Archive: January 2008
Congressman Tom Davis Announces Retirement
The announcement from the 12-term Republican, made today, is in this article....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 30, 2008; 2:27 PM ET | Email a Comment
'Midtown Springfield' Plan a Downturn Casualty
The grand plans to remake Springfield are among those regional development visions that have been relegated to the scrap heap because of the downturn in the real estate market, according to this story in yesterday's Washington Post. For news about another project, Kingstowne Towers, that looks like it will be built check out this article from today's Metro section....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 29, 2008; 10:55 AM ET | Email a Comment
New School to Be Considered
From today's Metro section: The Fairfax County School Board voted last night to spend $2 million to draft plans for a middle school that would ease crowding at South County Secondary School in Lorton. "This is what I would call the first down payment on that school," said board member Brad Center (Lee). Board members intend to work with county supervisors to secure outside funding to speed construction of the school. The design funding was approved as part of a $1.85 billion 10-year building and renovation plan. That plan does not include construction funding for the middle school in the fast-growing part of the county for at least five years. South County Secondary is about 400 students over capacity. -- Michael Alison Chandler...
By Focus on Fairfax | January 25, 2008; 10:52 AM ET | Email a Comment
Fairfax City Restaurant Offers Alpine Allure
In this week's Neighborhood Flavor column from the Fairfax Extra, Nancy Lewis reviews Villa Mozart which serves food of Alto Adige region of Italy. According to Lewis, the eatery is a welcome addition to the city's new downtown....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 24, 2008; 12:45 PM ET | Email a Comment
Money Set For New Turn Lane on Route 7
Plans are moving forward to build a second turn left turn from eastbound Route 7 on to Georgetown Pike, to keep traffic from backing up on Leesburg Pike. But not everyone is convinced the fix will be a good thing; local residents along Georgetown Pike fear that means more traffic for them. Read about it in today's Fairfax Extra....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 24, 2008; 12:30 PM ET | Email a Comment
Fairfax City Opens New Library
Check out this cover story from today's Fairfax Extra for an early peek inside the new Fairfax City regional library branch. The library, which is set to open Saturday, is at the heart of the revitalized downtown of the city....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 24, 2008; 12:23 PM ET | Email a Comment
Student's Tiff With School Administrator's Wife Show Divisions
Metro opinion columnist Marc Fisher's says the story of the Lake Braddock Secondary School student who called a school administrator's house to complain about a decision not to close schools early during a snowstorm last week and the administrator's wife's angry response, shows deep generational divisions where "No one...sees himself as having done wrong." Read the news, Fisher's take here and share your thoughts below....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 24, 2008; 10:50 AM ET | Email a Comment
Supervisors Vote for Settlement in Icy Sidewalk Suit
According to this article, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors have voted to offer a $100,000 settlement in a suit that asked for more than $300,000 after a man sustained injuries when he fell on an icy sidewalk outside a county court in 2005. Some of the Supervisors, including board Chairman Gerald E. Connolly opposed offering the settlement indicating that according to attorneys, Virginia law protects the county from such suits. Connolly argued that the county was being penalized for trying to remain open in inclement whether and that the government would have had a clearer case if the sidewalk, which had been shoveled and salted, had been left untreated....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 14, 2008; 10:22 AM ET | Comments (2)
Chantilly Teacher Accused of Soliciting Sex With Minor
Matthew E. McGuire 29, a Spanish teacher and track coach at Chantilly High School has been charged with using his computer to solicit sex with a minor. The details are in today's Metro section....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 11, 2008; 10:09 AM ET | Email a Comment
School Superintendent Proposes Big Cuts
To meet the current budget shortfall, Fairfax County Schools Superintendent Jack D. Dale is proposing an increase in class sizes and a range of cuts to programs as well as fewer teaching positions. Read the news here....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 11, 2008; 10:05 AM ET | Comments (1)
A Look at 'Surprise Schools'
That's the term that Extra Credit columnist Jay Mathews uses to describe schools that defy conventional wisdom by performing well in The Washington Post's Challenge Index while also have a high percentage of students from low income families. Click here to see Mathews's take on what might be going on with the phenomenon....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 10, 2008; 12:24 PM ET | Email a Comment
Operation Highway Men Nabs Scores
According to an article in today's Fairfax Extra, seventy-four convictions and counting have followed since a crackdown on drug and gun crimes in Northern Virginia began last summer. Read more about the feds' local fight on violent crime....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 10, 2008; 12:12 PM ET | Email a Comment
UPDATE: Commuters Should Prepare for 'Dynamic Tolling'
Updated 1/10 That's bureacratese for the practice of charging more to use the soon-to-come HOT lanes on the Capital Beltway when traffic is heavier. Read more about how the system will work in today's Fairfax Extra. Updated 9/20 Local drivers offer their opinions about the merits of the new toll lanes and whether they would be likely to use them in this article from today's Fairfax Extra. Originally published 9/10 Getting used to the now-opened Mixing Bowl? Well, there's more. A formal announcement about the construction and operation of the express toll lanes scheduled to begin construction next spring on the Beltway near Tysons Corner is coming today. This article from this morning's paper has the details. And there will be more public money involved in the project, whose price tag is growing. Thoughts?...
By Focus on Fairfax | January 10, 2008; 11:06 AM ET | Comments (1)
New Supe Wants More Anti-Blight Tools
Jeff C. McKay (D), the newly-elected Lee District representative to the county's Board of Supervisors used his first meeting yesterday to ask the county to find additional ways of combating code violations in some of the county's older neighborhoods. Today's Metro section has the story....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 8, 2008; 4:33 PM ET | Email a Comment
Busted? Fake Cop Pulls Over Real Cop
An Annandale man, now sitting in the county jail, made the mistake over the weekend of choosing to impersonate an undercover officer and choosing as a victim, a real off-duty Fairfax County police officer. Read more here....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 8, 2008; 4:24 PM ET | Email a Comment
Reston on the Decline?
According to Tom Grubisich, the author of an opinion column from yesterday's Washington Post, the best days of Fairfax County's first planned community may be behind it. What do you think?...
By Focus on Fairfax | January 7, 2008; 11:44 AM ET | Email a Comment
New Taxes
Make sure to read this article from today's Fairfax Extra to learn about the seven new taxes that went into effect locally jan. 1. The money will go toward congestion relief and transportation projects....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 3, 2008; 11:49 AM ET | Comments (2)
Whats Going Where
Many projects clustered around the Beltway and Dulles International Airport figure into this month's growth information. No map is available online this month, but check out this link to see what is happening in your neighborhood....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 3, 2008; 11:43 AM ET | Email a Comment
Virginia Legislative Preview
Budgetary and immigration issues along with abusive driver fees look to figure prominently in the upcoming legislative session in Richmond according to this article from the cover of today's Fairfax Extra. With the county budget stagnating, Fairfax County legislators will be seeking ways to keep money flowing into the public schools, according to another story. Also, see this list of contact information for local Senators and Delegates....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 3, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Email a Comment
Woodworking Company Replaces Stolen Nativity Scene
Employees of a Lorton woodworking company worked over the weekend to build a replacement Nativity scene for a Springfield couple whose hand made life-sized figures were stolen from their yard last week. The story is in today's Metro section....
By Focus on Fairfax | January 3, 2008; 10:43 AM ET | Email a Comment
