"bonnie schipper"

Fairfax City Council Considers Future of Green Acres

Leaders also search for community center sites.

The Fairfax City Council is trying to figure out what to do with the Green Acres Center on Sideburn Road.

Centreville/Chantilly: The Sweet Sounds of Summer

Franklin Middle holds annual band and orchestra camp.

Each summer, students flock to Franklin Middle School’s Band & Orchestra Camp to fine-tune their musical skills and learn new ones. And Camp Director Lawrence Walker bases one of his philosophies for it on a simple proverb.

Derby-Q is May 7 in the City of Fairfax

Barbecue, blues music, bourbon and beer – it’s all part of the City of Fairfax’s annual Derby-Q festival. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, May 7, from 2-7 p.m. in Old Town Square, at the corner of University Drive and North Street in downtown Fairfax.

Centreville High Student Competes in Pageant

Next stop: College and another contest.

Selected as a finalist in the Miss Teen 2016 pageant, Centreville High senior Shaylan Ferguson participated in early April in Southern Virginia. And while she didn’t win, she enjoyed the experience, learned a few things along the way and plans to keep on competing.

Locals Honored for Attractive Yards

City presents 2015 Residential Appearance Awards.

Each year, the City of Fairfax’s Community Appearance Committee honors local homeowners who have particularly attractive yards.

Chantilly/Centreville: ‘In the Spirit of the Season’

Sully police collect, deliver holiday food to local families.

Santa’s elves aren’t the only ones lending a hand, this holiday season. The men and women of the Sully District Police Station are doing their share, too. They “adopted” 30 local families in need, collected 2,009 pounds of food and then delivered it to them.

Centre View: Wanted: 2,300 School Backpacks

WFCM asks community to help local children in need.

Once again, Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) is collecting new backpacks for local students in need. Its goal is to provide backpacks for 2,300 qualified, low- income children attending schools in the Centreville, Chantilly and Westfield high school pyramids.

Fairfax: ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ Plus Magic

Robinson senior has title role in “Mary Poppins.”

Featuring a cast and crew of nearly 50, Westfield Summer Stage is bringing the beloved Disney musical, “Mary Poppins,” to life. And playing the lead role is a rising senior at Robinson Secondary School.

From the Streets to Safety and Success

Before the CLRC opened in the Centreville Square Shopping Center, day laborers stood on the nearby street corners and outside the Centreville Regional Library and employers hired them from there. But many didn’t get work and, often, some who did were cheated out of their wages by employers refusing to pay them after the job was done.

Tour The County Animal Shelter

Making the most of its expanded facility.

Members of the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) got to tour Fairfax County’s Animal Shelter last Tuesday, March 11. They were divided into four groups and each learned about the shelter from a guide.

Herndon Teen Dances in ‘A Christmas Carol’

Holiday classic offers dinner and a play.

A holiday classic comes to life in an intimate, dinner-theater setting when the City of Fairfax Theatre Co. and Truro Anglican Church present “A Christmas Carol.”

Ushering in Holiday Season in Centreville

CVHS presents choral concert.

Centreville High’s Choral Department will present its annual Winter Concert on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the school theater. The concert is free to all, and refreshments will be served afterward.

Vienna Little League, Town Join Forces

Will both chip in to renovate Glyndon Park baseball field.

On Oct. 27, the Town of Vienna and Vienna Little League representatives met with the neighbors living by Glyndon Park to discuss plans to renovate and improve the baseball field there.

Centreville: Life with Cancer Helps Families

An interview with Vanessa Spiller.

Most years, the Virginia Run Turkey Trot is dedicated to a community resident who’s died of cancer in the months preceding the race. But this year, it’s being held in honor of those affected by cancer.

Show Tunes and Dancing On Tap

Centreville High presents ‘Broadway Pops’ concert.

The Centreville High School Choral Department will present its summer concert, “Broadway Pops,” this Thursday and Friday, June 5-6, at 7:30 p.m. in the school theater.

Come, Take a Trip to 19th Century Fairfax

Civil War Day is April 26.

Antebellum Virginia will come to life during Fairfax Civil War Day. Featuring wagon rides, cannon firings, house tours and a soldier encampment, it’s set for Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Historic Blenheim, 3610 Old Lee Highway in Fairfax.

City Council Approves Spending $8.1 Million

Money will renovate police firearms facility, improve downtown.

It’s full speed ahead for some major projects in the City of Fairfax. Last Tuesday, April 22, the City Council approved spending $8.1 million to develop and improve City-owned downtown properties and to renovate and expand the Police Department’s Firearms Training Center.

Vienna Seeks Feedback from Town Residents

Will conduct a survey on its programs and services.

The Town of Vienna wants to see how well it’s doing, so it’s going to survey some of its residents to find out. Toward that end, it contracted this month with ETC Institute to do the deed.