Stories for August 2015

Newcomers Guide: What's Coming in Great Falls?

Several times a year, the Connection will map coming land use issues; to let us know about projects we’ve missing, email kmoore@connectionnewspapers.com

Newcomers Guide: Who Runs Great Falls?

Great Falls Citizens Association is one-stop shopping for citizen activism.

The Best of Dranesville

Supervisor Foust recommends places to see in his district.

Dranesville residents love their parks. We are fortunate to have many wonderful parks, as well as historical sites and community events to enjoy. The following are some of my favorites.

Fairfax County: Meet the Candidates for County Board

All politics is local, in Fairfax County, too: Who runs for Board of Supervisors in November?

You may be surprised – or dismayed – to learn that the 10 men and women who occupy Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wield enormous power and influence over your everyday lives.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 28-Sept. 7, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Great Falls Home Sales: July, 2015

In July, 2015, 26 Great Falls homes sold between $3,900,000-$439,500.

Great Falls Home Sales: July, 2015

Torres Trial Date Set for December

Bond denied for former police officer charged with murdering John Geer.

Shortly after 10 a.m. on Aug. 19, former Fairfax County Police officer Adam Torres entered the circuit courtroom for his arraignment, dressed in a baggy, blue-green prison jumpsuit. Torres was indicted the previous Monday by a special grand jury for killing Springfield resident John Geer in August, 2013.

Classified Advertising August 26, 2015

Read the lastest ads here!

Column: 'Bulky Boy'

Although this title invokes the nickname of one of my three male cats – Andrew, to be specific – he is in fact not the point of th is column.

Great Falls: Defensive-Minded Langley Field Hockey Searching for Offense

Coach Robb: injured goal-scorer Duenkel ‘unlikely’ to play.

The Langley field hockey team enters the 2015 season with a strong defense.

Letter: Welcome from Police Chief Ed Roessler

Newcomers Guide

Dear Community Members: The Fairfax County Police Department was established on July 1, 1940 and today we have an authorized strength of 1,372 sworn law enforcement officers who protect and serve the communities of the County. On average, officers respond to over 400,000 calls for service each year.

Great Falls: Groundwater Cleanup Continues

GFCA responds to latest figures from gas additive spill; eyesore continues to plague Great Falls.

In the last three months, about 27 pounds of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) have been removed from the groundwater as a result of the leak from the former Exxon Station at 9901 Georgetown Pike.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 21-30, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Fairfax County: Policy Changes Recommended on Mental Health and Crisis Intervention

About half of the inmates in the Fairfax County Jail have a mental health illness or substance abuse disorders. The Mental Health and Crisis Intervention Team subcommittee of the Fairfax County Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission included this information from County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid in the introduction to its list of policy change recommendations to the full commission on Aug. 17.

Fairfax County: Former Police Officer Charged with John Geer Murder

Adam Torres indicted by special grand jury.

Adam Torres has been charged with murdering John Geer. Though Torres shot the unarmed man once in the chest nearly two years ago, the then-Fairfax County Police officer remained on the department’s payroll until being terminated July 31, 2015.

Great Falls: Langley’s Donaldson Returns from ACL Tear

Six-foot senior outside hitter is leader of talented Saxons.

Rising senior outside hitter Jessica Donaldson returns to the court for the Langley volleyball team after missing most of her junior year with a knee injury.

Column: Accommodate or Exacerbate

As a diagnosed-as-“terminal” cancer patient (is that better, Rebecca?), I feel I am due some accommodations. However, when offered or given, I am hesitant to accept (not always, though; I’ll be honest).

Checking the Back-to-School Healthcare Blocks

Local governments, clinics offer free immunizations for all and physical exams for the uninsured.

As the lazy days of summer wind down, beach trips, lemonade stands and lax bedtimes give way to alarm clocks, textbooks and backpacks. Public health officials say that a back-to-school list should include more than pencils and paper. For many, the first order of business is a well-child physical, a dental exam and required immunizations.

Editorial: Sea Changes in Policing?

Report offers blueprint for transforming aspects of policing, jail and services for people with mental illness.

Yesterday, for the first time in the history of Fairfax County Police Department, a Fairfax County Police officer was charged in a shooting death.

Colvin Run Elementary to Focus on Caring Culture

PTO sets goals for a new year: fundraising for new laptops.

