Scholarships Available
for WorkforceTraining at Community Colleges

The Commonwealth of Virginia is allocating $30 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars to help Virginians whose employment have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis to pursue workforce training in a high-demand field. The new Re-Employing Virginians (REV) initiative will provide scholarships to eligible individuals to enroll in a workforce or community college program in five essential industries: information technology, health care, skilled trades, public safety and early childhood education.

For more information:  www.nvcc.edu/rev/index.html

Small Business Grants Expanding

For more information and applications: www.governor.virginia.gov/rebuildva/

Large Election Turnout in Fairfax County

According to information released by Board of Supervisor Chairman McKay, the 2020 voter turnout in Fairfax County is currently measured at 77.5% and the Supervisor district with the highest turnout was Hunter Mill with 79.9%. You can see the overall data from this year's election in these results online which provide a fairly good picture of the count, however this is currently an unofficial report. 

1.  Results for this year's election can be found here.  Historical data can be found here.

2.  As you can see in the graph above, the percentage of voters who cast their ballots early was significantly higher than the percentage of votes cast on Election Day. This was largely due to the pandemic, but in addition, this year the General Assembly allowed no-excuse early voting for the first time.

3.  Voter turnout was slightly down this year in comparison to years past.

FOUR BONDS PASSED

• Fairfax County voters overwhelmingly passed four bonds, which allows the Board of Supervisors to finance public facilities and infrastructure projects. In the charts below, you can see that every bond passed with support between 66-72%.
  
  
• Transportation Bond:
• This authorizes Fairfax County to issue bonds totaling $160 million.
• It will be used to finance Fairfax County's share of costs to support WMATA. Funds will be used for WMATA construction, facility improvements, and equipment.
• Read more here.
  
  
• Parks Bond:
• This authorizes Fairfax County to issue bonds totaling $112 million.
• Funds will be utilized towards land acquisition for park expansion, conservation of natural resources, the development of new parks, and supporting the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
• Read more here.
  
  
• Library Bond:
• This authorizes Fairfax County to issue bonds totaling $90 million.
• Funds will renovate and upgrade Patrick Henry Community Library, Sherwood Regional Library, and George Mason Regional Library. Kingstowne Regional Library will be relocated.
  
• Read more here.
  
  
• Community Health and Human Services Board Bond
• This authorizes Fairfax County to issue bonds totaling $79 million.
• The funds will be used to relocate and renovate the Joseph Willard Health Center, allowing the Fairfax County Health Department to provide essential services during emergencies and operation interruptions. In addition, the Crossroads facility, which provides substance abuse support, will be renovated.

Read more here.

Hypothermia Shelters

Board of Supervisors Works to Ensure Availability of Hypothermia Shelters – At its October 6, 2020 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an emergency ordinance authorizing the establishment of several county-operated, temporary hypothermia prevention shelters to serve individuals experiencing homelessness this winter.  The emergency ordinance ensures that resources are in place to provide a safe, warm location for the county's most vulnerable residents to seek shelter from the cold between December 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.  Past partnership with ecumenical and non-profit organizations, who hosted overnight accommodations to approximately 1,200 homeless individuals, are either closed or are operating at a limited capacity because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Seven Fairfax County-owned locations were identified for the Hypothermia Prevention Program:

• Lincolnia Senior Center, 4710 North Chambliss Street in Alexandria;

• Braddock Glen Wellness Center, 4027 Olley Lane in Fairfax;

• Gerry Hyland Government Center, 8350 Richmond Highway in Alexandria;

• North County Human Services Building, 1850 Cameron Glen Drive in Reston;

• Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax;

• Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax; and

• Pennino Building, 12011 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax.

These locations currently are closed to the public and/or are operating at a diminished occupancy, and have the accommodations to facilitate overnight accommodations for homeless individuals.  A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 3 p.m. to receive public comment about the emergency ordinance.  Information about this public hearing will be available on the Fairfax County website (www.fairfaxcounty.gov) when details are finalized.  For more information about the public hearing process, and how to submit testimony, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bosclerk/. 

Greater Washington Innovation Awards
Names NOVA 2020 Education Innovator of the Year 

NOVA, the Northern Virginia Community College, was named “2020 Education Innovator of the Year” at the inaugural Greater Washington Innovations Awards on October 8, 2020.

Created to showcase innovations in business, the Innovation Awards highlight ingenuity and creativity in five categories: biotech, hospitality, health tech, social impact, and higher education. Applicants submitted one-minute videos describing their innovations, a panel of 17 judges reviewed the videos, and named 11 finalists. Their videos were shown during the virtual awards show.

