A pair of 480-unit buildings in the massive Halley Rise mixed-use development in Reston is nearing completion.
The Arbor at Halley Rise, located at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Sunrise Valley Drive, includes a pair of towers built on a common podium. It will also include 9,500-square-feet of retail, outdoor courtyards, a pool, amenities areas, club rooms and a fitness center.
Fairfax County is in the early phases of considering a sign plan for the project. In the application, the developer notes that the branding of the apartment building was “inspired by the serenity of nature.”
“This concept focuses on creating a sanctuary at home,” the application says. “A stylish font paired with a vintage illustration set creates a system that feels chic yet comfortable.”
Construction on the apartment component began in July of last year. Retail is expected to deliver in October 2024, with opening slated for April 2025, according to a site plan.
At completion, Halley Rise will include nearly 2 million square feet of office space, 1,600 residential units, 246,000 square feet of retail, 5 acres of parks and 3,700 parking spaces. The development’s most recent addition was the long-anticipated opening of Wegmans in January.
The project is divided into two phases. The first phase, which will be completed this year, includes 90,000 square feet of retail, 480,000 square feet of office space, 532 residential units and 771 parking spots.
The convenience store Sheetz is expected to land in Herndon this summer.
A spokesperson for the company told FFXnow that the 6,000-square-foot location is set to open in July or August. An exact opening date has not yet been finalized.
It’ll be located at 13850 McLearen Road, replacing a two-story office building that was built in the late 1970s.
Sheetz will operate around the clock and will have 49 parking spots, five of which are dedicated as electrical vehicle charging stations.
The model combines a gas station, food store and restaurant with a drive-through. There are multiple locations through Virginia, including Sterling, Ashburn, South Riding and Leesburg, but this will be the first Sheetz in Fairfax County.
FCPD Adopts Bean-Bag Shotguns — “Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are repurposing a long-carried weapon in patrol cars — the shotgun. But now, those weapons are being converted to only contain ‘less-lethal’ bean bag rounds…Since March, the department has removed all 800 of its shotguns and replaced the weapons with 630 less-lethal beanbag shotguns.” [WTOP]
Workshop on Parking Overhaul Tonight — The Fairfax County Planning Commission will hold a workshop at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the “Parking Reimagined” initiative, the county’s first major overhaul of its parking regulations since 1988. Proposed changes include bicycle parking requirements and a tiered system for off-street parking. There will also be a public open house on June 29. [Zoning Administration Division]
What Primary Results Mean for General Assembly — “The ideological middle ground is fast disappearing, meaning [Gov. Glenn] Youngkin will probably face feast or famine in the next legislative session…The Democratic shift was most apparent in Northern Virginia, where at least two veteran incumbent senators lost to younger challengers from the left.” [The Washington Post]
First Task Force Meeting Set on Lake Accotink — “The Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink, established at the June 6 Board of Supervisors meeting, will hold their first meeting on Monday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at the Government Center. The task force will produce findings that will inform the Board of Supervisors’ decision regarding the future of Lake Accotink.” [Fairfax County Government]
Dulles Airport to Update 1960s-era People Movers — “Dulles architect Eero Saarinen saw mobile lounges as a convenient way to shorten walks from ticket counters to far-off planes. A Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority committee approved $16 million to completely rehabilitate two of the 60-plus-year-old vehicles.” That will take about three years and could lead to updates of the remaining people movers, which would cost $160 million total. [DCist]
Restaurant Sought for Vacant Lincolina Site — “The new owner of 6499 Little River Turnpike in Lincolnia is renovating the property and hopes to lease it to a restaurant…[Jay] Jasany is adding a new section in the back of the building and would like to have rooftop dining. The contractor hopes to complete construction in four or five months.” [Annandale Today]
Reston Company Helps Businesses Reduce Emissions — “Reston energy technology company GridPoint Inc. works with commercial businesses to help them reduce carbon emissions and save money doing so. A $150 million credit facility it just secured from Annapolis-based climate investment firm HASI…will help it continue doing just that.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Thursday — Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. High near 73 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with a low temperature in the evening around 66. Chance of precipitation is 80%. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s General Assembly delegation will look drastically different next year after a pivotal Democratic primary yesterday (Tuesday) that also bolstered incumbents in most county-level races.
