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.
Sunny With a Chance of Learning
OLLI-GMU offers classes and community to retired persons.
One hundred and forty-two people attended a seminar delivered by NBC Washington meteorologist Amelia Segal at the Church of Good Shepherd in Burke on Friday, June 13. The class was called, "A Day in the Life of a Meteorologist." The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University, OLLI-GMU, organized the event at the suggestion of member Stephanie Trachtenberg, of Burke. "I have always been interested in the weather," she said. She reached out to several area meteorologists and Segal was the only one who responded.
Column: To Fairfax County Graduates - Do Not Lose Sight of Community
To the graduates of Fairfax County Public Schools: This month you will don caps and gowns to mark the end of your high school career. Your accomplishment is the product of hard work, perseverance, and the support of many. While you are reflecting on your accomplishments, consider how you will begin your new chapter. As you set off into the world, I ask you not to lose sight of your community and to seize the opportunity to be an active, engaged citizen. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) lists many responsibilities of American citizenship, perhaps the most important of which being a citizen’s obligation to "participate in the democratic process." In the 2012 election, just 38 percent of 18 through 24 year olds voted. That number is much lower for state and local elections. As real challenges face the young people graduating today, I encourage you to become educated about the election process and to vote for candidates you believe will represent you well.
Animal Shelter Holds ExtravaCATza!
Residents are invited to visit the Fairfax County Animal Shelter this June to take part in ExtravaCATza!, a celebration of cats and kittens. The shelter’s at 4500 West Ox Road in Fairfax and, all month long, adoption fees on all cats and kittens will be just $10.
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.
Opinion: Clearing the Air on New Carbon Standards
The EPA‘s new proposal to safeguard the air we breathe and contain a primary driver of climate change by reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants is the lynchpin to reducing our carbon footprint. As co-chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environmental Coalition, we welcome action on carbon pollution and look forward to working with all stakeholders in a responsible manner to advance a 21st century energy economy for America.
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.
Lord and Lady Fairfax Honorees of Lee, Springfield and Braddock
Lords and Ladies of Fairfax Honored by Board of Supervisors
The 2014 Lords and Ladies of Fairfax were recognized in front of the Board of Supervisors on June 3 and presented with certificates honoring them for their dedication to their communities. This tradition, which began in 1984, comes every year with the Celebrate Fairfax Festival, which takes place this year June 6-8.
100 New Citizens Welcomed in Fairfax County
New citizens welcomed at Naturalization Ceremony of the Fairfax County Asian American History Project.
New American citizens started off their Memorial Day Weekend in a very patriotic way: celebrating their newfound American Citizenship through a naturalization ceremony.
Residents Learn the Ins and Outs of Fairfax County
Supervisor Cook’s Neighborhood College Program helps citizens navigate County.
Braddock District residents came to Supervisor John Cook’s Neighborhood College Program for a variety of reasons, from wanting to be better leaders of their civic associations to looking to refresh their knowledge of local government, but all will be better informed and more able to navigate Fairfax County after graduating from the class.
‘You Are Not Your Mistakes’
“She was one of the most disagreeable people I had ever met,” says paws4people Chairman and COO, Terry Henry, remembering his reaction to meeting Rebecca at Lakin Correctional Center, more than three years ago. Seeing her now with her earnest smile and a well-behaved puppy happily nestled in her lap, it’s hard to imagine the Rebecca he describes.
Over $45,000 Raised for Fragile X
Second Annual Fragile X Walk hopes to raise $50,000.
Families and friends of those with Fragile X gathered at Burke Lake Park last week to participate in the second annual Fragile X walk.
Group Assembly Proposal Could Limit Home Gatherings
Residents voice opposition to proposal at public meetings.
After a heated public meeting on a proposed change to the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, which would limit gatherings of more than 49 people to three times in a 40--day period in a residential dwelling, Leslie Johnson, the zoning administrator for Fairfax County, told residents she doubts the proposal will go any further, based on the feedback that has been received.
Column: You and I Should Lead in Mental Health Response
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Unfortunately, we as a community and as a Commonwealth have not prioritized and advocated for mental health outreach and service solutions. The heartbreaking suicides by local high school students, the well-publicized suicide of Senator Creigh Deeds’s son after help could not be found, and the disproportionate numbers of our veterans struggling with mental health challenges all highlight the critical need to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and address the difficulty in finding treatment.
Netcasters Reborn
The ecumenical music group from the Springfield-Burke area was originally formed over 30 years ago.
You hear about babies being born in the back seats of cars, but sometimes good ideas are, too. Six months ago on the way back from singing at a church service in Romney, W. Va., a small group of vocalists and musicians that had formerly sung together decided that the there was simply too much harmony between them to let it go. With that, The Netcasters were reborn.