|
Soren is a rising junior at the University of Maryland studying Environmental Science & Policy. She is a graduate of West Springfield High School. Her interests in learning more about the County and gaining experience with local policy are what drew her to apply to our office. Her favorite part about the internship is engaging with residents because she gets to discover what issues matter to them most. She looks forward to returning to College Park in a few weeks.
Charlotte is a rising freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she plans to study Political Science, Economics, & Journalism. Earlier this summer, she graduated from Robinson Secondary School. She applied to our internship to learn more about the County government and to strengthen her communications skills. Her favorite parts of the internship were writing our newsletters and touring different County facilities to learn how they all work together. She is excited to go off to Chapel Hill to start college later this month.
We've been incredibly fortunate to have them both and look forward to seeing the great things these ladies accomplish!
| | 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. | | |
Continue reading below for more information on:
- Safety Advisory: Lake Accotink Blue-Green Algae Bloom
- Early Voting for September 9 Special Election
- Environmental Excellence Award Nominations Due on August 8
- FCPS Military Families BBQ
- Centering the Voices of African American Dementia Caregivers Session
- Swimming Safety Tips
- Taste of Annandale is September 20
- Seven Braddock District Organizations to Receive ArtsFairfax Grants
- Fall Enrollment is Open for the Mason Community Arts Academy
- Pet Adoption Spotlight: Diva!
| | Safety Advisory: Lake Accotink Blue-Green Algae Bloom | | |
Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) has identified a blue-green algae bloom in the lake at Lake Accotink Park. While these blooms are normal for this time of year and typically clear up with passing rainstorms, higher concentrations of certain blue-green algae can produce toxins that pose serious health risks to people and animals.
FCPA is actively coordinating with the Virginia and Fairfax County Departments of Health to confirm the presence of toxins in the water. In the meantime, please remember that swimming and wading in the lake is not allowed at any time per FCPA rules. Avoid direct contact with the water and do not allow your children or pets to touch or drink water from the lake.
Please check the Park Alerts webpage for updates before visiting Lake Accotink Park and look for any Virginia Department of Health signs.
| | Early Voting for September 9 Special Election | | |
Early voting for the September 9, 2025, Special Election for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District is underway. In-person early voting will continue through Saturday, September 6.
You can register to vote or update your registration by Tuesday, September 2.
For those planning to vote by mail, remember to apply to vote by mail by Friday, August 29. Additionally, mail-in ballots must be postmarked by September 9.
| | |
Early voting in-person is currently available at two locations:
- Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax)
- Weekday hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday hours (August 30, September 6): 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston)
- Weekday hours: 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday hours (August 30, September 6): 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
On Friday, August 29, nine additional early voting locations will open, including Burke Centre Library (5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke) and West Springfield Government Center (6140 Rolling Road, Springfield). The Office of Elections' website has a list of early voting locations, operating hours, and detailed information on early voting.
All regular polling places will be open for voting on Tuesday, September 9, from 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. More information about voting is available on the Office of Elections' website.
| | Environmental Excellence Award Nominations Close August 8 | | |
The nominations for the Environmental Excellence Awards close August 8th!
Please consider nominating an individual, student, county employee, business, or organization within Fairfax County and recognize their outstanding leadership, dedication, and impact in advancing and supporting the county's environmental goals.
Each year, the Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Awards recognize individuals, organizations, businesses, and county employees who:
- Advance or support the county's environmental goals and policy statements
- Dedicate personal time and expertise beyond normal fiscal or civic responsibilities
- Demonstrate leadership as a role model for others
The Environmental Excellence Awards are administered by the Environmental Quality Advisory Council with support from the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC). If you have questions about the awards or the nomination process, please contact the OEEC at (703) 324-7136, TTY 711.
To submit a nomination, please complete the online form by August 8.
| | FCPS Military Families BBQ | | |
FCPS is excited to welcome all new and returning military-connected families with students to a special BBQ to kick off the new school year.
Join the FCPS Military Families BBQ for an evening of food, fun, and community at Mount Vernon High School (8515 Old Mount Vernon Road, Alexandria) on Wednesday, August 13, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
To assist with planning, please take a moment to complete this Google Form as soon as possible.
This is a great opportunity to connect with other military families across the Division and celebrate the start of another great year! Please contact Katie Server at kaserver@fcps.edu with any questions.
| | Centering the Voice of African American Dementia Caregivers Webinar | | |
The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging’s Caregiver & Supportive Services Unit is pleased to invite you to join its upcoming Dementia Caregiver Session for family caregivers and loved ones who have been diagnosed with dementia and/or cognitive impairment.
In this hour-long webinar, Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson will explore the lived experiences of African American adult daughters caring for a parent with cognitive decline or dementia. She will highlight key factors that shape both their well-being and their confidence in making healthcare decisions for themselves and their lived ones. Dr. Shanae Rhodes will follow with powerful quotes from African American women caregivers, offering insight into their journeys. The session will conclude with practical self-care strategies and core takeaways designed to support African American care partners of all genders.
