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Tag: scott gelman

  • Why a Fairfax Co. elementary school is teaching kids the ‘how’ behind AI – WTOP News

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    Vienna Elementary School’s Vienna.i.Lab is transforming education by introducing students to AI and advanced technology.

    David Lee Reynolds, Jr. spent two decades working as a music teacher before transitioning to teach technology.

    When he made the switch, Vienna Elementary School didn’t have a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, or STEAM, lab. To best set students up for success, he knew the Northern Virginia campus needed one.

    That thought came around the same time the first large language models were debuting, and artificial intelligence was becoming more mainstream. So he knew once a lab was put together, it would have to be advanced. A traditional STEAM lab would come later.

    Eventually, Reynolds created the Vienna.i.Lab with the goal of helping students understand how the tech works, all so they’re set up to use it more effectively.

    “This is the new stuff, and it’s here to stay,” Reynolds said. “But if you don’t know what it is, then it’s not helpful to you. So let’s fix that.”

    To do it, Reynolds collaborated with the school’s parent-teacher association, which helped raise money so students could use new tools instead of traditional laptops.

    During a lesson on Friday afternoon, a group of first graders used KaiBots. They scanned a card with a code describing how the robot should move, and watched it either follow the instructions or identify an error.

    Even for some of the school’s youngest students, Reynolds said the lesson revealed the “building blocks of where you would eventually get to learning about machine learning, learning about large language models, learning about how ChatGPT works.”

    One student, Nora Vazeen, said the activity is different from what she does in most classes, and “It’s silly.”

    Another student, Callum, echoed that sentiment, saying, “The robot does silly stuff.”

    But, once a week during their technology special, students from kindergarten to sixth grade participate in hands-on activities. While the younger kids use KaiBots, the older students are programming drones.

    The work emphasizes problem solving skills, collaboration and coding skills, Reynolds said.

    “For kids, if they understand how the tool works, they can do amazing things with the tool,” he said. “But if they don’t, they’re going to use the tool like it’s a search feature, and the next thing you know, they’re doing things that are wrong and they’re learning things that are incorrect.”

    While the AI lab is largely the tech cart Reynolds oversees in the corner of the school’s library, he’s hoping one day it can evolve into an innovative space.

    “Let’s build it in a green way,” Reynolds said. “Let’s build it underground. Let’s use geothermal heating and cooling. Let’s build a space, when you walk into it, you’re inspired to go and create.”

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  • How Fairfax Co. police unit investigating threats helps de-escalate situations before crimes occur – WTOP News

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    The two Fairfax County police units that help look into threats to public officials and community members investigated or consulted on over 800 threat cases in 2025, Police Chief Kevin Davis told WTOP.

    The two Fairfax County police units that help look into threats to public officials and community members investigated or were consulted on over 800 threat cases in 2025, Police Chief Kevin Davis told WTOP.

    The agency in the Northern Virginia suburb has a full-time Threat Assessment Management Team, a squad of detectives solely responsible for investigating threats. The group, Davis said, partners with the Criminal Intelligence Unit.

    “Our society now, whether we like it or not, demands that law enforcement have a full-time dedication to threat assessment, and that’s something that’s very new,” Davis said.

    The threats are typically not crimes, Davis said. Instead, they’re First Amendment-protected speech aimed at an elected official, community leader, someone in the business or health care communities.

    The messages most commonly are sent via email, Davis said, but sometimes are delivered in written form.

    “We know based on what the threat looks like that it’s not a criminal threat, but it’s a threatening correspondence,” Davis said.

    In response to such cases, officers knock on doors with the help of mental health clinicians and officers who are trained in crisis intervention. During the interaction, Davis said officers can determine “if that person either wants or is in … need of mental or behavioral health assistance.”

    “Law enforcement can’t afford to ignore it anymore and say, ‘Well, a crime hasn’t been committed yet,’” Davis said. “That’s the old-school way police across the country would deal with some of these First Amendment-protected threatening communication efforts. And we would say, I’m paraphrasing, ‘Call us when a crime occurs.’ Well, we’re better than that. We’re bigger than that, and we need to position ourselves in a way to mitigate threats.”

