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 of providing top-notch training in social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak. But in fact being laid off not only gave…
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 in the county last year out of a population of around 1.15 million people – a poverty rate of 6.1%,…
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 situation. Without the structure of school, students’ lives are entirely upended. Many have lost their coping mechanisms, whether that’s going…
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 is to listen to a great podcast. Suddenly you’re less alone in the world when you hear the familiar voices…
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 impact on ethnic minorities in many parts of our country and the world. But the stark truth is we have…
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 course make sure you know that if there’s anything you need during these difficult times our office is here to…
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 families in our region looking for tutors can connect with artists, actors, musicians, and others with an expertise to share.…
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 virus had already established a beachhead in the state. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), a Richmond based…
By Jay Swanson: I like Sen. Chap Petersen (D- 34) a lot. One of the first votes I ever cast when I turned 18 was for him. But he made the wrong decision when he sided with the Republicans to not move Virginia’s May 5th municipal elections to November. The move had been suggested by our Democratic governor—and medical doctor—Ralph…
By Grace Aspinall: Americans historically step up to help one another in times of public emergency.and Fairfax County is no exception. For those who want to help during the coronavirus pandemic, the county has set up several websites to coordinate donations of money, materials and time. Financial contributions grace the top of the list of county needs, but supplies including…
By Karen Kirk: Donald Trump has finally met a foe that he can’t seem to spin. In fact, coronavirus Covid-19 has him spinning in circles, spewing out contradictions and politicking while tens of thousands of Americans die. In a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 52% of voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus compared to 44% who approved,…
Book review by Brandon Thurner: Political scientist Michael Lind warns of a new class war in America — between well-educated elites and a multiracial working class — in a new book that has garnered much attention, Lind paints an alarming picture of a divided country but also shows how these divisions can be overcome so they do not become normalized…
By Bob Leggett: In light of the pandemic, Fairfax County staff propose holding the budget for the upcoming fiscal year essentially flat, and keeping the real estate tax rate unchanged. The latest budget proposal from County Executive Bryan Hill calls for $4.47 billion in expenditures for the year beginning July 1 — only $22 million, or 0.5%, over the current…
Last in a three-part series on human trafficking in our region. Click here to read Part I and here to read Part II By Wallicia Gill: Every high school in Fairfax County had at least one case of human trafficking in 2018, while in the county as a whole more than 250 victims were identified, one third of them children.…