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Mercia Hobson

Stories by Mercia

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FCPS Explains Opt-Out Notification for Holocaust Speaker

FCPS and Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington share insights.

FCPS opt-out

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FCPS Pride Rally Mobilizes Leaders Against Lawsuit

Will FCPS continue to be safe for LGBTQIA+ students?

Pride

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2024 Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County

Herndon Friends honor countywide high school juniors and seniors.

Peace

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Tentative Agreement Between ATU Local 689, Transdev

Fairfax County Connector Bus service expected to restart Friday, March 8.

After a daylong negotiation session on Tuesday, March 5, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, representing striking Fairfax County Connector bus drivers and mechanics, reached a tentative agreement with Transdev.

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County’s Real Estate Tax Rate Advertised at 4 Cent Increase

Fairfax County Supervisors at its March 5 meeting approved advertising a 4-cent FY 2025 real estate tax rate increase for the County Executive's FY 2025 Fairfax County Advertised Budget. The advertised rate is $1.135 per $100 of assessed valuation.

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FCPS Seeks 2% and 6% Pay Hikes

Could county taxpayers shoulder a quarter billion dollars in school raises?

Teachers Pay

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Can Prospective Public School Employees Afford Fairfax?

School pay scale for emerging professions hurts recruitment.

FCPS

Broken Pipe Part of Larger Project

‘No evidence that the pipe's failure had compromised the water quality of those homes.’

On Tuesday, March 5, John Lisle, vice president of marketing and communications at DC Water, said Fairfax County's Feb. 27 presentation at the Great Falls Community meeting was comparable to DC Water's previous community meetings held the week before.

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Major Sewage Line Fails Near Potomac River in Great Falls

Fairfax tests wells, positive results for coliform and E. coli

The DC Water and Sewer Authority's Potomac Interceptor sewer line at Manhole #31, approximately 400 feet (just more than a football field) from the Potomac River, and varying proximity to 18 private wells in Great Falls, 158 feet to 2,755 feet, failed on or before Feb. 12.

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School Board Approves $3.8 Billion Budget

Mateo Dunne proposal not to increase pay for top division leadership rejected by Board; Supervisors will influence budget.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, the twelve-member Fairfax County School Board approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Advertised Budget 11–0 with one abstention.

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Gun Safety Bills Head to Governor’s Desk

Rally cry in Richmond: ‘Sign the Bills’

Gun Bill

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Fed Up: Fairfax Connector Workers on Strike

Union cites unfair labor practices and Transdev’s ‘slow-walking the talks.’

Bus Strike

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County Executive Presents FY 2025 Advertised Budget

Tax increase proposed; jobs cut; state underfunds schools; supervisors will make changes.

Budget

House of Delegates Considering SB 280, Medical Aid in Dying

Death with dignity bill passed in Virginia Senate.

Death with Dignity

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DOJ Releases Uvalde Review in mid-January

Where are comments by Fairfax County and Virginia on recommendations?

Review

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Justice Sunday Addresses Mount Vernon Issues

Justice Sunday Addresses Mount Vernon Issues

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County’s FY 2025 Budget Process Kicks Into Gear

Potential budgetary shortfall of $284.5 million complicates matters.

Budget

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Casino Bill SB 675 Carries Over in 13 to 2 Vote

VA Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee ends consideration of a Tysons casino for this session; likely to be back in 2025

Casino bill

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Casino Bill is Dead for 2024

Carried it over until 2025.

Sen. Marsden’s SB 675 Casino Bill Carried Over: Opponents react; Marsden touts benefits.

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FCPS Proposed Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan

Climate change, gerrymandering, and inequitable funding discussed.

Climate change, gerrymandering, and inequitable funding discussed.

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January as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month

Prevention, detection, badge-to-badge support, and data gathering.

Cancer Month

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Multiple Rotary Clubs Collaborate for Rise Against Hunger

Volunteers and sponsors needed.

Volunteers and sponsors are sought for the Rise Against Hunger Food Packaging event at Aldrin Elementary School, 11375 Center Harbor Road, Reston, VA, Saturday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; set-up at 8:30 a.m.

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Spotlighting the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate

The Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services facility empowers individuals and families.

The Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate in Reston is a vital, active neighborhood hub. Located at 12125 Pinecrest Road, Dogwood Elementary School, a Fairfax County Title 1 grant program school, anchors the community.

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First Snow in a Long Time

First Snow

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Volunteer Fairfax Mobilizes Hundreds for

Weekend of Service 2024 benefits those in need and bolsters volunteerism.

Volunteerism

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Reston Community Center’s Annual MLK Celebration

Rev. William J. Barber II calls on us to recommit to the fight for justice and remember the real King.

