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Dear Neighbor,
September 10-16 is National Suicide Prevention Week, and this month is National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. Suicide is preventable, and there is always hope. If you or a loved one are struggling, you are not alone and there are resources available to help.
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Each year, Supervisor Kathy Smith and I lead the Board of Supervisors’ team in The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Annual “Out of the Darkness” Community Walk.
This year's walk is on October 1 at Fairfax City Hall (10455 Armstrong Street, Fairfax) from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. This powerful event raises funds to support scientific research, evidence-based resources, training, and advocacy. AFSP does life-saving work, and I invite you to register today or learn more about the walk.
Suicide Prevention Resources
The Community Services Board also has a suicide prevention information and resources website with information on their Mental Health First Aid Classes, and specific resources for veterans, members of the military and their families, Fairfax County Public Schools students, and older adults.
Early Voting and Election Information
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Early voting for the November 7 election opens next Friday, September 22. In-person and mail-in early voting will continue through November 4, the Saturday before Election Day.
For those voting by mail, remember to mail your ballot by October 31. If you or someone you know needs to register or update your voter registration, check out the Virginia Department of Elections' Registration page.
If you plan to vote early in person, the Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax) is open from September 22 - November 4 at the following times:
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Weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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Saturdays (September 23, October 28, November 4) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Sunday (Only October 29) 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
For a full list of all Fairfax County early voting sites, visit the County's Early Voting website. My office will share information for additional locations, that open on October 26, at a later date.
You can verify your new district and view sample ballots for each voting precinct on the Office of Elections' website. I encourage you to preview them so you can research the referendum and candidates before heading to the polls.
Political signage in the public right-of-way is prohibited in Fairfax County. Visit the Department of Code Compliance's website for details.
Solar Panel Tax Credits
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I'm looking forward to our First Annual Climate Action Conference on September 30 at Lake Braddock Secondary School!
Following opening remarks from federal and local leaders, experts will help you learn how to save money and reduce your emissions.
Did you know that Fairfax County offers a Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption that reduces your property taxes for five years? This tax exemption not only applies to solar panels but to other types of solar energy systems installed on residential and commercial properties.
This exemption, and the federal tax incentives offered through the Inflation Reduction Act, make cutting your carbon footprint more affordable than before. To learn more, get your free conference ticket today!
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Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw | |
Please share the newsletter with your friends and neighbors. If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive Braddock District news & updates. | |
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Continue reading below for more information on:
- Caregiver Series: Finance Webinar
- Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink Update
- Braddock District Council's Annual Meeting
- Food Council's Urban Ag Workshop
- Burke Civil Air Patrol Open House
- Transportation Updates
- September is National Preparedness Month
- Volunteer Opportunities on Election Day
- Fairfax Connector's New Stroller Policy
- "I Love My County" Art Contest
- Install Community EV Charging with Charge Up Fairfax Pilot Program
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Caregiver Series: Finance Webinar | |
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On Wednesday, September 20, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging will host their next free webinar, "Best Practices When You are Chosen to Manage Someone Else's Money," for family caregivers of older adults.
Caregivers often find themselves responsible for managing someone else’s financial affairs and wondering how to best manage all the moving pieces. In this webinar, Tom West, Senior Partner at Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, will provide caregivers with information about managing someone else’s assets. This presentation will focus on fiduciary roles for durable power of attorneys, trustees for a revocable living trust, Veteran Affairs fiduciaries, representative payees, guardians, and conservators.
You can register, view more details about this webinar, or learn about future webinars on the Fairfax Family Caregiver Support Program's website.
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Task Force on the Future of
Lake Accotink Update
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The Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink held its fifth meeting on September 11.
The group heard a presentation from the Fairfax County Park Authority on managed wetlands with a focus on Huntley Meadows Park. The WSP/LimnoTech team who will help the Task Force explore options should the lake not be fully dredged, such as a managed wetland or a hybrid option including a smaller area of open water along with a managed wetland, was introduced and talked about their process.
The three subcommittees created by the Task Force also reported on their planned activities. They are the Subcommittee on the Value of Lake Accotink to Lake Accotink Park and to the County, the Subcommittee on Impacts of and Issues with the Staff Recommendation to Not Dredge, and the Subcommittee on Options to Consider Other than Full Dredging.
