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Mercia Hobson

Stories by Mercia

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Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Transitions From All Advanced Life Support System

Reintegration of the dual-tier EMS system, 12 stations impacted.

EMS transitions

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FCPS Initial ‘Test-To-Stay’ Pilot Results

Limited participation attributed to high vaccination rates.

Vaccination at Schools

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Great Falls Scouts March in Inaugural Parade

Represent all Scout Troops in Virginia

Scouts in parade

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Seeking Shelter: Changes in Housing Preferences

Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship at George Mason University School of Business presents.

Housing

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Oakton Alumna Breaks U.S. Marathon Record

Discipline and courageous inner conversations fuel perseverance.

Marathon runner

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Looking Back and Ahead in Great Falls

Great Falls Citizens Association releases special report on land use issues.

Look back

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Impact of Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions in Fairfax Courts

FABB's discussion with Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney for Community Justice and Policy

Bike ruling

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Brabrand: 'Stay the Course'

We have a right to do things up until that right impinges or infringes on the rights of others.

Masks

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FCPS Takes Legal Action Challenging Gov. Youngkin's Ex. Order No. 2

County School Board files suit jointly with six other boards.

Executive order

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Great Falls Native Is U.S. Ambassador to Algeria

Langley journalism teacher gave her confidence for international affairs.

Ambassador

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New Governor Revokes Mask Mandate for Schools

FCPS says masks requirement remains in effect.

Mask Mandates

MCA: Build Pedestrian Bicyclist Friendly Projects in McLean

$100 million available countywide over six years.

Bike Ped Projects

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Matters of Importance to Great Falls in 2022

Supervisor John W. Foust's perspective.

Stuff happening in Great Falls

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Return to School 2022

After a week of weather closures, FCPS opens with Covid-19 surging

Returning to school

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FCPS Faces Staff Shortages in the Face of Omicron

Superintendent pledges to keep students in the classroom, but it will “not be business as usual.”

School with Covid

2022 Real Estate Forecast

Real Estate Forecast

2022 Northern Virginia Association of Realtors Forecast

Single-family homes in Arlington are still the hottest real estate ticket in town.

Realtors Forecast

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Share Inc. of McLean Request the Community's Help

Gift cards and more needed for clients this holiday season.

Share Inc

Challenged Books, Ballooning Waitlists for Mental Health, ADA Playgrounds

What you might have missed at the Dec. 2 School Board meeting.

School Board

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New Fire Station Opens in McLean

Station No. 44 will help serve Tysons areas.

New fire station

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VolunteerFest, 2021

Volunteers work on projects countywide for the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Volunteers

Great Falls Creamery, Where Summer Doesn’t End

Icy treats pair well with Great Falls Park.

Creamery

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Crisis in Afghanistan Reverberates Locally

Afghan Americans speak out.

The United States and other countries have welcomed more than 150,000 Afghans and their families since the emergency evacuations began in mid-August.

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Crisis in Afghanistan Reverberates Locally

Afghan Americans speak out.

The United States and other countries have welcomed more than 150,000 Afghans and their families since the emergency evacuations began in mid-August.

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Overcoming Mental Health Stigma

Suicide Walk-a-Thon brings awareness

The pandemic's psychological and socioeconomic fallout may be driving an accelerated trend in depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, attempts, and deaths in Fairfax County, reported experts in mental health at the "Fight Suicide" Walk-a-Thon at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston held Aug. 21.

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Powering Up Dark Skies

GFCA and Fairfax County plan to protect against light pollution.

Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA) has been working for several years with Zoning in Fairfax County and with the district’s Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville) concerning regulations on outdoor lighting provisions.

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Back to School: The Best Shot: Vax Up!

Fairfax County families and educators discuss COVID-19 School Year 2021-22.

The first day of the much-anticipated, in-person return to school for SY2021-22 looms for many families, friends, and educators in Fairfax County's independent, public and home-based education systems.

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Katie’s Cars and Coffee Back in Full Swing in Great Falls

Hundreds of enthusiasts turn out

Whether it is their fascination with antique, collector, exotic, or muscle cars, owners and enthusiasts are back bright and early Saturday mornings from 6 to 9 a.m. at Katie’s Cars and Coffee for their vehicle sensory overload.

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Fairfax County Public Schools Priority One: Get Eligible Students Vaccinated

Expansion of school COVID-19 vaccination clinics underway

The level of community transmission of COVID-19 in Fairfax County is increasing again.

