September 1st — Weekly COVID-19 Update

“Somewhere inside of all of us is the power to change the world.” — Roald Dahl

This week, Governor Northam took several new steps to provide relief to Virginia communities, and I wanted to make sure you had the latest updates:

On August 21st, Governor Northam was approved to proceed with a state-based health insurance exchange. Virginia will begin taking control of some of federal exchange functions this November, and become entirely independent by 2023.

Health

• Currently, 120,594 cases have been reported in Virginia.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has extended the deadline for CARES Act Relief Funding applications to Sunday, September 13th.
• COVIDWISE is an exposure notification app that will alert users if they have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Medicaid

• The Legal Services of Northern Virginia received a grant through the Potomac Health Foundation to help individuals in Prince William County (PWC) with issues surrounding Medicaid and the Marketplace, including help with application assistance, analyzing eligibility, or representing individuals in Medicaid appeals. Please contact Susan Nolan at 703–647–4748 or susan@enroll-virginia.com.

Housing Security

• The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) announced that its utility service cut-off moratorium will be extended from August 31st to September 16th.
• Governor Northam announced that $4 million in funding will go to the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia. This funding will help to ensure that families have fair representation when they are facing an eviction proceeding, and help to keep many Virginians in their homes and protected from eviction and housing instability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program (RMRP), will provide $50 million in federal funding for households facing eviction or foreclosure due to COVID-19. RMRP will provide short-term financial assistance on behalf of households in the form of rent and mortgage payments. To identify the local RMRP administering organization for a household and to conduct a self-assessment for eligibility, visit dhcd.virginia.gov/eligibility or call 211 VIRGINIA by dialing 2–1–1 from your phone.
• http://StayHomeVirginia.com contains tools, information, and resources for renters, homeowners, landlords, and people experiencing homelessness.

Employment & the Economy

• Torc Robotics, a tech company working on self-driving cars, will invest $8.5 million to expand its software development operations in Montgomery County. This will bring 350 new jobs to the area.
• An Israeli Renewable Energy Company, Energix, will invest $1.1 million to establish their US headquarters in Arlington. This will create around 33 new jobs in the area.
• For a comprehensive list of information and federal resources related to small businesses, please visit:
• FINIMPACT: https://www.finimpact.com/covid-19-coronavirus-smbs/.
• Annuity.org: https://www.annuity.org/financial-literacy/covid-19-financial-guide/

Public Assistance Projects

• As many school districts begin a virtual school year, Governor Northam has proposed an $85 million dollar plan to fund access to broadband for unserved communities through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI).
• To fund technology upgrades and other needed improvements in Virginia’s public Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Governor Northam is proposing a $15 million dollar investment.
• As part of the Virginia Artist Relief Fellowship Program, Governor Northam and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts awarded a $5,000 grant to 40 Virginia artists who have been impacted by COVID-19.
• To provide relief for Virginia’s agriculture community, Floyd County and Loudoun County will each receive a grant of $20,000 from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development. This money will support the creation of an online marketplace for farmers to sell their produce.

Prince William County — General Updates

• On Wednesday, September 2nd, Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin will host a virtual forum alongside the newly established Prince William County Public Defenders’ office.
• To RSVP, please email WoodbridgeDistrict@pwcgov.org or call 703–792–4646
• If you would like to share your concerns or suggestions regarding Prince William County, you’re encouraged to participate in a virtual community conversation. You can check if your district is having a conversation here.
• Prince William County residents are encouraged to complete their 2020 census. Completing the Census ensures proper funding for state and local governments, and impacts the way the state makes decisions for residents. The Census can be completed online at my2020census.gov.

Prince William County — Childcare

• The Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism is offering weekly daytime childcare starting on Tuesday, September 8th.
• Preschool-age Students — Daytime childcare for preschool-age students (ages 3 — Pre-K) is offered at the Sharron Baucom Dale City Recreation Center.
• Rates range from $93 — $110 weekly for preschool-age students.
• For more information and to register, please click here
• Students in Grades K-8 — Partial- and full-day childcare for students in grades K-8 is offered at the Chinn Aquatics and Fitness Center and the Pat White Center at Ben Lomond.
• Rates range from $68 — $135 weekly for school-age students.
• For more information and to register, please click here
• Space is limited, so please be sure to register soon if you need daytime childcare this fall. The registration deadline for the first week’s session is Thursday, September 3rd. Please note that you do not have to be a county resident to use these services.

Prince William County — Education

• Parents are encouraged to attend virtual Canvas information sessions before the start of the school year. Canvas is an online platform that supports virtual learning. To register for a session, click here.
• Governor Ralph Northam announced that Prince William County is one of 16 Virginia school divisions offering a new high school-level elective course this academic year to increase understanding of African American history. The full-credit course covers pre colonial Africa through today.
• Meals are available for free or reduced prices for eligible students in Prince William County Public Schools. In order to receive these benefits, you must apply for meal assistance every year. Applications filed last year are only good for the first few days of school. Visit the PWCS Food and Nutrition Services website to learn more about eligibility and the online application process.
• Parents are encouraged to proceed with well-child physicals and immunizations for school enrollment.
• There is a requirement of the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine for rising seventh-grade students.
• The School Board voted unanimously to adopt a Return to Learning Plan that will have the first quarter of the school year as all virtual learning for most students. Special Education students and other especially vulnerable student groups, as feasible, will receive some in-person services. More information can be found here.
• The bell schedule for all PWCS high schools will be moved by one hour, to start at 8:30 a.m.

Prince William County — COVID-19 Testing

• Free COVID-19 Testing available for residents who live and work in Prince William County, the City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park. Participants must provide their full name, telephone number, and a home or work address in Prince William County, the City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park to obtain COVID testing and receive the results. To ensure you receive a test please arrive at the site as close as possible to the start time and ensure you are in line by the time posted below.
• Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | Start Time 8:30 AM — James S. Long Regional Park, 4603 James Madison Highway Haymarket, VA 20169
• [Please be in line by 10:30am]
• Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | Start Time 1:30 PM — Cloverdale Park, 15150 Cloverdale Road Dale City, VA 22913
• [Please be in line by 3:30pm]
• Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | Start Time 1:30 PM — Dumfries-Triangle Rescue Squad Facility, 3800 Graham Park Road, Triangle, VA 22172
• [Please be in line by 3:30pm]
• Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | Start Time 5:30 PM — Metz Middle School, 9950 Wellington Road, Manassas, VA 20110
• [Please be in line by 7:00pm]
• Thursday, September 3, 2020 | Start Time 8:30 AM — Cloverdale Park, 15150 Cloverdale Road, Dale City, VA 22913
• [Please be in line by 10:30am]
• Thursday, September 3, 2020 | Start Time 1:30 PM — Woodbridge Senior Center, 13850 Church Hill Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191
• [Please be in line by 3:30pm]
• Friday, September 4, 2020 | Start Time 1:30 PM — Splashdown Waterpark, 7500 Ben Lomond Park Road, Manassas, VA 20109
• [Please be in line by 3:30pm]
• Friday, September 4, 2020 | Start Time 5:30 PM — Woodbridge Senior Center, 13850 Church Hill Road Woodbridge, VA 22191
• [Please be in line by 7:00pm]

COVID-19 Resources:

• Virginia Department of Health website
• Virginia Department of Social Services website
• “Forward Virginia” Guidelines page
• Prince William County COVID-19 page
• Stafford County COVID-19 page

If you need constituent services, please contact our office at DelJCarrollFoy@house.virginia.gov.

Please stay safe and healthy.

Thank you,

Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy