Reston Man Worried About Sister in Gaza — “When Emilie Rauchenberger…traveled to the Gaza Strip with her five children to visit her husband’s olive tree farm, she never imagined she’d feel so trapped. Now, she’s holed up in an apartment with 30 relatives and clinging to hope that her family can go home. In Reston, across the Atlantic Ocean, her brother Joe Rauchenberger waits for intermittent updates.” [DC News Now]
Police Investigate Carjacking in Tysons Mall — “Officers on scene of a carjacking in the 7900 block of Tysons Corner Center in McLean. 2 suspects took victim’s keys, threw an [unknown] liquid on him, and fled the scene in victim’s 2022 Blue BMW X5. Liquid does not appear to be caustic. No injuries sustained.” [FCPD/Twitter]
County Moves Forward With Mural Program — “Fairfax County’s eight economic revitalization districts and areas in coming years will be spruced up and enlivened by murals created under a newly approved pilot program. The Board of Supervisors on Oct. 10 voted 10-0 in favor of the Community Revitalization Murals Program.” [Gazette Leader]
Tysons Security Firm Helps Evacuate Israel — “For several days, McLean-based security firm Global Guardian has been transporting and evacuating hundreds of people out of Israel…Despite the danger, [CEO Dale] Buckner said his company has already helped about 600 people flee from the conflict through 16 evacuations.” [WJLA]
Lorton Man Robbed Same 7-Eleven Three Times — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau arrested a 21-year-old Lorton man for a series of commercial robberies at a 7-Eleven. At 11:07 a.m. [on Wednesday, he] entered the 7-Eleven at 9402 Richmond Highway…Detectives determined [he] was connected to two additional commercial robberies at this location that occurred on October 1 and 7.” [FCPD]
Bicyclists Take to New I-66 Parallel Trail — “The new 66 Parallel Trail is 18 miles of straight, flat path; rising, falling, curving swoops; tunnel-like passages through on- and off-ramps; wide lanes across bridges; and new on-street bike lanes…Despite its practical and utilitarian intent, solutions to knotty design challenges created sections of the trail that are often fun to pass through.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Providence District Food Drive Coming — “The Providence District Office is hosting its 4th Annual Food Drive from Monday, October 16th through Thursday, November 16th. The collected items will benefit Falls Church HS Pantry, Oakton HS Pantry, and The Lamb Center. Donations can be dropped off at the Jim Scott Community Center (3001 Vaden Drive) from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 10pm.” [Providence District Office]
Huntley Meadows Gift Shop Reopens — “The wait is over at Huntley Meadows Park as the Fairfax County Park Authority announces the reopening of the Huntley gift shop! Nature enthusiasts, wildlife lovers and gift-seekers, get ready to immerse yourselves in a world of treasures that will make your heart sing with delight.” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Today, there will be sunny skies and a high temperature near 70 degrees, with a gentle north wind of 5 to 7 mph. By Friday night, expect increasing cloud coverage and a low temperature around 51 degrees accompanied by a light east wind. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 5 p.m.) A former Fairfax County police officer will face a court trial for shooting and killing Timothy Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center in February.
A grand jury indicted Wesley Shifflett today (Thursday) on felony charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s office announced.
According to police, Shifflett shot Johnson during a foot pursuit on Feb. 22 after he allegedly attempted to steal designer sunglasses from Nordstorm. A second officer identified as James Sadler, an eight-year veteran of the Fairfax County Police Department, also fired his gun.
Shifflett was fired by the FCPD, but a grand jury convened in the spring declined to indict him. Sadler remains employed by the police department.
In April, Descano requested a second, special grand jury that would allow prosecutors in the room while officers give testimony, something that wasn’t allowed during the original, regular grand jury’s hearings.
Carl Crews, an attorney representing Johnson’s family, confirmed the indictment. Johnson’s mother, Melissa Johnson, says her initial reaction was “just relief,” but she also has some mixed feelings knowing how rare an indictment is in cases against police officers.
