Cub Scouts Promoted to the Next Rank
On Sunday, May 20, Cub Scout Pack 1345 held their annual Advancement Ceremony at the Ponds Community Center. The Pack, chartered by Burke Center Conservancy, recognized the accomplishments of 42 scouts whose achievements during the year earned them advancement to the next cub scout rank. The pack also welcomed three new scouts that will form the next den of Tiger Cubs this fall.
Governor Signs Voter ID Bills
McDonnell directs state to send every voter a new voter card before Election Day.
Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) signed watered-down versions of Virginia’s Republican-backed voter identification bills on Friday, adding the Commonwealth to the growing list of states adopting stricter voting standards.
Planning to Vote?
Nearly 200,000 voter registration cards mailed this week.
Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, if you are planning to vote in the June 12 primary elections in Fairfax County, check your new voter registration cards mailed out this week.
Mulan Comes to Burke
Northern Virginia Players present Disney classic.
Northern Virginia Players will present Disney’s Mulan Jr. beginning Saturday, May 25 at Burke Community Church. The heartwarming tale begins when the Huns have invaded China, and it’s up to misfit Mulan and her mischievous sidekick Mushu to save the Emperor. Mulan is a celebration of culture, honor and the fighting spirit, includes musical favorites such as "Honor to Us All."
Fairfax County Students Win Technology Awards
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) middle and high school students won first place awards in 19 categories at the 2012 Virginia Technology Student Association (TSA) State Leadership Conference, held last week in Richmond. The three days of competitive events and displays of student work culminated in FCPS winning the Lynn P. Barrier Outstanding School Division Award for middle schools for the third consecutive year.
Obituary: Diana Janice Richards, a Long Time Burke Resident, Dies
Diana Janice Richards of Centreville, Va. passed away peacefully from cancer on May 9, 2012. She was born in 1939 in upstate New York, daughter of John R. Schmidburg and Rose Hornick.
Game On
George Mason University students develop video games aimed at curtailing gang recruitment in Virginia.
Law enforcement officials now have two unlikely weapons in the fight against gang activity in Virginia: video games and college students.
Presidential Visit to Washington-Lee
President Barack Obama made his first visit to Washington-Lee High School on Friday, May 4.
‘The Arabian Nights’ at Lake Braddock
The sound of drums filled the air as the cast lined the aisles, chanting in unison. Voices flew from all sides of the auditorium and the audience remained entranced throughout Lake Braddock High School’s production of "The Arabian Nights."
Grassroots Government 101
First Braddock ‘Citizen Governance Conference’ draws future decision-makers.
Sitting in a conference room discussing issues such as land use, aging and transportation may not seem like the perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. But the opportunity to have a voice in the future of the Braddock district drew nearly 75 residents to the first Citizen Governance Conference, hosted by Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) at Frost Achievement Finance Park on May 5.
County Launches Project To Combat Lyme Disease
After an unseasonably warm winter, Fairfax County health officials are bracing for a proliferation of tick infestations as well as a potential surge in new cases of Lyme disease.
Northern Virginia Bill Signing Puts Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence in Spotlight
A rare moment of bipartisanship between Republican governor and Democratic legislators.
Strangulation will be punished more aggressively to combat violence against women. Campus police will work with other police agencies to crack down on domestic violence of unmarried couples. And the telephone number for a human trafficking hotline will be placed in the restrooms at strip clubs across Virginia.
Veterans Golf Classic Honors Heroes
On Friday, May 18, Brian Thacker, US Army Recipient of the highest award, will be Grand Marshall Guest of Honor at the Veterans Golf Classic at Quantico’s Medal of Honor Golf Course.
Housing Discrimination Alert
Officials step up education, outreach efforts to reach immigrant communities about "fair housing" rights.
Housing discrimination cases have been on the rise in Fairfax County in the past few years. And the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP), the agency that enforces fair housing laws in the county, is shining a spotlight on the problem through seminars for housing providers, realtors, community groups and other interested parties. "Sadly, housing discrimination is alive and well and we’ve seen an uptick in complaints during the past six years," said Kenneth Saunders, executive director of OHREP.
Community Champions
Julie Clemente founded Friends of Clemyjontri Inc. in 2006 to raise money for park improvements. In 2011, Clemente organized and headed the effort to create the Friends of Clemyjontri website; worked with CapitalOne to create a credit card with a photo of Clemyjontri on the front to help raise funds for the park, and has created opportunities to raise additional funds.