Stories for February 2016

6A North Roundup: Westfield, Battlefield Advance to Tournament Final

West Potomac, West Springfield to play in third-place game.

Westfield and Battlefield won on Friday night.

Burke, Fairfax Station, Springfield and Mount Vernon legislators reflect on battles won, lost and tabled after General Assembly “Crossover”

Tuesday, Feb. 16 marked “crossover,” the milestone during the current session of the Virginia General Assembly session in Richmond where bills passed by the House of Delegates move to the Senate for debate and either approval or rejection, and vice versa.

Springfield Veterinary Holistic Center offers extension to conventional medicine

Bettejeanne “BJ” Hammond much prefers the term “body work” to massage. “Open wine and get out the candles, that’s what people think of massage,” she said. “They think it’s to relax, but it’s so much more than that.”

Art of Driving Scholarship Expands Eligibility Outside Fairfax County

After the first few years being open only to Lake Braddock Secondary School Students, the Art of Driving college scholarship in honor of Lake Braddock student Ashley Thompson expanded to all Fairfax County High Schools.

Fairfax County Schools to Close March 1 for Super Tuesday

Concerns about parking and traffic, as well as new guidance from the Virginia Department of Education caused the Fairfax County School Board to reconsider closing schools for the March 1 Presidential primaries.

Editorial: Bad Bills

General Assembly has potential to do lots of damage in a short period.

From pressing for use of a barbaric form of execution, the electric chair, to codifying discrimination, to stripping localities of the major tool for ensuring infrastructure is in place for new development, to hiding more and more critical public information from the public, the Virginia General Assembly is poised to do harm to the Commonwealth.

Classified Advertising February 24, 2016

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Column: General Assembly Reaches Halfway Point

Commentary

The 2016 General Assembly session has passed the halfway point. The House of Delegates is considering 552 bills that passed the Virginia Senate. The Senate is considering 983 House bills. Among these, the House passed 24 bills and one resolution that I introduced — more than any other member of the House and Senate. I appreciate the support of Republicans and Democrats in the House of Delegates in passing these initiatives.

Chantilly: Groomers Pursue Voluntary Certification

Featherle Pet Care, a small, family-run business, operates two salons in Chantilly and Sterling, Canine Clipper School of Pet Grooming in Dumfries and Wash and Wag of Culpeper.

Michael League, in His Own Words

Following Snarky Puppy’s Feb. 15 Grammy victory for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, the band’s founder and leader, Centreville High grad Michael League, participated in this interview:

Mountain View Grads Succeeding Despite Obstacles

Mountain View honors four students with special awards.

During Mountain View High’s winter graduation last week, four students were honored with special awards. They were Sara Mendez, Jada Jones, Reynaldo Gonzalez Martinez and Brenda Rivera.

Mountain View Principal: ‘You Can Achieve Anything’

Success stories shared at Mountain View’s graduation.

Mountain View High’s motto is “Family, Love, Respect,” and it was on full display during the school’s winter graduation, last Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Centreville High.

Scanlon, Francis Lead Westfield to Conference 5 Championship

Bulldog seniors combine for 56 points in win over Chantilly.

The Westfield boys' basketball team defeated Chantilly in the Conference 5 championship game on Friday.

County Budget Presented, About $300 More per Household

County Executive: Revenue growth is insufficient to fund all priorities. Schools still $68 million short.

County Executive Ed Long recommended a four-cent increase to the real estate tax rate.

FCPS Open Enrollment for Two-Way and World Languages Immersion Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools' online registration for the countywide lottery for two-way and world language immersion programs will open on Monday, Feb. 22.

FCPS Students Win Awards in 2016 Scholastic Writing Competition

Fairfax County Public Schools students at 22 schools won regional awards in the 2016 Scholastic Writing Awards Competition.

Chantilly Home Sales: January, 2016

In January, 2016, 13 homes sold between $755,000-$189,000 in the Chantilly area.

Chantilly Home Sales: January, 2016

Centreville Home Sales: January, 2016

In January, 2016, 43 Centreville homes sold between $615,000-$169,000.

Centreville Home Sales: January, 2016

Fairfax County: Parents, Community Supporters Rally to ‘Invest in Kids’

Emotional independent outbursts and communal chants of “Fund our schools” and “Invest in kids” echoed through the grand amphitheater just beyond the entrance to the Fairfax County Government Center.

Chantilly Letter: Intolerance and Hatred

Letter to the Editor

Donald Trump — the fading hot topic of last year; currently known for being the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primaries along with his infamous bigotry. Throughout 2015, the media exploited all the ignorant acts he displayed towards any minorities, beginning with the Hispanic community and now moving on to Muslims, or anyone with a darker complexion for that matter.