“I don’t rejoice in what is coming upon the officer, and I also don’t rejoice because I know that this indictment and the news of this indictment is not the case for so many, many, many other impacted families of children, Black and brown, who’ve been the subject of police violence,” Johnson told FFXnow. “And so, as much as my heart is joyful, and I’m elated, I am still sorrowful of the impact and implications this had, that everybody just doesn’t get this to add to their story…There’s another family involved as well: this former officer, his family, his coworkers. So, my heart is sorrowful for this too.”
Descano said in a statement that the grand jury’s indictment will allow a jury of community members to see all evidence in the case:
As the elected head of Fairfax County’s justice system, my primary goal is to keep this community safe, and I have the utmost respect for the police officers throughout Fairfax County who work tirelessly to protect our community.
The work of public safety includes charging officers for crimes when such actions are legally warranted. After reviewing the evidence in this case, I believe that probable cause existed that Shifflett committed a crime, and that the entirety of the evidence should be put to a jury of community members. Seeking justice blindly in cases involving officers improves public trust in the law enforcement agencies that serve and protect our communities; failing to do so disgraces the role of prosecutor and ruins the public’s trust in the justice system.
Our nation’s justice system has historically been stacked in favor of protecting powerful institutions and individuals, and it is no small feat that the grand jurors returned a true bill after reviewing this matter.
I cannot imagine the pain Timothy’s family has felt through the months after his death. Though the grand jury returned an indictment for this incident, this will not heal the wound in the Johnson family. I join the rest of the Fairfax County community in grieving for Timothy and his family.
Shifflett’s attorney, Caleb Kershner, blasted Descano for not accepting the original grand jury’s decision, calling his push for the special grand jury “purely political and shameful.”
“Descano’s actions have made Fairfax less safe,” Kershner said. “He has torn down the [police] department morale. He is simply Monday morning quarterbacking an officer’s decision to use lethal force when he reasonably believed he was about to be shot. It’s easy to sit back and second guess an officer’s actions. Few people understand what it’s like to have a gun pulled on you and regularly being put in risk of death. These men and women in uniform serve by putting their lives on the line every day. Descano has no concept of that.”
Though officers combed the scene for potential evidence, the FCPD later confirmed that Timothy Johnson didn’t have a weapon when he was shot.
A trial date will be scheduled on Friday, Oct. 20. At that time, Schifflett will be given a choice for whether a judge or a jury will preside over the trial, according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Johnson’s death sparked renewed scrutiny of the FCPD’s policies regarding the use of force and foot pursuits. Since 2021, when current Police Chief Kevin Davis assumed the job, officers have shot nine people, including Johnson and Brandon Lemagne this year.
Last week, Davis addressed a series of reform recommendations from the nonprofit Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), which was hired to review the recent shootings, and a community Police Reform Matrix Working Group convened by Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who chairs the Board of Supervisors’ public safety committee.
Davis told the public safety committee that most recommendations have been implemented in some form, including a policy requiring that foot pursuits be documented and supervised, but a more detailed policy dictating when officers can pursue an individual is still in the works.
Fairfax County wants to know what trash collectors are telling residents about recycling.
In anticipation of Fairfax Recycles Day, which will fall on Nov. 15, the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is surveying residents throughout October about whether their hauler is sharing educational materials on recycling.
“The survey takes about two minutes to complete and includes inquiries such as the type of information received and how often,” DPWES said in a news release yesterday. “The goal is to receive data that will provide a clearer picture of the overall countywide recycling services of County and private collectors.”
The survey is available online and will remain open until Oct. 30. Participants will receive “a cool gift” and, if they want, a mention on the county’s website, according to DPWES.
The department developed the survey as part of a Four Touch Points (FTP) initiative, which took effect on Jan. 1 and requires trash collectors to provide information about waste reduction and recycling to their customers in order to be licensed to operate in Fairfax County.
According to DPWES, about 90% of county residents and businesses get waste collection services through private companies, which must get the certificate permitting them to operate in the county renewed every year. Participation in FTP is now being considered as part of that renewal process.
The county’s reliance on private haulers has become a challenge in recent years, as staff shortages led to service disruptions and the closure of one operator.
