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Community
We Must Destroy Democracy in Order to Save It!
About fifty years ago the United States was involved in a military conflict in Vietnam which lasted many years and did not end well. There was a phrase from that era – “We had to destroy the village in order to save it” –which encapsulated its own self-defeating logic. We know better than the natives. We must force them to appreciate our values. Fast forward to 2026.
Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center Discussions
Residents in Fairfax City have been hearing a lot about the proposed Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center (WSHCC) project discussed at recent meetings, and one number in particular keeps coming up: an estimated $1.7 million annual operating cost to the city once the project is fully implemented. While the proposal’s goals include improving services and responding to community needs, many residents are understandably asking what that figure could mean for their own property tax bills and for the city’s long-term finances. This is especially important because the WSHCC is only one of four projects with the potential to increase real estate taxes substantially.
Affordable housing is a frequent rallying cry among our leaders
In Fairfax City, affordable housing is a frequent rallying cry among our leaders. Mayor Catherine Read has repeatedly emphasized its importance to the City’s vitality and long-term growth. She’s championed diversified housing types, supportive projects like Beacon Landing, and even sought legislative changes to help religious institutions build affordable units. Those are worthy goals — but they ring hollow if other City actions make living here increasingly unaffordable.
The Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center: A Nice-to-Have Project?
After the Council’s vote to increase the real estate tax rate to $1.055 last spring, many residents are taking a more critical look at which recommended capital improvements are “nice-to-have” projects, such as the extensive recreational component of the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center, and which are “must-have” projects, such as replacing the high school roof and renovating the elementary schools.
Community
Open Letter To Mayor and Council: George Snyder Trail (op-ed by Elisa Matos)
For those of you who were re-elected to office, you will recall my deep concern with all of the changes imposed upon Mosby Woods, from street renamings, to conversion of our neighborhood street to a neighborway, to an asinine proposal to construct a roundabout at the entrance to our neighborhood on a road which terminates in our neighborhood, to installing signs and reflective posts all up and down Fair Woods Parkway. These efforts were done in an attempt to facilitate bicycle traffic from the George Snyder Trail through our neighborhood to the other key points including the Vienna metro station. All along, we were told how important the neighborway was to the trail network, to bicyclists, and to overall connectivity.
Development
Changes to the Period of Validity for Zoning Approvals in Virginia
Local governments in Virginia have long granted approvals like special permits, site plans, and subdivision plats to allow property development. Usually, these approvals stay...
Community
Planet Virginia 2025: A Good Day For The Planet
Planet Virginia 2025 took place on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The...
Enviroment
Forest Bathing: Rediscovering Nature’s Quiet Healing
In an age marked by relentless stress and daily digital bombardment, the practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, emerges as a vital counterbalance. Originating...
Business
Fairfax Cities Proposal to Increase Meals Tax – Op-ed by Bill Hamrock
This proposal will significantly hurt restaurants in Fairfax City. From my restaurant point of view customers will see this as a 12% tax. Currently Meals...