MLK Day

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Herndon Festival ‘Permanently Canceled’

Reasons why may differ from what you think.

The award-winning outdoor Herndon Festival, held yearly and produced by the town’s parks and recreation department, supported by volunteers since 1981 (except for one year during COVID) is permanently canceled.

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Looking for Miracles- Public Menorah Lighting

Five oil pots lit commencing the 5th day of Chanukah.

One of the traditions that is widespread among people of faith is celebrating the holidays with light.

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Supervisors Recognize Penny Gross

Thanking outgoing Mason District Supervisor for years of service to Fairfax County.

After serving seven consecutive terms as the Mason District Supervisor and attending more than 700 Board of Supervisors meetings, the Dec. 5, 2023 meeting will forever be etched in the memory of Penny Gross, who currently serves as vice chair. It was her final board meeting with colleagues.

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Angels Soar in Great Falls

Wish List Project 2023 benefits Fairfax County foster care, The Women’s Center, Second Story, Herndon ES and Aldrin ES

As part of the Wish List Project in its 23rd year, donors brought hundreds of gift items they purchased to the Perez family home in Great Falls on Saturday, Dec. 9.

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Supervisors Recognize Outgoing Dranesville District Supervisor John W. Foust

Thank you for years of dedication and service to Fairfax County!

At its Dec. 5 meeting, the Fairfax Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution honoring Dranesville District Supervisor John W. Foust for his community service.

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Cornerstones Opens Food Hub

Other nonprofits can supplement their resources.

A challenge existed for Cornerstones: wasted food, tons of it destroyed in the communities the nonprofit organization served, yet people were going home and going to sleep at night hungry.

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Vouchers Help Erode Barriers to Affordable Housing

One option to open the door to the county’s lowest income residents.

Vouchers

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Supervisors Approve Good Faith Funding for Police & Firefighters

Fiscal Year One Impacts: $33 million for police and $24.7 million for firefighters and paramedics

Funding

Supervisors Approve Good Faith Funding for Police & Firefighters

Fiscal Year One Impacts: $33 million for police and $24.7 million for firefighters and paramedics

“Many of the commitments that are in this, that we are expecting the county executive to include in his budget proposal to us, are things likely we would have done anyway.” — Chairman Jeff McKay (D)

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Food Lines Resemble Bread Lines of Great Depression

2,000 people in need show up for help.

“The need was great — at one point, people were lined up around the block waiting to receive canned food, dry goods, fresh produce, and winter clothes.” — Herndon Vice Mayor Clark Hedrick

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Impact of Fairfax’s High Rental Costs and Low Income

Validity of the point-in-time count

Rents out of control

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Challenges Don’t Take a Holiday

What about those experiencing hunger and homelessness?

Hunger

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Veterans Day 2023

Coming together “to honor generations of women and men who have served and sacrificed.”

In the Town of Herndon, members of the Wayne M. Kidwell American Legion Post 184 members started their day’s observance at dawn.

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Veterans Day 2023

Observance at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial

“The willingness with which young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars are treated and appreciated by their nation,” — Bruce Fein, Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army Reserves

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Name Change for W. T. Woodson High School

Intentionally uplifting people who were held down.

Woodson name

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Wrapping Up Matters in 2023, or Not

Supervisors to take action on two controversial items, a data center in Chantilly and Dark Skies in Great Falls.

Election

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Virginia Dems: Blue Wall in Both Houses

One Republican Supervisor-elect, zero Republican-endorsed school board member-elects

Election

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Nov. 7 General Election

What’s happening at polling places on Election Day.

Election Day

County’s Hypothermia Prevention Program Opens Dec. 1

2023 homelessness statistics show 10 percent increase in people experiencing homelessness at the Point in Time count.

Hypothermia

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2023 Walk to End Alzheimer's

Northern Virginia’s Alzheimer's Association provides support, help, research and more.

Northern Virginia’s Alzheimer's Association provides support, help, research and more.

Member School Board by District

Franconia, Mount Vernon Districts

In November, Fairfax County voters will choose 12 school board members to serve four-year terms starting Jan. 1, 2024. Nineteen candidates are running for the nine magisterial district seats. There are also three at-large seats in the November election. Virginia's School board elections are nonpartisan, meaning that party affiliations can not appear on the ballots for school board candidates. Nevertheless, parties may publicly endorse their candidates.

District Members, Board of Supervisors

Braddock, Franconia, Mount Vernon, Providence & Springfield Districts

The Nov. 7 election includes the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Nine members are elected by voters in local districts to serve four-year terms. Twenty-one district candidates are in the race, with seven incumbents.

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