Providing Natural Solutions for Male Sexual Health
There’s not much we can count on in life, but if there’s one guarantee, we can bet that our bodies change as we grow older. That’s especially true for men as they age. One moment you’re partying at the club, waking up refreshed, and hitting the gym. The next moment, getting out of bed is a chore. You’re sore in places you never thought before, and hangovers don’t just go away after a hot shower and a big breakfast.
And while sore joints and backaches can be treated with aspirin and ice, other signs of aging aren’t as easy to treat. Of course, we’re talking about erectile dysfunction or ED for short. Hearing those words sends shivers down most men’s spines. It makes sense – looking through your search history and finding phrases like “ED doctor near me in Lake Barcroft, VA” is a scary thought.
If you’re beginning to suffer from ED or you’ve been dealing with performance issues for some time, it may seem like nobody understands your stress. However, ED is very common. More than 18 million men suffer from the condition in the U.S. Unfortunately, many of those men hide their performance issues without ever addressing them. If you’re one of those men, and it feels like you’re stuck in a rut with no help, we’re here to tell you you’re not alone. Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC is here to provide you with a long-lasting solution to help you regain confidence and perform like you used to.
The Proactive Wellness Center Difference
Our programs are all about reversing and slowing the aging process, preventing disease, and treating chronically ill patients. We utilize a three-pronged approach:
01. We equip patients with the knowledge required to take charge of their health and achieve optimal well-being.
02. We focus on disease prevention by providing a thorough evaluation using comprehensive diagnostics and the information provided on the patient’s health history form.
03. We work with patients to implement a rejuvenation program consisting of various science-based treatments that reduce cellular degeneration, promote tissue regeneration and healing, and slow down the aging process.
Unlike some anti-aging clinics, we do not replace the family physician’s role. Instead, we work with primary care physicians, internists, and other medical professionals to provide optimum levels of integrated care. We consider every individual as physiologically unique. As such, we don’t subscribe to a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, our programs focus on a customized approach, addressing risk factors that, if avoided or modified, could have beneficial effects for reducing many chronic conditions that men suffer from year-round.
Our vision is to provide the latest in scientifically-validated therapies for reversing the aging process, preventing chronic disease, and optimizing health. That way, men can stop searching for ED clinic near me in Lake Barcroft, VA and instead, start living their lives to the fullest.
Our Services
- Providing Natural Solutions for Male Sexual Health
- The Proactive Wellness Center Difference
- What is GAINSWave Therapy?
- What Makes GAINSWave Therapy in Lake Barcroft, VA Work?
- Other Treatments and Programs from Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
- Achieve Your Wellness Goals at Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
Service Areas
What is GAINSWave Therapy?
If you have ED or even a minor decline in sexual performance, there's a good chance you've already seen your primary care doctor. You've talked to them about the issues you're facing. And, if they're like many doctors, they prescribed you some pills and sent you on your way. Unfortunately, going this route doesn't do much to solve erectile dysfunction - you're just putting a band-aid on the problem. Plus, you're putting strange chemicals in your body via a "little blue pill" that may cause adverse side effects.
At the end of the day, you need a real-deal solution to ED, not a quick fix. The good news? A safe, non-invasive, injection-free answer to your problems exists. It’s called GAINSWave therapy, and according to recent studies, it has shown an 85-92% success rate for mild to moderate cases of erectile dysfunction.
Reports from men who have been looking online for “ED treatment near me in Lake Barcroft, VA” report the following benefits:
- Stronger, Longer Lasting Erections
- Improved Sexual Pleasure
- More Blood Circulation and Flow
- Better Girth and Length
- Less Rest Needed Between Orgasms
- Enhanced Intimacy in the Bedroom
Unlike many ED treatments, you don’t have to worry about surgery or drugs when you choose GAINSWave. This revolutionary treatment uses acoustic wave technology, also called pulse wave therapy, instead of surgery or pills, which boosts erectile strength and, by proxy, confidence.
But the benefits of GAINSWave don’t end there. This therapy also breaks up micro plaques and boosts nitric oxide, which forms new blood vessels and collagen. That’s exciting news for men suffering from Peyronie’s disease, which is another condition specific to male sexual health.
Contact Us For Services
What Makes GAINSWave Therapy Work?
