Dear Neighbor,

I hope you and your family stayed safe and warm during this week's winter weather. 

In anticipation of future weather events, I wanted to ensure you have Fairfax County's Guide to Snow. The guide has street snow removal resources, a link for the County's operating status, snow shoveling tips, and more.

Make sure you're subscribed to Fairfax Alerts for official updates on public safety, traffic, weather, and emergency preparedness.

You can also learn how to be 'Winter Salt Smart' when prepping for winter weather by checking out the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's website.

Fairfax County's Hypothermia Prevention Program is operating now. If you see someone who is unsheltered and you think is at risk for hypothermia, call (703) 691-2131 | TTY 711. This is the non-emergency police number. A police officer will respond and conduct a wellness check. Learn more about the program on the County website.

Electric School Bus Grant

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) recently received a $16.59 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to buy 42 electric school buses to add to their fleet.

This is a significant investment in the County’s environmental goals. As the largest school district in Virginia, we are setting a standard for the rest of the state.

Currently, FCPS has eight electric buses that help transport over 140,000 riders to and from school every day! The school system’s goal is to transition to electric or zero-carbon alternatives school buses and eligible fleet vehicles by 2035. 

The grant was made possible by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which was created by the White House’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This Law, supported by every member of Fairfax County's Congressional delegation, provided an unprecedented $5 billion of funding to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses. New zero- and low-emission buses will not only reduce air pollution and help address the major role of the transportation sector on climate change, but will also produce cleaner air for students, bus drivers, school staff working near bus loading areas, and communities near the schools. Because these clean school buses have lower fuel and maintenance costs than the diesel buses they are replacing, they will save money and free up resources for other critical needs.

The transition to zero-emissions buses will go a long way toward helping our County reach its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. For more information about this initiative, visit FCPS’ Electric School Buses page.

Yours in service,

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 and updates.

Continue reading below for more information on:

• Braddock Road DMV Opening
• FCPA Summer Camp Registration Opens Next Week
• FCPA's Rec Center Open Houses
• Personal Safety Class
• State of Civilian Oversight in Virginia Panel Discussion
• Neighborhood College
• Events for Service Members, Veterans, and Families
• Shepherd's Center's Lunch N' Life
• Dog Licenses Due January 31
• Crisis Assistance Program

Braddock Road DMV Opening

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has reported that their Braddock Road Customer Service Center (9855 Braddock Road, Fairfax), located adjacent to Erickson Senior Living’s Woodleigh Chase facility, is scheduled to open Monday, January 22.

Beginning January 22, the Braddock Road Customer Service Center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Both service and testing options will be available at the Braddock Road Customer Service Center. Customers may make an appointment, reserve a spot for same-day service, or stop by during operating hours. On-road skills testing and closed-course testing will be available.

This additional information may be helpful: 

• DMV offers more than 50 transactions online, including decal and license renewal as well as address changes. Customers are encouraged to take advantage of those convenient services to avoid a trip to a DMV.  
• Some services that require in-person visits can be started through an online pre-application. This gives customers the opportunity to begin certain applications from home or on the go. The completed application is electronically submitted; DMV finalizes the pre-filled application during the customer’s visit, reducing time spent at the office. 
• Customers can choose to upgrade their credential to a REAL ID and begin the service before arriving. 

As a reminder, the Braddock Road DMV Customer Service Center is a state facility built on state property, so it follows the procedures required by the state, not Fairfax County procedures. The Braddock District Office is passing this information along for the community’s awareness.

FCPA Summer Camp Registration Opens Next Week

Start thinking about fun in the sun by preparing for Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) spring and summer camps.

Registration for spring and summer camps opens at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 23. In preparation, FCPA is sharing the full listing of camps, as well as offering multiple online tools to make enrolling easier.

FCPA announces two changes to the camp registration process for 2024:

• FCPA will not be offering a discount for early registration for camps.
• Waitlists for camps will open at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2, to help FCPA staff optimize the process for filling camps.

Explore all the camps being offered and set your clocks for the opening of registration. Remember to log on to use the Camp Search to register in Parktakes at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 23!



• Explore the 2024 Camp Guide to see the complete listings (and all the details) for upcoming camps. The publication outlines key background information, including key dates, extended care information and all the 2024 camp locations. It also provides all the details you need for each camp listing organized by season and then camp type.
• On FCPA’s Camps website, find the Camp Search to browse offerings by keyword and location and download the Camp Spreadsheet to filter and sort camps in Excel by child’s age, the week, the type of camp and the location. FCPA also provides a Camp Planner Sheet to help track camp choices and collect Catalog IDs of all your top choice camps to make registration easier and quicker.

