Stories for February 2015

Experienced Woodson Boys' Basketball Team Bounces Back from 3OT Loss in Conference 7 Final

Cavaliers beat Robinson in opening round of 6A North region tournament.

The Woodson boys' basketball team beat Robinson 70-55 Friday night.

Movement Determined to ‘Save the Park’

Since the beginning of February, the Movement has generated a petition with more than 8,900 signatures and counting to save the Park.

“When the anonymous letter showed up in our neighborhood mailboxes many of us began to wonder and worry. A few of us started talking and soon a meeting was scheduled with Pat Herrity and the Park Authority,” said Leigh Claypool, committee chair of the Save Burke Lake Park movement.

Fairfax County Swimmers Shine at States

Swimmers from 36 high schools from around Virginia competed in the Virginia High School League 6A state championship held in Richmond on Feb. 20.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova Bulova to Create Transparency Review Commission

Group would include citizens, legal community and other organizations.

When Alexandria resident Natasha McKenna was removed from life support and died on Feb. 8, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office posted a release on the county website.

Fairfax County Park Authority Passes on Commercial Proposal for Burke Lake Golf Park

Burke resident Meg Hanrahan likes Topgolf in Alexandria. “To go out on a date with my husband,” she said, “but it’s not some place I want to go when I want to mentally prepare to go out on a course and play 18 holes.”

Community Reviews Plans for Silas Burke Property

Members of the Burke and West Springfield communities were invited to review the plans of Sunrise Development, LLC to build an assisted living facility on the property of the Silas Burke House.

Fairfax County Animal Shelter Gets Creative to Save Lives

Since 2013, Fairfax County has been the largest jurisdiction in the United States with a placement rate of animals above 90 percent. Last year alone, nearly 2,500 animals were adopted, which is nearly double the adoptions just two years earlier.

Finding Forever Families for Felines

Nonprofit helps Animal Shelters with overflow.

Jacquie Barker saw the problem with the normal animal rescue cycle. Ideally, animal rescue starts with the rescue, followed by a period of sheltering, and finally, adoption. But often rescue organizations’ efforts get stuck during the sheltering or fostering phase.

Conference 7 Title Business as Usual for West Springfield Girls' Basketball

Spartans beat South County to win fifth conference/district title in six years.

The West Springfield girls' basketball team beat South County 55-37 Tuesday.

Fern and Otter Come to ‘Work’

“My dogs Fern and Otter, both adopted from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. They love to come to work with me at the shelter.

When Sam Met Frodo

“Sam and Frodo are both rescue cats. Frodo, the big orange guy with the furry feet, came from Home Alone Feline Rescue in 2011. He is part Maine Coon and part American bobtail. Lou and I had been thinking about getting a second cat as a companion for Frodo when I ran into Lee District School Board member Tammy Koufax at a community event in Springfield in August 2013..."

Shelter Gets Creative To Save Lives

Volunteers, social media assist in pet adoptions.

Since 2013, Fairfax County has been the largest jurisdiction in the United States with a placement rate of animals above 90 percent. Last year alone, nearly 2,500 animals were adopted, which is nearly double the adoptions just two years earlier.

Column: Not So Late This Time

But real-time once again: February 20, 11 hours, approximately, after our regularly-scheduled, post-scan meeting with the oncologist at 10:00 this morning.

South County Boys’ Basketball Wins First Conference Championship

No. 7 (lowest) seed Stallions upset No. 1 Woodson in 3-OT classic.

The South County boys' basketball team won its first conference championship Tuesday night.

Editorial: Managing Mental Illness in Jails

Natasha McKenna’s death provides window on national concern.

A national report released on Feb. 11 highlighted the prevalence of people with mental illness incarcerated in local jails.

Fairfax County School Board Discusses New AAP Center at Poplar Tree

Board seeks more community feedback before taking action.

Greenbriar West Elementary School is far from the only Fairfax County Public School with an overcrowding problem.