NOVA submitted a video based on the success of its JumpStart program, a unique program that allows recent high school graduates to take select NOVA classes that will transfer to most four-year institutions. The classes were offered at no charge over the 2020 Summer Semester.
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Fairfax County Land Use
Establishes New Program to Encourage Economic Growth 

Fairfax County adopted a new program on Sept. 15, 2020, that provides economic incentives to the private sector for the revitalization and redevelopment of properties in select commercial areas. Called the Economic Incentive Program (EIP), this program encourages economic growth by providing multiple financial and regulatory incentives.

Financial incentives for the EIP include a ten percent reduction of site plan fees and a partial abatement of the real estate taxes on the difference between the base value of a property and its post-development value, including any increase or decrease in the annual assessed value of the tax-exempt portion of the property.

The EIP’s regulatory incentives include expedited scheduling of zoning applications and concurrent processing of a Comprehensive Plan amendment and zoning application, and concurrent processing of a site plan with a zoning application.

To qualify for the Economic Incentive Program, development proposals must meet the following criteria:

1. Proposal location is within one of six designated areas, which are: the Commercial Revitalization Districts (CRDs) of Annandale, Baileys Crossroads/Seven Corners, and McLean; the Lincolnia Commercial Revitalization Area (CRA); the Richmond Highway CRD and Suburban Neighborhood Areas, and a portion of the Huntington Transit Station Area (TSA); and, the Springfield CRD and TSA (non-single-family portion of the TSA).
2. The proposed development must be commercial, industrial, and/or multi-family residential.
3. The proposal must include a newly proposed assemblage, not previously submitted for rezoning or site plan approval of at least 2 contiguous parcels totaling a minimum of two acres. However, the Board of Supervisors may make an exception regarding the minimum size of the consolidation.
4. The proposal must be consistent with the consolidation and use recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan, and all laws and policies related to the provision and preservation of affordable housing.

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UnCovered
The Curious Tales of a Jacket with No Tail—1820’s 

This ladies’ spencer was found in a closet at the home of a Lee family descendant and, according to the donor, the family had used it as a dress-up and costume piece for decades. It was donated to the Fairfax County Park Authority in 1994.

The garment was conserved and stabilized in 2012 due to its fragility. It was analyzed at that time and was dated to around 1820. The outer fabric is mauve silk with a woven pattern of vines and leaves. The neckline, which is U-shaped in the front and V-shaped in the back, is trimmed with a wide, pleated and ruched band. The inner lining of the spencer is a mixture of beige linen for the bodice and wool for the sleeves. It is fully handstitched.

The spencer, a waist-length jacket with no tails, is a unique clothing item from the Regency Era. Its creation is credited to George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834), though there are many versions of the origin story.

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The Contents of a Lady’s Handbag
The Year Was 1854

In the early 19th century, women began to use small ornamental handbags in which personal items were carried.  A purse was something quite different.  A purse was simply a satchel in which only coins were carried since they were heavy and would soon wear holes in any pocket.  Consequently, coins were often contained within their own case made of metal, leather or reinforced fabric. 

Fashion of the 1850s for both men and women were colorful, sumptuous in style with luxurious fabrics. Sewing machines were increasingly available and the cage crinoline underpinned the dress silhouette. 

Women’s dresses were made of lush fabrics often obtained from overseas markets.  Silk and velvet were favorites along with beautiful polished cottons loomed largely in England for wear in warmer weather.  Dress shapes consisted of fitted bodices to the waist and full bell skirts that were accessorized with ruffles, multiple trims, flowers, and layered flounces.  Tight boned corsets narrowed the appearance of the waist but often reduced the natural breathing ability of the women laced within.  Fainting,, especially in hot weather, was not unusual.  Smelling salts were kept close at hand.

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Read the Latest ENDEAVOR News Magazine

The ENDEAVOR News Magazine is the Chamber's quarterly online publication and the must read magazine in Annandale.  Acquaint yourself with local businesses, community history, revitalization efforts, and issues that concern Annandale: The Crossroads of Northern Virginia TM.  

Changing Weather Patterns Require a Coverage Re-Think
Severe Flooding Plagues the Metro Area with Greater Frequency

Standard homeowner policies provide reimbursement coverage for a loss from many causes such as theft, fire, and water damage due to burst pipes & leaking appliances, stopped up sinks and broken toilets.  It does not cover damage caused by environmental floods. If water comes over the ground through rainstorms that flood your yard or from lakes - streams that overflow their banks, a homeowner’s policy does not cover you, but flood insurance will add that extra layer of protection for just these occurrences.  Protecting you from a devastating financial loss necessitates the correct home insurance coverage.  Do you have that coverage?

