Dr. Seuss-themed 23rd Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards
Wesley Pan of Great Falls-based Boy Scouts of America Troop 55 was humble about receiving the Youth Volunteer Group award. “We’re just happy to help the community and make a difference,” he said.
What's Coming in Springfield?
Sites and developments
GSA Warehouse 6808 Loisdale Road, Building A. The large warehouse off Loisdale Road in Springfield is in the running to become the new headquarters of the FBI. The building, owned by the General Services Administration (GSA) is competing with sites in Greenbelt and Landover.
What's Coming in the Fairfax Station, Lorton, Clifton Area
Gambrill Pointe subdivision Gambrill Pointe Court and Ridge Creek Way. These 20 homes on roughly 11 acres are in the process of being sold.
What’s Coming in Burke?
Sites and developments
The project by Henley Construction Company, Inc., includes renovating the 68,500 square feet of the previous school building, as well as 20,500 square feet of additional space.
Lorton: Chill and Cloudy Skies Don’t Damper SpringFest Fairfax
Nina Mendez of Springfield is a big fan of Earth Day. “I want to clean the world and make it better,” she said.
Fairfax Station: Garden Club Brightens Blue Star Memorial
Since its dedication on June 10, 2007, ladies of the Dominion Valley Garden Club have maintained a colorful, patriotic garden in front of the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum.
Students Celebrate Burke School’s 75th Anniversary
Virginia Lee Fowler Hyer is the oldest of seven girls who used to live in the “top of the hill” home now referred to as the Silas Burke House. She attended Burke School from 1944 through 1949 and on April 23, crossed the building’s threshold again to witness a program celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Fairfax County School Board to Consider Nondiscrimination Policy Change
When the members of the School Board reconvene on May 7, they’re scheduled to act on whether or not to add “gender identity” to the list of nondiscrimination categories for all Fairfax County Public Schools students, employees or applicants for employment.
Mount Vernon: Looking Ahead
Development is underway along Route 1.
The former Penn Daw Plaza shopping center was rezoned as part of a 2012 Comprehensive Plan amendment for the Penn Daw area and is set to be replaced by a mixed-use development called One Kings.
Trending in Mount Vernon
Waterfront, rebuilding and townhomes.
Chris White, an Alexandria-based Long and Foster agent, says business is booming for waterfront property in the Mount Vernon area. Whether it’s canals, creeks or the open river, “anything you can stick a boat into” is getting a lot of attention, he said. In particular, homes with dramatic river views, sellers of those in the $1-2 million range are getting close to their asking price.
One Injured In Hotel Fire
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue investigators determined that an accidental electrical fire ignited a blaze that destroyed the Quality Inn & Suites hotel located at 8849 Richmond Highway.
Mount Vernon: More Money For Route 1
Improvement projects for corridor gather momentum.
Fairfax County elected officials were pleased with recent announcements from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Commonwealth Transportation Board that included increased funding for transportation improvements along U.S. Route 1.
Mount Vernon: John Geer Protest
Adam Buchanan of Springfield was among a group of about 20 protesters in front of the Fairfax County Government Center prior to the Ad Hoc commission meeting on April 27. He began following the case of John Geer after some of his friends who lived nearby where Geer was killed told him about the incident. “I’m glad to hear about the grand jury,” Buchanan said, “but all these cases, why are people getting killed in these situations? What can be done to prevent this in the future?”
Protest Precedes Police Meeting at Fairfax County Government Center
Themed subcommittees announced at second police review commission meeting.
Increased Fairfax County Police presence was noticeable at the rear of the room after three masked men entered the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission.
Transurban Begins Grant Program for Express Lanes Corridor Nonprofits
Transurban, the company that operates the 95 and 495 Express lanes, announced earlier this month the launch of a community grant program for non-profit organizations working in or benefiting the Express Lanes corridor.
Springfield Family Donated Books to Establish Libraries in Africa
As parents of three homeschool children, North Springfield residents Adam and Jerritt Dayhoff go through a lot of books. They were reminded just how many books, as well as how many they weren’t using, when the family moved to the area in September 2012.
Fairfax County and Springfield Communities Celebrate the Life of Karen Brown
Springfield resident Sam Martin remembers Karen Brown as the exemplary neighbor. “She was a wonderful friend who wouldn’t drive by the house without stopping,” he said. “She was always welcoming you in, and a fantastic cook.”
South County High School Team to Compete in National Math Competition
It’s a question math students often ask their parents and teachers: When will I use this in real life? Last winter, South County High School math teacher Daniel Southard gave his students a concrete answer, attached to a financial incentive.
