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Police to Continue Improving Transparency
Public Safety Committee reviews recommendations for police use of force and communications; vote scheduled for June 21.
Fairfax County Supervisors and the Public Safety Committee met Tuesday May 10 to review police use of force and communications policy recommendations from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission.

Mount Vernon: Browne Academy Turns 75
One of Virginia’s first racially integrated schools celebrates with arts, picnic and assembly.
Independent school Browne Academy didn’t begin its daylong celebration of the institution’s 75th anniversary trumpeting the fact it was founded as one of the first racially integrated schools in Virginia.

Batter, Up
Former Lake Braddock baseball player Nick Balenger recognized for injury recovery.
Nick Balenger’s promising athletic career all but disappeared in an instant. In 2012, the former Lake Braddock pitcher suffered a spinal cord injury while swimming in Hawaii.

Supervisors to Vote on Civilian Review Panel Dec. 6.
Draft item discussed at Oct. 25 Public Safety Committee.
By its Dec. 6 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors should have the opportunity to vote on creating a Civilian Review Panel for police oversight, a first in Fairfax. The independent panel was one of the more controversial of the 142 recommendations from the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission created by board chairman Sharon Bulova in 2015. The civilian review panel would “review completed police internal administrative investigations of civilian complaints concerning allegations of abuse of authority and serious misconduct,” according to the draft action item.

Lorton: Chill and Cloudy Skies Don’t Damper SpringFest Fairfax
Nina Mendez of Springfield is a big fan of Earth Day. “I want to clean the world and make it better,” she said.
Fairfax Station: Sentence in Drug Possession, Distribution Case
12-year sentence handed to Fairfax Station man for possessing and distributing heroin and oxycodone.
Thirty-two-year-old Michael Ryan Martin of Fairfax Station was sentenced to serve 12 years in prison for possessing and conspiracy to distribute heroin and oxycodone, according to a Dec. 11 release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Northern Virginia Nereids Send Synchronized Swimming Duet of Woodson and Robinson Students to Nationals
High school juniors Margot Baden and Jackie Hafner, students at W.T. Woodson High School and Robinson Secondary School respectively, and their coach chose to set their duet synchronized swimming routine to a medley of music from the “Batman” franchise.

146 Fairfax County Schools Energy Star-Certified
New Auditor General also appointed at Sept. 24 meeting
In the last year and a half, Fairfax County Public Schools have been able to reduce the energy consumption in their buildings by 15 percent. That cut down resulted in savings of $4.5 million, according to a release Sept. 25 by the school system.
First Art Steffen Scholarship Awarded to student in Centreville
For nearly three decades, Edward Arthur “Art” Steffen taught at Fairfax County Public Schools.

Lorton: Fireworks Set to Explode over Workhouse Arts Center Again July 2
A fireworks display will once again be the highlight of a Fourth of July weekend evening program at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

Fairfax County: Community and faith leaders, elected officials speak about hate speech, bias incidents and hate crimes
More than 100 people filled the Ernst Cultural Center at Northern Virginia Community College’s Annandale Campus on Sunday, March 26, to hear more than a dozen elected and faith leaders, as well as representatives from local organizations speak about hate speech, bias incidents and hate crimes.

Mount Vernon: Swimming with Engie, for Cancer Research
Fundraiser benefits Inova Schar Cancer Institute.
When Engie Mokhtar of Kingstowne woke up from a blackout on the floor of her kitchen, she didn’t think much of it. She cleaned up, went to bed, and went to swimming practice with the Alexandria Masters team the next morning.

Fairfax County Delivers Geer Documents
Thirty days after a court order by Fairfax Circuit Court judge Randy Bellows, Fairfax County has produced documents concerning the shooting death of John Geer.

Fairfax County: Questioning Family Life Curriculum
The Fairfax County School Board’s May 7 meeting drew a passionate and boisterous crowd that filled the Luther Jackson Middle School auditorium and spilled out into the main lobby. That night the board voted in favor of adding “gender identity” to its nondiscrimination policy for students, employees and applicants for employment.

Faces of Gum Springs, Alexandria
Residents reflect on their historic community.
Of the current residents of Gum Springs, several hundred are descendants of the original families who bought land and settled in one of northern Virginia’s oldest and historically black communities.

Twas the Night Before Retirement
Tom Bailey aka Santa Claus leaves Post Office after 30 years.
Wendy Kilpatrick used to mail her packages with help from Santa. The Hollin Hills resident would often joke with the Christmas icon while purchasing postage at the Belle View Post Office.

Seeing Red and Blue with Connolly
Colleagues say Gerry Connolly’s vision central to productivity.
Gerry Connolly doesn’t have 20/20 vision. His round wire-framed spectacles and cropped salt-and-pepper mustache have long accessorized his look, whether sporting a black pinstripe suit or a billowy navy University of Virginia windbreaker

Burke: Terra Centre Elementary School Renovation Nearly Completed
Molly Field, of Burke, is going on her 13th year as a Terra Centre Elementary School parent. Her third of three children will be in sixth grade there this fall. And though the educational experience hasn’t been lacking for her, friends have referred to the school as “The Shire,” a subtle dig at the mid-1970s design to be more efficient and environmentally friendly by using a green roof and sealing off many opportunities for natural light in favor of heating and cooling cost savings.
Performing Arts High School Opens At Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton
Programs offer artistic balance to campus, financial assistance to Lorton Arts Foundation.
Metropolitan School of the Arts President and Founder Melissa Dobbs saw the news as a call for help, and a blessing of an opportunity: In mid-June, 2012, a story appeared in the newspaper explaining that the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton was in a financial crisis.