Greenspring Resident Receives Award from American Legion
The American Legion Department of Virginia held its 96th annual convention July 10-July 13 in Herndon. During the event, representatives from the department presented a variety of awards including those for leadership and service.
Week in Springfield
Weekly happenings in Springfield.
30 Years Later, Springfield Family Still Thankful to Children’s National
After being a patient at Children’s National as a child, Justin Golart giving back through 5K.
After raising $712,000 last year, Children’s National Health System has set a goal of raising $1 million through the 2nd annual Race for Every Child in September. Ashley Husich, the race manager for the event, said that last year, the inaugural year for the race, surpassed expectations with 3,946 participants, and this year they are hoping to have 5,000.
Saying Goodbye at Halley Elementary
School says goodbye to a ‘true humanitarian.’
Since Halley Elementary School opened in the 1990s, Phoebe Boatright has been at the school inspiring students and helping the Lorton community. This June, Boatright retired after 46 years in education. Students, staff and parents at Halley say they will miss Boatright, who worked as a counselor at the school.
Expect HOV Lane Closures This Summer
Construction of 95 Express Lanes continues.
Drivers planning on using Interstate 95 to get to their vacation destination, or even just to get to work, should prepare for overnight and weekend HOV lane closures from Washington, D.C. to Dumfries as construction of the 95 Express Lanes continues.
School Board Decreases Suspension Time
Student Rights and Responsibilities revised.
Starting this fall, suspensions for certain student offenses in Fairfax County will decrease, thanks to a revision of the school system’s Student Rights and Responsibilities [SR&R]. The school board voted unanimously at the end of June to change the discipline handbook, which will now focus on in school suspensions to preserve time in school. Offenses that come with mandatory punishments are decreased under the updated handbook.
Fairfax Updates Green Building Policy
New policy is result of new technology for green rating systems.
The green building policy in Fairfax has been updated, requiring higher standards for residential, retail, office and other construction projects seeking approval for rezoning in the county.
Archive Provides ‘Insight into the Reality of Segregation’
Northern Virginia Civil Rights Archive dedicated at George Mason.
Civil Rights activists Edwin Henderson, Lillie Jessie and Ralph Smith joined numerous other Virginia residents who lived through the Civil Rights movement and provided their stories during a dedication ceremony for the Northern Virginia Civil Rights Archive on July 7.
Kids Sending Smiles Raise Funds for Local Charity
They’re at it again. Who’s at what? Those girls from Kids Sending Smiles (KSS) – that’s “who.” The “what” is yet another charitable mission completed by this band of energetic and socially conscious Springfield/Lorton area elementary students, who several years ago formed their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the goal of “bringing happiness to ourselves and others by helping those in need in the United States and around the world.”
You Can Run, But You Can’t Win?
Fairfax County fires attorney for winning city council seat.
Like many lifelong City of Fairfax residents, Nancy Fry Loftus is proud of her hometown’s character and charm — a Norman Rockwell postcard of small-town life in the heart of an increasingly urban, diverse and bustling region.
Roads, Cars Challenge Bike Commuters
Commuting by bike poses challenges and conveniences.
The most direct way from the Saratoga Shopping Center to the Franconia-Springfield metro station by bicycle is through Hooes Road, that is, with the exception of actually getting on the Franconia-Springfield Parkway on a bicycle.
Full-Day Mondays Start in September
Teachers promised planning time.
Full-day Mondays for all. After 40 years, Fairfax County Public Schools will give all elementary students "full Mondays" for more learning time — and more recess. During a School Board meeting Thursday, June 26, Superintendent Karen Garza said Mondays were cut in half for elementary students since 1972. "While not everyone tonight will embrace the change, we will engage the stakeholders," she told the board.
Climate Change Could Affect Drinking Water
Residents could see — and smell — a very different Potomac River by 2040.
Drinking cups of clear tap water could be a luxury people are less likely to take for granted in the near future as climate-change culprits affect the waterways — and water bills.
Friends of Richard Byrd Library Improve Community
The group was awarded at the 2014 Volunteer Fairfax Awards.
As president of the Friends of Richard Byrd Library, Springfield resident Christine Peterson spends countless hours, along with other volunteers in the group, working to ensure the library is effectively serving the community.
Youth Suicide Prevention Training Offered Online
Interactive training helps adults deal with serious issues.
Following several incidents in the community involving youth and suicide, Laura Yager, the director of partnership and resource development for the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, said the community has recognized the need for youth suicide prevention.