Stories for June 2020

Opinion: Column: Mourning, Afternoon and Evening

We had to euthanize Biscuit, our oldest cat, on Saturday, June 20th. He would have been 14 on September 20th.

Use of Force Rises in 2019 in Fairfax County

Disproportionate treatment of African Americans recorded in every police district in the county.

While Black people are less than 10 percent of the Fairfax County population (9.7 percent), they are the targets for use of force by police 46.53 percent of the time.

Ready or Not, Here Comes Phase 3 in Fairfax County

Tracer data sparse; COVID clusters threaten.

Fairfax County, along with the rest of the state, is expected to enter the third phase of reopening on Wednesday, July 1.

Fairfax County Supervisors Approve Paid Family Leave

Helping County employees meet family demands and employment responsibilities.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved Paid Family Leave for County employees during its June 23, 2020 Board meeting.

Marijuana Decriminalized July 1 in Virginia

Will decriminalization of marijuana stop inequitable treatment for communities of color?

Who is more likely to be charged, asked Braddock Supervisor James Walkinshaw. An executive of a defense contractor smoking marijuana on his deck overlooking woods in Clifton or Great Falls, or the Black teen or young adult walking down Route One in Mount Vernon, or on a street in the Annandale or Culmore sections of Fairfax County?

Remote or In-School Learning in Fairfax County

County families should respond by July 10.

School reopens for Fairfax County Public Schools students in eight weeks. That means that families in the 10th largest school division in the United States have until Friday, July 10, to respond with their enrollment choice for the entire 2020-21 school year.

Using Holistic Practices

How Yoga and Meditation can help ease anxiety over racial injustice.

Before the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent stay-at-home orders, Kesha Davis’s weekday evening routine included picking up her fifteen-year-old son at a bus stop in Old Town Alexandria.

Opinion: Commentary: New Voting Laws

With the primaries now behind us it is not too soon to turn our attention to the General Election on Nov. 3 and Virginia’s new voting laws that will go into effect on July 1st.

Original Mount Vernon High School Renovation Meeting Monday, June 29

A virtual community meeting is planned for June 29, 2020 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to provide updates on the Original Mount Vernon High School Renovation and Adaptive Reuse project.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Black Lives Matter

The people of our nation are being attacked by the very system that is required by law to help them, serve them, and protect them from crimes against them.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Terminate Local Agreements with Park Police

As you know, on Monday, June 1, 2020, the United States Park Police (USPP) used tear gas on citizens at Lafayette Square who were peacefully exercising their constitutional rights prior to any curfew.

Q&A with Brielle Brown, Graduating Senior, West Potomac High School

My biggest hardship since school has been closed for the remainder of the year has been preparing for my AP exams outside of the classroom. With distance learning classes only taking place two days a week, I am doing a lot of studying and reviewing on my own.

Use of Force Rises in 2019 in Fairfax County

Disproportionate treatment of African Americans on the rise, too.

While Black people are less than 10 percent of the Fairfax County population (9.7 percent), they are the targets for use of force by police 53 percent percent of the time, 315 of 594 incidents.

Opinion: Commentary: Our Work Continues

This year has the potential to bring about profound, long-overdue change.

Like millions of Americans across the country, Congress has had to adapt to the new reality we find ourselves in.

Warner Visits to Tout Bill for NPS Parks

National Park maintenance bill Includes million for GW Memorial Parkway and related parks.

Park bill

Grads Make the Best of Things in the Mount Vernon Area

Mount Vernon graduates

Opinion: Commentary: Terminate Memoranda of Understanding with US Park Police

As you know, on Monday, June 1, 2020, the United States Park Police (USPP) used tear gas on citizens at Lafayette Square who were peacefully exercising their constitutional rights prior to any curfew.

Opinion: Column: Masking My True Feelings

For those of us living in states where mask-wearing is mostly mandatory (indoors: yes, outdoors: not nearly as much), it is very easy to hide one's emotions.

Seniors Join Protests for Racial Injustice

Remembering the past to inform the future.

Long before there was a Black Lives Matter movement and smart phones that captured police brutality on video, and long before throngs of people filled streets around the world to protest racial injustice, there were smaller crowds of pioneers fighting to tear down barriers imposed by Jim Crow laws.

‘We Can’t Wait Until 2021’ in Fairfax County

Calls for police reform intensify in the days since Fairfax County officer charged with assault for tasing man in Gum Springs.

The institution of policing dates back to the institution of slavery. “It has to be acknowledged as such. What happened 400 years ago is actually manifesting itself in practice today,” said Fairfax County Chief Equity Officer Karla Bruce.

Opinion: Commentary: Economy May Be Rebounding

This week, I virtually attended our second Appropriations meeting since we adjourned the April General Assembly reconvene session.