    Separately, Davis said Virginia implemented a policy in 2020 that allows police departments in the state to temporarily recover guns that are in the homes where someone is experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis, or where “aggravated assaults or worse are likely to occur.”

    In the past five-odd years, Fairfax County police have been involved in 463 such emergency substantial risk order cases.

    “The crisis may or may not be criminal in nature, and a lot of times it’s not a criminal threat, but it’s a threat — that there’s someone who’s unstable in this home who has access to firearms,” Davis said.

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  • What’s ‘algorithmic coercion,’ and why is it making things we buy more expensive? – WTOP News

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    One company choosing to use a quick and reactive pricing algorithm could lead its competitors to increase prices, leading customers to face higher costs, according to a University of Virginia economist.

    One company choosing to use a quick and reactive pricing algorithm could lead its competitors to increase prices, leading to customers facing higher costs across the board, according to a recent study led by a University of Virginia economist.

    Alexander MacKay, an associate professor of economics at the University of Virginia, said the research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research reviewed a concept called algorithmic coercion.

    It’s what could happen when an algorithm leads an entire market to increase its prices for the same items, discouraging rival companies from trying to compete based on price and making mundane goods universally more expensive.

    Airlines and hotels have used some variation of pricing algorithms for years, MacKay said, but “one of the big changes is monitoring rivals’ prices and reacting to that in real time.”

    Online retailers are using software that monitors prices on competitors’ websites, and then they’ll change their prices in response, motivated to beat the prices they encounter.

    “The role of economic theory and the research that we do is to look at, ‘well, what’s the implication of this for the consumer?’” MacKay said. “And what we’re pointing out is that this could actually lead to higher prices.”

    Previously, traditional human pricing was used, allowing a person to set the price of an item. But pricing algorithms — formulas for setting prices based on inputted information — are becoming more common, MacKay said.

    MacKay said if one company uses software that can collect a rival company’s prices quickly, and the technology can react in a fast way, “then that piece of software might be capable of disciplining any company that tries to lower their price.”

    “And as a result, if the algorithm is powerful enough and the company is sort of large enough, it can really discourage any of its rivals from competing based on price,” MacKay said. “As a result, everyone’s going to set a much higher price.”

    In some cases, MacKay said, the use of advanced pricing algorithms could result in prices that would be “higher than what you might get in a competitive market.”

    “We also show in our paper that the prices could actually be so high that it would be worse for consumers than if the market participants got together and colluded on price,” he said. “So the potential of algorithmic coercion to raise prices is actually pretty substantial.”

    MacKay said his research didn’t explore which companies are using the practice and what the impacts are, but it’s “quite possible that this is happening in a number of different industries.” He noted some online retailers and retail gasoline stations as specific examples.

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  • Who has Virginia’s Governor-elect appointed to her cabinet? – WTOP News

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    Nonetheless, experts said the appointments suggest Spanberger will begin working quickly once she takes office, and her focus, as it was during the campaign cycle, will be affordability.

    With her inauguration scheduled for next weekend, Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has been filling out her cabinet.

    The selections, which range from experts who served under previous governors to state lawmakers, still have to be approved by the General Assembly.

    Nonetheless, experts said the appointments suggest Spanberger will begin working quickly once she takes office, and her focus, as it was during the campaign cycle, will be affordability.

    “You do see a range of representation across the geographical and political diversity of Virginia,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “You see a vision that is consistent with the centrist messaging of the campaign.”

    So who has Spanberger appointed so far?

    Spanberger’s appointees

    Marvin Figueroa, health and human resources secretary

    Virginia’s HHR secretary has oversight of 12 state agencies.

    Figueroa is vice president at BGR Group, working on state and federal health policy. He was once health policy adviser to Sen. Mark Warner and served as a senior official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    Figueroa, who lives in Arlington, was deputy secretary of health and human resources under former Gov. Ralph Northam.

    In a statement, he said the challenges Virginians are facing “are real. Families are feeling the strain of rising costs, uneven access to care and systems that are often too hard to navigate.”

    Katie Frazier, secretary of agriculture and forestry

    Since 2018, Frazier has worked as the chief brand officer for Farm Credit of the Virginias, which helps provide financing for equipment, livestock, land purchases and farm and country home loans, according to its website. In that role, she leads marketing, education, legislative and advocacy efforts, according to a news release.

