Opinion: Editorial: Merry Christmas
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
The pages of the Connection (including the Alexandria Gazette Packet, the Mount Vernon Gazette, the Potomac Almanac and the Centre View) are usually full of holiday spirit, beginning before Thanksgiving.
Appealing Bad Rulings
Lawmakers to consider expanding appeals court, providing new oversight to judges.
Virginia is the only state in the country that does not guarantee a right to appeal, allowing circuit court judges to make decisions with little oversight or scrutiny. Critics have been calling for reform ever since the Court of Appeals was first created in 1985. The Supreme Court of Virginia recommended an appeal of right as a "long term goal" in 2018. Now, Gov. Ralph Northam says he wants lawmakers to add four judges and support staff "to ensure the court can hear more appeals cases in a timely manner under an increasing workload."
Mount Vernon and Global Warming
Ground water seeping up regularly may be a sign.
With the Potomac River a few hundred yards away, residents of Fort Hunt are seeing ground water seeping up, running down the sidewalks and low-lying street areas.
Unusual and Quirky Items Sell at Area Gift Stores
Consignment shops and estate sale hubs in the Mount Vernon corridor.
Gift Shops
Opinion: Commentary: Giving for the Holidays
Now is the time not only to give generously to your favorite charities but also to give wisely and knowingly.
The holidays are a time for sharing our blessings with those we love and those in need.
Opinion: Column: Three Strikes...
...and now I'm out – of the Handel's Messiah sweepstakes.
Virginia Master Naturalist Program Graduates Spring Class
The 2020 Spring class of Virginia Master Naturalists (VMN) graduated, finally, in a Zoom ceremony on Dec. 14.
A Holiday Season Reimagined
The pandemic leads to altered and new traditions.
When schools adjourn for winter break, the anticipation of a COVID-19 pandemic holiday season will become a reality.
Living with Foxes
They’re tough to “outfox.”
Foxes are very adaptable to human environments, Fairfax County wildlife biologist Erin Thady told 70 attendees at a Dec. 6 Zoom talk sponsored by the Friends of Mason Neck State Park.
Belle View Upgrades May Bring New Life to Shopping Center
Façade improvements continue during pandemic
In early December, shoppers aren’t the only ones busy at Belle View Shopping Center in Mount Vernon.
Opinion: Commentary: Shop Local and Support Our Neighbors!
Just like every year, COVID-19 or not, the season of thanksgiving is followed by the season of giving.
Absurd Leverage
Lawmakers to reconsider mandatory minimum for assaulting law enforcement
Earlier this year, lawmakers rejected a bill that would have ditched the mandatory minimum sentence for assaulting a law-enforcement officer. Now the General Assembly is about to consider the issue again.
Opinion: Commentary: Prepping for the 2021 Session of the General Assembly
The 2021 General Assembly session is a month away and my staff and I are busy in preparation.
What Does It Cost to Buy a Dog?
Virginia observes Puppy Mill Awareness Month
Second article in series.
A Look Inside the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meeting Dec. 1, 2020
Highlights of discussion and actions that impact all who live, work and play in the diverse county
Dec. 1 marked the final Fairfax County Full Board of Supervisors Meeting with Public Comment of 2020.