There’s less than a week left until Barnes & Noble will officially open its doors in The Spectrum at Reston Town Center.
Filling a space vacated by Office Depot in 2021, the nearly 28,000-square-foot bookstore at 11816 Spectrum Center will include a B&N Cafe, along with books, toys, games and gifts.
The grand opening next Wednesday (June 14) will feature a ribbon-cutting by author Tania James, who will also sign copies of her new historical fiction novel “Loot,” the company announced yesterday (Wednesday).
“We are delighted to open in Reston such a beautiful and impressive new bookstore,” Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said. “In an especially happy turn of events, we return to the same shopping center we had anchored over a decade ago. Nowhere is the success of brick-and-mortar bookstores better demonstrated than the opening of this very large new Barnes & Noble in Reston. Our booksellers…have created an exceptional bookstore for their community.”
James lives in D.C. and works as an associate professor of English for George Mason University, according to her official bio. Officially released on Tuesday (June 13), “Loot” is described by its publisher as “an exuberant heist adventure that traces the bloody legacy of colonialism” from India to England.
The opening is a comeback in Reston for Barnes & Noble, which previously had a location in the center several years ago. It will be the company’s first new store in Fairfax County since 2019, according to the press release.
The store will join a local literary scene that includes the nearby independent store, Scrawl Books, in Reston Town Center and Reston’s Used Book Shop at Lake Anne Plaza.
Store manager Elisabeth Swift said she is excited to bring the bookstore to Reston, which she describes a “town of readers.”
“Opening a new Barnes & Noble is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I’ve looked forward to — creating an extraordinary team of dedicated booksellers, building a store together and embracing the community has been a fantastic experience for all involved,” she said. “We can’t wait to welcome readers into our stunning new bookstore.”
Photo via Barnes & Noble/Instagram
(Updated at 10:30 a.m.) It’s another day of poor air quality for Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area.
As wildfires continue to burn in Canada, the resulting smoke has clouded the East Coast in a sometimes orange-tinted haze of particulate matter. As of 9 a.m., Fairfax was at 313 on the Air Quality Index (AQI) — a Code Maroon for hazardous air that’s even more severe than yesterday’s Code Red.
Today’s AQI appears to be the highest for the D.C. region since records began in 1999, according to Ryan Stauffer, a NASA scientist who studies air pollution.
The highest alert on the official AQI, Maroon is a health warning of emergency conditions that can affect everyone, according to AirNow, which monitors official air quality based on data reported by federal, state and local agencies.
Air Quality Alert for Thursday, June 8
Due to the wildfires in Canada, an air quality alert has been issued for today, Thursday, June 8. The air quality is unhealthy for everyone in Fairfax County and the region.
Stay informed: https://t.co/0SheATD3Zg pic.twitter.com/iHffXGXIWh
— Fairfax County Government
(@fairfaxcounty) June 8, 2023
Record-breaking bad air quality in DC area yesterday dating back to 1999. Today probably will end up worse. https://t.co/YG1C95A31U
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) June 8, 2023
Everyone is advised to limit their exposure to the air pollution by staying inside or limiting the level of exertion required for outdoor activities, Fairfax County says.
Fairfax County Public Schools has canceled all outdoor activities on school grounds for the day, including recess, P.E., sports and after-school programs. The Fairfax County Park Authority has also canceled all outdoor classes, activities and amusements.
“Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles from burning trees and plants, buildings, and other material,” the county said in an emergency blog post. “Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick, but people with asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or heart disease are more likely to experience health effects of smoke. Pregnant women, babies and children are also at risk.”
In a twist, the masks that proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic have made a comeback as the most effective way to filter particles from air pollution. In New York, which had the world’s worst air quality yesterday, N95 masks are being handed out for free today.
The worst of the pollution is expected to start clearing tomorrow (Friday), when a Code Orange AQI is forecast, but until then, it’s probably best to stay indoors if possible and mask up.
