In the future, Fairfax County residents won’t need to trek to a park to experience nature.
Instead, the park will find them with the Wonder Wagon Mobile Nature Center, a Fairfax County Park Authority initiative that will bring educational programs on nature and the environment to underserved communities and Title I schools with limited access to green spaces.
“Mobile nature centers will allow greater opportunity for communities to come to know the Park Authority and the cultural and natural resources around them,” FCPA public information officer Benjamin Boxer said. “…The concept is to activate the nature that is all around us for those who may not have the means for easy access to one of the Park Authority’s facilities.”
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an initial $114,640 for the mobile nature center with its adoption of the fiscal year 2024 budget on May 9. However, that funding falls short of the $229,279 that the park authority requested to cover two merit staff positions and operating costs for a full year.
In addition, the FCPA estimates that it needs approximately $200,000 to acquire electric or hybrid vans to transport the center.
The county hopes to fill those gaps with the help of the Fairfax County Park Foundation, the nonprofit that obtains private donations, grants and partnerships to supplement the park authority’s public funding.
Earlier this month, the foundation was awarded a $34,000 grant for the mobile nature center from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Environment Fund, which launched in 2018 with its first grant going to the Fairfax County Public Schools Get2Green initiative.
Boxer called the grant “a significant step” in the foundation’s fundraising effort.
“The Fairfax County Park Foundation is grateful for the generous…grant from CFNOVA,” Bobbi Longworth, the foundation’s executive director, said. “The grant will help fund the Wonder Wagon Mobile Nature Center that will teach children in Title 1 elementary schools and underserved areas about the environment and the importance of stewardship of nature and parks. By bringing environmental education to them, it will increase the children’s connectedness to nature where they live.”
According to the FCPA, the mobile centers will be filled with supplies for “a variety of interactive field trip experiences,” from science experiments to live insects and other creatures.
The exact programming remains to be determined, as the park authority plans to host some community engagement events starting this summer to gather ideas from the public.
“Test programs may begin in the fall,” Boxer said.
Two stops on Metro’s Silver Line have risen above all others since the rail line was extended into Loudoun County last fall.
The stations at Dulles International Airport and Ashburn remain the most popular so far, continuing a trend seen in the first month of operations for the extension, according to Metro officials.
At a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board meeting on Thursday (May 11), Metro Director of Performance Improvement Jordan Holt said that nearly a third of all Silver Line Phase II trips start or end at the Dulles stop. Additionally, a quarter of all trips start or end at Ashburn.
“Downtown D.C. is a draw,” Holt said.
She also noted that more than half of all customers traveling from Silver Line Phase II stations went to one of 12 stations. Roughly 35% went to Silver Line stations in D.C., while 14% traveled to Silver Line stations in Virginia. Three percent went to Union Station.
The extension began service on Nov. 15 after years of delays. The second phase of the Silver Line includes 11.5 miles of the rail line, including stations in Herndon, Reston Town Center, and Innovation Center.
So far, there have been more than 1.1 million trips on the new extension in its first five months of service.
(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) Fairfax County officials are hoping to clear up a legal kerfuffle over its zoning ordinance, which was readopted last week after getting voided by the Virginia Supreme Court earlier this year.
Before readopting a modernized version of the zoning ordinance — known as zMod — on May 9, the county filed a petition for a rehearing in the Supreme Court case Berry v. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
The court struck down the ordinance on March 23 — nearly two years after it first took effect — because it was originally adopted during a virtual meeting and therefore violated the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
The court argued that the county’s state of emergency rules for Covid only allowed virtual meetings on issues “necessary to ensure the continuation of essential functions and services,” which it said didn’t include updating a document last overhauled in the 1970s.
Most residents testifying at an in-person public hearing on zMOD’s readoption last week opposed the update.
Even though zMOD has now been reinstated, the county confirmed to FFXnow that it’s still pursuing the request for a rehearing in the Berry case.
“The Berry opinion was broadly framed and has potential implications that reach beyond zMOD,” a county spokesperson said. “The decision affects numerous localities, among many other public bodies, across the Commonwealth who conducted electronic meetings in good faith reliance on the relevant state legislation to protect their residents during the pandemic.”
The petition argued that the Supreme Court’s opinion not only raised questions about close to two years of zoning actions, but also forced “every public body in the Commonwealth that met electronically during the pandemic…to examine its actions and speculate whether this Court would deem them ‘time-sensitive.'”
