People

Setting Records Straight

Fairfax Station resident Brandon Fabian (age group 13-14) broke four Colonial Swim League (CSL) Yard records this summer, swimming for the Barrington Blue Fins Swim Team.

Twins Team Wins Vienna Babe Ruth Championship

The Twins baseball team won the Vienna Babe Ruth Senior League Championship by beating the Pirates, 2-1 on a packed night Thursday, June 27, at 8:30 p.m. on Waters Field in the heart of Vienna.

Pets of Fairfax Station

Fairfax Station families share pictures of their furry friends.

With an abundant use of profanity and episodes of "full puppet nudity," the Tony Award-winning musical “Avenue Q” is not the usual fare from The Little Theatre of Alexandria. But when the storied theater company debuts the Sesame Street-style show July 27, each performance will serve as a fundraiser for several local animal charities.

Feeling Pretty Good

T.C. Williams grads hit the road for first tour out of the D.C. area.

A shared appreciation for the blues has morphed into an increasingly successful reggae band with enough popularity to literally take their show on the road. FeelFree, a group of five 20-something men from Alexandria, mostly T.C. Williams graduates, last week kicked off their first East Coast tour, which will take them from this area up to New York City and down to North Carolina, with a stop in Charlottesville along the way.

Dogs of Springfield

Supervisor Jeff McKay's rescue greyhound, Vera, and his son, Aidan.

Welcoming Community

These pictures are taken on the Greenspring campus by Lisa Ennis, my dog-loving daughter-in-law.

Viewpoints

What is the highlight of your summer tennis experience so far? What do you look forward to in the future?

“I’ve done backhands. I won with a backhand in [the game] jail. You go in jail if you miss catching the tennis ball. [I also like tornado], where you run around and try not to be hit by tennis balls. [I’ll keep playing tennis] because it’s a lot of fun.”

WFCM Gears up for Backpack Collection

1,682 backpacks needed for local students.

It may seem early to think about returning to school, but Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) is already busy collecting backpacks for local students attending 23 elementary, middle and high schools. “These backpacks are given to students whose parents can’t afford all the school supplies it takes to send a child to school, let alone backpacks,” said Jennie Bush, WFCM’s community outreach manager. “Often, these families must decide between putting food on the table and gasoline in the car.” So WFCM has partnered with Collect for Kids, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Kids are First to help these students. Kids R First provides the school supplies needed at each grade level, and WFCM contributes the new backpacks.

Focus on Groveton's Founding Families

Author explores history of former farming community.

Longtime Groveton resident Charlotte Brown's book "Groveton" uses both stories and pictures from local residents and business owners to provide readers with a colorful and informative look at the history of the area.

Cliff Hardison, 60, Dies

Principal of West Potomac High School was dedicated to students.

Cliff Hardison, the principal of West Potomac High School since 2009, died from lung cancer on Tuesday, July 23. He was 60 and did not smoke. “It’s really a sad day and really a shock to everyone,” said Del. Scott A. Surovell (D-44). “Cliff was a real gentleman; his first priority was his students. He loved West Potomac High School and his staff respected him.”

Meet Elsa and Jessi of Clifton

We have two rottweilers that love attention.

‘Friendly Visitors’

Senior Services of Alexandria

The Hermitage Assisted Living Facility in Alexandria is home for many of Alexandria’s seniors. On July 2, one of its residents celebrated a birthday with lively music, festive foods and of course a special birthday cake. Mrs. Lillian Parker, a long-time resident of the Hermitage, celebrated her special day with her family, including two of her daughters and granddaughter, a room full of friends and special guests.

22 Years Prison for Handyman’s Death

Victim died protecting his boss’s son.

Jose Cardona wasn’t famous and didn’t hold an impressive, white-collar job. He worked as a handyman and gardener for a wealthy businessman in Centreville. But that didn’t make his life any less important than any other human being’s. And when the time came, he more than proved his value as a person by giving up his own life to protect that of his employer’s son.

Patches Chases the Ball

Our dog Patches is a member of the Delahunty family of Fairfax which includes mom Celeste, dad Steve, and siblings Celia, Ethan and Liam. Patches loves tennis balls and playing fetch.

The Connection