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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.
Opinion
When Wayward Judges Overstep Their Boundaries, We All Lose: Reflections by a defense attorney from a troubling day in Arlington’s courtroom 10A (Op-Ed by...
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.
Opinion
Virginia Lawyers Can’t Uphold Professionalism While Honoring a Segregationist
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.
News
Governor’s pardon of Tyson’s shooter
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.
Courts
SB936: Decreasing probation period
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...