In the filing, the county argued that the board acted in “good faith” by holding virtual public meetings in the midst of the pandemic, and they were consistent with Virginia’s limits on public gatherings at the time, which had dropped to 10 people when the board authorized public hearings on zMOD in December 2020.
The county also argues that voiding zMod “casts doubt on years of pandemic-era decisions made in good faith reliance on the budget language.”
Walsh Colluci Lubeley & Walsh, a prominent law firm in the area that handles many Fairfax County land use applications, has also filed two amicus briefs on behalf of the Home Builders of Virginia, the Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate and the Virginia Land Title Association.
They argue that the Supreme Court’s decision has “already had a significant adverse effect on local governments and private sector entities statewide.”
“The court’s reasoning has cast a cloud over a vast number of land use approvals and permits, not just in Fairfax County but throughout the Commonwealth,” one filing states, adding that “the number of applications potentially impacted by the court’s decision cannot be understated.”
The court could rehear the case if any of the seven justices determine there is good cause.
A new tea spot is opening soon in Herndon’s Worldgate Centre.
Sharetea, a franchise that specializes in tea drinks, is expected to open soon at 13043 Worldgate Drive, according to signage posted at the door.
The business kicked off in Taiwan in 1992. It currently has more than 300 locations across 13 countries.
Virginia has three locations in Fairfax, Falls Church and Chesapeake. The business didn’t immediately return a request for comment from FFXnow.
Items on the menu include a variety of milk teas, fruit tea, blended ice beverages, and tea mojitos.
It replaces 1,053-square-feet of space previously leased by Pivot Physical Therapy.
The shopping plaza — which is anchored by Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa and AMC Theaters — has one 921-square-foot vacancy, according to the property owner’s website.
Police Share Plans for Future DUI Checkpoints — “Throughout the year, our Fairfax County DUI squad will host sobriety checkpoints throughout the County. District stations will also host sobriety checkpoints, between the hours are 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. The focus is to recognize those community members who are impaired and get them off the streets safely.” [FCPD]
Dead Bodies Found in Culmore and Groveton — “Two dead bodies were found in different areas of Fairfax County hours apart Saturday, police said. One body was found behind a business at the 3300 block of Glen Carlyn Drive…Hours later, officers responded to a call about another body found at the 7100 block of Mint Place” [WUSA9]
Cause of Mount Vernon Boat Fire Still Unknown — Fairfax County fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a boat in the 4800 block of Tarpon Lane around 7:16 p.m. on May 4. Two people got injured in the fire and were transported to a hospital, while the boat “is considered a total loss.” [FCFRD]
Tysons Office Buildings Up for Sale — Tysons Concourse — a pair of seven-story office buildings at 1593 Spring Hill Road — has been put on the market by owner AG-ARC Tysons Concourse Owner LLC. Built in 1986, the “Class A” offices were renovated in 2017 and “could attract new tenants, or else be redeveloped with ‘at least’ 1.2 million square feet of new uses, ‘including multifamily, townhomes, and/or senior living,'” marketing materials say. [Washington Business Journal]
Less Plastic Bag Litter Seen in First Year of Tax — Fairfax County’s 5-cent tax on plastic bags generated about $2.3 million in revenue over its first year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022, according to the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination. The executive director of Clean Fairfax says the nonprofit has found “fewer plastic bags…during stream monitoring and litter cleanup events” since the tax began. [Fairfax Times]
McLean Boys’ Rowing Team Wins State Title — “Nate McClafferty, the McLean boys’ rowing coach, and Russell Topp, the Wakefield girls’ coach, both told their rowers to prepare to race in the afternoon. Both teams got their second shot, and as the thunder held off at the Occoquan River at Sandy Run Regional Park in Fairfax County, both the McLean boys (4 minutes 42.6 seconds) and the Wakefield girls (5:21.7) emerged as state champions.” [The Washington Post]
FCPS Music Teachers in Running for Grammy Award — “Alberto Rodriguez (above), orchestra director at Mount Vernon High School, and Ær Queen (below), music teacher at Braddock Elementary School, have been selected as quarterfinalists for the 2024 GRAMMY Music Education Award. They are among 212 teachers from across the country being recognized for having made an significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education.” [FCPS]
Solo Artist Shows Now Open in McLean — “From ironic sculptures skewering modern technology to naturalistic wood sculptures and colorful abstract paintings, the latest solo shows at the McLean Project for the Arts exude variety and challenge viewers…The shows opened April 13 and will run through June 10.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — Mostly cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 75. North wind around 6 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southwest wind around 7 mph. [Weather.gov]
Photo by John Lee/Twitter
Reston Association‘s work on its first 10-year parks and recreation plan is underway.
