Oct. 7, 2020
Dear Neighbors,
The county announced yesterday that almost 3,000 individuals have volunteered 96,006 hours since mid-March to assist with pandemic relief efforts. And it should be noted, saving the county a substantial amount of our tax dollars. During these difficult days, our volunteers have stepped up to make a difference and I am grateful and humbled by your efforts – thank you! I'm especially heartened to see the outstanding volunteer efforts by our younger residents! Pictured above are volunteers for a recent Cornerstone's food drive. Another example is Curtis Bushee's Eagle Scout project. He enlisted 22 volunteers to make 1,000 masks that were donated to the Reston Police District Station this week and pictured at right. Thank you Curtis! The pandemic is still ongoing and volunteer efforts will be critical for the foreseeable future. There are numerous ways to help, even from home, so I encourage you to volunteer. Here are some upcoming opportunities: |
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Coat Closet with Cornerstones This year there is expected to be a greater need for coat donations for residents in our vulnerable communities. New or gently used, clean coats, as well as new hats, gloves, mittens and scarves may be donated through Nov. 6 at several Hunter Mill District locations. Learn more. Volunteers are needed for the coat distribution; contact Susan Alger at susan.alger@cornerstonesva.org or call 571-323-1383 to volunteer. VolunteerFest The annual VolunteerFest is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25. VolunteerFest is a region-wide weekend of service that mobilizes hundreds of volunteers in a variety of volunteer events across Fairfax County. Residents of all ages are encouraged to participate. Due to the pandemic, Volunteer Fairfax has incorporated at-home (virtual) projects from which you can select. Opportunities include making holiday cards, cleaning up yards and assisting with food drives. Learn more. How to Help Your Neighbors in Hunter Mill District My office has been updating this webpage on a regular basis during the pandemic with a number of ways to help our neighbors.
Respectfully, Walter |
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Today's COVID-19 Updates (Oct. 7) |
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COVID-19 Vaccine Planning Underway Planning is underway at the federal, state and local levels to order, distribute and administer a safe and effective vaccine as soon as it becomes available. The Fairfax County Health Department is working with the Virginia Department of Health to develop these plans for our health district. Learn more.
Current Number of Cases in the Fairfax Health District - Daily reported case information for the Fairfax Health District: here and scroll down to get to ZIP Code data.
- Daily reported case information throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia: here and ZIP Code data look for Data Download bar.
COVID-19 Case Information Chart (as of publication on Oct. 7) |
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2020 Election Early Voting |
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Early voting at the Government Center continues to be very busy and more than 200,000 voters have requested mail-in ballots. This level of voting activity is historic for our county and the Office of Elections is working hard to ensure that every registered voter has the opportunity to cast a ballot. There are almost 750,000 active registered voters in our county and in 2016, we had more than an 80% turnout with an even higher turnout expected this year. Some key dates coming up next week: - This Saturday, Oct. 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., early voting will be available ONLY at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center in Fairfax. This is an additional date that has been added by the Office of Elections.
- Tuesday, Oct. 13 is the deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration (moved or name change due to marriage/divorce).
- Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 14 the county's 14 satellite locations will open. Please note there are different hours at locations; check this link before you head out to vote. Satellite locations include the North County Government Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Dr., Reston.
- Beginning on Saturday, Oct. 17 through Oct. 31, Saturday hours will be available at all early voting locations, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Ballot boxes for drop off of your mail-in ballot will be at all early voting locations, beginning Oct. 14 during voting hours. In addition, you can use the ballot box now located 24/7 outside the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax, as well as the box located inside the building during voting hours.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The county is closed on Monday, Oct. 12 and the Office of Elections will not be open. There is no in-person early voting on Monday. |
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Board of Supervisors Update |
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The Board of Supervisors met yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 6. You can watch the meeting here with a linked agenda. Actions taken at the meeting include: - The Board adopted an emergency ordinance to assure the county’s ability to establish hypothermia prevention shelters in time to have them begin opening on Nov. 1. This will also assure the zoning administrator’s ability to allow temporary modifications to activities, uses, and structures where they are needed to comply with state or other governmental COVID-related guidelines and requirements.
- We extended the time period to expand the quick service food store and replacing the existing car wash on the Exxon Mobil property in Reston.
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Land Use and Transportation |
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Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force Meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7 to 9 p.m. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study web page. The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7 to 9 p.m. Details and the agenda will be found here. The meeting will be hosted on the Webex platform. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 173 141 2444. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. (Please note each meeting has a unique link and call-in information.) You will also be able to watch a live stream of the meeting on YouTube Live.
Wiehle Avenue Crossing Study Group Virtual Meeting, Oct. 15, 7 to 9 p.m. Wiehle Pedestrian Crossing Study Group virtual meeting is Thursday, Oct. 15, 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting is hosted on the Webex platform – use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to only listen to the meeting, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use Access Code: 173 482 2404. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. Hunter Mill District Land Use Committee Virtual Meeting, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. The next meeting of the Land Use Committee is Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Staff from the county's Department of Planning & Development (DPD) will be presenting on the Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) Policy Plan Amendment. The meeting is hosted on the Webex platform – use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to only listen to the meeting, you may call 1-408-418-9388 and use Access Code: 173 403 3126. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. More information or contact Jose Delcid. |
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FCPS Is Providing Free Meals for Students |
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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is continuing to serve free meals to all children through Dec. 31. FCPS has distributed more than 3.1 million grab and go meals since schools closed in March. The goal is to provide every FCPS student daily access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch. Meal distribution is taking place at school sites and buses are delivering grab and go meals throughout the county. Learn more. |
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National Night Out Held Oct. 6 |
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| Thank you to the Fairfax County Police Department and to our participating communities for a fun National Night Out this week. It was great to see neighbors connecting with our officers to promote community engagement and safer streets! |
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NASCOW at Frying Pan Farm Park on Oct. 16 The Friends of Frying Pan Park are holding what is believed to be the first-ever NASCOW event in Hunter Mill District to raise funds for upkeep of the farm and animals. Eleven cows will participate in a race (they actually amble) and the first to get to their breakfast will be the winner. You can donate to sponsor a participating cow, including Hokie, pictured. Details on how to donate and watch the "race" online is here.
Traditional Trick-or-Treating Not Recommended for Halloween; Safe Alternatives Available The Fairfax County Health Department is recommending that residents do not participate in door-to-door trick-or-treating and events that involve large gatherings of individuals. Health official are providing moderate and low-risk activities to enjoy the holiday. Learn more.
Volunteers Needed for New HomeWise Program Fairfax County has announced a new program to educate and enable residents to make changes that reduce energy use, water use, and associated costs in their homes. The program brings qualified volunteers together with low- and moderate-income county residents to make physical improvements to their homes, and to provide support for behavior changes that are proven to conserve resources and money. The program is currently recruiting its inaugural class of volunteers in three different categories: - HomeWise Pros are individuals with substantial hands-on experience with residential weatherization and home improvement projects.
- HomeWise Ambassadors are individuals who excel at connecting with others and have an interest in home weatherization, energy and water efficiency.
- HomeWise Apprentices are those interested in learning basic hands-on skills for weatherization and home improvement projects.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month Learn how you can support a friend or family member experiencing violence at the Fairfax County Domestic and Sexual Violence Services 24-Hour Hotline 703-360-7273. Learn more. |
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Stay Informed and In Touch |
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Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn 703-478-0283, TTY 711 |
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