Fairfax People

Chocolate Lovers Valentine Features ‘Old’ Fairfax High

The annual Chocolate Lovers Festival valentine this year features the original Fairfax High School building, drawn by Fairfax artist Jackie Liedl.

Education, Transportation, Mental Health

Del. Bulova unveils his legislative priorities.

Greetings from Richmond! The 2014 General Assembly is now in full swing. In addition to considering nearly 2,000 bills, we will adopt Virginia’s biennial budget, which must be balanced as required by Virginia’s constitution. Thanks to everyone who has contacted me about issues throughout the year. This session I have introduced 13 bills and several budget amendments. Below is a summary of issues and initiatives I will be working on during the 2014 session.

Brooke Hardin to Lead Development and Planning Department

The City of Fairfax announces the appointment of Brooke Hardin as the city’s director of the Community Development and Planning Department. Hardin, who has served as the city’s Planning Division chief since 2011, will begin his role immediately.

Fairfax County Launches Sex Trafficking Prevention Campaign

Sex trafficking education materials also added to school curriculum.

In order to raise awareness to the fact that sex trafficking can happen anywhere, even in Fairfax County, a new prevention campaign and website raising awareness of this issue launched on Jan. 13.

From Late Night Comedy to Your Bedroom

Why the General Assembly matters more in Virginia than most states.

The Virginia General Assembly began its annual session last week on Jan. 8. The actions of the Virginia General Assembly matter more to localities than it would in many other states. In Virginia, localities have only the power specifically granted by the General Assembly, the Dillon rule. So, for example, Montgomery County and Prince Georges County in Maryland recently voted to increase the minimum wage in those localities. They didn’t need permission from Maryland General Assembly to do so. Arlington and Alexandria might be inclined to follow suit (the District government also voted to increase the minimum wage) but do not have that power.

Let Sun Shine on Virginia’s Financial Disclosure Laws

State legislators turn attention to ethics in wake of McDonnell gift scandal.

As members of the Virginia General Assembly convene for the first time since last February, legislators are stampeding to introduce ethics legislation in response to the gift scandal which engulfed then Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R). The revelations last spring about numerous undisclosed gifts and purported loans from businessman Jonnie Williams to McDonnell — including a $6,500 Rolex watch engraved to the "71st Governor of Virginia" and $35,000 in gifts and catering for his daughters’ weddings — shined a spotlight on Virginia’s porous financial disclosure laws.

Fairfax Water to Supply City of Fairfax Residents

The City of Fairfax completed the sale of its water utility to Fairfax Water, beginning the process of merging these two water systems.

Fairfax Academy Presents Eighth Annual MCT Fest

Original music created by students at Fairfax Academy will be featured at the eighth annual Musical Computer Technology (MCT) Fest on Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. at the Sherwood Community Center in the City of Fairfax. Fairfax Academy is one of six high school academies in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

Leadership Fairfax to Host Annual Supervisors Breakfast

The Leadership Fairfax 23rd Annual Board of Supervisors Breakfast will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 7 - 9:30 a.m. at Hyatt Fair Lakes in Fairfax.

Legislators Head to Richmond, Address Upcoming Session

Proposed bills and priorities include ethics reform and ABC Transformation.

As the General Assembly convenes on Jan. 8, several delegates from Fairfax County have written bills that tackle some of the issues they believe are important to Virginians. Del. Dave Albo (R-42) proposed a bill that would get rid of the Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s three person board and would replace them with five citizens with business experience who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state legislature. Members of the current three-person board make six-digit salaries and are appointed by the governor. Albo’s plan would make the position part time and would pay 50 dollars per day.

Debate Over Residential Studio Units Continues

Housing advocates, Fairfax County supervisors, area residents address affordable housing.

Fairfax County residents have yet to agree on the specifics of residential studio units and are continuing the debate on several aspects of the proposed amendment. As of Jan. 6, the Planning Commission proposed amendment defines residential studios as efficiency units that make up a multiple-family residential building, or part of a building, in which 80 percent of the units must be for those who do not make more than 60 percent of the median income of the area. In the Washington, D.C. area, that is $45,000.

‘Mr. Mac’ Nominated for Grammy Award

Glen McCarthy vying for first-ever music-educator honor.

Glen McCarthy played trumpet in high school; but when his parents gave him a guitar for graduation, it changed the trajectory of his life. He’s played guitar in bands ever since then – yet what’s defined him most, he says, is being a guitar teacher.

Local Dental Office Joins U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Literacy Program

Dr. Travis Le of Fairfax joined the U.S. Marines in an all out campaign against poverty and illiteracy in our own society through the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Literacy Program. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty over 16 million children in the United States live below the federal poverty level.

Field Trip Grant Program Exposes Children to Nature

Grant brings local elementary and middle schools to Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clifton.

The Dominion Foundation’s grant of $10,000 to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority will allow for children from local elementary and middle schools to attend field trips at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clifton as part of the Field Trip Grant Program.

What More Could FBI Want?

Virginia leaders tout merits of Springfield site for FBI HQ relocation.

A high-ranking delegation of Virginia politicians gathered in Springfield Tuesday morning in a renewed effort to convince the Federal Bureau of Investigation to relocate its headquarters to a warehouse site in Springfield. The move in the high-stakes, highly competitive regional competition comes after site selection guidelines eliminated almost all other Northern Virginia locations.

Fairfax Connection