8.15.24

Dear Neighbor,

Waste not, want not! Minimizing waste reduces pollution, saves valuable resources, mitigates climate change, and improves public health. Fairfax County is exploring options for achieving near zero waste as part of our Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s requirement that the County develop an updated solid waste management plan.

Currently, we recycle, compost, or reuse nearly 44% of the 23,000 tons of waste produced each week in Fairfax County. The rest is incinerated and converted to energy or landfilled.

CECAP set an ambitious 90% waste diversion goal, which will require new waste reduction strategies. Strategies being considered include:

A County-managed waste service model or a unified sanitation district. This would involve the County managing waste collection contracts with private haulers, rather than asking residents or homeowners associations to negotiate those contracts on their own.
“Pay as you throw“ system, where residents would be charged a variable price for waste collection based on the amount of waste produced per household. This cost could be charged by weight or size of the trash bags or size of trash containers.
Mandatory food scrap recycling, which would require each household to use a special bin for food waste collection.
Comprehensive commercial and multi-family property waste collection programs.

Feedback from the community is key to helping us select the right strategies. Residents have from now until September 30 to share their opinions on this issue. You can find the survey on the County website.

First Day of School

On Monday, Fairfax County Public Schools will welcome back thousands of students to kick off the school year! I want to wish every Fairfax County student, family, and staff member a successful school year.

Please prepare for more traffic and be patient with school buses and student drivers on the roads. The County’s Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMS) offers a few safety reminders for the first week back to classes:

Stop and wait for school buses to safely load and unload children
Slow down and take extra care in school zones and in neighborhoods
Make eye contact with drivers and pedestrians at stoplights and intersections before proceeding
Make sure children know who to call in case of an emergency, their home address, and a parent/guardian’s phone number

Final Weekend of Summer Concerts

This is the final weekend for the 2024 Braddock Summer Entertainment Series, and your last chance to make it a show! We saw record attendance for this year's series, and I want to thank all of you who have joined us.

The final Arts in the Parks children's show is Saturday from 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. at Wakefield Park in front of the Audrey Moore Rec Center (8100 Braddock Road, Annandale).

Braddock Nights evening concerts are on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Royal Lake Park (5344 Gainsborough Drive, Fairfax) and Lake Accotink Park (7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield).

For information about weather cancellations, you can call the hotline at (703) 324-7469 (SHOW) one hour prior to the scheduled start time of a show for an update.

I look forward to seeing you and your loved ones at concerts this weekend to close out a summer of good company, great music, and amazing parks.

8/16 Braddock Nights at Lake Accotink Park: Sunny@Midnight

Jeff Smith, a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter and the driving force behind Sunny@Midnight, has already made waves in the music industry. Sherry Stewart, also a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, brings her unique blend of guitar, mandolin, and flute to fill out the Sunny@Midnight sound.

Sunny@Midnight’s quintet lineup adds fiddle virtuoso Marcy Cochran (Dead Man’s Hollow) John Werntz (Shenandoah Run) on bass, and Ron Goad (DC area man about town) on percussion. Together, they infuse this music with energy and rhythmic verve, delivering an entertaining and unforgettable musical experience.

8/16 Braddock Nights at Royal Lake Park: High Noon

High Noon is the East Coast's premier Southern rock tribute band, performing exclusively the classic hits of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, and The Marshall Tucker Band. The band is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the timeless music of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, The Marshall Tucker Band, and .38 Special. Join us on a journey back to a golden age of live music, and experience again the power of all of your favorite anthems from the founding fathers of Southern Rock!

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8/17 Arts in the Parks: the grandsons, jr.

the grandsons, jr., is the kids' band version of DC-area roots rock superstars, The Grandsons. Kids and their parents will dig the upbeat mix of rock, swing, New Orleans R&B, country, and Latin music.

Yours in service,

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:

GMU Move-In Traffic Advisory
Animal Shelter Updates
Celebrate Lake Accotink
Capital Bikeshare
Senior Olympics
Apply for FMAP Funding
Champions of Character Nomination Deadline Extended

GMU Move-In Traffic Advisory

The George Mason Fairfax Campus is expecting heavier than normal traffic from August 18-25.

Mason will be buzzing with activity as students move into their dorms for the beginning of the fall semester. The first day of classes will begin on August 26. Move-in will take place on the following dates:

Early Arrivals – August 18 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Freshmen – August 21 - August 22 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Upper Classes – August 23 - August 25 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Traffic impacts will occur around campus, particularly near Braddock Road, Roanoke River Road, Lots J and K, and the Rappahannock Parking Deck.

