Back to profile

Mercia Hobson

Stories by Mercia

Tease photo

Matchup Set for Virginia Congressional District 10 Race

Suhas Subramanyam (D), Mike Clancy (R), and Dennis Aryan (I) will appear on the ballot in November for Wexton’s seat.

Matchup Set for Virginia Congressional District 10 Race

COMMUNITY NEWS AT A GLANCE

County’s Sheriff’s Office Is Recruiting.

County’s Sheriff’s Office Is Recruiting.

Tease photo

StarKist, Cornerstones and Feed the Children Partner to End Hunger

2024 Summer Food and Resource Rally

On June 6, Cornerstones, StarKist, and Feed the Children gathered for the third annual summer food and resource rally at Cornerstones Food Rescue Empowerment Enterprise in Sterling. Three Fairfax County nonprofits — LINK Against Hunger, South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry, and Fellowship Square — and two in the Dulles corridor, Dulles South Food Pantry and Community Lodgings, participated.

Tease photo

Governor Says Virginia Is Exiting Clean Car Commitment

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has no interest in a roadmap to a zero-emission future for vehicles in Virginia. Youngkin cites Attorney General Jason Miyares’ official opinion, which "confirms that Virginians are no longer legally bound to follow the emission standards of California.”

Tease photo

Unremitting Data Center Demand Pushes County to Act

Balancing an economy that can’t happen without data centers with homeowners’ rights and quality of life.

The relentless march of data center growth in Northern Virginia has reached a reported 70 percent of the total number of data centers on our planet.

Tease photo

Inaugural Herndon Pride Festival

Inaugural Herndon Pride Festival

Tease photo

Red-shouldered hawk attacks Great Falls family

Red-shouldered hawk attacks Great Falls family

Tease photo

Community News: Veterans and Military Families Commission

Veterans and Military Families Commission.

Tease photo

Community News At A Glance

Scott's Run Nature Preserve Ropens

News Briefs

Tease photo

County Supervisors Act Now

Increase Trust, Preserve Sanctity of Life, Reduce Disparity.

Police

School Board Adopts FY 2025 Budget

Can’t win ‘em all.

Community News at a Glance

Tease photo

Police Reform Recommendations Sit on a Shelf

Inaction by Supervisors compounded by FCPD stalling on life-saving measures.

Police reform

Tease photo

Are Supervisors Leaving Police Reform Efforts to Languish?

Stymied by FCPD, ‘We need the board to act.”

Police Reform

Tease photo

National Police Week 2024, Annual Candlelight Vigil

National Police Week 2024, Annual Candlelight Vigil

Tease photo

Community News: Homelessness Point-in-Time Count 2024, McLean Day, Skate Rink, Honor Guard

Community News at a Glance

Homelessness Point-in-Time Count 2024

Tease photo

Homelessness Point-in-Time Count 2024

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee's regional point-in-time counts are a "limited and imperfect perspective."

Tease photo

Pay Increase Goes from 6% to 3% for All FCPS Staff

Last-ditch attempt for 5% raises for teachers, support staff.

On Thursday, May 23, Mateo Dunne, the Mount Vernon District Representative on the Fairfax County School Board, launched an effort to amend the superintendent’s proposed FY 2025 Approved Budget.

Tease photo

School Board Hearing on Budget Poorly Attended

Why didn’t more people testify?

Dr. Ricardy Anderson (Mason District representative) welcomed the six people who testified Tuesday evening, May 14, at the Fairfax County School Board Public Hearing on the budget. The time between the first speaker, Nancy Trainer, starting her testimony, and Arthur Purves, the sixth speaker, ending his testimony was approximately sixteen minutes.

FCPS Students Awarded National Merit Scholarships

FCPS Students Awarded National Merit Scholarships

Tease photo

‘Addictive Cell Phone Usage’

Fairfax County School Board spurred to action on student cell phone use

Cell phones

Tease photo

Stop for Pedestrians in Fairfax County Crosswalks

Supervisors adopt ordinance amending county code to stop, not just yield.

