A math teacher at South Lakes High School has been recognized by the White House as one of the best science and math educators in the country.
Emily Burrell, who has taught at the Reston school for a decade, is among 336 teachers and mentors to receive this year’s Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), which are considered the U.S. government’s highest honor for K-12 math, science, engineering and technology teachers.
Fairfax County Public Schools needs $2.6 billion over the next decade to address renovations and construction projects already in its pipeline, school officials say.
While $428 million is available from past bond referendums, it’s far from enough to cover the school system’s current priorities, which were laid out in a draft Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for fiscal years 2026-2030 presented to the Fairfax County School Board on Tuesday (Jan. 14).
An Oakton-based doctor pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Jan. 15) to improperly prescribing opioid and amphetamine pills after failing to properly assess patients.
David Allingham, who owns Oakton Primary Care Center, authorized renewals of medications without providing physical examinations of patients between at least April 2019 and January 2024, according to the Department of Justice.
Truck Driver Charged for Fatal Chantilly Crash — “Detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit have charged the driver from the December 23 fatal pedestrian crash in Chantilly with Failure to Maintain Control.” Police say the 44-year-old man from Maryland “drifted over the solid white line” on Sully Road before hitting Centreville resident Amin Emad-Eldin Hammoud, who was on the road shoulder after his vehicle got disabled. [FCPD]
Inauguration to Close I-395 Ramps — “The Virginia Department of Transportation will support Virginia State Police for bridge and ramp closures from Virginia into Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20. Drivers should plan now to use alternate routes during this time. Portable and overhead message signs will remind drivers of the closures.” [VDOT]
Bill Increases Penalties for Striking Pedestrians — “State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) plans to introduce legislation this year that would sidestep debate over what counts as ‘careless’ or ‘distracted’ by punishing any driver who seriously injures or kills somebody who is in a crosswalk or otherwise legally on a roadway with up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.” [Washington Post]
GOP Pushes to Ban Transgender Student-Athletes — “Republican lawmakers, joined by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Attorney General Jason Miyares and student athletes, gathered on Wednesday to support legislation that would bar transgender students from participating in school sport teams inconsistent with their biological sex.” [Virginia Mercury]
Local Events to Celebrate MLK Day — “To commemorate King’s legacy, below is a list of events that highlight the importance of community service, reflection and dialogue, musical performances, children’s activities and more. Note: Fairfax County Government offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20.” [Fairfax County Government]
Hearing Set on Cut-Through Permit Program — “Fairfax County is considering adding a permit component to the ‘residential cut-through traffic mitigation program.’ At its Jan. 14 meeting, the Board of Supervisors agreed to hold a public hearing on the permit proposal. The hearing is scheduled for Feb. 18 at 4 p.m.” [Annandale Today]
First Hike Photo Public Vote Winner Unveiled — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is thrilled to announce Rena Schild as the winner of the People’s Choice Award for the 2025 First Hike Fairfax Photo Contest. Rena’s captivating photo, taken at Huntley Meadows Park, received the highest number of online votes submitted by residents from across the county.” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high around 40 degrees, with west winds at 5 to 9 mph shifting to southern winds in the afternoon. By Friday night, clouds will increase and temperatures will drop to around 30 degrees, accompanied by a southerly wind at 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]
After years of anticipation, the Mount Vernon RECenter is skating closer to its grand reopening.
The Fairfax County Park Authority plans to host an information session next Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Belle View Elementary School cafeteria (6701 Fort Hunt Road) to preview the revamped facility.
Fairfax County Public Schools won the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s support yesterday (Wednesday) for construction of a new Dunn Loring Elementary School.
The zoning recommendation, which now goes to the Board of Supervisors, will help support “decades of [student] growth to come,” Providence District Commissioner Jeremy Hancock said.
A Maryland man has been convicted of cocaine possession after the drug was found in a cake he transported from Colombia to Dulles International Airport last spring.
Gildo Ricci, a 69-year-old Peruvian citizen who legally resides in Rockville, had 2.07 kilograms of cocaine concealed in food that customs agents discovered in his luggage on April 25, 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A gift from The Madeira School’s past will enable it to plan for the future, the head of the private, all-girls’ school in McLean says.
The Madeira School, a college preparatory and boarding school that serves students in grades 9 through 12, announced this week that an anonymous former graduate has donated $60 million — a record amount not only for this 118-year-old school, but for any independent girls’ school in the U.S.
Fairfax County’s plan to transform a shuttered hotel in the Fair Oaks area into an emergency family shelter has cleared a major hurdle, but the county’s planning commission will have the final say later this month.
The Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 on Tuesday (Jan. 14) to allow the former Extended Stay America at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive to be repurposed as a public facility. Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity was the lone dissenting vote.
Allegations of player recruiting irregularities have engulfed another Fairfax County high school sports team.
Tre Ford, the head coach for Edison High School’s varsity boys’ basketball team, has been suspended after administrators learned that several athletes who played for the school in a tournament last summer weren’t enrolled as students at Edison, principal Mandy Burke said in a message to the community on Tuesday (Jan. 14).
