Working Group to Consider Re-Naming JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax County School Board seeks additional community engagement on divisive issue.
Coming off its recent decision to postpone the implementation of new regulations for transgender students, the Fairfax County School Board has moved action on the possible renaming of J.E.B. Stuart High School in Falls Church to a later date as well.
Burke, Mount Vernon: Copperthite Race Track Receives Historical Marker
2,000-person grandstand once stood in Burke.
More than 100 years since Copperthite Race Track opened in Burke, harnessed race horses once again trotted back and forth on the same grounds, now inhabited by the Burke Nursery and Garden Center.
Communities Observe National Night Out
Law enforcement and neighborhoods come together in Fairfax Station, Springfield and countywide.
Every night, that’s seven nights a week, Amanda Fox and her mother make rounds of the 169 houses in their community of Cardinal Estates in Springfield.
Police Investigating Two Deaths in Fairfax Fire as Murder-Suicide
Fairfax County Police have now released the name of Roy Eugene Rumsey, 58, as one of the two dead bodies that were found during a house fire in Fairfax on July 27.
Mount Vernon: Quander Road Stream Reconstruction Coming
Intention to stop massive sediment runoff flowing into Dyke Marsh
It’s safe to say Dyke Marsh should not be orange. Yet about two years ago, that’s what members of the group Friends of Dyke Marsh who lived in the River Tower condo building observed.
Mount Vernon: Second Embark Richmond Highway Meeting Held
More than 200 attended the session at West Potomac High School
More than 200 community members came out to West Potomac High School Monday night, July 25, for the second Embark Richmond Highway informational meeting.
Springfield Sharpshooter Bound for Rio
She’s not worried about hitting the bowl. Just striking the one-to-two-inch air rifle target from ten meters won’t win you a medal. It’s not even the middle ring, the size of a pencil eraser, that Springfield resident Ginny Thrasher is fixated on. It’s the dot in the center of that. Ten points.
Three Reported Shooting Incidents in Clifton, Fairfax Station
Detectives from the Sully District Fairfax County Police station continue to investigate three incidents of homes being fired on in Clifton and Fairfax Station. They don’t know yet whether the events are related, but don’t believe the acts of violence to be random either.
Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Springfield: Pokémon Go event hosted at Sully government center
With Fairfax County Police officers blocking traffic, dozens of community members crossed Stonecroft Boulevard in front of the Sully District government center in Chantilly.
Fairfax County: School Board Work Session Draws Transgender Regulation Protesters
The Fairfax County School Board was scheduled to discuss new regulations for addressing daily life at school for students who identify as transgender or gender-nonconforming at July 21 work session held at the school system’s Gatehouse Road headquarters in Falls Church.
Three Reported Shooting Incidents in Clifton, Fairfax Station
Detectives from the Sully District Fairfax County Police station continue to investigate three incidents of homes being fired on in Clifton and Fairfax Station. They don’t know yet whether the events are related, but don’t believe the acts of violence to be random either.
Fairfax, Mount Vernon, Springfield: Families host children from underserved New York City communities
At 11, Rickay Martin of Queens has already done Washington, D.C. With her host family, the Thompsons of Springfield, she’s visited The Spy Museum, The White House, George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
Burke, Fairfax: Braddock’s Best Honored
Local outstanding citizens, organizations and businesses were recognized by the Braddock District Council of Community Associations and Braddock District Supervisor program with the annual Best of Braddock Awards.
Fairfax County: School Transgender Regulations in Limbo
Fairfax County Public Schools are holding off on implementing new regulations regarding transgender and gender nonconforming students.
Fairfax County: Support for Police Auditor, Civilian Review Panel
Supervisors discuss independent oversight recommendations from Ad Hoc Commission.
Details of an independent auditor for Fairfax County police and a civilian panel to review cases of alleged FCPD abuse of authority or misconduct are still being hammered out. However there was general agreement among County Supervisors at the July 19 Public Safety Committee meeting that they are in favor of moving forward with the recommendations from the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission to create both entities for accountability.
Springfield: Three-Alarm Fire Draws 75 Firefighters to Brookfield Plaza
Investigators with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department are still looking into the origin and cause of a three-alarm fire that caused an estimated $600,000 in damage to a vacant restaurant in the Brookfield Plaza Shopping Center July 7.
