Victoria Ross, community reporter for The Connection Newspapers, has a diverse media background as a reporter, editor, freelance writer and media spokesperson for local government.
A magna cum laude graduate of James Madison University and The University of Virginia, she started her journalism career in Dayton, Ohio where she was named the youngest editor-in-chief of Times Publications, a chain of community newspapers, in 1991. As a reporter and editor of The Kettering-Oakwood Times and The Centreville-Bellbrook Times, she won several Ohio Newspaper Association Awards for investigative reporting, business reporting and feature writing.
In 1994, she and her husband moved to Charlotte, where she became the media spokesperson for The Fighting Back Project, a national anti-drug program. She worked closely with the program’s co-chairs — Franklin McCain, one of the Greensboro Four who participated in the Woolworth sit-ins during the Civil Rights movement, and Cullie Tarleton, broadcasting executive and North Carolina State Representative — to raise the community profile of the program. That same year, she was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to serve on Charlotte’s Diversity Committee. In 1997, she became communications director for Mecklenburg County government, where she worked until moving to Montgomery County in 2003.
While freelancing for several local publications, she started a Diversity Book & Film Club that was featured in The Washington Post in 2005. She grew up in Fairfax County and Baltimore, and lives in Vienna with her husband, two children, one huge dog and one small guinea pig.
Recent Stories
Springfield Boy Scouts Help Plant Trees at Burke Lake Park
New trees replace mature ones torn down by Burke Lake Dam renovation.
When the renovation of Burke Lake Dam began last fall, many residents in the leafy South Run neighborhood were concerned about the dozens of mature trees construction crews had to rip out to gain access to the dam.
Splat! Boom! Bang!
Springfield musician makes classical music playful and accessible to children.
"I love to see kids get involved during a concert. It’s absolutely hilarious; they are up and down, whooping and hollering, listening to the music and the story." —Cory Hills
Carfest Revs Up Springfield Days
Popular event open to all makes, models.
Carfest fans, it’s time to start your engines. One of the most popular attractions of Springfield Days returns this year, featuring cars in all makes and models, including antiques, muscle, classics, street rods, customs and exotics.
Sundog Productions Expands in Fairfax
Sundog hosts grand opening of new 40,000-square-foot facility on June 1.
Sundog Productions, which has been creating custom tie-dye and screen-printed “wearable art” for more than 20 years in the City of Fairfax, announced Tuesday, May 28, the grand opening of its new 40,000-square-foot facility on Saturday, June 1, 2013, 11 a.m. at 3850 Jermantown Road.
Richard Byrd Library Adds Mystery to Summer Book Sale
Every summer, booklovers and bargain hunters eagerly await the Friends of the Richard Byrd Library book sale, one of the largest in the region with more than 10,000 books, many in pristine condition.
A Soldier’s Story
Burke man honored for heroism in disrupting pivotal “Easter Offensive.”
In November, 1971, Captain Denis Gulakowski began what he thought would be a relatively “safe” tour of duty in Vietnam. The Cold War military conflict had escalated steadily since 1955, and reached a high of 500,000 troops in 1967. By late 1971, the number of American troops in-country had been greatly reduced as President Richard Nixon implemented his “Vietnamization” program to extract the United States from the war.
Being a Warrior, Now and Then
Q&A with Lt. Col. Gulakowski: Reflections on Vietnam legacy.
Lt. Col. Denis Gulakowski of Burke is a retired Army officer who served more than 25 years. From November 1971 until November 1972, he did a tour of duty in Vietnam. While in Vietnam, he participated in several battles, one of which disrupted the North Vietnamese attempt to overrun areas of South Vietnam during the Easter Offensive (Nguyen Hue Campaign) of 1972.
Celebrating Partnerships
Fairfax County, FCPS honor 12 public-private partners during awards ceremony.
He envisioned a service project, contacted Fairfax County Public Library staff to gauge interest, and put the wheels in motion to create a program where older students offer tutoring to younger students in communities where there is a significant need.
We Are Family
Community celebrates foster families during annual 5K walk at Lake Accotink.
They walked, ran or rode trikes, all in celebration of foster families at Lake Accotink Park on Saturday, May 18.
Fairfax County Attracts Innovative Technology Firms
More than 1,400 jobs added to local economy in first quarter.
Continuing consumer demand for innovative technology such as web filtering, data security and cloud computing has helped Fairfax County post gains to the local economy, countering the sequester effect stalling business growth in other sectors. According to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), 27 businesses added more than 1,400 jobs in Fairfax County during the first quarter of 2013.