The organization has kicked off a community survey to gather information on how it should approach the planning process for future and current parks and recreation needs.
The survey is open through June 30 and is available to all. The survey is anonymous and takes roughly 15 minutes to complete.
“One of RA’s missions is to optimize the use of land and investments related to leisure opportunities for our members,” Reston Association said. “A planning process is conducted roughly every 10 years to ensure that our parks and recreational facilities and programs are optimally meeting both the current and future needs of our residents.”
Mike Leone, a spokesperson for RA, said the board is expected to hear the results of the community survey at when it meets in September.
The survey is intended to determine current use of parks and recreation programs and facilities, future uses, and what kind of new facilities and programs should be considered in the future.
The survey is available online. Survey stations are also planned at RA ballfields, community events, courts and pools.
Fairfax County is continuing to see the number of locals experiencing homelessness over the last year increase — and a new report said inflation and housing costs are partially to blame.
This year’s point-in-time count — an annual count of individuals in shelters, transitional housing, and experiencing unsheltered homelessness — found 1,310 people experiencing homelessness in Fairfax County.
That’s a 10% increase (119 people) over the previous year, when a slight drop was reported. Around 30% of those were adults experiencing chronic homelessness.
The survey found that 87 households said they were fleeing domestic violence and 229 households reported a history of domestic violence, according to Fairfax County.
This year’s count follows a recent trend of homelessness increasing again after years of decline throughout the D.C. region.
“After a steady reduction of people experiencing homelessness on the night of the Point-in-Time Counts between the 2008 and 2017, a decrease of 47 percent (871 people),” the county said on the Point-in-Time report. “The number of people experiencing homelessness identified through the counts increased 27 percent (258 people) between 2017 and 2021 and then decreased 3 percent (31 people) in 2022.”
In particular, the report says there’s been a notable increase in families with children facing homelessness:
The number of people in families with children experiencing homelessness increased by 33 percent (188 people) between the 2022 and 2023 counts. This increase is primarily attributed to the multiple negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families in terms of health, employment, and inflationary costs, especially for housing. Meanwhile, the number of single adults experiencing homelessness decreased by 11 percent (71 people) during the same time.
As with the previous year, the report noted that people who identify as Black or African American are disproportionately likely to experience homelessness in Fairfax County:
The most significant disparity in the demographics of those experiencing homelessness on the night of the 2023 Point-in-Time Count remains the disproportionate representation of people identifying as Black or African American. While 10.8 percent of the general population in Fairfax County is estimated to identify as Black or African American , 48 percent of people experiencing homelessness on the night of the count identified as Black or African American. The imbalance slightly improved from the 2022 count, when 50 percent of people identified as Black or African.
(Updated at 1 p.m. on 5/15/2023) Reston Farmers’ Market — a staple of Lake Anne Village Center — has officially landed in Reston.
The farmers market, which launched in late April, boasts the highest-ever number of vendors this year, according to John Lovaas, founder and co-market manager.
“We have 34 vendors (up 5 from last year),” Lovaas wrote in a statement. “In addition we have a Compost collection contractor, and stands for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) managed by Cornerstones, and Fairfax Master Gardeners who provide a wide range of advice to home gardeners.”
Sponsored by the Fairfax County Park Authority, the market also allows SNAP beneficiaries to receive an up to $20 match.
Even as it boasts a record number of vendors, the market faces some parking restraints this year.
Lovaas said parking is a constraint “made more difficult” by the new Lake Anne House, which provides what he said was “inadequate parking for its 240 apartments.”
Additionally, construction work on new townhouses next to the senior housing community has complicated some efforts.
“Thankfully, there is abundant parking available just the other side of Baron Cameron Avenue from the Market and in the parking lot behind the Lake Anne Baptist Church on the Plaza,” Lovaas said.
The church, which is officially called the Washington Plaza Baptist Church, is located at 1615 Washington Plaza North.
Musicians also perform on a weekly basis at the farmers market, which is held every Saturday to December from 8 a.m. to noon.
This year’s new vendors are:
- Bites by Sam-sweet & savory pies
- Cocoi-Philippine donuts, sweets
- Coulter Dairy Farms-certified Organic
- Pho From Home-Frozen Vietnamese Soups
- Poppi’s Hot Sauces
Here’s more from Reston Association on the parking changes:
Construction of new townhomes on North Shore Drive across from the Reston Farmers Market will begin shortly, making parking even more challenging. However, nearby there are two sizeable parking lots that provide alternative parking options for market attendees.
One is up behind Lake Anne Baptist Church on the Plaza. To access this lot, take the first left turn off North Shore Drive after you go through the traffic light at the entrance into the new Lake Anne House assisted living building coming from the Farmers Market. After the left turn, go straight ahead up the hill into the parking area.
On the opposite side of Baron Cameron Avenue from Lake Anne Village Center & the Farmers Market, there is parking straight ahead by the RA tennis courts, and off to the right by the Browns Chapel and the baseball field. There is a crosswalk with a signal light on Baron Cameron for a safe walk back to Lake Anne.
School Board Calls for Review to Address Drug Use — “As part of this review, the Board is asking the Superintendent to consider the merits of various initiatives, including creating a recovery high school, providing students and staff with access to fentanyl testing strips, placing naloxone in all classrooms with appropriately trained classroom-based staff, offering naloxone training to high school students” and more. [Karl Frisch]
Student Sports Officially Coming to Middle Schools — “For the first time, Fairfax County Public Schools is planning to launch an athletics program for middle school students. The program would start with cross country this fall. An outdoor track program would be offered in spring 2024. There would be no cost to students.” [Annandale Today]
New Seafood Restaurant Open in Fairfax — “You won’t find Ned at Ned’s New England Deck, a recent seafood-focused Fairfax arrival…What you will find is terrific food and hospitality at this tribute to the casual fare [co-owner Steve] Forbes and his partner Anthony Gallotto grew up eating and cooking on Boston’s North Shore. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
New Reston Town Center Falcons Get ID Bands — “Wildlife experts at the Reston Town Center worked on Wednesday to put identification bands on peregrine falcons” born to a pair that has frequented the shopping center since 2015. “This year, the mother falcon on Freedom Drive laid three eggs and had three baby daughters.” [WUSA9]
Update Planned for Courts at Bailey’s Crossroads Park — “The Fairfax County Park Authority has initiated the work to resurface the athletic courts at Dowden Terrace Park. The courts will be closed from May 8 through July 17 to complete the project…The project will cost approximately $227,000” [FCPA]
Virginia’s Teacher Licensing Process Delayed — “The Virginia Department of Education took emergency action Thursday to automatically extend teaching licenses after department delays left some teachers at risk of losing their jobs for the 2023-2024 school year.” About 15,500 of more than 20,000 licenses set to expire on June 30 “are renewable and will be extended.” [The Washington Post]
Herndon Theater Launches “In the Heights” — “Herndon’s NextStop Theatre Company will be debuting its production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical, ‘In The Heights,’ this Friday.” The show will run through June 11. Masks are still required for audience members at the theater on 269 Sunset Park Drive. [Patch]
Free Concerts Return to Meadowlark Gardens — “‘Music in the Gardens,’ a Spring Series of ensemble concerts, will return to Vienna’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens beginning this Sunday, May 14th, at 3 pm. Performers are principal players from the Virginia Chamber Orchestra. Concerts are free with admission to the park ($3 to $6).” [VCO]
It’s Friday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Evening has a chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low around 66. Showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 a.m. Chance of precipitation is 70%. [Weather.gov]
Frequenters of Reston Town Center can expect more sip-and-stroll-style events this year.
At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (May 9), the board approved Reston Town Center Association‘s request to increase the number of licenses it has per year for designated outdoor refreshment areas.
RTCA can now host up to 50 events — up from 16 — this year through additional Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) licenses.
The organization’s president, Robert Goudie, told the board that the request came after an overwhelmingly positive response to sip-and-stroll events at the town center last year.
RTCA patrons can expect at least 12 Darden and Friends jazz events in the spring and fall, sip-and-stroll events on the first Saturday of the month, and the return of Reston Concerts on the Town.