In two upsets, Sully District school board representative Stella Pekarsky eked out a win over veteran state Sen. George Barker for the 36th District nomination, while Fairfax Young Democrats vice president Saddam Azlan Salim ousted Sen. Chap Petersen in the 37th District.
Currently in her first term on the Fairfax County School Board after getting elected in 2019, Pekarsky received 52.2% of the vote — just 662 more votes than Barker, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.
First elected in 2007, Barker was pursuing a fifth term in the state Senate. Encompassing Chantilly, Centreville and Clifton, the 36th District was created by the Virginia Supreme Court during the 2021 redistricting process and includes just a portion of Barker’s former 39th District.
In a statement, Pekarsky thanked Barker “for a hard fought campaign on the issues.”
“Our constituents benefited from the conversation and I look forward to uniting behind our shared vision of standing up for Democratic values,” she said. “I am running to stand up for public education, protect abortion access, keep our community safe from gun violence, and build a brighter future for the next generation. I look forward to sharing that message with every voter in the district leading up to November’s election.”
Pekarsky will face Republican nominee Julie Perry, a history teacher, in the general election on Nov. 7.
In the 37th District, which covers Tysons, Fairfax City, Vienna, Oakton, Falls Church and Merrifield, Salim beat Petersen by 999 votes, or 53.8%. He campaigned as a progressive alternative to the more conservative Petersen, challenging the incumbent on issues like gun violence prevention and reproductive rights.
“This was an incredible grassroots movement of constituents all across the district and we achieved this victory together,” Salim said in a statement. “I look forward to being your Democratic nominee and continuing our fight for the issues that we care about: gun violence prevention, affordable housing, reproductive rights and so much more.”
If he wins in November, when he will face Republican nominee Ken Reid, Salim will become the first Bangladeshi-American elected to Virginia’s state Senate, according to his campaign.
First elected to the House of Delegates in 2001 before moving to the Senate in 2008, Petersen presented himself as a business-friendly, “common sense” candidate. In a statement to supporters, he admitted “the results last night were not what we expected but that happens in a democracy,” congratulating Salim on earning the nomination.
“My term in office and my season in politics is coming to a close,” Petersen said. “I want to thank everyone who helped me in any way along this long and winding journey, especially over the last six months. We ran a positive campaign for re-election based on my past record as a Senator. It didn’t work this time and I bear all responsibility.”
Notably, Petersen and Barker both significantly outraised their challengers, reporting over $1 million each in campaign contributions, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. In comparison, Salim raised just $188,653, and Pekarsky got a total of $639,435.
The Democratic nominees in the other General Assembly races on the primary ballot are:
- Senate District 33: Jennifer Carroll Foy
- Senate District 35: State Sen. David Marsden, seeking to replace Dick Saslaw, one of several retiring state legislators who represent parts of Fairfax County
- House District 7: At-large school board member Karen Keys-Gamarra
- House District 15: Springfield District school board representative Laura Jane Cohen
- House District 19: Rozia Henson Jr., though Fairfax County voters favored Makya Little by 38 votes in the mostly Prince William County-focused district
Local residents are asking Reston Association to change the name of Shadowood pool once again.
The effort — which previously came up over a decade ago — is primarily underway in order to tackle the assumption that the pool is only for the use of the Shadowood Condominium Association instead of for all RA members.
Residents want to rename the area to South Lakes Recreation Area, which includes the pool and tennis courts at 2201 Springwood Drive, according to materials for the RA Board of Directors meeting on Thursday (June 22).
They argue the name change would improve usability and encourage access for all paying members.