With time, men’s blood flow decreases, sensitivity isn’t what it once was, and blood vessels start to get thinner. With GAINSWave, high-frequency, low-intensity shockwaves rejuvenate areas of the penis that have suffered with age. For instance, micro plaques are removed, new blood vessels form, and blood flow increases. According to several clinical studies, enhanced blood flow from GAINSWave translates to more sustainable, rigid erections in 75% of men. For males who have struck out countless times looking for an “ED doctor near me” online, these stats are exciting.
Ans while we’re only beginning to realize the benefits of GAINSWave, it’s a treatment that has been used for over a decade around the world. Backed by science and proven to rejuvenate vasculature in male erections, GAINSWave works without any pain or recovery time. In fact, it’s possible to pop into Proactive Wellness Centers on your lunch break for a therapy session.
Proactive Wellness Centers’ GAINSWave treatments feature:
- Low-Intensity Pulse or Shockwaves
- All Natural
- No Needles
- No Pills
- No Pain
- No Surgery
- Little-to-No Recovery Time
- Quick Procedures
Because this procedure is needle, surgery, and drug-free, most men don’t have to suffer through costly insurance claims or unsightly scarring. With GAINSWave and our comprehensive and personalized ED treatment plans, all you need to focus on is enjoying life, knowing your erectile dysfunction is a thing of the past.
Who Are the Best Candidates for Gainswave Therapy in Lake Barcroft, VA?
If you’re a man over the age of 30 and have been searching high and low online using phrases like “ED clinic near me” GAINSWave may be for you. That’s even more true if other treatments never worked. For many men, those unsuccessful solutions include pills like Viagra. If prescription pills don’t solve your ED problems, GAINSWave is a great option to consider. Academic studies show that shockwave therapy is successful where PDE5 inhibitors (like Cialis) fall short.
In fact, many urologists now consider shockwave therapy the greatest revolution in ED treatment in over a decade. Even men without erectile dysfunction use GAINSWave as a preventative therapy to keep their bedroom performance strong and avoid compromised blood vessels.
Some of the key benefits of GAINSWave procedures over other ED treatments include:
- No Drugs
- Backed by Clinical Studies and Extensive Medical Research
- Vast Record of Success
- FDA-Approved for Enhanced Sexual Wellness
- Available at Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
What Should I Expect from GAINSWave Therapy at Proactive Wellness Centers?
If you’re ready to begin your journey to a healthier, happier sex life, getting started at our wellness clinic is as easy. There’s no need to look up “ED treatment near me in Lake Barcroft, VA” online – all you’ve got to do is follow this three-step process.
Make an Appointment: Give our office a call at (703) 822-5003. One of our Clinical Intake Coordinators will answer any question you have and get you started. If you prefer, you can text “gainswave” to 833.341.0170, and our Clinical Intake Coordinator will get back to you personally and confidentially.
Prep: Once the intake process is complete, any needed blood work is returned, and your initial appointment with Dr. Lawson is complete, you’ll schedule a time for GAINSWave therapy. You’ll arrive at our wellness center for treatment at least 30 minutes before your appointment time. Procedure time is usually no longer than 30 minutes and occurs in our wellness center.
Enjoy the Benefits: Once your GAINSWave therapy session is over, you can get right back to what you were doing beforehand. Studies show that approximately 75% of men enjoy positive results like stronger, longer-lasting erections after treatment. Most men only need 6-12 sessions for optimal results.
Other Treatments and Programs from Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
As the premier wellness clinic in Virginia and the metro D.C. area, we provide patients with a comprehensive list of treatments to slow the process of aging and treat chronic conditions. Our vision is to provide the latest in scientifically-validated therapies for reversing the aging process, preventing chronic disease, and optimizing health.
Some of the most requested services we offer include:
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
Like men, women’s bodies change as they grow older. Often referred to as menopause, this time in a woman’s life can be stressful when the body uses energy differently, fat cells change, and hormones decline.
Many of the common symptoms and conditions associated with menopause are widely known and discussed, but there are many that are overlooked. At Proactive Wellness Centers, we’ve seen patients misdiagnosed with other illnesses that were actually caused by a decline in hormone levels. Our BHRT program for women focuses on the unique needs of women who are suffering from the common as well as the lesser-known symptoms of menopause.
Those symptoms may include:
- Hot Flashes
- Mood Swings
- Depression
- UTIs
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Weight Gain
- Indigestion
- Osteoporosis
- Vertigo
- Anxiety Attacks
- Vaginal Dryness
- Fatigue
- More
What are Bioidentical Hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are also known as natural hormones. They are substances with the same chemical makeup as the hormones produced in your body. Hormones are not drugs – they occur naturally and are found in every human on earth. BHRT replaces hormones at a physiologic level that is not harmful to the body.
If you’re suffering through the symptoms of menopause, taking Midol isn’t going to solve any problems. Fortunately, our BHRT program for women is designed to eliminate many menopausal symptoms. That way, we give women a chance to recapture their energy levels and vitality with drugs or surgery. Contact our office today to learn more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and how it can help you recapture the joys of your youth.
Bredesen-Protocol Strategies for Improving Brain Health
We believe that a healthy brain is paramount to overall well-being. Unfortunately, little is known about promoting brain health, lowering the risk of dementia, or stabilizing symptoms for patients experiencing early signs.
After much research, however, Dr. Lawson from Proactive Wellness Centers determined that the Bredesen protocol provides the best evidence-based approach to diagnosing and treating cognitive decline.
The approach, created by Dr. Dale Bredesen, is called ReCODE. This protocol involves multiple strategies to pinpoint specific health issues contributing to Alzheimer’s Disease. The results of each strategy are measured using blood tests, dementia tests, cognitive evaluations, and other signs of overall health improvement. Now a Bredesen Certified doctor, Dr. Lawson now offers patients the full Bredesen ReCODE protocol to help them recover from debilitating illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
Through this exciting approach, patients have shown dramatic improvements in cognitive function. In some cases, they achieve a reversal of symptoms and have even returned to work.
Proactive Wellness Centers’ ReCODE program uses significant functional medicine experience and includes:
- Lifestyle Interventions
- Targeted Nutrients
- Therapeutic Diets
We’re thrilled to add this promising Alzheimer’s disease treatment for qualifying patients at Proactive Wellness Centers.
Chronic Disease Treatment
Long-term diseases like Lyme disease and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) can ruin a person’s life and often leave them afraid to leave the house. To make matters worse, these chronic diseases are often initially misdiagnosed, complicating treatment and leaving the patient depressed and hopeless. And while some medical prescriptions can help, many chronic disease sufferers live without finding true relief.
At Proactive Wellness Centers, our innovative doctors have developed a comprehensive treatment program to address chronic diseases like CIRS and Lyme disease. Generally, our Chronic Disease Treatment follows SSRP protocols as defined below:
- Stop the progression of the disease while strengthening the immune system
- Stabilize patients by balancing hormones and restoring energy
- Reverse cellular, mitochondrial, and other damages caused by chronic diseases, based on lab markers and/or symptomatic expression
- Prevent further development of the chronic disease processes
Our SSRP protocol provides patients with a promising program based largely on the emerging bodies of evidence in the chronic disease space. This evidence is supported by peer-reviewed medical journals, clinical studies, and even double-blind placebo-controlled studies.
When choosing chronic disease treatments for patients, our team of doctors and clinicians focus on safety and efficacy before anything else. Typical therapies associated with our chronic disease treatment programs include:
- IV Vitamin Therapy
- Targeted Nutritional Supplements
- Compassionate Care and Personalized Service from Qualified Doctors
As an integrative practice, we use conventional medications when indicated, especially in cases of underlying co-infections and other areas where traditional medication offers the best course of treatment.
If you're at your wit's end living with a chronic disease, call Proactive Wellness Centers today. Our innovative treatments and therapies may be the key you need to unlock a new, healthy life.
Achieve Your Wellness Goals at Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
If you haven’t been successful finding a compassionate, highly-trained doctor for erectile dysfunction using terms like “ED clinic near me in Lake Barcroft, VA,” don’t give up. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it begins at Proactive Wellness Centers. From GAINSWave therapy to Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for women, our doctors are here to serve you with care, compassion, and a commitment to your health.
That’s because, at Proactive Wellness Centers, we take a patient-first approach to every service we offer. Unlike some anti-aging clinics, we focus on your goals, your experiences, and how we can address your health and well-being needs. We believe with a full heart that your story matters, and we’re ready and waiting to listen. If you’re looking for personalized, functional, regenerative treatments that address root causes, you’re only a phone call away from living a healthier life.
Hours Open Monday through Friday 9AM to 5PM
Latest News in Lake Barcroft, VA
JUST IN: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for parts of Arlington
ARLnow.com Sponsorhttps://www.arlnow.com/2023/07/27/just-in-severe-thunderstorm-warning-issued-for-parts-of-arlington-2/
A strong storm is approaching Arlington from the west, prompting a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.Fueled by today’s heat and humidity, the storms are packing potentially damaging winds, torrential rain and lightning. The current warning covers most of Arlington County, except the northernmost portion, through 7:30 p.m.More from the National Weather Service:The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for… The southeastern District of Columbia&he...