Goudie said RTCA pilot-tested the sip-and-stroll concept last year. Physical barricades will also be added to designate the area — a move that Goudie says goes above and beyond what is required by law.
“We don’t want to turn Reston Town Center into a constant pub for all,” Goudie said.
The board voted unanimously in favor of the proposal.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity lauded the effort as a major placemaking initiative.
“That’s all I could think when you were talking,” Herrity told Goudie.
(Updated at 3 p.m.) The Herndon Town Council voted unanimously this week to reduce the town’s real estate tax rate for the first time in more than a decade.
At a meeting on Tuesday (May 9), the council approved a decrease of the rate from $0.265 per $100 of assessed real estate property value to $0.260 per $100 of assessed value.
“This council’s vote to lower the tax rate is acknowledgement of the higher cost of living many of our citizens are experiencing,” Mayor Sheila Olem said. “Real estate assessments are up. The cost of groceries, utilities, gas — all are up. Our aim in adopting this tax rate decrease is to offer some relief to our citizens in these economic times.”
The half-cent cut is a change from the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget submitted last month by Town Manager Bill Ashton II, who suggested keeping the tax rate flat.
But under the newly adopted budget, water and sewer rates will increase by roughly 1.5% due to higher treatment and commodity costs, according to the town.
The town is also positioning itself to absorb the town’s rising contribution to capital costs associated with water sewer treatment. Other taxes and fees remain unchanged.
Overall, the $62.2 million package represents an 8.6% spending increase over last year.
It also includes market rate adjustments (MRA) to boost employee salaries, particularly for sworn officers of the Herndon Police Department.
“The council’s adopted budget also authorizes a significant market rate adjustment for sworn officers of the Herndon Police Department, giving the town parity among nearby jurisdictions, all of which are competing for qualified law enforcement candidates,” the town said.
According to a town spokesperson, the details for the police MRA increase “are not final,” but non-sworn town employees will get a 1% bump this July, followed by a 2% increase in January 2024.
The adopted budget will be available online by July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.
Fairfax County’s zoning ordinance has officially been modernized — for good this time.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the code overhaul known as zMod on Tuesday (May 9) even after overwhelming opposition at the public hearing. The readoption took effect immediately.
Tuesday’s proceedings echoed the board’s consideration of the same plan in 2021 — a vote that the Virginia Supreme Court voided in March. The court ruled that the approval violated open meeting provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act because it came during a virtual meeting.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said the modernization of the ordinance — which was last updated in 1979 — was long overdue and corrected parts of the document that were discriminatory. McKay said issues that triggered a response in the community will remain on the county’s radar.
“We will continue to monitor those as we have been,” he said.
The board approved a follow-on motion to allow additional opportunity for review at a Fairfax County Planning Commission work session in June — particularly for concerns about allowances for data centers in some areas of the county.
McKay noted earlier in the meeting that zMOD limited where data centers are allowed, banning them from residential districts, but the county has approved nine data centers since the overhaul was first adopted.
Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith said the planning commission will revisit issues raised at Tuesday’s public hearing as part of a zoning ordinance work program.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust conceded that, while the ordinance was not perfect, it should still go through.
“It’s without hesitation that I support adoption,” he said.
Concerns dominating the hearing — losing stable neighborhoods, lack of transparency, detrimental environmental impacts, doubts about county staff’s intentions, and the scope of the overhaul — were similar to criticisms made in 2021.
Some residents revived arguments that eased rules for accessory living units (ALUs) and home-based businesses (HBBs) would destroy the character of stable neighborhoods.
Others said the latest push for zMod was ushered in without transparency and public comment.
Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said staff “should be celebrated, not castigated” for its work on the zoning revisions, a process that began in 2017.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity abstained from the vote.
“It was supposed to be a reorganization,” Herrity said. “It ended up being more than that.”
County resident Adrienne Whyte argued that the “poorly created ordinance” doesn’t consider the impact of development on the environment.
“Our only saving grace is that this is an election year,” Whyte said.
Jeff Parnes, a representative of the Fairfax National Estates Homeowners Association, took issue with the data center and ALU provisions as well as the expanded use of administrative permits that don’t require public notice or hearings.
“The devil is in the details,” Parnes said.
A minority of individuals testified in support of the plan, which was in place for about two years before the state supreme court struck it down.
