Beloved Children’s Book Comes to Life on Stage
Local students acting in musical “Pippi Longstocking.”
A children’s classic comes to life when The City of Fairfax Theatre Company and Truro Anglican Church present “Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical.” It’ll be held at Lanier Middle School, 3801 Jermantown Road in Fairfax.

Junior Buffalo Soldiers
The Junior Buffalo Soldiers Drill Team participate in the City of Fairfax's Fourth of July parade.

WFCM Reaches Out for Help
Group is collecting 2,000 new backpacks for local students.
“It is incredible to think that 50,000 students in Fairfax County Public Schools receive free or reduced-price meals.” — Jennie Bush, WFCM community outreach manager
Train Station Parking Will Be Expanded
Two easements should help Vienna businesses, trail users.
After much discussion and public comment, The Town of Vienna has granted conservation and parking easements to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

No More Parking in Old Town Square
As of Monday, July 7, parking lots within the Old Town Square project area of Fairfax are closed for construction. This area is the northern portion of the block bounded by University Drive, North Street, Main Street and Old Lee Hwy/East Street.
Beloved Children’s Book Comes to Life on Stage
‘Pippi Longstocking’ to be presented in Fairfax.
A children’s classic comes to life when The City of Fairfax Theatre Company and Truro Anglican Church present “Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical.”

Robinson, Woodson Students Performing in Hit Musical
They’re in “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.”
Students from Robinson Secondary and Woodson High play prominent roles in Westfield Summer Stage’s upcoming musical, “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.” Featuring a cast and crew of 85, all performances are at Westfield High, 4700 Stonecroft Boulevard in Chantilly.
Oakton’s Lourdes Navarro in ‘Pippi Longstocking’
Plays the title character’s girlfriend in children’s show.
A children’s classic comes to life when The City of Fairfax Theatre Company and Truro Anglican Church present “Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical.”

‘Thank You to Everyone Who Believed in Me’
Mountain View High holds spring graduation
At the start of Mountain View High’s June 17 graduation ceremony at Centreville High, Principal Dave Jagels told his students how honored and privileged he felt “to be the principal of one of the best schools in Fairfax County.”

Memorial to a K-9 Hero
Thor, a Fair Oaks firefighters’ search-and-rescue dog, is honored.
When the Fair Oaks District police and fire station renovations were dedicated June 14, part of the ceremony was for a dog named Thor and service dogs like him. A memorial to Thor now stands outside the entrance to the police station.

Colleagues Mourn GBW Instructional Assistant
After four decades there, Agnes Gordon dies at age 79.
After 43 years at Greenbriar West Elementary (GBW), instructional assistant Agnes Gordon decided she’d retire after school ended in June. So her friends and colleagues were prepared to say goodbye to her.
Roundups: Host a WFCM Food Drive
WFCM needs the community’s help over the summer months when it has a critical shortage of food.
Roundups: Farmers Market on Thursdays
Each Thursday, from 3-7 p.m., the Fairfax County Government Center hosts a farmers market in its parking lot.
Roundups: July 4th Safe Rides
WRAP will provide safe rides home during the Fourth of July holiday.
Roundups: Burglary in Centreville
Fairfax County police are also looking for a man who recently burglarized a Centreville home while the occupants were in it.
Roundups: Police Seek Robbers
Fairfax County police are seeking the group of teens who assaulted two other teens and robbed one of them.
Jagels: ‘Go Lead a Life of Inspiration’
Principal offers words of wisdom to the graduates.
When students first come to Mountain View, they often tell Principal Dave Jagels that they “hope” to graduate. But hoping, alone, won’t make it happen. Hope, he told his school’s almost-graduates, is a function of struggle.
‘Thank You for Your Time and Dedication’
City bids farewell to Councilmen Drummond and Stombres.
The City of Fairfax bid farewell last week to outgoing City Councilmen Dan Drummond and Steve Stombres in a special ceremony on the City Hall lawn. Each has served for six years, and the June 24 event included Boy Scouts, the City of Fairfax band, and the City Police and Fire Department Joint Honor Guard.
Fairfax Prepares to Celebrate the 4th
Parade, music, fireworks and fun.
The City of Fairfax will celebrate the Fourth of July, this Friday, starting with a 10 a.m. parade that travels through the downtown Fairfax Historic District. It’ll go on, rain or shine, starting at the Massey Building at 4100 Chain Bridge Road. Participants will march in a loop past the old courthouse, along Main Street and University Drive and past the reviewing stand in front of City Hall on Armstrong Street.
Council, School Board Look to the Future
Swearing-in ceremony at Veterans Amphitheater.
Before friends, family, colleagues and guests, City of Fairfax Mayor Scott Silverthorne and members of the City Council and School Board were sworn in last Tuesday, June 24, in the Veterans Amphitheater outside City Hall.
Council Mulls Memorial to Mayor Jane Seeman
May form committee to decide what type would be best.
After serving on the Vienna Town Council, M. Jane Seeman was Vienna’s mayor for 14 years until her death from lung cancer on Feb. 23.

