One Week Left to Build Your Own Fairfax County Budget

The deadline for Supervisor John Cook's new exercise is Monday, April 8.

Fairfax County residents who want to know if they’re as smart as their supervisors have a week left to build their own Fiscal Year 2014 county budget. Braddock District Supervisor John Cook introduced the tool, which allows residents to sit down and construct a budget based on the proposed package from County Executive Ed Long. The deadline for the exercise is Monday, April 8, before the first budget public hearing on April 9. Using Long’s list of reductions to agencies and another list of reductions not taken, residents are asked to make funding increases or reductions to nine different areas of spending, including schools, public safety and compensation for county employees. Residents also choose a tax rate based on the changes they make…

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Photo: Braddock District Supervisor John Cook Attends Friends of Sadie Blood Drive

With the support of Cook and other Braddock District residents, the annual event collected 210 units of donated blood.

Editor's note: The following submission is from Braddock District Supervisor John Cook's office. Braddock District Supervisor John C. Cook was proud to attend the annual Friends of Sadie blood drive last Sunday and support such an amazing group of moms working for such an amazing little girl. While a cold kept Supervisor Cook from donating blood, he was proud of how many Braddock residents braved the winter weather to donate time, food and blood. The drive netted 210 units of blood, which can save up to 650 lives. “It’s heartwarming to see our community rally together like that,” Cook said. “The Friends of Sadie have turned their group into a pillar of Braddock.” Friends of Sadie is a group of moms that came together in 2009 to secure …

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Supervisor John Cook, Residents Break Ground at Site of New Park

The park will be built on the former Kings West Swim Club site in Fairfax.

Braddock District residents and Supervisor John Cook helped break ground Wednesday at the site of the former Kings West Swim Club and the new location of Rabbit Run community park at 4803 Tapestry Dr., in Fairfax. The new park, which Cook called a "win-win-win" for Fairfax County residents, will include a new stormwater management facility in addition to the park, which will replace the clubhouse and parking lot. "It's a great day. This has been a long time coming, about eight years. This pool, in its day, was a great recreational facility before it fell on hard times. It's great to finally see some work starting on this project," said Cook in his remarks. The Kings West Swim Club closed several years ago due to declining membership. …

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Supervisor Cook, County Police Promote 'Operation Blue Guardian'

Supervisor Cook, McGruff the Crime Dog and Fairfax County Police are promoting drivers’ awareness.

Braddock District Supervisor John Cook joined “McGruff” the Crime Dog and Officer J. T. Frey of the Fairfax County Police Department greeting Laurel Ridge Elementary students and parents Monday. The outreach initiated the Police Department’s Operation Blue Guardian, part of Supervisor Cook’s ongoing campaign to combat speeding and unsafe driving in our communities. “I have heard a high level of concern and anxiety from residents regarding unsafe driving through their neighborhoods,” said Supervisor Cook. “It is clearly an issue that deserves our full attention and requires especially heightened awareness now that our kids are back out walking to school.” Operation Blue Guardian focuses on enforcing the speed limits in school zones and …

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Fairfax Sheriffs Take Kids Back to School Shopping

The 19th annual 'Shop with a Sheriff' event benefited 24 children who are homeless.

The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office partnered with Target in Burke Wednesday to provide 24 children who are homeless with a back-to-school shopping spree. Now in its 19th year, Shop with a Sheriff pairs deputies and other Sheriff's Office staff with school-aged children temporarily residing at the Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter in Fairfax and the Patrick Henry Family Shelter in Falls Church. "The deputies and Sheriff's Office staff themselves generate contributions from local businesses and individuals to fund this annual event," said Braddock District Supervisor John Cook. "It is a great contribution to the community." The children ranged in age from kindergarteners to young adults, and enjoyed the company of the deputies and staff as…

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Cook to Meet with Constituents Saturday to Discuss Local Issues

Future of Braddock District and overview of issues including transportation, education, aging and land use to be discussed at daylong event at Frost Middle School.

Interested in the future of your community? Braddock District Supervisor John Cook will hold a Citizen Governance Conference this Saturday to discuss everything from transportation and land use to aging and education, and he's looking for constituents' input and feedback. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Junior Achievement Finance Park at Frost Middle School. Cook said that the conference will provide participants information on how to get involved in various advisory committees that work with his office. A panel discussion with citizen committee leaders will take place to field questions from participants. While attendance for this event is not capped, the Braddock office is asking that those interested in attending RSVP …

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Community Discusses Recent Assaults, Proposed Woodson Security Fence

Officials provide information, receive community input after two sexual assaults in the Braddock District.

In response to two recent sexual assaults in the Braddock District, Supervisor John Cook held a community awareness meeting at Robinson Secondary School Monday. Representatives from the Fairfax County Police Department and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) joined more than 100 concerned residents in a review of the incidents and discussion of safety procedures in place and proposed. A 24-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in the woods off Commonwealth Boulevard in Kings Park West on March 14. Less than a week later, on March 19, a 16-year-old W.T. Woodson High School student was assaulted while walking home from school near Frost Middle School. Capt. Joe Hill of the West Springfield District Police Station said increased police …

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Terra Centre School Expansion Moves Forward

County staff and community members shared information Wednesday evening.

Terra Centre Elementary School parents met with county officials Wednesday night to discuss the school's $16.6 million planned expansion.  "Tonight's meeting is not a decision making meeting. It's an information meeting for sharing back and forth between the school and the community," said Braddock District Supervisor John Cook. Once the plan is finalized, the county's planning and zoning staff will make recommendations to the Planning Commission, an advisory group of citizens. "That means there will be at least two more chances to formally comment and ask questions, as both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors will provide community information meetings," said Cook. According to Sunny Sarna, a project engineer in the …

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Budget Proposal Cuts Adult and Community Education Staff in Half

Supervisor John Cook, Del. Ken Plum against reducing school department that serves 40,000 residents

While the Fairfax County Public Schools' proposed $2.4 billion budget touts faculty expansion and teacher compensation, it leaves out its plan to cut the staff of the county's adult and community education program, then forcing them to reapply for half as many positions. Last week, Adult and Community Education (ACE) staff received notice that 50 percent of their jobs will be eliminated. Only a hint of reorganization is mentioned in the proposed budget, which is open to resident comment in a public hearing Monday night. A reorganization chart is expected to be released Thursday, several employees of the department told Patch. FCPS Superintendent Jack Dale presented the proposed budget to the school board Jan. 12. "In an effort to provide …

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Beltway, Braddock Road and Route 7 Weekend Closures

495 Express Lanes Project to cause several road closures Jan. 28 and 29.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has several road closures and detours scheduled this weekend for work on the Hot Lanes project, reported Braddock District Supervisor John Cook in "The Cook Advisory." VDOT will close Exit 47A, I-495 to Route 7 west (Leesburg Pike) on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. During that time, I-495 north traffic exiting to Route 7 west will be directed to continue to I-495 north to Exit 46A, Chain Bridge Road south (Route 123) and follow signage to I-495 south to Exit 47A, Route 7 west. Motorists traveling to Tysons Corner Center can access the mall by using Route 123 south.  Additionally the left lane of Route 7 will be closed in both directions on Saturday. The eastbound lane will be…

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