“The Shadowood Pool name change issue has been dragged ad nauseam, but is not going away and it will not go away,” Connie Fiorito, secretary of the Colonial Greene Cluster, wrote in a 2011 memo. “Why? Because even if some may think that it is a mundane issue, it is a real issue for the members whose use Shadowood pool, as shown by the signatures of support.”
The issue first arose in 2009 and 2010 when some residents approached RA for a name change. The board ultimately voted against a change in 2011, citing a lack of the required number of signatories for a petition.
A new official name change request was submitted by Alan Nathanson in December. Staff recommended reviewing the issue soon — but not on an expedited timeline.
“As staff does not believe this item is a high priority in the midst of the park and recreation staff’s busy season, staff recommends the Board take this issue up in the fall and winter in advance of next year’s aquatics season,” staff said in the meeting materials.
Several RA members petitioned the board to approve the name change at a May 25 meeting.
The request comes as Shadowood pool undergoes major renovations. In the first phase of the project, refurbishment and squaring is planned before the facility reopens in the middle of the summer.
The remainder of the work — including a wading pool conversion — will happen in the off season. The pool is expected to then reopen before the 2024 swim season. First built in 1976, the pool has been replastered several times because surrounding trees drop debris that stain the white plaster surface.
Since then, RA’s board approved $1.1 million for construction-related costs. Renovations include chipping out the tile and coping. A gas line will also run from South Lakes Drive to allow the installation of heaters to heat the main pools.
Repairs to the bathhouse roof, flooring and exterior lighting are also planned, and the wading pool will be converted into an interactive splash pad with a recirculating filtration system to save water.
Fairfax County residents will finally get the chance to satisfy their sweet-tooth cravings this fall.
For the second year in a row, the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival is returning to Dulles Expo Center (4320 Chantilly Shopping Center) on Oct. 7 and 8.
Tickets for the event are currently on sale for 50% off until 11:59 p.m. on June 30. With the discounted rates, general admission tickets start at $8.00, and VIP tickets are priced at $13.50.
With ambitious plans to expand from its first run, this year’s festival will be transitioning from the Dulles Expo Center’s North Hall to the South Hall, giving vendors an additional 70,000 square feet — roughly three times as much space as last year, says John Hill, half of the husband-wife duo behind the festival.
John, and his wife Lindsay, hope the increased space will accommodate the influx of visitors to Dulles Town Center after last year’s festival hit max capacity at over 8,000 people, according to a press release.
To ensure the thousands of visitors projected to attend have plenty to see, the festival will feature over 100 different vendors from around D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Vendor applications are still being accepted in a search for what John described as the “most unique” businesses.
Many small businesses based locally in the Fairfax County area will appear in hopes of finding lifelong customers. Among the list are Weird Brothers Coffee, Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates, Le Papiyon Chocolatier, Dano’s Granola and River-Sea Chocolates.
“What we’ve heard from our vendors is that by coming out to this event, they’re able to reach people that have never heard of them before,” John said. “Like River-Sea is right there next to the center, but they’ve had new customers come in their doors because they found them at the Chocolate Coffee Festival, and now they’ve learned that there’s a storefront location.”
Other interactive additions slated for the festival include educational classes, chocolate and coffee mascots for photo opportunities, and a kids’ craft table. Carrying over from last year, attendees will also get access to “tons and tons and tons of free samples,” John says.
The festival has again partnered with the Christian radio station WGTS 91.9, with a portion of every ticket sale being donated back to the organization.
Festival guests are encouraged to bring canned food donations to the WGTS 9.19 tent to support Food for Others, a nonprofit food bank. Donors will have their names entered into a prize drawing and get a chance to win an assortment of artisan goods donated by participating vendors.
Giving back through supporting local communities and small businesses is ultimately what fuels the Hills’ passion for hosting events like the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival.
“We really care a lot about small business, which is why we got involved in this — it’s to help other businesses grow,” John said. “That’s an exciting, fun thing for us, just to help people with great ideas share their ideas with the world.”