No Charges in Lorton and Centreville-area CVS Robberies on Easter
Police are continuing to investigate a pair of armed robberies that occurred at CVS stores on April 5, Easter Sunday, and whether or not they are related.
Completed Sidewalk Connects Burke Commons Road to Roberts Parkway
Construction of a new stretch of sidewalk along Burke Commons Road only took about six months to complete. But getting to that point took much, much longer.
Pirate Fest Returns to Lake Fairfax on May 2
When the Fairfax County Park Authority wanted to create a new cultural resources event for the public, Pirates was an alluring theme for citizens and their families.
Community Rallies Behind Fire Victims
After a Mount Vernon High School student and family lost their home in a fire on April 14, principal Nardos King sent an email the following Friday morning to school staff and the Mount Vernon “Keep In Touch” contact list asking for donations to help the family start over.
Thomas Jefferson Class of 2019: 70% Asian, 1.6% Black
Some say unbalanced admissions demographics at Northern Virginia’s top high school speaks to system-wide equity problems.
Consider: 70.2 percent Asian, 20.7 percent White, 5.1 percent Multiracial/Other, 2.4 percent Hispanic, 1.6 percent Black: This is the ethnic breakdown of the 493 students admitted to the 2019 class of the Fairfax County Public Schools magnet institution Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
Fairfax County Pays $2.95 Million to Settle John Geer Wrongful Death Suit
More than seven months after the Geer family lawyer Michael Lieberman filed a $12 million wrongful death civil suit in Circuit Court against Fairfax County Police, the two sides reached a $2.95 million settlement, announced Tuesday, April 21.
Nordstrom Rack Opens at Springfield Town Center
Seattle-based family clothing retailer Nordstrom will open the 176th location of its Nordstrom Rack discounted store at Springfield Town Center.
West Springfield Theatre Presents 'Merrily We Roll Along'
For a group of high school drama students full of hopes and dreams for the future, the message in performing a show where the tragic consequences of poor decisions are played out over the course of 20 years isn’t lost on them.
Earth Day Celebration: 2015 SpringFest Fairfax at the Workhouse Center
An Earth Day celebration wouldn’t be complete without ponies and food trucks. At least the combined Earth Day and Arbor Day event in Fairfax County, known as SpringFest Fairfax, wouldn’t.
Fairfax County Task Force to Recommend Sexual Assault Education Reforms
Fairfax County is examining how it prepares students to prevent and respond to sexual assault. In December, Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) brought forward a board matter concerning sexual assault culture. County staff responded in March with a report that assesses what Fairfax County Public Schools is doing in this area.
Democrats Debate for District Supervisor
South County Federation hosts supervisor candidates’ forum.
Members of the South County Federation civic association welcomed the four Democratic candidates to replace Gerry Hyland as Mount Vernon District supervisor for a debate during their April 14 meeting in the South County High School Library.
‘Blue Sky’ Projects: Build or Renovate?
Fairfax County Public Schools hosts Region 3 community meeting.
Mount Vernon residents Cathy Hosek and Shelly Good-Cook spent their Wednesday night in the Hayfield Secondary School cafeteria, engaging in discussion about how to improve their area schools and community.
Divided Fairfax County School Board Passes Salary Increase for 2016, to $32,000 from $20,000.
Just over a month after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to give the next board a $20,000-a-year pay raise, the School Board followed suit. In a 5-4 vote (three abstentions) at the April 9 meeting, the board approved raising the member salary from $20,000 to $32,000, with an additional $2,000 annually for the board chair.
Melissa Belote Ripley Went From Summer League Standout to Olympian
Melissa Belote Ripley’s former swimming coach Ed Solotar had two requirements: “You’ve got to want to win and want to get better,” said Belote Ripley, who was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Springfield. “To have to have that burning desire to always be the best, a fire in your belly to really want to win, to work -- that was easy for me, that’s just how I was.”
Workhouse Center Helps Vets with Artistic Expression
“This is going pretty deep for me,” said Lewis Walls. “But it’s going to bring me a lot of closure too.” Walls, a veteran stationed at Fort Belvoir, stood behind a spotlit music stand in front of an audience that filled the Vulcan Gallery of the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.
Burke School Set to Celebrate 75th Anniversary
The Burke School is turning 75. The building at the corner of Burke Lake and Lee Chapel Roads, dedicated in 1940, was built to accommodate the student population overflowing older three-room schoolhouse that was first built in 1912. The new school project benefited from the Works Progress Administration under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal.”