Weichert, Realtors Recognizes Burke/Fairfax Station Office Associate

Bruce L. Green, regional vice president of Weichert, Realtors, announced Sales Associate Youssef Zeroual of the Burke/Fairfax Station office was individually recognized for his exceptional industry success during the month of January.

Inaugural Celebration of Gospel Event Held in Burke

Last Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Lake Braddock Secondary School (LBSS) welcomed the Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University (HGC) to headline its first musical Celebration of Gospel. The concert was sponsored by the Minority Parents for Excellence in Education (MPEE), a parent-led organization that has been active at LBSS for almost 30 years.

Dead or Alive: Virginia General Assembly Lawmakers Pick Their Legislative Highlights at the Crossover

HB1872: Would have required the Board of Education to arrange a special training program for principals working with struggling schools.

Virginia General Assembly Reaches Crossover

Bills live, die or fold into other legislation before review by the opposite chamber.

As the current meeting of the Virginia General Assembly neared the one-month mark, legislators in the House of Delegates and Senate had to finalize work on bills they would send to their counterparts for consideration.

Burke Home Sales: January, 2015

In January, 2015, 33 Burke homes sold between $1,150,000-$160,900.

Burke Home Sales: January, 2015

New Civil War Marker Honors African-American Woodcutters in Burke

Centreville resident Debbie Robison hasn’t chopped a cord of lumber or laid a railroad trestle. But for more than a year she’s done hard labor at the National Archives and Records Administration, researching Civil War-era railroad workers in Northern Virginia.

Public Hearing Scheduled in Burke to Discuss Potential VRE Fare Increase

Increased operation costs are forcing the Virginia Railway Express to consider a 4 percent fare increase.

Citizens Hold Meeting on Burke Lake Golf Park

Though not typically a winter sport, talk of golf is heating up a chilly February.

Fairfax: Robinson’s DePasquale Escapes Defeat at Regionals

Lake Braddock’s Haskett wins third region championship.

Robinson wrestling placed third at the regional tournament.

Fairfax’s Barborek Wins 6A North Region Floor Title

Senior qualifies for states on floor, bars, vault.

Fairfax's Rachel Barborek won the region floor title on Feb. 11.

Column: Staying Ahead of the Feds

The federal government is not always wrong. At the same time, the state government is not always right.

The Virginia House and the Senate have penned similar but competing mid-point versions to the 2014-2016 biennial budget.

Black History Month Celebrations

Local students learn about the history and accomplishments of African-Americans.

Fourth grade student Eli West crafted a poem this month that was modeled after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous, “I Have a Dream” speech.

Stalled Labor Market Slows County Budget

Proposed budget calls for no real estate tax rate increase, but average homeowner would pay $184 more.

Supervisor Jeff McKay pointed out an irony in County Executive Ed Long’s proposed $3.8 billion budget. Three planning positions would be eliminated from the budget even though Long suggested the county needs more efforts to raise revenue from commercial and industrial venues.

Super-Insulation Talk Attracts Homeowners in Reston

How to lower electric, gas and water bills?

The Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center at Lake Anne in Reston was the venue for a well-attended presentation by Rich and Marian Taschler on proper home insulation and its mostly unknown benefits. The program was offered under the auspices of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at George Mason University.

Oh Deer! What Can the Matter Be?

The county Park Authority used aerial infrared surveys via fixed-wing airplanes to count the number of deer inside parks and within a small distance in the surrounding neighborhoods on Feb. 6, 2014 and Dec. 27, 2013, according to the 2014 Annual Report on the Environment for Fairfax County.

Column: Real-Time, Really Late

I’m not a night owl. More of an early bird, worms notwithstanding. But given the contents of last week’s column, “Scantsy,” I find it difficult to write about anything else while waiting for the results of my CT Scan.

