Tuesday, February 28
Beware Early Allergy Season
Experts offer suggestions for preventing and treating allergy symptoms.
Those experiencing Itchy, watery eyes and seemingly endless sneezing know that spring allergy season is getting an early start this year thanks to this season’s mild winter weather.
Prayer Vigil at ICE Office
Rising Hope pastor speaks about arrests outside church.
On the morning of Feb. 8, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers showed up across the street from Rising Hope Mission Church on Russell Road in the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria.
Fairfax County Solicits Public Input on Environmental Vision
Online survey open through March 6.
Fairfax County is preparing to update the Environmental Excellence 20-Year Vision Plan (Environmental Vision) and the public is urged to weigh in via an online survey.
Chief to Release Name of Officer in Herndon Shooting
Risk assessment is complete.
The risk assessment of the officer involved in the fatal Jan. 16 shooting of Mohammad Azim Doudzai is now finished, according to a Feb. 24 release from Fairfax County Police.
U.S. Marshals Warn Public of Jury Duty Phone Scams
The U.S. Marshals Service is warning the public of a nationwide telephone scam involving individuals claiming to be U.S. marshals, court officers or law enforcement officials seeking to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty.
Editorial: Good, Bad and Missed Opportunities
Results of the 2017 session of the General Assembly.
GOOD THINGS Progress in funding mental health and addressing the opioid epidemic on multiple levels were among the successes of the 2017 General Assembly session.
Thursday, February 23
Wreath at President's Tomb
Wreath laying at Washington's tomb
County Names Police Auditor
New Fairfax County police auditor
Tuesday, February 21
Matching Pets to Their Owners
Animal shelters’ counselors help families find the right fit when seeking a pet adoption.
Natasha had been abandoned and was wandering the streets of Arlington under the blaze of a hot summer sun when she was rescued and taken to a local shelter.
Lawmaker Work Group to Examine Virginia Predatory Lending
Panel to investigate internet loans, car-title loans and open-end lines of credit.
The growing chorus of criticism about predatory lending in Virginia may not have prompted lawmakers to start passing laws to crack down on the industry. But it has accomplished one thing, formation of a work group.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
Robert Johnson of Woodbridge understands the mental health crisis from a personal perspective.
A Record Year for Alzheimer’s Association
Alzheimer’s Association of the National Capital Region honors its supporters.
Megan Newman told her story at the Alzheimer’s Association “Wall of Hope” reception at Tysons Corner on Feb. 9. She was only 18, a senior in high school, when her mother started to ask the same question more than once.
Opinion: Budget Season in Fairfax County
Attend a town hall meeting and express your priorities.
Alexandria and Arlington each have a meals tax, both enacted without a referendum because as urban forms of government in Virginia, their local elected bodies were authorized to enact the tax legislatively.
TD Bank Great Falls Branch Now Open
A grand opening celebration was held for the new TD Bank branch in the Great Falls Village Centre on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Beatrice Kelly-Russo to Play for Lynchburg College
Local high school senior Beatrice Kelly-Russo has accepted a bid by Lynchburg College to play on its championship woman’s soccer team.
Meet Bruce and Sambuca
We have two rescue dogs who we love dearly — they are truly part of the family!
Longstanding Thompson Farm Demolished
The 6.89-acre Thompson Farm at 964 Walker Road has been demolished.
Forestville Elementary School Students Bring History to Life in Great Falls
Fourth-grade students at Forestville Elementary School were up to something that had their parents flocking to their classrooms last Friday morning, Feb. 17.
Monday, February 20
Tasting Wine for Great Falls Community Causes
The Celebrate Great Falls Foundation will host its annual Winter Wine Tasting on Saturday, March 4, from 7-10 p.m. at the River Bend Golf & Country Club on Walker Road.
Great Falls Friends and Neighbors Presents Donation to Artemis House Shelter
Great Falls Friends & Neighbors (GFFN) has announced that their annual White House Ornament sales for the 2016 holiday season raised $6,600 for Artemis House, Fairfax County’s only 24-hour domestic violence shelter.
Wandering Dogs of Great Falls
Despite invisible and physical fences, Great Falls dogs seem to be very successful in their search for adventure beyond their yards.
Sisterhood of the Salaam Shalom Brings Communities Together
Local unity vigil draws a crowd from all over the Metro area.
America the Beautiful greeted all who entered the Sisterhood of the Salaam Shalom Unity Vigil on Feb. 16, 2017, at Temple Rodef Shalom in McLean.
Fairfax County NAACP Hosting Community Gathering
The NAACP of Fairfax County is hosting a community and Black History Month commemoration on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Letter to the Editor: Riding/Boarding Stable Definition Changes: Citizen Vigilance Now Necessary
On Feb. 14, the Board of Supervisors voted to change the definition of riding/boarding stables and to add teaching horseback riding to the list of allowable Home Occupations not needing a Special Permit.
Having a Great Time with Cali
Joey Collins and Stephanie Gaibler of Great Falls with their dog Cali.
Fairfax County Names First Independent Police Auditor
Richard G. Schott, a 27-year veteran of the FBI, was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to be Fairfax County’s first-ever independent police auditor.
Streetscape Project to Beautify Great Falls
Celebrate Great Falls (CGF) has launched its Streetscape Project in coordination with the Great Falls Garden Club.
The Connection HomeLifeStyle Real Estate and Remodeling Focus
Sponsored
This special focus will use the award-winning Connection Newspapers’ resources to illustrate the benefits of buying and listing homes for sale this summer.
Thursday, February 16
Great Falls Home Sales: January, 2017
In January, 2017, 11 Great Falls homes sold between $1,350,000-$465,000.
Great Falls Home Sales: January, 2017
Fear Follows ICE Enforcement
Men said to be detained after leaving Mount Vernon shelter.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Mount Vernon.
Era of the Iron Fist: How Did Democrats Rule the House of Delegates?
Democrats complain about Republican heavy-handedness, but were they any better?
Democrats complain that Republicans are sidelining their bills without much consideration. But were Democrats any better when they had control of the House of Delegates?
Wednesday, February 15
Editorial: Ending Gerrymandering Important to Region
Efforts appear dead for this session, but elections later this year provide new opportunities.
While three bills that could have reined in the runaway gerrymandering in Virginia made it through the Virginia Senate to crossover, they died on Tuesday morning in a House subcommittee, despite some vocal Republican support.
Job Fairs Match Fairfax County Teens, Employers
Supervisor Pat Herrity’s (R-Springfield) office, along with a variety of business and community organizations, hosted two teen job fairs and resume building workshops last year.
In Session: Virginia General Assembly Briefs
Ghost of Carter Glass
Meet state Sen. Carter Glass of Lynchburg.
FCPS Adopts $2.8 Billion Budget for FY2018
5.1 percent increase from 2017 prioritizes compensation and classroom resources.
The Fairfax County School Board formally adopted interim Superintendent Steve Lockard’s proposed $2.8 billion operating budget at its Feb. 9 meeting, following several work sessions and public hearings on the matter.
Chief Still Withholding Officer’s Name in Fatal Herndon Shooting
Temporary restraining order to not release name vacated by judge.
Fairfax County chief of police Edwin Roessler has yet to release the name of the 16-year veteran officer who fatally shot Mohammad Azim Doudzai, 32, at his Herndon-area home on Jan. 16 this year.
Improve Driver Laws, Reduce Road Deaths
Virginia’s highway safety report card.
Clifton resident Debbie Sausville represented Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) at a recent Capitol Hill news conference where Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) issued “report cards” rating all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their progress toward adopting 15 optimal laws that scientific studies, data analysis and real world experience show are effective at preventing death and injury on roadways.
Fairfax County Executive Proposes $4.10 Billion Budget
Calls for no increase in real estate taxes; falls $61 million short of schools’ request.
An exercise in “triage and trade-offs” was how Mount Vernon District Supervisor Daniel Storck described the FY 2018 budget as proposed by County Executive Ed Long to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
Celebrating Black History Month
Educators say these lessons are urgently needed in current racial climate.
Even though Elavie Ndura knows that it is a daunting challenge to help children grasp the entirety of the African American experience in the shortest month of the year, each February she and other educators give it their best effort.
Tuesday, February 14
Meeting Neighbors at Great Falls Farmers Market
TD Bank supports the Great Falls Farmers Market.
TD Bank reached out to the farmers’ market to see if they could have a booth to present information about their bank.
TD Bank Embraces Historic Roots of Great Falls
When you enter the new TD Bank for the first time this coming Saturday, Feb. 18, their opening day celebration, you will immediately connect with another opening day from long ago — the opening day of the Great Falls Grange, No. 738, on May 4, 1929 — the first Grange Hall built in Virginia — which is now a huge mural on one wall of the bank.
Monday, February 13
Evolving Land Use in Great Falls: Previous Classification
Board approves plan for nine homes on 11 wooded acres in Great Falls.
Sandra Cappiello made one last attempt to prevent the felling of 11 acres of trees near her property on land that used to be the Hill Nursery.
Richard J. Hesse, Colonel, US Army (Ret.) and a Long-time Great Falls Resident, Dies at 95
Richard J. “Doc” Hesse, 95, died January 22, 2017, in Northern Virginia.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Coming to Great Falls
Washington Post editor David Hoffman to visit Writer’s Group Feb. 23.
David Hoffman, contributing editor to the Washington Post and New York Times best-selling author, will visit the Great Falls Writer’s Group on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 11 a.m. at the Great Falls Library.
Search for Missing Woman in Great Falls National Park Called Off
The park police spent three days searching the 800-acre Great Falls National Park by land and helicopter.
The United States Park Police stopped searching for Becky M. McCleskey, 56, who was reported missing on Monday, Feb. 6.
‘The Children’s Hour’ at McLean High School: More Than a Play
In connection with their upcoming production, TheatreMcLean is hosting Mental Health Week.