Contact the FCPA camps team at [email protected] with questions.

FCPA's Rec Center Open Houses

Check out your neighborhood Fairfax County Park Authority Rec Center for free on Wednesday, January 24, from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.

If you are current Rec Center member, bring family and friends along to check out these community wellness hubs. Visitors will receive a free, 7-day trial membership or be able to purchase a $30 pass for a 30-day membership to the Park Authority's Rec Centers.

Everyone is invited to explore the Rec Centers, use gym equipment, take a lap in the pool and try out drop-in fitness classes (space permitting) all day long. Each Rec Center will offer special programs and activities from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Come by in the evening to visit the membership table, grab some giveaways, take part in arts and crafts, and enjoy other special offerings.

For additional information on Open House programming, visit the Rec Center website and choose the Rec Center you want to visit to see what is being offered.  

Interested in becoming a member? During January, join or renew annual memberships at a 15% discount. There are no initiation fees or annual dues. Memberships can be purchased in person at any of the Rec Centers or on the Rec Center membership website.

Learn more about what Rec Centers have to offer, Open Houses, and the January membership sale by visiting the Rec Center website.

Personal Safety Class

FCPD Master Police Officer Tony Capizzi and Patrolman First Class Liam May will present a Personal Safety Class on Wednesday, January 24, at the Oaks Community Center (5708 Oak Leather Drive, Burke) from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

The class is sponsored by Pat Fales and Pam Morgan Associates, contact (703) 503-4365 with questions.

State of Civilian Oversight in Virginia Panel Discussion

In collaboration with other law enforcement oversight agencies in Virginia, the Independent Police Auditors and Directors from Fairfax County, Alexandria, Arlington, and Charlottesville will host a virtual panel discussion next Thursday, January 25, at 6:00 p.m. titled The State of Civilian Oversight in Virginia.

The panel will be moderated by Cameron McEllhiney, Executive Director of the National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE). 

Residents are encouraged to attend to hear the latest on what Civilian Oversight looks like around the Commonwealth. Register on Zoom today.

Neighborhood College

In partnership with Fairfax County's Neighborhood and Community Services, Supervisor Walkinshaw is excited to host the return of Braddock District's Neighborhood College starting in February.

This free certificate program is a great opportunity for community members who live or work in the Braddock District to learn more about Fairfax County government and practical ways you can get involved in your community.

View the flyer and sign up by February 2.

The program kicks off with an in-person orientation session and meet-and-greet on February 8.

Classes will take place on six consecutive Thursday evenings from February 15 through March 21 - the first four will be held virtually and the final two in-person.

Events for Service Members, Veterans, and Families

DAV Chapter 10

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV)'s Chapter 10 will host their monthly meeting on Saturday, January 20, at 10:00 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center (1200 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax).

Meetings run from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. and are followed by free support from service officers. Visit DAV Chapter 10's website for information about the group.

Upcoming Trainings

• Register for the VA's Virtual Homeless Veteran Outreach Symposium on Thursday, January 25, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
• Register for Americans for Suicide Prevention's Talk Saves Lives for Seniors: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Seniors on Saturday, January 27, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Shepherd's Center's Lunch N' Life

Join the Shepherd's Center of Annandale-Springfield on Thursday, January 25, from 11:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at United Baptist Church (7100 Columbia Pike, Annandale) to hear about Fairfax County’s Task Force 1 with their K9s. This specialized unit travels all over the world to help during disasters.

Lunch is open to the public and costs $15/person, all are welcome. Call the office at (703) 941-1419 by Monday, January 22, or send an email to

to [email protected] to register.

Dog Licenses Due January 31

All dogs four months or older must be licensed in Fairfax County. Apply for or renew dog licenses by January 31. The best way is through the PetData website.

Licenses are $10. Learn more about the basics of licensing or other ways to apply on the County website.

Crisis Assistance Program

Do you know someone facing a “no heat” situation? The Crisis Assistance Program helps households overcome energy emergencies that cannot be met by other resources. An energy emergency is determined when a household has no heat or is in imminent danger of being without heat. The open application period for the Crisis Assistance Program closes on March 15.

Learn more and apply for the Crisis Assistance Program at Common Help's website or by calling 855-635-4370.