Air Quality Issues Continue Today — “Due to the wildfires in Canada, a Code Red Air Quality alert has been issued for Thursday, June 8, which means air quality is unhealthy for everyone in Fairfax County and the region…Take steps to limit your exposure,” such as by spending more time indoors “where particle pollution levels are usually lower.” [Fairfax Alerts]
Survivor of Fatal Blake Lane Crash Still Recovering — “Flowers, candles, crosses, rosaries and handwritten signs mark the spot where three students walking home from Oakton High School were struck by a speeding car driven by a fellow student on June 7, 2022…One year after the fatal crash and the victims’ families are still waiting for answers.” [Patch]
Vice President Recently Visited Local High School — “The John R. Lewis High School community, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle C. Reid, Ed.D., and the Lewis High School band welcomed U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to their school [last] Friday to advocate for safer schools.” [FCPS]
New Recreational Trail Will Connect Gum Springs to Creek — “For nearly 40 years, residents of Gum Springs, the oldest African American community in Fairfax County, have been waiting to gain trail access to the waterfront along Little Hunting Creek…Last October, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck was able to secure support from his BoS colleagues to fund $600,000 in trail connections.” [On the MoVe]
VDOT Launches Study of Old Ox Road Near Herndon Area — “The Virginia Department of Transportation is seeking feedback on…potential safety, operational and accessibility improvements for about three miles of Old Ox Road (Route 606) between the Dulles Greenway (Route 267) and Rock Hill Road. Within the study limits, Old Ox Road averages about 33,000 vehicles a day.” An online survey is available through June 19. [VDOT]
Virginia Leaves Initiative to Combat Carbon Emissions — “A Virginia regulatory board on Wednesday voted to withdraw the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, fulfilling a directive from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin but triggering the threat of legal action from environmental groups who say the board overstepped its authority.” [The Washington Post]
Madison HS Boys’ Lacrosse Team Returns to State Finals — “With a 12-8 victory over the host Robinson Rams on June 6 in a semifinal match of the Virginia High School League Class 6 state tournament, the defending champion Warhawks (19-2) will play for the 2023 state title on June 10. Madison is in the state final for the third time in five seasons” [Gazette Leader]
Park Authority Seeking New Hires — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking to fill several seasonal and part-time positions at a variety of park locations surrounded by trees, sunlight, water, history, animals and fun! With so many opportunities to choose from, applicants can literally choose their own adventure!” [FCPA]
It’s Thursday — Widespread haze. Areas of smoke. Sunny, with a high near 79. North wind around 8 mph. At night: Widespread haze. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 7 mph. [Weather.gov]
An industrial automation manufacturer from Austria is now a part of the business fabric in the Town of Herndon.
Tele Controls Inc., a 60-year-old, woman-owned manufacturer, opened its first U.S. subsidiary in Arlington in 2018, according to company spokesperson Apolinar Rivera.
The company makes power monitors, switching relays and other technology used in control panels by industrial sectors, including water and wastewater, power plants and agriculture.
Rivera said that four successful years at a co-working location during the pandemic prompted the move to permanent offices in Herndon, as the company seeks to grow its presence in the U.S.
“We aim to be a valuable resource for these industries and our relocation was made possible with the help of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority,” Rivera said.
A grand opening ceremony is slated for June 22 at the company’s new offices at 570 Herndon Parkway in Suite 110.
The company only has three employees in the U.S. but around 100 employees in Europe.
“With our intentions to grow our industrial footprint in the U.S., we relocated our office in May intending to hire more staff and expand our company to become the top supplier of timer relays, monitoring relays, and energy sensors,” Rivera said.
(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) Smoke drifting south from wildfires in Canada has introduced unhealthy levels of air pollution in the D.C. area.
A Code Red Air Quality Alert has been issued for the entire region, including Fairfax County, signaling that the air is unhealthy for everyone today (Wednesday), according to AirNow.
AirNow collects official air quality data reported by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other federal, state and local agencies.
Code Red Air Quality Alert
Due to the wildfires in Canada, a Code Red Air Quality alert has been issued for Wednesday, June 7, which means air quality is unhealthy for everyone in Fairfax County and the region.
Learn more: https://t.co/dMPpgsD1t5 pic.twitter.com/No8JfjQrYF
— Fairfax County Government
Fairfax County is advising residents to limit the time they spend outside, particularly if they’re vulnerable to breathing or lung issues:
People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
- Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
- Keep outdoor activities short.
- Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
- Avoid waiting in long drive-thru lines, for example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks- park your car and go inside.
- Combine trips.
Everyone else – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
- Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
- Avoid waiting in long drive-thru lines, for example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks- park your car and go inside.
- Re-fuel your vehicle after dark.
- Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
- Be active outdoors when air quality is better.
