Editorial: Fostering Connections, Faltering
Why are federal dollars acceptable for roads, but not for helping foster children?
While there is plenty of competition for the title “most vulnerable,” foster children are certainly among them.
Column: Bringing Champions Together
Commentary
In my 20-plus years in Special Olympics I still, on occasion, make the same mistake. I miss the boat. I underestimate the abilities either cognitive or physical of our Special Olympics athletes; athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - April 24-26, 2015
A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.
A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.
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.
“Can You See Me?” Campaign Shines Spotlight on the Homeless
Volunteers and representative from Fairfax County’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) assembled mannequins representing homeless men, women, children, families and veterans on Friday, April 17 at the Fairfax Government Center.
Local Nonprofit Group Presents 'Perils of the College Drinking Culture' Program
The final quarter of the 2014-2015 school year has arrived. For thousands of area high school seniors that means time to say farewells to friends, teachers, and the familiarity of the routines and activities of the past four years. For many of them, it also means time to prepare for that first year of college, and possibly their first time away from home and daily parental guidance.
Budget Gets Marked Up
Supervisors scheduled to adopt budget next Tuesday, April 28.
The Board of Supervisors marked up the proposed budget Tuesday, April 21, by increasing school funding, adding key economic growth positions and restoring money to suggested cuts to "critical" human service programs Tuesday morning, April 21, according to its Chairman Sharon Bulova.
Outlook Optimistic for Local 2015 Real Estate Market
After what seemed to be an endless winter, spring has finally come calling, signaling the start of the year’s first real estate high season. Homes trade hands all year long, but spring is often for buyers, seller, agents, brokers and lenders like those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas; buyers at full speed searching out the best bargains and sellers looking to move their wares without having to resort to price-slashing sales tactics.
Editorial: Connection Papers Win Awards
Variety of coverage honored at annual Virginia Press Association conference.
On Saturday, April 18, a group of journalists from the Connection Newspapers traveled to Roanoke for the annual Virginia Press Association event to collect awards for business reporting, government writing, writing about health, science and the environment, feature writing, sports writing, column writing, obituaries, cartoons, entertainment pages and writing, public safety writing, editorial pages and writing, page design, informational graphics and more.
Column: Veto Session on Ethics, Voter ID, Government Surveillance
Commentary
Last week, we returned to Richmond for the annual Reconvened or Veto Session where we considered about 20 vetoes and 60 Governor's amendments to various bills. First, Governor McAuliffe signed the state budget we passed so there were no budget amendments to consider for the first time in my six sessions. However, that did not speed things up.
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.
Column: Pins and Needles
Commentary
This column isn’t about acupuncture or knitting, any more than last week’s column was about nausea.
Mount Vernon: Martin, Smith Lead Majors to Comeback Win over Titans
Mount Vernon boys’ lacrosse improves to 5-1, TC falls to 3-7.
The Mount Vernon boys' lacrosse team overcame a 7-1 deficit to beat T.C. Williams 12-11.
Mount Vernon Home Sales: March, 2015
In March, 2015, 117 homes sold between $1,300,000-$100,000 in the Mount Vernon area.
Mount Vernon Home Sales: March, 2015
Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: April 17-19
Weekend events in Alexandria and Mount Vernon April 17-19
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.
Mount Vernon: All-State Outfielder Zyzyk Transitions to Catcher
Towson signee changed positions to help team.
Ten months removed from a trip to the Conference 13 championship game, the Mount Vernon softball team prepared to enter the 2015 season anchored by all-state outfielder Stormy Zyzyk and promising young pitcher Susannah Anderson.