Staving Off Mosquitoes
Chemical-free methods for controlling backyard pests.
Nothing spoils a backyard barbecue like a swarm of bloodthirsty mosquitoes. How does one keep bugs at bay without harsh chemicals? Local experts offer tips.
Trends in Landscape Design
Local tastemakers offer suggestions for making the most of backyard space.
Whether creating a tapestry of bold colors, a sanctuary to escape stress or simply a low maintenance landscape, local designers say taking a backyard from dull to dazzling is easier than one might think, and offer insight into hottest landscape elements as well as trends in sustainable design.
Column: Apparent, Now More Than Ever
I last celebrated my father’s day six years ago, in 2006. Six months later, in early December, he finally succumbed to that which had been ailing him: old age for sure, the effects of two strokes for certain and the realization that it was, as we like to say in our family: “Enough already.”
The Father Factor
Fairfax County’s "Fathers In Touch" program teaches men how to be fathers.
Calvin Robertson slams his fist down on the table and barks instructions to the 11 fathers seated around the table at the South Gate Community Center in Reston.
Learning from His Father’s Mistakes
Growing up estranged from his own father, one man decides to give his sons a different life.
Wanting the best for my two sons yet having concerns about raising them properly, my wife and I looked into various parenting education programs offered through Fairfax County. This is how I discovered the Fathers In Touch Program.
FACETS’ Amanda Andere Named Northern Virginian of the Year by Northern Virginia Magazine
Leadership around preventing and ending homelessness cited.
Amanda Andere, the executive director of FACETS, a nonprofit that opens doors by helping parents, their children, and individuals who suffer the effects of poverty in Fairfax County, was selected by Northern Virginia Magazine as a 2012 Northern Virginian of the Year for her outstanding leadership that is helping FACETS grow its efforts to end homelessness as well as her community commitment.
Robinson Senior Receives Band Scholarship
Graduating senior Nathaniel "Nate" Banks of Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax received $2,500 on May 29 as the 2012 recipient of The Lunsford/Behrend Scholarship.
Telephone Call Scam Targets the Elderly
The City of Fairfax Police Department is advising citizens to be aware of an ongoing telephone scam targeting elderly individuals. Citizens responding to fraudulent telephone calls are at risk of significant financial loss.
Letter: Metro Stations Shape Communities
Letter to the Editor
Part of what makes the metro so beneficial to local communities is its ability to reduce dependence on automobiles – automobiles that cause congestion, pollution, and safety concerns.
Celebrate Fairfax Honors 2012 ‘Lords and Ladies’
Honorees saluted for community volunteerism.
Celebrate Fairfax kicked off its 30th anniversary with a salute to the 2012 Lord and Lady Fairfax Honorees during a dinner and awards ceremony at the Fairfax County Government Center Tuesday, June 5.
Whoville Hits Fairfax
Premiere set for Friday, June 8 at The Church of the Good Shepherd in Burke.
A group of over 70 performers made up of everything from former Coast Guard members to financial planners, will all take on different roles of characters from some of the most beloved children's literature of all time.
‘Whatever I Do Will Only Make Me Stronger’
Robinson student wins Hispanic Leadership Alliance scholarship.
Born in Bolivia, Lucia Maldonado came to the U.S. at age 7 with her mother and younger sister. Now 18, she’s about to graduate from Robinson Secondary School and is the recipient of a Hispanic Leadership Alliance (HLA) scholarship.
Planning for the Future
Robinson’s Latin American Student Association is growing.
To encourage leadership among Robinson Secondary School’s Hispanic population, Ruth Azimi and Enrique Fernandez co-sponsor LASA, the Latin American Students Association. It’s helping the students’ parents, as well.
In Region Soccer Title Game, Robinson Boys Prevail
Yardley's overtime goal lifts Rams past local rival Lake Braddock.
In a tense, back and forth championship game last Saturday night at Robinson Secondary, local high school boys' soccer opponents Robinson and Lake Braddock played with emotion, grit, and determination through an entire 80 minutes of regulation play and nearly 10 more minutes of overtime before the region title game's first and only goal was scored.
Patriot District Well-Represented at Baseball Region Semis
Bruins, Spartans both win to advance to title game.
A trip to the Northern Region tournament title game and a seeding in the state playoffs were on the line last Wednesday evening, May 30 at Madison High School in Vienna where two regional semifinals baseball games took place. The double-header postseason action showcased contests between Lake Braddock and Westfield, followed by West Springfield versus Langley in the nightcap. At night's end, it was the two teams from the Patriot District - Lake Braddock and West Springfield - which won, both in decisive fashion, to earn a spot in Saturday's finals where West Springfield edged the Bruins, 3-2, for the championship.
The Power of Touch
Reiki masters credit the practice with promoting healing.
"May I touch you?" asks Marion Werner, a willowy woman with shoulder-length blonde hair. Her hands descend lightly on her patient’s chest.
Editorial: Primary Voting
Statewide primary on Tuesday, June 12.
On Tuesday, June 12, Virginia will hold a statewide Republican primary for U.S. Senate, plus numerous more local primaries for U.S. House of Representatives and localities.
Classified Advertising
Read the latest Employment and Classified Ads!
Column: Haven’t I Learned Anything?
I’m not going to beat myself up too badly; after all, I do have terminal cancer. However, I am disappointed in my behavior of late, especially as it relates to my status as a still-active (thank God!) cancer patient/survivor undergoing treatment.
Fairfax County Board Expands Scope of Community Services Board Audit
Social service agency scrutinized for projected $9 million shortfall that threatens services to children and disabled.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a motion Tuesday, June 5, to expand the scope of a financial audit for the Falls Church Community Services Board, which provides social services to thousands of the county’s most vulnerable residents and has come under fire for an $8 million budget shortfall.