Centreville/Chantilly Snapshot: Chapter of National Charity League Seeks Members

Virginia Bluebell Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. (NCL) is currently seeking new members from the Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton and the surrounding areas.

Centreville Letter: Oppose ICE’s Raids

Letter to the Editor

On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted residential raids in Centreville, taking one family member of a worker from the Centreville Labor Resource Center.

Chantilly: Launching Mustang Sally Brewing Company

From dream to reality in 25 years.

Opening a brewery, a place for a community to come together and bond over cold glasses of craft beer, was the post-graduate dream of Fairfax County business owner Sean Hunt. Twenty-five years ago, a fresh out-of-college Hunt and his equally green work buddy talked about starting and running a welcoming place in Fairfax County where locals could swing by and enjoy a high-quality, reliably tasty beer or two.

Fairfax County Police: ‘We’re There to Help Them Out’

CAC learns about Police Department’s hostage negotiations team.

Each month, members of the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) learn about a different section of the Fairfax County Police Department. Recently, they learned about hostage negotiations.

Editorial: Freedom of Information on Life Support in General Assembly?

Last week, the Assembly passed SB 202, which undid a major push eight years ago to ensure that all of our public spending was ‘online’ and searchable by ordinary citizens. This, of course, meant disclosing the salaries of public employees over a certain income level.

Editorial: Fairfax Presses Ahead with Diversion First

When police encounter someone in mental health crisis, they can transport them to Merrifield Crisis Response Center instead of jail.

Natasha McKenna died a little more than a year ago on Feb. 7, 2015.

Diversion First Program Launched

Fairfax County officials announce Diversion First program designed to help individuals get treatment not jail time.

Kevin Earley said he’s living proof that Diversion First works. Earley has been living with bipolar disorder and had his last episode in 2007.

Uncovering the Roots of Slavery

Local student creates slave index to help descendants trace family history.

A local college student is spending much of her senior year scouring the last wills and testaments of residents of Northern Virginia.

ServiceSource Helps People with Disabilities

Nonprofit ServiceSource helps people with disabilities.

In one section of the ServiceSource Chantilly Center, music therapist Myra Goodrich leads a group of budding musicians playing a cheerful song.

Touching Many Hearts

Minecraft for a Mission – Touching Heart and their “Kids on a Mission” raise funds for children in foster care.

They say that charity begins at home. Helen Yi and Taylor, the mother and daughter co-founders of Touching Heart, a nonprofit aimed at educating and inspiring children to empathize with the needs of others and to take action to assist them, have no argument with that statement.

‘Star Wars’ Fans Flock to Local Classes

Movie's popularity leaves fans wanting to feel "The Force."

Beams of neon light flash around a dark room. Young Star Wars fans from a galaxy not so far away wield light sabers and move with carefully choreographed steps.

Time To Plan for Kids’ Summer Camp Adventures

Local camp fair offers sampling of summer programs.

Under a blanket of February frost, summer might seem light years away, but it’s closer than one might think.

Fairfax County: Public Safety Committee meets to discuss Ad Hoc Police Review recommendations and the Diversion First initiative

Just over a year since Natasha McKenna died following multiple shocks from a taser, while in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention center, her name was never raised during the Feb. 9 meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee meeting. Two audience members stood on one side of the Government Center conference room, holding posters bearing a picture of McKenna’s face and text including “Black Lives Matter.”

Fairfax County: Training Center Residents Relocated

They’re all gone. As of August 2015, there were still 55 residents with mental or physical disabilities receiving services at the state-owned and operated Northern Virginia Training Center on Braddock Road.

Nearly 3,000 Pounds of Food Donated During Clifton Stuff the Bus Event

As shoppers hustled in the sliding doors at the Giant Food in Clifton, many on last-minute errands in preparation for Sunday’s Super Bowl 50, five-year-old Selena Padeway was eager to hand them another shopping list.

Classified Advertising February 10, 2016

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Centreville 2015 Home Sales

In 2015, 1,049 Centreville homes sold between $1,625,100-$137,000.

Centreville 2015 Home Sales

Chantilly 2015 Home Sales

In 2015, 259 homes sold between $1,285,000-$11,000 in the Chantilly area.

Chantilly 2015 Home Sales

Centreville Obituary: Benjamin C. Judd, Jr.

Benjamin C. Judd, Jr. (“Pop”), 76, died Feb. 6, 2016 in Leesburg after a lengthy fight with cancer. He was a resident of Centreville since 1974.

Chantilly Snapshot: Triumphant

Chantilly High School’s Charger Dancers made a clean sweep in every category Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Gar-field High School “Sweetheart Invitational” Cheer and Dance Competition.

Centreville: Joining Together to Help, Support Others

Meet Centreville High’s Wildcats vs. Cancer club.