A strong storm is approaching Arlington from the west, prompting a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.
Fueled by today’s heat and humidity, the storms are packing potentially damaging winds, torrential rain and lightning. The current warning covers most of Arlington County, except the northernmost portion, through 7:30 p.m.
More from the National Weather Service:
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for… The southeastern District of Columbia… West central Prince Georges County in central Maryland… Arlington County in northern Virginia… The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia… East central Fairfax County in northern Virginia… The City of Alexandria in northern Virginia…
* Until 730 PM EDT.
* At 653 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Lake Barcroft, or over Falls Church, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE…Radar indicated. IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.
* Locations impacted include…
Arlington, Alexandria, Annandale, Springfield, Fort Washington, Fort Hunt, Groveton, Falls Church, Huntington, Coral Hills, Pimmit Hills, National Harbor, Reagan National Airport, Crystal City, Nationals Park, Lincolnia, Franconia, Oxon Hill, Merrifield and Lake Barcroft. HAIL THREAT…RADAR INDICATED MAX HAIL SIZE…1.00 IN WIND THREAT…RADAR INDICATED MAX WIND GUST…60 MPH
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Arlington VA, Alexandria VA and Reagan National Airport VA until 7:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/Xv2tj6JU7K
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 27, 2023
6:50p: A ton of lightning with the storms west and NW of DC, especially in Fairfax County. Many of the strikes are occurring outside of where rain is reaching the ground. If you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to get struck by lightning. (image from WeatherBug Spark) pic.twitter.com/5zbHU2nt1L
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 27, 2023
Neighbors’ boat dock battle resolved
Nick Hurstonhttps://valawyersweekly.com/2023/02/27/neighbors-boat-dock-battle-resolved/
A long simmering landowner dispute over the right to store boats at a private dock in a lakefront community has been resolved by the Supreme Court of Virginia.The owner of a waterfront lot granted an access easement to the owners of two adjacent parcels in exchange for their agreement to build a retaining wall. With permission, the adjacent owners docked their pontoon boat and smaller watercraft a...
A long simmering landowner dispute over the right to store boats at a private dock in a lakefront community has been resolved by the Supreme Court of Virginia.
The owner of a waterfront lot granted an access easement to the owners of two adjacent parcels in exchange for their agreement to build a retaining wall. With permission, the adjacent owners docked their pontoon boat and smaller watercraft along the retaining wall.
Later owners brought that accommodation to a litigious halt.
In subsequent cases, the trial court rejected the adjacent owners’ bids for docking rights, finding that they failed to establish the requisite continuity and hostility for a prescriptive easement.
But the trial court’s ruling about docking the pontoon boat was wrong.
“Even if we assume that the original docking was permissive, the sale of the land vitiated the permission granted by the original owners,” Justice Stephen R. McCullough, said. “No evidence indicates any of the subsequent owners granted any kind of permission to dock a boat on their land.”
Finding that evidence supported the adjacent owner’s right to store their pontoon boat at the dock, the justices also reversed the trial court’s award of punitive damages to the dock owner.
The opinion is Horn, et al. v. Webb, et al. (VLW 023-6-004).
The easement
The Fidels owned Lot 612, a waterfront residential parcel in Lake Barcroft, a lakefront community in Fairfax County. In 1966, they granted a 20-foot wide access easement on their property to the owners of adjacent Lots 613 and 615 in exchange for their agreement to build a waterfront retaining wall along Lot 612.
The Fidels also allowed the adjacent owners to dock pontoon boats and smaller watercraft, such as canoes and skiffs, along the retaining wall. Over the next few decades, ownership of the three lots changed hands; the owners of Lots 613 and 615 kept docking their boats at Lot 612.
But when James and Hong Webb bought Lot 612 in 2017, they told their neighbors to move the boats. Atul Rustgi owned Lot 613, while Lot 615 was owned by Kevin and Meredith Horn. Both Rustgi and the Horns refused to move their boats, including a pontoon they jointly owned.
The lawsuits
In July 2019, Rustgi sued for a declaratory judgment that he had an easement to dock boats at Lot 612. The Fairfax Circuit Court sided with the Webbs and awarded damages for their trespass and nuisance counterclaims.
After his lawsuit sank, Rustgi sold his half interest in the pontoon boat to the Horns. Undeterred by Rustgi’s failure, the Horns continued to dock their boats at Lot 612 in spite of the Webbs’ renewed protests.
