By Steve Verdier: As I first-time phone banker, I am finding much the same satisfaction as canvassing – and often with a higher response rate, as so many voters are at home these days. I used to say about canvassing,…
Fairfax $25 million grant program is latest resource to help our region cope with pandemic
With the covid-19 lockdown in place in northern Virginia until at least May 29 — two weeks later than the rest of the Commonwealth — it is more important than ever to know the resources available to support residents and…
Dems majority proves a treat for animal advocates
By Susan Laume: (Editor’s Note: This is the first of an occasional series on Virginia’s 2020 animal legislation.) Companion animal advocates are among those with reason to celebrate the new Democratic majority in 2020’s Virginia General Assembly. This year, grassroots…
First-person: How the Great Recession prepared me for the pandemic
By Brandon Thurner: Isn’t it amazing how our past is often prologue, and in very unexpected ways? I never thought that being laid off a few times during the Great Recession a decade and more ago would have the advantage…
Pandemic worsens affordable housing shortage in Fairfax County
By Bob Leggett: The pandemic has worsened the affordable housing shortage in Fairfax County, and highlighted the overall needs of the many in our prosperous region who already were on the margins. More than 70,000 people were living in poverty…
Many students struggling without school structure
By Olivia Henry: Pandemics are hard for anyone to deal with, let alone students who relied on school for their support system. For students already struggling with mental illness or in emotionally abusive households, this pandemic has intensified an already stressful…
“Know Your Enemy” — now, more than ever, a helpful recommendation
Ed. Note: Podcasts are enjoying a surge in popularity during the enforced downtime of the pandemic. Write us with your favorites to share the enjoyment! By Abby Fox: I’ve found one of the best ways of beating the COVID-19 blues…
Coronavirus strikes Hispanics in Fairfax at six times the rate of whites
By Julie Galdo: Hispanics are six times more likely to get sick from coronavirus in Fairfax County than non-Hispanic whites, according to data from the Fairfax County Health Department. It has been widely reported that COVID-19 is having a disproportionate…
Connolly pandemic update: Trump acts like crisis is reality TV
By Rep. Gerry Connolly: First and foremost, I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. I wanted to give you a quick update on what I’ve been working on during the coronavirus pandemic and of…
Local musicians band together to link tutors and families
By Brad Swanson: When two local musicians met online to empathize about the pandemic’s effects on the music scene, they didn’t stop there. They found they both had a desire to help others, and created a non-profit online platform where…
Paid sick time will have to wait in Virginia
By Marcus R. Motta: Virginia Democrats put their stamp on Virginia law in a whirlwind session of the General Assembly last winter, but they could not come to agreement on a Paid Sick Time (PST) bill even though the COVID-19…
Fairfax County offers emergency loans to small businesses
Starting Tue., Apr. 28, small businesses in Fairfax County hurt by coronavirus can apply for emergency loans up to $20,000 at 0% interest. The $2.5 million program is funded by Fairfax County and administered by the non-profit Community Business Partnership.…
Chap Petersen: Why I opposed moving local elections to November
By state Sen. Chap Petersen: I want to thank Jay Swanson for writing about the issue of local elections during this time of COVID-19 and for the courtesy of a “heads-up” so that I could draft a response. (The Blue…
Voting records shed light on “independence” of Vienna mayor candidates
By Alan Lindsay: As we get closer to the May 19th Town of Vienna election, I’ve noticed a sharp uptick in mentions of candidates’ party affiliation in online discussions. Although these are nonpartisan elections, we know the value of knowing…