The couple became inspired to lead the festival after helping a friend tour the country to promote their small business and seeing a similar event on the West Coast.
“[The tour] opened open our eyes to the world of events and how beneficial events can be helping small businesses get attention for their products and their brand and tell their story,” John said. “It’s a lot easier to tell your story face-to-face with an attendee than through the internet or email.”
The Hills transported the chocolate and coffee festival from across the country to Chantilly “so that county residents can get the closest, best experience of having [a DMV-region event] right in their backyard,” John said.
This fall marks the Hills’ second year of running the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival, and they have no plans to make it their last.
“When we see those vendors selling out of product as most of our vendors did last year, it just like makes us feel like, ‘Okay, we’re doing the right thing, we’re helping these people,’” Lindsay said. “And that’s why we want to keep doing the event.”
(Updated at 10:50 a.m.) At-large Fairfax County School Board member Karen Keys-Gamarra secured the Democratic nomination for the Virginia House of Delegates’ District 7 race, according to the Virginia Department of Election’s unofficial results.
Keys-Gamarra had a solid 37.1% of the total vote, outpacing three other candidates.
Paul Berry, an educator, gathered 28.5%, followed by Shyamali Roy Hauth, an Air Force veteran and adviser to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn. Mary Barthelson, a systems engineer, came in last with 8.3% of the vote.
Praising the level of camaraderie in the community and how informed the voters are, Keys-Gamarra told FFXnow that she looks “forward to working towards the interests of our community.”
Keys-Gamarra was one of four local candidates who sought to fill the seat being vacated by Del. Ken Plum, who has represented Reston in the House of Delegates for more than 40 years. Plum announced his intention not to seek reelection in February.
A fifth candidate, attorney John Farrell, withdrew from the race in order to support Keys-Gamarra, who also got Plum’s endorsement. Farrell is now Reston Association’s board president.
Plum lauded Keys-Gamarra for her win in a social media statement.
“Thank you to all who voted and worked for Karen Keys-Gamarra for her win in the Democratic Primary election yesterday. Now on to the General Election in November. Karen will make a great delegate,” Plum wrote.
As an Oakton resident, Keys-Gamarra has served as a school board member since 2017. She is the mom of three FCPS graduates, an attorney and court-appointed guardian.
No Republican candidates have come forward to challenge the Democratic nominee for the seat.
Barthelson congratulated Keys-Gamarra on her win.
“This election helped raise awareness about the growing challenges of housing insecurity and need for improved mental health services. Until solutions are achieved, I pledge to remain involved and a champion for progress,” she wrote.
The results from yesterday’s Democratic primary — which saw voters choose nominees for several General Assembly seats, Commonwealth’s Attorney, sheriff, and Board of Supervisors — will be officially certified by the state next Tuesday (June 27).
Metro Warns of $750 Million Budget Gap — “Tuesday, Metro painted a dire picture of what would happen if the problem festers: service cuts that would ‘devastate the region.’ These cuts would include eliminating two-thirds of bus and rail service resulting in worse service quality and degraded safety and accessibility.” [DCist]
County’s Auditor to Review Recent Police Shootings — “Because of the ‘dramatic uptick’ in officer-involved shootings by Fairfax County police in the past two years, the county’s Office of the Independent Police Auditor in coming months will review all 15 police shootings of people since 2017.” A nonprofit is also reviewing shootings since 2021. [Gazette Leader]
Tysons-Based Newspaper Publisher Sues Google — “Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI) said Tuesday it has sued Google and parent company Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL), alleging ‘monopolization of advertising technology markets and deceptive commercial practices.’” The lawsuit “alleges Google and Alphabet force publishers ‘to sell growing shares of that ad space to Google at depressed prices,’” reducing revenue for newspaper publishers. [Washington Business Journal]
Republicans Threaten FBI HQ Funding — “Some House Republicans, angered by the indictment of former President Donald Trump, are threatening to withhold funding for the FBI and put the brakes on plans for the agency to move out of D.C…Trump has been indicted on 37 counts related to the mishandling of sensitive documents.” [WTOP/Inside NoVA]