While county leaders have explored getting more authority from the state to manage trash pick-ups, public services have encountered staffing and operational issues as well. DPWES has proposed eliminating fall leaf collection services, starting with the 2024-2025 season.
According to the county, materials universally accepted in curbside recycling bins include plastic bottles and jugs, mixed paper and cardboard, metal food and drink cans, and paper cartons. Glass can be recycled in the purple containers that have popped up around the county and at the I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex.
Photo via Sigmund/Unsplash
Fairfax County will add its voice to the chorus of local governments touting the presence and benefits of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
The Board of Supervisors authorized staff on Tuesday (Oct. 10) to sign an agreement committing the county to developing, maintaining and promoting its segments of the trail, which spans almost 900 miles from the Allegeny Highlands in western Pennsylvania to the Potomac River’s mouth in Northern Neck.
The roughly 137-mile Northern Virginia section includes segments in Great Falls, McLean and along the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Route 1 (Richmond Highway) from the City of Alexandria to Lorton.
“This is a mostly unknown trail connection that we’ve all been working on, believe it or not, for years,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said before the board’s unanimous vote.
Designated in 1983, the Potomac Heritage Trail is overseen by the National Park Service, but it has enlisted local governments to manage segments in their borders under the memorandum of understanding (p. 413), which was initially developed in 2020.
In addition to Fairfax County, participating localities include Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties, along with Alexandria and the towns of Dumfries, Leesburg and Occoquan.
Per the MOU, the county’s park authority and transportation and public works departments will maintain trail segments, place markers at key points like major trailheads, promote the trail with media and way-finding or interpretive exhibits, and report on “visitation, volunteerism, and challenges and needs for completed segments.”
“The purpose of the agreement is to recognize the Trail network in northern Virginia and to realize fully the benefits associated with such recognition, including increased opportunities for outdoor recreation and nonmotorized transportation; for education, health, and heritage tourism; and for contributions to a vibrant regional economy,” county staff wrote in a summary for the Board of Supervisors.
The MOU also directs trail managers to “consider requests to plan, acquire lands and easements for, and develop segments of the Trail within respective jurisdictions.”
Fairfax County recently filled some gaps with the Mount Vernon Highway Trail Project, which added a shared-use path from Route 1 to Southwood Drive and was completed in May.
Storck said at Tuesday’s board meeting that his office has been working over the last few months to adjust some of the new trail segments “so they’re not right on Route 1.”
Working with Fort Belvoir to move its segments off the road has proven to be a challenge due to Defense Department rules on “what you can do and where,” but Storck said there has been “great progress” made on the trail.
“We’ll need to continue [that progress],” he said. “This will be something that gets worked on long after I’m gone, to find better ways to have it be more scenic and less urban…We’re doing the right thing, and as you see, it’s taken 50 years just to get this far, so we’ll keep plugging away.”
According to a trail map maintained by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Fairfax County still has gaps in the Mason Neck Trail along Gunston Road, on Old Colchester Road to connect Route 1 to the Mason Neck Peninsula, and between Great Falls Park and Scott’s Run Nature Preserve.
The Great Falls-to-Scott’s Run segment is unfunded, though one needed easement has been obtained at the Madeira School in McLean. The Gunston Road segment will cost an estimated $9 million and has gotten $4 million funded so far.
The route connecting Route 1 and Mason Neck may be tweaked as the county updates its overall trails map as part of its ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan, which is “tentatively” expected to get adopted in 2024, according to NVRC.
Voters at Cunningham Park Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
A pair of upcoming candidate forums will give McLean and Vienna residents a chance to get to know the people aspiring to represent them.
First up, the McLean Citizens Association is hosting a debate at 7:30 p.m. today (Thursday) between candidates for the Dranesville District’s supervisor and school board seats.
Former Dranesville District Democratic Committee chair Jimmy Bierman, who won his party’s nomination in a June primary, and Fairfax County Republican Committee first vice chair Puneet Ahluwalia are seeking to succeed Supervisor John Foust, who’s retiring after 16 years in office.
With incumbent Elaine Tholen not seeking reelection, the school board race features Robyn Lady — a retired Fairfax County Public Schools counselor endorsed by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee — and Paul Bartkowski, a Republican-endorsed lawyer who says he represented plaintiffs in a legal challenge to FCPS’ mask requirements during the pandemic.
The MCA will host the debate in person at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue), but it will also be live-streamed via Zoom.
Vienna Town Council candidates forum coming
The Northeast Vienna Citizens Association (NEVCA) will host a “Meet the Candidates” event at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street) at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday).
While Mayor Linda Colbert is unopposed in her bid for reelection, the Vienna Town Council race has seven candidates vying for six seats:
- Sandra Allen, a mother and volunteer who previously ran for school board
- Chuck Anderson (incumbent)
- Roy James Baldwin, a lawyer and Vienna Board of Architectural Review chairman
- Ray Brill (incumbent)
- Shelley Mountjoy, a former community college professor and web developer
- Jessica Ramakis, a Vienna Planning Commission member
- Howard Springsteen (incumbent)
Beth Eachus, chair of Vienna’s Transportation Safety Commission, is also campaigning for a council seat as a write-in candidate, the Gazette Leader reported. However, the NEVCA forum will focus on candidates officially registered with the Virginia Department of Elections.
More information about the candidates can be found in Vienna’s September newsletter.
According to its event announcement, NEVCA has hosted candidate forums for 20 years, but this will be its first in-person event since 2019. The volunteer organization conducted forums virtually during the pandemic.
“The objective has been to inform and educate all residents of the Town of Vienna with an interactive and conversational opportunity to hear from the candidates for the Town Council,” said NEVCA Vice President Doug Francis, who will moderate the forum.
According to Francis, the event will be recorded by the Town of Vienna Public Information Office, which will share the video on the town’s media platforms.
Colbert and the town council candidates previously appeared at a Sept. 19 forum organized by the local National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association chapter, according to the Gazette Leader.
This will be the Town of Vienna’s first November election after the Virginia General Assembly adopted a law in 2021 ending all local May elections, starting on Jan. 1, 2022. In a change from the previous, staggered approach, all town council seats will now always be up for election at the same time. Members will continue to serve two-year terms.
Early voting is currently underway for the 2023 general election, which will be held on Nov. 7 and determine Fairfax County’s next Board of Supervisors, school board and state legislators, among other races.
Buildings Demolished for Route 1 Widening — “A construction crew tore down the building formerly housing Mount Vernon Auto Repair at 8249 Richmond Highway Oct. 10. The razing was part of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) planned demolition of several properties this year in preparation for the Richmond Highway Corridor Improvements project” [On the MoVe]
Comedian Reflects on Northern Virginia Origins — “In an interview with Northern Virginia Magazine, comedian Aparna Nancherla discusses her time at Thomas Jefferson High School, comedic origins, and her new book on imposter syndrome.” Nancherla, who has also acted in shows like “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Corporate,” grew up in McLean and has parents living in Arlington. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Vote on Whether to Rename Woodson HS Tonight — The Fairfax County School Board will vote tonight (Thursday) on whether to move forward with a proposed renaming of W.T. Woodson High School. “At a public hearing about whether the school system should proceed with a name change, several parents said changing the school’s namesake gives the county a chance to correct a previous mistake.” [WTOP]
Annandale Student Works to Create Cancer-Fighting Soap — “Local scientist Herman Bekele has been engineering a soap that he hopes one day can help treat skin cancer. However, Bekele is not a tenured professor at a research university — he’s a 14-year-old from Annandale…The ninth grader at W.T. Woodson High School was just named ‘America’s Top Young Scientist'” by 3M. [Washingtonian]
County Extends Vaccine Clinic Hours — “We are now offering extended hours at several of our clinics for school-age children to catch up on their school-required immunizations. See the schedule and find out how to make an appointment at” the Fairfax County Health Department’s website. [Fairfax Health/Twitter]
New Center for Active Seniors Planned in Springfield — “The public is invited to attend a series of information sessions to learn about the new Burke-Springfield Center for Active Adults. The new space at Huntsman Square in Springfield will offer an exciting opportunity for the Burke-Springfield Center Without Walls to transition to a brick-and-mortar facility.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]
Herndon House Goes for Harry Potter Halloween — “For 20 years, Mary Mireles of Herndon has been entertaining neighbors and trick or treaters with homemade Halloween decorations. This year, the mother of a percussion student at South Lakes High School is trying to drum up support for the school’s band with a spooky Harry Potter-themed Halloween display outside her Herndon home.” [Patch]
New Lords and Ladies Fairfax Honored — “Twenty local notables who have contributed to the community for years received their due Oct. 3 as Fairfax County supervisors honored them as Lords and Ladies Fairfax. County supervisors began the tradition in 1984. Celebrate Fairfax provided support for this year’s event, held at the Fairfax County Government Center.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Thursday — The forecast predicts a mostly sunny day with a high near 74 degrees and a calm wind in the afternoon. The night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 53 degrees accompanied by a light north wind. [Weather.gov]
If Fairfax County were to get a casino, state Sen. Dave Marsden would prefer to see it in Tysons, not Reston, as has reportedly been proposed.