The next full Task Force meeting will be on Monday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. in Conference Room 11 at the Government Center. At that meeting, WSP/LimnoTech will provide a progress report and the subcommittees will provide updates on their work.
Meetings are open to the public, and interested community members are welcome to attend to observe the Task Force's work or livestream the meeting on Channel 16. Recordings of previous meetings, meeting materials, minutes, and a full list of upcoming meetings of both the Task Force and subcommittees can be found on the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink webpage.
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Braddock District Council's Annual Meeting | |
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The Braddock District Council (BDC) will hold its Annual Meeting from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 20, at Braddock Hall (9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke).
All community/civic/condo/homeowners’ associations within Braddock District are welcome to attend. However, only those associations who have paid their dues for 2023-2024 may vote on any business matters coming before the Council.
Checks can be brought to the meeting. Seven members in good standing constitute a quorum to conduct business.
BDC hopes to see a strong turnout for the Annual Meeting. Check out the BDC website for more information.
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Food Council's Urban Ag Workshop | |
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The Fairfax Food Council’s Urban Ag Work Group is hosting "Growing a Diverse Fall and Winter Garden," two virtual workshops about the best plants and vegetables to grow in your garden during the Fall and Winter seasons. The workshops will be provided in both English and Spanish.
The English workshop is on Tuesday, September 19 from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. and will feature these speakers:
- Casandra Lawson, Co-Chair of the FFC Urban Ag Work Group & Potomac Vegetable Farms
- Amanda Tindall, Owner, Lawn to Table Farms
- Caitlin McKeighan, Fairfax Master Gardner
The Spanish workshop is on Wednesday, September 20 from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. and will feature these speakers:
- Juan Pablo, Co-Chair of the FFC Urban Ag Work Group & Arcadia
- Michelle Rogers, Urban Ag Work Group
More information about these workshops and other programs is available on the Food Council's website.
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Burke Civil Air Patrol Open House | |
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The Burke Civil Air Patrol is hosting a
Squadron Open House on Thursday, September 21 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Irving Middle School (8100 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield).
There will be information booths set up for Aerospace Education, Emergency Services, and Cadet Programs, along with information about their competition teams and notable successes from the past year.
This is a great opportunity to learn about the outstanding things the team is doing for the Springfield/Burke community, Virginia, and the United States.
Learn about the Open House and the Composite Squadron on their website.
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Metro Frequency Increase
Earlier this week, more frequent Metro service was rolled out as the transit agency produced its eleventh service increase since last summer.
With ridership trending higher during the morning and evening commuting hours, Metro boosted peak service on the Red, Blue, Silver, Green, and Yellow lines to meet demand and ridership growth as more customers return to the office and other activities. Trains on those lines will run more frequently from approximately 7:00 – 9:00 a.m., and from approximately 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Exact times of peak service will vary by station.
Orange Line trains continue operating every 10 minutes all day, seven days a week, and every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m.
While ridership continues to grow, it still remains below pre-pandemic levels, therefore Metro is monitoring ridership trends and continues to assess the need for future service adjustments based on ridership demand.
For more information, check out WMATA's website.
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September is National Preparedness Month | |
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National Preparedness Month occurs every September to raise awareness about the importance of being prepared for emergencies and disasters. 2023's theme is “Take Control in 1, 2, 3".
This theme empowers everyone, especially older adults, to
- Assess needs
- Make a plan
- Engage support networks to stay safe when disaster strikes
The campaign focuses on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically older adults from communities that are disproportionally impacted by the all-hazard events, which continue to threaten the nation.
Every week this month, the National Preparedness Month campaign will also focus on a different aspect of preparedness for individuals, families, and communities. The Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMS) will use the Community Emergency Response Guide (CERG) Series to walk residents through the steps to prepare.
- September 11-15: Technology
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September 18-22: Emergency planning
- September 25-30: Have a plan for any occasion
Ready Fairfax has also launched the 2023 Emergency Preparedness Survey to assess the culture of personal disaster preparedness and resilience in Fairfax County. How prepared are you? Here is your chance to tell them!