***The Flats and 'Main on University' apartment complexes are not affiliated with George Mason University housing***

Animal Shelter Updates

Clear the Shelters

Get ready for the biggest event of the summer!

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter's (FCAS) Annual Clear The Shelters adoption event is Friday, August 23 - Sunday, August 25.

All pets will have their adoption fee waived at both the Lorton and Fairfax locations. For more information, visit Clear the Shelters' website.

Volunteer with the Animal Shelter

Do you love talking about pets, connecting people with resources or helping at events? FCAS Is looking for passionate volunteers for roles like:

Tabling at events
Organizing donations for our Pet Pantry
Leading shelter tours
Assisting at Vaccine and Microchip Clinics

Their next recruitment event is Saturday, September 14, from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Lorton Campus (8875 Lorton Road, Lorton).

Bilingual volunteers are welcome! The Shelter's non-profit fundraising partner, the Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, will also be at the event recruiting for fundraising roles. More information is available on FCAS's Facebook.

Celebrate Lake Accotink

Come with friends and family to Celebrate Lake Accotink with the Fairfax County Park Authority and Friends of Lake Accotink Park, on Saturday, August 24, from 11:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., at Lake Accotink Park (7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield.)

There will be a variety of free entertainment activities to enjoy, including:

Boat Rentals
Carousel
Mini Golf
Face Painting
History Activity Pavilion
Nature Activities
Pollinator Garden Tours

For more information, visit the County's website or call (703) 569-3464.

Capital Bikeshare

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The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual meeting on expanding the Capital Bikeshare network at a virtual meeting on Thursday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m.

FCDOT staff will present information on 16 proposed bikeshare stations across Annandale, Seven Corners and Bailey's Crossroads, along with general information about the bikeshare system and funding. The meeting will include time for questions and feedback from attendees.

Proposed station locations in the Braddock District include:

Americana Drive and Americana Place, Annandale (Braddock)
Patriot Drive and Inverton Road, Annandale (Braddock)

To join the meeting:

Login via Microsoft Teams
Login via the Web
Meeting ID: 260 540 206 488; Passcode: eNQBG7
Dial In at (571) 429-5982; Phone Conference ID: 915 624 530#

Comments will be accepted through Friday, September 6. An online survey will be available after the meeting on the Fairfax County Capital Bikeshare page, or community members may leave a recorded message for the team at (703) 890-5898, Code 10501.

Capital Bikeshare has more than 700 stations in the Metro D.C. area, with 77 located in Fairfax County. In addition to helping people commute, run errands, and ride to entertainment/leisure destinations, Capital Bikeshare also provides an important first mile/last mile connection to public transit options. For more information, visit the Fairfax County Capital Bikeshare page. Read the full list of proposed stops on FCDOT's website.

Senior Olympics

The 2024 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics (NVSO) will take place September 14-29. If you're interested in participating in the NVSO, are 50 years old or older, and live in the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church, or Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun or Prince William Counties, register by August 29.

For more information, including events, fees and locations, or to register, visit their website.

Apply for FMAP Funding

County residents, property owners, common interest communities (CIC) and places of worship may now be eligible for financial assistance with their floodproofing and mitigation efforts through the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMAP).

The program took effect on July 1, through a partnership between the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD). Due to climate change, the county can expect an increase in heavy rainfall events that surpass the capacity of the stormwater management system, which will lead to more flooding. FMAP will be an invaluable resource to many who need assistance to protect their property.

Those who meet eligibility requirements may be reimbursed for 50% of the purchase and installation costs of approved flood reduction practices, up to $5,000 per property. Commercial properties are ineligible for the grant, as are residential properties in the towns of Vienna and Herndon.

Read more about the program on DPWES' website.

Champions of Character Nomination Deadline Extended

The nomination deadline for the 2024 Champions of Character Awards has been extended to September 15, submit your nominations today!

This program honors youth, coaches, and parents for extraordinary service in pursuing victory with honor on and off the field of competition. Instituted by the Fairfax County Athletic Council, the program aims to support the tradition of amateur athletics in cultivating teamwork, leadership, good sportsmanship, and community service. Awards are presented to a female athlete, male athlete, coach, and parent in each Supervisory District.

If you know youth, coaches, or parents who have demonstrated extraordinary service in the athletic community while modeling the basic traits of good character, nominate them today. Don’t forget those individuals from the fall or winter seasons who stood out for their dedication and sportsmanship.

Complete the nomination form today to recognize deserving athletes, coaches, and parents in the Braddock District.

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