The prospect of a casino has drawn strong pushback from both residents and some elected officials, but Marsden argues that the county needs to consider all options to diversify its commercial tax base, as the office market continues to lag in the pandemic’s wake.
While Tysons has gotten more residents over the past decade, the area’s generally commercial makeup and four Metro stations would make it “the ideal place” for an entertainment district that could include a casino, Marsden says.
“That’s becoming Fairfax County’s downtown, and we want to locate it on the Silver Line because that’s what the Silver Line was built for,” the senator told FFXnow. “…It wasn’t just to bring in commuters from Loudoun County or to get people to the airport. It was designed also to allow for higher density development: high-rise apartments and office buildings and what have you.”
Marsden, who represents parts of Burke, Centreville and Annandale in the 37th Senate District, and Del. Wren Williams (R-9) filed identical bills in January that would’ve added Fairfax County to the small list of Virginia localities authorized to consider hosting a casino.
Though the legislation was quickly withdrawn, the subject reemerged late last month when Patch reported that the developer Comstock hopes to build a casino near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, where it has been constructing the massive Reston Station neighborhood.
A member of the Senate finance committee, Marsden confirmed to FFXnow that he met with Comstock twice — once while drafting his original bill and once since then. He says he otherwise hasn’t been approached by anyone about a casino in Tysons or anywhere else in Fairfax County.
Comstock doesn’t have any properties in Tysons right now, but it pitched a redevelopment of the Koons auto dealerships at 2000 and 2050 Chain Bridge Road last year as part of the county’s site-specific plan amendment (SSPA) process. The nomination didn’t advance after county staff determined a comprehensive plan change isn’t necessary to allow mixed-use development on the site.
The developer — which donated $10,000 to Marsden’s reelection campaign on June 22, per the Virginia Public Access Project — didn’t return multiple requests for comment.
Marsden says he’s “certainly very strongly looking at” re-introducing the casino bill in the 2024 General Assembly session if he wins the election for the newly created 35th District, though it likely won’t be identical to the one introduced this year.
“I do want to talk to some of our elected folks in Fairfax County to see how they would want the bill structured, to take a look at it,” he said.
He stresses that the goal of the bill isn’t to impose a casino on the county, but rather, to give the county an option that’s currently off limits.
As a Dillon Rule state, Virginia localities only have the powers explicitly granted to them by the General Assembly, an approach that Fairfax County officials argue limits their ability to do everything from exploring different revenue sources to lowering speed limits on dangerous roads.
If Marsden’s bill gets adopted by the General Assembly, the county would be required to hold a referendum asking voters whether a casino should be permitted.
“[Comstock’s] idea for an entertainment district, I think, is a reasonable idea that the county needs to consider,” Marsden said. “Ultimately speaking, I will not make the decision as to whether Fairfax County has a casino or where it’s located, but merely give them the opportunity to make that decision for themselves.”