Sign up for Fairfax Alerts or follow the County's Emergency Blog.
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Volunteer Opportunities on Election Day | |
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Volunteer as a Poll Worker — Vietnamese and Korean Speakers Needed
The Fairfax County Office of Elections needs bilingual election officers to assist voters in the General Election on November 7 and in future elections. Specifically, individuals who speak Vietnamese and English fluently or Korean and English fluently are encouraged to serve in Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church.
Officers will perform all regular election duties, including assisting voters in English, but will be assigned to precincts with a significant number of voters who may primarily speak Vietnamese or Korean. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment.
Fairfax County is the largest voting jurisdiction in Virginia with 264 precincts countywide. It takes thousands of enthusiastic and trained election officers to ensure that elections are efficient and well-run. Compensation begins at $250, and training is provided online for new officers.
Apply online by October 16.
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Election Day High School Page Program
Are you at least 16 years old, live in Virginia, and actively enrolled in high school? Would you like to learn more about the electoral process and earn service-learning hours that can be applied toward the Seal of Excellence in Civics Education?
The Fairfax Office of Elections is offering you the opportunity to serve inside a Fairfax County polling place as an election page for the upcoming November 7 election.
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Election Pages are expected to:
- Complete the required online training class and pass a quiz
- Serve an 8-hour shift inside a Fairfax County polling place under the direct supervision of the Chief Election Officer
- Arrive on time and remain at the polling place during their assigned shift
- Maintain impartiality while serving - not discussing politics, candidates, or issues
Election pages are volunteers and will not receive compensation for serving.
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If you're interested in the High School Page Program, apply today.
Students fluent in a second language are strongly encouraged to apply. The program only applies to November elections. If you are younger than 18, you must have your parent or guardian's approval to participate in the program.
If you will be 18 on or before November 7 and are registered to vote, you may work as an Election Officer. Additional election officer information and applications are available on the Office of Elections' website.
Questions? Email or call the Office of Elections at (703)324-4735.
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"I Love My County" Art Contest | |
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In an effort to bolster civic education and educate communities on the role of county government, the National Association of Counties (NACo) is launching the 2023 “I Love My County Because…” Art Contest.
The program is sponsored by Americans for the Arts, one of the nation’s largest arts advocacy and research organizations. The deadline to enter is Friday, September 29 at 11:59 p.m.
You can learn more about the rules and eligibility, view past winners' work, or enter the contest on NACo's website.
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Fairfax Connector's New Stroller Policy | |
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In a significant stride towards enhancing family travel experiences, Fairfax Connector has announced an innovative update to its boarding policies.
Effective immediately, adults boarding with a child in a stroller are no longer required to fold the stroller and hold the child in their lap. This family-friendly approach allows passengers to board Fairfax Connector buses with children comfortably secured in their strollers.
Fairfax Connector has seen a substantial increase in youth ridership since implementing free fares for children 12 and under with a paying adult in May 2023.
Fairfax Connector’s goal is to make it as convenient as possible for passengers to travel with their children on the bus system. Please note open strollers are permitted in the ADA-accessible seating area of the bus only when space is available.
Visit the Stroller Policy webpage or read the update for information including complete terms and conditions.
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Install Community EV Charging with Charge Up Fairfax Pilot Program | |
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Is your homeowners’ or condominium owners’ association interested in installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations but not sure where to start? With more and more EVs on the road, Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) is launching the Charge Up Fairfax pilot program to make installing shared charging stations easier and more affordable for multi-family condo, cluster, and townhome communities.
HOA communities that are accepted into the Charge Up Fairfax program will receive a site visit and assessment from an engineering firm, paid for by the county. The HOA, if it decides to proceed with the project, would be responsible for the purchase and installation of Level 2 charging stations, including the necessary permitting, electrical upgrades, installation of equipment, and final inspection. However, HOAs that participate in the Charge Up Fairfax program can seek reimbursement for up to $10,000 of the installation costs.
The application period for the Charge Up Fairfax pilot program will close on November 12, 2023. More information is available on the Charge Up Fairfax webpage.
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