Silver Line Phase 2 Drill Held Up by Rust — “Metro’s Silver Line is set to start running farther into Northern Virginia soon after years of project delays — but rust on the rails delayed an emergency drill Wednesday in Ashburn. Crews were set to simulate a real-life emergency starting at 8 a.m…Safety devices could not be installed quickly, and the drill was delayed more than two hours.” [NBC4]
Off-Campus GMU Students Moving in May Affect Traffic — “City of Fairfax Police are advising residents and commuters that The Flats on University will be moving in their residents on Friday, August 22. Move in begins at 7:30 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m…One section of Democracy Lane will be one way starting at the intersection of University and Democracy Lane.” [Fairfax City Police/Twitter]
Virginia Postpones Update of School History Standards — “The Virginia Board of Education delayed proposed revisions to state standards for history and social studies lessons at a Wednesday meeting, the first held with the five-member majority newly appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.” [The Washington Post]
Jury Duty Questionnaires Hit Mailboxes — “You may be one of approximately 70,000 Fairfax County or City of Fairfax residents receiving a jury duty questionnaire in the mail soon. Here is some helpful information to make the process easier…” [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]
Fairfax City Introduces First Electric Vehicle — “Fairfax City’s first electric vehicle (EV) in fleet has hit the street: a new all-electric Nissan Leaf, embellished with a stylish decal, to showcase the city transition to zero emissions. The EV will replace the gas-powered vehicle currently used by the CUE Bus team to shuttle drivers to their shifts every day.” [City of Fairfax]
Park Authority Hires Veteran Prince William Planner — “Brendon Hannafin is the new development director for the Fairfax County Park Authority…Hannafin took the job after retiring from the Prince William County Government, where he spent 22 years working on planning parks there and preserving a string of historic properties.” [Potomac Local News]
Centreville Pond to Be Partially Drained — “Walney Pond will be drawn down partially between Sept. 12 and Sept. 16, 2022. The drop in water level will accommodate the installation of a dry fire hydrant at the pond. Little to no impact is anticipated to wildlife.” [FCPA]
Vienna Band Names New Leader — “With a new music director in place, the Vienna Community Band is gearing up for its 2022-23 season and is seeking musicians to join the effort. Gilbert Corella, who currently serves as conductor of the Loudoun Symphonic Winds…has been tapped to succeed Cornelius Young, who recently hung up his baton in order to spend more time with his family in Maryland.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 84 and low of 64. Sunrise at 6:26 am and sunset at 8:01 pm. [Weather.gov]
A one-day beautification project is slated to take place next month at Lake Fairfax in Reston.
The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking volunteers for a community stewardship celebration at Lake Fairfax Park on Sept. 24.
After a community celebration — which will feature a light breakfast and remarks by local officials — volunteers will begin beautifying the park.
Naturalists will be on site to help volunteers plant trees near the park’s core areas, remove invasive plants, and help with other beautification efforts.
New research from Mather Institute reveals that some volunteer activities may be better than others when it comes to strengthening life satisfaction.
This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
Volunteer work is a wonderful use of your time. Doing something worthwhile for others offers a wealth of benefits to your own well-being, from keeping you mentally and socially active to strengthening your sense of purpose and satisfaction with life.
“I find volunteer work to be very satisfying,” says Paul Korkemaz, a part-time consultant and devoted volunteer who is planning to move with his wife to The Mather, a Life Plan Community in Tysons, when it opens in 2024.
Paul devotes time to three charitable pursuits when he’s not working.
“I like the sense that I’m actually making a difference,” he says. He has been teaching English as a Second Language for over 25 years at a Catholic church in Vienna; he does fundraising for an organization called Education & Opportunities for Lebanon, which serves underprivileged children throughout Lebanon; and he is a member and president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Arlington Diocese Council.
Interestingly, some volunteer activities may be better than others when it comes to life satisfaction. New research from Mather Institute looks at different formal and informal volunteer activities and finds that many older adults could increase their life satisfaction by choosing more formal activities like Paul. Formal activities are generally done for an organization, as opposed to informal activities like helping out a neighbor or friend.
Mather Institute is the research arm of Mather, the parent organization of The Mather. The Institute is an award-winning resource for research and information about wellness, aging, trends in senior living and successful aging service innovations.