Burke United Methodist Church Supports Dominican Republic Mission
Members of Burke United Methodist Church are finishing what they started three years ago in the Dominican Republic. A mission team from the church began working on a house for local clergyman in Sosúa, Pastor Jeremias. During construction, Jeremias died of complications from brain cancer. Funds for the house went to help with the pastor’s medical bills so the building was never completed.
The Pothole Picture in Fairfax County
Two “p”s become prominent and problematic this time of year: pollen and potholes. The Virginia Department of Transportation can at least do something about the latter, if not the former.
‘Drive to Donate’ Campaign Raises Funds for Fire and Rescue Departments in Fairfax
Transurban, operator of the I-95 and I-495 Express Lanes, designated March 21 for a “Drive to Donate” campaign. All tolls collected on that day from the nearly 40 miles of lanes stretching from the Dulles Toll Road to Stafford County would be donated to local Fire and Rescue departments.
Mount Vernon: Foreman Drives Senate District
GOP candidate spends day seeing the 36th top to bottom.
By 2:30 p.m. on April 2, Dumfries Mayor Jerry Foreman had already attended meet-and-greets in Stafford, Quantico and Montclair. His fourth stop was the home of Susan Valentine in the Kingstowne area of Alexandria. A fifth event, an ice cream social called “Get the Scoop on Jerry,” awaited him at the finish line in Dumfries.
Mount Vernon: Surovell, Krizek Deliver Petition on Route 1 Widening
Following a public meeting held March 31 at the South County Government Center to discuss the different projects the Northern Virginia Transit Authority is considering, Del. Scott Surovell (D-44) and 44th District House of Delegates candidate Paul Krizek submitted a petition to the Transit Authority demanding the widening of Route 1 be made a higher priority.
Still Honoring Vets in Schools
Fairfax County Public Schools Board votes down calendar amendment to make Veterans Day a holiday.
Fairfax Station resident Steven Hunt, retired U.S. Navy, put it bluntly: “Votes count, words don’t.” That was following a vote in which all but two members of the Fairfax County School Board voted against an amendment to the 2015-2016 calendar that would have made Veterans Day a school holiday.
Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Completes Purchase of Springfield Town Center
The Philadelphia-based firm Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced April 1 it had closed on acquiring Springfield Town Center from the previous owners at Vornado Realty Trust, based in New York.
Northern Virginia Nereids Send Synchronized Swimming Duet of Woodson and Robinson Students to Nationals
High school juniors Margot Baden and Jackie Hafner, students at W.T. Woodson High School and Robinson Secondary School respectively, and their coach chose to set their duet synchronized swimming routine to a medley of music from the “Batman” franchise.
Missing Civil War Marker Plaques Find a Home at Fairfax Station Railroad Museum
When Fairfax Station native Lee Hubbard was stationed with the U.S. Army in Baltimore, he would come home every weekend, sometimes more often than that. On a visit in the spring of 1959, Hubbard and his brother Bob went to check out something some local children had been talking about.
Joe Murray of Alexandria to Run for 39th District Senate Seat
Alexandria resident Joe Murray recently announced his bid for Virginia’s 39th District Senate seat, which includes parts of Fairfax County, the city of Alexandria and Prince William County.
Marsden Announces Re-election Campaign
Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37) announced his intent to continue as a Virginia state senator in a March 26 statement.
Prisoner Escapes from Fairfax Hospital, Gets Recaptured
Social media aids manhunt
Around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31, Wossen Assaye overpowered the female member of his two-guard private security detail while the male was out of his hospital room. Assaye was reportedly in shackles on a hospital gurney before the struggle.
Springfield: Getting into Marian Homes
Remodeling project to provide for residents with intellectual and or physical disabilities.
When the new residents of Marian Homes’ latest remodeling project move in to the Gresham Street house in north Springfield, Fairfax resident and Marian volunteer John Germain hopes they feel at home.
Northern Virginia Training Center in Fairfax to Close by March 2016
From institution to community, finding homes for those hard to place.
Joseph McHugh has lived at the Northern Virginia Training Center for 35 years, moving in when he was a teenager. McHugh has cerebral palsy and colostomy and severe spasticity issues. At the training center, McHugh works with a speech pathologist, nurse, on-campus dietician and is close to an X-ray machine, dental facility and clinic on the grounds.
Sargeant Kicks Off Mount Vernon Supervisor Campaign
Of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors district seats, all of which are up for election this fall, the Mount Vernon spot is already being contested by four candidates.
South County Federation to Host Mount Vernon Supervisor Debate
All four candidates vying for the seat of retiring Supervisor Gerry Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) will square off in a debate hosted by the South County Federation at its monthly meeting on April 14.