Tysons elected officials and candidates weigh in
While some Reston representatives, including Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn and retiring Del. Ken Plum, have expressed vocal opposition to the possibility of a Silver Line casino, Tysons area officials contacted by FFXnow mostly offered more circumspect responses.
Echoing earlier comments, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said he “would strongly oppose any legislation” stripping the county’s land use authority, but declined to take a position on the idea of a casino.
“There has been no casino proposal submitted to the County, therefore there is nothing to take a position on,” McKay said in a statement. “…Even if a referendum was approved, and [a] casino proposal were to be submitted to the County, it would be subject to Fairfax County’s full land use process including all comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance requirements and the associated public engagement and public hearings before approval.”
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, whose district includes most of Tysons, said she’s open to discussing any proposal that comes into her office, but is “awfully skeptical” this one will come to pass.
“If the residents of Providence District were to pass a Casino Referendum, that’s one thing, but otherwise, this seems like a whole lot of nothing,” Palchik said by email.
With Tysons’ current senator, Janet Howell, not seeking reelection, the area will be represented next year by either Democrat Saddam Azlan Salim or Republican Ken Reid, who are vying to succeed Sen. Chap Petersen in the redrawn 37th District.
Salim’s campaign said he hasn’t taken an official position on a Fairfax County casino, but the financial consultant is “listening and talking to constituents about the issue.”
“It’s important that the people of the 37th district have an opportunity to have dialogue with their candidates for elected office and make their views known, so that’s what Saddam Salim is focused on right now,” a spokesperson for Salim’s campaign said.
Reid, a former Loudoun County supervisor, took a more definitive stance.
“I don’t see a need for casinos anywhere in Fairfax County as there are so many cost-of-living and quality-of-life problems that one-party Democrat rule has failed to address,” he said, citing “exorbitant” highway tolls, a lack of affordable housing, crime and high taxes among the issues he feels have gone unaddressed.
The Virginia Lottery reported this summer that initial revenue from gambling at the state’s three opened casinos has exceeded projections, collectively generating $308 million by the end of June. Marsden says the resulting tax revenue could help Fairfax County address needs, such as schools or Metro funding, without further burdening the residential real estate tax base.
“Things change and you have to respond to them, and the big change right now is commercial real estate is collapsing, and that’s because of the pandemic,” Marsden said. “And because of the pandemic, people are working from home and not using Metro, and all of a sudden…the amount of money we have to put into Metro is going to go dramatically up, and we have to prepare for the future as to how we’re going to pay for that. So, let’s let Fairfax County decide what it is they want to do to pay for that. They may say no to a casino. They may say yes to something else, but I’m just here to give them as many options as they feel necessary.”
While it had no comment specifically on a casino, the Tysons Community Alliance says entertainment “is an important part of the Tysons community dialogue about the future of visitation and hospitality in Tysons.”
A market study that the community improvement organization released in August suggested more “experiential entertainment,” such as climbing gyms or The Boro’s upcoming Sandbox VR gaming facility, could help its retail sector compete in the post-pandemic world.
“The success of our Tysons Fall Mixed Market is a clear indication that local residents are interested in and seeking more experiential entertainment,” TCA CEO Katie Cristol said by email. “We also are collectively focused on the recovery of the hotel market here; given the slow return of business travel, that means supporting more leisure trips and supporting Tysons as a hospitality destination for entertainment, too.”
Fairfax County residents are underutilizing publicly-funded incentives to make their homes more green. That’s according to James Walkinshaw, Fairfax County Supervisor for the Braddock District, who hosted the county’s first Climate Action Conference on Sept. 30.
Greeting a crowd of community members gathered at Lake Braddock Secondary School, Walkinshaw said the focus of the conference was to give residents “all the actionable information and the tools you need to reduce your emissions and save money.”
“Whether you’re an individual, a family, a homeowner, a business leader, or a leader of a faith community or faith group, now is the time to take advantage of those opportunities,” Walkinshaw said.
Walkinshaw was joined by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck.
The board members touted their record on the environment, including the hiring of 16 employees to address climate policies and piloting electric buses on both Fairfax Connector and Fairfax County Public Schools bus routes.