Fairfax County Public Schools has canceled all outdoor activities until 6 p.m. and implemented indoor recess, spokesperson Julie Moult confirmed to FFXnow, adding that all information will be posted to the school system’s website.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw noted that, as of 10 a.m., the air quality in Fairfax had actually tipped over into very unhealthy Code Purple territory due to the amount of particulate matter in the air, as measured by the EPA’s Air Quality Index, according to AirNow.
A Code Orange was previously anticipated for today, as smoke from wildfires in Quebec blankets the East Coast.
According to AirNow, the Code Red could be extended into tomorrow (Thursday) with a Code Orange forecast for Friday (June 9).
Conditions are hazardous to everyone’s health.
Please reduce time spent outdoors as much as possible and follow local media for additional guidance – this account will share updates as they come in. Stay safe everyone.
— Supervisor James Walkinshaw (@JRWalkinshaw) June 7, 2023
(Updated 8:45 a.m. on 6/8/2023) Moo Thru, a popular ice cream parlor that sells handmade, locally sourced ice cream, is coming to the Town of Herndon this summer.
The family-owned business is expected to open a truck sometime next week at 317 Spring Street, according to franchise owner Caitlin Kenney. A brick-and-mortar store will follow in July.
The ice cream shop is a family-operated creamery and ice cream store owned by fourth-generation dairy farmers Ken and Pam Smith. Per its website, the milk used in Moo Thru ice cream comes from the family’s grass-fed Holstein herd, which grazes on a farm along the banks of the Rappahannok River.
Kenney and her husband Frank are behind the concept in the Town of Herndon. Kenney, whose family has been in the town for more than 50 years, said her family fell in love with Moo Thru’s ice cream several years ago and wanted to bring its unique flavor to Northern Virginia.
“It’s been our favorite ice cream for years,” Caitlin said. “How could we not bring it to the area?”
Caitlin, who went to school at Herndon Elementary School, Herndon Middle School and Herndon High School, says that the truck will open sometime next week but with limited hours due to town regulations. It will likely be open Thursday through Sunday with hours that will be determined soon. The shop itself — which will also sell Old Town Coffee to support business in the morning hours — will open later in the summer.
She looks forward to working with the community, particularly sports groups that were integral to her upbringing and her childrens’ upbringing.
The business got its start in 2010 with its first location in Remington — just two miles from the farm that the family owned and operated for decades. Popular flavors include blackberry Merlot with dark chocolate chunks and bourbon caramel.
Items on the menu include ice cream, shakes, malts and sundaes. The business currently has locations in Mineral, Charlottesville, Hillsboro, and Winchester.
Traffic Enforcement Campaign Underway — “This week, the Fairfax County Police Department has started our second ‘Road Shark’ campaign throughout the county. Road Shark is a high-visibility and coordinated enforcement and education effort to deter aggressive driving, reduce crashes, and change driving behavior.” [FCPD]
Fairfax HS Locked Down Over 911 Hangup — “Police put the high school located at 3501 Lion Run in Fairfax City on lockdown around 1 p.m., in order to investigate a 911 hang-up call. Matt Kaiser, a spokesman with Fairfax City, told Patch that the police response and lockdown were standard procedure for any 911 call received from a school.” Police later determined there was no threat. [Patch]
Quebec Wildfires Affect Local Air Quality — “Another potentially beautiful day in the D.C. area has been somewhat tainted by wildfire smoke wafting across the skies…Parts of the region are seeing Code Orange air quality, indicating hazardous air for sensitive groups.” That includes Fairfax County, which also saw smoke yesterday (Tuesday) from a landfill fire in Lorton. [Capital Weather Gang]
More Early Voting Sites to Open Saturday — “For the run up to the final week of early voting for the June 20 Democratic primary, an additional 13 early voting sites will open on Saturday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In total, 16 early voting sites will be open on Saturday…These 16 locations will also be open daily from Monday, June 12, to Saturday, Jun 17.” [Fairfax County Government]
Grocery Store to Replace Culmore Walgreens — “A new international grocery store, called Ummah Market, is coming to the former Walgreens building at 6053 Leesburg Pike in the Culmore area of Bailey’s Crossroads.” The store is expected to open in two or three months and will sell products from the Middle East, Egypt, India, Afghanistan and more, according to the manager of the existing store in Glen Allen. [Annandale Today]
Inova Acquires Local Lung Diseases Practice — “The health system said Tuesday it’s taking over the nearly 40-year-old Northern Virginia Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates PC (NVPCCA) to create what it’s calling Inova Pulmonology, a division devoted to lung diseases and related care.” NVPCCA had locations at 101 West Broad Street in Falls Church and 3289 Woodburn Road in Annandale. [Washington Business Journal]
Peruvian Chicken Eatery Relocating in Mount Vernon — “Capital Chicken, currently located beside the parklet at Mount Vernon Plaza, plans to vacate its space at the shopping center when its lease expires later this month and relocate to the former 5 Ten Foodmart property at 8339 Richmond Highway, which closed in February 2020.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Council Approves Funds to Finish Tree Count — “The Vienna Town Council on June 5 approved spending an additional $11,000 with PlanIT Geo to conduct further tree-inventory work on town property. The approval will bring the contract’s total cost to $85,000.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Wednesday — Widespread haze. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. At night: Widespread haze before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 7 mph. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax County Police Department is partnering with Zencity to roll out a community survey tool that markets itself as a way to “reimagine” local policing.
