Cox Charities Virginia Awards Area Nonprofits
Cox Communications awarded $160,000 in grants to 25 nonprofit organizations in Virginia through Cox Charities grants programs. The grants presented Feb. 21 are part of the nearly $8 million Cox contributes annually through cash and in-kind support to the communities where they do business.
Emotional Win Puts Woodson in Tonight's Region Championship Game
Cavaliers will face Lake Braddock for fourth time this season.
The Lake Braddock boys' basketball team is 3-0 against Woodson this season.
Pet Connection
Our readers submitted photos of their adorable pets.
Take a look at some of the adorable pet photos our readers sent in for our Pet Connection.
Assistance Dogs: Making Connections
Service dogs and their “handlers” are teamed up through paws4people.
I was already one of those embarrassingly crazy dog people, when I first met Kyria and Terry Henry, founders of paws4people.org. But I had no idea how little I truly knew about the bonds possible between animals and their people. After photographing puppies coming home for the first time, dogs sharing their favorite pastime and pets who are older and/or ill, I really thought I knew all about the animal/people connection.
Local Author Publishes ‘Meditations of the Heart’
Q and A with Burke resident Deborah Gibson.
Deborah Gibson is a professional counselor and pastor at Sup of the Lord Church, a bilingual church in Springfield. She has lived in Burke for 28 years. Gibson recently published a book, “Meditations of the Heart,” and shares her story below.
Koinonia Foundation Provides Emergency Assistance
New executive director uses sales background to help others, increase awareness
The Koinonia Foundation, located in a building behind Franconia United Methodist Church, has been serving the Springfield area since the early 1960s. Many area residents, however, are unaware of Koinonia’s role in the community of providing assistance to those in need.
Hayfield Senior Excels in Automotive Technology
Danielle McCarther will compete in state competition in April.
When automotive technology instructor John Terrien saw the name of Hayfield Secondary School senior Danielle McCarther on his class roster this year, he was thrilled. “I was happy to have her in the class,” Terrien said.
Lorton Landfill May Operate Until 2040
Debate over EnviroSolutions application continues.
South County Federation members began discussing the closure of the Lorton landfill with EnviroSolutions, the landfill’s owner, in 2006.
Listening Tour Concludes at Lake Braddock
Superintendent listens as community members voice their concerns.
Lake Braddock Secondary School hosted Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza for the final stop of her listening tour.
Virginia Laws Help Local Governments Conceal 911 Calls from Public
Police agencies refuse to release audio from 911 calls, prompting questions about transparency.
When city officials in Alexandria released the audio of a 911 call in a high-profile murder case, many people interpreted the move as a step forward for transparency in a commonwealth known for opaque government.
Budget Process: Get Involved
Chairman gives blueprint for community engagement in Fairfax County budget process.
In Fairfax County, when we adopt the budget, we are investing in the priorities and needs of the community. At the center of this open and transparent process is community engagement. It is critical that we have the community at the table with us when we are considering changes to the budget that the County Executive released for advertisement at our Board Meeting on Feb. 25. Below are some opportunities to learn about the budget, ask questions and make suggestions during the months of March and April. I look forward to hearing from you.
High Five
I made it. It’s five years after receiving a terminal diagnosis on February 27, 2009 from my oncologist: stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, accompanied by a "13-month to two-year" prognosis. Let’s be honest, medical professionals don’t toss around the word "terminal" because you’re going to be treated at an airport. Presumably, they know their facts and figures as well as the patient’s present condition, confirmed by a variety of diagnostic results from X-Rays, CT Scans, P.E.T. Scans, lab work and of course the ever-popular biopsy, so their diagnosis/prognosis is a bit more than an educated guess. Nevertheless, there are exceptions to every rule and until proven otherwise, I was not about to succumb to their statistics. Still, based on the best medical knowledge available at the time, this patient (yours truly) was given a limited life expectancy and encouraged to take the vacation I had always dreamed of – for obvious you’re-life-is-now-shorter-than-you-ever-imagined-type reasons, and yet, five years hence, here I am.
Robinson Wrestling Wins Third State Title in Four Years
Senior Bass wins first state title in four tries.
The Robinson wrestling team had four individual state champions.
Bulova: ‘This Will Be a Challenging Budget’
Fairfax County average homeowner will see tax bill increase $330 under County Executive’s proposed $7 billion budget.
Fairfax County Executive Edward Long, Jr. unveiled a $7 billion budget proposal Tuesday that reflects his "cautious and deliberative approach to budgeting," a result, Long said, of continuing uncertainty over federal spending and sluggish commercial tax revenues.
Hollywood Comes to Fairfax
How to use Hollywood-style portrait techniques to photograph adoptable animals.
Animals at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter were given the celebrity treatment on Feb. 23 when a team from the non-profit Shelter Art Foundation taught shelter staff and volunteers how to use Hollywood-style portrait techniques to photograph their adoptable animals.
Giving Bianca a Second Chance
A Fairfax County Animal Shelter happy ending.
Bianca, a nine-year-old, female, German shepherd mix dog, had been living her life on the end of a chain in a rural part of Virginia. In late January, an unknown stray dog approached Bianca and attacked her. Bianca’s owner came outside and in an attempt to stop the attack he hit both dogs with a shovel, striking Bianca over the head and injuring her. Rather than pursue vet care, the owner drove Bianca to the local pound and surrendered her. For the next 36 hours, Bianca sat with no medical care, until a sympathetic staff person called the shelter’s rescue partner at the Highland County Humane Society in rural Virginia.
‘We Will Not Tolerate Unsafe Driving’
Police want motorists to get the message from their new cruiser.
There’s a new weapon in the Fairfax County Police Department’s arsenal, but this one has four tires and an engine. It’s a new cruiser covered with messages warning people not to drive impaired or distracted. It was unveiled on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Sully District Station, and the station’s commander, Capt. Ed O’Carroll, explained its significance.
Lake Braddock Boys' Basketball Wins Conference 7 Championship
Gregorits hits game winner, named tournament MVP.
The Lake Braddock boys' basketball team beat Woodson 62-61 in the Conference 7 championship game.
Berglund Leads West Springfield Girls' Basketball to Conference 7 Championship
Senior guard scores 28 points, grabs 10 rebounds, named tournament MVP.
The West Springfield girls' basketball team defeated T.C. Williams 70-58 on Friday night.
Robinson High Student Attends College, Inspires Others
Rachel Keith will graduate from NOVA and Robinson this spring.
Rachel Keith, a 17-year-old Fairfax Station resident and senior at Robinson Secondary School, has been thinking about college long before many of her peers. It was this forward-thinking that led Keith to take college classes at Northern Virginia Community College as a dual-enrolled student.