Cansler Lawyer Calls for More Investigations into Rose Hill Taser Incident
Elton Cansler of Alexandria was arrested on Sept. 24 for committing larceny and assaulting a police officer, an incident captured on two independent witnesses’ mobile phones during which the Fairfax County Police Officer used a taser to force him to comply with orders.
“They’re Not Alone”
New domestic violence victims screening tool launches in Fairfax County.
Fairfax County is taking a step forward to reduce the deaths among victims of domestic violence. According to the police department, county domestic violence hotlines receive over 240 calls each month.
New Tolls on I-66: Will That Help?
New Tolls presented as the first step to reducing heavy traffic on I-66, some voice doubts.
On Oct. 5, VDOT held one of several ongoing meetings discussing a new Multimodal Project to reduce traffic on Route I-66, the only interstate in the country limited to HOV usage during rush hour.
Area Roundups
Events and happenings in Burke, Fairfax, Lorton and Springfield.
Franconia: Police Investigating Use of Taser
Follow-up report justifies the “less-lethal force option” as lawful deployment.
Fairfax County Police Internal Affairs officials are investigating the use of an “electronic control weapon,” or taser, by an officer on a suspect that took place in Franconia on Sept. 24. A short cell phone video of an officer forcing the suspect to the ground in front of a police cruiser surfaced after the incident, prompting a release from police Chief Edwin Roessler that Internal Affairs would investigate the event.
Springfield: Cervantes Coffee Roasters Slows Down the Pick-Me-Up
Jonathan Matías’ 3-year-old son is using Yelp. The Springfield resident said he first heard about Cervantes Coffee Roasters when the toddler picked up his phone and showed him Cervantes on the local business review app. “You need to go to this coffeehouse,” Matías recalled him saying. The two went, and now his son asks to go every week.
Springfield: California-based Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill Opens in Springfield Town Center
Springfield resident Brian Watson has lived in the area for about as long as some of the meat smoking in the back of the restaurant he manages. Watson moved to Springfield from California to open the 16th Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill at Springfield Town Center in June.
Fairfax County: Candidates Meet on Fairfax Public Access
Clerk, Sheriff and Soil & Water incumbents and challengers answer questions.
Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid wasted no time in bringing up the in-custody death of Natasha McKenna during her opening remarks. Kincaid said the loss of life, which occurred in February following an incident where a team of Sheriff’s deputies was attempting to transport McKenna to Alexandria police and deployed a taser on her four times, continues to weigh heavily on her.
Burke: Bruin Marching Band Shines at Oakton Classic
Featuring Latin repertoire, the band members gave an energetic performance at the 30th Oakton Classic competition.
The football field was filled with different kind of vividness: colorful costumes, beautiful sound of instruments, lively performance and cheers and a round of applause from the audience. Oakton Classic is the annual invitational marching band competition run by the band boosters of Oakton High School.
146 Fairfax County Schools Energy Star-Certified
New Auditor General also appointed at Sept. 24 meeting
In the last year and a half, Fairfax County Public Schools have been able to reduce the energy consumption in their buildings by 15 percent. That cut down resulted in savings of $4.5 million, according to a release Sept. 25 by the school system.
Burke: Law Enforcement Raising Awareness of Train Track Safety
Adil Gour has been crossing the Virginia Railway Express tracks in Burke for three years. “It’s convenient for me, instead of going all the way around,” Gour said. All the way around in this case means taking Guinea Road to Roberts Road and south.
Fairfax County NAACP hosts 70th Freedom Fund Awards
‘Your Vote, Your Power’
J.E.B. Stuart High School seniors Anna Rowan, Cassie Marcotty, Marley Finley, Abby Conde and Lidia Amanuel were bothered by the Confederate legacy of their school. Inspired by a history class with teacher Keith Bropst on the Massive Resistance anti-segregation policy, the girls set out to change Stuart’s name, mascot and colors.
Fairfax NAACP To Host Rally Seeking ‘Justice for Natasha McKenna’
Fairfax County NCAAP president Shirley Ginwright announced a rally will be held Sept. 27 to demand justice for Natasha McKenna, a 37-year-old woman with mental illness who died in February after she had been held in the Adult Detention Center.
Ending Bullying
Back to School: Local educators offer advice for parents on how to deal with bullying as school resumes.
When Carol Baker cried, no one heard her. She and a classmate were alone in the girls locker room, and as Baker, then an eighth grade student, tried to leave, her classmate grabbed her gym shirt and pushed her into a locker. They weren’t fighting over anything in particular and Baker didn’t sustain any physical injuries.
Fairfax County: ‘Reports and Tears Are Not Enough’
Protesters demonstrate for Natasha McKenna, social justice and improved mental health services at ad hoc police review commission public hearing.
Cayce Utley of Centreville said Natasha McKenna, the 37-year-old African American woman with mental illness who died in the Sheriff’s Office custody in February, must be “more than just a mistake, more than an accident. Black women aren’t your ‘Oops,’ they aren’t your teachable moments.”