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May 20, 2026
If you missed it, this past weekend Reston Town Center became an open-air art gallery and performance stage during the Tephra ICA Arts Festival.
This premier regional event brought together more than 200 artisans and artists to showcase and sell their original paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and mixed-media works.
The festival celebrated its 35th anniversary this year, and I was delighted to be there to present a Fairfax County proclamation recognizing this milestone.
I was also honored to talk with festival founder Judith Forst who wore the commemorative t-shirt from the very first festival (see photo on right). She was executive director starting in 1975 for the Greater Reston Art Center which was eventually renamed as Tephra.
To honor Forst, the festival presented its inaugural People's Choice Award voted on by festivalgoers, as well as recognized American craft traditions as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States.
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Congratulations to this year’s winners:
- Christiane Lavin – People’s Choice Award
- William Demaria - 250th Award
- Tim Peters - Ceramics
- Blake Gore - Digital Drawing
- Ed Martin - Glass
- Joyce Slate - Jewelry
- Holly Wach - Painting
- David Mangels - Photography
- Mel Fleck - Printmaking
- Bixa Burgos & Daniel Cole - Textiles
- Richard Nolan - Wood
- Ruben Medina - Sculpture
While the festival is over, your opportunity to engage with world-class art isn’t. Visit Tephra at Reston Town Center to check out their ongoing exhibits or attend some of their events like their upcoming game night.
Regards,
Walter
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- In the Community
- Board of Supervisors Update
- Point-in-Time Count of Homelessness
- What to Know About Hantavirus
- What's News in Vienna
- Events and Activities
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Charles Broadwater Day in Vienna
This past weekend I joined Charles Broadwater Day to celebrate Vienna’s most notable Revolutionary-era figure. We recognized his contributions to American Independence which included his participation in the first, second, third and fourth Virginia Revolutionary Conventions.
Broadwater was among the 25 signatories to the Fairfax Resolves, and he and George Washington represented Fairfax County in the first Virginia Convention in 1774 where the Resolves were presented. (After the Revolutionary War, Broadwater also served in the House of Delegates.) Learn more about Charles Broadwater, and you may visit his gravesite in Vienna on the corner of Tapawingo Road and Frederick Street, S.W.
During the event, I also learned about a perhaps lesser-known Vienna patriot: Jeremiah Moore. While he served in the Revolutionary War, Moore is better remembered as a pioneer for religious liberty and separation of church and state.
In his youth, Moore left the state-sanctioned Episcopal Church to become a Baptist minister. In Colonial Virginia, however, ministers of other so-called dissenting denominations were legally required to get a license from the General Court. Moore opposed this legal restriction and was jailed. (Over half of Virginia’s Baptist ministers had been jailed at some point for disturbing the peace or preaching without a license by the time of the Revolution, according to historian Joe Ragosta’s book published by the University of Virginia.)
In protest, he helped collect 10,000 signatures for a petition calling for the disestablishment of the Anglican Church. His actions helped to push the Virginia General Assembly to pass Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom in 1786. It enshrined the principle of religious liberty and separation of church and state in Virginia. This idea, and a guarantee of the free exercise of religion, was proposed three years later nationally as the first part of the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A pretty big deal!
Moore’s home was located on Moorefield Hill Road near Nottoway Park. The Town of Vienna purchased Moorefield in 1975, eventually contracting for the historic home to be dismantled and stored in 2003. Now, the Vienna250 Commission is considering reconstructing Moorefield.
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Sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Virginia Task Force 1 deploys to domestic and international disasters under a partnership with the federal government (FEMA and formerly USAID, now the U.S. State Department.) For example, the team was most recently sent to Jamaica, following the devasting hurricane there last year.
The team’s 200 specially trained personnel are skilled in locating and saving victims trapped beneath the rubble. Fairfax County firefighters, doctors and paramedics, structural engineers, canine searchers and many other specialists make up our urban search and rescue team. While I am glad to share the services of these dedicated public servants around the country and world when needed, I am even happier that we have such expertise available and on-call for us locally.
| | Photo: Day to End Hate proclamation presented to faith leaders and representatives. | | Board of Supervisors Update | | |
The Board of Supervisors met yesterday May 19. You can watch the meeting and review the agenda and package.
Proclaiming a Day to End Hate in Fairfax County
No matter your faith, the color of your skin, your ethnic background, who you love, or how you identify: You are welcome in Fairfax County.
