A New School Year in Great Falls
Cooper encourages critical thinking; Langley revamps Saxon Time; Highlander Kickoff on Aug. 27.
“This year, Fairfax County Public Schools are upping the rigor; this doesn’t necessarily mean more work, but it will be more challenging. We’ll be asking students to think critically, look for creative solutions, and work in collaboration with one another. We’re working within the curriculum to find extensions that will bring about these skills. Of course, Cooper will also be welcoming new seventh-graders, and I advise them to come in with an open mind and take advantage of the opportunities to make new friends, because five elementary schools come together here. We will also have new Spanish, French, mathematics and band teachers. We’re looking forward to a great year.”
Great Falls Studios Online Gallery Presents ‘Simply Summer’
The Great Falls Studios (GFS) artists have put to paper, molded in clay and caught on camera warm sunny days, summer vacations, beaches and boats, butterflies, flowers and abundant greenery.
Fairfax Republicans Nominate Bryan ‘BA’ Wolfe for Sheriff
Wolfe faces Democratic nominee Stacey Kincaid in Nov. 5 special election.
When retired Fairfax police officer Bryan “BA” Wolfe was selected as the Republican nominee for Fairfax County Sheriff last week, he vowed to “restore the public trust” by making the 500-member department more “accountable and transparent.”
Shedding Sunshine on the Secret World of Regulation in Virginia
Advisory panel rejects effort to open records of the State Corporation Commission.
Ever wonder what happens during deliberations that regulate payday lending? How about the effort to oversee your health insurance?
Women Leaders Gather at Great Falls Library
Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) hosts Young Women’s Leadership Program.
Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) welcomed author and political commentator Donna Brazile to her Young Women’s Leadership Program Tuesday, Aug. 13 at the Great Falls Library. Twenty-three young women, mostly middle and high schoolers, listened to Brazile tell her story and give advice on chasing their dreams.
Preserving History’s Jewels
Fairfax County considers new “resident curator” program to save historic properties.
“A successful resident curator program would allow the county to restore, maintain and protect important historic properties at little or no cost to the public.” —Cindy Walsh, Fairfax County Park Authority’s Resource Management Division director
Fairfax County Public Libraries: Version 2.0?
Staff, volunteers urge supervisors to reconsider “disastrous” library reorganization plan that cuts staff and services.
In a world where the Internet has replaced newsprint, e-books have supplanted paperbacks and the latest films stream directly to laptops, how do public libraries compete?
Outdoor Elegance Meets Cutting Edge Technology
A design/build team explores fine architecture in weather-resistant materials.
If anything in the summer of 2013 points to still evolving homeowner expectations, it may be the frequency with which locals are integrating screen porches, patios, fire pits, and outdoor kitchens into original landscaping schemes that artfully marry the house to its setting.
Geocaching Diversifies
Urbanites embracing new game.
Geocaching usually has been portrayed as someone with hiking boots and a walking staff gazing afar from a hilltop in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Not so anymore. Substantial numbers of those joining the sport are placing and hunting for caches in urban settings, and that includes Northern Virginia.
Great Falls Exxon Station Remediation Plan Nears Completion
Department of Environmental Quality prepares to receive report on remediation of gasoline contaminants.
A corrective action plan (CAP) addressing the remediation of gasoline constituents in the ground underneath the property of the former Great Falls Exxon station is in the final stages of preparation.
Fairfax County Police Officers Win Gold in Darts at World Games
Fairfax County Police officers Mike Tucker and Mark Kidd won gold medals in the darts competition at the 2013 World Police & Fire Games in Belfast.
Guarding Against Identity Theft and Fraud
Police advise residents on how to protect themselves.
With identity theft and fraud being such a major concern these days, police investigator Tom Polhemus and Det. Mike Deane recently presented some ways local residents can protect themselves from becoming victims.
Great Theatre in Great Falls
Traveling Players Ensemble presents two plays at Madeira School.
The Great Falls-based Traveling Players Ensemble concluded two of its summer programs last weekend with two productions at the Madeira School. The nearly full auditorium was treated to Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” as well as an original work, “Ariadne’s Thread,” written by TPE visiting director, Judy W. White.
Great Falls Senior Center to Host Capitol Squares
The Great Falls Senior Center (GFSC) hosts its first-ever dance program in September when the square dance exhibition team Capitol Squares of Washington, D.C. display the footwork and choreography that have made them famous throughout the country.
Will the Next Attorney General Defend Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage?
Republican says he will defend amendment; Democrat is not so sure.
Virginia's next attorney general will have to stand in a courtroom and make a decision about whether or not the commonwealth's constitutional ban on marriage should be defended. Republican candidate Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-26) has been clear about his support for the amendment and his intention to provide a vigorous defense of marriage. Democratic candidate Sen. Mark Herring (D-33), on the other hand, has yet to take a position on whether or not he will defend the amendment.