Emotional Win Puts Woodson in Tonight's Region Championship Game
Cavaliers will face Lake Braddock for fourth time this season.
The Lake Braddock boys' basketball team is 3-0 against Woodson this season.
Pet Connection
Our readers submitted photos of their adorable pets.
Take a look at some of the adorable pet photos our readers sent in for our Pet Connection.
‘Something Completely Different’
Max Raabe & Palast Orchester come to Center for the Arts.
And now for something completely different for the Northern Virginia area entertainment scene. All the way from Europe to tantalize.
Professionals Offer Theater Workshops
Broadway actress and audio/visual tech coming to Fairfax High.
Broadway comes to Fairfax with the arrival of actress Candi Boyd, currently appearing on Broadway in the play, “Jersey Boys.” On Sunday, March 9, she’ll present a musical-theater workshop, “Broadway: Behind the Curtain,” at Fairfax High – and it’s open to all area high-school students.
Locals Receive Governor’s 2013 Fire Service Awards
Stilwell, Hollingsworth, Wais and Rosenthal are honored.
Four local people were among those honored last Saturday, Feb. 22, with Governor’s Fire Service Awards for 2013. They were feted during the Virginia Fire and Rescue Conference at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. This year marked the 12th anniversary of these awards, which formally recognize excellence in Virginia’s Fire Services. Award recipients included Renee Stilwell, Capt. George Hollingsworth, Hassibullah Wais and Philip Rosenthal. Below are the details of why they were honored:
Assistance Dogs: Making Connections
Service dogs and their “handlers” are teamed up through paws4people.
I was already one of those embarrassingly crazy dog people, when I first met Kyria and Terry Henry, founders of paws4people.org. But I had no idea how little I truly knew about the bonds possible between animals and their people. After photographing puppies coming home for the first time, dogs sharing their favorite pastime and pets who are older and/or ill, I really thought I knew all about the animal/people connection.
Local Author Publishes ‘Meditations of the Heart’
Q and A with Burke resident Deborah Gibson.
Deborah Gibson is a professional counselor and pastor at Sup of the Lord Church, a bilingual church in Springfield. She has lived in Burke for 28 years. Gibson recently published a book, “Meditations of the Heart,” and shares her story below.
Koinonia Foundation Provides Emergency Assistance
New executive director uses sales background to help others, increase awareness
The Koinonia Foundation, located in a building behind Franconia United Methodist Church, has been serving the Springfield area since the early 1960s. Many area residents, however, are unaware of Koinonia’s role in the community of providing assistance to those in need.
Hayfield Senior Excels in Automotive Technology
Danielle McCarther will compete in state competition in April.
When automotive technology instructor John Terrien saw the name of Hayfield Secondary School senior Danielle McCarther on his class roster this year, he was thrilled. “I was happy to have her in the class,” Terrien said.
Lorton Landfill May Operate Until 2040
Debate over EnviroSolutions application continues.
South County Federation members began discussing the closure of the Lorton landfill with EnviroSolutions, the landfill’s owner, in 2006.
Listening Tour Concludes at Lake Braddock
Superintendent listens as community members voice their concerns.
Lake Braddock Secondary School hosted Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza for the final stop of her listening tour.
Virginia Laws Help Local Governments Conceal 911 Calls from Public
Police agencies refuse to release audio from 911 calls, prompting questions about transparency.
When city officials in Alexandria released the audio of a 911 call in a high-profile murder case, many people interpreted the move as a step forward for transparency in a commonwealth known for opaque government.
Theater Workshops Offered from the Professionals
Broadway comes to Fairfax with the arrival of actress Candi Boyd, currently appearing on Broadway in the play, “Jersey Boys.” On Sunday, March 9, she’ll present a musical-theater workshop, “Broadway: Behind the Curtain,” at Fairfax High – and it’s open to all area high-school students. It’ll run from noon-4:30 p.m. in the auditorium, with a limited number of spots available. Tickets range from $10-$40, depending on level of participation. The event’s a fundraiser for Fairfax High’s theater program, and school Theater Director Erich DiCenzo hopes to make it an annual tradition. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to have exposure to professional and talented artists,” he said. “Anyone with any interest in this field is welcome. Attendees don’t have to be theater students.”
Petersen Report: Senate Addresses Health Care
Last Thursday, Feb. 20, we rolled out "Marketplace Virginia," an idea conceived by Sen. John Watkins (R-Powhatan). "Marketplace" takes the $2 billion in taxes paid by Virginians under the Affordable Care Act and keeps it in Virginia, where it can provide insurance for the 400,000 Virginians not currently covered.
Budget Process: Get Involved
Chairman gives blueprint for community engagement in Fairfax County budget process.
In Fairfax County, when we adopt the budget, we are investing in the priorities and needs of the community. At the center of this open and transparent process is community engagement. It is critical that we have the community at the table with us when we are considering changes to the budget that the County Executive released for advertisement at our Board Meeting on Feb. 25. Below are some opportunities to learn about the budget, ask questions and make suggestions during the months of March and April. I look forward to hearing from you.
High Five
I made it. It’s five years after receiving a terminal diagnosis on February 27, 2009 from my oncologist: stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, accompanied by a "13-month to two-year" prognosis. Let’s be honest, medical professionals don’t toss around the word "terminal" because you’re going to be treated at an airport. Presumably, they know their facts and figures as well as the patient’s present condition, confirmed by a variety of diagnostic results from X-Rays, CT Scans, P.E.T. Scans, lab work and of course the ever-popular biopsy, so their diagnosis/prognosis is a bit more than an educated guess. Nevertheless, there are exceptions to every rule and until proven otherwise, I was not about to succumb to their statistics. Still, based on the best medical knowledge available at the time, this patient (yours truly) was given a limited life expectancy and encouraged to take the vacation I had always dreamed of – for obvious you’re-life-is-now-shorter-than-you-ever-imagined-type reasons, and yet, five years hence, here I am.
Robinson Wrestling Wins Third State Title in Four Years
Senior Bass wins first state title in four tries.
The Robinson wrestling team had four individual state champions.
Bulova: ‘This Will Be a Challenging Budget’
Fairfax County average homeowner will see tax bill increase $330 under County Executive’s proposed $7 billion budget.
Fairfax County Executive Edward Long, Jr. unveiled a $7 billion budget proposal Tuesday that reflects his "cautious and deliberative approach to budgeting," a result, Long said, of continuing uncertainty over federal spending and sluggish commercial tax revenues.
Hollywood Comes to Fairfax
How to use Hollywood-style portrait techniques to photograph adoptable animals.
Animals at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter were given the celebrity treatment on Feb. 23 when a team from the non-profit Shelter Art Foundation taught shelter staff and volunteers how to use Hollywood-style portrait techniques to photograph their adoptable animals.
Giving Bianca a Second Chance
A Fairfax County Animal Shelter happy ending.
Bianca, a nine-year-old, female, German shepherd mix dog, had been living her life on the end of a chain in a rural part of Virginia. In late January, an unknown stray dog approached Bianca and attacked her. Bianca’s owner came outside and in an attempt to stop the attack he hit both dogs with a shovel, striking Bianca over the head and injuring her. Rather than pursue vet care, the owner drove Bianca to the local pound and surrendered her. For the next 36 hours, Bianca sat with no medical care, until a sympathetic staff person called the shelter’s rescue partner at the Highland County Humane Society in rural Virginia.