One person has been taken to the hospital with injuries from a three-vehicle crash on Route 50 in the Merrifield area, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says.
Units are currently on the scene at the Williams Drive intersection just west of the Gatehouse Plaza shopping center.
Westbound Route 50 (Arlington Blvd) has been closed at Gallows Road, and two right lanes are blocked, according to the fire department, which advises drivers to seek alternate routes.
The FCFRD says the injuries of the person taken to the hospital aren’t considered life-threatening.
Units are on scene of a multi vehicle crash on Route 50 and Williams Drive. Three vehicles involved. One person transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Road closed Rte50 WB at Gallows Rd. Two right lanes blocked. Seek an alternate route. #FCFRD #traffic pic.twitter.com/7kippkYAaa
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) February 23, 2023
(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) The National Cherry Blossom Festival is coming to Tysons this year.
Tysons Corner Center will host a family bicycle ride on April 2 as part of D.C.’s annual celebration of its cherry trees at the Tidal Basin, the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) announced during its official launch event yesterday (Wednesday) at Valo Park.
The alliance — a nonprofit organization replacing the now-defunct Tysons Partnership — has also acquired 20 cherry trees and is now scouting out possible locations around Tysons where they can be planted.
The bicycle ride will last from 8-10 a.m. starting in the Tysons Corner Center Plaza, where there will also be arts and crafts and other family-friendly activities, Karyn Le Blanc, TCA’s acting director of communications and marketing, told FFXnow. More details, including how to register for the ride, are expected in the coming weeks.
Though this year’s ride will stick to the mall’s footprint, future iterations could expand to other parts of Tysons as the area’s network of streets and trails gets built out.
“This will be an annual event, we hope,” Le Blanc said.
The bicycle ride is one of several events that the TCA hopes to bring to Tysons, along with a live music series at The Boro, movie nights and monthly happy hours that will bring “like-minded people together to collaborate on TCA initiatives,” according to the press release.
The alliance offered a preview of upcoming events at yesterday’s launch to highlight its goal of “establishing authentic community connections” in Tysons, a mission that it also hopes to further with a currently open survey on signage and wayfinding.
Initially funded by public investments, the TCA was created in October to promote and advocate for Tysons and help Fairfax County implement its vision for the area, picking up the work started by the Tysons Partnership.
The alliance will operate as a community improvement district (CID), which is like a business improvement district (BID) except it’s supported by both residential and commercial property owners. While BIDs have emerged in D.C. and Arlington County, the only precedent for a CID in the region is Mount Vernon Triangle, according to the TCA.
As part of its official launch, the TCA unveiled a new website at tysonsva.org with an event calendar, news, business resources, development updates and other Tysons-related information. It also shared its social media handles at Twitter and Instagram (@tysons_va), and Facebook and LinkedIn (@TysonsCommunityAlliance).
The TCA’s launch is a “milestone” for Tysons, said Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, who represents Tysons, and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who helped develop the Tysons Comprehensive Plan in 2010 as a member of the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
“The Tysons Community Alliance really has an opportunity to shape the brand of Tysons, not just for the people who live here, but for the rest of the country and even the world,” Alcorn said, noting that Tysons is about “one generation through a three-generation plan” to have 100,000 residents and 200,000 jobs by 2050.
With 30,124 residents and 107,000 workers, Tysons is making progress toward those goals, according to a presentation shared at the launch event. The presentation noted that, like Fairfax County, Tysons has a “majority-minority” population and the D.C. area’s largest workforce outside the nation’s capital.
TCA leaders acknowledged that much work remains to be done, particularly in terms of housing affordability, accessibility and pedestrian safety. However, the organization wants to stress an overall “spirit of optimism” for Tysons now and into the future, acting CEO Rich Bradley said.
“It’s incredible to witness the momentum at which we’ve already progressed,” Palchik said. “Everyone has been working so diligently to get the TCA to where it is now, and I am confident that we will accomplish a lot in this year alone and into the future.”
