News

George Mason University has begun raising money in earnest to help fund a $70 million makeover of its performing arts center in Fairfax.

Publicly launched yesterday (Wednesday), the “Give Voice” initiative seeks to raise $35 million for a renovation of the Center for the Arts, the 1,935-seat concert hall at 4373 Mason Pond Drive. The university itself is expected to match the private donations with an additional $35 million.


News

George Mason University has ushered a new class of graduates out into a world that they were told yesterday (Thursday) is filled with both opportunities and challenges.

“Believe it or not, your learning journey is just beginning,” George Schindler, former president and CEO of the technology firm CGI, said during winter commencement ceremonies held at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax.


Countywide

Potential economic and political headwinds are unlikely to derail sales and price increases Northern Virginia’s 2025 housing market, industry experts believe.

That’s good news for prospective sellers, but purchasers, especially first-time homebuyers, could face continued challenges, according to a 2025 housing market forecast publicly unveiled on Tuesday (Dec. 17) by George Mason University researchers and the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR).


Around Town

The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) and Fairfax Ballet will reunite later this month for their annual performances of “The Nutcracker” at George Mason University.

Continuing a tradition that’s now in its eighth year, the two local arts organizations will present two shows of Pytor Tchaikovsky’s holiday staple this Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 21 and 22) at Mason’s Center for the Arts (4373 Mason Pond Drive) in Fairfax.


News

Federal prosecutors have charged a travel agent accused of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme and ultimately defrauding the George Mason University men’s basketball team earlier this year.

Maurice Eugene Smith, 44, of Atlanta is believed to have used the nearly $160,000 paid by the school to cover his personal expenses instead of booking the team’s anticipated trip to the Bahamas, according to court records.


News

George Mason University officials opened community engagement efforts on Wednesday (Dec. 11) to determine a development plan for the 190-acre western portion of the school’s main campus in Fairfax.

The forum at the Fairfax City Hall attracted about 100 participants and was designed to “usher in a process that gets the community engaged,” Andrew Lieber, the university’s senior associate athletic director for capital planning, said.


Countywide

Thanks to a grant of nearly $1 million, Fairfax County’s emergency response stands to capitalize on recent gains in artificial intelligence.

The county’s Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC) is partnering with George Mason University’s Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC) for a project that will embrace AI solutions to tackle challenges faced by emergency communications systems across the region.


News

The affordable housing market in Fairfax County got a boost this week with the addition of 240 units for seniors and families at the newly opened “One University” development.

Fairfax County officials and community leaders gathered Monday afternoon (Nov. 18) to celebrate the $250 million project, which includes 120 rent-assisted apartment units for families earning 60% or less of the area median income and 120 units for seniors.


Countywide

In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Fairfax County Democrats are confronting a more competitive Virginia, where heightened Republican mobilization has raised alarms about their hold on power in the purple state.

While Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia by more than 5 percentage points, her margin was notably lower than President Joe Biden’s in 2020, when he won the state by over 10 points. Similarly, in Fairfax County, Harris captured 65.44% of the vote, down from Biden’s 69.85%.


Countywide

Results from today’s general election are starting to trickle in, and Fairfax County’s initial batch of tallied votes strongly favor Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race.

As of 9:24 p.m., Harris has about two-thirds or 66% of the votes that the county has counted so far, which include some early votes and Election Day results from 127 of the county’s 264 precincts, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.


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