Flooding is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), “as a temporary overflow of water on normally dry land brought on by landslides, hurricanes, earthquakes or other natural disasters.”  According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), even one inch of water can cause $25,000 worth of damage; that all 50 states have experienced floods; and, that more than 20% of claims come from moderate to low risk areas.  Clearly, flood insurance is not simply for high-risk locals.  Start your research on FEMA’s website where you will easily find their Flood Map Service Center showing if your address is in a flood zone and what risk level your home/business face. 
(https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home)

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MEET THE ARTISAN: Bob Simoniz
Ye Old Toymaker and Wood Carver

Bob Simoniz first started in crafts after graduating from Virginia Tech and marring his wife Maureen in 1968.  He began with leathercraft and placed items in a consignment store in Crystal City near where he worked for the Naval Sea Systems Command.  One day the owner asked if he could make wooden toys since she was having problems with her current artisan.  That set Bob on the path to creating numerous toys over a period of several years. 

During this period he made furniture for his family and eventually for friends.  When he bought their current home in 1976, he finished off the lower level adding a family room and two bedrooms managing the construction and wiring himself.  Later he added a garage and built a 14x16 addition.  With the exception of pouring the foundation, Bob and his wife designed and provided all the labor.  When Bob was in college, he worked summers as a helper for an Electrical Construction Company in Lynchburg, VA where he learned the electrical trade.

Over the years of building furniture, Bob always wanted to try wood carving.  In 1989, he finally bought a kit and carved a very rough Santa which he still has.  Until about 15 years ago, his main carvings were Santa's and snowmen for personal Christmas gifts (usually between 11-15 gifts a year).  After taking a class on chip carving with Barry McKenzie, Bob began carving icicles as Christmas gifts. His next door neighbor was ordering 35 for gifts each Christmas.

Then he added Welsh Lovespoons.  Lovespoons have been made and given for about 350 years.  The earliest example dates to 1667 and can be seen in the Welch Museum in Cardiff although the majority on exhibit date to the 18th and 19th century. They are ornately carved spoons made from a single piece of wood and given by a young suitor as a love token to show his intentions.   Tradition has it that the spoon was equivalent to a proposal of marriage.  Numerous symbols can be carved into a single spoon expressing the entwining of lives forever, the intention to support her, the number of children envisioned,  fidelity, and eternal happiness are but a few. Bob says that he has carved some complex love spoons just for the challenge.  Now they are a labor of love.

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ENERGY SENSE
Celebrate Energy Awareness Month this October by Saving Energy

As temperatures begin to cool this fall, we once again recognize October as Energy Awareness Month.  We’re joining the U.S. Department of Energy and other groups to highlight the importance of energy and help Virginians become more conscious of their home energy use. Energy use at home fluctuates as the seasons change, so it’s important to prepare for colder weather to optimize your energy use.

Virginia Energy Sense (VES) is the Commonwealth’s energy education program under the guidance of the State Corporation Commission. Virginia set a goal to reduce electric energy consumption 10 percent below 2006 levels by 2022, and the VES program’s mission is to help Virginians understand and reduce their energy use to help work toward this goal. To jump start your energy saving efforts during October and the upcoming winter, we’ve compiled several tips and recommendations below.

Fall Energy Saving Tips

Replace or clean furnace filters once a month. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy use.

Insulate your water heater pipes. Using pipe insulation available from your local hardware store, insulate the first five feet of pipe coming out of the top of your water heater. If the whole length of exposed pipe between the water heater and the wall is less than five feet, insulate the full length.

Weatherize your home by caulking and weather-stripping all doors and windows. Also, use locks on your windows to make them tighter and draft resistant. According to the Department of Energy, if you reduce drafts in your home you can cut your energy bill by as much as 30%.

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VIEW ON NATURE: Flying Dragons

Insects rarely make anyone’s index of choice creatures—too creepy, crawly, annoying, biting, or dangerous.  But hold on, for one of Virginia’s most amazing creatures is a group of insects that I call flying dragons known as dragonflies.  Aerodynamically, their ability to take off vertically, hover, fly backwards, zip up to 35 mph, and capture all of its prey on the wing is a wonder of Nature.

Like sharks, dragonflies have developed to near-evolutionary perfection. Fossil records show their ancestors with whopping 2-foot wingspans existed 300 million years ago, 90 million years before the first mammals.  And today, their success is represented in over 5,000 dragonfly species worldwide, including 130 identified in Virginia and 70 in Northern Virginia.