Fire at Commercial Building in Merrifield — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded to a building fire in the 2800 block of Dorr Avenue in Merrifield around 6 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) that reached two alarms. The fire was extinguished after about an hour, and no injuries were reported. [FCFRD/Twitter]
Ribbon Cut on Penn Daw Development — “I was thrilled to speak at the South Alex ribbon cutting ceremony. In 2020 this entire building complex fell victim to a devastating fire, and now just three years later, we are here celebrating the completion of the renovations!” The grocery store Aldi is set to open at the development next week. [Jeff McKay/Twitter]
McLean Students Encourage Donations for Earthquake Relief — “Students at a number of FCPS schools are using their ethical and global citizen Portrait of a Graduate skills to aid those who were affected by a recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria…Copper Middle School students, including one who lived in Turkey and another who has family in the region, talked to Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid about how they and others can help those in need, and why they should.” [FCPS]
Poetry Events Coming to Local Parks — “Poet Laureate Danielle Badra will launch a new series of public programming called ‘Poetry in the Parks’ this spring. In close partnership with ArtsFairfax and Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), Badra begins her new initiative with three distinct events that invite area poets and parkgoers to consider the relationship between nature and poetry.” [ArtsFairfax]
Gynocology Office Now Open in Annandale — “There’s a new healthcare option for women in Annandale. The Elite Gynecology Center will open on Feb. 21 at 3301 Woodburn Road, Suite 309. The founder, Dr. Nadine Hammoud, provides preventive care, annual exams, screenings, and minimally invasive surgery.” [Annandale Today]
What’s Happening With Transportation in Mount Vernon Area — Virginia Department of Transportation officials and local elected leaders recently provided updates on the Richmond Highway and southern George Washington Memorial Parkway projects. The Route 1 widening is now expected to begin in 2027, preceded by construction on Fairfax County’s bus rapid transit system. [On the MoVe]
Metro Launches Art Contest — “Young artists in D.C., Maryland and Virginia have an opportunity to get their artwork on a Metro bus for Earth Day. Metro’s Art in Transit program invites students in kindergarten through sixth grade from the DMV to submit artworks celebrating the role played by public transit in protecting our environment, combatting climate change, and supporting sustainable livable communities.” [WUSA9]
It’s Thursday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 76 and low of 55. Sunrise at 6:51 am and sunset at 5:56 pm. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 10 p.m.) A man has died after being shot by police outside of Tysons Corner Center mall.
Frantic police radio transmissions went out around 6:30 p.m., for mall-based Tysons Urban Team officers following a suspect in the parking lot outside of Bloomingdale’s. The suspect then reportedly entered the woods along Fashion Blvd, after which officers radioed that gunshots had been fired.
The man was brought to the Fairfax County Police Department’s attention by a loss prevention officer who reported that there was a theft in progress earlier this evening, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said in a 9 p.m. media briefing.
When the loss prevention officer led police to the person believed to be a suspect, the man fled, and two FCPD officers — one in uniform and one in plainclothes — chased him out of the mall, according to police.
“Probably a quarter of a mile or so later, the suspect approached a small wooded area, a small patch of trees and brush,” Davis said. “The suspect ran into that area. Our officers continued to chase him into that area, and at some point in time, our police officers…discharged their firearms.”
Davis said the man was hit at least once, though the number of shots fired haven’t been confirmed yet.
Police say the man received “immediate” medical attention after being shot in the chest. He was transported to a hospital, where he died, the FCPD said at 8:19 p.m.
Fashion Blvd was closed to traffic between Leesburg Pike and Tysons One Place. A police helicopter is flying overhead.
No police officers were injured, Davis confirmed. He said the scene will be blocked off into the morning, as police search for potential evidence.
While there’s no indication so far that the man was armed or fired any shots, Davis didn’t rule out the possibility that he may have had a weapon.
“We want to make sure that if anything was discarded, we have an opportunity to identify and discover it,” he said.
Davis said he couldn’t identify the man yet beyond confirming that he was an adult and male, but he’s apparently “well known” to law enforcement in the D.C. region
“His encounters with local law enforcement in the National Capital region span many years, and it’s a violent criminal history,” he said, though he didn’t share any details of that history or regarding the reported theft.