The Webbs filed suit against the Horns for trespass, nuisance and sought a declaratory judgment of their rights. The Horns’ countersued for prescriptive easement rights to dock their pontoon boat and smaller watercraft at Lot 612.
The Horns alleged that they had been storing smaller watercraft in the same spot along the retaining wall at Lot 612 continuously since they bought Lot 615 in 2005. A neighbor’s testimony supported their allegation.
A series of aerial photographs taken between 1972-2009 didn’t show the small watercraft docked at Lot 612 as the Horns or their neighbor described. The trial court again sided with the Webbs.
The trial court found the Horns liable for $11,550 in compensatory damages and awarded the Webbs $45,000 in punitive damages because the Horns’ persistence in claiming a prescriptive easement was inexcusable after Rustgi’s claims were defeated.
The Horns appealed.
Small watercraft
To establish a prescriptive easement, claimants must prove that their use of land was adverse, under a claim of right, exclusive, continuous, uninterrupted and with the knowledge and acquiescence of the owner of the land over which it passes, and that the use has continued for at least 20 years.
Here, McCullough said there was conflicting evidence about whether the Horns continuously docked their small watercraft at Lot 612 for 20 years. The justice pointed out that the trial court found the neighbor’s testimony equivocal and in conflict with aerial photographs.
Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party, he said the trial court correctly found that the Horns didn’t establish prescriptive easement rights to dock small watercraft at Lot 612.
Pontoon boat
McCullough said there was ample record evidence to support the trial court’s finding that the docking of a pontoon boat on Lot 612 was open, visible, continuous and unmolested since 1966.
The question, however, was whether the docking was hostile.
“A claimant ‘is in hostile possession if his possession is under a claim of right and adverse to the right of the true owner,’” McCullough explained, adding that the “claimant need not make a hostile intention express.”
Although permission to occupy the land negates hostility, the justice said open, visible and continuous use of land for 20 years entitles a claimant to a presumption of hostility.
“The burden is on the owner of the servient estate, in this instance, the Webbs, to rebut ‘this presumption by showing that the use was permissive, and not under claim of right,’” McCullough wrote.
The Horns were entitled to a hostility presumption because their evidence established that the docking of their boat was open, visible and continuous for 20 years. Conversely, the justice said the Webbs offered no evidence that they gave the Horns permission to dock their boat.
Assuming the existence of a boat docking agreement between the prior owners, McCullough said permission would have ended when the Fidels sold Lot 612.
The justice disagreed with the trial court’s holding that once permission is granted, it is presumed to continue indefinitely, even when the person who granted permission sells the land.
“Permission does not extend beyond the ownership of the person who granted permission,” McCullough wrote. “Therefore, a permissive use terminates when the owner who granted permission sells the property.”
Because the Webbs didn’t present evidence that successors in title to the Fidels gave permission for boat docking, the Horns established all necessary elements for a prescriptive easement from when the Fidels sold their land in 1976.
Further, McCullough said that evidence showing the prior owners were on friendly terms didn’t establish a permissive use.
“Failure to object is acquiescence,” he wrote. “Acquiescence is not the same as granting permission.”
Finding that the Horns established their right to a prescriptive easement to dock a boat on the Webbs’ lot, McCullough reversed the trial court’s holding.
Since the Horns weren’t parties to Rustgi’s failed lawsuit and the record didn’t support a finding of malice, the court reversed the punitive damages award.
‘Pipe up’
Arlington real estate attorney Aristotelis A. Chronis represented the Horns until they decided to go pro se two weeks before the writ panel argument in order to save costs. He was happy that the trial court allowed his clients to present their case, despite Rustgi’s outcome.
“Who’s to say what the prior owners talked about, so you could have zero knowledge of some permissive use,” Chronis cautioned, advising that an owner should “pipe up and say something rather than assume some use is permissive rather than hostile.”
He also stressed the importance of the court’s reversal on punitive damages awarded by the circuit court.
“If that ruling had remained intact, it would have a major chilling effect where people were just upholding their rights,” he said.
John Chapman ‘Chap’ Petersen of Fairfax, who represented the Webbs in both trials, told Virginia Lawyers Weekly he was shocked by the reversal. He balked at the high court’s ruling that hostile use tacked from one owner to the next, but not permissiveness.
