Eat. Drink. Pay?
Fairfax County task force debates voters’ appetite for another meals tax referendum.
It has been 22 years since Fairfax County asked voters to approve a tax on restaurant meals, an issue that ignited protests, caused deep divisions among community leaders and threatened to melt down several political careers. The reverberations of that epic failure — what many consider the third rail of county politics — continue to echo in the ears of county politicians.
Roundups for 6/11/2014
The editor presents the roundups from the week of 6/11/2014.
Mixed-Used Development Proposed for Chantilly
Multifamily homes, retail, restaurants in Westfields Corporate Center.
The Westfields Corporate Center has attracted top-quality firms — including the federal government — to its business park in Chantilly. So it’s not surprising then that Akridge wants to join them.
Empire Strikes Back: Establishment Beats Tea Party at Republican Convention
Party insider Ed Gillespie seizes nomination at convention in Roanoke.
When conservative preacher E.W. Jackson took the stage at the Roanoke Civic Center to introduce Tea Party favorite Shak Hill at the Republican convention last weekend, hundreds of conservatives from across Virginia took to their feet. They waved placards.
Poverty in the Classroom: Low-Income Students Scattered Through Northern Virginia
Where are the region's highest poverty schools?
When Carla Castro-Claure was approaching the age when she would soon attend Kindergarten, her mother became increasingly concerned about Hybla Valley Elementary School.
Once Cramped, Outdated; Now Modern, Efficient
When the Fairfax County Animal Shelter was built in the early 1970s, it was intended to be a dog pound to handle stray and homeless dogs. Renovated in the mid-1980s, it increased the number of kennels from 48 to 72 to better care for dogs in isolation and quarantine.
Honoring County’s Devotion to Animals
Shelter’s renovation and expansion are celebrated.
Residents, politicians and even four-footed alumni flocked to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter on Saturday, May 17, to celebrate completion of its renovation and expansion. It was a long time in coming, so it made the event even sweeter.
Five New Parks in Sully Woodlands
Residents are asked to submit their ideas for them
The Fairfax County Park Authority wants to hear residents’ thoughts about its new comprehensive plan for parkland in Sully Woodlands. So it held a recent public meeting in Centreville to let people see what’s proposed and comment on it.
All Hands on Deck Proves Successful
Sometimes, a show of force pays off in a big way — and that’s what happened during the Sully District Police Station’s recent All Hands on Deck operation.
Crime Report
The Sully District Police Station reported the following incidents.
Trained in Prison, Healing in N. Virginia
Healing power of dogs creates ties between prisoners, veterans, children with disabilities.
When I first started going inside prisons for paws4people.org, my job was three-fold: to capture, through photography, the connection between the dogs and their inmate trainers, to provide images that reflected the accomplishments of months of training and to document the moment that veterans, children and young adults were matched with their assistance dogs.
Murder Is Charged in Stabbing
A 20-year-old Centreville man died Sunday, May 18, after being stabbed the previous night during a fight. Fairfax County police identified him as Domingo Eduardo Santiago Cuchil of no fixed address in Centreville.
Possible Measles Exposure; Check for Symptoms
“Out of an abundance of caution,” Virginia Department of Health officials are investigating potential exposures to a second person with measles, May 11-15, in the National Capital Region.
Support Fundraising Clifton Homes Tour and Marketplace
The Clifton Homes Tour and Marketplace, sponsored by the Clifton Community Woman’s Club, will be held on Thursday, May 15. Net proceeds from the Clifton Homes Tour go to the organization’s charitable trust.