Tysons Corner Center has been rocked by public safety scares over the past year, most notably a shots-fired incident on June 18 that prompted a panicked evacuation. Noah Settles, a 23-year-old D.C. resident, pleaded guilty to four felony charges stemming from the shooting earlier this month.
The mall was also evacuated in August after shoppers mistook a light fixture shattering for gunshots. A police investigation of a robbery in Arlington on Dec. 19 and a robbery at Elite Jewelers on Jan. 1 also set off rumors of gunfire that turned out to be unfounded.
Davis noted that no stores were closed tonight.
“We know how important this location is to many people, and that’s why our public safety commitment here is so robust,” Davis said. “We have 16 police officers that are assigned full-time to our team here. They work every day, around the clock to ensure this location remains…an absolute safe destination for shoppers, for people going to dinner, for people consuming entertainment.”
FCPD officers shot at least four people last year, two of them fatally. A dog was also shot and killed during a SWAT raid in Herndon in December.
NEWS PHOTO: @roryfgilmartin https://t.co/FO6me2qg6e pic.twitter.com/15LtvVy1Fd
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) February 23, 2023
Officers are in the area of Fashion Blvd in McLean for an officer-involved shooting. Preliminarily, one man was shot in the upper body outside the mall & taken to hospital w/injuries considered life-threatening. No officers injured. Avoid the area. Updates to follow. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/b7GLouwqex
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 23, 2023
TYSONS SHOOTING — 8100 Tysons Corner Center. Additional officers needed ASAP. H/T @HCBright10 cc @ffxnow pic.twitter.com/ghurOT52gK
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) February 22, 2023
Hat tip to Alan Henney
(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Registrations for Fairfax County’s School Age Child Care (SACC) summer program will reopen tomorrow (Thursday) after technical issues disrupted its scheduled launch yesterday.
Camp Fairfax started allowing families to register at 8 a.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 21), but the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), which oversees the program, reported at 9:13 a.m. that “technical difficulties” had taken the system down.
“The registration system…experienced a system failure following the opening of SACC summer program registration,” NCS said in a news release. “Staff responded by immediately pausing all summer registrations. Staff continues to work diligently to resolve issues and ensure the system can adequately respond to demand.”
An NCS spokesperson confirmed that “high demand/traffic volume created the system failure.” The department anticipates all issues will be fixed today, enabling it to restart registrations at 8 a.m. tomorrow.
NCS’ SACC/Camp Fairfax registration system is currently experiencing technical difficulties; we are working to resolve the issue and will share registration availability once this issue has been resolved. Thank you for your patience. @fairfaxcounty https://t.co/DBlCq9nUm5 pic.twitter.com/76dr8k95rI
— Fairfax County Neighborhood & Community Services (@FairfaxNCS) February 21, 2023
However, enrollment will now be “staggered” based on the name of the 35 locations where the camps will be held:
- Beginning Thursday, Feb. 23: Sites beginning with letters A-J (Aldrin Elementary School to James Lee Community Center)
- Beginning Friday, Feb. 24: Sites beginning with letters K-P (Kent Gardens Elementary School to Providence Community Center)
- Beginning Monday, Feb. 27: Sites beginning with letters S-W (Springfield Estates Elementary School to Wolftrap Elementary School)
Open to rising first to seventh graders who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax City, Camp Fairfax operates in week-long sessions from late June through early or late August, depending on the location. Each camp session has three “cabins” with activities aimed at artists, performers or athletes.
Camps located at the county’s community centers will run from June 20 to Aug. 18, while school sites will run from June 26 to Aug. 4.
The fees for this year’s camps will be determined by the county’s upcoming budget, a draft of which was presented to the Board of Supervisors yesterday. The cost can be adjusted based on a family’s income, with last year’s fees ranging from $10 for a family earning under $53,000 to $281 for a family earning $132,500 or more.
Registration will be available online and by phone (703-449-8989), though NCS advises not logging into the system before 8 a.m.
“Neighborhood & Community Services is committed to providing all Fairfax County and City of Fairfax residents equal access to high-quality camp and childcare opportunities,” NCS said. “We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to meet the demand for these services in our community.”
Fairfax County may get involved in the preservation of a cemetery belonging to a family with deep roots in the Vienna area, predating the formation of the U.S.
The Board of Supervisors directed staff yesterday (Tuesday) “to investigate options for addressing safety concerns” and the long-term care of the Carter Family Cemetery, a small plot near Tysons in what was once the historically Black community of Freedom Hill.
“This has been a while in coming. We’re getting to the point where there are some outcomes that may be truly viable, so [I] appreciate the board’s indulgence,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said, noting that a final vote by the board will be needed before any action is taken.
According to the board matter, which was introduced by Alcorn and co-sponsored by Chairman Jeff McKay, descendants of the Carter family who still live in the area asked county staff for “assistance in preserving and protecting the cemetery property.”
The cemetery is located at 1737 Key West Lane in the Carter’s Green neighborhood, a subdivision of single-family houses adjacent to Raglan Road Park and the Tysons Towers senior living community.
There is one identified grave with a headstone for Millie Whales Carter that’s inscribed with the date of her death on Feb. 29, 1916 and the words “Gone but not forgotten.” The cemetery also has five or more unmarked graves, per the county’s cemetery survey.
Whales Carter was a descendant of Keziah Carter, who bought 50 acres of land in 1842 that had been inhabited by her ancestors in the indigenous Tauxenent tribe until the area’s colonization. The Carter family lived on and farmed the land for decades, later expanding into what’s now the Town of Vienna, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.
The park authority dedicated signs at nearby Freedom Hill Park in 2021 that tell some of the Carter family’s story, but the cemetery has become neglected since the Carter’s Green subdivision was built in the 1970s, Alcorn said in the board matter.
“In recent years the Carter Family Cemetery has suffered from vandalism and dumping of landscaping waste,” the board matter says. “The immediate neighbor has also expressed safety concerns over a mature tree overhanging their property.”
The wooded lot is now “overgrown and has been used as a neighborhood dump for yard debris,” according to the Fairfax Genealogical Society.
Living members of the Carter family declined to comment for now when contacted by FFXnow, stating that they hoped to meet with Alcorn before talking to media.
The park authority says the board’s vote allows it to evaluate options for the future of the Carter Family Cemetery, but the exact role that the county will play isn’t clear yet.
“We have not yet conducted an analysis of potential solutions for this specific property in advance of the board’s directive, so we are just beginning the work of seeing what avenues might be available to help preserve this site,” an FCPA spokesperson said. “We will be providing the Board of Supervisors with proposed recommendations at a future date.”
Prior to yesterday’s vote, some supervisors suggested a countywide policy may be needed to set criteria for when and how the county should get involved in cemetery preservation efforts.
A new survey of cemetery and grave sites across the county is currently underway. The park authority’s initiative is expected to continue into 2024.
“Each one is a little different, and some might be better positioned for our engagement than others, but I think having a consistent policy across the county is going to be really important to make sure from a One Fairfax perspective that all of these cemeteries are treated fairly,” Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw said.
Photo via Fairfax County Park Authority/YouTube
The Town of Vienna’s first-ever restaurant week must’ve been a success, because the celebration of the local dining scene is coming back even bigger than before.
Vienna Restaurant Week will return for 10 days from March 3 through March 10 with about 50 restaurants, cafes and other eateries participating — over twice as many as in 2022, according to Vienna Economic Development Director Natalie Monkou.
“This year, Vienna Restaurant Week will bring more participation and excitement directly from our business community — where thoughtful menu design and a welcoming atmosphere to our visitors and residents is already palpable,” Monkou said in a statement.
Similar to the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s ever-popular, bi-annual restaurant week, which showcases the D.C. region’s dining scene, participants in Vienna’s campaign will offer set, three-course menus for brunch, lunch and dinner.
The brunch and lunch menus will cost $25, while dinner will be $35 to $40 per person. Discounted a la carte dishes will also be available, along with dine-in, takeout and delivery options.