To affirm this commitment, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed yesterday as the Day to End Hate.
Leaders and representatives from multiple faith communities gathered to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the Board room.
While this proclamation was planned before this week’s tragic shooting at a San Diego mosque, it’s a timely reminder that we can all play a role in spreading the message of love, tolerance and belonging. Together, we are sending a clear, unified message: hate and bias have no home here. It’s a good time for us all to double down on civility.
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Shark Tank Competition: Awarding Innovations to Help Older Adults
As Chair of the Older Adults Committee, I was delighted once again to help present the Shark Tank awards to the winning high school teams. During our Board meeting, we also presented a proclamation to recognize the competition’s 10th anniversary.
The annual contest challenges students to develop an innovative device or app for older adults, adults with disabilities or wounded warriors. These technologies aim to make a positive impact in the lives of older adults: enhancing their independence, improving their quality of life or helping foster social connections and reducing isolation.
The competition grew out of the Fairfax 50+ Community Action Plan, and it also reinforces the county’s support for expanding science, technology, engineering and math education.
South Lakes Silver Glide: It’s always amazing what these student teams develop, and they represent some of the best and brightest youth in our community. For example, the South Lakes High School team prototyped their Silver Glide mobility device. It’s a universal attachment that securely connects to a hoverboard base, allowing older adults to attach a chair they already own giving them greater mobility, independence and comfort.
The Silver Glide team formed from their participation in the Clubhouse Network program at the Reston Teen Center. At the free Clubhouse, kids explore, tinker, and express themselves with new and emerging technologies, including robotics, 3D printing, virtual reality, coding and more. (Fairfax County first joined this global network 29 years ago, and Reston is home to two of the 12 clubhouse locations countywide.)
Congratulations and thanks: Congratulations to the Silver Glide team: Jacob Colon, Kalab Getachew, Natanim Getachew, Elijah Greene, Kaleb St. John and Chloe Roberts! A big thanks as well to Alvarado Luna, the Clubhouse mentor who encouraged and supported these kids to showcase their skills and talents at Shark Tank. (See the photo above of me with Chloe Roberts and Al Luna.)
And, I want to thank the Commission for Aging and Shark Tank judges for their ongoing support. Judge Pete Lamont, a partner and CEO at INTEGRITYOne Partners, especially deserves a hand. Not only has he given his time, but also his company has generously sponsored the monetary awards presented to the winning teams for many years.
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“Watch for Children Sign” Approved for Crowell Road
What’s happening: The Board approved a “Watch for Children” sign on Crowell Road near the Oakcrest School in Vienna. I requested the Board to authorize this sign based on requests from the community.
Why it matters: These signs can help drivers to remember to slow down and drive more cautiously as they pass through residential neighborhoods with lots of children. Frankly more is needed to improve safety along Crowell Road and many others in Hunter Mill, but this is a start for these neighbors.
Background: These signs are one of the tools used by the Residential Traffic Administration Program. This county program aims to help neighborhoods deal with traffic impacts and improve safety.
Under the program, “Watch for Children” signs may be placed near the primary entrance to residential neighborhoods or locations with an extremely high concentration of children, such as schools, playgrounds, daycares or community centers, and other areas of concern.
If you’re interested in a sign or other measures to help deal with traffic in your neighborhood, contact Shyamali Hauth in my office by email or call 703-478-0283, TTY 711.
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2026 Point-in-Time Count Shows
3% Increase in Homelessness
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What’s happening: Homelessness increased by 3% in Fairfax County compared to 2025, according to the recently released Point-In-Time Count.
Countywide, there were 1,365 people experiencing homelessness when the survey was conducted on the night of Feb. 4. This represents an increase of 43 individuals compared to last year’s count. This year’s increase is primarily driven by the higher number of adults accessing emergency shelters.
The annual count provides a one-night snapshot of people experiencing homelessness, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Fairfax County’s recent count continues the upward trend in people experiencing homelessness since 2017. During that year, 964 people were counted with the most significant increases occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The count climbed from 1,041 people in 2020 to 1,310 people in 2023 – an approximately 26% increase in three years.