Good Citizenship Honored

The Daughters of the American Revolution's Thomas Lee (Fairfax) chapter, in an event held at the Army Navy Club in Fairfax, awarded their 2015 Good Citizens award to Clifton resident and Robinson senior Elizabeth Telford. The award recognizes a high school senior who stands out among their peers and possesses the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.

Woodson High School Inducts 2014-2015 Hall of Fame Athletes

W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax welcomed eight new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Grand Atrium Banquet Venue in Tysons Corner. This is the third Hall of Fame “class” for Woodson. The honors program was established in conjunction with the school’s 50th anniversary in 2012.

MATHCOUNTS Regional Winners Announced

The Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS competitions were held on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Glasgow Middle School in Alexandria, and at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Arlington. This year, because of the exceptionally large number of students participating, the Regional competition had to be split between two venues.

Colonial Day at Cherry Run Elementary

Cherry Run Elementary School fourth graders in Burke held Colonial Day on Jan. 16. Students dressed in the styles of the 1700s. They learned the Virginia Reel and invited their parents in to the dance. Parents put together stations where students could stencil on cloth, hammer tin punch decorations, shake cream to make butter, and play games such as hopscotch, jacks, marbles and cat’s cradle.

Burke, Fairfax Station, Springfield and Mount Vernon: Describe your ideal Valentine's Day Date

Sev Kerat, senior at South County High School, Springfield resident: “We’d go ice skating, or something else active to move about and set the mood. Doing an activity makes me feel relieved instead of uptight.”

Sixth Friends of Sadie Blood Drive in Burke Draws More Than 200 Donors

For the sixth year in a row, Burke resident Amy Dozier celebrated Valentine’s Day by helping manage a blood drive. Her daughter Madeline, barely a tween for the first Friends of Sadie drive in 2010, is now a 16-year-old sophomore at Robinson Secondary School. She’s old enough to drive and old enough to donate blood for the first time.

First Art Steffen Scholarship Awarded to student in Centreville

For nearly three decades, Edward Arthur “Art” Steffen taught at Fairfax County Public Schools.

Uber prominent at state Sens. Marsden and Saslaw joint town hall in Falls Church.

Though over a dozen taxicabs sat in the parking lot of Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, inside it was clear everyone drove themselves.

Matthew Charged In West Potomac Alumna Hannah Graham Murder

Suspect faces life in prison.

Nearly five months after the disappearance of University of Virginia sophomore and West Potomac High School alumna Hannah Graham, the primary suspect in her death investigation has been indicted by a grand jury in Albemarle County.

Combining Health and Mental Health

Community Services Board provides emergency services, prevention and treatment.

One teenager who attempted suicide revealed that if anyone had asked him beforehand whether he was thinking of hurting himself, he would have said yes.

Fairfax County Judge Orders More John Geer Materials Released

Family’s lawyer’s motions supported.

Though extensive, the thousands of pages of documents, dozens of audio files and handful of videos released last month by Fairfax County, documenting the shooting death of Springfield resident John Geer, aren’t exhaustive.

Letter: Failing in Their Duties

Letter to the Editor

I applaud your editorial on the Geer murder (“No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting,” Connection, February 4-10, 2015). The Connection has done yeoman’s work in keeping this tragedy in front of the public, unlike other newspapers which are johnnie-come-latelies.

Editorial: Not the First or Only Time

Secrecy around police shootings has been a problem for at least a decade.

The official position of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the need for changes in policy after the shooting of John Geer by police in Springfield in August of 2013 appears to be that this is the first time police policies have been a problem: “Policies for handling police-involved incidents, which served us well for decades, were inadequate in this complicated situation.”

Column: ‘Scantsy’

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to characterize the feelings I regularly experience during the final few weeks leading up to my every-three-month CT Scan, and even more so the feelings I experience waiting the following week or so to see my oncologist to discuss the results.

Fairfax: Young, Burda Lead Robinson Gymnastics to Conference 5 Title

Rams win second straight championship, third in four years.

