Community Corner

Look Back, Look Ahead: Fairfax County News to Know

Take a look at some of the top local Patch headlines from last week.

A two-alarm fire that destroyed a townhouse Thursday off of Roberts Road in Fairfax has sent one Fairfax County firefighter to the hospital with minor burns.

At around 1:30 p.m., Fairfax County Fire and Rescue were called to the 5400 block of Cheshire Meadows Way in Fairfax, and found the front and back of a townhouse engulfed in flames. Firefighters had the fire under control within 10 minutes.

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Teachers Say Fairfax Schools Should Reassess Safety Procedures

A group of Fairfax County educators say while some of the county's school safety procedures are effective, the system needs to reassess its security policies. 

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In a survey last week on guns and school safety by the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, one of the county's largest teachers' unions, 60 percent of the nearly 500 teachers who responded said visitor control procedures were among the larger threats to school safety and security.

Survey: Majority of Teachers Don't Want Guns in Fairfax Schools

A group of educators from one of Fairfax County's largest teachers' unions says it doesn't want guns in schools, according to a survey released Thursday morning by the union, which goes on to say security personnel "can help address a portion of the issue (of school security), but they cannot fix the entire problem."

Principal Celebrates Retirement with Washington Mill Community

Washington Mill Elementary parents, students, faculty and alumni crowded the school gym Thursday night to bid farewell to beloved principal Dr. Tish Howard.

Dr. Howard served as principal at Washington Mill Elementary School for 12 years. She has started her own educational consulting firm in conjunction with University of Virginia a little more than a year ago to help educators close the achievement gap and meet the individual needs of students.

Shopping Carts Push Politician to the Brink

After pulling 136 shopping carts out of a creek in the Mount Vernon area during an October cleanup, Del. Scott Surovell (D-44th District) has introduced House Bill 2011 during the 2013 Virginia General Assembly. The bill states it “shall be unlawful for any person to place, leave, or abandon on any real property in the county, or within specified districts within the [Fairfax] county."

Gubernatorial Candidates Near Even in Fundraising

Less than $150,000 separates Virginia’s two candidates for governor, according to campaign finance reports filed by Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli and his Democratic challenger, Terry McAuliffe.

Fairfax County Could Raise Home Day Care Limits

Fairfax County home day-care providers could soon face a choice to lower the number of children they care for or apply for an expensive permit to maintain their current rolls.

The Commonwealth of Virginia allows for up to 12 children in a licensed day-care, but Fairfax County ordinances allow for only seven.

Hess Gas Station Slated for Remodel in February

The Hess gas station located at 7100 Little River Tpke., near the corner of John Marr Drive will soon undergo a renovation. The company has plans to undergo a remodel to increase the size of the station and build a Dunkin Donuts on the new, bigger site.

Workhouse Artists Organize Second Annual 'Have a Heart' Project

Workhouse Arts Center studio artists John Gascot and Mary Gallagher-Stout, also known as The Art Monkeys, are organizing their second annual Have a Heart Project. 

The artistic food drive opens to the public Wednesday, Feb. 6 and will display empty lunch bags with original artworks created by a number of Workhouse artists. Each of the pieces in the exhibit will be sold for a $10 donation, and all the proceeds will benefit the Food for Others charity.

Furniture Store Coming to Telegraph Road Shopping Center

Furniture store Joglo House will take the place of the former restaurant and bar Telegraph Station, according to Jackson Prentice of Jackson Prentice Real Estate. Owners Gary Jones and his wife Betty signed the lease for the property last week. The furniture store will specialize in Indonesian furniture and artwork.

Anytime Fitness Coming Soon to Rose Hill Plaza

Anytime Fitness has signed a lease for the 4,100-square foot space near Safeway and Dollar Tree at the Rose Hill Plaza. The fitness center recently signed a lease with Combined Properties, Inc.

Northern Virginia Police Officers to Aid With Inauguration Security

With hundreds of thousands of people flooding Washington for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 21, law enforcement agencies from Northern Virginia are chipping in to help with security in the nation's capital.

Gwendolyn Crump, spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Department, said her agency is working collaboratively with other agencies to make sure the event will be safe and secure for those that travel to Washington to witness the events.

Driving to the Inauguration? Difficult, but Doable

Thinking of driving to the inauguration, are you? Access will be limited, but it can be done. Just be ready to sit in a lot of traffic.

“Because Inauguration Day falls on a legal public holiday – the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. — this year, tens of thousands of local residents of the District, Virginia, and Maryland will also be in attendance," at the 2013 presidential inauguration, warns Martha Mitchell Meade, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs, in a news release.

What Not to Bring to the 2013 Presidential Inauguration

One Patch local editor attended the 2009 presidential inauguration downtown, and brought a lawn chair with her. She had to leave it outside the security gates.

Don't let something like that happen to you!

No VRE Service on Inauguration Day

Burke residents who were planning to travel by Virginia Railway Express (VRE) on Monday, Jan. 21 might want to make other plans: the VRE is not operating on Inauguration Day. 

"VRE does not historically offer service on Inauguration Day," management said during their Jan. 2 online forum "Let's Talk".

Beyoncé to Sing National Anthem at Inauguration

Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor will perform at the inauguration, on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 21, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced.

Beyoncé will sing the National Anthem, Kelly Clarkson will perform “My Country Tis of Thee,” and James Taylor will sing “America the Beautiful.”

Metro Video Prepares Riders for 2013 Presidential Inauguration

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) has released a video to help riders prepare for the 2013 presidential inauguration of Barack Obama on Monday.


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