Ready to Take on the World
Rocky Run students heading to FIRST Lego League championship in St. Louis.
After capturing the FIRST Lego League state championship, Rocky Run’s seventh-grade team, R2D2, is ready to take on the world. The five girls and two boys are heading to St. Louis to participate, April 24-27, in the world championship.
Carry on Erin Peterson’s Legacy
Annual Gospel Celebration of Life is Sunday, April 14.
Erin Peterson was a basketball star at Westfield High and was almost finished with her freshman year of college, on April 16, 2007, when she became one of 32 people killed in the Virginia Tech massacre. Just 18, she was sitting in her French class when her life ended.
‘These Citizens Are the Heroes’
‘These Citizens Are the Heroes’
A mother allegedly high on drugs — and driving 70 mph in a car containing an infant and a 6-year-old without a seatbelt — led to a three-car crash on March 11 that could have ended in tragedy. As it was, it sent five people to the hospital, resulted in the mother’s arrest and brought out the best in public-safety personnel and ordinary citizens who came to the rescue of the children and of police PFC Rockie Akhavan, who was trapped in his cruiser.
‘I Put It in God’s Hands’
Looking at her husband’s badly damaged police cruiser, with the rear end demolished and the passenger side caved in, affected Beverly Akhavan profoundly.
Zero Tolerance For Impaired Drivers
Police detail DUI-related crashes, arrests.
During last week’s ceremony honoring the officers and citizens who helped out after a devastating crash on I-66, police Lt. Rich Morvillo, assistant commander of the Sully District Station, presented some sobering statistics.
‘You Can Taste All the Seasonings’
New Coyote Grille restaurant arrives in Centreville.
Featuring a fusion of southwestern and Bolivian cuisine, Coyote Grille is Centreville’s newest restaurant. Area residents may already be familiar with its Fairfax location, but they may now dine there at 14101 St. Germain Drive in the Centrewood Plaza shopping center.
‘Familiar Fairytale With a Talented Cast’
Paul VI presents “Once Upon a Mattress.”
Colorful costumes, an elaborate set, songs, dances and a classic musical comedy—they’re all part of Paul VI’s upcoming production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
Westfield High Holds International Night
Featuring a variety of performers representing countries throughout the globe, Westfield High will hold its annual, International Night program this Friday, April 5, at 7 p.m., in the school theater.
Fundraiser for Fairfax Girl, Age 8
Tara Sankner, an 8-year-old Fairfax resident, was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, and the local community is rallying ’round to show its support. She and a fundraising and support team called “Pray for Tara” wore special, pink T-shirts and participated in last Saturday’s, March 23, Rev3 Run Rogue 5K and 1K at the Fairfax Corner Shopping Center. Tara ran and walked in both events and also had a donation table there.
Sully District Station Honors its Own
MPO Mary Hulse is Officer of the Month.
MPO Mary Hulse is an example of a police officer doing her job and doing it well. And at the March 13 meeting of the Sully District Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee, she was honored as that station’s Officer of the Month.
Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence
Rocky Run Middle wins state honor for fourth time.
Rocky Run Middle School has just won the 2013 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence. But according to school Principal Matt Eline, “We were just doing what we do all the time.”
Mathcounts: First in Regionals, Second in States
Rocky Run’s team has stellar year.
Rocky Run Middle School’s MathCounts team didn’t win the state championship this year. But it did capture second place, which is a big achievement, in itself.
Training Key In School Safety
FCPS security coordinator addresses citizens committee.
Keeping students safe is Jim McLain’s job. After retiring as a Fairfax County police commander in 2001, he joined Fairfax County Public Schools; and for 12 years now, he’s been one of its two security coordinators.
Social Change Celebrates Anniversary
Social Change Celebrates Anniversary Founded by Julie Sussman of Centreville’s Rocky Run community, Social Change was born in March 2011. Sussman’s idea was to get people together in a fun and informal way to discuss their favorite causes, share food and wine, visit with old friends and make new ones.
Rita’s Fundraiser for Second-Grader
Contributions also accepted online.
Tara Sankner, an 8-year-old second-grader at Lees Corner Elementary was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, and the community is rallying ’round to show its support. She and a fundraising and support team called “Pray for Tara” wore special, pink T-shirts and participated in last Saturday’s, March 23, Rev3 Run Rogue 5K and 1K at the Fairfax Corner Shopping Center.
‘They’re Not Bad Kids; They’re Just Teenagers’
Westfield SRO talks about keeping students safe.
Authorities say children are safe in Fairfax County schools, but it requires continual vigilance to keep them that way. So the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee recently hosted a community meeting on the topic.
The Facts about MathCounts
Open to sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, MathCounts involves solving various types of complicated math problems.
Clifton’s Easter Egg Hunt
The Town of Clifton held its Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 23, in the town park thanks to the efforts of the Clifton, Fairfax and Fairfax Station au pairs with Cultural Care Au Pair.
