🌱 FCPD's Road Shark Campaign + Mental Health Services For HS Students

Good morning, hello! I'm here right on time with your Thursday edition of the Mount Vernon Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Partly sunny and warmer. High: 62 Low: 46.
• Friday: Mostly cloudy with a shower. High: 65 Low: 43.
• Saturday: Cooler with periods of sun. High: 54 Low: 30.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny and cooler. High: 46 Low: 26.

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Here are the top three stories in Mount Vernon:

1. On Monday, the Fairfax County Police Department launched a new campaign called "Road Shark" to tackle aggressive driving and improve road safety. The campaign is a "high-visibility enforcement" operation designed to change driver behavior and reduce crashes, and officers will be stationed in high-visibility areas around the county to look for traffic violations. The campaign will target a range of offenses, including excessive speeding, driving under the influence, school zone violations, and distracted driving, and state police will also be involved in enforcement. The initiative is in response to a significant increase in crashes in recent years, and a Virginia DMV map has identified high-crash locations in Fairfax County that will be targeted as part of the campaign. (Patch)
2. Fairfax County Public Schools has partnered with Hazel Health to provide virtual mental health services to all high school students beginning Apr. 10, 2023. The service is accessible on any device and will be available Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Hazel Health offers short-term, evidence-based, culturally-responsive mental health teletherapy by licensed clinicians for students dealing with academic stress, anxiety, mood/behavior changes, social skills, grief/loss, and other mental health concerns. To access the services, parents need to fill out an opt-in form, which can be found at fcps.edu/teletherapy. (Fairfax County Public Schools)
3. The "Ides of Bark," a special community event for dogs and their owners, is set to take place on Mar. 26 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Grist Mill Park in Alexandria. The event is hosted by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck and will feature various vendors offering pet-related goods and services, as well as games and prizes for dogs, police dog demonstrations, and an agility course. Participants can register their dogs with Fairfax County for $10 and must provide evidence of current rabies vaccination and clean up after their pets during the event. (Patch)

Coming up in and around Mount Vernon:

Thursday, March 16

• Virtual Monthly Tax Debt Relief Clinic, Hosted By Financial Empowerment Center (1:00 PM)

Friday, March 17

• Fresh Bread From Half Crown Bakehouse At George Washington's Mount Vernon (9:00 AM)
• Mount Vernon Community Children's Theatre Presents: "Newsies The Broadway Musical" At Bryant High School, Alexandria (7:00 PM)

Saturday, March 18

• Fresh Bread From Half Crown Bakehouse At George Washington's Mount Vernon (9:00 AM)
• GSH Family Beach Bingo Night At Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, Alexandria (5:00 PM)

Sunday, March 19

• Fresh Bread From Half Crown Bakehouse At George Washington's Mount Vernon (9:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• With all the windy weather lately, do you know who to call if you spot a downed tree or power line in Fairfax County? The county recently shared a list of emergency protocols and contacts on its website to inform residents about what to do. (Fairfax County Virginia)
• Several Fairfax County restaurants have announced their participation in Spring Wine Fling, a two-week event featuring $55 dinner and wine pairing specials at participating locations. From Mar. 20 through 31, you can dine at Alta Strada Mosaic, Circa at the Boro, Hamrock’s Restaurant, or Matchbox (McLean and Reston locations) to enjoy your appetizer, entree, dessert, and perfect wine pairing! (FFX Now)
• Mark your calendars for a “Spring Fling” event at Spring Hills Mt. Vernon next week! This fun community celebration of spring will take place next Friday, Mar. 24, at 2 p.m. RSVP to Latasha at lwhite@springhills.com by Mar. 22 to enjoy music, refreshments, a DIY flower bar, and more. (Mount Vernon Patch)

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Featured events:

• Exclusive RelationSIPs Hiring Event! March 16, Thursday, from 5pm-8pm (March 16)
• Homebuyer Blueprint Live Webinar (March 16)
• Mount Vernon Masonic Lodge Flea Market & Arts and Crafts Fair (March 18)
• Spring Fling Event (March 24)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll see you soon!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.