This virtual presentation will be held on Friday, August 15, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Register for the event, which is free and open to the public. For questions, email ayiguli.saifuding@fairfaxcounty.gov or call (571) 407-6961.
| | |
School’s not back quite yet. So, if you have a backyard swimming pool, you may be the favorite neighbor on the block a few more weeks. While great for recreation, swimming pools can pose safety issues.
The Department of Code Compliance (DCC) has highlighted some rules and recommendations to help keep your pool safe and secure:
- The Virginia Property Maintenance Code (VPMC) requires that pools be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and in good repair. Cracked and crumbling pool floors or murky, green water is likely a violation.
- Pool barrier (fence) requirements have changed over time. Before the 1990s, fencing a property’s perimeter may have sufficed for pools for private residential use; however, if that same pool was installed today, there must be a fence at least four feet tall around the pool area. Regardless of what type of fence was required at the time of pool installation, that fence must be maintained in good repair.
- Community pools and other pools available for more than private residential use must meet the Water Recreation Facilities Ordinance.
- It may be tempting to rent a pool on a site such as Swimply to make a little extra income. However, that violates the Zoning Ordinance because doing so is an outdoor commercial recreation use that cannot be permitted in any residential zoning district.
The following is not a regulation, but it’s recommended to keep away from your pool any outdoor furniture, decorative walls, play equipment or other objects that may afford a small child unintended access to a pool.
If you have questions, want to make a report, or if you are the subject of enforcement, the DCC is here to help. Learn more about code compliance on the DCC website. You can report problems online, by emailing codecompliance@fairfaxcounty.gov, calling (703) 324-1300 TTY 711, or visiting the Herrity Building (12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 1016, Fairfax).
| | Taste of Annandale is on September 20 | | |
The nonprofit Annandale-Mason Roundtable invites the public to the 2025 Taste of Annandale on Saturday, September 20, from 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space (7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale).
This free community festival features live music and dance, food trucks, food booths, beer vendors, children’s performances and activities, craft vendors, local businesses, a 5-K run/walk, a chili cookoff, a pet parade and costume contest, a community art project, and local businesses and organizations. This year, Taste of Annandale will feature two new events: a petting zoo and an eating contest.
Taste of Annandale was launched in 2015 with the goals of encouraging community engagement, celebrating Annandale’s diversity, and shining a spotlight on local businesses and organizations. Proceeds from the event will benefit programs for local youths.
Visit the Taste of Annandale website for more information about the event, including sponsorship and vendor opportunities.
| | Seven Braddock District Organizations to Receive ArtsFairfax Grants | | |
For Fiscal Year 2026, ArtsFairfax has awarded 56 Operating Support Grants to local arts organizations representing all arts disciplines and all nine magisterial districts in Fairfax County, as well as the City of Fairfax and the City of Falls Church.
Operating Support Grants promote organizational stability by providing arts organizations with the resources to become more resilient, adaptable, and nimble for sustainability, change, and growth. Funds are used to support the local arts sector, engaging participants in arts events and programs in and beyond Fairfax County. To learn more about ArtsFairfax Grants, visit the ArtsFairfax website.
Seven Operating Support Grants were awarded to organizations located in the Braddock District:
- Acting For Young People, Inc.
- Daily Poetry Association
- Fall for the Book, Inc.
- Music for Life
- Northern Virginia Chorale
- Virginia Ballet Company and School
- Vocal Arts of Fairfax, Inc.
Congratulations to the Braddock District's grant recipients!
| | Fall Enrollment is Open for the Mason Community Arts Academy | | |
The Mason Community Arts Academy, part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, offers high-caliber arts instruction for community members of all ages, skill levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The Academy brings enriching arts instruction to the community through inspiring and innovative lessons, theater, visual arts, and film and video, which are open to all ages and levels. Budding artists of all ages can enroll now for fall group classes.
To learn more about the programs offered or enroll in classes, visit the Mason Community Arts Academy website.
| | Pet Adoption Spotlight: Diva! | | |
Meet Diva, a loyal companion with a heart of gold!
Located at the Lorton Campus (8875 Lorton Road, Lorton), Diva is all about calm, one-on-one affection.
If you're looking for a cat who will truly bond with you, Diva may be your perfect match. This beautiful girl loves brushing up against your legs, sharing sweet nighttime goodbyes, and being close to her person. Once she knows and trusts you, she'll be your quiet shadow - offering comfort, companionship, and cozy company. Diva has lived with young children and has done well with them. She is tolerant of vet visits, easy to medicate, and rides well in the car. She's also litterbox trained, well-behaved, and enjoys gentle brushing and pets.
If you're ready to let Diva warm up on her own terms, you'll be rewarded with a truly special bond - one filled with loyalty, affection, and the kind of companionship that only a once-in-a-lifetime cat can give.
Visit the Fairfax County Animal Shelter's website for more information about Nala or to view any of the other adoptable pets.
| | Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube | | | | |
