People

Honoree Mary Petersen has been a cornerstone of The Lamb Center, playing a vital role in its evolution from a modest outreach initiative into a comprehensive support center for individuals experiencing homelessness. The Lamb Center began in 1987 as a social outreach ministry of Truro Church, providing daytime support for those without stable housing. Petersen became involved early on, dedicating her time and energy to the center’s mission. Her commitment eventually led her to serve on the board of directors, where she helped guide the organization’s strategic growth and expansion.

We recently discovered our child endured years of sexual and physical assault at the hands of another minor, a "best friend"—a parent's worst nightmare. We immediately contacted the Fairfax City police, and both my husband and I, along with our child, spoke with detectives, including a forensic detective. We were assured a juvenile petition would be filed and the perpetrator would face appropriate consequences. To our utter disgust, the detective later informed us that despite believing our child, there wasn't enough evidence to pursue a petition, simply stating, "it was so sad." We learned the detective had only spoken with the accused child's mother and brother, both of whom lied. Although the detective saw our video evidence that proved their lies, this was enough for our child's case to be completely dismissed. Our child was interrogated by a forensic interviewer for an hour, yet the accused was never even required to leave his home.

For the last two years, the Town  has been targeted by the New York Board of Regents which directs the state’s K-12 education system. Its schools faced a loss of state funding. Its School Board members were threatened with legal removal.

The Young Marines, a national youth organization, has announced the 2025 National Young Marine of the Year, Chingiz Bahadur, 17, of Fairfax, Virginia, a member of the Potomac River Young Marines in Washington, D.C. Bahadur is a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. 

As National Volunteer Month draws to a close, Food For Neighbors celebrated reaching a milestone in the fight against student hunger by opening their tenth food sorting site.  The Katherine Johnson Middle School in Fairfax is the latest public school to serve as a distribution and sorting site for donated food and toiletries that will reach 8,700 students in 53 local middle and high schools in Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties.

Five months after the removal of Laszlo Palko from the City Manager position, Fairfax is still searching for a permanent candidate to hold the position. A spokesperson from the City Manager’s Office said there has been no updates on the search for a permanent City Manager.