Sherie Cabalu, a homeowner in Vienna, came to the Climate Conference to learn about what she could do personally to combat climate change.
“I really wanted to just find out what we could do at a home level and a personal level,” Cabalu said. “You know, we hear about all the policies and everything, but how does that translate into actual, you know, doing something at the individual level?”
The event’s keynote speaker was Michael Forrester, assistant director of partnerships in the Office of State and Community Energy Programs at the Department of Energy. The mission of Forrester’s office is to share information at the community level about federal incentive programs that people can partake in to reduce their carbon footprint and save energy costs.
“We’re trying to activate local communities, and we’re trying to put these technologies in people’s homes to make a big significant difference on the nation’s carbon footprint,” Forrester said, adding, “Significant amounts of money are flowing from the federal government to local communities and to individuals’ homes.”
Low-income households can apply for the Weatherization Assistance Program, which offers home energy audits and makes necessary improvements and repairs to heating and cooling systems. The improvements are free of charge and may include work on windows and doors, roof repairs and HVAC sealing, thereby improving efficiency and lowering lower energy bills, according to Forrester.
Clean Vehicle Tax Credits are also available for Virginians to get back up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle, or up to $4,000 for a used electric vehicle. Restrictions apply based on the buyer’s annual income and the value of the vehicle.
Forrester also said homeowners are eligible to receive a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of energy-efficient home improvements like solar panels and geothermal heat pumps. This long-term credit is part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and will be in effect for 10 years.
More incentives are coming soon to Virginians. Starting next year, Forrester said homeowners will be eligible for additional support. Under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Home Energy Rebate programs, homeowners will be able to receive up to $3,200 in additional tax credit for investment in more efficient heating systems, windows and doors.
It’s never too early, Forrester said, to start looking at ways to reduce your household emissions. “As you start to look at your home and you think, what’s next? Take a look at these tax credits.”
He noted that Dominion Energy and other utilities also offer incentive programs for appliance and smart technology upgrades to increase energy efficiency.
Attendee pushback
In his opening remarks, Walkinshaw made clear a discussion on global warming would not be a part of the conference.
“We’re not here to debate the science of climate change, which is settled,” he said.
But not everyone agreed.
Arthur Purves, who is running against McKay as the Republican candidate for chair of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors, was on hand for the conference.
“He said it was settled science and we couldn’t talk about it,” Purves said. “And then he started [talking], and the crisis was all in the future. They don’t talk about an existential crisis today because there is none.”
Purves is president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance, a volunteer organization that advocates for lower taxes. He denounced the amount of money and resources the sitting Board of Supervisors has spent addressing the environment. “This is pure socialism,” he said.
In fiscal 2023, Fairfax County appropriated approximately $1.3 million to fund the Environmental and Energy Program. It is maintaining funding at the same level this year.
The climate conference was supported by numerous citizens advocacy groups, including the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Photo via James Walkinshaw/Facebook. This article was written by FFXNow’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
The workers who clean office buildings around Fairfax County won’t have to hit the picket lines anytime soon.
The union representing about 9,100 commercial office cleaners in the D.C. area reached a tentative agreement yesterday (Tuesday) for a new contract with property owners in the Washington Service Contractors Association (WSCA), averting a potential strike.
Expressing frustration with wages that haven’t kept up with the rising costs of food, rent and other basic needs, union members in Fairfax and Loudoun counties voted unanimously last week to authorize a strike if an agreement wasn’t reached by the time their existing contract expires on Sunday (Oct. 15).
“These men and women proved that collective action has the power to improve jobs and lives, just like other low-wage workers deserve nationwide,” said Jaime Contreras, executive vice president of 32BJ SEIU, the Service Employees International Union’s branch for the D.C. region.
Under the proposed contract, which will go to members for ratification next week, cleaners will get hourly wage increases of $3.55 to $3.75 over four years, according to the union. Pay currently ranges from $12.50 in Loudoun and Prince George’s counties — just over Virginia’s minimum wage — to $18.60.
