Stories for August 2015

Springfield: Neighborhood Development Outlook Update

Neighborhood Development Outlook Update

Newcomers Guide: Who Runs Springfield?

Who Runs Springfield?

Springfield Supervisor’s Top Five Places

Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) recommends top places to visit in his district.

There are so many quality places to visit in the Springfield District, it is hard to pick five. Here is my attempt:

Supervisor Welcomes You to Lee District

Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee) reflects on must-visit places in his district.

Dear Lee District Newcomer: Welcome to Fairfax County and Lee District. I am very pleased to meet you and I’m sure you won’t be a newcomer for long. Lee District is a friendly place, filled with a mix of longtime residents and those who’ve come here from somewhere else.

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.

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

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Springfield Home Sales: July, 2015

In July, 2015, 217 Springfield homes sold between $1,119,000-$174,900.

Springfield 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.

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).

Letter: A Test of Leadership

Letter to the Editor

Late last month, Fairfax County officials announced a $47 million surplus from the 2015 fiscal year, money gained from spending cuts and extra tax revenue that would likely go toward renovating county schools and other infrastructure repairs.

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.

Springfield Native Competes on “America’s Next Top Model”

Justin Kim never planned to be a model. The 23-year-old Springfield native’s parents encouraged him to pursue law or medicine. While studying law and society at George Mason University, Kim thought he might find a career with an agency like the FBI or criminal courts.

Burke: Lake Braddock Football Returns Plenty of Playmakers

Bruins were blown out by Westfield in 2014 region semis.

Kyle Edwards enters his second season as Lake Braddock's starting quarterback.

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.

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.

Clifton, Fairfax Station and Springfield Communities Join Public Safety Agencies for National Night Out

A well-known tunnel-bridge on Colchester Road connects an area of Fairfax Station with the rest of the county, both geographically and mythically. Its link to historic reports of a vandal in a bunny costume has gotten it plenty of attention, including actual acts of vandalism on and around the structure.

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.

Springfield-Franconia: Moped Rider Dies After Colliding with Camry

Peter Matthew Kester, 56, died at the scene where his moped collided with a Toyota Camry sedan in the 6400 block of Franconia Road. Fairfax County Police received a call about the incident around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, according to the police release.

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.

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.

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.