Robinson gymnastics repeats as Conference 5 champions.

Commentary: Donate to Those Less Fortunate During National Canned Food Month

It seems that as the memories of the holiday season fade away, so does our urgency to give. Many of us return to our daily routines, and we seem to forget that our neighbors continue to struggle to provide meals for their families. And although many continue to be in need after the holiday season, food donations drop and our food banks face shortages.

Lake Braddock Band Goes National

Lake Braddock Secondary School Symphonic Band has been invited to perform at the 2015 Music for All National Festival, presented by Yamaha, the nation’s most prestigious festival for school instrumental music ensemble. The 24th annual Festival will take place in Indianapolis, March 12-14.

Robinson Middle in Fairfax Takes on Rydell High in ‘Grease’

Though none of the actors are in high school, Katie Jenkins believes her cast will have no problem bringing the students of the famed, fictional Rydell High to life.

Silas Burke House Stays, Sunrise Gets Closer

New language in rezoning application passes to supervisors.

Though once home to Burke’s enterprising namesake Silas, the stately white house he built circa 1824 and the property overlooking Burke Lake Road aren’t actually owned by the county.

Fairfax County Goes Public with Geer Documents

FCPD report confirms John Geer was shot while unarmed, hands raised.

Of the seven eyewitness accounts of the shooting death of John Geer, only one describes Geer quickly bringing his hands down to his waist. That was the perspective of PFC Adam Torres, the officer who shot Geer in the chest, killing him in the doorway of his home on Aug. 29, 2013.

Letter: An Open Letter to Virginia Delegates

Letter to the Editor

Many of you know our story well. We are the parents of Morgan Harrington. Morgan, a student at Virginia Tech, went to a rock concert in Charlottesville in 2009 and never came home. Her remains were found 100 days later.

Citizens to the Rescue

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy accepting applications.

The Fairfax County Citizens Fire and Rescue Academy, a free nine-week program to learn about the work of firefighters and paramedics, will begin its next session March 12, with the deadline for online applications closing on Feb. 16.

Free and Low-Cost Dental Care for Children

Special programs available as part of National Children's Dental Health Month.

Dental hygiene should start even before a baby’s first tooth emerges. That is one of the messages that dental professionals are hoping to convey this month.

Mental Health First Aid

County program offers insight into mental illness and teaches strategies for intervention.

Leslie Roberts recalls hearing a mother talk about getting her stepson admitted to a psychiatric hospital. “Her stepson was angry and acting out,” said Roberts. “She didn’t understand what her stepson was doing.”

Editorial: No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting

Everything about this case erodes public trust and demonstrates police departments should not be allowed to apply “blanket” exemptions to release of information.

After waiting 17 months for any information about the investigation into the shooting death of John Geer, the information released last week is deeply troubling.

Strong Defensive Effort Propels Woodson Past Lake Braddock

Experienced Cavaliers look for third consecutive region title.

Woodson limits Lake Braddock to 14 first-half points.

GMU Students Rally to Lower Student Debt

Members of GMU Student Power Travel to Richmond to voice concern over rising debt.

Twelve students from George Mason University traveled to Richmond with the Virginia Student Power Network, rallying and calling for debt-free education, and for increased educational opportunities for undocumented students. Rodrigo Velasquez, a junior at Mason from Springfield and GMU Student Power’s organizer, was one of the 12 from Mason who also went to Richmond.

Column: The Past Future is Now Present

Presumably, maybe even obviously, nearly six years into a “terminal” diagnosis, arrangements for a smooth transition of power should have been made already.

Local Prep Football Coaches React to End of Super Bowl XLIX

Majority say they would have called a run play from 1-yard line.

Lake Braddock football coach Jim Poythress sticks up for Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

Be Part of the Pet Connection

The Pet Connection, a bi-annual themed edition, will publish Feb. 25, 2015.