Penn Daw Walmart Reopens After Renovation — “Dozens of employees from the Walmart Supercenter at Kings Crossing gathered June 16 to celebrate the grand re-opening of the store following a three-month remodel.” Updates include new register technology and changes to the store inventory, with an expansion of the pick-up and digital area expected in the next three months. [On the MoVe]
Reston Data Center Acquired — “Data center firm Edge Centres has acquired a facility in Reston, Virginia. The company said the newly-acquired carrier hotel facility, renamed EC104, offers 1MW with room to scale, and has 20 individual carriers present…Though the company didn’t disclose the precise location, the data center matches 11513 Sunset Hills Rd” [Data Center Dynamics]
Financial Aid Offered to Child Care Providers — “Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services invites eligible child care providers to apply for $2.5 million in grants intended to help county child care providers recover from the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.” [NCS]
Wolf Trap Hosts First Out & About Festival This Weekend — “Brandi Carlile is certainly a big enough draw on her own, but Wolf Trap decided to expand her visit into a special two-day festival for Pride Month with the Out & About Festival in Vienna, Virginia this Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25.” [WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 72. Northeast wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%, rising to 80% at night. New precipitation could range from a tenth to half of an inch. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 1 a.m. on 6/21/2023) The Fairfax County Democratic Committee has congratulated incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano as its nominee in one of the most closely watched races in the 2023 Democratic primary.
Descano received about 55.4% of the vote over challenger Ed Nuttall, who ended with 44.6% after shrinking a larger early deficit, according to the Virginia Department of Elections’ unofficial results.
With 75% of the vote, Sheriff Stacey Kincaid has been congratulated by the FCDC as its nominee, putting her on track for a third full term. The county’s first female sheriff, she faced a challenge by former D.C. police officer and Herndon High School football coach Kelvin Garcia.
Incumbents Jeff McKay and Dan Storck also snagged nominations, respectively, for the chair and Mount Vernon District seats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
In the Dranesville District, the FCDC has declared its former Democratic committee chair, Jimmy Bierman, as its nominee to succeed longtime Supervisor John Foust, who is retiring after this year. Bierman bested McLean Citizens Association board member David R. Fiske with about 70% of the vote.
The Mason District supervisor race — the most crowded local contest on the ballot — is leaning toward Mason District Planning Commissioner Andres Jimenez, who has just 134 more votes than the next-highest candidate, local business owner Reid Voss.
Vying for the chance to challenge incumbent Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, the board’s only Republican, tech entrepreneur Albert Vega has 55% of the vote so far compared to 44.9% for Fairfax County firefighter John Nowadly.
Looking at the Virginia General Assembly, some upsets may be in store for the 36th and 37th Senate Districts.
In the 36th District, Sully District school board representative Stella Pekarsky currently has just a 394-vote lead over George Barker, who has served in the state Senate since 2008 but was one of several local senators affected by redistricting in 2021.
In the 37th District, challenger Saddam Azlan Salim has a 592-vote lead over incumbent Chap Petersen, who has represented the Vienna and Fairfax City area for 16 years. Salim campaigned as “progressive” alternative to Petersen, who sometimes deviates from the party line and joined forces with Kincaid and Nuttall as a “common sense team.”
Incumbent state Sen. Dave Marsden is poised to win in the 35th District, while one-time gubernatorial Jennifer Carroll Foy looks likely to beat former lieutenant governor candidate Hala Ayala for the Senate District 33 nomination.
In a four-way race to succeed longtime Del. Ken Plum for the 7th House District, at-large Fairfax County School Board member Karen Keys-Gamarra is ahead with 36.5% of the vote, followed in order by Air Force veteran Shyamali Roy Hauth, teacher Paul Berry and systems engineer Mary Barthelson.
Retiring after 44 years in office, Plum endorsed Keys-Gamarra as his successor earlier this year, stating that she “reflects the progressive Democratic values I have always represented.”
