Great Falls Public Meeting: Protecting Neighborhood Trees

In response to residents’ concerns about loss of tree canopy in Great Falls neighborhoods, community organizations have teamed up to present a public Tree Forum at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8 at the Grange, 9818 Georgetown Pike.

The speakers will discuss preserving trees during the residential development process, particularly on infill lots, and how county officials, local residents, and developers can best work together, They can also address other tree related concerns, such as best care and planting of trees, tree trimming and removal along roads and utility lines, and the environmental benefits of trees.

This program is open to the public and is sponsored by Supervisor John Foust, Fairfax County Tree Commission, Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA), Fairfax County Urban Forest Management Division (UFMD), and Virginia Cooperative Extension. The Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA) will also be represented.

Great Falls Teen Finalist in Science Talent Search

Kunal Shroff, a Great Falls native and student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, is a finalist for the nation’s most prestigious science research competition, the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS). Seventeen hundred high school seniors from around the country applied to Intel STS 2016. He is one of 40 finalists chosen to compete on the national stage, in Washington D.C. this March. Students will compete for more than $1.2 million in awards.

Shroff discovered new relationships between the toxic protein of Huntington’s disease and the biological processes of cellular death that cause Huntington’s symptoms. His work may lead to new treatments.

Intel STS is an opportunity for original research to be recognized and reviewed by a national jury of professional scientists. Alumni have earned many of the world’s most distinguished science and math honors, including Nobel Prizes, National Medals of Science and Fields Medals.

The Intel STS 2016 winners will be announced on March 15. Visit the https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-sts for more information.