Chief of Police Kevin Davis described Zencity Blockwise as a tool to measure public sentiment and build trust in the community at a press conference yesterday (Monday) to provide more information about the new countywide initiative. He was joined by Zencity Chief Strategy Officer Michael Simon.
“When we partnered with Zencity, we wanted to take that next step and better capture community feedback, community sentiment,” Davis said. “And we want to make sure that the things we do as a police department are in line with the expectations of our broader community.”
Zencity Blockwise is already used by other police departments across the country, including Chicago and San Diego, but it represents an evolution of public engagement tools utilized by FCPD.
Davis noted that just over a year ago, FCPD piloted My90, a community performance feedback tool designed to measure residents’ satisfaction with FCPD following an interaction with law enforcement.
However, Davis explained that, unlike that previous survey, Blockwise captures “sentiment about policing that is not pursuant or following a police interaction.”
Instead, the tool works to limit FCPD’s “blindspots” around residents’ everyday needs by increasing public access to local law enforcement and providing a platform for citizens across a vast and diverse jurisdiction to voice their concerns, according to Davis.
“The way to ensure that we have a more representative voice in the community is to reach as many people as humanly possible,” Davis said. “So people who don’t typically attend community meetings, people who don’t typically have interactions with their police departments, but they certainly do feel a certain way about public safety and about their police department.”
To assist in the FCPD’s goal of increasing its reach, Zencity uses census data to divide Fairfax County into its eight patrol regions and serve randomized digital advertisements to all devices across the county, according to Simon.
The advertisements encourage residents to submit an anonymous two-minute feedback survey that asks open-ended questions about the FCPD in eight different languages.
“You’ll see an advertisement that solicits your feedback wherever you may be on the internet,” Simon said. “That ad is targeted at you because we need you to fill a demographic and geographic quota that represents what the census data tells us about each individual neighborhood.”
The FCPD will then analyze the results to more effectively address the community’s most urgent needs based on the voluntary information provided by county residents. Drawing a parallel to other law enforcement technology that tracks local crime patterns to lower crime rates, Simon explained that Zencity measures three key indicators: fear of crime, trust and priority.
After enough data has been collected to establish a baseline, the survey results will be continually updated and posted to the FCPD’s open data portal, which already has data related to subjects such as use of force and internal retention rates, according to Davis, who emphasized a commitment to community transparency.
Since launching on Thursday, June 1, the survey has already received around 300 responses. Simon said Zencity hopes to garner 1,500 responses every month.
He also hinted that Zencity and FCPD will potentially pilot end-of-survey questions about respondents’ contact information, but for now, the service will be “one-directional.”
(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) The future of two structures built on Elden Street around 1888 is now in limbo.
The longstanding Adams-Green Funeral Home is appealing the Town of Herndon’s decision to deny an application to demolish two homes on 725 Elden Street. The Herndon Town Council will consider the appeal at a work session tonight (Tuesday) at 7 p.m.
At an April 19 Historic District Review Board meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to deny the application on the grounds that both structures contribute to the historic character of the area and qualify as national and state landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
The board also noted that both structures are connected with “historically significant” members of the community.
“The demolition of the 725 Elden Historic Structures could adversely affect the historic district as a whole and particularly adversely effect important view sheds of the historic district and the townscapes of Herndon,” the April 19 resolution denying the application said.
But the funeral home argues that the board failed to follow the requirements of the town’s zoning ordinance and take into a consideration a structural engineer’s report.