Finally, Springfield District school board representative Laura Jane Cohen has been declared the nominee for the 15th House District after securing 68% of the vote.
“When I decided to run for the House of Delegates I promised that I would stand up to Governor Youngkin and the far right to defend public education, reproductive freedom, voting rights, our environment, and the progress we’ve made on gun violence prevention,” Cohen said in a message to supporters. “I maintain that promise, and am honored that the people of the 15th district have chosen me to be their Democratic nominee.”
Voter turnout for today’s Democratic primary has been more of a trickle than a stream, despite some pivotal races appearing on the ballot in Fairfax County.
By 1 p.m., just 2.6% of registered voters had cast a ballot today, the Fairfax County Office of Elections reported. That put the total turnout for the primary at an estimated 7.2%, including early in-person and mail voting.
Vienna’s Cunningham Park Elementary School was creeping past 180 voters around 1:30 p.m. The precinct hoped to reach 300 voters for the day, according to a volunteer handing out pamphlets for 37th Senate District candidate Saddam Azlan Salim, who’s challenging incumbent Chap Petersen.
Over in Bailey’s Crossroads, the Bailey’s Community Center had counted just 91 voters by that time.
In our 2nd report for the day, estimated turnout at the polls has now reached 2.6% for today's Democratic primary. So far, the total turnout for this election is estimated at 7.2% when including the #votebymail & early votes cast before today. pic.twitter.com/g2u74LT88Q
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) June 20, 2023
With the county leaning decidedly Democratic in recent years, the primary results could determine the ultimate winners of key local and state elections, including Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney, where incumbent Steve Descano is in a heated battle with defense attorney Ed Nuttall. No Republican candidates for the office have emerged so far.
Other races in today’s primary include county sheriff, five Fairfax County Board of Supervisors seats and seven seats in the Virginia General Assembly. The full Board of Supervisors and General Assembly, along with the Fairfax County School Board, will be on the ballot in November’s general election.
Today’s turnout will need to double by the time polls close at 7 p.m. for the percentage to match the last Democratic primary with the same races on the ballot. The June 11, 2019 primary recorded a 10.3% turnout, per county records.
Notably, the number of active, registered voters in the county was actually higher four years ago at 721,716 people. The county currently has 717,116 active, registered voters, according to an Office of Elections spokesperson.
The exact reason for the drop is unclear, but the county’s population growth has slowed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, declining in 2021 for the first time since 1840 before a slight uptick last year.
A man who was shot in Herndon on Sunday (June 18) remains in critical condition, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
Police said the man was found with a gunshot wound to his upper body on Sunday morning in the 2500 block of Cornelia Road. That day, he was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
At 4:05 a.m., a dispatcher said 911 had received three different calls for “suspicious noise.” Two of the callers reported hearing seven gunshots followed by screaming, according to scanner traffic.
In a statement, FCPD told FFXnow that the victim is “in critical but stable condition.”
“No arrest has been made at this time,” police said.
A possible white SUV was seen fleeing the area, according to authorities. Detectives continue to investigate.
Officers are in the 2500 blk of Cornelia Rd in Herndon for a shooting. Officers found a man w/a gunshot wound to the upper body. Victim taken to hospital w/life-threatening injuries. Possible white SUV seen fleeing the area. Call 911 w/info #FCPD pic.twitter.com/8eVYh93exl
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) June 18, 2023
As homelessness increases in Fairfax County, affected residents can use revamped county resources to cope with extreme summer heat.
The county will activate its extreme heat response when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory, excessive heat watch or excessive heat warning.
As part of the response, 47 county facilities are now designated as cooling centers and will provide supplies, such as water, sunscreen, insect repellant, body wipes, and bus passes, according to a presentation to the Board of Supervisors’ health and human services committee last week.
“Like in previous years, all county facilities that are open to the public can be used by residents to come in for cooling,” Jill Clark, health and human services policy and planning manager with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, said in the presentation.