Burke, Fairfax Station, Oakton, Springfield: Four swimmers from Burke club compete at Olympic Trials in Omaha
1:01.19. For the last year, Oakton resident Jasmine Hellmer has gone to bed looking up at “1:01.19” written on a Post-It note stuck to her ceiling. That time represented the rising Flint Hill School junior’s greatest goal to date: the time standard to qualify for Olympic Trials in the 100 butterfly.
Burke Resident Charged with Supporting, Attempting to Join ISIS
Burke resident Haris Qamar, 25, was arrested Friday, July 8 and charged with attempting to aid the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in the form of providing material support and resources.
Mount Vernon: Working Group Kickoff Thursday
Numerous Fairfax County departments and teams that will be participating in the total redevelopment of the Original Mount Vernon High School property are scheduled to hold an internal kickoff meeting at the Government Center July 14. Mount Vernon School Board representative Karen Corbett Sanders chaired the task force that submitted use recommendations to the county last December. The work group will also look at creating a Request for Proposals for a master planner, similar to the work done for the Liberty Crest at Laurel Hill redevelopment project in Lorton.
Mount Vernon: FCPS Transgender Regulations Head to Work Session
A public forum for Fairfax County Public Schools Board members to discuss how they should review new regulations concerning the treatment of transgender students has been canceled.
Fairfax County: Four Arrested at Natasha McKenna Protest
Racial justice group calls for Sheriff Kincaid to fire deputies.
Four demonstrators were arrested Monday morning at a protest outside the Fairfax Courthouse for the February 15 in-custody death of Natasha McKenna.
Fairfax County: School Board Receives New Transgender Regulations
Discussion moves to a work session
Friday afternoon, July 1, Fairfax County School Board members each received an email containing new operating regulations regarding transgender and gender nonconforming students.
Week in Burke
Weekly happenings in Burke
Four Arrested at McKenna Protest
Racial justice group calls for Sheriff Kincaid to fire deputies.
Four protesters were arrested Monday morning at a protest outside the Fairfax Courthouse over the February 2015 in-custody death of Alexandria resident Natasha McKenna.
Orange Hunt Fourth of July Parade Rolls Despite Rain
Light rain began to fall shortly before the 1 p.m. start of the annual Fourth of July parade across Sydenstricker Road in Springfield.
Lorton: Workhouse Gleams under Rockets’ Red Glare
Arts center in Lorton hosts thousands for fireworks display.
Thousands of visitors got their fill of fireworks July 2 at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, two nights before Independence Day.
Springfield: Police Chief Releases Video of Deadly Collision
The crash investigation is still continuing into the April 2, 2016 fatal collision between a Fairfax County Police cruiser and 26-year-old Jeffrey Ponce Aguilar of Alexandria.
Burke, Fairfax Station: Construction Beginning in August on Burke Lake Park Sewer Line
Construction is set to begin Aug. 8 on around 7,000 feet of sewer line running throughout Burke Lake Park.
Fairfax County: School Board Renews Superintendent Garza’s Contract
Fairfax County Public Schools has secured four more years with Dr. Karen Garza at the helm as superintendent. The School Board members voted unanimously to extend her contract through June 30, 2020 at their June 30 meeting.
Mount Vernon: Update on North Hill Rezoning Plan
Proposal includes multifamily rental and town homes.
After decades of meetings and stalled redevelopment, the most recent plan for making over North Hill’s 33-acre vacant site at the intersection of Route 1 and Dart Drive has gone the furthest.
Alexandria and Mount Vernon: Hundreds Pack Airplane Noise Meeting
Flight changes have caused deafening conditions at homes
At a meeting convened for community members to discuss airplane noise complaints, the irony of some struggling to hear over the sound of planes taxiing just outside the packed lounge at Reagan Washington National Airport’s historic Terminal A wasn’t lost on the audience of more than 300.
Burke Resident Unearths Trash, Artifacts at Silas Burke House Construction Site
Twelve inches to Brian Kabat can be worth 150 years, or more. That’s the depth up to which his metal-detector can accurately spot a target down to the size of a small coin.
Springfield: Supervisors Approve Plan for Transforming Kingstowne
Shopping center to be re-imagined as mixed use community with up to 800 apartments and condos.