“The HDRB failed to consider the long-standing business of the funeral home location at the present site which is a fixture in the historic district and which needs to have additional space to continue to operate its business at the current site,” the appeal says.
The funeral home first filed the application to demolish the two buildings in 2020. The filing was completed in January after town staff asked the applicant to file a site plan showing how it would stabilize the property after demolition.
An engineering analysis by Goughnour Engineering found that the “dilapidated” building is “not a candidate for renovation or reuse.”
Both buildings are located in the Herndon Historic District. They were built in the late 1800s by Charles Reed, a prominent member of the community at the time. His family also started the first funeral business in the town.
In response to burgeoning needs, Reston Hospital Center is poised to expand a key facility that serves its youngest patients.
The center will expand the capacity of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) this year from 16 to 29 patient beds. The expansion is also intended to provide more privacy for patients and their families.
The expansion includes seven private rooms and three semi-private rooms, according to the hospital.
“The NICU expansion is happening due to capacity needs in the community and to create a more private patient experience,” Jess Norman, a Reston Hospital spokesperson, wrote in a statement to FFXnow.
The expansion is slated to finish off sometime in November or December of this year, Norman said.
In addition to more beds, the expansion includes new equipment, furniture, a family waiting area, and nurses’ station.
Children’s National Hospital in D.C. cares for patients in the NICU at Reston Hospital. Its program is composed of neonatologists and hospitalists in the nursery and delivery room.
Dulles Toll Road Ramp to Beltway Closed Overnight — “Between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. starting Monday, June 5, and continuing nightly through Friday, June 9, 495 NEXT project crews will close the ramp from the westbound Dulles Toll Road to northbound I-495. The nightly ramp closure is necessary to safely allow crews to conduct joint repairs at the top of the ramp to the Beltway lanes.” [VDOT]
Metro Halves Fares for SNAP Recipients — “Low-income residents who are enrolled in SNAP benefits will qualify for a new Metro half-off fare discount. The program, called Metro Lift, starts June 20…The transit agency estimates more than 90,000 riders will benefit from Metro Lift, which is estimated to cost about $4 million, but is expected to generate an additional 1.6 million trips.” [DCist]
FCPS Seeks to Address Crowding at Glasgow MS — “Glasgow Middle School Principal Victor Powell is planning to implement several strategies to address overcrowded hallways and unsafe bathrooms at the school by fall 2023…Several parents said their students are afraid to go to the bathroom at school because of what goes on inside, such as fights, vaping, and vandalism.” [Annandale Today]
Tysons Hotelier Returns to Fortune 500 — “Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) jumped back this year into the Fortune 500 following a two-year absence, showing that demand for travel and accommodations continue to grow in a dramatic way since the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic.” A total of 19 D.C. area companies made the list, which is based on fiscal year revenue. [Washington Business Journal]
Capital Bikeshare Ridership Hits All-Time High — “Capital Bikeshare had its highest ridership month of all time in May with more than 428,000 rides, signaling a return to normalcy after the pandemic. It beats the previous record of 408,000 rides set back in September 2018.” [DCist]
Renovations of Richmond Highway Schools Finished — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) joined elected officials, school staff, students and community members May 25 in celebrating the completion of capital projects at three schools…Back-to-back ribbon cuttings were held at West Potomac High School, Hybla Valley Elementary School and Washington Mill Elementary School.” [On the MoVe]
Funding for Richmond Highway BRT Recommended — “It’s a drop in the bucket compared to the overall projected cost of $900 million, but the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has agreed to kick in $20 million to support creation of a bus-rapid-transit system between Fort Belvoir and the Huntington Metro station in the Route 1 corridor.” [Gazette Leader]
Early Fourth of July Fireworks Planned in McLean — “WE’VE GOT A DATE! Our Community Independence Day Fireworks Celebration will be on Saturday, July 1, from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at Langley High School There will be food trucks, music, giveaways and more! Fireworks begin at approximately 9:15 p.m.” [McLean Community Center/Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind 6 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]
A project to reduce light pollution at Turner Farm Park Observatory will soon kick off.
The project, funded by the Mastenbrook Volunteer Matching Fund Grant Program, will provide $7,515 to retrofit 26 light bollards to replace current fixtures with LED lights.
“The retrofit project will position Turner Farm Park to apply for designation as one of seven Urban Night Sky places by the International Dark Sky Association,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said last week.