    Frazier previously worked as the executive director of the Virginia Agribusiness Council, a nonprofit trade group in Richmond.

    Frazier has worked on various issues, including soil and water conservation and workforce development, at the state and federal levels, according to a news release announcing her appointment.

    “Governor-elect Spanberger has been a steadfast champion and supporter of agriculture and forestry, a commitment that began during her time in Congress serving on the House Agriculture Committee,” Frazier said in a statement. “I look forward to collaborating with the Spanberger Administration, the General Assembly, and our partners to continue advancing a vision of economic growth and prosperity for our farmers, foresters, and agribusinesses.”

    Stanley Meador, secretary of public safety and homeland security

    Meador has worked in law enforcement for almost three decades, starting as a special agent with Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority in 1997.

    He was part of the response to the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, and earned a Virginia “Declaration of Valor” for his work on that day.

    Then, Meador started a career with the FBI as a special agent, working in various field offices across the country. In 2021, Meador became special agent in charge at the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, tasked with oversight of national security and criminal investigations.

    Meador earned an undergraduate degree from Roanoke College and a master’s from American University in D.C.

    “Throughout my career, I have been committed to protecting our communities and strengthening the partnerships that keep them safe,” Meador said in a statement. “As a native Virginian, I look forward to supporting Governor-elect Spanberger’s vision with the same dedication, integrity, and commitment that have guided my service for nearly three decades.”

    Nick Donohue, secretary of transportation

    Donohue founded Transportation and Infrastructure Strategies LLC, advising public and private sector clients on various issues. He’s worked under three Virginia governors, working with state lawmakers to create the Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program and “secure the first dedicated capital funding for WMATA,” according to a news release.

    Donohue was involved with the Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, helping to increase Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express service across the state. He also helped with the development of SMART SCALE, Virginia’s project prioritization process.

    David Ramadan, a former House of Delegates member now a professor of practice at George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government, said Donohue is “probably the foremost person who knows everything there is to know about transportation in Virginia.”

    Candi Mundon King, secretary of the commonwealth

    Mundon King is one of several state lawmakers Spanberger has appointed to her cabinet. She’s served Virginia’s 23rd district in the House of Delegates since 2021, representing parts of Prince William and Stafford counties.

    She chairs the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns and has prioritized getting pay raises for teachers, protecting human trafficking victims and ensuring home health care workers get paid sick leave.

    Before Mundon King was elected to office, she worked at public policy and philanthropy organizations, including the Gates Foundation and CARE.

    Mundon King was born and raised in Portsmouth and lives in Dumfries.

    Ramadan told WTOP adding cabinet members from the General Assembly will help Spanberger get her agenda passed.

    “They are independent bodies with minds of their own and priorities of their own, despite the cooperation and coordination with the leadership,” said Ramadan, a former delegate. “Therefore, having members of your cabinet and sub cabinet positions of people that know the process, know the people in the House and the Senate have the relationships, is a must.”

    Army Maj. Gen. Timothy Williams

    Williams worked under three Virginia governors as adjutant general of the state for nine years. In 2023, he retired, after 38 years working with the Army.

    In his role as adjutant general, Williams headed Virginia’s Department of Military Affairs, which supports the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Defense Force.

    Williams led the Guard through the pandemic, helping with testing and vaccines.

    Since his retirement, Williams has worked as adviser to the Chief of National Guard Bureau on intergovernmental affairs.

    Williams has served at every level of the military.

    “I share Governor-elect Spanberger’s focus on making sure Virginia communities have the resources they need to keep their citizens safe, so we will make sure the Virginia National Guard is always ready and always there to rapidly respond as part of Virginia’s multi-agency team to provide capabilities when Virginians are impacted by severe weather or a security threat,” Williams said in a statement.

    Mark Sickles, secretary of finance

    Sickles has represented part of Fairfax County in Virginia’s House for over two decades. He’s currently the chair of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, and he has chaired the House Health and Human Services Committee since 2004.

    During his time in office, Sickles has prioritized investing in libraries, protecting endangered species and led the transition from Healthcare.gov to Virginia’s Health Insurance Exchange.

