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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.

Chocolate Festival Event Schedule

Saturday, Feb. 7

Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast and Bake Sale 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Fire Station 3, 4081 University Drive Join the Kiwanis Club of Fairfax for its Chocolate Lovers Pancake Breakfast. The menu features pancakes (regular and chocolate chip) and sausage. Coffee, juice and milk also will be served.

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‘It’s Such a Good Fit’

Naomi Project joins Our Daily Bread to help struggling mothers.

For the past 19 years, the nonprofit Naomi Project of Northern Virginia has worked with high-risk, pregnant women and new mothers to help them have healthy pregnancies and babies. It’s now become a program of the nonprofit Our Daily Bread (ODB) and, on Jan. 22, the two groups celebrated their union. “It’s a natural offshoot of what we’re already doing with moms,” said ODB spokeswoman Heather Webb. “This is another way that we can help them build families and get on a better financial footing.”

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‘You Start with a Box of Metal’

Local robotics team heads to two state championships.

It’s a big deal when a team, academic or athletic, reaches the state championships. But it’s even more impressive when that team does it in two, different states. Meet team Robowiz – 10 local students who’ve reached that level in both Virginia and Maryland. The eight boys and two girls live in Centreville, Chantilly and Fairfax and are in grades eight through 10.

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Fairfax County Looking at the Alternatives for I-66

Information presented on I-66/Route 28 interchange improvement.

One day, in the not-too-distant future, the I-66/Route 28 interchange in Centreville will be improved to reduce congestion and make life easier for every driver using it. But first, VDOT and area residents are deciding how best to proceed.

Centreville and Chantilly Roundups

Volunteer opportunities, free services, updates on road closures and other important community information for the Centreview community.

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It’s ‘Like a Dream Come True’

Fairfax Police Chief Carl Pardiny eager to groom future leaders.

Col. Carl Pardiny was born and raised in Pittsburgh, but has spent nearly his entire, adult life with the City of Fairfax Police Department. He started its K-9 and Bike Patrol programs and was twice selected as the Department’s Officer of the Year.

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Chantilly: ‘Only Excellence Is Good Enough’

CPMSAC celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The Chantilly Pyramid Minority Student Achievement Committee (CPMSAC) has come a long way in 30 years — and there’s more work to be done. But Sunday night, it took time out to celebrate three decades of dedication to area youth.

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Playing to Win

Serious local tennis competitors share their approach to the game.

As the U.S. Open approaches, several local tennis students are competing in their own United States Tennis Association (USTA) local competitions. There are several levels of tournaments to choose from as well as age groups whether they're entry-level, intermediate, or advanced. “Central to tennis is competition. They learn to win and how to lose,” according to Coach Wayne Bryan.

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What’s on the Horizon for the City of Fairfax

On the horizon for local residents are some mixed-use projects, school-boundary changes, potential traffic shifts and the reopening of a historic and much-loved eating place.

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‘[This] Will Change Our Lives’

Community, Paisano’s unite to purchase an accessible van.

Last Friday, Sept. 12, was a night when dreams came true. On Centreville High’s football field, the Wildcats trounced West Potomac, 54-0. And on the sidelines at halftime, Centreville senior Juwaan Espinal, 17, was presented with an accessible van.

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‘A World-Class Place to Live, Work, Dine’

Fairfax Circle Plaza will be redeveloped.

The Fairfax City Council has taken the first step toward revitalizing the Fairfax Circle Plaza. At its May 27 meeting, the Council approved a huge, new, mixed-use project there, entailing a grocery store, retail businesses and multifamily housing.

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Residents Have Their Say

Assisted-Living facility could pose traffic, drainage, noise problems.

As the number of senior citizens in Fairfax County continues to grow, so does the need for an assisted-living facility for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia.