Springfield Native Competes on “America’s Next Top Model”
Justin Kim never planned to be a model. The 23-year-old Springfield native’s parents encouraged him to pursue law or medicine. While studying law and society at George Mason University, Kim thought he might find a career with an agency like the FBI or criminal courts.
Clifton, Fairfax Station and Springfield Communities Join Public Safety Agencies for National Night Out
A well-known tunnel-bridge on Colchester Road connects an area of Fairfax Station with the rest of the county, both geographically and mythically. Its link to historic reports of a vandal in a bunny costume has gotten it plenty of attention, including actual acts of vandalism on and around the structure.
Springfield: No Foul Play Suspected in Huntsman Lake Death
The dead body of Leslie P. Brassfield, 22, of Fairfax, was found Sunday, June 14 in Huntsman Lake in the Springfield area.
Springfield-Franconia: Moped Rider Dies After Colliding with Camry
Peter Matthew Kester, 56, died at the scene where his moped collided with a Toyota Camry sedan in the 6400 block of Franconia Road. Fairfax County Police received a call about the incident around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, according to the police release.
Fairfax County Seeks Partner to Develop Training Center Property
Deadline for offers on the surplus land is Sept. 1.
Potential buyers have until September to make their offers to purchase the roughly 80 acres of property along Braddock Road where the Northern Virginia Training Center currently sits.
Fairfax County Ad Hoc Commission Subcommittees Report
“It is well past time for the Fairfax County Police Department to start providing timely, honest and effective communications with everything it does.” When former director of Fairfax County public affairs Merni Fitzgerald delivered the final report and recommendations of the communications subcommittee of the Fairfax County ad hoc commission to review police practices, commissioner Joseph Cammarata responded immediately to those words in report’s introduction.
Fairfax: Special Grand Jury Begins Hearing Testimony in John Geer Case
Since shooting John Geer dead in the doorway of his Springfield home on Aug. 29, 2013, PFC Adam Torres of the Fairfax County Police Department has remained at work, albeit out of the field, but undisciplined by police and unprosecuted for any criminal wrongdoing.
Fairfax County School Board Honors Retiring Leaders, Adopts Budget Review and Audit Plan
In their last meeting of the summer, Fairfax County School Board members began by remembering former superintendent Dr. Robert Spillane, who recently died, and recognizing outgoing members of the school system’s leadership team.
Springfield Athlete to Compete in Special Olympics World Games
Karen Dickerson has run 16 marathons, well on the way to reaching her goal of completing one in every state in America. At 29, Dickerson has been a Special Olympics athlete for 18 years.
Springfield: Cottontail Swim Team Raises Money for Haiti
Members of the Cottontail Cobias summer league swim team know that not everyone has a 25-meter pool to swim in -- much less clean water to drink.
Burke & Springfield: New Giant Draws from Virginia Farms
Last month, a new 50,000-square foot Giant Food grocery store opened in the Kings Park Shopping Center at 8970 Burke Lake Road in Springfield.
Baptist Youth Campers Repair Lorton Homes
Jeff Moten started the week with 31 teenagers on his lawn. Baptist youth from around Virginia arrived at his Lorton property around 9 a.m. on Monday, July 13. By 10, they had cleared much of the natural overgrowth in his front and back yards, begun stripping his home’s roof and removing debris from a rear room where the floor had collapsed.
Fairfax County Police Release Updated In-Car Video Program Guidelines
In a January 2015 informational video, Fairfax County Police said around 600 of the department’s cruisers, spread across all eight law enforcement districts, were equipped with in-car video recording devices.
Burke, Fairfax, Lorton and Springfield: Synchronized Swimmers Compete in North Carolina
Lake Braddock graduate and Springfield resident Connie Polnow has been doing synchronized swimming since she was 9 years old. Her teammate and rising West Springfield freshman Angie Borkowski has only been at it for a year. But together, they were among 29 members of the Northern Virginia Nereids squad who participated in the United States Synchronized Swimming Junior Olympics between June 29 and July 4.
Rabid Fox Found Near South Run RECenter
Less than a month after a woman was injured by a rabid raccoon, police responded to reports of a fox “acting abnormally” in the same area: the South Run/Burke Lake Trail near the South Run RECenter.
Fairfax: City of Fairfax Band Children’s Concert July 16
Each year, the City of Fairfax community band gives its youngest fans a chance to try their hand at the shiny, twisty and just plain loud instruments in the ensemble.