CTB OKs Funding for Roundabout
Residents opposing it say they’ll keep on fighting.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has greenlighted a plan to build a controversial roundabout to improve traffic flow at the Braddock/Pleasant Valley roads intersection by Cox Farms in Centreville. Last Wednesday, June 18, the CTB awarded a $4.178 million contract to Fort Myer Construction Corp. to do the work. Furthermore, VDOT revealed it had found surplus money to complete the necessary funding for the project whose cost has escalated from its originally anticipated $2.6 million to $5.82 million.

‘Thanks for Making This Vision Happen’
Expansion, renovation of Fair Oaks District Police Station celebrated.
When the Fair Oaks District Police Station was built in 1982, it met the needs of the employees. It opened in 1983 with some 65-70 police officers and a handful of civilians.
Vienna Police Are in Annual Torch Run
Several members of the Vienna Police Department participated June 5 in the 29th annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Virginia Special Olympics.
‘Go into the World Fearlessly’
Madison High graduates 496 students on June 18.
Turning their tassels and tossing their caps into the air, nearly 500 Madison High students graduated last Wednesday, June 18, in Robinson Secondary School’s field house.
New Vienna Officer Academy Graduate
Vienna Police Officer Andrew Slebonick graduated May 5 from the 61st Session of the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy.

National Championship for Fairfax High School
Robotics team captures first place in Mini-Urban Challenge.
Fairfax High School is a national champion. On June 14, at the Emerald Coast Conference Center in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., its robotics team won a national competition called the Mini-Urban Challenge.

Marching Bands, Music, Fireworks and a Parade
City of Fairfax plans rip-roarin,’ rousing Fourth of July celebration.
For fun, music, fireworks and a rousing parade, the City of Fairfax is the place to spend the Fourth of July. The festivities begin at 10 a.m. with a parade through the downtown Fairfax Historic District, continue with open houses and a firefighters’ competition and culminate with rock music and colorful fireworks at Fairfax High.
‘Your Character Will Lead You to Success’
Westfield High graduates nearly 700 students on June 18.
Turning their tassels and tossing their caps into the air, nearly 700 Westfield High students graduated on Wednesday, June 18, in GMU’s Patriot Center.

‘I Want to Make a Difference’
Centreville High senior receives scholarships from Harvard and HLA.
He’ll graduate from Centreville High on Friday, and, this fall, he’ll enter Harvard University on a scholarship.

Chantilly Students Win National Art Medals
Diana Tsoy honored for photography, Jason Ly for printmaking.
Senior Diana Tsoy won a silver medal for her photography portfolio and classmate Jason Ly won a silver medal for printmaking.

'He's A Shining Star Amongst Our Staff'
PFC Rick Cline is Sully District Station's Officer of the Month.
PFC Richard J. “Rick” Cline is the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee’s Officer of the Month for May. He was honored at the CAC’s May 14 meeting following a report written about him by his supervisor, Lt. Brooke Wright.
Trophies and Cookies
CHS wins its eighth economic state championship
Sure, a school might win the state championship in economics one or two times — but Chantilly High recently won it for the eighth time.
City Council Honors PVI Hoops Teams
The Fairfax City Council recently recognized Paul VI’s boys and girls basketball teams for winning both the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) and Virginia Division 1 titles. It was only the second time in WCAC history that both the boys and girls teams won the conference title in the same year.