In connection with TheatreMclean’s upcoming production of Lillian Hellman’s “The Children’s Hour,” TheatreMcLean is hosting Mental Health Week with McLean High School's Sources of Strength team and other local nonprofits working in the fields of suicide prevention, mental health, and anti-bullying.
Nysmith School Students Excel in Competitions
The most recent accomplishments of individual students and student teams from The Nysmith School for the Gifted continue a string of competitive achievements.
Planning 20 Parks: Inside Tysons or Out?
Vienna and McLean affected by 30-year vision for Tysons; more debate Feb. 23.
When creating a new city, county planners target a precise number of parks.
Great Falls Eye Doctor Taps Out At ‘Top Of Game’
Doctor Manfred von Fricken has traded in his white coat for a pair of blue jeans.
A Great Falls doctor has traded in his white coat for a pair of blue jeans.
Friday, February 10
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day Feb. 8
If you have lived in Fairfax County for any amount of time, you are surely familiar with the traffic situation here.
Commentary: First Amendment Is Alive and Well
“Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Tuesday, February 7
Bulova Calls for Land Use Engagement
Board of Supervisors chairman to host Community Council on Land Use Engagement.
At the Jan. 24 meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS), Chairman Sharon Bulova handed the gavel to Vice Chairman Penelope Gross (D-Mason District), and proceeded to utilize a “Chairman’s Initiative” to introduce a “Board Matter” of her own.
MATHCOUNTS Winners Announced
Top area teams, students advance to Virginia state competition.
The Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS Competition was held on Saturday, Feb. 4, at George Mason University.
Volunteer Events & Opportunities
Volunteer Events & Opportunities
Honoring the Past and Present
A home with both a rich history and modern conveniences is on the market in Fairfax.
When Betsy Rutkowski purchased her Fairfax home, she was drawn to its rich history and the childhood memories which it evoked.
City House, Country House
Home offers sunny interior and bucolic surroundings.
European craftsmanship, a free-flowing floor plan and light-filled rooms characterize a home that was designed according to the vision of a local jurist.
Fireplace as Focal Point
A hearth is in demand for cold weather.
“Fireplaces have never fallen out of favor,” said David Foster, president of Foster Remodeling Solutions.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
The backlog of untested rape kits has received a lot of media attention in recent years, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been working to find ways to process all that evidence. But that’s not the only problem with rape kits. Many of them are them are simply thrown away.
Cracking Down on On-the-Road Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about all the other screen time?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Rocky Road Ahead
Governor, business leaders and analysts offer insights on regional economy.
The road signs along the highway to the region’s economic future are a bit difficult to read, sometimes pointing positively one way, and at other times seeming to indicate slow downs and hazards ahead, according to speakers and panelists at last week’s regional economic conference.
A Look Inside Fairfax County Police Diversity Training
Commanders hear speeches on openness, forgiveness, professionalism.
West Springfield District Police Commander Cpt. Gervais T. Reed said when police officers leave the profession, some are in good shape, others are bitter.
Doris Carpenter Wins Great Falls Historical Society's Tibbetts History Award
The Great Falls Historical Society is pleased to award the 2017 Jean Tibbetts History Award to longtime GFHS officer, member, and local resident, Doris Carpenter.
Week in Great Falls
Improving Storm Water Management in Great Falls
On Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Falls Library, the senior conservation specialist of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, Willie Wood, will meet with the Storm Water Management Subcommittee of the Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA) to begin an effort to develop and implement voluntary best practice guidelines for homeowners, HOAs and turf management companies to better manage stormwater runoff.
Robert Gilbert’s Oil Painting Exhibit at Katie’s in Great Falls March 1-31
A mix of woodsy landscapes and impactful still lifes await the visitor to Katie’s Coffee House in the Great Falls Village Center.
State Agriculture Bill’s Defeat Felt In Great Falls
Sarah Wehri of Great Falls cannot sell her goat cheese or goat milk directly to commercial consumers and her hopes of doing so died in Richmond last week.
Monday, February 6
Great Falls' Tyler Bowman Debuts at Arena Stage
Forestville Elementary Student Tyler Bowman, 11, just made his acting debut at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, D.C.
Maple Syrup Boil Down at Colvin Run Mill
Demonstration on how sap from maple trees is boiled down into sweet syrup.
Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls hosted a Maple Syrup Boil Down on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017.
Thursday, February 2
Fairfax County: Body-Worn Cameras for Police Coming Closer
Policy addressing privacy, mental health, metrics needed before pilot begins.
Fairfax County Police could have a body-worn camera program for officers up and running as early as the fall. That’s what Police Chief Edwin Roessler and the Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee discussed at the committee’s first meeting of 2017 on Jan. 31.
Fairfax County: Deadline Reached for Civilian Review Panel Nominations
Supervisors to review applications before Feb. 14 meeting.
Jan. 31 was the final day for applications and nominations for Fairfax County’s first Civilian Review Panel, one of two new forms of independent oversight for the police department.
Wednesday, February 1
Angry Birds on the Road: Lawmakers Want to Crack Down on Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about Facebook and Twitter?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Angry Birds on the Road: Lawmakers to Crack Down on On-the-Road Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about all the other screen time?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.