OCTOBER 11th OPEN HOUSE
OCTOBER 17th INOVA BLOOD DRIVE |
Dear MCA Membership:
Here it is October, and it still feels like summer. I hope the nice weather continues, as MCA is participating in many outdoor events this month (see Fall Events below).
Our committees are very busy sending letters and resolutions to our local government officials, which have been well received. As an example, Jeffrey McKay, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, sent Jim Kulikowski, the outgoing Budget & Taxation Committee Chair, a thank you note stating that he will use the recommendations in MCA's pension governance resolution in his discussions about the retirement systems’ governance review. If you have not joined a committee, please choose one that interests you and let your voice be heard.
I will be attending local events this month and hope to see you at some or all of them:
- MRC’s Movie Under the Stars (Friday, October 3rd);
- MPA’s Artfest (Sunday, October 5th);
- McLean Volunteer Fire Department’s (MVFD) Open House (Saturday, October 11th); and
- INOVA Blood drive at MVFD (Friday, October 17th)
And you won't want to miss:
- MCF’s 5K run (Saturday, October 4th); and
- Pet Fest at the Old Firehouse (Sunday, October 12th).
Enjoy the newsletter and your membership in MCA.
Camille | Fall Community Events For All Ages:
McLean 5K to benefit McLean Community Foundation. Saturday, October 4th, 8am race start, McLean Square Shopping Center, 6631 Old Dominion Drive. A certified course through McLean is designed to appeal to runners of all abilities. Run! Donate! (and write MCA in the "company info" space -- MCA started us off with a $500 donation, and we're closing in on $2K in donations from MCA members -- help us finish strong!) Contact Steve Donovan.
See the MCF Website for information on how to donate by check or online.
1) On your check or on the online form you can enter "In Honor of MCA."
2) You will receive an auto-generated email acknowledging your gift.
3) Send an email to info@mcleancitizens.org indicating that you have made a donation.
MPAartfest2025. Sunday, October 5th, 10am-4pm, McLean Central Park, 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd. MPAartfest brings mini art galleries to the newly renovated Central Park. Now in its 18th year, McLean Project for the Arts' Artfest showcases juried artists from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. This free event also features two performance stages, four children’s art tents, food vendors, and -- new this year -- a yarn bombing installation. Volunteer to represent MCA at Signupgenius or contact Camille White-Partain or just visit MCA and many of your favorite community organizations in the Community Tent.
McLean Art Society's McLean Art Gallery opening reception. Friday, October 10, 5pm-8pm, Chesterbrook Shopping Center, 6224B Old Dominion Drive (behind Starbucks). Guests will have the opportunity to meet the artists, and all artwork is for sale. The gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am-6pm. Contact Camille White-Partain.
McLean Volunteer Fire Department Fire Prevention Open House. Saturday, October 11th, 10am-2pm, 1455 Laughlin Avenue. Once a year, the fire department opens its firehouse to the public to showcase its apparatus, conduct live rescue demonstrations, provide fire safety education, and offer fun activities for the whole family. Volunteer to represent MCA at Signupgenius or contact Raj Mehra. See below for information on the MVFD raffle!
McLean Pet Fest. Sunday, October 12th, 11am-4pm, McLean Central Park, 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd. Enjoy pet-related activities, see a miniature pony, stay for lunch, and don't miss the pet parade at 3pm.
McLean Area Red Cross Blood Drives
Tuesday, October 14th, 9am-2pm, Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones Branch Drive
Wednesday, October 22, 9am-3pm, The Boro Tysons, 1775 Greensboro Station Place
McLean Community Center Wayback Machine. Friday, October 17, 7pm, MCC. McLean historian Carole Herrick will present a history talk highlighting the community efforts that brought about the creation of MCC and its early history.
| Help McLean VFD Buy a New Fire Engine
Help McLean Volunteer Fire Department purchase a new fire engine by participating in their raffle.
Tickets -- only $10 each -- give you a chance to win fabulous prizes, donated by local merchants and service providers.