Centreville High sophomore Valerie Nguyen founded the Wildcats vs. Cancer club at her school to help others. But for her, the battle against this disease is also personal.

Chantilly: ‘Seeing What’s Changed ... And what has not’ since “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Westfield presents ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’

A volatile courtroom drama in 1930s Alabama comes to life in Westfield High’s production of the Harper Lee classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Virginia Cigarette Tax Remains Lowest in Nation

Opportunity for increase in cigarette tax blows up in smoke.

Dale Stein and the McLean Citizens Association couldn’t even raise a match before legislators in Richmond extinguished a possible increase in the cigarette tax for Fairfax County.

Editorial: Limiting Local Authority

Assembly rushes bill limiting proffers without addressing who will pay for infrastructure.

In Virginia, a Dillon Rule state, local governments have only the powers explicitly granted by the General Assembly. And what the assembly gives, the assembly can take away.

Stylish Valentine’s Day Table Settings

Flowers and candles create romantic designs.

Fresh flowers and candles are an easy way to add elegance and romance to a Valentine’s Day table. From dramatic to understated, local tastemakers offer suggestions for setting the mood for a memorable dinner.

Bringing Order to Household Chaos

Clever design solutions for hiding clutter.

Wires, cable boxes, soccer cleats, pet bowls and other items are life’s necessities, but they can be unsightly and disrupt the aesthetic of an elegant living space.

Fairfax County School Board Approves $2.67 Billion ‘No Cuts’ Budget

Calls for general salary raises and additional $40 million for teachers, lowering elementary class sizes.

Members of the Fairfax County School Board have taken the next step in realizing Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza’s vision of no additional cuts in the Fiscal Year 2017 school system operating budget. T

Area Students Shine in MATHCOUNTS Competition

The Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS competition was held on Saturday, Feb. 6, at George Mason University.

Snowzilla Summit Ahead

Board names Fairfax County Animal Shelter for Michael Frey.

“What a difference a week makes,” said County Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), in case anybody had moved on from the 29.3 inches of measured snow at Dulles Airport during the recent blizzard.

Honoring Black History

Fairfax County’s Cable Network presents programs in celebration of Black History Month.

Fairfax Public Access (FPA) will air a special series of movies and documentaries throughout the month of February in recognition of Black History Month.

Proffers in Danger?

Richmond caught the attention of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week specifically with House Bill 770 (Gilbert) and Senate B 549 (Obenshain), bills Sharon Bulova says will place “significant restrictions” on development, specifically citing “unreasonable proffers.”

Fairfax County: Election Officers Still Needed for March Primary

Cameron Sasnett has one message for people concerned about the integrity of elections -- at least from a procedure standpoint: Get involved as an election officer.

Fairfax County: In-Custody Death Investigated

Paul Guida died Oct. 17, 2015, while in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. The 68-year-old Falls Church resident was charged with violating a protective order. He had been held without bond since Oct. 1, 2015.

Combined Commissions for Women Host Human Trafficking Awareness Event in Fairfax

Thirty years ago, “Jen” was lured into a pornography ring and sexually abused by a man who initially pretended to be her friend.

Snowzilla Summit Ahead

Board names Fairfax County Animal Shelter for Michael Frey.

“What a difference a week makes,” said County Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), in case anybody had moved on from the 29.3 inches of measured snow at Dulles Airport during last week’s blizzard.

Classified Advertising February 3, 2016

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Column: Doing the People’s Business in Richmond

Commentary

It’s been a long week digging out from the #2 record snowstorm in our area. While many streets and roads were plowed within 24 hours, others took several days.

Clifton Brief: Stuff the Bus Food Drive for WFCM

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries will be a recipient of the “Stuff the Bus for Fairfax” food drive which will be held Saturday, Feb 6, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Clifton Giant, 5740 Union Mill Road.

Bite Me Cancer Gets New Home

Nonprofit now headquartered in AFCEA building in Fair Lakes.

When Nikki Ferraro was just 17, she was diagnosed with a rare form of thyroid cancer. Since then, she’s fought it hard while also reaching out to help other teenagers battling the same disease.

Another Opportunity to Talk About It

Super Bowl Sunday is Sunday, Feb. 7, and often more about the parties than the game.

Editorial: Economic Development in Virginia

The General Assembly prides itself in providing a pro-business climate, but refuses infusion of more than $3 billion annually.

Hundreds of bills before this year’s General Assembly session focus on “business climate,” providing incentives for businesses to locate and expand here, extending tax exemptions and tax credits, encouraging international trade, reducing regulation and many other approaches perceived as pro-business.

Marking American Heart Month

Month-long observance raises awareness about cardiovascular disease and the role of aerobic exercise in preventing it.

Music is thumping, sweat is dripping and hearts are pounding. In a packed aerobic dance studio, students move in the name of health.