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Tag: city of fairfax

  • Fairfax man, 19, arrested on charges of possessing child sexual abuse materials – WTOP News

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    A Northern Virginia student attending George Mason University has been barred from campus after being charged with 29 counts of possessing child sexual abuse materials.

    City of Fairfax, Virginia, police said 19-year-old Rahman Mawardy was arrested last week on 29 counts of possessing child sexual abuse materials.

    He’s also a student at George Mason University — and has now been barred from campus.

    Officers executed a search warrant Nov. 19 at a Fairfax home in the 10300 block of Beaumont Street, where they took Mawardy into custody.

    He was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and is being held on a $5,000 bond, according to police.

    A university spokesperson told WTOP that Mawardy is currently registered as a student, but has been prohibited from entering campus “until further notice.” The school made the decision after officials learned of the charges.

    The university said it’s cooperating with authorities and reviewing the case to determine whether additional action is needed.

    Mawardy was awarded a $48,000 scholarship to attend George Mason in June 2024, according to the Academia School in Bangladesh. He was expected to graduate in 2028.

    Mawardy is scheduled to be arraigned in Fairfax County District Court Monday morning.

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    Will Vitka

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  • Amid staffing shortages, Fairfax City deploys uniformed security guards to help deter crime – WTOP News

    Amid staffing shortages, Fairfax City deploys uniformed security guards to help deter crime – WTOP News

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    Fairfax City in Virginia is deploying private security guards in several neighborhoods with the hope of deterring crime while police there grapple with staffing challenges.

    Fairfax City in Virginia is deploying private security guards in several neighborhoods with the hope of deterring crime while police grapple with staffing challenges.

    The pilot program, which is scheduled to run through the end of December, will use security guards in the areas around Stafford Drive Park, Draper Drive Park and Old Town.

    “We thought that this would be a good supplemental program to use while we’re facing staffing challenges right now,” Sgt. James Lewis said.

    The program comes in response to businesses and community members expressing concerns in regards to loitering, trespassing and petty larceny in those areas, Lewis said.

    The personnel will be dressed in security guard uniforms, won’t be armed and won’t have the power to make an arrest, he said.

    They’ll conduct foot patrols in the parts of the city they’re assigned to and will “report back any activity that they feel is rising to the level of a crime, or if a crime is being committed, to call or dispatch directly so we can get officers out there and address the issue,” he said.

    Starting Friday, the guards will patrol the Old Town Commercial District from Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Other guards will be patrolling the two park areas daily from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

    “We really just want to deter crime,” Lewis said. “So if someone’s thinking about committing a crime, or have bad intentions, we’re hoping that they’ll see the security guard, someone in uniform, and then rethink and reevaluate their decision before they actually do it.”

    The department is still working through the logistics, but Lewis said at least one officer will be assigned to each area.

    “A lot of businesses just want some kind of presence there to deter people from stealing or from loitering around their businesses,” Lewis said.

    The program is scheduled to run until Dec. 22 and cost about $16,800 for the eight weeks, according to city documents.

    Alpha Security, the company that will be providing the guards, already has a current contract with the city’s Parks and Recreation department.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • $5K grants up for grabs for women-owned businesses in this Northern Va. city – WTOP News

    $5K grants up for grabs for women-owned businesses in this Northern Va. city – WTOP News

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    In an effort to give local businesses a financial boost, the City of Fairfax, Virginia, is offering up a $25,000 grant program meant to help companies grow.

    In an effort to give local businesses a financial boost, the City of Fairfax, Virginia, is offering up a $25,000 grant program meant to help companies grow.

    Specifically, the grants are for businesses that are located in the city and are owned by women. They can include home-based businesses, startups or expanding businesses.

    “We certainly have many women-owned businesses in Fairfax,” said Tara Borwey, programs manager for the city’s economic development team. “There’s a lot of passion and creativity.”

    The program will award five grants of $5,000 each.

    Applications are now being accepted online, although applicants can also print the document and send a physical copy through the mail.

    “Barriers can create obstacles that prohibit people from being able to grow their business,” Borwey said. “Access to capital is one of those.”

    Grant recipients will be publicly announced late next month, with winners being notified no later than Sept. 20.

    They will be able to use the grant money to work with consulting services that connect them with industry experts and other resources that can help them remain competitive and grow.

    “It can be basically anything that your business doesn’t currently have the capacity to address,” Borwey said.

    Grants will be awarded based on a number of factors.

    For example, business owners who apply will need to clearly lay out what they need the money for, what the timeline would be for spending the money and what the potential impact would be on business growth and expansion.

    “We are very proud of the women business owners who have chosen to establish their businesses here in the city, many venturing into this role for the first time,” said Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read. “Investing in their success means finding ways to help them sustain their operations.”

    “We will remain creative in how we support our local businesses,” Read added.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Nick Iannelli

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