Fairfax County: Public Safety Committee meets to discuss Ad Hoc Police Review recommendations and the Diversion First initiative
Just over a year since Natasha McKenna died following multiple shocks from a taser, while in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention center, her name was never raised during the Feb. 9 meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee meeting. Two audience members stood on one side of the Government Center conference room, holding posters bearing a picture of McKenna’s face and text including “Black Lives Matter.”
Fairfax County: Training Center Residents Relocated
They’re all gone. As of August 2015, there were still 55 residents with mental or physical disabilities receiving services at the state-owned and operated Northern Virginia Training Center on Braddock Road.
Fairfax County School Board Approves $2.67 Billion ‘No Cuts’ Budget
Calls for general salary raises and additional $40 million for teachers, lowering elementary class sizes.
Members of the Fairfax County School Board have taken the next step in realizing Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza’s vision of no additional cuts in the Fiscal Year 2017 school system operating budget. T
Wood Ranch in Springfield Town Center highlights new meat, veggie options
Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill partner, managing chef and “Sultan of Smoke” Alejandro Benes is working to blend barbecue traditions, as well as cuts of meat.
Fairfax County: Election Officers Still Needed for March Primary
Cameron Sasnett has one message for people concerned about the integrity of elections -- at least from a procedure standpoint: Get involved as an election officer.
Fairfax County: In-Custody Death Investigated
Paul Guida died Oct. 17, 2015, while in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. The 68-year-old Falls Church resident was charged with violating a protective order. He had been held without bond since Oct. 1, 2015.
Combined Commissions for Women Host Human Trafficking Awareness Event in Fairfax
Thirty years ago, “Jen” was lured into a pornography ring and sexually abused by a man who initially pretended to be her friend.
Burke, Lorton, Mount Vernon and Springfield: Kegs of Kerri’s Cure special ale kick within hours
Golden afternoon sun gleamed in through windows and lit up cold, grey cinder blocks, faces already beginning to blush after a beer or two, and lush flowers atop large barrels in memory of Kerri Rose. Rose and her husband Matt, Mount Vernon residents, own Forge Brew Works in Lorton. In August of 2015, she was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer. Kerri was also pregnant.
Springfield: January 2016 Neighborhood Development Outlook Update
Here is a survey of new and ongoing changes and projects in Springfield.
Snow Place Like Home in Burke, Fairfax Station, Mount Vernon and Springfield
Residents, volunteers come together to dig out after Jonas drops over 20 inches.
Compared to Wednesday night’s sneak-attack dusting that caught Virginia Department of Transportation crews unprepared and commuters stuck in hours of slick rush hour gridlock, Fairfax County Supervisors think the full force of Winter Storm Jonas was weathered about as well as possible.
Building for the Future
School Board approves five-year $777 million Capital Improvement Plan.
While the rest of Fairfax County hunkered down in preparation for Winter Storm Jonas’ Friday arrival, members of the School Board held their business meeting as scheduled on Jan. 21 and approved a five-year Capital Improvement Plan requiring $777 million.
McAuliffe Visits Fairfax County Post-Blizzard
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) visited the Fairfax County Emergency Operations Center on Sunday, Jan. 24, following the worst of Winter Storm Jonas to be updated on the state of the county in the blizzard’s wake.
Fairfax County Suspends Trash Collection for Blizzard Week
Fairfax County announced on its Emergency Information website Saturday night, Jan. 23, during Winter Storm Jonas that trash and recycling collection services would be suspended for the week of Jan. 25-30.
Fairfax County Braces for Epic Winter Storm Jonas
Chairman Bulova says VDOT was unprepared for Wednesday night, encourages residents to stay off roads during storm.
With Winter Storm Jonas looming and expected to begin Friday afternoon, a much milder dusting of snow the previous Wednesday night caught commuters and transportation workers off-guard. Treacherous, slick roads resulted in numerous accidents and forcing drivers into gridlock around Fairfax County.
Burke and Springfield: Lake Braddock Musical Theatre presents Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’
Since October, Lake Braddock junior Josh Lee has been transforming into Beast. He’s not ‘a beast,’ though he stands fairly stout at a formidable six-plus-feet-tall; Lee is cast as the dark and complex title character in his school’s Musical Theatre production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Lorton Brewer’s Wife Dies from Cancer
One week after a special ale was brewed to support her medical and other related costs, Kerri Rose of Alexandria died from cancer.