Fashions, Music and Silent Auction
Fairfax Salvation Army fundraiser set for the Waterford
The latest looks for spring, live entertainment, luncheon and a silent auction are all in store for those attending the 33rd annual fashion show benefiting the Fairfax Salvation Army. It’ll be held Friday, April 12, at the Waterford in Fair Oaks (across from Fair Oaks Mall), but reservations must be made by March 27.
Mildred DeBell: 95 Years Young
Friends, family gather for birthday celebration.
Most people grow older each year — and then there’s Mildred DeBell. Although technically she did gain another year on Saturday, you’d never know it by the way she looks or acts.
National Honor for Chantilly Academy
Student team wins CyberPatriot V competition.
Five students captured a national championship last weekend for Chantilly, but not in athletics. They did it with computers to emerge victorious in the Air Force Association’s (AFA) CyberPatriot V National Finals.
Between a Rock And a Hard Place
Plain talk about proposed county, FCPS budgets.
In the presentation of the Fairfax County Executive’s proposed FY 2014 budget, there’s a slide titled, “Turned over Every Rock” – and that about sums up the county’s current financial picture. After cutting back as much as it can and looking everywhere possible for extra funding, it still doesn’t have enough money to do everything on everyone’s wish list.
A Roundabout or a Traffic Signal?
Braddock/Pleasant Valley intersection to be improved.
Pretty much everyone agrees that the intersection of Braddock and Pleasant Valley roads in Centreville is a pain. It’s tiny and congested, with especially long waits for drivers during rush hours.
‘How Does This Help Us?’
Some residents say fixing congested intersection may lead to other problems.
At Monday night’s meeting about plans to fix the Braddock/Pleasant Valley roads intersection, VDOT’s Bill Cutler said early cost estimates for the project are in the $3 million to $4 million range. But, he added, utility relocation, environmental problems and land-acquisition costs could raise the price.
Ruby Tuesday Holding Fundraiser for WFCM
If area residents eat a meal at a particular Chantilly restaurant next week, they can help feed hungry families in the local community. That’s because Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) and Ruby Tuesday are partnering to make it happen.
‘At Some Time, Everyone Needs a Helping Hand’
Wounded veteran talks about the value of serving others.
Two years ago, Marine veteran and Purple Heart recipient Justin Constantine shared his personal story with Mountain View High students. Severely injured during the War in Iraq, he had a long road to recovery and now helps other wounded veterans.
Father Runs Marathon in His Son’s Honor
Fairfax teen is in remission from leukemia.
This Saturday, March 16, Glen Goold is running in the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon in Washington, D.C., to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. And fueling his every footstep will be the knowledge that his son Spencer is now in remission from this disease.
‘They See Science as a Joy’
New way of teaching yields many benefits.
Two representatives of the VISTA program, Arthur Polton and Andre Radloff, watched and listened to Centreville Elementary fourth-graders’ presentations on the best ways to preserve Virginia’s ecosystem.
"Record, Remember And Report”
CID officer advises citizens about homeland security.
Fairfax County’s Police Department has been around for more than 70 years, but its Criminal Intelligence Division (CID) wasn’t created until after the 9/11 tragedy. “Five detectives and one supervisor were in a lunchroom in the Massey Building when we first discussed it,” said CID Det. Doug Comfort.
Three Times the Celebration
Whalen brothers receive Eagle badges together.
When Boy Scouts make the rank of Eagle, families usually have just one child at a time being honored. But in the case of the Whalen family of Centreville’s Walney Glen community, good things come in threes.
Rev3 Run Rogue 5K and 1K Races
* The Rev3 Run Rogue 5K and 1K are slated for Saturday, March 23, at the Fairfax Corner Shopping Center. Participants may walk or run a USATF-certified 5K course at 8:30 a.m., or participate in a 1K kids’ fun run at 8 a.m.
Racing To Help Others
After beating breast cancer, Centreville’s Vanessa Spiller is ready to take on the world. She runs and challenges herself in endurance events and, on March 23 at Fairfax Corner, she’ll be racing in the second annual Rev3 Run Rogue 5K.
Upcoming 5K Raises Money for Cancer Patients, Research
BethAnn Telford and Vanessa Spiller are at different points in their cancer journeys. Spiller is in remission from breast cancer, and Telford is still battling brain cancer as hard as she can.
Lives Are on the Line
Upcoming 5K Raises Money for Cancer Patients, Research
BethAnn Telford and Vanessa Spiller are at different points in their cancer journeys. Spiller is in remission from breast cancer, and Telford is still battling brain cancer as hard as she can.
Saving Virginia’s Ecosystem
Today’s youth are part of Virginia’s rising population, so it seems fitting that they investigate how this increased growth impacts the state’s ecosystem. That was the task given to 47 students of Centreville elementary fourth-grade teachers Mary Ann Settlemyre and Kate Charlton. Last summer, both teachers took the month-long VISTA (Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement) program at GMU.
