Governor Signs Voter ID Bills
McDonnell directs state to send every voter a new voter card before Election Day.
Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) signed watered-down versions of Virginia’s Republican-backed voter identification bills on Friday, adding the Commonwealth to the growing list of states adopting stricter voting standards.
Planning to Vote?
Nearly 200,000 voter registration cards mailed this week.
Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, if you are planning to vote in the June 12 primary elections in Fairfax County, check your new voter registration cards mailed out this week.
Springfield Mall – From Eyesore to Shopping Mecca
$200 million Springfield Mall renovation set to begin in July.
"What about Springfield Mall?" That’s the question Supervisor Jeff McKay(D-Lee) said he hears the most from constituents since mega-developer Vornado purchased what it called the "1.4 million-square-foot fixer-upper" in 2006 for $171.5 million.
TD Bank Plan Moves Ahead
West Springfield Civic Association concerns addressed.
TD Bank, one of the nation’s 10 largest banks, has moved a step closer to opening a drive-thru branch in West Springfield’s Cardinal Forest Plaza shopping center.
Mulan Comes to Burke
Northern Virginia Players present Disney classic.
Northern Virginia Players will present Disney’s Mulan Jr. beginning Saturday, May 25 at Burke Community Church. The heartwarming tale begins when the Huns have invaded China, and it’s up to misfit Mulan and her mischievous sidekick Mushu to save the Emperor. Mulan is a celebration of culture, honor and the fighting spirit, includes musical favorites such as "Honor to Us All."
Opening Doors for People in Need
FACETS celebrates volunteers, donors at annual benefit breakfast.
Surrounded by nearly 350 business executives, politicians and community leaders in the chandeliered ballroom of the Waterford, Frank Somers - dressed in jeans, sneakers and a denim work shirt - looked a little out of place.
Grassroots Government 101
First Braddock ‘Citizen Governance Conference’ draws future decision-makers.
Sitting in a conference room discussing issues such as land use, aging and transportation may not seem like the perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. But the opportunity to have a voice in the future of the Braddock district drew nearly 75 residents to the first Citizen Governance Conference, hosted by Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) at Frost Achievement Finance Park on May 5.
County Launches Project To Combat Lyme Disease
After an unseasonably warm winter, Fairfax County health officials are bracing for a proliferation of tick infestations as well as a potential surge in new cases of Lyme disease.
Housing Discrimination Alert
Officials step up education, outreach efforts to reach immigrant communities about "fair housing" rights.
Housing discrimination cases have been on the rise in Fairfax County in the past few years. And the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP), the agency that enforces fair housing laws in the county, is shining a spotlight on the problem through seminars for housing providers, realtors, community groups and other interested parties. "Sadly, housing discrimination is alive and well and we’ve seen an uptick in complaints during the past six years," said Kenneth Saunders, executive director of OHREP.
Teens Promote Diversity
Students find creative ways to promote diversity through volunteering.
Joanna Shows remembers what it was like to be held back, just because she was a woman.
Value of Volunteer Hours: $4.5 million
Legacy of Community Service? Priceless.
"Volunteers aren't paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless." Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous sentiment was echoed by numerous community and civic leaders who gathered at the Waterford in Springfield Friday, April 27, to celebrate 118 Fairfax County volunteers during the 20th annual Volunteer Service Awards hosted by Volunteer Fairfax.
Volunteer Police Officers Saluted at Ceremony
West Springfield, Franconia volunteers receive awards.
"We need a big golden arch, like McDonald's, and a sign that says more than one million served." Fairfax County Police Chief, Col. David Rohrer, was referring to the milestone achieved by the county’s Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) during a recent ceremony honoring FCPD volunteers.
Fairfax Celebrates Arts
City of Fairfax Mayor’s Ball attracts hundreds.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Sherwood Center on Friday, April 20 to attend the 2nd Annual Mayor’s Ball, and to celebrate the opening of the 27th year of Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Festival.
‘Arabian Nights’ at Lake Braddock
Lake Braddock students perform culturally-rich classic.
Don’t expect Disney’s "Aladdin" in Lake Braddock Secondary School’s production of "The Arabian Nights."
Supervisors Endorse Advertised Budget
Highlights include restored funding for human services, libraries, employee pay.
"Morning has broken, like the first morning…" Cat Stevens sang it in his 1971 hit, and Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova used it to sum up the board’s 8-2 vote, endorsing the advertised 2013 budget during the April 24 budget session.
FANFARE Eatery Opens at Fairfax Corner
New sports-themed eatery created by owners of Glory Days Grill.
A lot of feathers were ruffled during the grand opening celebration of FANFARE, Fairfax Corner’s newest sports-themed eatery.
