste or smell, but it can leak into homes through foundation holes and cracks and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US. Levels can vary from house to house, but by testing your home, workplace or other regularly occupied area, you can find out for sure if an indoor radon problem exists. Winter is the best time to test your home, and for Virginia residents, testing is simple and inexpensive. A radon testing kit can be purchased for just $4 from the Virginia Department of Health's website.
For more information, you can also visit the Fairfax County Health Department website or call the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-55RADON (557-2366).
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Plat Copies Available to Download | |
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Digital copies of Fairfax County residential plats and other property documents may now be downloaded from the Zoning Property File application at Zoning Property File Application. If you are unable to find a particular document through the application, you may request a copy at Plat Request.
For more information, please contact the Zoning Permits Section by phone at (703) 222-1082 or by email at DPDzoningpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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The Quick Response code, or QR code, has become a way of life in society. However, this has made it tempting for criminals to create some QR Codes of their own. You've probably seen them at gas stations, restaurants, paying for public parking, etc., and scammers are finding easy ways to hide harmful links in QR codes.
Ways to Protect Yourself:
- If you see a QR code in an unexpected place, inspect the URL before you open it.
- Don’t scan a QR code in an email or text message you weren’t expecting, especially if it urges you to act quickly.
- Verify the source of the QR code. If in doubt, go to the official website of the company or government agency “sending” you the QR code.
- Protect your phone and accounts with updated software, strong passwords and multifactor authentication.
- Install a QR scanner with added security.
- Be wary of any site that asks for personal information, login credentials or payment.
What to Do When Scammed
If you believe you have been targeted by a quishing (QR Code phishing) scam, contact the police non-emergency number at 703-691-2131. Then, file a report using the Financial Crimes Information and Online Reporting System (FiCOR). Report a Scam with FiCOR.
Read more about how this scam works and how to protect yourself.
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