Who’s homeless: by the numbers: The point-in-time data also track different categories of people experiencing homelessness, and this year’s data shows a:
- 24% increase (64 people) in adults identified as experiencing chronic homelessness
- 19% increase (5 people) for veterans experiencing homelessness
- 35% increase (18 people) in “transition age youth” (ages 18-24)
- 13% decrease (10 households) in domestic violence survivors experiencing homelessness
View an interactive dashboard with count data since 2005
Increased Shelter Capacity in Reston: Last year, we were able to increase the capacity for unhoused individuals at the Embry Rucker Shelter in Reston by 46 beds.
This increased capacity resulted from the Board of Supervisors’ investment in a new shelter for families experiencing homelessness. Called the Fair Ridge Shelter, it’s located at the former Extended Stay America hotel at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive near the intersection of West Ox Road and Route 50.
Ten families moved from the Reston shelter into Fair Ridge, opening up new space for individuals at Embry Rucker.
There also will be more shelter capacity to come in Reston — along with permanent supportive housing — when the new Embry Rucker Shelter opens as part of the Reston Town Center North development. The new shelter (plus a new Reston Regional Library) is planned to be completed in 2029.
| | Hantavirus: What You Need to Know | | |
What’s happening: As you’ve probably heard from news reports, three people in our region are being monitored for hantavirus, following an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius reported early this month.
One Virginia resident returned home from the ship before the outbreak was identified, and two Maryland residents were on a flight abroad with someone infected with the virus.
However, the Virginia Department of Health believes the risk to the public is very low (as does the Maryland Department of Health).
The Andes virus, the type of hantavirus that caused the outbreak on the ship, can be spread from person to person. But its transmission between people typically requires close, prolonged contact with an infected person after they show symptoms.
Virginia health officials are currently monitoring the returned resident for any symptoms, and they say they will not share any additional details to protect this person’s privacy.
What else to know: Hantavirus is rarely reported in Virginia.
- Most hantavirus infections — 94% — occur west of the Mississippi River, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The agency says that the last reported infection in Virginia occurred in 2021 with a case before that in 1993.
- Rodents can carry hantaviruses, and in Virginia, the virus primarily infects deer mice in the southwest, cotton and rice rats in the south, and the white-footed mouse in the northeastern coastal area. The virus mainly spreads to humans when they breathe air contaminated with rodent urine, droppings or saliva.
- The Andes virus is the only hantavirus that’s been shown to spread between people.
Learn more about hantavirus.
What you can do: If you are concerned about hantavirus, avoid exposure to rodents, including their urine and feces.
Follow these precautions when removing a dead rodent or cleaning an area where rodents have been:
- Wear rubber, latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves.
- If you are going into a building, garage or basement that has been closed, open it to air out for at least 30 minutes before spending time inside.
- Wet down dusty areas that may be contaminated with rodent droppings or urine before cleaning them up. (You can use a commercial disinfectant or prepare a solution of 1 ½ cups bleach to 1 gallon of water.) Use a spray bottle to mist the area and gently but thoroughly wet it. A hard spray will stir up more dust.
- Wipe up debris; do not sweep or vacuum dry debris because it creates dust in the air.
- Dead rodents should be sprayed with disinfectant and then placed in a plastic bag containing enough disinfectant to thoroughly wet the carcasses.
- When cleanup is complete, seal the bag and place it into a second plastic bag. Then dispose of it.
- Before removing gloves, wash gloved hands in disinfectant and then in soap and water. Then, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after removing the gloves.
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ViVa Vienna Returns This Weekend
Start your summer off on a high note at ViVa! Vienna this Memorial Day weekend! The fun runs the entire holiday weekend from Saturday, May 23 at 10 a.m. to Monday, May 25 at 6 p.m. Enjoy carnival rides, games, food, the Brewfest Beer Garden, and lots of live entertainment. Festivities will pause for a Memorial Day tribute on the main stage at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 25. Come visit me and my office’s booth on Church Street near the intersection with Center Street.
Vienna’s FY 27 Town Budget Adopted
The Town Council adopted Vienna’s FY 27 budget on May 18. The adopted $58.3-million balanced budget reflects a 5% increase over the current year’s budget to manage inflationary pressures, and it also reduces the property tax rate from 19.5 cents to 19 cents per $100 of assessed value. With this half-cent real estate tax rate reduction, homeowners will see an average of $40 in savings, although annual property tax bills will rise by an average of $80 due to increased property assessments. The town’s FY 27 budget takes effect July 1, 2026. Learn more.
| | Stay Informed and In Touch | |
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn
703-478-0283, TTY 711
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