“In both trials we had witnesses who were there when the lake was originally dredged and the retaining wall built who testified it was done with the consent of all the neighbors,” Peterson said. “They all had parties there, barbecues. It was use that started and continued with permission and as a result there was no adversity.”
Lake Barcroft cleans up after storm downs trees, power lines
Dennis Foleyhttps://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2017/08/lake-barcroft-cleans-up-after-damaging-storms-more-on-horizon/
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The cleanup continues in the Lake Barcroft area Friday morning after a strong storm Thursday brought down trees and power lines throughout the community. Photos: August thunderstorms roll through the DC area Here are some images of Thursday’s severe weather shared by listeners (and by some of WTOP’s own). “It’s about the strongest I’v...
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The cleanup continues in the Lake Barcroft area Friday morning after a strong storm Thursday brought down trees and power lines throughout the community.
“It’s about the strongest I’ve seen since I have been here in 40 years,” resident George Erikson told WTOP. “It’s the first time I ever went into the basement to wait it out.”
Many streets in the neighborhood are still covered in tree shrapnel from broken branches. Some streets remain blocked by downed trees.
Tree-clearing crews are making their way through the neighborhood to get the trees cleared. They will be followed by utility crews to replace power lines and cables.
Erikson said there were four large trees that were down on his property, including several that blocked the cart path down to his dock on the lake.
He was up early Friday to meet with the tree removal team to clear out those felled trees.
“Called him while the storm was going on!” Erikson said.
The damage wasn’t nearly as bad for others.
Ken Leventhal was in D.C. at the time of the storm but came home to large branches down all over his property.
“I didn’t anticipate and I was ultimately surprised by the force that must have been here,” said Leventhal. “It didn’t hit any cars and it didn’t break the roof.”
He is clearing most of the debris himself.
“Probably doing the easiest first quarter of just picking up leaves and loose debris,” he said. “My son will probably be over on the weekend and maybe we’ll get a saw.”
Leventhal noted that several roads were closed when he tried to get home Thursday from all of the damage left behind by the storm.
But overall, he’s grateful that it wasn’t any worse.
“Gotta be thankful that nobody was hurt and, in the end, the damage was not that crazy.”
After Massive Lake Barcroft Sewage Spill, Fairfax County Fails To Warn Residents
Michael Popehttps://wamu.org/story/15/09/11/after_massive_sewage_spill_fairfax_county_fails_to_warn_residents/
WAMU/Michael PopeOver a six-week period last year, a series of massive infrastructure failures sent more than 300,000 gallons of raw sewage into Lake Barcroft, a private lake next to Bailey’s Crossroads near the border with Arlington and Alexandria. Neighbors who live on the lake say they knew there was a problem because they could smell it, although they say they never received official notice from Fairfax County.“The smell was overwhelming. You knew there was a problem,” says Sheila Wayman, a longtime reside...
WAMU/Michael Pope
Over a six-week period last year, a series of massive infrastructure failures sent more than 300,000 gallons of raw sewage into Lake Barcroft, a private lake next to Bailey’s Crossroads near the border with Arlington and Alexandria. Neighbors who live on the lake say they knew there was a problem because they could smell it, although they say they never received official notice from Fairfax County.
“The smell was overwhelming. You knew there was a problem,” says Sheila Wayman, a longtime resident of Lake Barcoft. “It was like a toilet overflowed and nobody took care of it on a hot summer day, and it was just bacteria and gassy smells and it was disgusting.”
The four spills into Lake Barcroft were part of a larger problem with the sewer lines in that area, which included six spills in 2013 and 2014. State regulators say the county dumped more than 600,000 gallons of sewage into Holmes Run, Lake Barcroft and an unnamed tributary of Hunting Creek. The Department of Environmental Quality hit Fairfax County with a $27,300 civil charge, a case that was closed late last month after county officials submitted a plan to fix the problem.
“There were people swimming in Lake Barcroft after it had been contaminated,” says Del. Kaye Kory (D-38). “There were pets drinking the water. There were people using the water to water their gardens. All these activities were going on, and every time a citizen touched or used the water they were being exposed to a danger and I know of a number of people who really became sick, became ill.”
Fairfax County officials say the infrastructure problem has now been solved. They say they were in the process of retrofitting old 1950s-era pipes when the spills happened. The temporary pipes they set up to handle the sewage were able to take the massive weather events that happened in 2013 and 2014, which led to the overflow. All that temporary equipment has now been removed because the permanent pipes have been improved and are now operating at full capacity.
“Since this event, we’ve worked out an arrangement where we notify the water improvement district as soon as the event occurs,” says Randy Bartlett, deputy director of the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.
