🌱 Senator Barker Receives In A Heartbeat Award + Lake Accotink Future

Hi all. I'm here with your fresh copy of the Burke Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the local information you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Cooler with periods of rain. High: 47 Low: 43.
• Saturday: Partly sunny and windy. High: 56 Low: 34.

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Here are the top stories today in Burke:

1. James Walkinshaw officially is running for re-election as the Braddock District representative on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Walkinshaw was first elected in 2019 prior to the global pandemic. During his tenure, the Braddock District was able to get testing for hundreds, vaccines, and all the things necessary for survival throughout the pandemic in great part due to the leadership Walkinshaw provided. Currently, Walkinshaw has no opponent for the role, and no Republican has announced any plans to run against him with election primaries coming this June. (Burke Patch)
2. On Saturday, Feb. 11, Senator George Barker received the "In a Heartbeat" award presented by Youth For Tomorrow at their annual "Heart 2 Heart Gala". Founded by Coach Joe Gibbs, Youth For Tomorrow was made to provide support for children and families going through crises to have a positive change and maintain a better life primarily in the northern Virginia area. The annual award is given to an individual or organization who embodies YFT's mission and has positively contributed to children and families in crises. More than 900 guests attended the gala, which also featured a fundraising event auction style and a live music performance by country star Trace Adkins. (Burke Connection)
3. Fairfax County is looking for feedback from residents about whether they should follow the staff recommendation not to dredge Lake Accotink due to the higher-than-expected cost and the environmental effects on the community. The manmade lake regularly needs to be dredged to remove sediment, but a recent analysis in 2021 revealed that the price tag would be significantly higher than previously expected and have a greater environmental and community impact than initially thought. Fairfax County staff recommend that a new master planning process should be created. Residents have until Apr. 1 to offer their feedback and ask questions before a decision is made. (Burke Patch)

Today and tomorrow in Burke:

Friday, March 3

• Student Holiday - Lake Braddock Secondary School (All Day)
• Day Camp: Inventors with Makey Makey (ages 8+) - Code Ninjas (8:45 AM)
• Mindfulness with Shilpi - 5935 Freds Oak Road (12:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• During last month's Black History month, Elementary School teacher David Wickham wore a different HBCU shirt each day. Wickham is a seventh-grade history teacher who has learned a lot more about black history and HBCUs during his time. (Fairfax County Government via Instagram)
• Join ArtsFairfax in celebrating Women's History Month and all the revolutionary women of the past as well as the women carving history today. A special shout out to all the women on the ArtsFairfax staff who work daily in making ArtsFairfax run. (ArtsFairfax via Instagram)
• Take a moment and learn a little bit of history about the manmade Lake Accotink. You can learn more by clicking on the link here. (Burke Historical Society via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Guidepost Montessori at Fairfax — (Visit website)
• Jazzercise @ Fairfax Police Association Hall — (Visit Website)

Featured events:

• The DC Big Flea March 4-5th (March 5)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! I'll see you soon.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.