Opinion: Commentary: South County Task Force Statement on Police Tasing of Gum Springs Resident

The South County Task Force, an activist group in Mt. Vernon and Lee Districts, denounces the tasing and assault of La Monta Gladney, a black man in the Gum Springs community, by officer Tyler Timberlake from the Mt. Vernon Police Station.

Workhouse Arts Center Launches Community Market

The Workhouse Arts Center will launch the weekly Workhouse Community Market.

Hayfield Secondary School Graduates Parade in Kingstowne

On the afternoon of Sunday, June 7, Hayfield graduates gathered in the parking lot in Kingstowne and set out on a self-made graduation parade.

Opinion: Commentary: Fairfax County NAACP Demands for Police Reform and Accountability

At a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, June 16, the Fairfax County NAACP unveiled the following vision and demands for police reform:

COVID-19: Not a Fair Fight

Regional perspective: pandemic exposes health inequality leading up to discrepancies in life expectancy.

The zip codes with higher concentrations of poverty, lower education levels, and crowded housing conditions tend to have the highest rates of COVID.

Scenario 1, 2 or 3: What Will It Be in Fairfax County?

2020-21 school plans presented to the County School Board.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) presented their preliminary recommendations for the 2020-21 school year to the Fairfax County School Board on Monday, June 15, during its work session.

Four Road Projects Move Forward in Transportation Approval Chain in Fairfax County

Road projects are spread throughout County.

Transportation in Fairfax County got a boost lately when the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority moved forward on four projects in the county that are designed to help traffic congestion.

Opinion: Column: Taking the Results in Stride

Apparently, I'm back in the lung cancer business. According to the video visit I had June 8 with my endocrinologist, my thyroid cancer has not moved into my lungs where my oncologist thought it might have – given the results of a previous biopsy and some surprising tumor inactivity in my lungs.

ARTSFAIRFAX Provides Emergency Relief and Recovery Grants

"As we move into Phase 2 of openings, the arts community is still suffering the economic impacts of COVID-19," said Linda S. Sullivan, President & CEO of ARTSFAIRFAX.

Pandemic Patience: Counselor at NVFS Calms New Mothers

Tele-mental health during COVID-19 is the new normal for the Healthy Families Program.

Mental health counselor Bianca Molinari Anez knows what it is like to encounter postpartum depression; she experienced it herself. That’s one of the reasons she is so devoted to the group of women she counsels.

Northern Virginia Family Service: More than a Safety Net for 100 Years

During the Great Depression, they handed out coal and coats. Now, it’s an array of services.

Ninety-five years ago, Northern Virginia Family Service handed out coats and coal in Alexandria. Today, the organization has a much broader mission and geographic reach throughout Northern Virginia and – in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – an increased need for its services.

Discussing Racial Injustice with Children

Books and visual art can help begin difficult conversations.

As horrific scenes of police brutality and images of passionate protesters fighting for racial justice are ubiquitous in a smartphone and social media obsessed society, parental control over information that children receive can be limited. Framing and discussing such issues can be equally as challenging.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Statement from the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia

As the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia, we raise our collective voices on behalf of the more than 2.5 million residents of our region to express our sorrow for the decades of injustices that have befallen the African American community in America.

Opinion: Commentary: Community Comes Together for Equality and Justice

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Beyond the Walls March for Justice, Tuesday, organized by Pastor Brian Brown and his youth church.

Opinion: Commentary: The Time to Act is Now

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “a riot is the language of the unheard.” The centuries-long pain and suffering of black communities across this Commonwealth and our nation is clearer now to majority whites than ever before.

Hundreds Come Out to Fight Racism and Police Brutality

Mount Vernon was ground zero for the latest incident involving Fairfax County Police.

Protest march

Fairfax County’s Week in Coronavirus

Cornerstones Town Hall, contact tracing, contact tracing scams, moratorium on evictions for now, and more.

BACKLOGGED TESTS: Starting on June 9, the Virginia Department of Health’s COVID-19 data dashboard will reflect 13,000 additional tests that were backlogged. Over the next couple of days, this new information will be slowly added to the current data, which will result in an influx of results.

Opinion: Column: “The News of My Death...

…is greatly exaggerated." So said Mark Twain. So said W.C. Fields. And so said Kenny Lourie.

In Fairfax County, Adopt-A-Road is a Hit

County has highest participation in Virginia.

With everyone concentrating on social distancing these days, the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway is a possible option to clean the roadsides, get some sun, and practice social distancing while doing a good deed.