Developer Halle Cos. has decided to change its plans for Kingstowne Towne center. Rather than updating the retail center with 1.2 million square feet of office space, as was the objective approved in 2008, instead they aim to develop 886,000 square feet in four buildings for up to 800 new apartments and condos.
Lorton: No Suspects Named as Police Investigate River Drive Homicide
In a June 20 update release, Fairfax County Police said detectives are continuing to investigate the March 11, 2016 murder of Johan De Leede.
Lorton: Fireworks Set to Explode over Workhouse Arts Center Again July 2
A fireworks display will once again be the highlight of a Fourth of July weekend evening program at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.
Burke Resident to Open New Exhibition at Torpedo Factory in Alexandria
Kathleen Best Gillmann of Burke is set to open an exhibition of her paintings depicting coastal landscapes titled “Vision at Water’s Edge” beginning July 6 at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria.
Fairfax County: Former Police Officer Torres sentenced to 12 months for killing John Geer
Torres released five days following sentencing due to time already served
For the first time in its three-quarters of a century in existence, a Fairfax County Police officer has been convicted and sentenced after an officer-involved shooting death.
Fairfax County: Torres Walks Free
Former police officer released five days after sentencing for killing John Geer
Former Fairfax County Police Officer Adam Torres walked free Wednesday morning, June 29.
Mount Vernon: West Potomac High School Holds Commencement June 20
“La decisión están en tus manos,” West Potomac High School graduating senior Alexandra Susano-Jarjuri said, sharing advice her father has given her over the years. “There will be repercussions, you can’t blame others,” she translated.
Mount Vernon: Bryant Sends Off More than 60 Seniors
More than 60 students walked down the aisle with cap, gown and golden tassel during the June 16 commencement ceremony at Bryant Alternative High School.
Mount Vernon High School Holds Commencement Exercises June 17
Though he’s only been with them for three months, new Mount Vernon High School Principal Dr. Anthony Terrell said he quickly came to admire the senior class of 2016.
Springfield: West Springfield Graduation Held June 17
On their graduation day, West Springfield High School teacher Mike Mukai spoke to the Class of 2016 about wishes.
Fairfax Station, Lorton: More than 500 graduate from South County High School on June 21
South County High School senior class president Taylor Berry lamented in her commencement address that little did she and her classmates know their secondary education would go by so quickly.
Burke, Fairfax Station: Robinson Holds Graduation June 15
The students may have been graduating, but their principal assigned one more book for them to read. Robinson Secondary’s Matt Eline sent each 2016 graduate on their way with a copy of Brian Tracy’s “Achieve Any Goal.” He made goals the theme of his address to the young adults on June 15 at George Mason’s Eagle Bank Arena.
Supervisors Endorse Police ‘Re-engineering’
Action items approved include use of force and communications recommendations from Ad Hoc commission.
The possibility of body cameras being worn by Fairfax County Police officers and the release of officers’ names involved with critical use of force incidents dominated discussion during two action items in the Board of Supervisors June 21 meeting.
Mount Vernon: One Dead after Shuttle Bus Flips
17 injured in collision on the George Washington Parkway.
One person is dead and 17 are injured after a shuttle bus collided with another vehicle on the George Washington Parkway around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14.
Natasha McKenna’s Mother Files $15 Million Wrongful Death Suit
Woman with mental illness died after being tased while in Sheriff’s custody.
Natasha McKenna’s mother is seeking more than $15 million in a wrongful death and gross negligence suit filed against Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid and five deputies.
Fairfax County Retired Educators award scholarships to aspiring teachers
Springfield resident Paul Naanou is determined to be in front of a classroom. The rising senior at the College of William and Mary and 2013 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has been a math and science instructor for Fairfax Collegiate over the last two summers.
Ten U.S. Air Force Band Conductors Assemble for 75th Anniversary Reunion Concert in Fairfax
The U.S. Air Force Band celebrated its 75th anniversary with a reunion concert on June 11 at the George Mason Center for the Arts.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Added to Fairfax County Student Handbook
School Board members debate whether students should be held accountable.
Students in Fairfax County Public Schools started the 2015-2016 school year without the words “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” as part of the nondiscrimination guide within their student handbook.