The Analemma Society, which conducts astronomy and science education programs for more than a decade at the observatory, will pitch in a little over $5,100 toward the retrofit.
When applying for the grant, representatives of the Analemma Society explained that the retrofit is the “last piece” needed to meet the criteria for an Urban Night Sky Place, a label awarded to parks, open space or observational sites near an urban environment that “actively promote an authentic nighttime experience in the midst of significant artificial light.”
The park began the application process to obtain the designation over two years ago.
“Light pollution is a major environmental problem,” the grant application said. “This project aims to reduce light pollution by creating demonstration lights showing proper dark sky lighting design to help educate the public on this. In doing so it also improves the lighting at the observatory to provide better views of the night sky for participants in our astronomy outreach programs.”
The park is located at 925 Springvale Road in Great Falls.
The grant was officially approved by the park authority’s board of directors on May 31.
The board also approved roughly $2,400 for improvements at Lewinsville Park in McLean. It will fund the installation of 230 linear feet of black privacy slats on the existing pickleball courts to create a windscreen for players.
The Mastenbrook grant program supports public-private ventures. Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars up to $20,000.
The county is in the midst of changing light regulations around the observatory. The draft policy aims to amend zoning standards for outdoor lighting within a half-mile of the observatory.
Fairfax County’s child welfare system has seen abuse and neglect cases surge over the past year, taxing the dozens of volunteers charged with advocating for those children in foster care and court.
As of May, over 188 new kids have been placed in foster care or under a protective court order since July 1, 2022 — nearly double the 98 cases added the previous year, according to Fairfax CASA, a nonprofit that trains and supervises volunteer, court-appointed special advocates for children.
With a waitlist of about 50 children, as of last week, the organization says it urgently needs more volunteers, particularly Black, Hispanic and Spanish-speaking individuals.
“It’s such an important program,” Fairfax CASA Executive Director Darcy Hubbard said. “It really does change the outcome for our most vulnerable kids, and we desperately need people right now.”
Fairfax CASA currently has about 140 volunteers assigned to cases referred by the Fairfax County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court. They work with attorneys and social workers to help each child get the services they need, increasing their chances of finding a safe, permanent home, according to the nonprofit.
Cases have become more complex
All of the cases are serious, since an advocate doesn’t get involved until after the court has determined a child was abused or neglected. But the issues facing families have grown in complexity this year, limiting most volunteers to one case at a time, Hubbard says.
About 60% of cases now involve domestic violence, compared to the typical rate of 30%, and cases where substance use or mental health issues are factors have also increased. For example, CASA got five cases with babies born with drugs in their bloodstream last year; this year, there have been 32 babies.
According to Hubbard, struggles with depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses have increased for both parents and kids, particularly adolescents, which tracks with Fairfax County and national reports. Alcohol consumption and fentanyl use have also gone up during the pandemic.
“In addition to the trauma and the stuff that’s going on in their families, I think whatever is going on in the world has piled on to all the kids, and for our kids, it hits them extra hard because they don’t have some of the protective factors that other children have,” such as an adult they can rely on or a sense of security at home, Hubbard said.
She emphasized that mental health and substance use issues don’t justify opening a child welfare case, but the county government and court will intervene if those challenges rise to the level of endangering the kid’s wellbeing.
“Usually, the [Department of Family Services] is well-aware of the family and has been trying to work with them and help them for a long time,” she said.
Many issues “stem from poverty,” Hubbard says
DFS, which includes Fairfax County Child Protective Services, reported last year that abuse and neglect reports had soared after a decline earlier in the pandemic when schools closed, cutting the system off from its top source of referrals.
Hubbard also attributes that trend to the initial expansion — and recent contraction — of social safety net services, from stimulus payments to expanded Medicaid coverage and free school lunches.
“While poverty is not a reason to remove children or put a child in foster care, poverty is a risk factor, and people that are poor, families that are struggling with food insecurity, housing insecurity, the stress of struggling with all of those things tend to have more contact with the child welfare system,” she said.
That system has historically conflated signs of poverty with neglect, disproportionately targeting children of color, and Fairfax County is no exception. According to CASA, 36% of the children its advocates see are Black and 42% are Hispanic or Latino, even though those groups make up just 9.6% and 17.3% of the county’s population, respectively.
It’s “problematic” for CASA to have a volunteer pool that’s not representative of the kids it serves, Hubbard says. While the nonprofit works to ensure its volunteers are aware of potential biases and culturally sensitive, it “can mean a lot” for children to have an advocate who looks like them or speaks their language.
