Mount Vernon: Quander Road School graduates took different paths, reached the same goal
Quander Road School Principal Joe Thompson is actually fond of the iPhone intelligence Siri chirping “re-routing” during route guidance. In his remarks to the 12 graduating seniors at the school for students with mental health and behavioral challenges, Thompson used Siri to congratulate them on reaching their goal.
Mount Vernon, Springfield: McAuliffe Announces Site for New Puller Veterans Care Center
120-bed facility to be built in Fauquier County.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said he’s working on making Virginia the most veteran-friendly state in America. Though the Commonwealth, he said, is the first and only one to have “functionally ended veteran homelessness,” it still has one of the lowest ratios of available care centers to number of veterans in the country.
Springfield Days' Petfest 2016 at South Run RECenter in Fairfax Station
Diane Roadcap of Springfield wants people to understand that animals are spiritual beings. Ever since she was a girl of five and felt drawn to a box at the local dump in Luray that contained a dog duct-taped to the inside, doomed to be incinerated, she says she’s had the gift of being able to translate for animals.
Burke: Shocked by Kidney Disease
Family searching, waiting in line for living donor.
Burke resident Hayden Shock graduated from Gallaudet University May 13 on the dean’s list with a marketing degree. That was expected. Fewer than two months before, he was diagnosed with acute kidney failure. For a healthy college senior -- Shock threw javelin and competed for Gallaudet track and field -- the diagnosis was totally unexpected.
Herndon Police Officers Train with Fairfax Fire & Rescue
Two menacing Dodge Charger sedans come to a stop, a dark silver one in front of the other, all black with gold lettering that reads Herndon Police. Officers from the cruiser get out, and begin barking commands at the driver of the suspicious car in front.
Police Apply Crisis Intervention Training with Distressed Lifeguard
On Memorial Day, Fairfax County Police used Crisis Intervention Training techniques to try communicating with a distressed 20-year-old lifeguard at the Riverside Park Swimming Pool.
Fairfax County: High School Senior Addresses School Board on LGBT Issues
Board conducting community review of Family Life Education curriculum recommendations.
Bennett Shoop remembers first being bullied in second grade. He liked to dress all in black, wear weird shirts, be alternative in his outward expression.
Fairfax and Fairfax Station: VFW 8469 and American Legion 177 hold Memorial Day ceremony
Aaron Coffin of Fairfax is proud to say “Happy Memorial Day.” Some people say the national holiday to honor fallen soldiers should be sullen, reflective affair. But the ten-year Army veteran said he wouldn’t want it that way. Nor would anyone he’s served with.
Fairfax Station: Saint Mary of Sorrows Honors Dead American and Irish Veterans
Perched on a hill, the stately white St. Mary’s church overlooks Ox Road in Fairfax Station. Highlighting the cemetery’s 400 or so graves, some dating back to the time of the Roman Catholic church’s first mass in 1860, are American and Irish national flags placed on Memorial Day.
Springfield: Police Continue to Investigate Brookfield Plaza Robbery
Fairfax County Police haven’t announced any further arrests in connection with the May 21 armed robbery that took place at the Dubai Jewelers Store in the 7000 block of Brookfield Plaza in Springfield.
Fairfax: Fire Chief Bowers Involved in Crash
Fairfax County Police and Deputy County Executive for Public Safety David Rohrer are investigating a collision between Fire and Rescue Department Chief Richard Bowers’ county vehicle and another car.
Memorial Day 2016 Observed at Burke Centre Conservancy
Piper Matthew Kuldell led the color guard -- members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5412 and Boy Scout Troop 1345 -- into the area of the Burke Centre Conservancy on May 31 to begin the observance of Memorial Day.
Fairfax County: School Board Adopts $2.7 Billion Budget
FY 2017 budget aims to raise teacher salaries, lower class sizes.
The Fairfax County School Board has made good on Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza’s promise when she introduced a FY 2017 budget for the school system.
Mount Vernon: Police Investigating Shooting Death of FCPS Employee
Tarreece John Sampson, 24, of Alexandria was found unresponsive around 2:20 a.m. the morning of May 20.
Springfield: Suspects Arrested in May 21 Armed Robbery Case
Three days after an armed robbery and gunfight that broke out in Springfield’s Brookfield Plaza, Fairfax County Police announced Tuesday, May 24, that two men have been arrested in connection with the case.
Rare Sun Blesses 44th Clifton Fairfax Homes Tour
Braun home breathes history and inviting warmth.
May 19 was far from the first time Richard and Jane Elizabeth Braun of Fairfax have opened up their home to numerous guests.
Springfield Days Returns to the Sweet Spot
Market Expo, PetFest, Cardboard Regatta among community festivities.
Springfield resident Ron Hilbig’s small business Turtle Hill Originals was supposed to be a fun retirement job. Now in his second year of creating custom decorative mirrors, picture frames and treasures boxes, he still works full time as communications director at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield.