    Ramadan, with George Mason, said Sickles was vice chair of appropriations in the House, and “knows everything there is to know about the budget.”

    Traci Deshazor, secretary of administration

    Deshazor worked as deputy secretary of the commonwealth under former governors Ralph Northam and Terry McAuliffe. In that role, she helped with clemency and restoring civil and voting rights of over 300,000 Virginians.

    Locally, Deshazor worked as deputy chief administrative officer for human services in the City of Richmond. During that stint, she created a new city agency, the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, and created the Office of Homeless Services and Office of Neighborhood and Community Services.

    Deshazor also worked as the first chief equity officer for the City of Richmond.

    “As secretary of administration, I will bring a people-first, outcomes-driven approach to strengthening Virginia’s operations, promoting transparency, and strengthening trust in government,” Deshazor said.

    Jessica Looman, secretary of labor

    Former President Joe Biden appointed Looman to serve as administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, and she led the agency from 2021 to 2025.

    She’s previously worked as commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Commerce, with oversight of insurance and financial institution regulation.

    Looman worked as a senior fellow at the NYU Wagner Labor Initiative, crafting ways to help state and local governments protect workers’ rights and offer insight on child labor and interstate collaboration.

    “I share Governor-elect Spanberger’s vision that both investing in the creation of good jobs and protecting workers are essential to sustaining the Commonwealth’s economic growth and shared prosperity,” Looman said.

    Jeffery Smith, secretary of education

    Smith has over a decade of experience as a superintendent, leading Hampton City schools for eight years and Town of West Point schools for seven.

    His career has featured over 30 years in public school education, and during his tenure, Hampton City schools improved graduation rates and reported declines in dropout rates.

    Smith is currently the executive director and CEO of the Virginia Air and Space Science Center.

    In an interview with WTOP, Spanberger said Smith has “done innovative, really thoughtful things in the communities that he has served. And so I look forward to seeing the perspective that he brings to the secretariat as a whole.”

    Sesha Joi Moon, chief diversity officer

    Moon worked as chief diversity officer of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th and 118th Congresses, heading the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

    She previously served as chief impact officer with Girl Scouts USA and chief diversity officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    Moon lives in Fairfax but is from Richmond.

    “As a proud Virginia native, I look forward to joining the cabinet of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as her historic administration works to advance a future in which all Virginians have access to opportunity — to include residents from some of the hardest-to-reach communities throughout the Commonwealth,” Moon said in a statement.

    Matt McGuire, counsel to the governor

    McGuire has worked in private practice and academia, and worked as principal deputy solicitor general and executive division counsel under former Attorney General Mark Herring.

    He co-taught a seminar at the University of Richmond’s law school and has argued cases at each level of the federal and Virginia court systems and the U.S. Supreme Court.

    “I’ll draw on my extensive experience with public law issues, my global background in business and technology matters as well as litigation to ensure the Governor-elect’s crucial policies will benefit Virginians for years to come,” McGuire said in a statement.

    David Bulova, secretary of natural and historic resources

    Bulova has been a delegate in Virginia’s House, representing parts of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax, since he was first elected in 2005.

    He is chair of the General Laws Committee and the Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

    Bulova is on the Chesapeake Bay Commission and has focused on legislation and funding for conservation and restoration of Virginia’s natural resources.

    “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with our Governor-elect, the General Assembly, and the many partners that work hard every day to fulfill the promise outlined in Virginia’s constitution ‘to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth,” Bulova said in a statement.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Fairfax Co. high schoolers launch club for students who want jobs in medical fields – WTOP News

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    The Medicine and Disease Club has 30 regular members who attend weekly meetings to hear from guest speakers and prepare for competitions.

    A photo of Medicine and Disease club members at Langley High School. (Courtesy Lillian Su/Langley High School)

    Not long after Milan Le and Eesha Kaushik launched the Medicine and Disease Club at Langley High School, they spent hours outside of a Northern Virginia grocery store with a trifold and flyers, asking people to consider donating to their efforts.

    Intrigued by the setup, one community member stopped to learn more about why they were there. He asked about their career goals and what motivated them, and congratulated them on their hard work. And then, before walking away after a nearly half-hour exchange, he donated $100.