“In our study on ‘the value of volunteering,’ we found that not all opportunities offer the same psychological benefits,” says study author Nicole Lehpamer, PhD, senior research associate at Mather Institute. The study reveals that volunteer activities most likely to increase your life satisfaction include the following:
- Fundraising
- Mentoring youth or tutoring and teaching
- Collecting, preparing, serving or distributing food
- General labor (like cleaning up a public park)
“The things I’m engaged in with these organizations are not just talk,” says Paul. “I can see the understanding on someone’s face as they learn English; I can know the difference we’re making in the lives of children in Lebanon who I’ll never meet. That is what’s satisfying.”
Want to find a volunteer opportunity that will maximize your life satisfaction? Start by looking at local community groups, schools or places of worship for formal volunteer opportunities like those listed above.
The Mather, projected to open in Tysons, VA, in 2024 for those 62 and better, is a forward-thinking Life Plan Community that defies expectations of what senior living is supposed to be. The community is located in the center of a vibrant urban location just two blocks from the Metro and within walking distance to restaurants, retail, and parks.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Three candidates are running for three seats on Reston Community Center’s Board of Governors.
The annual vote — known as the preference poll — will feature incumbents Beverly Cosham and Paul Thomas, along with Shane Ziegler.
Voting begins on Sept. 3. Each property owner in Small District 5 will receive a ballot in the mail, which must be received by 5 p.m. on Sept. 29. Walk-in and online ballots must be received by 5 p.m. the following day.
County Offers New Covid Vaccine — “Starting this week, adults 18 years of age and older who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine and are interested in getting one, can now make an appointment for the recently authorized Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted. Due to limited availability, Novavax will only be offered by appointment only.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
Teen Takes Stand in Springfield Murder Trial — “A teenager on trial in the killings of two Fairfax County high school students took the stand Tuesday and said he was defending a friend when he opened fire inside a Springfield, Virginia, home last year…Ersheen Elaiaiser, 17, was shot twice in the chest and 16-year-old Calvin Van Pelt was shot once in the back at a home in the 8000 block of Winding Way Court, prosecutors said. Both teens died.” [NBC4]
Detective Testifies in Tysons Shooting Case — “A detective told the Fairfax County court that Noah Settles, 22, of Southeast D.C., fired three times inside the crowded mall on June 18, over Father’s Day weekend. The shooting caused scared shoppers to run for exits and hide inside the mall. The mall was temporarily closed by authorities.” [NBC4]
Chicken Restaurant Coming to Annandale — “O’my ChiQ & Bar is expected to open in late September at 7023 Columbia Pike in Annandale. A patio is under construction. The restaurant will specialize in rotisserie, grilled, and barbecue chicken and barbecue ribs, says the future manager, who now works at Omy Hot Pot on Annandale Road.” [Annandale Today]
Firefighter Rescues Stuck Kitten — “Kitten stuck in a storm drain? No problem for the crew of Engine 409, Mount Vernon, B-Shift! Probationary Firefighter James Gupton made the grab to get kitty to safety! @FairfaxCountyPD Animal Protection took the kitten to @fairfaxanimals for eventual adoption.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Fairfax Speed Cameras Will Be Back Monday — “Speed enforcement cameras have been installed in SCHOOL ZONES on Old Lee Highway, Route 236/Main Street, and Jermantown Road, near the city’s four schools and two Fairfax County schools (Woodson High School and Frost Middle School).” [City of Fairfax Police Department/Facebook]
Community Center and Day Care Workers Needed — “The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood & Community Services is hosting an Open Hire Event on Wednesday, August 31 to fill multiple Activity Facilitator and SACC Day Care Teacher positions located at various community centers and SACC program sites…The event takes place August 31 from 5-7 p.m. at the Pennino Building.” [NCS]
Family-Owned Fairfax Restaurant Gets Notice — The winners of WTOP’s Top 10 contest are pretty Arlington and Maryland-centric, but Captain Pell’s Fairfax Crabhouse on Fairfax Blvd managed a runner-up mention in the “Best Seafood” category. Other local restaurants are featured further down the lists, which were determined by the news outlet’s readers and listeners. [WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 81 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:26 am and sunset at 8:02 pm. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) A transgender woman’s lawsuit alleging discrimination at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center will be allowed to move forward in a potentially landmark decision in the fight for trans rights.