Fairfax Station-based Marian Homes begins work on group home Fairfax for people with disabilities
2016: Another year, another demolition and another home being renovated to meet the needs of five individuals with disabilities. On an overcast Friday, Jan. 15, Knights of Columbus volunteers assisting the Fairfax Station-based nonprofit organization Marian Homes stripped carpet and hammered and knocked down walls in a single-family home on Wilson Street in Fairfax City.
Brain Injury Services in Springfield gets survivors back into the community
In one moment, Kim Daily’s life changed forever. It was September 2011 and the Centreville resident was in a car accident where she hit her head. Afterwards she experienced some numbness and pain in her neck.
Serial Peeper Sought in Springfield
Fairfax County Police reported a series of peepings around Gloucester Avenue and Giles Place in Springfield between Dec. 29, 2015 and Jan. 15, 2016. Detectives believe one male suspect was involved in each of the incidents, fleeing after peeping into homes.
Former Springfield Supervisor Elaine N. McConnell Dies at 88
When the aquatic plant Hydrilla was invading Burke Lake in the mid-1980s, there was an attempt to introduce a population of grass carp to eat it. Michael Frey, former Sully District Supervisor, convinced then-Springfield District Supervisor Elaine N. McConnell to put the first fish into the lake at a press event.
Coyotes on the Rise in Fairfax County
Police advise precautions
Over the last several months, Fairfax County Police said wildlife officials have received an increasing number of calls about the presence of coyotes in the area.
Burke, Fairfax Station, Springfield and Mount Vernon: Suds That Save
20 local breweries craft a beer to support one of their own.
Lawrence “Lance” Rose was born in September 2015, two months premature, to parents Matt and Kerri Rose of Alexandria. Just one month before, Kerri had been diagnosed with stage-four adenocarcinoma: stomach cancer.
Above a Cut
FCPS Superintendent Garza calls for no additional cuts in $2.67 billion FY 2017 budget
For Fiscal Year 2015, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza oversaw $96.5 million in cuts made from the school system’s annual operating budget. For FY 2016, it was $55.4 million, she said.
Springfield in 2016
With winter vacation, unseasonably warm weather and 2015 in their rear-view mirrors, community leaders and elected officials from the Fairfax County School Board, Board of Supervisors, General Assembly turn their attention to some of the most significant issues, developments or decisions in 2016.
School Board Sued over Nondiscrimination Policy Changes
Liberty Counsel challenges board’s authority to add sexual orientation and gender identity.
When the members of the Fairfax County School Board added sexual orientation and gender identity to the school system’s nondiscrimination policy in November 2014 and May 2015, did they have the authority?
Burke, Fairfax Station and Springfield: Lake Braddock Student Dies in Crash
Friends, family and members of the Lake Braddock Secondary School Community gathered Sunday night Dec. 21 to mourn the loss of Laween A. Akrawi, 18, a Lake Braddock Bruin who died at the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Dec. 18. They laid candles and flowers by an easel holding his senior picture.
Springfield: Shopping at Koinonia’s Christmas Wishes
Franconia and Kingstowne residents who receive financial and domestic services and assistance from the Franconia-based Koinonia Foundation got the opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts at the nonprofit’s annual Christmas Wishes Program on Dec. 10.
Fairfax County School Board Opens the Door for School Name Changes
No decisions made to affect current school names.
The Fairfax County School Board did not change any names of schools at its Dec. 17 regular business meeting.
Fairfax County: McAuliffe Proposing More for Education
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D, left) unveiled his budget proposal for $1 billion in public and higher education investment at Mark Twain Middle School in Alexandria on Dec. 16, as part of the total state budget he plans to roll out on Thursday, Dec. 17.
Burke: Taste of Braddock Showcases Local Cuisines
More than a dozen local restaurants, grocery stores and other food businesses showcased their cuisines for the community on Dec. 9 at the 2015 Taste of Braddock.
Lorton, Fairfax Station & Springfield: Swim Teams Bring in Toys for Tots
Before their head-to-head meet on Dec. 12, members of the South County and West Springfield High School swim and dive teams dropped off dozens of new toys for the South Run RECenter’s Toys for Tots donation drive.
Springfield Businesses Help Bundle Up
The back of the house at Springfield’s Ecumenical Community Helping Others resembles the staging area for Santa’s all-nighter. Aisles upon aisles of assorted clothing, toys, kitchen equipment and other home goods wait in orderly fashion to be stocked in the nonprofit’s shopping area serving clients with low or no income.
West Springfield Spartan Theatre to Perform Live Radio Broadcast of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’
Using just microphones and their voices -- and a few audio tricks -- members of West Springfield High School Spartan Theatre are bringing the 1946 classic movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” to life as a live radio broadcast on Friday, Dec. 18.
