February 22, 2026
This storm has had several predictions in the last 12 hours, but we are starting to see the impacts on our streets now. Thankfully, the forecast is only for snow and not sleet and freezing rain like the last one. So far, Fairfax County Schools, Government, and Courts are fully closed on Monday.
1 – Street and sidewalk safety
2 – ECHO News
3 – Potomac Interceptor Sanitary Sewer Pipeline Break
4 - Veterans and Military Families Wellness Survey Extended
5 – Rolling Road – potholes
6 – Calendar
1 – With the last storm and its ‘snow-crete’ causing a lot of problems with its removal, a lot of neighbors overlooked others not clearing their sidewalks even though it caused dangerous conditions for their children when schools reopened. In the middle of this, I saw a local news report that Fairfax County was issuing warnings and citations for people not clearing the sidewalks along all their property frontage. I could not imagine it happening in our community until I saw a few properties to this day still having piles of snow on their sidewalks and corner ramps. I am asking everyone to clear their sidewalks during and after this storm for the safety of the community. If you have a neighbor that cannot do it, please help them out. The last thing we want to hear is an accident involving a pedestrian falling of being hit by a vehicle because of an uncleared sidewalk.
A similar situation that has been happening is people parking their vehicle in their driveway and blocking part or all the sidewalk. This is illegal. It has been worse because the ice-covered snow prevented people from safely walking around the vehicles. Feel free to leave a note on their car asking them to not break the law or call the non-emergency police, (703) 691-2131 / TTY (703) 877-3715, and report it. I was surprised to still see vehicles doing this when I drove through the neighborhood earlier this evening.
2 – From the latest ECHO newsletter:
Donating to ECHO
We don’t know if February’s bad weather has caused supply chain difficulties, or because it has just been harder for donors to come to ECHO, but we are very low, or out of, some common (and very needed) household goods. We are eager to get donations of King or Queen size bedding, frying pans, pots, coffee makers and toasters.
Please note that, in mid-March, ECHO will change the clothes offered to clients from winter items to spring/summer clothing. We would appreciate donations of only spring/summer clothing at that time. Space considerations make it challenging to store out-of-season clothing until the following year. The Clothing Department needs sneakers in boys, girls and men’s sizes, infant clothing up to 6 mos, and men’s long- or short-sleeve t-shirts.
ECHO, 7205 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA 22150, is open to receive donations of household goods, clothing and non-perishable food from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, as well as one Saturday morning a month which varies, but is noted on our website www.echo-inc.org. Receipts are cheerfully offered and volunteers are glad to help donors with boxes and bags. Look for the Donation Door sign on the west side of the building.
Stuff the Bus for ECHO
Please plan to participate in the Stuff-the-Bus Event to collect food and personal hygiene donations for ECHO on Saturday, March 14, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Huntsman Giant, 7501 Huntsman Blvd., Springfield. Another opportunity to help ECHO is offered by Springfield United Methodist Church's food drive on Saturday, March 21, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm in the church parking lot at 7047 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, (next to the county parking garage). Every category of non-perishable food is needed, and every can and box helps us fight hunger in our community.
Spring is Coming! And So is the ECHO Yard Sale!
We think it can’t really be Spring until ECHO has its massive sale, so mark April 11 on your calendar so you won’t forget to join us at St. Bernadette’s gym between 8:00 am and noon. We will have lots of treasures for sale, and shoppers will be supporting ECHO’s mission to assist people in need in our community.
Volunteer Opportunities
ECHO is looking for several people who would be willing to photograph ECHO events on an “as-needed” basis. We would like to have several photography volunteers because, of course, not everyone is available for every event. These volunteers would work with others on the Communications Team to build a photographic record of ECHO’s work and history.
ECHO needs a few volunteers who would like to work with teens one or two Wednesday evenings a month supervising their work in our Teen Program.
Volunteers who would enjoy working in the Food Pantry are needed for Wednesday or Thursday morning weekly shifts. Please be aware that working with the food program requires that volunteers often have to lift heavy items. Volunteers who would like to work with Housewares donations are needed for Monday, Tuesday or Thursday morning weekly shifts. Interested in learning more? Contact our Volunteer Coordinator through our website at www.echo-inc.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/.
Upcoming Dates to Note
March 7 - Saturday Opening
March 14 - Stuff the Bus at Huntsman Giant
March 16-18 - Clothing changeover to spring/summer
March 21 - Food Drive, Springfield Methodist parking lot
April 2 - Closed in the evening
April 3 - Closed for Good Friday
April 10 - Set-up for Yard Sale
April 11- Yard Sale at St. Bernadette
April 18 - Saturday Opening
Congregational and Other Food Drives
March - Prince of Peace Lutheran, Springfield United Methodist
April - Congregation Adat Reyim
For more information about ECHO on the following topics, please click any of the links below:
ECHO Food and Clothing Amazon Wish List
3 – from the Franconia District newsletter:
The Potomac Interceptor is a DC Water asset, owned and managed by DC Water, which conveys a portion of Fairfax County sewage to the DC Water Blue Plains facility for treatment.
The break has no impact on Fairfax County drinking water supplies. The Fairfax Water Authority provides potable water to our residents, and their water intakes are upstream of the sewer line break. Fecal indicator bacteria monitoring show no ongoing downstream impacts from the sewage release, and no long-term impacts are anticipated now that the spill is contained.
Although the spill is contained now, repairs to the pipe will take weeks to months. DC Water is providing regular updates about the repair on their website, which is the best source of current information about the break.
The best thing residents can do to be protective of the Potomac River now is to not flush wipes and to not put fats, oils, or grease down any drain. Wipes and fats clog the bypass pumps that DC Water is using to keep the sewage out of the river.
I read reports over the weekend that the bypass pumps were clogged because of ‘flushable wipes’ and had to be repaired. These wipes are not flushable despite what the packaging says. They may eventually break down, but the actual time required for this to happen is not in line with keeping the sanitary sewer system functioning. If you use these wipes, it is best to dispose of them in the garbage so they do not harm the sanitary sewer system.
4 – From the Braddock District newsletter:
The Fairfax County Veterans and Military Families Commission has extended the deadline to February 23 for residents to take the survey to identify gaps in serving the County's veterans and military community.
The Commission is seeking feedback from active-duty service members, reservists, retired or separated veterans, and active duty/reserve/retired military spouses. The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete. The feedback will be used to help inform County policy and practices for this community.
5 – Please report any recent potholes to the project manager and construction manager. They are keeping a log of them to make sure they are repaired. Please let them know what address or intersection the pothole is located and if it is in the northbound, southbound, or former southbound lane so they precisely where to look. Their addresses are:
mary.martin@vdot.virginia.gov Adam.Travers@VDOT.Virginia.gov
if you are not comfortable contacting them, let me know all of the details so I can pass it along.
6 – Calendar
March 8 – Daylight Savings Time Starts (move clock forward one hour at 2am)
March 14 – Stuff the Bus event at Huntsman Giant – 10am to 3pm
March 21 - Food Drive, Springfield Methodist parking lot – 1-3pm