Letter: Stop the Stonewalling
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors must do their own job. They continue to look elsewhere for answers to the lack of leadership instead of within themselves.
Letter: Matter of Judgment
In my letter published in the Feb. 12, 2015 Gazette, I highlighted several votes taken by Del. Scott Surovell (D-44th) that he needs to explain as he seeks to be elevated to the State Senate. Jeff Carver responded to my letter last week. After describing himself as loathe to quote himself from earlier letters, he did so.
Editorial: Managing Mental Illness in Jails
Natasha McKenna’s death provides window on national concern.
A national report released on Feb. 11 highlighted the prevalence of people with mental illness incarcerated in local jails.
Letter: Beneficial Choices
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor: The cab drivers who seek protection from the government against Uber and other ride-sharing companies have this all wrong. Cab drivers who are dissatisfied with their work hours or earnings are free to either remain cab drivers or to seek another way to earn money.
Column: Staying Ahead of the Feds
The federal government is not always wrong. At the same time, the state government is not always right.
The Virginia House and the Senate have penned similar but competing mid-point versions to the 2014-2016 biennial budget.
Column: Come to the NoVA Mini Maker Faire March 15
Recently I had the great pleasure of meeting several people who are energizers and organizers of the NoVA Mini Maker Faire coming to Reston on March 15. The first question many of you may have is likely: What is a Mini Maker Faire? I’ve heard it best explained as a bringing together of “an amazing collection of tech enthusiasts, engineers, woodworkers, artists,…craftspeople” and would-be inventors to show and tell what they are making.
Column: Real-Time, Really Late
I’m not a night owl. More of an early bird, worms notwithstanding. But given the contents of last week’s column, “Scantsy,” I find it difficult to write about anything else while waiting for the results of my CT Scan.
From ‘Warm Room’ to Warm House
Where AIRE makes a difference.
During these cold winter days, I sometimes think back — not fondly — to the place in our home that we called the “warm room.” We bought our 1942 colonial in Arlington more than 30 years ago.
Column: A Recipe for Economic Revival
Commentary
Just six years ago, Maryland was ranked a healthy third in the nation as a “New Economy” state burgeoning with technology companies and awash with capital.
Letter: Reward This Performance?
Letter to the Editor
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has delayed action on raising their current annual salary of $75,000 until March 3, leaving the record open for comments. According to the County Executive, the fiscal impact of $205,000, if approved, the annual Board of Supervisors salary will total $95,500 or a 27.33 percent increase. Only supervisors Herrity (R) and Symth (D) opposed considering a Board of Supervisors pay raise.
Letter: Failing in Their Duties
Letter to the Editor
I applaud your editorial on the Geer murder (“No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting,” Connection, February 4-10, 2015). The Connection has done yeoman’s work in keeping this tragedy in front of the public, unlike other newspapers which are johnnie-come-latelies.
Editorial: Not the First or Only Time
Secrecy around police shootings has been a problem for at least a decade.
The official position of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the need for changes in policy after the shooting of John Geer by police in Springfield in August of 2013 appears to be that this is the first time police policies have been a problem: “Policies for handling police-involved incidents, which served us well for decades, were inadequate in this complicated situation.”
Column: At the Half
The General Assembly has reached “crossover,” the point on the legislative calendar when each house must have completed work on bills introduced into its respective chamber. That point was Tuesday for all bills except for adjustments to the budget that will be considered on Thursday.
Letter: Support ATC Budget
Letter to the Editor
The Alexandria City Public School budget is currently being deliberated and the Superintendent’s budget calls for cuts to the Community Partners program from which the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC) funding is drawn.
Deadline Nears on Awards
The Alexandria Commission for Women seeks nominations of women who have made exceptional contributions to the City of Alexandria for its 35th Annual Salute to Women Awards Banquet.