Stories for August 2015

Fairfax County: Meet the Candidates for County Board

All politics is local, in Fairfax County, too: Who runs for Board of Supervisors in November?

You may be surprised – or dismayed – to learn that the 10 men and women who occupy Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wield enormous power and influence over your everyday lives.

The Best of Braddock District

Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) recommends places to see in his district.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 28-Sept. 7, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Fairfax Home Sales: July, 2015

In July, 2015, 128 Fairfax homes sold between $1,250,000-$165,000.

Fairfax Home Sales: July, 2015

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra to Celebrate Beethoven

Season opening performance on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Plenty of reasons to celebrate the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) about to begin its 59th season as Fairfax County’s flagship orchestra. This year, under the baton of music director Christopher Zimmerman, the FSO will celebrate the genius of Beethoven’s masterpieces while featuring the coming generation of virtuoso classical pianists.

Fairfax: The Path to Eagle

Boy Scouts team up with Friends group to improve public trails.

On the morning of his service project, Carter Murray of Fairfax realized he’d forgotten a small but vital detail: Food.

Fairfax Police Helicopter Crew Live-Tweets

Fairfax County Police helicopters are neither birds nor planes, but their crew got slightly more avian as they “live-tweeted” experiences from inside the hangar and helicopter through Twitter on Aug. 26.

Torres Trial Date Set for December

Bond denied for former police officer charged with murdering John Geer.

Shortly after 10 a.m. on Aug. 19, former Fairfax County Police officer Adam Torres entered the circuit courtroom for his arraignment, dressed in a baggy, blue-green prison jumpsuit. Torres was indicted the previous Monday by a special grand jury for killing Springfield resident John Geer in August, 2013.

Classified Advertising August 26, 2015

Read the lastest ads here!

Column: 'Bulky Boy'

Although this title invokes the nickname of one of my three male cats – Andrew, to be specific – he is in fact not the point of th is column.

Burke: Robinson Football to Lean on Physical Running Back Trio

Vossler returns for second season as Rams head coach.

The Robinson football team started 6-0 last season but finished 6-5.

Letter: Welcome from Police Chief Ed Roessler

Newcomers Guide

Dear Community Members: The Fairfax County Police Department was established on July 1, 1940 and today we have an authorized strength of 1,372 sworn law enforcement officers who protect and serve the communities of the County. On average, officers respond to over 400,000 calls for service each year.

Classified Advertising August 19, 2015

Read the latest ads here!

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 21-30, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Fairfax County: Policy Changes Recommended on Mental Health and Crisis Intervention

About half of the inmates in the Fairfax County Jail have a mental health illness or substance abuse disorders. The Mental Health and Crisis Intervention Team subcommittee of the Fairfax County Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission included this information from County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid in the introduction to its list of policy change recommendations to the full commission on Aug. 17.

Fairfax County: Former Police Officer Charged with John Geer Murder

Adam Torres indicted by special grand jury.

Adam Torres has been charged with murdering John Geer. Though Torres shot the unarmed man once in the chest nearly two years ago, the then-Fairfax County Police officer remained on the department’s payroll until being terminated July 31, 2015.

Lorton: South County Football Thrives with Speed, Aggression

Rising senior quarterback DeAndre Clayton leads Stallion offense.

The South County football team's practices are based on speed.

Column: Accommodate or Exacerbate

As a diagnosed-as-“terminal” cancer patient (is that better, Rebecca?), I feel I am due some accommodations. However, when offered or given, I am hesitant to accept (not always, though; I’ll be honest).

City of Fairfax Fire Chief Dave Rohr Retires

When Dave Rohr says he and his brothers were “always interested in public safety,” it’s definitely an understatement. All three have had long careers with the Fairfax County Fire Department, and now Rohr, 55, just retired as the City of Fairfax’s fire chief.

Fairfax: Social Painting Can Be an Art

City of Fairfax resident mixes food, drink, art lessons and fun.

When Luc Atangana came to the U.S. from his native Cameroon, Africa, little did he expect to someday make his living as an artist. But that’s exactly what the City of Fairfax resident is doing.

Meeting Prince Boo Boo at Fairfax Library

Young readers reap the pawsitive effects of a judgment-free listener.

Children played games, ate treats and made cards for their favorite canine reading buddy, Prince Boo Boo, on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the City of Fairfax Regional Library.

Back-to-School Shopping in Fairfax

FACETS and partners provide brand new school supplies.

“I wanna get school supplies so I can get smart,” said Sabrina Mohammed, 5, of Fairfax, as she excitedly entered the recreation center at Ragan Oaks Court apartments in Fairfax, which has been filled with school supplies provided by Facets.

Checking the Back-to-School Healthcare Blocks

Local governments, clinics offer free immunizations for all and physical exams for the uninsured.

As the lazy days of summer wind down, beach trips, lemonade stands and lax bedtimes give way to alarm clocks, textbooks and backpacks. Public health officials say that a back-to-school list should include more than pencils and paper. For many, the first order of business is a well-child physical, a dental exam and required immunizations.

