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A Ticket to Hollywood

Centreville High senior Maddie Assel is on “American Idol.”

Centreville High senior Maddie Assel is a bubbly, outgoing, 17-year-old. She’s busy with school, friends, college visits and — oh, yes, she’s also a contestant on “American Idol.”

‘Dramapalooza’ at Centreville High

One-act play festival takes the stage.

Students take the helm when Centreville High presents "Dramapalooza," its annual, one-act play festival. Show times are Friday, Feb 17, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb 18, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

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Overcoming Hardships to Graduate at Mountain View

At the outset of Mountain View High’s winter graduation last week, Assistant Principal and emcee Gary Morris told students about to receive their diplomas to be strong.

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Budget, Budget, Toil and Trouble

Fairfax County funding is less than desired.

To the average person, $6.7 billion seems like lots of money. But for Fairfax County — home to more than 1 million people — it’s still not enough to fund everything its residents want. But county representatives say they’re doing the best they can in a difficult economy.

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Anyone for Bike Riding?

Fairfax County’s creating a Bicycle Transportation Plan.

Besides being fun and good exercise, bicycle riding can also help improve transportation in Fairfax County. So the county’s Department of Transportation (DOT) is holding a series of meetings to further develop a countywide Bicycle Transportation Plan.

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‘There’s Always a Void’

Two grieving mothers seek answers here.

Kim Nelson goes to bed at night hoping she’ll someday see her daughter again; Gil Harrington knows she’ll never be able to because her own daughter is gone forever. Saturday, March 31, they were together in Fairfax seeking information about what happened to their girls and doing what they could to prevent similar tragedies from befalling someone else’s child.

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Bite Me Cancer Gets New Home

Nonprofit now headquartered in AFCEA building in Fair Lakes.

When Nikki Ferraro was just 17, she was diagnosed with a rare form of thyroid cancer. Since then, she’s fought it hard while also reaching out to help other teenagers battling the same disease.

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Fairfax: Bite Me Cancer Gets New Home

Nonprofit now headquartered in AFCEA building in Fair Lakes.

When Nikki Ferraro was just 17, she was diagnosed with a rare form of thyroid cancer. Since then, she’s fought it hard while also reaching out to help other teenagers battling the same disease.

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Fairfax: What to Do with the Paul VI Site?

Residents receive information, give comments during meeting.

Seeking a larger campus with room to expand, Paul VI High School will move from its longtime home in the City of Fairfax to a 68-acre site in Loudoun County in 2020.

New Man at Centreville High School’s Helm

Martin Grimm begins first year as principal.

Martin Grimm, Centreville High’s new principal, has spent most of his life coaching, teaching and leading children. So it’s understandable how he ended up in education.

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Centreville/Chantilly: Students Improve Music Skills, Make New Friends at Orchestra Camp

Learning’s fun at band and orchestra camp.

Whatever their reasons were for attending Franklin Middle School’s Band & Orchestra Camp, the results for the students were the same — knowledge, improvement and fun. Rocky Run Middle seventh-grader Alexander Alvarez and his sister Christina, a Poplar Tree Elementary sixth-grader, attended for the first time. Both play clarinet and had a great time there.

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Mountain View High School: Helping Students Reach Their Goals

Gary Morris takes the reins at Mountain View High.

Gary Morris is Mountain View High School’s new principal. But before he became an educator, he was a professional football player.

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Centreville Day: Swordsmen, Parade, Music and Tightrope Walker

Centreville Day is Saturday, Oct. 17.

The leaves are starting to change colors and the weather’s turning cooler. That means it’s time for the 23rd annual Centreville Day celebration.

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Fairfax: Lanier Students Head to State Competition

They also must raise money to go to nationals.

More than two dozen students from Lanier Middle School, plus some Fairfax High School freshmen, are vying this Saturday in a statewide competition. On Thursday, April 7, they head to the Virginia Beach Conference Center for the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Conference.

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‘Small Candle of Hope in a Troubled World’

Ahmadiyya Muslim Women hold interfaith peace dialogue.

Sometimes it takes a woman to lead the way — or, at least, to plant the seeds of a good idea. And that’s what happened when the Women’s Association of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community hosted an interfaith dialogue on peace.

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Centre View: Wegmans Grocery Store Proposed

Residents are pleased, but worry about traffic troubles.

The Wegmans grocery store in Fair Oaks has proved to be a hit with local residents. And now plans are afoot to bring a Wegmans to Chantilly, too.

Fairfax: Testifying ‘Took Courage, But it was Important’

Matthew’s victim explains how assault affected her.

On Sept. 24, 2005, Jesse L. Matthew Jr. viciously attacked a young, City of Fairfax woman, leaving her beaten and bloody on the ground. But in court last week – and during his June 8 trial – she needed only words, not fists, to respond to him at last.

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Centreville: Music, Laughter and a Flying Car

Alliance Theatre presents “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”

When eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts rescues an old race car from a junk heap, he decides to restore it with his children’s help. Little does he know then that it has the magical ability to fly and float. And once word gets out, an evil baron tries to get the car for himself.

Roundups for 1/8/14

Roundups for 1/8/14

Real Estate Tax Rate Is Still a Work in Progress in City of Fairfax

In the city manager’s proposed budget for FY 2016, the residential real-estate tax rate would increase by 2.5 cents – to 1.065 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The City Council can ultimately decide to lower the tax rate but, for now, it’s advertising it at the proposed amount. Meanwhile, it’s holding public hearings and workshops on the budget, so the idea will receive a great deal of thought and discussion before the budget is finally adopted and the tax rate is set.