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.
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.
By John V. Berry, Esq
With the deadline approaching today (February 6, 2025) for federal employees considering whether to take up the administration’s offer to resign and get paid through the end of September (“Fork in the Road” email), many still have questions.
There have been multiple changes to the offer and proposed settlement terms over the last few days so employees accepting the deferred resignation are facing risks as to whether or not the program will work as planned.
Many federal employees offered the deferred resignation opportunity could benefit from it, but one of the problems is that the program has been rushed out too quickly. With the speed that the program was put in place, most federal employees have been confused about how it applies, whether they will have to do any work during the resignation period and whether it is binding. Most agency administrators have been unable to properly advise subordinate federal employees on what type of work they will have to do during the resignation period and many other questions.
One version of the Fork in the Road email suggests that vacations are an option, which is likely not the case. Federal employees can expect to work to some degree (or perhaps full time) from home if they accept the deferred resignation offer. We just don’t know what will happen.
The Reality of the Resignation Offer
We are advising federal employee clients to seriously consider the risks before accepting OPM’s deferred resignation offer. While the offer is appealing to many, it involves a leap of faith. If something goes wrong with the resignation offer in the courts, such as it is found to have not been appropriated correctly by Congress, or whether it complies with the Administrative Procedures Act and other laws, individuals could be left without any option to challenge the agreement. We wrote about these issues when it first came out.
Local superstar Ilia Malinin and other figure skaters will convene in D.C. next month to pay tribute to the victims of last week’s airplane and helicopter crash near Reagan National Airport.
Set for Sunday, March 2, at Capital One Arena, the “Legacy on Ice” benefit will raise funds to support the families and loved ones of the 67 people killed in the Jan. 29 crash, while serving as a showcase for the American figure skating community, which lost 28 members.
If it seems like you know or have encountered more sick people this winter, it might not be your imagination.
The Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County, Fairfax City and Falls Church, is experiencing high levels of respiratory illnesses, driven particularly by influenza, according to the Fairfax County Health Department.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors took less than 10 minutes on Tuesday (Feb. 4) to approve land-use changes allowing for a continuing-care facility along Route 7 in the Reston/Great Falls area.
The proposal by Silverstone Senior Living calls for up to 130 units — a mix of independent-living and assisted-living options — on the 22.5-acre parcel at 10819 Leesburg Pike, across from Riva Ridge Road and west of Baron Cameron Avenue.
More federal employees soon may be back working full-time from their offices — at least those who don’t get laid off.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff on Tuesday (Feb. 4) to develop a communication and outreach strategy to inform workers who will be returning to the office, as ordered by the Trump administration, of the full range of available transit options and ways to make commuting less costly.
ICE Arrests Annandale Residents — “ICE agents arrested six men outside Fairmont Gardens in Annandale [Wednesday] morning. The men were spotted walking down Little River Turnpike in handcuffs. The men were waiting for jobs. One was released because he had a work permit, says Nayely Lopez of FACETS.” [Annandale Today]
Driver Killed in I-95 Crash — “Virginia State Police are investigating a crash that happened just after 2:30 p.m. on [Tuesday, Feb. 4 in] the southbound 95 Express Lanes at the 151 mile marker in Prince William County,” creating traffic delays from Dumfries to Lorton. A Lexus driver died at the scene, and a passenger in the vehicle was taken to a hospital. [WTOP]
Health Centers Closing Due to Funding Freeze — “Half of Virginia’s community health centers have been cut off from federal grant money, forcing some to stop providing certain services and others to close branches.” Even though a judge stayed the Trump administration’s funding freeze last week, 16 of the state’s 31 Federally Qualified Health Centers have been unable to access funds used to pay their employees. [VPM]
Arrest Made in Chantilly School and Church Thefts — A Chantilly man has been charged with burglary, property destruction and petit larceny after he allegedly stole from a church donation box and burglarized a school. “The two separate incidents happened at the end of January 2024, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.” [DC News Now]
Police Investigate Vehicle Part Thefts — Fairfax County police are looking for an Ohio man who they say was involved in catalytic converter thefts in Woodlawn on Jan. 5. “The complainant reported seeing two men carrying tools and attempting to break into vehicles. Officers located several catalytic converters, the suspects’ vehicle, and tools nearby.” [FCPD]
Lincolnia Credit Union Robbed — The Navy Federal Credit Union in Barcroft Plaza was robbed yesterday (Wednesday) shortly before 11:30 a.m. “The suspect entered the bank, at 6343 Columbia Pike in Lincolnia, and demanded money, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. The suspect did not display a weapon. No one was injured.” [Annandale Today]
Falls Church to Wait and See on Deer Management — “Deer culling efforts are unlikely to get off the ground in Falls Church any time soon, city leaders indicated this week.” At a Monday (Feb. 3) night work session, the city’s animal control officer said complaints about deer have been minimal, but city council members suggested keeping an eye on local populations. [ARLnow]
Murals Could Beautify Route 1 Construction — “As more and more buildings along Richmond Highway are demolished in preparation for construction of the bus rapid transit (BRT) system, the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) is hoping to improve the appearance of the corridor with more artwork.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Thursday — Expect rain mainly before 1pm, with a high temperature near 49°F. There’s a 90% chance of precipitation, with new amounts between a tenth to a quarter of an inch possible. For Thursday night, it’ll be mostly cloudy with a low around 40°F. [NWS]
Fairfax County Public Schools will clear school grounds early tonight (Wednesday) and start classes late tomorrow (Thursday) in anticipation of some wintry weather.
FCPS announced that all activities on school grounds, including sports practices and extracurricular activities, must wrap up by 9 p.m. In addition, schools will start on a two-hour delay tomorrow with a mix of snow and sleet expected to freeze overnight.
After recently opening a second production facility in Reston, the sky is the limit for local confectioner River-Sea Chocolates.
No longer confined to only the brand’s Chantilly retail store, River-Sea can now offer much more for its customers than previously, outreach director Dave Przybysz told FFXnow.
With the federal government slashing its workforce and attempting to freeze billions in funding, Virginia lawmakers are bracing for impact. House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) on Tuesday evening announced the formation of an Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions, a bipartisan panel tasked with assessing the economic fallout and crafting solutions to protect the commonwealth.
“This is not about politics — it’s about protecting Virginia’s workforce, economy, and essential services,” Scott said in a statement. “With nearly 145,000 federal civilian employees and even more federal contractors calling Virginia home, we depend on a strong partnership with the federal government to provide critical services. The federal administration’s announced plans to ‘drain’ the federal workforce and the pause in federal funding raise serious concerns for Virginia’s economy and the ability to maintain essential services.”