    The moment was validating for the two Fairfax County students, who launched the club as sophomores in 2023 and are now seniors. It was their first fundraiser, and they didn’t know how many shoppers would even listen just for a few minutes.

    Years later, the club has 30 regular members who attend weekly meetings to hear from guest speakers and prepare for competitions. Their fundraising totals recently reached $5,000.

    “We had talked about the fact that there wasn’t very many clubs at our school that were for pre-medical students, just because there are a lot of students who are still exploring what they want to do in high school, and they might not have those distinctions,” Kaushik said.

    Le and Kaushik, who’ve been friends since elementary school, initially envisioned the club as a place for students to study and earn community service hours. But now, there’s a core group in place, and younger students view older ones as mentors.

    Using the U.S. Medicine and Disease Olympiad as the framework, the group regularly prepares for competitions. They present lessons on diseases and other medical conditions, and sometimes plan for interactive activities.

    In one instance, leaders brought in pillows and stuffed animals for a lesson on CPR. Guest speakers, including psychiatrists and an internal medicine doctor, have shared details about their jobs too.

    “I was teaching them how to read blood pressure, and a lot of them, this was the first time they were ever using a stethoscope, which is really cool,” Le said. “It’s a tangible first step into the field and you can really see and feel, understand. You can feel like you’re in the field.”

    The pair, Kaushik said, is filling a void.

    “What we found is the vast majority of the clubs offered that were academic were primarily individual,” Kaushik said. “They were, ‘We can help you study for something, but for the most part, you’re going to work on it on your own.’ And then the ones geared toward service were meeting infrequently and were more about, ‘You come here, get some service hours and that’s about all that happens.’”

    Now, the club’s sense of community has grown so large, its members are disappointed when a meeting has to be canceled. One student made handmade bookmarks and stickers with the club logo to hand out during fundraisers.

    Many of them “have shown so much interest and passion in it,” Kaushik said.

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  • ‘2026 difference maker’: How a drone is helping Fairfax Co. police respond to emergencies faster – WTOP News

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    As part of the “Drone as First Responder” pilot program, the Fairfax County Police Department is launching drones from the Fair Oaks and Franconia districts.

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    Fairfax County’s newest first responders are drones

    A Fairfax County police drone operator demonstrates the capabilities of the department’s drones.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Fairfax County police responded quickly when a recent 911 caller said they saw a man armed with a bow and arrow standing along a median near the Fair Oaks Mall.

    While a number of officers were dispatched to the scene, Police Chief Kevin Davis said the department’s drone arrived first. It got to the site in 57 seconds.

    Then, it started feeding back live video of a man who didn’t appear to have a bow and arrow, ”but a man in a mental health crisis armed with a stick. And he was pointing a stick, not a bow and arrow, at passing motorists.”

    Once officers realized that was the case, Davis said they were able to downgrade the priority response.

    “They can dial down the emotions and the adrenaline that pump through their veins any time a call like that goes out,” Davis said. “It mitigates a potential use-of-force scenario of a person in a mental health crisis, because the call is described as something different than it actually is. It’s that visibility and awareness that’s huge.”

    As part of the “Drone as First Responder” pilot program, the Northern Virginia department is launching drones from the Fair Oaks and Franconia districts. It started using this version of the technology in the fall.

    Within the first 100 missions, the drones recorded an average response time of 83 seconds. It was the first to arrive on a scene 71 times.

    “The drone is beating the cops and beating the firefighters and beating the medics to these outdoor calls for service,” Davis said.

    The drones respond to crimes in outdoor settings, but they also are used in medical emergencies, car crashes and cases of missing people.

    Davis said they received Federal Aviation Administration waivers that allow them to fly a drone beyond a “line of sight restriction.”

    Once the drone arrives at a location, a drone operator in the Real Time Crime Center takes over. It uses artificial intelligence to avoid buildings, trees or anything else that may be in its path, Davis said.

    It hovers over the scene and sends back live video for as long as needed.

    “Our police officers have greater awareness about what they’re about to arrive at and get into before they even get onto the scene,” Davis said. “That’s going to be the 2026 difference maker.”

    The drone is equipped with a parachute in the event that something goes wrong, Davis said, and it’s “no bigger or smaller than the average drone that your mind’s eye can picture.”