Created in 1973, the water improvement district is a Virginia government agency that acts as a special tax district to raise money for the purpose of maintaining the private lake. Although Fairfax County officials notified state regulators when the spills happened, they did not directly notify residents. Bartlett says the county has no plans to directly notify residents in the future.
“I’m not sure I have the means or method right now to make sure that I notify all the proper people and to identify who might be impacted by a sewer spill,” says Bartlett. “If there’s 40 a year, do I notify everybody in the county every time one occurs even though it may not be in their area?”
The politics of notification
The story of what happened in Lake Barcroft last year is a touchy subject in this part of Fairfax County, a community that includes about 1,000 homes. About 270 of those homes are directly on the lake. When the spill happened, the county posted several paper signs at gathering spots on the lake known as “beaches.” Bartlett says the signs were an effort to improve notification efforts.
“I think if you go back probably 10 or 15 years, we were probably not doing notification after we would have a sanitary sewer overflow,” says Bartlett. “We would notify the Department of Environmental Quality, but we would not be out there trying to put signs in all the different places.”
Neighbors say the signs did not accomplish the goal of notifying neighbors.
“The temporary signs that the county placed on the beaches were small and not sufficiently weather-proof and did not adequately alert the membership to the situation,” wrote Lake Barcroft Association President Jim Kilbourne in a letter to state regulators. “In particular, the signs placed at the beaches did not provide notice to the more than 270 homeowners with lakefront property who do not access the lake from the beaches.”
Several neighbors viewed the signs as an inadequate response to a serious problem.
“On at least one occasion, the county tacked a small paper sign to a single telephone pole warning the public of the water hazard,” wrote resident Kimberly Smith in a letter to state regulators. “It was a small sign, easily overlooked if one didn’t know to look for it … a bit of rain or dew would destroy the paper sign.”
What happens next?
Kory, the member of the House of Delegates who represents Lake Barcroft, says she believes Fairfax County dropped the ball. She says the county’s new policy of notifying the watershed improvement district is an insufficient response to the problem.
“I don’t agree with it,” says Kory. “I think it’s inadequate. I don’t think it’s in the public interest. It’s not what citizens expect.”
Kory says she’s already working on legislation for the upcoming session of the General Assembly.
“I think the state should require that those residents who would be adversely affected by a sewage spill need to be informed in a timely fashion,” says Kory. “I think that has to be part of our state code.”
Meanwhile, back at the lake, residents are concerned that the county’s aging infrastructure will be able to handle all the new growth and development planned for the area. Many say they are specifically concerned about a proposal to redevelop the strip malls and big box stores at Seven Corners, where developers want to construct as many as 6,000 new homes.
“I think that when it comes to infrastructure, whether it’s sewers or roads or whatever, I think we have a problem,” says Rita Babon, longtime resident of Lake Barcroft. “I hope they are going to be on top of it this time.”
[Music: “Lakehouse” by Guitar Tribute Players from Acoustic Tribute to Of Monsters and Men ]
Jake's Ice Cream Offers Valuable Work For People With Disabilities
Emily Leaymanhttps://patch.com/virginia/fallschurch/jakes-ice-cream-offers-valuable-work-people-disabilities
Jake's Ice Cream's owner prepares to open a second business called Jake's Gourmet Popcorn, which will also employ people with disabilities.LAKE BARCROFT, VA — At Jake's Ice Cream in the Barcroft Plaza shopping center, Adam works as a greeter welcoming guests and informing them about the ice cream offerings. He also runs social media for the business and will take on additional social media tasks for Jake's Gourmet Popcorn in Seven Corners.Adam, like most employees of Jake's Ice Cream Shop, is a person with a disability....
Jake's Ice Cream's owner prepares to open a second business called Jake's Gourmet Popcorn, which will also employ people with disabilities.
LAKE BARCROFT, VA — At Jake's Ice Cream in the Barcroft Plaza shopping center, Adam works as a greeter welcoming guests and informing them about the ice cream offerings. He also runs social media for the business and will take on additional social media tasks for Jake's Gourmet Popcorn in Seven Corners.
Adam, like most employees of Jake's Ice Cream Shop, is a person with a disability. He is a spastic quadriplegic, which is a severe form of cerebral palsy. He does not have use of his arms and legs and has vision difficulties. To do social media posts for the ice cream parlor, he uses a voice-activated computer. That means he has to "talk the mouse across the screen so that he can get it in exactly the right spot."