Alarm Over Fire Code at Shelters
Fairfax County officials respond to concerns about fire code violations at local shelters.
Spring fever hit the region early this year. Last week’s record-high temperatures had residents flocking outdoors to play, bike, jog and picnic.
Pleading for Restoring Funding for Human Services
Residents, agencies testify to need for community services.
After three years of deep budget cuts and declining revenue, Fairfax County is showing signs of fiscal equilibrium as property values and revenues begin a slow uphill climb.
Addressing ‘College Drinking Culture’
The Perils of the College Drinking Culture" forums continue through May.
It’s college decision time for Fairfax County seniors, and college-bound students and their parents are encouraged to attend an upcoming program that deals with binge drinking on college campuses. "The Perils of the College Drinking Culture" will be presented by the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Police Department, in April and May at locations across the county.
Franconia Fifth Grader Honored for Saving Nephew’s Life
Cynthia Almendarez, 10, called 9-1-1 when nephew, 2, stopped breathing.
On the morning of July 13, 2011, Franconia Elementary fifth-grader Cynthia Almendarez was at home with her mother and 12-year-old sister when she noticed something odd. Her 18-month-old nephew, Christopher, who was usually cruising around the house and making typical toddler sounds, was quiet and gasping for breath.
Fairfax County Parkway Overpass Opens
Donegal Lane access shuts down.
On Tuesday, April 10, VDOT closed Donegal Road in Springfield as part of phase III of the $23 million Fairfax County Parkway project.
Fairfax County Board Opts In for Phase 2 of Dulles Rail
Obstacles still ahead for $2.7 billion project.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday, April 10, to approve the county’s participation in Phase 2 of the $2.7 billion Dulles Metrorail Project.
Ed Long Named County Executive
Long, former deputy county executive, begins April 25.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appointed Edward L. Long Jr. as county executive on Tuesday, April 10. Long, who will replace Anthony H. Griffin on April 25, has more than 34 years of experience with the county, and retired as deputy county executive and chief financial officer in May 2011.
Herrity Recovering Well from Open-Heart Surgery
“Famous sense of humor” intact, friends say.
After undergoing open-heart surgery last week, Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) is recovering well, and his “famous sense of humor is intact,” according to friends and family members.
Interest in Budget Slows as Economy Picks Up
Employee compensation, human service funding compete for attention.
Rising property values, a relatively low unemployment rate, and the lack of hot-button issues — such as full-day kindergarten — have reduced public involvement in Fairfax County’s proposed $6.7 billion budget compared to recent years, according to county leaders.
Supervisor Herrity Undergoes Open-Heart Surgery
Now recovering at Inova Fairfax Hospital in ICU
Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield), 52, underwent open-heart surgery today at 7 a.m., and is currently recovering in the intensive care unit at Inova Fairfax Hospital, according to a statement released by his office at approximately 3 p.m. Thursday, April 5. The surgery was conducted at Inova’s Heart and Vascular Institute by Dr. Alan Spier and Dr. Niv Ad, and the surgeons have informed the supervisor’s family that the surgery went as expected.
Eggstravaganza!
Jubilee Christian Center event features music, moon bounces and egg rolls for every age.
Ever since Dolly Madison, wife of the fourth American president, organized an egg roll down the hilly lawn of the Capitol building in 1810, egg rolls have become an Easter tradition.
Fairfax County Overpass Opening
Donegal Lane access shuts down April 10.
On Tuesday, April 10, the Virginia Department of Transportation is permanently closing the intersection of Donegal Lane and the Fairfax County Parkway, and simultaneously opening the overpass carrying the new alignment of Rolling Road over the parkway.
Fasten Your Seatbelts
VDOT officials say I-495 Express Lanes will be just that.
Predictable, safe and reliable is not how most motorists would describe driving on the obstacle course known as the Capital Beltway.
Super Saturday for County GOP
Convention features former Governor George Allen; FCRC elects new president.
More than 1,000 Republican delegates participated in the 2012 Fairfax County Republican Committee (FCRC) convention, held at West Springfield High School on Saturday, March 24.
Lehman H. Young, Sr. 1916-2012
Community remembers civic leader, WWII pilot and business owner.
It was 1958, during one of the worst blizzards to hit Northern Virginia, and Deborah Young, just five years old, remembers her father, Lehman, bundling her up and sitting her on the seat of their old blue 1951 Ford, between him and her mother, Marie.
In Bloom at Greenspring
Senior gardeners prepare green thumbs for National Garden Month.
Gardeners at Greenspring retirement community in Springfield are ready for spring.
Honoring the Past, Empowering the Future
Group reenacts Silent Sentinel protest during Women’s History Month.