Adult dragonflies are recognized by their two pairs of strong, transparent wings (sometimes with colored or dark patches), elongated 2 to 4-inch bodies, and characteristic pair of large compound eyes, each containing 26,000 lenses. Dragonflies begin their lifecycle in freshwater, with females laying their eggs while hovering.  After hatching in a week, the nymphs reside in the water for 2 or 3 years, hunting mosquito larvae and other aquatic creatures.  Upon emerging and molting into fully formed dragonflies, the adults thrive only about a month hunting and eventually mating. 

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Soothing Strings Calm Covid Anxiety
The Reunion Music Society

At the Beginning

It’s 1994.  Gladys Watkins and Herb Smith, Professors of Music at the NVCC Annandale campus, propose an idea to their friend and colleague, Dr. Claiborne Richardson, eminent music educator and member of the NVCC Board.   Your community music association, the Reunion Music Society, has a mission of serving the community through music, but it is too small to form a symphony orchestra. NVCC needs an orchestra ensemble class, but there aren’t enough student musicians to make one viable. How about a collaboration between RMS and the NOVA Annandale campus?  Students would get college credit for playing alongside experienced community instrumentalists.  Everyone gets a chance to play in a full symphony orchestra.  Dr. Richardson agrees wholeheartedly, and with support from Dr. Richard Ernst, NVCC President, the NOVA Annandale Symphony Orchestra is launched.

Cut to 2018.  Dr. Richardson, now in frail health, is beaming with pride.  The orchestra has just given a sparkling performance of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez and other substantial works.  The collaboration has paid off in spades.

It didn’t take 24 years to reach that level, though. At the very first concert on April 15, 1994, conducted in part by Dr. Richardson, the orchestra presented Samuel Barber’s Serenade for Strings, Copland’s Lincoln Portrait (narrated by Dr Ernst himself) and Fanfare for the Common Man, and other substantial pieces.   The orchestra began a long-standing tradition of major concerts in the fall and spring and pops concerts in the summers.  The current Music Director, Christopher Johnston, joined the orchestra not long after its founding

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Annandale Real Estate:  The New Norm

In today’s COVID world, the Real Estate Market is indeed complex.  For the last 90 days, the Annandale market (zip 22003) records 122 sold detached homes with 3+ bedrooms and 2+ baths from the low of $460K list to the high of $1,499,000.  The average range is $750K.

The $460K listing sold for $501K, Cash, as is which most likely will become a teardown for a new build.  It had been on the market for only 7 days displaying online only exterior photos.  For the highest list price of $1,499,000, the transaction closed at $1,485.000 in 29 days.  Interesting to note that the lot on which it sat sold for $531K in April 2018.

One of my recent listings was “turnkey” with a bit of advice from my team.   (Photo above)    We suggested fresh paint in desirable colors, staging using the seller’s furniture but eliminating certain pieces that were moved in advance to their new home.  You don’t want to overwhelm the rooms with too much furniture but you do want to show spaces that are livable. 

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UPDATE ON THE REUNION MUSIC SOCIETY

Fairfax County Board Bans Guns
on County Owned Property

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance amending the county code, to prohibit the possession, carrying or transportation of firearms, components and ammunition in county buildings, parks, recreation and community centers, and at or adjacent to permitted events.

The ordinance exempts ROTC and NCAA intercollegiate athletics programs and club sports teams recognized by colleges and universities where the sport engaged in involves the use of a firearm, sworn law enforcement, educational county programs and events and the Bull Run Public Shooting Center, among other entities and activities.

“Ending gun violence is not a simple problem with simple solutions.  We must attack this issue from many angles including widely supported restrictions. Our Board’s decision to ban guns from government property takes us one more step in the right direction. For years, our Board has fought for this authority from the General Assembly and last year we finally won. I was proud to be able to finally cast my vote in support of this ordinance.”

Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay

Changes to the ordinance come after legislation passed during the Virginia General Assembly session and signed by Gov. Ralph Northam, allowing local governments to regulate weapons and ammunition in public buildings, parks and other areas, along with entities controlled by the locality. The Board of Supervisors has advocated for expanded local authority on guns in public facilities for decades, first including an initiative in the 1996 Legislative Program.

The prohibition takes effect immediately. As required by law, the county will post signage at the entrances to all areas where firearms, components and ammunition are prohibited. Violations of the prohibition constitute a Class 1 Misdemeanor.

Enhancements to physical security including, but not limited to, security guards and metal detectors, may also be made based on Board guidance or threat assessments and staff recommendations to the County Executive.

County employees, except for those authorized based on the nature of their work, are already prohibited by county policy from possessing a firearm on county premises, other than in a locked vehicle.

The Virginia law is one of several gun safety measures approved during the 2020 legislative session.