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Government
Trees Over Tarmac: Why Fairfax City Council Made the Right Call
The City Council recently made a tough, controversial decision to stop funding the George Snyder Trail. While some people see this as a step backward for recreation, I see it as a win for common sense, fiscal responsibility, and the environment.
Bots Corrupt Oakton Traffic Survey in Support of ATT Redevelopment
OAKTON, VA — A January 8 letter from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), combined with allegations of manipulated survey data and concerns raised by local civic groups, is intensifying scrutiny of the proposed redevelopment of the former AT&T campus at 3033 Chain Bridge Road. While the VDOT letter does not directly address the survey, some residents believe its findings may have heightened pressure around the project and contributed to efforts to demonstrate community support for the proposed “Rosehaven Solution.”
Sometimes the Good Guys Win
It was a cold and blustery day on January 13, 2024. A small crowd had gathered at the picnic pavilion at Manassas Battlefield, the same meadow where — 162 years earlier – John Hood’s Texans had collided with the Army of the Potomac in one of the most violent moments in American history.
How a Massive Data Center Proposal Collapsed in Court
For several years, Prince William County sat at the center of one of the most consequential land-use debates in Virginia’s recent history. At stake was the proposed Digital Gateway, a large-scale data center project planned near Manassas National Battlefield Park that would have included dozens of buildings spread across more than 2,000 acres.
School
City of Fairfax Schools Superintendent Jeff Platenberg Announces Retirement After 40 Years of Public Service
After a remarkable 40-year career in public education, City of Fairfax Schools Superintendent Jeff Platenberg has announced his retirement, effective July 31, 2025. Platenberg made the announcement during the School Board meeting on May 5, sharing his deep reflections on a career filled with significant achievements and community impact.
News
City Council Matters: Environment, Budget & Zoning (op-ed by Kate Doyle Feingold – former City Council Member)
There was a great win for the Fairfax City environment on Earth Day. And a great lesson for tireless residents who continued to speak up about taxpayer dollars going to build destructive, wide, paved roads through our dwindling forests.
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...
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...
Opinion
Your Actions, Our Climate: Fairfax Needs You Now (op-ed by John Morrill, Director, Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC))
2024 was the hottest year ever recorded in Fairfax County. Extreme weather and high energy bills are hitting many households hard. From prolonged heatwaves...
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.