Politics

Commission Approves Landfill Extension

Application will be reviewed by Board of Supervisors.

An application to extend the operation of the EnviroSolutions owned landfill in Lorton has been approved by the Fairfax County Planning Commission. Commissioners voted 6-4 on April 3 to approve the application to continue the landfill’s operation. The application includes a green energy park proposal in exchange for the landfill remaining open until 2040.

Considering the Effects of Mass Incarceration

A Public Forum on Criminal Justice Sentencing Reform held in Burke.

There is a racial disparity in the number of people incarcerated in the United States. Nearly one in ten black men in their thirties is in jail. This number has increased due to the war on drugs, which has also seen a racial disparity in the numbers of those convicted.

Budget Dialogue Continues in Braddock District

Supervisor John Cook hosts budget town hall.

Fairfax County needs to be looking at the long-term picture in terms of the budget, Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock District) said at a town hall meeting on April 1.

Three New Members Join ACT for Alexandria’s Board

ACT for Alexandria, Alexandria’s community foundation, has added Lynnwood Campbell, David Frantz and Lori Murphy to its board of directors. Campbell, a retired federal worker, is a former member of the school board and presently serves a board role on a number of other Alexandria nonprofits including Senior Services of Alexandria, the Alexandria NAACP and the Alexandria Animal Welfare League. Campbell’s experience in business and accounting, both in the private and public sectors, will aid ACT in the business, accounting and audit arenas.

City Is Advertising Lower Tax Rate

Although City Manager Bob Sisson recommended maintaining Fairfax’s residential real-estate tax rate of $1.06 per $100 assessed valuation in Fiscal Year 2014-2015, the City Council is advertising a lower rate.

Herndon In-town Absentee Voting Denied

Mayor, council still have more questions about details.

Authorization to establish an in-person absentee voting location for the Herndon Town Council election fell 6-1. A last-minute resolution ended up denied on Tuesday, March 25 due to the amount of questions the council still had about it so close to the May elections.

McAuliffe Talks Medicaid Expansion

Patients share stories at Medicaid expansion roundtable.

Just a few days before the Virginia General Assembly convened in a special session in Richmond to decide on the budget and the possibility of Medicaid expansion, Gov. Terry McAuliffe met with patients of Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services in Arlington, as they shared with him how Medicaid expansion would change their lives for the better.

Area Residents Depend On Medicaid Coverage

Surovell, Puller host Medicaid expansion town hall.

Before heading to Richmond to debate what Sen. Toddy Puller describes as the “biggest battle” that will occur during this session of the General Assembly, Puller joined Del. Scott Surovell and Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Bill Hazel to discuss Medicaid expansion and its possible impact on the Mount Vernon and Lee communities.

In Search of ‘Game Changing’ Ideas

Local legislators reflect on social issues addressed by Virginia General Assembly in 2014.

At a presentation hosted by SALT [Social Action Linking Together) on March 22, more than 50 community activists gathered to hear local legislators offer brief comments on social progress in the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 2014 General Assembly session. The presentation was hosted at American Legion 180.

Final Days of Voting in RA Election

Election results will be released on April 8.

Eight candidates filed to run for open seats on the Reston Association Board of Directors this year. The Board of Directors determines the Reston Association’s goals and policies. The candidate for the Apartment Owners Representative position is Ellen A. Graves.

Harris Corp. Opens New Herndon Facility

Harris consolidates seven offices into one Herndon location.

In July 2013, Harris Corporation signed an 11-year lease to consolidate several of its divisions into the 161,000-square-foot Arboretum II office building at 2235 Monroe St. in Herndon. Offices from Chantilly, Dulles, Falls Church, Fairfax and Reston were relocated to the 161,000-square-foot Arboretum II office building.

Connolly Kicks Off Campaign at St. Patrick's Day Fete in Fairfax

Don Beyer top vote getter at event's eighth District Straw Poll.

Pledging to continue to fight on Capitol Hill for the values and rights of Northern Virginians, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) kicked off his campaign for a fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives Monday night before a packed house of supporters at his 20th annual St. Patrick's Day Fete. More than 1,000 supporters from Fairfax, Prince William, and across Northern Virginia defied the aftermath of the region's latest snowfall, which dropped between 5 and 10 inches across Fairfax, to attend Northern Virginia's largest annual Democratic gathering.

Drummond Is ‘Hitting the Pause Button’

Fairfax Councilman not running for re-election.

It wasn’t a conclusion he reached easily. But after much consideration, Dan Drummond’s decided not to run for re-election to the Fairfax City Council.

Helping Students Fully Recover

New concussion legislation goes before the Governor for signature.

Del. Eileen Filler-Corn’s bill, HB 1096, which places language for "Return to Learn" protocol into the Virginia Board of Education’s concussion guidelines passed the House of Delegates and Senate unanimously this General Assembly Session. It will now go before the Governor for signature. Current guidelines spell out protocol for student athletes returning to the playing field, but do not include information for the students returning to the classroom.

Landfill Decision Deferred to April 3

Group to discuss a compromise is now underway.

On March 13, the Fairfax County Planning Commission was set to make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on whether EnviroSolutions should be permitted to continue dumping construction debris at their landfill in Lorton until 2040. However, at that meeting, the Planning Commission deferred the decision to April 3 in order for a group to be established to discuss the issues at stake between those on both sides of the debate.

The Connection