The union’s 3,000-plus cleaners in Fairfax County, Arlington and Alexandria, who currently earn $15 an hour, will get the $3.55 raise, set to take effect in increments every July 1 through 2027, according to WSCA negotiator Peter Chatilovicz.
The larger increase of $3.75 will go to Loudoun and Prince George’s workers to keep them above the minimum wage, which will rise to $15 on Jan. 1, 2026.
The contract also preserves existing benefits for both full-time and part-time cleaners, per 32BJ SEIU:
Under the contract, janitors maintain access to free professional training and language courses as well as legal services for concerning issues such as immigration, family and matrimonial matters, and housing law among others. Full-time cleaners in all regions will maintain employer-paid health care, including prescription drugs, dental, vision and life insurance. Part-time cleaners will continue to receive life insurance and family dental benefits.
According to the union, the agreement was reached over seven bargaining sessions that started on June 22.
While pay was the primary point of contention, the union also took issue with a proposal that would’ve reduced shifts for new employees from five to four hours long. The suggestion was taken off the table last week, as local elected officials — including almost all Fairfax County supervisors — signed pledges and appeared at rallies in support of the cleaners.
A 32BJ spokesperson confirmed that the change in shifts was not part of the tentative agreement.
“I think it was a fair agreement for both sides,” Chatilovicz said. “We managed to, I think, give some very reasonable wage increases to the employees. Benefits all stayed the same without any further costs, and like I said, I think both sides were pleased to be able to reach an agreement before we had to worry about the contract expiration.”
The contract negotiations with the WSCA came amid a frenzy of labor actions across the country. While film and TV writers recently ended a nearly five-month strike, Hollywood actors and the United Auto Workers are still on the picket lines, and health care workers for Kaiser Permanente may walk off the job again in early November after a strike from Oct. 4-7 failed to produce an agreement.
An aerial dance studio based in Maryland will swoop across state lines this fall with an expansion into Merrifield.
Aerial Candy is transforming an industrial space at 2801 Merrilee Drive that was being used for storage into a studio where dancers can train with aerial silks, hoops and other specialized equipment.
On track to open in November, the new studio will become the “main” location for Aerial Candy, which currently operates inside Takoma Park’s Dance Exchange, owner Candy Cantu says.
“This is a wonderful location because it’s right off of the highway and I actually live in Virginia,” Cantu told FFXnow. “…I wanted something kind of more central, a little bit more of like a hub where it’s easier to have access to because it’s off 495, it’s off 66, it’s next to the Metro, it’s close to D.C. So, it just is right at that perfect spot.”
Established in 2019, Aerial Candy offers classes for both adults and children 6 and up in what Cantu calls “circus arts,” including aerial hoops and silks — the kinds of acrobatics you might see at Cirque du Soleil.
In fact, Cantu was scheduled to show the new, roughly 2,800-square-foot space to some Cirque du Soleil performers last week in the hopes they may use it for future photoshoots or rehearsals. The circus has been in Tysons since early September with the debut of its new show “ECHO.”
“Because it’s so close to their show, it kind of works as a nice place for them to either do photos or get some extra rehearsal times in,” Cantu said.
In addition to introductory, intermediate and advanced classes on silks and aerial hoops, also known as lyras, the Merrifield studio will likely offer contortion and flexibility training and possibly a static trapeze class, Cantu says. There will also be open gym sessions.
Cantu anticipates that having a second location will expand Aerial Candy to a new client base, but with the kids’ sessions at Takoma Park consistently filled to capacity, some patrons may shift over to Merrifield. Those who purchase a class pass or membership will be able to use them at either location.
As the studio build-out nears completion, including the installation of a mural by artist Christopher Lynch, Cantu says she’s excited to have a location closer to home and provide a creative space in an area where local artists are starting to find a foothold.
“There are some other studios that are slightly similar to what I’m trying to do, but I just think mine is going to be a little bit unique and different, and they’re so far and few in between,” Cantu said. “I’m just really excited about meeting all the people in the area. I’m really excited about building a community. That’s my favorite part.”