Raffle drawing for over $7,000 worth of prizes is November 15th.
| | Photo Courtesy Fairfax County | MCA Supports Strengthening Electrical Substation Regulations
At its October meeting, held in late September to avoid conflicting with religious holidays, MCA approved a letter to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) that supports additional restrictions on new electrical substations. The letter, presented by the Planning & Zoning Committee, generally supports the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment on electrical substations, as summarized in the Staff Report. Because electrical substations are a necessary part of public infrastructure, the proposed changes do not prohibit them but instead recommend reasonable restrictions that align them more with the permissions for data centers, revised last year. This extends the data center policies to the new substations that are often built to power them, and recognizes that nearby residents need to be protected from the potential visual and noise impacts of both.
First, MCA supports Staff's proposals that increase the opportunity for public comment. MCA further supports increasing setback, screening, and buffer requirements, and endorses the high end of the distance ranges proposed by Staff, along with the proposed noise study requirement. Together, these changes should help to ensure that the construction of any new electrical substation will be subject to appropriate regulation to mitigate visual and noise impacts on residential properties adjacent to or in view of the substation.
The Zoning Ordinance Amendment is scheduled for public hearing before the Planning Commission on October 16th at 7:30pm, and before the Board of Supervisors on December 9th at 4:00pm.
The MCA Planning & Zoning Committee (P&Z) typically meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month; the next meeting is October 28th. For more information, contact P&Z Committee Chair Bob Perito. | No Fairfax Casino Busy in Fairfax County and Richmond
No Fairfax Casino Coalition (NFCC) has a very busy fall schedule. Meetings are scheduled with key Delegates/Senators, Tysons businesses, local Civic Associations, and educational groups. In addition, we'll be staffing booths at fall events held around Fairfax County. Please sign up to join us at:
NFCC will also be sending a delegation to Richmond:
October 20th at 1:00 p.m.
Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing a Virginia Gaming Commission
NFCC aims to provide transportation.
Testimony talking points:
- Support for the formation of the Virginia Gaming Commission
- Moratorium on any expansion of gaming facilities or platforms until the Commission is formed
- Restrict requests to add a locale to the list of authorized gaming location to locales.
- Retain the referendum requirement.
| Tysons Stakeholders Alliance Webinar Recording Available
In case you missed it, a recording of the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance's informative webinar about the Tysons casino that streamed on September 24th can be found at this link. | Medicare Webinars
Medicare 101: Wednesday, October 15, 12-1 pm
Medicare 102: Wednesday, October 22, 12-1 pm
The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging is hosting a webinar for family caregivers and individuals who will be eligible for Medicare. The session will provide an overview of the many components of Medicare: Part A (inpatient hospitalization, skilled nursing), Part B (outpatient hospital, doctors, labs, radiology), Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans), and Part D (prescription drugs), as well as how to cover the gaps in Medicare benefits through Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap). Register here. | MCA Mourns Loss of Jane Edmondson,
Chief of Staff to Former Supervisor Foust
David Weuhrmann, MCA Transportation Committee Vice Chair, circulated a heartfelt note to the Committee, reprinted with permission below:
Many of you on the Transportation Committee may receive Supervisor Bierman’s newsletter and so may have already heard this news. Jane Edmondson, former Supervisor Foust’s chief of staff, died a week ago; the newsletter [Dranesville Dispatch] and its link to her obituary provide details.
Most people on the Transportation Committee know very well who she was, but for those who don’t, this committee had a lot of interactions with her over the years, particularly during the last years of her tenure when she also took over responsibility for most of Supervisor Foust’s transportation issues. She was extremely knowledgeable and diligent, and she worked hard to help resolve issues that were before our committee, to provide updates on the status of projects, and to identify pertinent officials and other personnel that the committee could contact in respect to specific subjects we were considering. Our committee’s work would have been much more difficult without her efforts. I think we all join in wishing the best for her family.
David
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