Coming Home to Queen of Peace in Springfield
Residents with disabilities move into new group house on Gresham Street.
Ten months ago, the unassuming single-level house on Gresham Street in north Springfield was a private residence. Today it’s the permanent home of four individuals with disabilities, and a fifth is on the way.
The Week in Springfield
Dead man found in Kingstowne pond, Torch caused house fire, 95 Express Lanes holiday schedule.
Fairfax County Police continue to investigate the death of Kenneth Duane Bernhardt, 36, of Falls Church, who was found Saturday, June 27 in a pond on South Van Dorn Street near Kingstowne Village Parkway.
Local Farms Supply Alexandria Wegmans
Five Virginia farms are currently supplying the recently opened Wegmans grocery store in Alexandria with fresh produce.
Health Curriculum To More Closely Align with State
School Board approves recommendations from advisers, with amendments.
Though it was the second packed house in as many months, it may be early yet to call crowded Fairfax County School Board meetings a trend.
Fairfax County: Police Release Use of Force Review
Review explained at latest Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission meeting.
Nearly a year ago, Fairfax County sought an outside opinion on its police department’s use of force. That July 2014 assignment went to the Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum.
Springfield: West Springfield Holds 48th Commencement
First-year principal Michael Mukai commented that after his brief time with West Springfield’s graduating seniors, he wasn’t ready for them to go yet. “And your parents, after 18 years, aren’t ready for you to go yet either,” Mukai said, to a mix of applause and laughter from the audience at George Mason University’s Patriot Center.
Springfield: Edison High School Graduation held June 22
Lofty eagle imagery permeated the Thomas A. Edison High School commencement exercises. Principal Pamela Brumfield challenged graduates “to lead and soar as an eagle.” Class vice president Sara Meyer explained “Eagle Pride” as the intangibles related to working your hardest.
Police Still Looking for Springfield Student
Fairfax County detectives in the Police Department unit that handle missing persons are continuing to search for missing Robert E. Lee High School student Cesar “Steven” Boquin Zambrano of Springfield.
Springfield: New Giant Opens at Kings Park
Kings Park-area residents have been waiting for the return of their neighborhood grocery store.
Mt. Vernon: Amphitheater Renamed for Retired Lee District RECenter Manager
Leon Plenty was general manager of the Lee District RECenter from 1982 until his retirement in December, 2014. At a ceremony on June 17, Plenty was recognized for his work with the renaming of Lee District’s amphitheater in his honor.
Springfield: 386 Graduate from Robert E. Lee High School
As one of two “senior marshalls,” Simran Batra was responsible for guiding Robert E. Lee High School seniors to and from their seats with a two-foot wooden mace, engraved lovingly with graduating class dates back to 1987.
Fairfax: Retired Educators Award Scholarships to Aspiring Teachers
Rebecca Edmiston has had a number of inspiring music teachers in her life, including her mother Pat. They’re big reasons why Edmiston, a graduating senior from Lake Braddock Secondary School, is choosing to attend Liberty University and study to become a music teacher herself.
Springfield: Dead Fairfax Woman Found in Huntsman Lake
Police are investigating a the death of Leslie P. Brassfield, 22, of Fairfax, whose dead body was found Sunday in Huntsman Lake in the Springfield area.
Fairfax County: New Americans Take Oath
Since 2009, the Fairfax County Asian American History Project has sponsored a yearly naturalization ceremony for new Americans. At the ceremony Friday, June 12 at the Fairfax County Government Center, 100 new Americans hailing from 38 countries took an oath of allegiance.
Burke and Springfield: New Giant in Kings Park to Open June 19
Less than a week after the opening of a new Wegmans grocery store in Alexandria, the Landover, Maryland-based Giant Food is answering with an all-new store in the Kings Park Shopping Center, set to open at 6 a.m. on Friday, June 19.
Fairfax County: Questioning Family Life Curriculum
The Fairfax County School Board’s May 7 meeting drew a passionate and boisterous crowd that filled the Luther Jackson Middle School auditorium and spilled out into the main lobby. That night the board voted in favor of adding “gender identity” to its nondiscrimination policy for students, employees and applicants for employment.
Mount Vernon: New Wegmans Opens in Alexandria
Nearly 2,000 in line for June 14 opening morning.
At any other Wegmans grocery store in Virginia, Woodbridge resident Braden Cheney’s job wouldn’t exist. A 2000 graduate of W.T. Woodson High School, Cheney is manager of The Pub, a full-service restaurant and bar operating within the store.