Fairfax Residents Star in New Production
Clifton Dinner Theater presents “Murder Me Always.”
Mystery, intrigue and laughs are all on the menu when the Clifton Dinner Theater presents its new show, “Murder Me Always.” And two Fairfax residents have starring roles. Performances are slated for March 14-16, at the Clifton Town Meeting Hall, 12641 Chapel Road in the Town of Clifton. Shirley’s Catering of Clifton is providing the dinner, all three nights, and wine and beer will be available.
BZA Approves Play-and-Party Site for Chantilly
Kid Junction is coming to town.
If all goes well, sometime in May, local children will have a place to go where they can climb, play dress up, use their imaginations in a pretend town setting and even celebrate their birthdays. That place is Kid Junction and it will open in Chantilly.
Why a Change Is Needed for School
Fairfax High has a building capacity of 2,412 students and a current enrollment of 2,659—meaning a 110-percent building utilization. But if nothing changes, it’s projected to have 3,011 student bodies by the 2017-18 school year and a 125-percent building utilization. Lanier’s capacity is 1,307 students, and it presently has a 1,239 student population using 95 percent of its building. But if left as is, it’s projected to have an enrollment of 1,421 by 2017-18 for a 109-percent building utilization.
‘It’s All about Our Children’
Parents discuss three school-boundary scenarios.
The goal of the Fairfax High/Lanier Middle School boundary study is to remove 300 students from Fairfax and 150 from Lanier and send them elsewhere to relieve overcrowding at those two schools. But how best to do it has not yet been decided. So more than 200 people came to Lanier’s cafeteria last Wednesday, Feb. 20, to learn more about the three boundary scenarios proposed and express their opinions about them. Centreville and Chantilly residents also attended, because the changes will affect many of their children, too.
‘All about Our Children’
Parents discuss three school-boundary scenarios.
The goal of the Fairfax High/Lanier Middle School boundary study is to remove 300 students from Fairfax and 150 from Lanier and send them elsewhere to relieve overcrowding at those two schools. But how best to do it has not yet been decided.
Why Change Is Needed
Fairfax High has a building capacity of 2,412 students and a current enrollment of 2,659 — meaning a 110-percent building utilization. But if nothing changes, it’s projected to have 3,011 student bodies by the 2017-18 school year and a 125-percent building utilization.
Pancakes, Coffee and Donations
McLean woman helps with leukemia, lymphoma fundraiser.
Pancakes and syrup make a tasty meal; but at the Centreville IHOP, they’re also a way to raise money. And that’s what happened Feb. 5 when the restaurant held a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
CSI Sully District Station
Detective discusses fingerprint forensics.
Forensics can be a fascinating field, and members of the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee recently got a glimpse into the world of fingerprint analysis from Det. Derek Hardy. A 20-year police officer, he’s spent 14 years in forensics and is a member of the station’s Crime Scene Section.
Turner Is Sully’s Officer of Month
Police Det. John Turner is the Sully District Station’s Officer of the Month for February. He was honored at the station’s Feb. 13 Citizens Advisory Committee meeting for his accomplishments in January.
On to States for Team Robowiz
Rocky Run students compete Sunday in FIRST Tech Challenge finals.
On Jan. 12 at UVA, Rocky Run Middle School’s Robowiz team was a finalist in three FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) categories and triumphed in one of them. And this Sunday, March 3, the team will participate in the state finals at VCU.
Four Plead Guilty: Real Estate Fraud
Lorton woman faces five years in prison.
Four people pleaded guilty Tuesday, Feb. 19, in federal court in Alexandria to conspiring to fraudulently take over the titles of homes in Washington, D.C., without the real property owners’ knowledge, selling those homes and keeping the profit. Among those entering a plea was Patricia Mantilla, 35, of Lorton.
Following in His Dad’s Footsteps
Ben Sisson is county’s Volunteer Rookie Firefighter of the Year.
Ben Sisson is just 20, but he’s just been honored as Fairfax County’s 2012 Volunteer Rookie Firefighter of the Year. He received the recognition and a plaque last Tuesday, Feb. 12, along with other volunteer firefighters, during a ceremony before the Board of Supervisors.
Police Charge Three in Vehicle Vandalisms
Last month, police from the Sully District Station began investigating a number of property destructions and larcenies that happened Jan. 10, between 1-5 a.m.
Following in His Dad’s Footsteps
Ben Sisson is county’s Volunteer Rookie Firefighter of the Year.
Ben Sisson is just 20, but he’s just been honored as Fairfax County’s 2012 Volunteer Rookie Firefighter of the Year. He received the recognition and a plaque last Tuesday, Feb. 12, along with other volunteer firefighters, during a ceremony before the Board of Supervisors.
Pancakes, Coffee and Donations
Centreville IHOP Holds Leukemia, Lymphoma Fundraiser
Pancakes and syrup make a tasty meal; but at the Centreville IHOP, they’re also a way to raise money. And that’s what happened Feb. 5 when the restaurant held a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).