The event is being sponsored by Vienna’s economic development division, which says it’s intended to “expose” local residents and visitors to the town, boost patronage for each participant, and “increase brand recognition” for both the restaurants and the town.
“The economic pressures that we have seen and experienced since the pandemic and continuing into this year remind us how important it is to support our local businesses and shine a spotlight on the Town’s food and beverage industry,” Monkou said.
The town encourages diners to keep up with the campaign by following the economic development division at @ExploreViennaVA on Instagram and Facebook. The hashtag #ViennaRestaurantWeek will be used to promote the event.
Participants range from long-standing staples of the town’s culinary scene, like The Virginian and Caffe Amouri, to newcomers like Akai Tori Ramen and Yakitori, which opened just last month. There are also a few restaurants from outside the town’s limits, including Settle Down Easy’s Oakton tasting room and Kusshi Ko in Tysons.
A full list can be found on the Vienna Restaurant Week website.
(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) The proposed 2024 budget has real estate taxes once again increasing for many, as home values across Fairfax County continue to rise.
At yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, County Executive Bryan Hill presented his proposed fiscal year 2024 budget. The $5.1 billion budget is up $280 million from last year — an increase of about 6%, largely due to real estate taxes going up.
While the budget calls for the tax rate to stay the same as last year at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, the average bill is set to increase by about $520 for homeowners, thanks to a nearly 7% rise in real estate assessments.
Hill warned in November that assessments were likely to go up, and Board Chairman Jeff McKay told FFXnow last month that he expected real estate taxes to be a big discussion point during the budget debate. But the extent of the increase nonetheless elicited strong reactions from supervisors.
McKay said that, given last year’s numbers, the tax rate is “far too high,” while Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity called the increase “unacceptable.” They signaled strong support for finding a way to provide residential tax relief to residents.
The proposed budget includes $90 million in unallocated funds that can be used at the “Board’s consideration.” A huge chunk of this, if not all, could be used to lower residents’ tax burden in some form, as was the case for the current fiscal year 2023.
The county’s budget continues to rely on real estate taxes, more than three-fourths of which come from residential property owners.
Nonresidential real estate values also increased this year, but by less than residential values. This means that real estate taxes make up more of the tax base than in FY 2023, increasing by about 0.75%.
While seemingly a small tick up, Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said the trend is going in the wrong direction and that commercial real estate taxes should make up at least 25% of the tax base. It currently only makes up just over 16%.
“Clearly, we are off. It’s not good and very disconcerting,” he said. “We need a plan or a strategy to address these issues.”
Hill’s budget plan proposes a $144 million increase in funds provided to Fairfax County Public Schools, which typically gets over 50% of the overall budget. That represents more than a 6% hike from FY 2023, which began on July 1, 2022.
The FY 2024 Advertised Budget proposal includes a 6.3% or $144.1 million increase for @fcpsnews in addition to support for programs like Head Start, school health, behavioral health services, crossing guards, field maintenance and other costs. pic.twitter.com/8cNyztgNbJ
— Fairfax County Government
(@fairfaxcounty) February 21, 2023
But that number is about $15 million lower than what Superintendent Michelle Reid initially requested.
As expected, the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers doesn’t agree with this proposal, writing in a statement that it “strongly encourages the Board of Supervisors to fully fund the FCPS budget request.”
One of the bigger questions hanging over this year’s school budget is if the state will rectify a calculation error expected to lead to FCPS getting about $18 million less than anticipated. That includes about $13 million missing from the FY 2024 budget.
It remains unclear if the state will reimburse the missing money, or provide any extra, from its $2 billion surplus. When Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust asked when the state will make a decision on its budget, a few chuckles arose from staff about the uncertain situation.
Christina Jackson, Fairfax County’s chief financial officer, said the county is optimistic and is in a “better position” to see much-needed funds headed their way from the state.
As anticipated late last year, this year’s budget process may be one of the “one of the most challenging” in years. This is due to inflation, staff retention challenges, and surging real estate values.