Springfield: Daventry Reassigned from Lee to West Springfield High School
Change scheduled to take effect for 2015-2016 school year.
Kelly Wevley’s daughter will be in middle school next year. As a Daventry subdivision resident, she will attend Washington Irving Middle School in Springfield. And under previous boundaries, she would eventually continue to ninth grade at Robert E. Lee High School while friends and classmates outside of Daventry would attend West Springfield High School.
Springfield 16 Year Old Missing
Cesar “Steven” Boquin Zambrano of Springfield was last seen Monday June 1 around 6:30 a.m. at Robert E Lee High School, according to Fairfax County Police.
Fairfax County: Moving on ‘Move Over’
Police crackdown, educate about law protecting emergency roadside vehicles and drivers.
Fairfax County Master Police Officer Joe Moore’s front and rear-mounted radar machines whistle and beep with varying frequency as cars barrel past on Interstate 66 around the Fairfax County Parkway.
Fairfax: Northern Virginia Training Center Property Put on Market
Facility for people with disabilities scheduled for March 2016 closure.
According to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, 63 residents still live and receive treatment at the Northern Virginia Training Center, located in Fairfax alongside Braddock Road.
Fairfax County Police and Fire Join for New Training
Generally, if 2nd Lt. Karen Maslona was handling a live crime scene, a “warm zone” with a potentially active shooter, medical personnel wouldn’t be allowed in the area until the situation is completely neutralized.
Fairfax: Panel Discussion to Follow Film on College Rape Crime
“The Hunting Ground” tells the story of a number of college students who survived sexual assault. After a free screening on the campus of George Mason University, sponsored by Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41), there will be a panel discussion by several experts on the subject matter.
Fairfax County School Board Passes $2.6 Billion Budget for 2016
Employees receive step pay increase but lose portion of planned market scale adjustment.
$7.6 million: That’s how much Fairfax County Public Schools said the School Board needed to cut to meet the goals set out in its Fiscal Year 2016 Advertised Budget.
Springfield: St. Mark’s Program Supports Lynbrook Elementary
Several Lynbrook Elementary School students spent the first few weeks of May making “Hug Pillows” as part of a weekly after-school program run by members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Springfield.
Ride of the Patriots Rolls Back Through Fairfax
For the 17th year, the Fairfax Harley Owners Group and Patriot Harley-Davidson are sponsoring a Memorial Day weekend group motorcycle ride to honor service men and women, veterans, prisoners of war and those missing in action from all wars.
McAuliffe Signs Bill to Get Food Trucks Rolling in Virginia
Food trucks, those compact mobile restaurants that have become wildly popular on the streets of Washington, D.C., are getting closer to expanding their tread-print in Virginia.
Fairfax County: Police Commission Holds Public Forum
Deborah Moronese of Vienna said a disagreement with her son over his use of Wi-Fi in their home prompted him to call Fairfax County Police.
Springfield: Rolling Road Widening Project In Early Stages, Again
Officials hope to finally move forward with county and state funding.
For drivers frustrated with traffic on the two-lane stretch of Rolling Road between the Fairfax County Parkway and Old Keene Mill Road, relief could be in sight, again.
Corazon Foley Announces Bid for Springfield Supervisor
Burke resident Corazon Foley has taken her mission to establish a permanent activity center for seniors in Burke and West Springfield to the next level.
Fairfax County School Board Adds "Gender Identity" to Nondiscrimination Policy
Discrimination is bad, and everyone should have a safe environment in which to learn. These sentiments were common to the Fairfax County School Board members and the hundreds of parents who packed the auditorium and front lobby of Luther Jackson Middle School for the board’s May 7 meeting.
Springfield: Lee Seniors Present at National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Robert E. Lee High School senior Peter Block studied two decades of violent crime in Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax Counties. His classmate Brian D’Amore looked into the need for additional Tesla electric car supercharger locations in Loudoun County.
West Springfield Bassoonist to Perform with City of Fairfax Band
Hunter Lorelli will take up his bassoon with the City of Fairfax Band as the winner of the group’s Young Artist Competition.
Burke: Celebrations honor the late Father Richard Martin
Church of the Nativity parishioner Jill Chastain and her family donated to Operation Starfish’s developmental work in Haiti for 15 years before she finally went on a work trip with Father Richard Martin.