Fairfax County shares plan for mitigating effects of Safe Track maintenance
Bracing for shutdown "surges" in face of Metro crisis
If you use Metrorail from Vienna or Reston or Tysons, be on notice: The Orange and Silver lines will be the first affected.
Fairfax County: Supervisors Review Use of Force Guidelines
Public Safety Committee meets before June 21 vote: gun carry positions, release of information, body cameras discussed.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is standing by its Chief of Police and his department.
Fairfax County: Kaine Requests Funding for School Drinking Water Testing
FCPS developing testing plan; last test was 2004.
In response to the lead contamination of drinking water of Flint, Michigan, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine joined 24 other senators asking Congress for funding to have school drinking water tested for lead and other toxins.
Fairfax County: 15th Day Prom held for students with disabilities
Students’ bodies bounced, swayed and spun on the dance floor while the Black-Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” blared from towering speakers. In another room, glamorous girls and boutonniered boys waited in line to pose for a professional photographer. It was a prom.
Fairfax County: Female Firefighters Share Experiences
Offering to bring balance into gender issue.
For five-year veteran firefighter-paramedic Alisha Reakoff, her “gender has been a non-issue” in her experience with the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department.
Fairfax Station, Lorton, Springfield, Mount Vernon: Lawmakers Report on 2016 General Assembly
Diversifying the economy, expanding Medicaid and school funding discussed.
Del. Dave Albo (R-42) introduced himself as a rare breed, an elected official in Virginia who happens to also be a Republican.
Fairfax County School Board members respond to Obama transgender bathroom guidance
When a student in Fairfax County Public Schools identifies as transgender and they bring it to the attention of their school staff, the school brings in the student’s parents and together they work out a tailored bathroom plan: where to use single-stall facilities on campus that will make the student feel most comfortable.
Mount Vernon: Browne Academy Turns 75
One of Virginia’s first racially integrated schools celebrates with arts, picnic and assembly.
Independent school Browne Academy didn’t begin its daylong celebration of the institution’s 75th anniversary trumpeting the fact it was founded as one of the first racially integrated schools in Virginia.
Fairfax County: Hispanic Leadership Alliance awards scholarships to 14 seniors
West Springfield High School senior Fernanda Justiniano-Rivero fought back tears as she thanked her mother for everything. “She worked three jobs, barely raised me, would come home and be so tired,” Justiniano-Rivero said. “But she still would bring me gifts, ask me if I did my homework. I used to pretend we would travel the world and it be just us, I would live in a fairy tale.”
Mount Vernon Brief: McKenna Administrative Investigation Ongoing
The administrative investigation of the Fairfax County Sheriff’s deputies involved with the Feb. 8, 2015 in-custody death of 37-year-old Natasha McKenna is still ongoing, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Captain Steve Elbert said.
Police to Continue Improving Transparency
Public Safety Committee reviews recommendations for police use of force and communications; vote scheduled for June 21.
Fairfax County Supervisors and the Public Safety Committee met Tuesday May 10 to review police use of force and communications policy recommendations from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission.
Fairfax County: Training to Reverse an Overdose
In 30 to 45 seconds, a single dose of the drug Naloxone can be the difference in whether someone experiencing an opiate overdose lives or dies.
Fairfax County: Shining a Light on Addiction and Overdose
Herrity’s Town Hall addresses heroin and prescription drug abuse in Fairfax County.
South Lakes High School and George Mason University graduate Ginny Lovitt lost her brother Chris to a heroin overdose. He was 21 and had been discharged from the Sagebrush Treatment Center of Northern Virginia just a week before, in January of 2013. His tolerance was down.
Mount Vernon: Fort Hunt Little League hosts first Challenger game
Children with mental and physical disabilities were able to take the field April 30 as the Fort Hunt Little League hosted its first “Challenger” baseball game at Hollin Hall fields.
Burke: Funeral Held for Lake Braddock Teenager
A funeral service for 16-year-old Brenda Soto of Burke was held Friday April 29 at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home. Soto was a student at Lake Braddock Secondary School, where she was found unresponsive in a bathroom just before 6 p.m. on April 20. The Office of the Medical Examiner hasn’t released the cause and manner of her death.
Fairfax Station and Mason Neck: Police Ask Public for More Information in River Drive Homicide
While the investigation continues into the March 11, 2016 murder of Johan De Leede in the 6000 block of River Drive in the Mason Neck area, Fairfax County Police said Major Crimes Division detectives are still asking any individuals with additional information about the case to come forward.
Burke and Herndon: ‘Swim Like Michelle’ Event Raises Money for Foundation Fighting Blindness
Adult swimmers paddled precariously up and down the lanes, their vision obscured by blacked-out goggles. Some were able to feel their way forward without much course-correcting, others bounced between the lane lines like pin-balls.