“Balancing the impacts of inflation, the labor market and other economic pressures with the need to fund critical programs and services has made this a difficult budget year,” Hill said in a county press release. “But I am very proud of the work of our budget staff and all our employees in managing through these challenges and moving forward to meet the needs of our residents.”
Hill led off his presentation to the board by emphasizing that the aim of this year’s budget is maintaining and “stabilizing our core,” meaning county staff and existing programs.
“I know that the Board remains concerned about the retention and recruitment issues that our agencies have been facing over the past two years, and I have spent considerable time with my leadership team developing ways in which to tackle these issues,” Hill wrote in his budget message to supervisors.
In the budget is a $134.5 million increase in county disbursement, including a 2% market scale adjustment for most county employees. That’s lower than even what staff had recommended in order to stay competitive in hiring and retention. They had calculated a rate of 5.44%.
“The proposed Fairfax County budget misses the mark when it comes to giving workers the wages we deserve, ” Tammie Wondong, SEIU Virginia 512 Fairfax’s president and a 33-year county employee, said in a statement. “In fact, when the county funds the market rate adjustment (MRA) at only 2% when it should be 5.44%, let’s call it what it is — a pay cut.”
Inflation also adds $18 million to the budget this year, associated with cost increases to cover utility and information technology contracts and lease adjustments.
Supervisors will host a number of public meetings over the next few months to allow residents a chance to provide feedback on the proposed budget.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote and adopt the FY 2024 budget on May 9.
Photo via Machvee/Flickr
County Task Force Back After Assisting With Turkey Earthquake Rescues — “After an intense 11 days searching for survivors in the wreckage of collapsed buildings, members of Virginia Task Force 1 have returned home. They arrived at their base in Chantilly just before midnight on Monday, to a hero’s welcome organized by family and friends.” [WTOP]
Firefighters Tackle Brush Fires in Springfield — “As winds picked up across the DMV Tuesday evening, crews in Fairfax County dealt with several outside fires. According to a spokesperson from the Fairfax County Fire Department (FCFD), crews worked to extinguish multiple outside fires on Old Keene Mill Road near Harwood Place in West Springfield.” [WUSA9]
Gum Springs Residents Wary of County — “About 70 Gum Springs residents, including the newly elected officers of the New Gum Springs Civic Association, lambasted Fairfax County officials for what they termed years of neglect and disrespect at a Feb. 16 meeting at the Gum Springs Community Center.” [On the MoVe]
Man Exposed Himself to Kids in Vienna — “Fairfax County Police said they are looking for a man who exposed himself to three children on Feb. 15 in Vienna. Police said they have passed out more than 600 fliers in an attempt to raise awareness for the man for whom they are searching.” [ABC7]
Herndon Girl Arrested in D.C. Carjacking — “A 15-year-old girl from Herndon was arrested Sunday in connection with a pair of carjacking incidents and a stabbing that occurred over the weekend in Washington, D.C., according to a police release…MPD officers arrested the two suspects a short time later after the stolen vehicle was involved in a traffic accident in the 900 block of 17th Street, Northeast, according to the release.” [Patch]
Redevelopment Possible for Falls Church’s Eden Center — “When word spread that there could be plans for new retail and residential development surrounding the Eden Center, concern grew that it could lead to increased rent prices and drive out business owners…Known as the East End Small Area Plan, the new development proposal began with a community kickoff in November of 2021.” [DCist]
Loudoun Schools Spokesperson Seeks to Move Perjury Trial — “[Wayde] Byard was indicted on Dec. 12. He’s accused of lying to a special grand jury on Aug. 2 about when he learned about the sexual assault in a Stonebridge High School bathroom on May 28, 2021…In asking that Byard’s trial be moved to Fairfax County, Leffler argued that the attorney general’s office stated purpose of seeking justice for Loudoun residents disqualified county residents as jurors.” [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
Public Input Sought on Metro Budget — “Metro has opened the public comment period for the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget that seeks to expand service on Metrorail and Metrobus, provide more equitable fares, implement a low-income fare program, enhance public safety, and maintain a safe and reliable system through capital investments.” [WMATA]
McLean Kids’ Toy Store to Celebrate Relocation — “Come and join us to celebrate the New Year, New Neighborhood, and New Beginnings for our new McLean store location! On Saturday, February 25th, stop by in-store for giveaways, craft tables, and so much more. We’ll see you there!” [Child’s Play/Facebook]
It’s Wednesday — Possible light rain in the morning. High of 54 and low of 42. Sunrise at 6:52 am and sunset at 5:55 pm. [Weather.gov]
Opioid overdoses have been on the rise in Fairfax County since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
After declining between 2017 and 2019, overdoses increased in the Fairfax Health District from 285 in 2019 — 83 of them fatal — to at least 366 in 2022, including 63 fatalities, as of Sept. 30, according to the data dashboard that the Fairfax County Health Department launched last fall.