Citizen Speakers Turn Out for J.E.B. Stuart High Name Change
School Board to take action Dec. 17
J.E.B. Stuart High School senior Whitten Rutledge is proud of his school, mostly.
Springfield Bakers Turn Culinary Passions into Home-based Companies
Tanya Logan had all the intentions of being in the corporate world forever. She was a successful accountant for a Fortune 500 company, someone who counseled coworkers on figuring out whether that career path was for them.
Abiding Presence Lutheran Church and Temple B’nai Shalom hold 29th joint Thanksgiving eve service.
When he applied for Minister of Music position at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Burke, David Chavez said he was told there’s just one non-negotiable date on the calendar: Thanksgiving eve.
Performance of Ellington’s Jazz “Nutcracker Suite” Benefits Burke Charity
Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Burke will host a live performance of Duke Ellington’s jazz interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite” from 1960.
Adam Torres trial for murder of John Geer postponed until April 2016
Former Fairfax County police officer Adam Torres was charged with second-degree murder in August this year for shooting Springfield resident John Geer in August 2013. The trial was scheduled to begin on Dec. 14, but a continuance was recently granted to the defense, pushing it back until April 18, 2016.
250 Brave Cold in 23rd Burke CROP Hunger Walk
Jennifer Weiner’s wristband read 11,188 steps. That’s how many it took the Springfield resident to complete the 3.7-mile Burke CROP Hunger Walk on Nov. 22. Weiner is Rabbi Educator for Congregation Adat Reyim, which sent more than a dozen volunteers to the fundraiser for the 14th straight year.
Burke, Springfield: Drug awareness meeting at Lake Braddock highlights rise in youth heroin use
Youth Heroin Use Described As ‘a big problem’
Heroin use is here in Fairfax. “It’s definitely here,” said 19-year veteran officer employed by both the Fairfax County Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration as a Task Officer who spoke at a drug awareness meeting sponsored by the Lake Braddock Secondary School Parent Teacher Student Association.
Springfield: Special Bible Exhibit at First Church of Christ, Scientist
How did the King James Version of the Bible come to be? In a one-day exhibition celebrating International Bible Day on Nov. 23, Springfield resident and historian Bruce Slawter showcased several ancient Bible pages and explained some of the book’s origin story.
Fairfax County Updates Teacher Safety Training In Wake of Woodson Fire
Science teachers across Fairfax County Public Schools have begun mandatory updated safety training in the wake of an Oct. 30 fire at Woodson High School that injured five students and a teacher, and caused $7,500 in damage.
Fairfax Station: Temple B’Nai Shalom recognizes veterans with special Shabbat dinner and service
Lt. Col. Jacob Kramer was concerned after finding a Star of David in a moving box. The Springfield resident was previously stationed in Morocco by the U.S. Army.
Springfield: Sangster Elementary School honors veterans with annual musical program
Springfield resident Tim Swicord’s parents met at West Point, the United States Military Academy, and then both served in the U.S. Army.
Springfield: Veterans Receive Donated Vehicles
When Alexandria resident Dani Figueroa left the U.S. Marine Corps after being injured during a tour in Afghanistan, she said, “I knew I was different, I had changed.”
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” at West Springfield
West Springfield High School drama director Bernie DeLeo knew Shakespeare might be a hard sell with his students and for attracting community members. “I wanted to pick something really fun and relatable to modern-day students and settled on ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona,’” he said.
Springfield and Alexandria: New Hayfield theater director pulls from 7th through 12th grades for Disney's "Beauty and the Beast"
Taegan Chirinos is living every little girl’s dream: to become a princess. In just her second musical, the freshman from Lorton won the role of “Belle” in the Hayfield Secondary School production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Deer Management Group Donates Venison to Lorton Food Pantry
Abena Kodua of Lorton likes her chili spicier. But she had no problem polishing off a bowl, homemade by Fairfax Station resident and hunter Robert Flanagan with ground venison, rather than beef, chicken or turkey.
Fairfax County: Garza Presents Budget Task Force Report to School Board
Transparency and methodology of budget review questioned.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza is attempting to scale a towering projected budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2017. On Nov. 9, she presented School Board members the report of budget cuts recommended by a 36-member task force she summoned earlier this year.
Springfield: Capital Area Food Bank raises awareness of local hunger with Empty Bowls events
Kady Wohlfarth of Alexandria spent two months of her off days from the Alexandria Wegmans prepared food section to create 100 clay bowls. Hers accounted for one-third of the bowls at the “Empty Bowls” fundraiser and awareness-raising event for the Capital Area Food Bank.