Mount Vernon: Changes at Fort Belvoir
Garrison Commander Mitchell renews Community Covenant, gives overview at business breakfast
Uniformed members of the West Potomac High School JROTC color guard paraded into the dining room at the Belle Haven Country Club as classmates in a chamber choir sang the national anthem to open the February Business Breakfast of the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce.
Mount Vernon Home Sales: January, 2016
In January, 2016, 76 homes sold between $775,000-$97,500 in the Mount Vernon area.
Mount Vernon Home Sales: January, 2016
Mount Vernon: Local Author Creates ‘Jack Spade’
Second novel reflects influence of film noir.
In “Jack Spade: Dream Detective,” computer programmer James Harper takes on the persona of a 1940s detective, Jack Spade, in his dreams. The story follows Spade and his partner Joe Sawyer as they try to solve a missing person’s case.
Mount Vernon Snapshot: Supporting UCM Progreso Center
Enjoying the Valentine Dance and Dinner on Feb. 6, hosted by Good Shepherd Catholic Church, are UCM Progreso Center volunteers (from left) banker Ruth Esum, her sister attorney Joyce Williams, and attorney Janet Smith.
Mount Vernon Letter: Mail Delivery Failures
Letter to the Editor
The following open letter was addressed to David E. Williams, chief operating officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service.
Mount Vernon Letter: Unconscionable Lack of Communication
Letter to the Editor
Recently the Virginia Citizens Coalition for Police Accountability, Inc. (CCPA), a Virginia nonprofit corporation, proposed that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appoint a Citizen Complaint Oversight Board, comprised of Fairfax County citizens who would accept and investigate citizen allegations of police abuse or misconduct and report its findings and recommendations to the Chief of Police or the Board of Supervisors.
Mount Vernon Column: Regional Gas Tax, Digital Divide, and Identity Protection
Commentary
The fifth week of the General Assembly Session brought some long days and nights as we rushed to complete work on bills before our mid-session deadline called “Crossover.”
Mount Vernon Column: About the Potomac Oil Spill
Commentary
Over the last several weeks, our area has been subjected to an oil spill fouling the Roaches Run waterfowl sanctuary and the Potomac River. Dominion Power claimed responsibility for a 13,500-gallon spill of mineral oil from the Crystal City substation, of which about 500 gallons contaminated the Potomac River. It is working with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and US Coast Guard to clean up the remaining oil.
Fairfax County: Parents, Community Supporters Rally to ‘Invest in Kids’
Emotional independent outbursts and communal chants of “Fund our schools” and “Invest in kids” echoed through the grand amphitheater just beyond the entrance to the Fairfax County Government Center.
Editorial: Freedom of Information on Life Support in General Assembly?
Last week, the Assembly passed SB 202, which undid a major push eight years ago to ensure that all of our public spending was ‘online’ and searchable by ordinary citizens. This, of course, meant disclosing the salaries of public employees over a certain income level.
Editorial: Fairfax Presses Ahead with Diversion First
When police encounter someone in mental health crisis, they can transport them to Merrifield Crisis Response Center instead of jail.
Natasha McKenna died a little more than a year ago on Feb. 7, 2015.
Diversion First Program Launched
Fairfax County officials announce Diversion First program designed to help individuals get treatment not jail time.
Kevin Earley said he’s living proof that Diversion First works. Earley has been living with bipolar disorder and had his last episode in 2007.
Uncovering the Roots of Slavery
Local student creates slave index to help descendants trace family history.
A local college student is spending much of her senior year scouring the last wills and testaments of residents of Northern Virginia.
ServiceSource Helps People with Disabilities
Nonprofit ServiceSource helps people with disabilities.
In one section of the ServiceSource Chantilly Center, music therapist Myra Goodrich leads a group of budding musicians playing a cheerful song.
Touching Many Hearts
Minecraft for a Mission – Touching Heart and their “Kids on a Mission” raise funds for children in foster care.
They say that charity begins at home. Helen Yi and Taylor, the mother and daughter co-founders of Touching Heart, a nonprofit aimed at educating and inspiring children to empathize with the needs of others and to take action to assist them, have no argument with that statement.
‘Star Wars’ Fans Flock to Local Classes
Movie's popularity leaves fans wanting to feel "The Force."
Beams of neon light flash around a dark room. Young Star Wars fans from a galaxy not so far away wield light sabers and move with carefully choreographed steps.
Time To Plan for Kids’ Summer Camp Adventures
Local camp fair offers sampling of summer programs.
Under a blanket of February frost, summer might seem light years away, but it’s closer than one might think.
West Potomac Dominates Early in Win Over South County
Wolverines improve to 9-1 in last 10 games, sit in 2nd place.
The West Potomac boys' basketball team defeated South County 59-45 on Friday.
Mount Vernon Letter: Legalized Extortion
Letter to the Editor
Thank goodness we have the Dillon Rule in Virginia. That rule precludes localities such as cities and counties from taking any actions not specifically authorized by the state legislature. The House of Delegates and State Senate have both passed Bills (HB 770 and SB 549, respectively) the intention of which is to place limitations on the ability of localities to extract unreasonable proffers from property developers.