Nearly 100 years ago, a group of women stood in front of The White House and launched a revolution without guns or bloodshed.
Robinson Goes to World Choir Games
Thousands of the world’s best singers will arrive in Cincinnati for the 2012 World Choir Games this July, a competition that kicks off with Olympic-style fanfare.
A Mission of Mercy Helps Hundreds
More than 800 residents receive free dental services during two-day event.
The triage center at Saturday’s Mission of Mercy Dental health clinic resembled a modern-day MASH unit.
A Voice for Children
"Promise-keepers" advocate for Fairfax County’s abused, neglected children.
Each child who comes before Judge Thomas Mann’s Fairfax courtroom is loveable and vulnerable. There is the precocious three-year-old whose parents are drug-addicted. A seven-year-old boy whose mentally-ill mother left him home alone to care for his infant sibling.
Gov. George Allen Goes Home Again on Super Tuesday
Former Virginia Governor George Allen spoke Tuesday morning to an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Conference, then headed to Loudoun County to meet with Republican primary voters and election workers at polling places on Super Tuesday in Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William Counties.
Congressman at Hunt Valley
Connolly reads to second-graders; reveals early dislike of pizza.
The pressure was intense, but in the end U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) got rave reviews from nearly 75 Springfield second-graders on Friday, March 2.
Nonprofits Awarded United Way Grants
23 local organizations receive MORE THAN $280K to continue work.
The United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) awarded 27 grants totaling $288,013 to 23 local nonprofits during the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, March 6.
Girl Scouts Celebrate 100th Anniversary at Springfield Mall
Event draws more than 2,000 participants.
To mark the 100th anniversary of Girls Scouts of the USA, the South Central Fairfax Association of the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital (GSCNC) hosted a celebration that drew more than 2,000 participants to Springfield Mall on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Dancers Demand Right to ‘Move Like Jagger’
Fairfax Supervisors table dance hall regulations after dance fans kick up a fuss.
After dance fans protested by blog, email, Facebook and local radio, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors sidestepped discussion Tuesday of a law regulating dancing in restaurants, tossing the measure back to the planning commission for revisions.
Fairfax Supervisors Vote to Increase Advertised Tax Rate by 1 cent
Each 1 cent increase raises taxpayer bill by $45.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted 6-3 Tuesday, March 6, to advertise the real estate tax rate for FY 2013 as $1.08 per $100 of assessed value. The current FY 2012 rate is $1.07.
Nourishing Body and Soul
Fourth annual fundraiser draws 300 attendees.
Professional and student artists have been busy shaping and decorating nearly 500 bowls for the fourth annual Empty Bowls event, hosted by Our Daily Bread, a nonprofit that works to eliminate hunger, homelessness and poverty in Fairfax County.
Burke Presbyterian Youth Present ‘Charlie Brown’
Area youth present classic family musical.
The old gang may not be as trendy as The Simpsons, but everyone still knows and loves Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts crew.
Springfield’s Immanuel Bible Church Installs New Pastor
Nearly 3,000 attend ceremony for Jesse Johnson.
Jesse Johnson, formerly Pastor for Outreach at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., was installed as Lead Teaching Pastor at Springfield’s Immanuel Bible Church during three services on Sunday, Feb. 26.
Kaine Touts ‘Talent Economy’ at Fairfax Company
In bid for U.S. Senate seat, Kaine holds economic roundtables.
During a campaign stop at a Fairfax workforce development company on Thursday, former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) emphasized the need to foster a "talent economy" that will reboot America’s drive to the top of the economic ladder.
The Bus Was Stuffed
Local food pantries receive record donations from 2nd annual Stuff the Bus campaign.
Fairfax County’s second annual Stuff the Bus campaign roared to the finish line last week, collecting more than 25,604 pounds of food and $3,483 – a 26 percent increase in food, and a 236 percent increase in cash over 2011 totals.
A Heartfelt Anniversary
Greenspring couple celebrates 65 years of marriage on Valentine’s Day.
At 89, Ray Wright is as quick with a quip as Jack Benny.
Schultz Requests Public Hearing on Honor Cords for Military Enlistees
After a majority (7-5) of Fairfax County School Board members resisted a uniform policy to recognize military enlistees with honor cords during graduation ceremonies at its Feb. 13 work session, Elizabeth Schultz (Springfield) launched a campaign for a public hearing on the issue.
People of Faith Gather to Support Marriage Equality
Holding red heart balloons and handing out candles and flowers, nearly 200 guests gathered in the shadow of the historic Fairfax County Courthouse to celebrate the union of a one couple on Valentine’s Day.