Latest stories

Latest stories

Subscribe


Area Roundups

Chantilly High, Fairfax High, Falls Church High, Oakton High, Robinson Secondary, Woodson High, Franklin Middle, Frost Middle, Jackson Middle, Lanier Middle and Rocky Run Middle are all schools involved in the boundary study to relieve overcrowding at Fairfax High and Lanier Middle School.

Letter: Does VRE Need More State Oversight?

Two bills (SB 1210 and HB 2152) before the Virginia General Assembly would give the state two more votes on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operations Board.

Tease photo

Burke Florist Unfazed by Valentine’s Day Rush

Flowers ‘n’ Ferns is well prepared for its 33rd rose rodeo.

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but when it comes to Valentine’s Day, fresh flowers are a must-have. For area florists like Karen Fountain, the second-generation manager of Flowers ‘n’ Ferns in Burke, the romantic holiday is often the highest grossing single day of the year.


Tease photo

Helping Parents Battle Social Media Giants

Parents demand access to son’s Facebook account after his suicide.

Ricky Rash, a self-proclaimed “country boy” and second generation Virginia dairy farmer, enjoyed his bucolic life in Nottoway County. He and his wife, Diane, a nurse, were content to raise their four children in the same house Rash grew up in. The world of social media—Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter—held little interest for the couple who considered faith and family the bedrock of their life. But after their 15-year-old son committed suicide on Jan. 20, 2011, social media became their focus.

Classified Advertising Feb. 6, 2013

Read the latest ad here!

Tease photo

Rooting for Transparency

Burke-based settlement hot on heels of anti-fraud land title certification.

Two grandmothers, Myrna Keplinger and Betty Reed, decided in 2000 that it would be nice to have an office space of their own. So they opened a realty and settlement office in the Mark Center in Alexandria and the two retired friends happily averaged 40 closings per month. Thirteen years and countless closings later, The Settlement Group grew to become the ninth largest settlement group in the region, with six offices in Northern Virginia, including locations in Burke, Franconia and McLean. As for Keplinger—she had undergone as much professional growth as had her business. She is now treasurer for the Virginia Land Title Association, on the American Land Title Association board of directors and an active member of its communications committee.


Tease photo

February Is Heart Month

Diet and fitness experts offer suggestions for maintaining a healthy heart.

When Mary Elizabeth O’Conner enters a supermarket, she is careful stay within the outer perimeters of the store. “Most grocery stores are designed so that the healthiest and non-processed food, like fresh vegetables and meat are kept on the outer edges,” she said. She looks for heart-healthy foods like whole grains and fresh fruit.

Column: A Complicated Answer

And a further explanation and corollary to last week’s column: “A Simple Question,” which attempted to sort through my reactions to being asked an extremely innocent, appropriate, well-intended and always appreciated courtesy: “How are you?” and the problem that it sometimes causes me. That problem being: a question which had it not been asked would then not require an answer. An answer that I’ll always give, but not before I’ve given it some thought, which if I hadn’t thought about, wouldn’t have bothered me in the least

Tease photo

West Springfield Grad Robinson Excelling at Duquesne

Freshman point guard is Dukes’ second-leading scorer.

West Springfield graduate April Robinson has helped the Duquesne women's basketball team to a 17-4 record this season.


Tease photo

Making the Difference Between Struggle and Success

Carmen Jordan of Reston has been a mentor for Fairfax Families4 Kids for six years. She is considered one of the most experienced mentors in the program. In addition to working full-time as a marquee account manager at Deltek in Herndon, Jordan makes herself available to “trouble-shoot” for the children and families she mentors. In the following column, she details her experiences with the program, and at-risk foster youth.

Tease photo

'Stuff the Bus’ Campaign Helps Feed the Hungry

Donations continue to increase as campaign enters third year.

Local grocery stores were packed this weekend with shoppers stocking up on Super Bowl snacks for the annual football fan party. At the Wal-Mart in Fairfax, shoppers were greeted with colorful displays of chips, dips and other party favorites. They were also greeted by volunteers from Our Daily Bread (ODB), who were handing out flyers and encouraging shoppers to donate gift cards or specific items to restock ODB’s pantry shelves. A Fairfax nonprofit for nearly 30 years, ODB provides food and other critical services to the working poor, the elderly and the disabled. More than half of ODB’s clients are local children.

Tease photo

Lake Braddock’s Butler Too Much for TC

Senior totals 29 points, 22 rebounds in OT victory.

The Lake Braddock girls' basketball team on Tuesday beat T.C. Williams for the second time this season.


Tease photo

From Community Eyesore to Community Asset

Transformation of Kings West Swim Club adds green space.

For several years, neighbors in the Kings Park West subdivision grappled with the problem of what to do with the big hole in the ground that was once the Kings West Swim Club.

Tease photo

Greenspring Republicans Host Pete Snyder

Last year, the Greenspring Republican Club hosted Pete Snyder as the chairman of the Virginia Victory 2012 campaign, a coordinated campaign in support of Republican candidates across the Commonwealth of Virginia. On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Snyder was invited again to speak to the Greenspring Republican Club, but this time as a candidate for lieutenant governor.

Show off Your Civic Pride

Pre-order Fairfax County license plates now.

Residents of Fairfax County can now pre-order their Fairfax County license plates online at the new Visit Fairfax website—www.fxva.com/plates/.


Community to Discuss Boundary Changes

At its business meeting on Thursday, Jan. 24, the Fairfax County School Board voted to conduct a boundary study to address overcrowding at Fairfax High School and Lanier Middle School.

Tease photo

Volunteering for the President

Girl Scout Troop 189 of Fairfax volunteered on Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Jan. 21.

Tease photo

Lawmakers Provide Assembly Overview

Petersen, Bulova host Town Hall meeting in Fairfax.

Transportation, redistricting and the proposed closure of the Northern Virginia Training Center were the top issues among constituents who showed up at the Town Hall meeting hosted by Del. David Bulova (D-37) and Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34) on Saturday, Feb. 2.


Titans Hand Spartans First Home Loss Since 2009

TC’s Roberts scores 18 points before leaving with wrist injury.

The T.C. Williams girls' basketball team is tied with West Springfield atop the Patriot District standings, but the Titans won both meetings with the Spartans this season.

Freidman Leads Woodson Gymnastics to Patriot District Title

Cavaliers senior wins all-around championship.

Woodson, Lake Braddock advanced to Northern Region gymnastics meet.