Opinion: Commentary: ‘We Must Work to Remove Racist Policies’

The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area stands with millions of Americans in grieving the senseless murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, and countless other Black lives at the hands of law enforcement officers.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Statement from the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia

As the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia, we raise our collective voices on behalf of the more than 2.5 million residents of our region to express our sorrow for the decades of injustices that have befallen the African American community in America.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Northern Virginia Houses of Worship Will be Open, But Not Their Buildings

The State of Virginia and Fairfax County have told us that we can reopen our houses of worship at fifty percent capacity. We will not be doing so at this time.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Northern Virginia Rotary Clubs Letter on Racism--

Signed by District Governors and 10 Area Clubs.

George Floyd’s needless and heartless death has set in motion a dramatic nationwide response that we refuse to ignore.

Call to Action from TJHSST Principal

I would like to simultaneously call the TJ community to action in three areas.

Summer Blooms

Heat tolerant flowers that add bursts of color to gardens and landscapes.

As spring flowers begin to wither under the heat and humidity of summer, the vibrant blooms that once graced yards and gardens begin to fade. It’s during this time that landscapers and gardeners rely on a bevy of color-rich flowering plants that are hearty enough to stand up to the relentless summer sun.

An Arlington Kitchen Gets a Facelift

From dark and dated to light and modern.

When an Arlington family grew tired of their home’s cramped, dark kitchen, they turned to interior designer Elena Eskandari to modernize and expand it, while creating a space for entertaining.

Fairfax County Police Department Officer Charged with Assault Against Community Member

Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Police Chief: ‘These acts are unacceptable.’

"The body-worn camera video I am releasing shows a Fairfax County police officer deploying force in violation of our use of force policies … They are criminal acts which violate our oath of office, and they ignore the sanctity of human life," said Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Police Chief, the day after one of his officers deployed an "electronic control weapon," multiple times on an African American male who did not appear to be a threat.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: On the Recent Death of Mr. George Floyd

I do not believe our country engages in systematic racism!

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Applauding Vetoes

As Virginia's Spring legislative session wound down Governor Northam vetoed three healthcare bills. What isn't clear about these bi-partisan bills intended to expand insurance access is what they really entail.

Opinion: Commentary: Be Safe at Home

While we continue to spend the majority of our time at home, I wanted to highlight one of the major dangers that exist in and around our homes: poisons.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: A Moment to Act

I’m sure folks have seen the protests this weekend in response to George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police officers, and years of violence against the Black community.

A Call to End ‘White Silence’

Demonstrators converge at Public Safety Headquarters in Fairfax.

After seven days of nationwide protests, escalating riots and looting by some in the fallout from the death of African-American George Floyd while being arrested by a white officer in Minneapolis, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Northern Virginia held protests at two northern Virginia police headquarters.

Flores Perseveres as Pandemic Cancels Some Plans

Marissa Flores’ determination as wheelchair basketball competitor leads her to sports management, working with children.

Mount Vernon High School student

Outdoor Concert On a Mount Vernon Community Street

Barclay Brass ensemble hammers out tunes for the neighborhood.

outdoor concert

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Justice for Bijan Ghaisar

I conducted my own 1 person vigil for Bijan on May 27 from 12:20 until 1:20.

Appetite: 4 Ingredients for a Stellar Pandemic Picnic

A Friday-night picnic under the stars may look a little different in this age of social-distancing, but the weather waits for no pandemic, and the nights have turned warm and balmy.

Opinion: Column: Night and Now Daze

That wasn't so bad. Approximately 29 hours in the hospital in a private room and all I had to do was drink as much water as possible and shower half a dozen times.

Let’s Get This Right: Mask Up NOVA

It’s Phase One and Executive Order 63 for Northern Virginia’s reopening.

On May 29, The Northern Virginia Regional Commission announced that it produced a Public Service Announcement emphasizing the importance of wearing a face mask in public indoor spaces.

Governor Northam Declares State of Emergency

Assistance to localities authorized.

In Northern Virginia, Fairfax County Police assisted in Manassas when demonstrations there “became violent as some of the protesters proceeded into Sudley Rd., stopping traffic, and throwing objects at passing motorists and officers,” according to Prince William Police.

When One Drink is No Longer Enough

Increase in alcohol consumption during COVID-19 worries some.

Just three months ago, her evening routine was simple. She made dinner for her 10- and 12-year old children, and after they’d taken showers and gone to bed, she settled onto the sofa in her family room with a book and a glass of wine.

Fairfax County’s Week in Coronavirus

Facemasks mandatory; outdoor seating in restaurants; retail stores start to open.

“Science shows that face coverings are an effective way to prevent transmission of the virus, but wearing them is also a sign of respect. This is about doing the right thing to protect the people around us and keep everyone safe,” said Gov. Ralph Northam.

George Floyd on Our Minds

While protests spread coast to coast, and local law enforcement condemn the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, data show that police use of force locally targets African Americans disproportionately.