Editorial: New Measure - More Living in Poverty
Inside the Beltway, that is Alexandria, Arlington and parts of Fairfax, 32 percent of children are living in poverty or near poverty. In Fairfax County, 26 percent of children live in or near poverty. This is according to the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.
Week in Fairfax
News happenings in the Fairfax area.
‘Look Around and See the Smiles’
Special-ed students enjoy Day Prom at the Waterford.
Last Thursday, May 8, some 400 students got all dressed up and went to their prom at the Waterford in Fair Oaks.
New ABC Stores Open in Fairfax, Centreville
On Tuesday, May 13, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) held grand opening events for two new stores that will serve Fairfax and Centreville customers.
Classified Advertising May 21, 2014
Read the latest ads here!
‘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.
Trained in Prison, Healing in N. Virginia
Healing power of dogs creates ties between prisoners, veterans, children with disabilities.
When I first started going inside prisons for paws4people.org, my job was three-fold: to capture, through photography, the connection between the dogs and their inmate trainers, to provide images that reflected the accomplishments of months of training and to document the moment that veterans, children and young adults were matched with their assistance dogs.
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.
Once Cramped, Outdated; Now Modern, Efficient
When the Fairfax County Animal Shelter was built in the early 1970s, it was intended to be a dog pound to handle stray and homeless dogs. Renovated in the mid-1980s, it increased the number of kennels from 48 to 72 to better care for dogs in isolation and quarantine.
Honoring the County’s Devotion to Animals
Shelter’s renovation and expansion are celebrated.
Residents, politicians and even four-footed alumni flocked to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter on Saturday, May 17, to celebrate completion of its renovation and expansion. It was a long time in coming, so it made the event even sweeter. “We’re making history today for the animal shelter, Animal Services division, police department and county,” said shelter Director Tawny Hammond. “Fairfax is a national role model and leader, and it’s a very exciting day.”
Life as a Comic Frenzy
Providence Players present Neil Simon's farce, ‘Rumors.’
Women in lovely evening attire and men in snappy tuxedos were walking about the stage of the James Lee Community Center theater. It was an early dress rehearsal for the Providence Players (PPF) production of "Rumors," a farce by award winning playwright Neil Simon. The PPF cast was getting a feel for the set as final touches were being made to a tastefully decorated, contemporary two-story New York City apartment.
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.
Major Construction and Lane Closures on I-95 This Summer
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced that drivers traveling on I-95 in Northern Virginia should prepare for more lane closures and traffic impacts this summer. While construction-related lane closures on I-95 will be restricted through the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, drivers will face continued closures of the existing HOV and regular lanes on I-395/95 during overnight hours and weekends, as well as on weekdays during non-rush hours, as crews advance Express Lanes construction. Construction of the nearly $1 billion 95 Express Lanes project is nearly 80 percent complete. The high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes project remains on-schedule to be substantially finished by late 2014 and open to traffic in early 2015.
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.
Distracted Driving Rising in Fairfax County, Interstate 95
Drivers are encouraged to avoid their phones
Although April was designated as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the issue continues to affect drivers in and around Fairfax County throughout the year. According to the Fairfax County Police Department, distracted driving resulted in 1,175 crashes in 2013. In the Lee district, Franconia Road and South Van Dorn Street was a top location for crashes involving distracted drivers.
Honored for Enthusiasm and Dedication
West Springfield Senior Natalia Rivero Nogales recognized by Hispanic Leadership Alliance.
When Natalia Rivero Nogales graduates in a month from West Springfield High School, she plans on majoring in psychology so she can become a counselor and help people, something that she says is her goal in life.
Bringing Hope and Health to Lorton
Hope and Health Festival provides health information and screenings for area residents.
In the south county area, many residents have trouble receiving health care, says Linda Patterson, executive director of the Lorton Community Action Center. It was this struggle to access care that was behind the motivation for the Hope and Health Festival, a collaborative effort between the Lorton Community Action Center, South County Church, and the Lorton Library.
South County Bats Come Alive in Conference 7 Tournament
The South County baseball team will face West Potomac in the Conference 7 semifinals.
Too Patient a Patient
Since I’m in the honesty business (as you regular readers know; and based on many of the e-mails I receive, commended on being so), if I were to admit anything concerning my behavior during these last five-plus years as a lung cancer survivor, it would have to be my continual tendency to minimize new symptoms, and in turn, not contact my oncologist (which from the very beginning is the exact opposite of what we are told to do). Stupid, stubborn, scared, naive, in denial; you pick.