Hubbard encourages anyone who’s remotely interested to attend the information sessions that Fairfax CASA hosts twice a month for potential volunteers.
Ultimately, though, she says it’s more effective and less expensive to invest in programs like a basic income that address poverty directly than it is to have someone end up in the child welfare or criminal justice systems.
“If we could put preventative measures in and we could provide assistance and services to these folks and families in a preventive measure as opposed to a reactive measure, we wouldn’t be seeing these percentages,” Hubbard said.
Another race is in the mix of Reston’s racing options: the Women’s Training Festival 5K.
On June 25 at 9 a.m., women will take part in the event, which is specifically designed with women in mind.
Culminating an eight-week training program, the event is open to runners of all proficiencies, although those only 12 and up can participate.
“The Women’s Training Festival is a 5K race culminating 8 weeks of hard work by 175 women who train every Monday evening from 6:30-8. At the end of the 8 weeks we run a 5K to celebrate all of their hard work, supported by coaches and volunteers. Hence, the Women’s Training Festival 5k,” Jen Dryzga, a race organizer, wrote.
The course goes over the hilly trails of Reston. The meet-up point will be at 11400 South Lakes Drive.
Although 175 of the runners are part of the training program, there are a total of 250 spots available to walkers and runners in the non-competitive race.
The race is the latest addition to the Racing in Reston series, which is organized by CORE Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to a address charitable needs. Other races in the series include the 37th annual Reston Olympic Triathlon and the Reston Spring Triathlon.
Reported Boom Came From Military Planes — “Fighter jets caused a sonic boom heard and felt throughout the D.C. area after they were scrambled from Joint Base Andrews to intercept a Cessna jet that flew over” D.C. and later crashed in southwest Virginia yesterday. Fairfax County’s police and fire departments were among the emergency responders that got reports of a loud noise around 3 p.m. [NBC4]
Student Repping Fairfax County Finishes Second at Spelling Bee — “Charlotte Walsh, an eighth-grader representing Fairfax County, was the runner-up in the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee. Walsh, 14, from Compass Homeschool Enrichment, based in Herndon, survived 13 rounds of spelling and word definitions before being tripped up by ‘daviely’ in the 14th round of the finals Thursday night.” [Inside NoVA]
No Injuries Reported in McLean House Fire — On Friday, “#FCFRD [was] on the scene of an house fire in the 6000 blk of Chesterbrook Rd in the McLean area. Units arrived w/ heavy fire showing from the back of home & extending to the attic. All occupants accounted for. No reported civilian or firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Reston Advisory Committee Leader Clashes With Police Chief — “Bob Sledzaus resigned as the chairman of the Reston Community Advisory Committee on May 23, citing Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis’ decision to prohibit the recording and livestreaming of committee meetings.” Davis said in April that virtual/hybrid committee meetings will end on Sept. 1, after which recording or live-streaming will be prohibited. [Patch]
Vale Road Closures Through Thursday — “Vale Road (Route 672) between West Ox Road (Route 608) and Fox Mill Road (Route 665) will have stormwater pipe replacement work, weather permitting, Monday, June 5 through Thursday, June 8.” The closure timing will vary, starting today with the section between Cobb Hill Lane and Foxvale Drive between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. [VDOT]
Mount Vernon Bank Relocates Due to Highway Widening — “Wells Fargo has officially opened its Cooper Center branch after relocating there from a building nearly diagonal across Richmond Highway. According to Wells Fargo spokesperson Kenrick Thomas, the bank moved…after the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) exercised eminent domain rights and bought the Colonial Revival-style building…where the bank previously was located.” [On the MoVe]
New Student Representative Chosen for School Board — “Rida Karim, a sophomore at Woodson High School, has been elected by the countywide Student Advisory Council (SAC) to serve a one-year term as student representative to the Fairfax County School Board, beginning July 1. Karim will participate in School Board meetings as a nonvoting member” [FCPS]
Free Ice Cream at The Boro Tonight — Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams will host a “Hello Summer Party” from 7 p.m. to closing time at all of its locations, including at The Boro (1669c Silver Hill Drive). The first 25 visitors will get free swag bags, and anyone who downloads the business’ app can get a free scoop. [Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams/Facebook]
It’s Monday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. North wind 6 to 9 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind 5 to 7 mph. [Weather.gov]