As summer comes to a close, elementary schools in the Great Falls area are hard at work preparing to welcome students to a new school year.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 14-23, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Great Falls: Massive O-Line Key to Langley Football Team’s Success

Saxons lost program’s all-time leading rusher to graduation.

The average size of Langley's four returning offensive line starters is 6 feet 3, 284 pounds.

Column: B.D. Versus A.D.

If my experiences as a cancer patient/ “terminal” “diagnosee” are at all typical, then the following generalization might in fact be true: certain situations and/or feelings that were once tolerated before diagnosis are nearly impossible to tolerate after diagnosis: traffic, waiting in lines, rudeness, compromise, sacrifice, delayed/deferred gratification, to list just a few. Life becomes so much more precious, that wasting some of it – or the perception of wasting some of it – on unpleasant, unrewarding, aggravating, stressful, menial tasks, obligations, duties, etc. becomes almost too much to bear; on a consistent basis, anyway.

2015-16 Deer Archery Program

Two information meetings about the county’s Deer Management Archery Program are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Fairfax Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, and Tuesday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon District Station, 2511 Parkers Lane in Alexandria, Community Room.

Great Falls National Park Hosts Many a Celebration

An August Sunday in the park.

Brandon Greiner, 3, took the lead. The three-year-old biked the trails from one overlook to the next while his twin sister Ainsley, mom Nicole and father Nathan Greiner walked immediately behind.

Great Falls: Artstars Presents ‘Pets On Parade’

Great Falls Artstars Studios holds piano recitals.

The students of Artstars Studios LLC of Great Falls recently held piano recitals. The theme of the recitals was "Pets On Parade."

New Cycle Studio Brings Fitness and Fun to Great Falls

“A Party on a Bike” comes to Great Falls.

Grab a bike and a bottle of water. Fitness is about to get fun.

Function Meets Beauty

Wheelchair accessible bathroom doesn’t have to be utilitarian.

After Curtis Brand was diagnosed with amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS) and he could no longer climb stairs, he and his wife, Judith, had to make the difficult decision to sell their home in northwest Washington, D.C. They then purchased a two-bedroom, two-bathroom property on the 18th floor of Turnberry Tower in Arlington.

Home’s Makeover Enhances Family Life

With time constraints, Sun Design converts large, dated house into residence that satisfies everyone’s agenda.

Meet Roger Lataille, senior design consultant at Sun Design Remodeling and — more importantly — a remodeling resource homeowners turn to, and return to, whenever they need expert advice, hands-on support and commitment.

Editorial: 'Our Community Deserves Better'

Strongly worded recommendations for police on transparency and public trust; FCPD has miles to go.

Outrage over the shooting death of John Geer of Springfield on Aug. 29, 2013, by a Fairfax County Police officer led the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to form of the Ad Hoc Police Practice Review Commission, which began meeting in March 2015. The Communications Subcommittee was the first to give recommendations to the full commission, and the report pulled no punches.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 7-16, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Fairfax County Seeks Partner to Develop Training Center Property

Deadline for offers on the surplus land is Sept. 1.

Potential buyers have until September to make their offers to purchase the roughly 80 acres of property along Braddock Road where the Northern Virginia Training Center currently sits.

Young Swimmers Make Splash at Annual NVSL All-Star Meet

Watts, Cruz set NVSL records.

The NVSL recently held its annual All-Star meet.

Column: Back on Track

Having reread last week’s column a time or two now, I’ve realized that I neglected to update you regular readers – especially those of you who read my most recent pre- and post-scan columns: “Abyssful” Ignorance and Scant Know For Sure Anymore – on the previous week’s scan results. Once again, I have defied the odds – maybe statistics would be a better word?

Helping Aging Parents

Event will highlight resources available for long-term care planning.

Antonio M. Taguba says his life changed forever during a family reunion in 2006, starting with an announcement from his mother.

Teams in Training

Getting in shape while raising money for charity.

Rain poured from a gray March sky. Drenched racers wound their way through Washington, D.C. before spilling across the finish line at R.F.K. Stadium, their running shoes heavy and soaking wet.

Great Falls Celebrates Summer on the Green

Sunday evening concerts bring community together.

Sunday’s Concerts on the Green at the Great Falls Village Center are a weekly tradition that continues to unite the community.

Human Trafficking: ‘No One is Immune’

Teenager leaders warned, asked to educate themselves and peers against sex trafficking.

Detective Bill Woolf described how human traffickers use all tools possible, including social media, to lure victims anywhere and everywhere, including Tysons Corner, Great Falls and McLean.