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Fairfax County Supervisors Proclaim August 3 National Night Out

Proclamation celebrates neighborhood spirit and cooperation among residents and police

National Night Out is a time to celebrate, whether the clock that day says noon or 8 p.m. It is a time to have community fun, to say thank you to law enforcement officers, and get more involved in the community.

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Special Exception for Bereavement Meeting Space in Great Falls Approved

Daytime and overnight retreats on a portion of Turner Farm Park

Following a public hearing on the matter, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved, on July 27, Special Exception SE 2020-DR022 (Turner Farmhouse Foundation) (Dranesville District) to permit applicant Turner Farmhouse Foundation to operate a public benefit association facility on a 4.95-area of the Turner Farm Park property and modify a front yard setback of the existing house.

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Brightview Explores Plan for Leesburg Pike Facility in Vienna

Senior Living reps hold two community engagement meetings with Vienna, Great Falls neighbors

Brightview Senior Living has resumed community engagement for its proposed Continuing Care Facility project at 9439 Leesburg Pike [Route 7], Vienna.

Fairfax County Holds County-wide Vaccine Equity Clinics

Bringing the COVID-19 vaccine to the people rather than relying on them to find their way to a site is one option to get people vaccinated and slow the surging Delta variant.

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Delta Variant Has Room to Run Rampant

Removing invisible vaccine barriers for communities in Fairfax County

Jump on a moon bounce, grab an empanada from a food truck and get a Covid vaccine.

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New Food Scrap Composting at Select Fairfax County Farmers Markets

Nature’s recycling reduces methane and lowers carbon footprint

Fairfax County residents have another option for managing organic wastes such as fruit and vegetable peels, food left on dinner plates, coffee grounds, and even paper towels and napkins.

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Langley High School Saxons Boat Wins Gold at States

Crew Team also wins three Bronze medals at championships

The Langley High School Crew knocked it out of the water when the athletes ended their rowing season on June 19 at the 2021 Virginia Scholastic Rowing Championships regatta hosted by the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association.

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Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent to Depart at End of Next School Year

Dr. Scott Brabrand, Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, announced on a YouTube video released Thursday, July 15, 2021, that he is leaving FCPS at the end of the next year, consistent with his FCSB contract.

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Hometown Celebration Returns to Great Falls

Americana fun, unmasked and free

Great Falls traditions returned to the Village Centre Green for the 4th of July 2021.

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School Buses and Sites Provide Free Grab and Go 7-day Meal Kits in Fairfax County

No questions asked, no IDs needed – County children under 18 and all FCPS students eligible

Ten Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) buses began rolling Monday, June 28, on a mission to deliver their precious cargo: coolers full of nutritious breakfast and lunch items packed in seven-day, bulk meal kits, grab-and-go style.

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Behind the Scenes at Summer Concerts on the Green in Great Falls

Celebrate Great Falls presented another evening of its 2021 Concerts on the Green at the Great Falls Village Centre.

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Naturalizing the Grange Hall Oak Grove in Great Falls

Great Falls Citizens Association takes on invasive plants

Members of the Great Falls Citizens Association Environment and Parks Committee, co-chaired by Winifred Frost and Susanne Black, met in early June to discuss restoring the oak grove at the Grange Hall Park.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Seen in TJ’s Freshman Class

In 2021, the U.S. News Best High Schools report ranked TJ the number one school nationwide for the second year running.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology admitted 550 students strong as its Class of 2025.

A Gift of Being a Father

Father’s Day 2021: Capturing dad moments

Being a father is a gift.

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Special Permit Decision for Great Falls ‘Convent’ Deferred

Opponents claim build will exacerbate dangerous traffic conditions

On June 9, the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) held a public hearing on the application SP 2020-DR-105 by Stonecrest Home Arts, Inc.

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WANTED Feedback Involving No-chase/Chase Fairfax County Police Department Vehicle Pursuits

Flurry of proposed revisions should discourage pursuits of suspects in non-violent felony incidents.

Police vehicle pursuits create the potential for officers, residents and suspects to be killed or seriously injured.

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Holding Dear: 2,364 Local Souls Lost to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Northern Virginia Regional Commission holds Remembrance Ceremony

On March 21, 2020, the Fairfax County Health Department reported its first death of a resident due to COVID-19.

Viewpoints: Langley High Graduates Reflect on Graduating in Pandemic Time and the Next Chapter of Their Lives

As the Langley High School graduate candidates lined up for their Commencement Exercises at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va., on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, The Connection asked random groups of students three questions: How do you feel graduating in the pandemic time? Where do you go next? Where do you see yourself five years from now?