Former inmate Kesha Williams can pursue her complaint arguing that the harassment she experienced at the county jail violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, a U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled in an opinion released today (Tuesday).
“We could not be happier with how the return of the Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta went!” Reston Museum Executive Director Alex Campbell wrote in a statement to FFXnow. “The boat designs were amazing and it was wonderful to connect with the community again through this favorite event. This event always brings joy, but this year’s race was truly something special.”
YMCA won the navigator race, while Cinder won the skipper race. The people’s choice award — selected based on attendee votes — went to Mr. Matt and the WildFlowers. The Titanic award went to Terraset Elementary School.
Once McLean resident Lauren Taylor learned how to identify invasive plants in Fairfax County’s parks, she couldn’t stop noticing them.
They take a variety of forms, from shrubs like Japanese barberry — distinctive for the red coloring and spatula-like shape of its leaves — to creeping vines such as wintercreeper and English ivy that essentially strangle trees.
First Responders Train for Silver Line Phase 2 — “More than a hundred fire and emergency personnel will converge on the new Ashburn Station on the Silver Line Extension as part of a full-scale emergency drill Wednesday, August 17. Metro is conducting the exercise in coordination with Fairfax County, Loudoun County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) as part of preparations for the opening of the Silver Line Extension expected later this fall.” [WMATA]
Route 1 Trailer Park Residents Build Community — “Poverty often takes from people. It snatches. It steals. It can leave people with empty bellies, low self-esteem and a lost sense of security. That’s why the women want people to know what they’ve created in that trailer park on Route 1. From a shared struggle, they have built something special — a network of moms who regularly check on one another, inform one another and push one another.” [The Washington Post]
Community Raises Funds for Family of Reston Football Player — “A GoFundMe campaign started Wednesday to help cover funeral expenses for 18-year-old Shyon Smith reached its $30,000 goal thanks to 555 donors. Smith, who was a standout player on the South Lakes football team, died on Aug. 8.” [Patch]
Restaurant Week Is Underway — “Before the back-to-school season begins, DC area residents can enjoy a summer night out during Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week from Aug. 15 to 21. The restaurant week features three-course $25 lunch or brunch menus and $40 or $55 dinner menus.” [Patch]
Loose Pig Caught at Kingstowne Garden Center — A pig at large in the Kingstowne neighborhood last week was corraled by workers at Nalls Produce, who were working with Fairfax County Animal Protection Police to locate the animal’s family. The swine was reportedly happy and healthy. [Supervisor Rodney Lusk/Twitter]
Mount Vernon Pickleball Courts Ready for Use — “Fairfax County Park Authority’s (FCPA) conversion of George Washington Park’s aging tennis courts into six dedicated pickleball courts and two dual-use courts for tennis and pickleball is substantially complete, according to Adam Wynn, a project manager and senior planner with FCPA.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Church Celebrates 150th Anniversary — “Interfaith congregations from throughout the region have joined together to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the historically black Shiloh Baptist Church at 8310 Turning Leaf Lane in McLean, with additional special activities on the way.” [Sun Gazette]
Tysons Software Company Opens India Center — “Tysons low-code software company Appian Corp. (NASDAQ: APPN) is not letting fears of a recession slow down its hiring plans. Appian just opened a product development center in Chennai, India, and is hiring across the company, CEO Matt Calkins told the Washington Business Journal.” [Washington Business Journal]
Look Inside Retired Nats Star’s Former Great Falls Home — “The $7.9 million home of retired Washington Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman — a.k.a., Mr. National — went on the market earlier this week…The six-bedroom, 10-bathroom Great Falls estate looks more like a lavish resort than a single-family home.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Tuesday — Possible light rain in the morning. High of 79 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:25 am and sunset at 8:04 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s COVID-19 community level has dropped from “medium” to “low,” as anticipated based on a steady decline in case numbers over the past month.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed the county’s community level with its weekly update on Thursday (Aug. 11), as its case rate of 187.71 cases per 100,000 residents dipped below the 200 mark for the first time since early May.
Within the next decade, Fairfax County could see pedestrians and bicyclists split up along its stretch of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, among other potential changes at its regional parks.
In a new, five-year strategic plan released last Tuesday (Aug. 9), the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NOVA Parks) proposes expanding the “dual trail” design introduced last year in Falls Church to other segments of the 45-mile, cross-county park.