The cooling center facilities include all libraries and community centers. In those locations, staff will be prepared to welcome residents in need, and there will be supplies and seating in designated spaces.
Supplies will also be available at shelters and drop-in centers and from outreach workers. Most of the supplies are single-use and/or lightweight and portable. The decision to supply single-use items, among other parts of the plan, came from feedback from a September 2022 survey of 81 unsheltered residents.
“In the responses, you could hear the challenges they experienced both in terms of discomfort and real negative health effects from the extreme heat, including nausea, shortness of breath, exhaustion, asthma attacks, inability to eat as well as sunburns and rashes,” said Tom Barnett, deputy director of housing and community development in the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness.
The county will also aim to better notify unsheltered residents about heat advisories by using a new dedicated channel of Fairfax Alerts.
“We learned through the unsheltered residents survey that most respondents actually have a phone with internet access, and actually prefer getting information about resources and heat alerts via text messages and emails,” Barnett said.
To help residents get to cooling centers, drop-in centers or weather-related overflow sites, the county will offer free Fairfax Connector bus passes in the form of 3,000 postcards that cover two rides each. In addition, the county will provide pre-loaded Transportation Options, Programs & Services (TOPS) cards to assist unsheltered residents who cannot access Fairfax Connector buses.
These changes came out of recommendations from a workgroup that formed in August 2022 in response to concerns raised by the Fairfax County NAACP. The board received the workgroup’s recommendations in a March memorandum.
“The work group and its four committees included a robust membership across many different county departments as well as key partners and representatives from the homeless service providers, the faith community and advocates,” Barnett said.
Fairfax County wants to bridge the gap between employers and qualified talent through a work-based learning opportunity initiative.
Talent Up will match local employers facing hiring challenges with qualified talent through paid temporary-to-permanent work-based learning internships, staff explained to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at an economic initiatives committee meeting last week.
According to the presentation, Talent Up will offer a variety of solutions to employers facing hiring challenges:
- Targets hard-to-fill, entry-level professional gateway jobs
- Repositions work-based learning as low-risk temporary to permanent hiring on-ramp
- Incentivizes employer participation by underwriting work-based learning wages
- Advises employers on revising job descriptions to focus on skills-based hiring, increasing the pool of qualified applicants by up to 50%
- Easy access to hundreds of candidates via talent development partners
“There’s a lot of movement going on in the workforce space right now — movement towards skills-based hiring, and we believe that this can dramatically accelerate that movement,” Bill Browning, workforce innovation manager at the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, said of the initiative.
The focus will be on gateway jobs such as information technology specialists, accounting clerks, sales representatives, and office administrative support.
“These are entry-level professional jobs, where there’s reams of data showing that they’re great springboards for future advancement and career advancement for candidates,” Browning added.
According to his presentation, Fairfax County had more than 67,000 job openings in May of this year, and 71% of employers in Northern Virginia reported it being more difficult to fill jobs now than last year, or even just a few months ago.
The initiative will also address what Browning called the “missing middle.”
“We’re looking at middle-skilled jobs that require some skills beyond high school, but perhaps not a college degree,” he said. “And we’re also looking at some of those midsize employers that don’t have some of the advantages large employers have.”
How it works:
- Business outreach: Initial focus on small to medium-sized employers
- Advise: Address hard to fill occupations and sponsor new temporary-to-permanent internships
- Match: Talent partners’ referrals to generate qualified candidates to interview
- Choose: Employers select interns
- Support: Coaching and training support during internship to increase success rates
- Success: Convert internships into full-time offers or place interns into new jobs
Theresa Benincasa, manager of economic mobility with the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives, said the plan is to get started right away with the board’s approval.
“We’re going to just go ahead and do a launch event in the fall with board approval. We’ll start doing events with workers to communicate, we’ll do some one-to-one engagement,” she continued.
To be eligible for Talent Up, employers must have a physical presence in Fairfax County and be ready to establish a work-based learning internship.