Scott Adams, a representative of the National Association for Industrial and Office Parks, said the uncertainty created by the Supreme Court’s ruling has impacted the county’s reputation.
“Through no fault of the county’s, the Supreme Court decision has truly created uncertainty in the zoning process,” he said.
Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said the uncertainty has left some applications in limbo.
“We’ve had a number of individuals come forward to make a decision to invest in this community, and they had approvals that gave them the ability to do that,” Lusk said. “Those approvals are in jeopardy because of this decision.”
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who voted against the proposal in 2021, emphasized that some concerns about the policy — including his — were overstated. The changes to ALUs and HBBs were “modest” but require careful monitoring, he said.
“Frankly, the implementation has surprised me. It’s actually gone better than I expected,” Alcorn said.
In response to a request by Reston Association, the commission will reconsider the parameters for when a Planned Residential Community (PRC) plan is required. RA nixed plans for lighting at Barton Hills tennis court after losing an appeal to the county, which argued that a PRC plan — a costly and time-consuming effort — was needed.
Smith reminded the audience that land use is continually evolving. Just as amendments were made to the 1970s version of the document, opportunities may arise for additional changes.
Cats Rescued From Reston House Fire — Two people were displaced by a house fire in the 2300 block of Whitetail Court that started around 12:16 p.m. on April 29 due to an “electrical event involving a power strip” in a second-floor bedroom. Firefighters rescued two cats from the house, which totaled about $50,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
Homelessness Rates Rise Across D.C. Area — “The metropolitan Washington region experienced an 18% increase in homelessness between January 2022 and January 2023, the region’s Council of Governments announced Wednesday.” All nine jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, saw a rise, which is “pretty unprecedented,” COG’s housing program manager said. [DCist]
FCPD Hosts Conference on Auto Thefts — More than 20 law enforcement agencies from around the D.C. region attended the Fairfax County Police Department’s first auto theft symposium yesterday (Wednesday). The FCPD launched an Auto Crimes Enforcement unit in March 2022 that has “recovered 141 stolen vehicles, and helped seize various illegal narcotics and weapons which have led to a total of 402 felony charges.” [FCPD]
West Springfield Girl Wrestlers Recognized — “Three wrestlers from the West Springfield High School girls wrestling team made it to the first-ever Girls’ State Wresting Meet in Manassas in February, with one of the girls winning the state title in her weight class…The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on Tuesday honoring the school’s ‘trailblazing’ girls wrestling team.” [Patch]
Reston Food Collection Organization Nabs Grant — “A Simple Gesture Reston recently received a $5,000 grant from the Closet of the Greater Herndon area to expand its food collection program in order to keep food pantry shelves across Northern Virginia fully stocked…Currently, more than 1,500 families are donating food [to the nonprofit] every two months.” [Patch]
Vienna Man Hosts Croquet Tournament in Backyard — “Doug Grimsley bought his house in Vienna, Va., 13 years ago specifically because, at 15,000 square feet, the backyard could accommodate a full-size croquet court…He was up at 7 in the morning, mowing it for the second day of the Arizona Closed, an annual four-day tournament that Grimsley, 73, and his wife have hosted since 2016.” [The Washington Post]
McLean Community Center Board Election Day Nears — “Four of the five candidates seeking three adult positions on the McLean Community Center’s Governing Board this year gave presentations at the McLean Citizens Association’s board meeting May 3 as to why voters should choose them.” Absentee ballots must be cast by 5 p.m. on May 17, while in-person voting will be held at McLean Day on May 20. [Gazette Leader]
It’s Thursday — Sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the morning. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]
After more than three years, COVID-19 will officially cease to be a federal public health emergency in the U.S. tomorrow (Thursday), bringing an end to the days of free testing and vaccinations.
The Fairfax County Health Department will still provide free services by appointment to people who don’t have insurance or otherwise can’t pay, but private insurance companies and health providers will be allowed to start billing patients, the department explained in a May 5 announcement.
Since they’re considered “preventative care,” vaccines will largely be covered by private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid without a co-pay. But coverage for both at-home and lab tests will depend on individual insurers, and people without insurance will be charged for vaccinations, according to the health department.
The FCHD will end its COVID-19 call center on May 19, so appointments for its free clinics can be made after that date by calling 703-246-7100.
