Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

BREAKING: Fairfax County School Board takes sexual assault lawsuit to U.S. Supreme Court

Published January 13, 2022 at 2:00PM | Updated March 15, 2024 at 2:45PM

Supreme Court (via SCOTUS)

(Updated on 1/14/2022 at 4:30 p.m.) The Fairfax County School Board has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a former student’s sexual assault lawsuit, a move that could reshape how the federal law against sexual violence in schools is interpreted.

A petition filed by the school board on Dec. 30 argues that public school systems can’t be held liable for sexual harassment and assault unless officials knew an assault took place and could have prevented it.

News

Fairfax County seeks to break cycle of poverty with basic income pilot

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 12, 2022 at 3:30PM

Person counts dollar bills (via Sharon McCutcheon/Unsplash)

A pilot program that will give monthly cash assistance to select low-income residents is in development in Fairfax County.

While eligibility criteria, payment amounts, and other details are still being determined, the county has allocated $1.5 million to the effort from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as noted in a stimulus update to the Board of Supervisors’ budget policy committee yesterday (Tuesday).

News

Limited supply of Covid tests will be available at Fairfax County libraries tomorrow

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 11, 2022 at 2:00PM

Friends of Reston Regional Library have dedicated grants for new materials.

Fairfax County Public Library has received a new shipment of rapid COVID-19 testing kits, but supplies are extremely limited, even compared to previous rounds of distribution.

Exactly 300 kits each will be available tomorrow (Wednesday) at the county’s Reston, George Mason, Chantilly, and Sherwood regional branches, FCPL announced this morning (Tuesday).

News

Fairfax County sets new daily record for Covid cases, prepares for testing site

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 10, 2022 at 2:30PM | Updated January 11, 2022 at 12:25PM

Fairfax County COVID-19 cases over the past 180 days as of Jan. 10, 2022 (via Virginia Department of Health)

Fairfax County has a new single-day record for COVID-19 infections.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, the county reported 3,463 new cases on Saturday (Jan. 8), surpassing the previous daily record of 3,111 cases set on Dec. 31. Before Dec. 22, the county had only seen more than 1,000 cases in a day once — on Jan. 17, 2021.

News

FCPS commits to in-person classes, shares plan for handling staffing shortages

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 6, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:52AM

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand discusses plans to manage potential surges in COVID-19 infections when schools reopen (via FCPS/YouTube)

Updated at 4:05 p.m. — Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed again tomorrow (Friday) due to tonight’s anticipated snowfall, using its last allotted traditional snow day.

Fairfax County Public Schools reiterated its commitment to in-person instruction today (Thursday), even as it acknowledges that surging COVID-19 cases will likely result in staffing shortages.

Opinion

Poll: Should FCPS return in person this week?

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 4, 2022 at 9:30AM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:53AM

A Fairfax County Public School bus in snow (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County students have already gotten a couple extra days of winter break, thanks to yesterday’s snowstorm, but some community members are calling on Fairfax County Public Schools to extend its closure further, citing concerns about rising COVID-19 cases.

A Change.org petition started over the weekend urges FCPS to utilize some of its built-in snow days to either delay an in-person return in the hopes of mitigating a post-holiday surge or establish an online option for students who would prefer to remain at home.

News

Fairfax County doubles COVID-19 caseload from Christmas to begin new year

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 3, 2022 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County COVID-19 cases over the past 180 days as of Jan. 3, 2022 (via Virginia Department of Health)

2022 is off to a sobering start, as COVID-19 cases continue to soar in Fairfax County.

The county is now averaging 2,132 cases per day for the past week, according to Virginia Department of Health data. That dwarfs last winter’s surge, which peaked at a seven-day average of 697 cases on Jan. 17.

News

New Year’s 2022: What will be open and closed in Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 30, 2021 at 2:00PM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:55AM

2022 written in fireworks (via Moritz Knöringer/Unsplash)

With New Year’s Day arriving this Saturday, many Fairfax County government facilities and services will be taking tomorrow (Friday) off.

Here is a breakdown of the county’s schedule for the New Year’s holiday:

News

Former priest charged with sexual abuse of children in Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 28, 2021 at 2:00PM

Fairfax County Courthouse (file photo)

A retired priest who headed the Catholic Diocese of Arlington’s Office of Child Protection and Safety for seven years has been indicted for allegedly sexually abusing a boy in Fairfax County two decades ago.

Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General announced this morning (Tuesday) that a grand jury handed down two felony charges against Terry Specht, 69, of Donegal, Pennsylvania on Dec. 20.

News

Over Christmas, COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County exceed last winter’s surge

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 27, 2021 at 2:00PM

Fairfax County COVID-19 cases over the past 180 days, as of Dec. 27, 2021 (via Virginia Department of Health)

Fairfax County saw more COVID-19 cases over this past holiday weekend than at any other point in the pandemic.

The 1,550 cases reported on Christmas Eve (Friday) represented a new single-day record, surpassing the 1,485 cases that came in on Jan. 17, according to the Virginia Department of Health.