Sunday, May 12, 2013
Democratic gubernatorial candidate laid out platform at George Mason's Arlington campus.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe said Thursday he would push to reform the state's Standards of Learning, or SOL, tests if he is elected in November. "The current, once-a-year, high-stakes, multiple-choice testing isn't working for students, parents or teachers," he told a crowd of more than 300 people at George Mason University's Arlington campus, to rousing applause. Under the current system, a fifth-grade teacher who raises a child from a first-grade reading level to a fourth-grade reading level is considered a failure, he said. Teachers who want to break up the test into smaller portions, or test at different levels based on student achievement should be encouraged, he said. McAuliffe also said he would establish a "…
ABC News: About half as many Virginians vote in gubernatorial elections as in presidential years.
Anyone familiar with Terry McAuliffe knows he can tell a good story. The story he told Thursday in Arlington, at George Mason's campus as he was wrapping up a five-day tour of the state, was about this past November. It was Election Day. McAuliffe, at the request of the campaigns of Barack Obama and Tim Kaine, was asked to head to a polling station in Henrico County, where voters were still waiting in a long line as darkness fell. He said he went there and handed out coffee, hot chocolate and hand warmers. And everyone got to vote. And then he asked everyone in the room to mobilize for this year's election. [McAuliffe: Reform Virginia's Standards of Learning Tests] Turnout, often, is key. But now more than ever that isn't lost on Northern …
Presented by Patch, the theme is 'Fairfax Is Beautiful.'
UPDATE: The deadline for the first annual Celebrate Fairfax Photo Contest has been extended to May 15. Enter today! Your photo could be on display at Celebrate Fairfax! --- Are you a natural photographer or just enjoy capturing snapshots of the world around you? Celebrate Fairfax is looking for the best photographs of the natural beauty of Fairfax County and announces their 1st annual Photo Contest! In order to enter, you must submit a photo of something beautiful you see in nature around Fairfax County. You have until May 1 to get your entry in! Let the county be your inspiration — the top 75 entries submitted will be displayed during the Celebrate Fairfax! Festival, which will be held June 7-9. Individuals will compete in one of two …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
A former police officer for airports authority claims she was wrongfully dismissed while others face little or not penalties for more egregious violations.
A former Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officer filed suit in federal court earlier this year against the agency, alleging discrimination, retaliation and nepotism, and asserting that her 2012 dismissal has stymied her career. Attorneys for Isabel Smeal said in a recent interview that Smeal’s case demonstrates a sour atmosphere at MWAA that protects insiders and punishes those who question authority or the lack thereof. “It is our belief that the culture of being opaque and not listening to employees is agency-wide and has leaked into the police department as well,” said Michael L. Vogelsang Jr., one of Smeal’s attorneys. MWAA has come under investigation for some of the practices of its administration and board, and in…
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Bands will perform at Grist Mill Park in Mount Vernon.
The Mount Vernon Nights Concert Series will kick off another season June 7 at Grist Mill Park in Mount Vernon. Concerts will take place Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. in June, July and August. Concerts at Grist Mill Park are cancelled when raining. If there’s a threat of inclement weather, call 703-324-SHOW(7469) after 6 p.m. for updates. JUNE 7 - Swing Shift 14 - Afro Bop Alliance 21 - Crawdaddies 28 - Anthony "Swamp Dog" Clark JULY 5 - Pablo Antonio y la Firma 12 - Elvis Tribute Band - Jed Duvall 19 - King Teddy 26 - Andrew Acosta Swing Band AUGUST 2 - Urban Frank 9 - The Winstons 16 - John McCutcheon 23 - David Bach Consort 30 - Squeeze Bayou For more information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances. Grist Mill Park is located at…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Holland worked for the Washington Examiner
Taylor Holland, formerly of the Washington Examiner, has been hired as the chief of staff for Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay. Holland covered Northern Virginia, and was formally hired on April 2. “Taylor will be a tremendous asset to our Lee District team and I am glad to have him on board,” said McKay in a press release. Holland, who takes the job from Mike McClanahan (who held the position for just over a year) previously reported for the Selma Times-Journal and the Tuscaloosa News in Alabama. He received his degree in journalism from the University of Alabama. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” said Holland. “This is an exciting time for Lee District and South County, especially with construction of the Springfield Town …
The Virginia Republican Party will nominate its candidates during a convention in two weeks, and some experts have weighed in on the system.
When Virginia’s Republican Party made a last-minute decision to nominate candidates for the 2013 election in a convention instead of a primary, as originally planned, it prompted Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling to withdraw his name from the race for governor. The move made the especially conservative Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia’s current attorney general, the GOP’s de facto nominee for governor. He's expected to be officially nominated during the Virginia Republican Convention on May 17 and 18 in Richmond. (See our guide to the convention right here.) See Also: Poll: Does the Virginia GOP Convention Represent True Democracy? Bolling said he dropped out of the race because he didn’t agree with the convention system, arguing that it made the nomination …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Trials in other Washington area jurisdictions have residents asking: Why doesn't Fairfax County have text-911 service?
Fairfax County plans to eventually give its residents the ability to text 9-1-1 in emergencies, but it likely won’t be any time soon. In March, Frederick County, Md., launched a pilot program allowing Verizon Wireless customers to text 911 in an emergency. And recent media coverage has Fairfax County residents asking whether the same service will be available to them. During an online chat Monday, county officials said they planned to wait to start any sort of trial program until the service was available on more providers than just Verizon. “Texting to 9-1-1 is one of several new means to contact 9-1-1 that will utilize smart devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.) to communicate,” said Stephen Souder, director of the county’s department of…
The Republican Party in Virginia decided to have a primary in 2013, but later changed its mind.
Virginia’s Republican Party annual convention is set for May 17 and 18, and delegates from around the state will select nominees for Lt. Governor and Attorney General. GOP officials have gone back and forth in recent years on whether to host a convention or conduct an open primary. In 2011, GOP officials had decided to hold a primary in 2013, but a group of newly elected members of the Commonwealth's GOP central committee changed course in 2012 and switched to a closed convention. The switch to a convention saves local governments and the state money — primaries are paid for with state and local dollars, but convention costs come directly from the Virginia GOP’s funds. It was the announcement of plans for a 2013 convention that drove Lt. …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
The GOP's state convention in Richmond is two weeks away. Here's what you need to know.
Virginia’s Republican Party will convene in Richmond on May 17 and 18 for its annual convention, where delegates from around the state will elect nominees for Lt. Governor and Attorney General. The Commonwealth’s GOP central committee voted 47-31 in June 2012 to switch the nomination system from an open primary to a closed convention of credentialed representatives. GOP officials had decided in 2011 to hold a primary in 2013, but a group of newly elected members on the committee reversed the decision that June, much to the dismay of some party members who think it makes the process too insular. In 2009, Gov. Bob McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli were nominated during a convention process. Whereas …
harry lehman
11:47 am on Sunday, May 5, 2013
Thank you PATCH for providing this story about having the option to text 911! THANK YOU Fairfax County for taking a mature position of a "Wait and See" on the details of the texting 911 trials. Please spend out tax money wisely. Too often Fairfax County has jumped on-board a new idea or program only to have spent money with no results. "Texting 911" may have pitfalls that are hidden in the … more ›