Other options for uninsured individuals include organizations like food banks, homeless services providers and federally qualified health centers that can offer free testing through July 2024, thanks to federal grant programs.
“We encourage anyone who becomes ill with symptoms of COVID or who comes into contact with someone diagnosed with COVID to continue testing to prevent the further spread of illness,” the health department said.
Federal officials declared COVID-19 a national emergency on Jan. 31, 2020, 11 days after the first case in the U.S. was confirmed. The declaration’s end reflects a shift to treating the disease as endemic, meaning it remains present but not at a level that significantly disrupts most people’s daily lives.
FCHD Deputy Director for Medical Services Dr. Parham Jaberi said in a statement to FFXnow:
The end of the emergency does not signal that COVID is over, but we do feel that it no longer impacts our lives in the way it did over the past three years. The “emergency” enabled resources to quickly address our needs for a coordinated response to help our communities get vaccinated, tested and take necessary actions to limit the spread of the virus. While COVID remains a serious illness for some populations in our community such as older adults, very young children, or those with chronic health conditions, it is less of an overall threat to society.
The World Health Organization announced last Friday (May 5) that Covid is no longer a global health emergency, though worldwide, more than 3,000 deaths have been reported over the past week.
On a local level, Fairfax County terminated its state of emergency for the pandemic on March 1, just under three years since it began.
The Fairfax Health District is now averaging 30 new cases per day for the past week — fewer than at any point in the pandemic other than the summer of 2021, according to local and state data. As a result, the impact of a price tag on people’s willingness to get tested and vaccinated “may be limited,” the FCHD says.
However, community members are still advised to stay up to date on their vaccinations, get tested when sick and take other basic precautions like covering their mouth when coughing that help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.
“New variants and seasonal increases of COVID are still very likely and the best form of prevention against serious impacts of COVID on our communities is to ensure everyone is adequately immunized, especially children, older adults, and those with a chronic health condition,” Jaberi said.
Over 2.8 million Covid vaccine doses have been administered to residents of the Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax and Falls Church City. Per county data, 79.8% of people 6 months and older have finished the “primary” series of shots, but just 24.9% have gotten the most recent booster.
In the future, the vaccine will likely be recommended on a regular schedule, like annual flu shots, Jaberi said. However, the exact process will be determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Drug Administration, which have yet to issue any guidance.
Reflecting on three years of shutdowns, vaccinations, and evolving masking and social distancing expectations, FCHD officials are “cautiously optimistic” that the county will be able to handle future diseases or even Covid variants more quickly and efficiently than when the coronavirus arrived.
“We’ve trained our medical reserve corps; we’ve improved our communications and community partnerships and networks with healthcare providers,” Jaberi said by email. “We’ve enhanced public health surveillance and staff training, and we are better resourced to address communicable disease threats. When the next public health emergency arises, we will also be able to use lessons learned from our pandemic response to make sure we protect the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
As of this morning, the Fairfax Health District had reported a total of 270,000 Covid cases, 5,350 hospitalizations and 1,793 deaths.
A data analytics and intelligence firm is the latest tenant to sign a lease at Comstock’s massive Reston Station project.
Babel Street will lease 10,200-square-feet of space at 1900 Reston Metro Plaza. The company offers advanced data analytics and intelligence for government and commercial clients with an aritificial intelligence-enabled platform. It’s currently located at 1818 Library Street.
Comstock is “thrilled to welcome Babel Street to our roster of tech and IT security office tenants at Reston Station,” the developer’s Chief Operating Officer Timothy Steffan said in a statement.
Having recently signed several new retail and experiential brands including VIDA Fitness, Puttshack, and Ebbitt House, the first ever expansion of the iconic Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, D.C., we continue activating the Reston Station neighborhood to be a dynamic mixed-used and transit-oriented neighborhood that provides exciting dining, fitness, and entertainment options for our growing list of corporate office tenants and residents alike.
Babel has other offices in Tokyo, Tel Aviv, London, Canberra and Ottawa.
Roughly 3,000 additional residences are planned at the mixed-use neighborhood, including 420 units currently under construction. Two hotels are also planned, along with a flagship VIDA Fitness and Spa facility, Puttshack, and Ebbitt House — the first expansion of the Old Ebbitt Grill brand.
The development’s tenants are Founding Farmers, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse and Starbucks.
