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County Chamber Honors Brain Injury Services

The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (Fairfax Chamber) honored Brain Injury Services with the 2014 Nonprofit of the Year award. This category was part of the 2014 Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Awards presented at the Chamber’s Annual Chairman’s Luncheon on June 17, 2014.

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Fairfax County Retired Educators Award Scholarships

Seven aspiring educators from Fairfax County receive awards.

Aspiring educators from across Fairfax County were honored for their accomplishments and presented with scholarships to help them begin their teaching careers at a luncheon and ceremony held by the Fairfax County Retired Educators on June 12 in Fairfax. Every year, FCRE awards students interested in teaching careers with $2,000 scholarships. This year, the seven students were either graduates or soon-to-be graduates of high schools throughout Fairfax County, including Robinson, Lake Braddock, West Springfield, Marshall, Mclean and James Madison.

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Despite Low Unemployment, Veterans Need Assistance

“Supporting our Region’s Veterans” report identifies suggestions for improvement.

Although veterans in Northern Virginia are more educated than those nationwide and are less likely to live below the poverty line and be unemployed, a new report has found that individual anecdotes from veterans in the area demonstrate that there are still areas that need improvement.

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Patchwork of Approaches to Affordable Housing in Northern Virginia

Jurisdictions use a variety of strategies to prevent homelessness.

Affordable housing means different things to different people at different times. For government officials, it's a phrase that means that a family spends no more than 30 percent of its income on housing costs, including rent or mortgage as well as taxes and utilities

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Burke Veteran Revisits Normandy

Revisiting historic places, memories during ten-day trip to Europe alongside family.

While the visual of infantry servicemen during the Normandy Invasion is an iconic World War II visual, lesser known is that of the combat engineers who made the infantry’s progress through enemy territory possible. Veteran Henry Stawicki of Burke recently revisited Europe on the seventieth anniversary of D-Day to commemorate his former role in the 341st Engineer Regiment.

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Meals Tax: Tasty or Revolting?

Supervisors digest task force’s final report on hot-button issue.

After hours of simmering debate, the Meals Tax Referendum Task Force’s presentation to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Tuesday was a mere amuse-bouche, whetting the appetite of board the for the group’s 170-page multi-course written report.

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School Calendar Changes Examined

Fairfax County considers ending half-day Mondays, at the cost between $4 to $7.6 Million.

Changes could be coming soon to school schedules in Fairfax County, under a new plan announced by Superintendent Karen Garza at a work session on May 28.

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Cross County Trail Renamed to Honor Rep. Connolly

“Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail” unveiled at ceremony in Lorton.

On National Trails Day on June 7, the Cross County Trail, which goes through each district in Fairfax County, was renamed to the “Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail” in honor of Rep. Connolly’s work to build the trail.

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Housing and Restaurants Coming to Prison Site

Board of Supervisors approves Laurel Hill Master Development Plan.

The site of the former Lorton prison will soon get a makeover, complete with townhouses, restaurants, apartments and single-family homes. Inside the renovated cell blocks and guard towers will be housing and businesses on 80 acres in Lorton, home to the D.C. prison that closed in 2001.

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Fundraising and Connections Help Former Lieutenant Governor Emerge Victorious

Don Beyer edges out six competitors in crowded filed of candidates.

When asked about animals rights, former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer quotes author Peter Singer. He describes his wife as the "sine qua non" of his life. During his victory speech in the hotly contested Democratic primary to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8), he quoted St. Augustine and Winston Churchill. He reads widely and has five policy proposals for every issue before Congress.

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Eat. Drink. Pay?

Fairfax County task force debates voters’ appetite for another meals tax referendum.

It has been 22 years since Fairfax County asked voters to approve a tax on restaurant meals, an issue that ignited protests, caused deep divisions among community leaders and threatened to melt down several political careers. The reverberations of that epic failure — what many consider the third rail of county politics — continue to echo in the ears of county politicians.

Fairfax County is Home to 10 Companies on 2014 Fortune 500 List

Ten Fairfax County-based companies, in industries ranging from defense and technology consulting to financial services and hospitality, hold spots in Fortune magazine’s list of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the United States. The 2014 Fortune 500 is available online.

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Empire Strikes Back: Establishment Beats Tea Party at Republican Convention

Party insider Ed Gillespie seizes nomination at convention in Roanoke.

When conservative preacher E.W. Jackson took the stage at the Roanoke Civic Center to introduce Tea Party favorite Shak Hill at the Republican convention last weekend, hundreds of conservatives from across Virginia took to their feet. They waved placards.

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Poverty in the Classroom: Low-Income Students Scattered Through Northern Virginia

Where are the region's highest poverty schools?

When Carla Castro-Claure was approaching the age when she would soon attend Kindergarten, her mother became increasingly concerned about Hybla Valley Elementary School.

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Expanding Background Check for Childcare Providers

Elly Lafkin’s baby, Cami, died tragically two years ago in a home daycare center in Harrisonburg, Va. She and her family experienced firsthand the need for expanded legislation regarding Virginia’s current background check process for childcare providers.