Yield

Tease photo

Honoring Fairfax County Retiree Charles Smith

In January of 2024, Charles Smith retired as Watershed Project Implementation Branch Chief. In this role, he led a team responsible for designing, constructing, and monitoring water quality improvement projects.

Tease photo

Supervisors Adopt Budget Plan: Tax Rate Increase.

Challenges, needs, and the reality that the county cannot do it alone.

Tax increase

Tease photo

Seven Years Later, Still No Herndon Downtown Redevelopment

Comstock’s 2-year construction pause expired on April 30.

On April 24, a town spokesperson told The Connection that Herndon Town Manager Bill Ashton would update the Town Council during its April 30 Work Session on how “the town and Comstock are working together to determine next steps.”

Tease photo

Oakton Alum Facing Up to Four Years Prison

Convicted on two counts of involuntary manslaughter in crash in front of Oakton High.

Convicted

Tease photo

The AcceptAbility Gala

Global Down Syndrome Foundation gala tickets available; policymakers, National Institute of Health scientists attending.

Gala

Tease photo

No Hold Comments by Chairman and Supervisors

Budget, lack of state funding; Animal Protection Police or Animal Control Officers?

Budget

Tease photo

Many Needs in Schools, County

Testimony will highlight priorities for spending.

On Thursday, April 18, home care workers, public service workers, allies, and community members planned to join airport workers, elected officials, and candidates for Congress for a march and rally at Dulles Airport in support of access to affordable health care and paid sick leave for airport service workers.

Tease photo

Valor Awards Honor 230 First Responders

On Thursday, April 11, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce honored first responders at the 46th Annual Fairfax County Valor Awards.

Tease photo

It’s Going to Cost More To Do More

Public Hearings on the tax rate and sewer rate.

Due to rising service demands and challenges in funding them, Fairfax County faces significant challenges addressing its FY 2025 advertised budget of $3.8 billion

Tease photo

In Tents Not by Choice, But Lack of Choices

Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Johnson v. Grants Pass. on April 22, 2024 with consequences for people experiencing homelessness.

People experiencing homelessness opt to sleep in areas ‘not designated for human habitation’ because of a lack of affordable housing, especially for those earning below 30 percent of the Area Median Income.

Tease photo

Inova Schar Cancer Institute Reaches 5th Anniversary

Interview with John Deeken, MD, institute president

Inova Schar Institute

Tease photo

Bridge Over Troubled Crosswalk

Wiehle Avenue and W&OD Trail Bridge to be operational this summer.

Bridge over troubled crosswalk

Tease photo

In Tents Not by Choice, But Lack of Choices

Problems with data; police Encounters; shelter and housing.

People experiencing homelessness opt to sleep in areas ‘not designated for human habitation’ because of a lack of affordable housing, especially for those earning below 30 percent of the Area Median Income.

Tease photo

Founder’s Day in Reston

Founder’s Day in Reston

Community News at a Glance

Partial solar eclipse to a deflating tennis bubble.

Community News at a Glance

Tease photo

Descano Declines To Charge Officer in Fatal Shooting

Parents assert Commonwealth’s Attorney’s narrative of the police shooting incident is incorrect.

Shooting

Supervisors Uplift Trans Visibility

Health crisis looms for trans students.

Trans Visibility

Tease photo

Unsheltered Homeless Persons at Reston Encampment

Addressing future encampment closure.

Camp

Tease photo

FCPS Explains Opt-Out Notification for Holocaust Speaker

FCPS and Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington share insights.

FCPS opt-out

Tease photo

FCPS Pride Rally Mobilizes Leaders Against Lawsuit

Will FCPS continue to be safe for LGBTQIA+ students?

Pride

Tease photo

Are Pedestrians and Bicyclists Safe?

Crashes involving pedestrians have been increasing over the last three years, up from 144 in 2021 to 191 in 2022 to 233 in 2023.

bikes and peds

Tease photo

Newly Released Book Chronicles Fall of Saigon 1975

Local author tells of her Vietnamese family’s escape on the last plane out.

Vietnam book

Tease photo

Expedited Data Center Zoning Amendments

Protecting communities while addressing localities’ concerns.

Data Center

Tease photo

2024 Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County

Herndon Friends honor countywide high school juniors and seniors.

Peace