Fairfax County Fire Chief Moves to Address Department Cyberbullying
After the suicide of Fairfax County firefighter-paramedic Nicole Mittendorff and suspected cyberbullying of the 31-year-old that came to light after her death, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue is cracking down on workplace harassment, bullying and discrimination.
Fairfax County 2017-2018 School Year to Begin Before Labor Day
Fairfax County Public Schools delaying their start date until after Labor Day will be a thing of the past. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the School Board decided classes will begin one week before Labor Day, rather than immediately following it, as has been the tradition.
Burke: April 2016 Neighborhood Development Outlook Update
Burke Junction: Guinea Road and Zion Drive area. The site plan for a development of 17 single-family homes has been approved and the developer expects to start clear land at the end of April.
Fairfax Station, Lorton, Clifton: April 2016 Neighborhood Development Outlook Update
Ox Road Estates around Adare Drive: An infill project of ten single-family homes is under construction.
Springfield: April Neighborhood Development Outlook Update
The Bonefish Grille parking lot area has been approved by the Lee District land use committee and Fairfax County planning commission for construction of several new mixed use structures: Ground level would be retail with residential above.
Mount Vernon: Projects Reshaping the Area
Include commercial, residential and historic.
The Huntington Club Condominium Association is reviewing developer bids for a new mixed-use project that would include 1,200 to 1,800 housing units, 600,000 to 1 million square-feet of office space and 127,000 square-feet of retail space.
Mount Vernon: Burgundy School Celebrates 70th Anniversary on Earth Day
Sickles and Burgundy alum Krizek read proclamation.
Clumps of students, from kindergarteners to eighth-graders, gradually emerged from the woods to fill up a scenic outdoor amphitheater that serves as the Burgundy Farm Country Day School’s assembly hall. They gathered on April 22 to celebrate Earth Day and the school’s 70th anniversary.
Mount Vernon: Woman Charged with Murder
Fairfax County Police have charged Jessica R. Deneal-Whalen, 27, of Alexandria with second-degree murder of 51-year-old Raymond A. White, of no fixed address.
Burke and Fairfax: Young Artist with Autism Shows Work at Our Daily Bread’s “Artful Living”
“HERE MY WORK IS YELLING AT THE STONE INSIDE THAT REFUSES TO LEAVE MY SOUL AND BODY IN PEACE.” Those are 16-year-old Fairfax resident Ben Breaux’s words that accompanied his mixed-media painting “The Kidney Stone” at the April 23 juried art contest and Our Daily Bread fundraiser “Artful Living.”
Burke: Old Burke Post Office Being Relocated to Silas Burke House Property
The old Burke Post Office will be joining fellow historic landmark the Silas Burke House on the top of the hill on Burke Lake Road. The first phase of the move took place Saturday morning, April 23, when the old structure was mounted on a flatbed truck and relocated to a site across from the Burke Centre Library for temporary storage.
Lorton: No Suspects Named in Ongoing River Drive Homicide Investigation
Over six weeks since Johan De Leede, 83, was shot to death in his home on the 6000 block of River Drive in the Mason Neck area, Fairfax County Police have yet to name any suspects in the homicide.
Fairfax Station: Fourth annual Fragile X walk raises $55,000 for molecular bank for research
Jimi Grande of Fairfax Station may never get to teach his ten-year-old son Jimmo to throw a baseball. Jimmo was born with effects from an inherited genetic mutation called Fragile X that can cause moderate to severe mental impairment and learning disabilities, and is linked to autism spectrum disorder.
Fairfax County: Chief Investigating Cyberbullying of Dead Female Firefighter
Search for Nicole Mittendorff called off after police “preliminarily identify” female remains, find suicide note found in her abandoned vehicle.
The search for Nicole Mittendorff, a paramedic-firefighter based at Fire Station 32 in Fairfax Station, has been suspended, a release from Virginia State Police said on Thursday, April 21.
Burke: Lake Braddock Student Dies after Being Found Unresponsive in Bathroom
Sixteen-year-old Brenda Carina Soto of Burke was found unresponsive in a bathroom at Lake Braddock Secondary School on Wednesday, April 20, just before 6 p.m.
Mount Vernon: Embark Richmond Highway Community Meeting Set for May 9
“Embark Richmond Highway” is the long-term project for expanding and diversifying transportation and development along the Richmond Highway Corridor. It resulted from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) study of Route 1 transportation needs, the recommendations from which Fairfax County Board of Supervisors endorsed 11 months ago.
A Look Inside the Transformation of Lorton Reformatory into Liberty Crest
Imagine living in a former prison cell, or kitchen, or administration building. Doing laundry where others once did time. The wait is down to about a year, when The Alexander Company out of Madison, Wis. and McLean-based Elm Street plan to deliver 165 new apartments as part of Phase I of Liberty Crest, a mixed-use redevelopment of the Lorton Reformatory.