Empowering voters. Defending democracy.
Chartered in 1948, the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area encourages informed and active participation in government through education and advocacy.
Autumn in our community means cooler mornings, bright leaves, and harvest festivals. But for many residents, it also brings a wave of sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion. Seasonal allergies aren’t just a springtime problem—fall has its own set of triggers.
Fairfax City’s popular Restaurant Week returns later this month, offering residents and visitors a chance to explore the city’s diverse dining scene at special...
In late November, I sat in Arlington County Courthouse's courtroom 10A and witnessed a scene that left me deeply unsettled as a veteran defense attorney. A young prosecutor, Abhimanyu Mehta—whose name fittingly translates to "warrior" in the mythological Mahābhārata story about war—stood before Judge Daniel S. Fiore advocating for the dismissal of charges against a young black man, 31, whom I’ll refer to pseudonymously as Ross Lamas. Charged in late 2022 with one count of felony intent to distribute drugs and four counts of illegal possession of a firearm, Mr. Lamas’ case had been delayed multiple times over two years. Lamas sat quietly with his public defender, Brad Haywood, waiting for what should have been a routine resolution.
Every lawyer in Virginia must take a mandatory professionalism course as part of their bar admission, a course designed to teach integrity, fairness, and respect in the practice of law. Yet, in 2025, this course still bears the name of former Chief Justice Harry L. Carrico—a man whose judicial legacy includes defending racial segregation and upholding laws that denied basic rights to Virginians.
On Feb. 22 2023, police sergeant Wesley Shifflett shot and killed Timothy McCree Johnson in an incident that has since sparked extensive controversy and debate around the use of deadly force by law enforcement. Johnson had reportedly fled after being caught shoplifting two pairs of sunglasses from the Nordstrom inside Tysons Corner Center. Police confronted him in a poorly-lit wooded area following a short foot pursuit. After issuing two commands to get on the ground, Shifflett fired two rounds at Johnson, striking him in the chest. He was pronounced dead 44 minutes later at Fairfax Hospital.
There are 61,000 Virginians on probation, which is the largest segment of the state’s criminal justice system. Severe understaffing is burdening active probation officers...