Editorial: Sea Changes in Policing?

Report offers blueprint for transforming aspects of policing, jail and services for people with mental illness.

Yesterday, for the first time in the history of Fairfax County Police Department, a Fairfax County Police officer was charged in a shooting death.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 14-23, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Column: Time to Encourage Reading

For many of us summer vacation provides a time for our families to enjoy time off from the school year grind, and allows children to participate in fun outdoor activities. However, during summer break, some children fall behind in their academic achievements, which can lead to steps backward in a child’s education. This is especially true when it comes to reading.

Column: B.D. Versus A.D.

If my experiences as a cancer patient/ “terminal” “diagnosee” are at all typical, then the following generalization might in fact be true: certain situations and/or feelings that were once tolerated before diagnosis are nearly impossible to tolerate after diagnosis: traffic, waiting in lines, rudeness, compromise, sacrifice, delayed/deferred gratification, to list just a few. Life becomes so much more precious, that wasting some of it – or the perception of wasting some of it – on unpleasant, unrewarding, aggravating, stressful, menial tasks, obligations, duties, etc. becomes almost too much to bear; on a consistent basis, anyway.

Fairfax City Council Greenlights Old Lee Highway Survey

Questions about project’s scope still remain.

The results are in and City of Fairfax residents have now given their opinions on how best to improve Old Lee Highway. So the Fairfax City Council has authorized a survey of the entire corridor to obtain more information before going further with the project.

Fairfax City Intends to Rewrite its Comprehensive Plan

The City of Fairfax’s Comprehensive Plan is a blueprint for future development.

2015-16 Deer Archery Program

Two information meetings about the county’s Deer Management Archery Program are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Fairfax Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, and Tuesday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon District Station, 2511 Parkers Lane in Alexandria, Community Room.

Function Meets Beauty

Wheelchair accessible bathroom doesn’t have to be utilitarian.

After Curtis Brand was diagnosed with amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS) and he could no longer climb stairs, he and his wife, Judith, had to make the difficult decision to sell their home in northwest Washington, D.C. They then purchased a two-bedroom, two-bathroom property on the 18th floor of Turnberry Tower in Arlington.

Home’s Makeover Enhances Family Life

With time constraints, Sun Design converts large, dated house into residence that satisfies everyone’s agenda.

Meet Roger Lataille, senior design consultant at Sun Design Remodeling and — more importantly — a remodeling resource homeowners turn to, and return to, whenever they need expert advice, hands-on support and commitment.

Editorial: 'Our Community Deserves Better'

Strongly worded recommendations for police on transparency and public trust; FCPD has miles to go.

Outrage over the shooting death of John Geer of Springfield on Aug. 29, 2013, by a Fairfax County Police officer led the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to form of the Ad Hoc Police Practice Review Commission, which began meeting in March 2015. The Communications Subcommittee was the first to give recommendations to the full commission, and the report pulled no punches.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Aug. 7-16, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Springfield: No Foul Play Suspected in Huntsman Lake Death

The dead body of Leslie P. Brassfield, 22, of Fairfax, was found Sunday, June 14 in Huntsman Lake in the Springfield area.

Fairfax County Seeks Partner to Develop Training Center Property

Deadline for offers on the surplus land is Sept. 1.

Potential buyers have until September to make their offers to purchase the roughly 80 acres of property along Braddock Road where the Northern Virginia Training Center currently sits.

Young Swimmers Make Splash at Annual NVSL All-Star Meet

Watts, Cruz set NVSL records.

The NVSL recently held its annual All-Star meet.

SYA Greater Fairfax Senior Babe Ruth Team Advances to World Series

Oregon tournament will be last time many team members play together.

The SYA Greater Fairfax Senior Babe Ruth team advanced to the World Series.

Fairfax: Coach Dougherty Instilling Toughness in Cavaliers

Woodson football team hosts “midnight madness” practice.

Woodson is looking to improve on its 2014 record of 2-8.

Column: Back on Track

Having reread last week’s column a time or two now, I’ve realized that I neglected to update you regular readers – especially those of you who read my most recent pre- and post-scan columns: “Abyssful” Ignorance and Scant Know For Sure Anymore – on the previous week’s scan results. Once again, I have defied the odds – maybe statistics would be a better word?

What I Did on My Summer Vacation — Built Rockets, Apps

TJHSST offers STEM courses to middle schoolers.

Inside W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Jacob Parker is watching a cartoon on the computer, while his teacher Dan Trau walks around the room, answering questions from students.

Helping Aging Parents

Event will highlight resources available for long-term care planning.

Antonio M. Taguba says his life changed forever during a family reunion in 2006, starting with an announcement from his mother.

Teams in Training

Getting in shape while raising money for charity.

Rain poured from a gray March sky. Drenched racers wound their way through Washington, D.C. before spilling across the finish line at R.F.K. Stadium, their running shoes heavy and soaking wet.