Job seekers must be county residents, meet the skills requirements of an open internship and be impacted by pandemic-related unemployment, underemployed or seeking greater economic mobility.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay voiced support for the initiative, saying it builds resilience.
“If you can help some folks move into these jobs, not only do we help our employers, we help those individuals. But it’s a resilience thing where their lives can change dramatically for the better,” he said.
The program will seek the board’s approval at the July 11 meeting.
Photo via Eric Prouzet/Unsplash
A Springfield motorcyclist was killed in a Reston crash Friday (June 16) night, according to Fairfax County police.
The 37-year-old man — identified as Dominique Hunt-Brown — was traveling southbound on Fairfax County Parkway when he ran a red light and struck a Sienna that was trying to turn left from Sunset Hills Road onto Fairfax County Parkway on a green light, the Fairfax County Police Department said.
Hunt-Brown was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The crash happened shortly before 8 p.m. Detectives are investigating if speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.
No other injuries were reported.
Friday’s crash is the seventh non-pedestrian-related fatal crash that the FCPD has recorded in the county to date. Last year, there were four non-pedestrian-related fatal crashes.
Officers are on scene of a fatal motorcycle vs a car accident at southbound Fairfax County Pkwy near Spring St. The motorcyclist, an adult man, was taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries where he was pronounced deceased. Please avoid area. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/jV5ryfQHe5
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) June 17, 2023
Polls Open for Democratic Primary — “Tuesday, June 20 is primary election day, though early voting began in early May. While the general election is set for November, the county is overwhelmingly Democratic, so the candidates who win the primaries will be favored this fall.” [FFXnow]
Five People Attacked by Dogs in Oakton — “Two dogs are in Animal Protection Police custody after they bit & attacked five people to include 2 officers. Incident occurred in 3100 blk Elmendorf Dr, Oakton. Dog owner has been located. All parties being treated for injuries not believed to be life threatening. Preliminarily, dogs have been identified as pitbull mixes.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Three Displaced by Belle Haven House Fire — “On Friday, June 9, at 8:31 p.m., units from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched for a house fire in the 2300 blk of Windsor Road.” Investigators determined the fire was accidentally ignited in the basement by an overheated surge protector. It caused about $100,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
Lawsuit Over McLean Bible Church Election Revived — “The Court of Appeals of Virginia says members of a Tysons Corner megachurch can continue part of their lawsuit over a disputed 2021 leadership election…The suit was filed by five church members who alleged senior pastor David Platt and the board of elders violated the church’s constitution by wrongfully deeming members ‘inactive’ and therefore deprived of them of their right to vote in a regular election for three elder positions in June 2021.” [WUSA9]
Dead Body Subject of Fairfax Homicide Investigation — “City of Fairfax Police identified city resident Luis Barahona Reyes, 50, on Friday, as the deceased adult found [June 4] morning in a dumpster at a strip mall on Fairfax Boulevard. Reyes’ death is being investigated as a homicide.” [Patch]
FCPS Apologizes for Phishing Test Email to Staff — “The email was seemingly sent from the school district — complete with a Fairfax County Public Schools logo — thanking employees for their work and offering gift cards as a sign of appreciation…But teachers who clicked the link didn’t get a gift card. They had just been phished — sort of.” [The Washington Post]
Fairfax Kids Raise Money for Animal Rescue — “It’s time to get uplifted with 9-year-old Ashley and 8-year-old’s Caroline and Harper — three friends who have been hard at work raising money for Homeward Trails Animal Rescue by selling lemonade and pastries. This is the second year that they’ve set up shop, and business is booming.” [WUSA9]
Local Residents Share Owl Sightings — “Some people in Fairfax County, Virginia, are spotting more and more owls, right in their backyards. ‘Be happy you got the chance to see an owl, you don’t get to see them everyday,’ Fairfax County Ecologist David Lawlor said.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — A slight chance of rain after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 80. East wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. [Weather.gov]
