Meet Elsa and Jessi of Clifton
We have two rottweilers that love attention.
Springfield, Fairfax Artists Exhibit in Occoquan
The Artists’ Undertaking Gallery in Historic Occoquan is exhibiting work by Sherri Johnson of Fairfax and David and Jane Ernst of Springfield, in "Artistic Impressions."
Rotary Club of Fairfax Honors Rick Schroeder
The Rotary Club of Fairfax recently selected Rick Schroeder to receive the club’s highest honor: the Rotarian of the Year award. This award is given to a member who has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the principles of Rotary, and recognizes a Rotarian’s sustained, outstanding efforts in the Five Avenues of Service.
Meet Best Friends of Fairfax
Fairfax City residents Talk About Their Cats, Dogs
When asked about her favorite story about her cat, Moochie, Nancy Riley of Fairfax said, “I would love to tell you about how I came to have Moochie. It was 1997, I was coming out of my friend’s house, and I came out the door and heard what sounded like a squirrel chattering at me. I then looked up and saw this really small black cat looking up at me. Being a cat person, I automatically went to pet him and he shied away. A man then came out of his house next to me and I asked if this cat belonged to anybody. He said, ‘That’s nobody’s cat. That’s a gutter cat.’ A gutter cat. He let me pet him and as I walked down the sidewalk to my car he was doing figure 8s around my feet. I opened the door to get in my car and he jumped right in. I put him on the ground and was really sorry and said, ‘I’m sorry cat but I can’t take you home, I have two large cats at home that would eat you.’ He jumped right back in my car. I decided because of his determination, I could take him home. My two other cats didn’t end up eating him and our other cat, Alfalfa, became really good buddies with Moochie. He gets his name, Moochie, because he would always steal food from the table and my daughter called him a mooch.”

Cobias Reel in Fundraiser
Swim-a-Thon benefits Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia.
The Cobias made a splash in the effort to raise awareness and funds for Down syndrome.

New Buses Join Springfield Service
Local and state officials gathered on the penthouse terrace at Metro Park in Alexandria last week to announce the addition of six new state-of-the-art buses to the Springfield Circulator Service.
Mormon Church Youth Group Visits Historic Sites
From June 20-22, 220 youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (LDS) youth, ages 14 to 18, from seven local congregations in Annandale, Burke and Springfield traveled to Kirtland, Ohio, to visit and tour the city that was both home and church center to the fledging Latter-day Saint church from 1831-1838.
Joining Together To Save Animals
There are dozens of animal welfare organizations across the country working to secure "forever homes" for dogs and cats of all ages. And while there's a general camaraderie amongst them, stemming from their common cause, what's a little friendly competition among peers? For the past few years, the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has sponsored a nationwide contest to challenge shelters to see how many more animals they could adopt between June and August beyond the total the year before.
South Run Neighborhood Youth Fight Cancer With Swim-a-thon
The South Run neighborhood pool fifth annual Swim-a-thon raised over $1,895 and counting for INOVA's Life With Cancer organization Sunday, July 14. Neighbors from Burke, Fairfax Station and the South Run neighborhood swam a combined total of 677 laps, amounting to 16,925 meters swam in the pool.

Area Residents Boast Variety of Furry Friends
Pet owners cherish their companions, large and small.
Fairfax County is characterized by many interesting people. It is also characterized by these people’s equally interesting pets.
Kincaid Wins Democratic Nomination for Sheriff
Kincaid promises to push for pay parity and reach out to diverse community.
Stacey Kincaid, a 26-year veteran with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Department and self-proclaimed “rookie politician,” handily won the Democratic nomination for sheriff during a special election Tuesday night, July 23 at W.T. Woodson High School. The final vote was 605 to 315 votes, according to Democratic officials who counted each ballot by hand.
Area Roundups
Fairfax County college-bound students and their parents are invited to attend “The Perils of the College Drinking Culture,” an upcoming screening and panel discussion on a powerful, award-winning documentary, “HAZE,” which looks at the crisis of binge drinking and hazing on college campuses.
Unlocking the Door to Affordable Housing
County considers establishment of residential studio option to assist with housing affordability.
Like most areas that have seen explosive growth in the past 30 years, Fairfax County’s stock of affordable housing has dwindled as it’s grown into one of the nation’s wealthiest counties.
Evenings on the Ellipse Concerts Begin
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova, in partnership with the Fairfax County Park Authority, will host a series of free summer concerts, Evenings on the Ellipse, at the Fairfax County Government Center every Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

A Brush With Kindness in Burke
Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia repairs John McAuslan’s property.
John McAuslan, 81, of the Lake Braddock community in Burke is a widower with a heart condition and a bad back. Semi-retired from his own pest control business, he lives on Raintree Road with his daughter Leanne but is unable to maintain his home and property.