When he has to learn new things, it can get frustrating. So he asked owner Robin Rinearson if he can give social media responsibilities for the upcoming popcorn shop to someone else.
But Rinearson didn't agree, encouraging Adam to keep instructions organized in an email folder and use them with text-to-voice translation. She has confidence in employees like Adam that they can and will get the job done.
That's why Rinearson doesn't believe the story of Jake's Ice Cream is about her, an optometrist who retired after she opened the ice cream shop. It's about the 25 employees, 21 of whom have disabilities.
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"The reason for opening this ice cream parlor was to employ people with disabilities," Rinearson told Patch. "It's named Jake's after my nephew, Jake, who has cerebral palsy and who had a job for eight years before COVID hit. And when COVID came around, he and the 17 other people with disabilities that were working at his job were not accommodated."
That infuriated Rinearson, who has worked with the disability community as an optometrist.
When she decided to open a business to employ people like her nephew, Jake's Ice Cream was born in August 2021. Employees are trained to make the small batches of ice cream created on-site. The shop also runs occasional catering events, largely during the school year.
"The staff here all helps to make the ice cream," said Rinearson. "They scoop. They pack pints. They help make the ice cream cakes. They help decorate the ice cream cakes. They make the waffle cones. They make the cake pops, they make the decorated cookies, the dip pretzels, all of the confections that we do."
The ice cream parlor initially employed 11 people who were patients at Rinearson's practice before she retired in late 2021. Now the shop employs 25 people, and about half of the employees have individual job coaches to help them succeed in their work.
"For them, it's a job for life, unlike someone at a high school or college where they might be here for a summer or for a year," said Rinearson. "These are people that are looking for jobs, and when they get a job coach, they can't be hired for seasonal work. They only get a job coach if they're hired for year-round work."
Finding enough job coaching has been a pain point for Rinearson, who has expectations that employees can be trained to perform different tasks in the businesses. When a group coach serving nine employees was pulled in September, two employees who were too disabled to work without a group coach could no longer work there.
Another hurdle is the earning limits under the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Medicaid waiver. Before July 2021, Rinearson said there was a subminimum wage waiver that encouraged employers to hire people with disabilities. Employers could pay less than minimum wage and employ them for a certain amount of hours without going over the income that would make employees lose their benefits.
That changed in July 2021, and Virginia's wage increased to $9.50 per hour. It increased again to $11 per hour in 2022 and $12 per hour in 2023.
"For people that have income limits with disabilities, it's horrific because now they're working fewer hours," said Rinearson. "Their work is their social life. They have an identity around their job, and they have an identity with the social group that they work with. They have a sense of pride. They are able to live somewhat independently."
Rinearson has testified to the state legislature in support of increasing the income employees can make before losing their benefits.
Rinearson looks for ways to make the tasks easier for employees to understand and carry out. Nearly everything in the shop is color coded, so employees know which sizes to use rather than knowing the difference between 6 ounces and 12 ounces.
The business also works with Poolesville High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, where students create apps or devices to make it easier for employees with disabilities. The high school created a change-making app to help employees understand the number of coins and dollar bills to give a customer in change.
The Jake's Gourmet Popcorn opening in Seven Corners will have less complex work for employees who may not be able to perform the ice cream parlor duties, Rinearson says.
"There will be many more things that people can do that are not high functioning, putting labels on bags and labels on tins and filling popcorn bags," said Rinearson. "We still will have to be careful about food allergies and cross contamination, but it's a lot easier with a dry good than it is with stuff that's wet and frozen."
The new popcorn shop will be at Seven Corners Center next to Michaels. Rinearson was inspired by popular commercial popcorn makers in Chicago, where she went to graduate school.
Rinearson is aiming for the popcorn shop to open by the end of April. She is in the process of hiring employees, including two who she had let go from the ice cream shop. It will also include participants from Arlington Program for Employment Preparedness, which also bring in interns with job coaches to Jake's Ice Cream. Interns from that program have been hired as employees.
For both businesses, no job description is provided for prospective employees, as Rinearson tries to "meet people where they're at."
"This is a phenomenal group of employees," she said. "It's a long, slow, steep, slow learning curve to teach them how to do things. I think it's worth the price of training to put people to work."
When Rinearson sees discussions among ice cream parlor owners that they're having trouble finding employees, she has one piece of advice.
"Hire somebody with a disability," she said. "Train them in the wintertime before you get ready to open. Hire them. They will be model employees."
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