The department updated the dashboard last week to better illustrate two trends: the presence of fentanyl in nearly all overdose deaths and an increase in overdoses among youths, including kids and teens.
The dashboard now lists people 17 and under as a distinct age group and provides data specifically on fatal overdoses involving fentanyl “to help Fairfax County residents better understand the threat that opioids, including fentanyl, pose in the community,” Director of Epidemiology and Population Health Dr. Benjamin Schwartz said.
The platform previously only highlighted fatalities based on whether they involved prescription opioids or heroin, though the health department notes that overdoses may stem from multiple drugs.
Of the 63 deaths reported in 2022 through September, 61 or 97% involved fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be used for pain management like morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. In 2021, fentanyl was used in 103 fatal overdoses, compared to 23 for other prescription drugs and 12 for heroin.
“There is an urgent need to bring information to light to make sure teens and families know that the risk is real and that fentanyl poisonings are happening here in our communities,” Schwartz said, stating that the epidemic continues to affect people of all genders and all racial and ethnic groups.
Fairfax County has recently focused its efforts to combat opioids on teens after seeing “a concerning number” of nonfatal overdoses in early 2022, specifically in the Richmond Highway corridor.
The Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, saw five nonfatal overdoses among kids 17 and under just this past January, according to the opioid dashboard. There were 27 nonfatal overdoses in that age group in 2022.
Drug use in schools has emerged as a concern in light of overdoses in Alexandria City and especially Arlington County, where a 14-year-old student died earlier this month.
As of Feb. 4, the Fairfax County Police Department had responded to 26 overdoses among youths 17 and under since Aug. 1, 2022, including one death. Police responded to 30 youth overdoses — five of them fatal — between Aug. 1, 2021 and July 31, 2022.
FCPD spokesperson Tara Gerhard says none of the fatalities occurred on school grounds, noting that the provided statistics “are subject to revision based on lab results and or additional investigation.”
In response to the continued prevalence of overdoses, the county advises community members to talk to their kids or others affected by substance misuse, and to dispose of unused or expired medications. It also suggests taking a training class for administering naloxone, the overdose-reversing drug that could soon be available over the counter.
The FCPD has partnered with Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board to give presentations about drug issues at local schools. Over 20 in-person sessions have been scheduled this year through March, and a virtual session will be held on March 21, according to Gerhard.
Led by the county’s Opioid and Substance Use Task Force, efforts to curb youth overdoses have also included expanding the availability of naloxone to FCPS staff, working with the court system to provide educational and intervention services, and pushing for more treatment options, Gerhard said.
She noted that the county also has programs focused on adults, since the majority of overdoses still involve people between the ages of 20 and 64.
The county has a few options for accessing its substance use-related resources:
If the situation is immediately life-threatening, call 911. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel carry medication that can prevent deaths from opioid overdose.
Call the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) Entry & Referral line at 703-383-8500, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to access behavioral health services, including substance use treatment services for youth and adults.
If it’s after business hours, call CSB Emergency Services at 703-573-5679 or the Fairfax Detoxification Center at 703-502-7000; both are available 24/7.
CSB Peer Outreach Response Team (PORT) provides outreach, engagement and resource navigation to individuals who have serious opioid and other substance use challenges. If you or someone you know could benefit from PORT services, call 703-559-3199.
Photo via DEA/Flickr