‘A World-Class Place to Live, Work, Dine’
Fairfax Circle Plaza will be redeveloped.
The Fairfax City Council has taken the first step toward revitalizing the Fairfax Circle Plaza. At its May 27 meeting, the Council approved a huge, new, mixed-use project there, entailing a grocery store, retail businesses and multifamily housing.
Traffic Study Presented
Town Council hears results of Tysons traffic study.
Concerned about how the increasing urbanization of Tysons Corner and the resulting traffic will affect surrounding neighborhoods, Fairfax County had 29 intersections analyzed.
Vienna Community Center Renovation Plans Update
Town to seek LEED silver certification for project.
The 48-year-old Vienna Community Center is being renovated, enlarged and modernized.
Chief Rick Rappoport: Taking a Look Back
Led City of Fairfax police more than 13 years.
Rick Rappoport finished one job and began another without missing a beat.

‘People Can Identify with Characters’ Humanity’
Local woman writes book, ‘A Season’s Assemblage.’
A new author has emerged on the literary scene with an anthology of short stories called "A Season’s Assemblage." Her name is Cleo Magwaro, and she’s a resident of Fair Oaks’s Penderbrook community.

Differing Views on Parking, Land Use
Town of Vienna says easements would benefit businesses, trail users.
The Town of Vienna hopes to grant conservation and parking easements to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority to expand the Vienna Train Station parking lot.

‘Dream Come True’ for Vienna Teen
New horse, high scores and ribbons for Cassie Picard.
Vienna teenager Cassie Picard spends a lot of time horsing around – but that’s because she rides ponies in competition.
Mixed-Used Development Proposed for Chantilly
Multifamily homes, retail, restaurants in Westfields Corporate Center.
The Westfields Corporate Center has attracted top-quality firms — including the federal government — to its business park in Chantilly. So it’s not surprising then that Akridge wants to join them.
Mom’s Quest for an Accessible Van
Ibis Espinal needs an accessible van — not for her, but for her 17-year-old son, Juwaan. A junior at Centreville High, he’s wheelchair-bound due to cerebral palsy.

‘He’s Not Special-Needs, But a Special Person’
Born with cerebral palsy and wheelchair-bound, Juwaan Espinal, 17, is unable to speak. But he literally squealed with delight and had a smile that wouldn’t quit, last week, when he got the surprise of his life.
Singing, Dancing and Silent Auction
Certainly, 2006 Westfield High grad Reema Samaha is known as one of the people who lost their lives in the Virginia Tech tragedy. But she was much more — a daughter, sister, friend and a talented dancer with a dazzling smile.

Passport to Global Music and Dance
Encore presents “The World at Your Feet.”
A Broadway-style, musical adventure is on tap in Encore Theatrical Arts Project’s new show, “The World at Your Feet.”

Strawberries, Daisies and Doughnuts, Oh, My!
Buy fresh produce, meet neighbors at Vienna Farmers Market.
For fresh produce, flowers, crepes, breakfast tarts, candy, baked goods and piping-hot doughnut holes – in a cheerful atmosphere filled with friends and neighbors – the Vienna Farmers Market is hard to beat.
Born to Run Memorial 5K Race Is June 14
Fundraiser for deceased teacher’s two daughters.
In November 2013, Franklin Middle School teacher Jannine Parisi, 47, was the victim of a tragedy which left her two teenage daughters without parents.
Passport to Global Music and Dance
Fairfax High student in Encore’s ‘The World at your Feet.’
A Broadway-style, musical adventure is on tap in Encore Theatrical Arts Project’s new show, "The World at Your Feet." It’ll be presented Saturday, June 14, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 15, at 3 and 6 p.m., at NOVA’s Ernst Community Cultural Center, 8333 Little River Turnpike in Annandale. Tickets are $22, adults; $18, students and senior citizens, at www.encore-tap.org.

‘This’ll Really Put Us on the Map’
Fairfax City Council OKs $4 million Old Town Square project.
The Fairfax City Council has green-lighted the long-anticipated, Old Town Square project and awarded a $4 million contract to F.H. Paschen Techtonics Corp. to make it a reality. But for awhile, it was touch-and-go.