    “The more information we have before we get to any scene, fill in the blank, any scene, the likely for a better outcome between the police and the community members who we are poised to then interact with is going to be safer,” Davis said.

    Montgomery County police in Maryland are using a similar program.

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  • Why crime in Fairfax Co. fell across several categories in 2025 – WTOP News

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    Crime fell across several categories in Fairfax County last year, Police Chief Kevin Davis said, touting the agency’s efforts.

    Crime fell across several categories in Fairfax County last year, Police Chief Kevin Davis told WTOP, touting the agency’s use of emerging technology, recruitment, retention efforts and focus on road safety.

    In an interview with WTOP on Friday, Davis said homicides fell 15% in 2025, compared with 2024. There were 12 murders in the Northern Virginia suburb in 2025, and Davis said the department closed all its homicide cases with arrests.

    Similarly, nondeadly contact shootings fell 37% and robberies fell 20%.

    The positive crime trends come in the backdrop of a similar regional and national reduction in violent crime across the country, Davis said.

    But there’s a “bad guy community,” Davis said, of crime suspects who closely monitor the strategies that police departments use. As a result, he said, law enforcement has to evolve to stay ahead.

    “They know that there are cameras out there in public spaces that are more likely now than ever before to capture the comings and goings of the vehicle that they’re using to perpetrate their crimes,” Davis said. “We have to recognize that our crime-fighting strategies are paid attention to by every aspect of the community, to include people who commit crimes.”

    Stolen cars are down 19%, Davis said, crediting the department’s group of full-time, auto crime enforcement detectives who handle burglaries. Burglaries are down 28%, he said.

    “That’s something I hear about whenever I travel throughout Fairfax County. If your car is stolen or if your house is broken into, that invades your sense of privacy in a really, really profound way,” Davis said.

    Meanwhile, after watching shoplifting offenses increase for several years, Davis said shoplifting fell 13% in the county in 2025.

    He described the offenses as retail crime, “because it’s not little Johnny or little Jane taking a candy bar from the 7-Eleven. It’s not someone who is without food who’s stealing to feed himself or herself. These are retail crimes that are committed, increasingly in an organized way, not only in Fairfax County, but regionally and across our country.”

    In Tysons specifically, shoplifting fell 22%, which Davis attributed to a full-time urban team assigned to the community. The group is assigned to not only the mall, “but the entire footprint.”

    Fatal motor vehicle deaths were down 57% last year, Davis said, and while fatal pedestrian deaths rose seasonally in 2025, when it got darker earlier in the day, the category fell 20% overall.

    The department has a group of full-time detectives who respond to and exclusively handle deadly and nondeadly overdoses and opioid deaths fell 30%, Davis said.

    Arrests for driving while intoxicated rose about 7%, and Davis touted an increase in traffic enforcement, particularly a series of campaigns targeting speed, unsafe lane changes, tailgating and distracted driving.

    “We could not care less about any citation revenue that the state or the county generates from our enforcement efforts or from our automated enforcement efforts on school buses and other school zones,” Davis said. “We care about changing bad driving behaviors.”

    Because the agency has a 3% vacancy rate, its lowest in years, Davis said each of the eight district stations has neighborhood policing teams. They respond to hot spots and monitor crime trends in the areas they oversee.

    Hundreds of people and businesses have shared access to their cameras with police, Davis said, emphasizing his belief that a focus on traffic enforcement has a major impact on reducing murders, shootings, robberies and carjackings.

    “If folks drive with impunity and think that they’re never going to encounter a uniformed police officer in a marked car, they’re more likely to carry a firearm,” Davis said. “They’re more likely to get in a dispute with someone.“

    Business checks and regular communication with school resource officers are also helping drive crime down, Davis said.

    “Just because we and others in the region and across the country had a really successful, in terms of data and numbers, 2025, that doesn’t mean that 2026 is going to be an automatic,” Davis said.

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  • Why some people are turning to artificial intelligence for mental health needs – WTOP News

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    According to a George Mason University flash poll of about 500 people across the country, about 50% reported using AI for support with mental health issues.

    Many people are turning to artificial intelligence for coping, feedback, guidance and to be a sort of confidant.

    According to a George Mason University flash poll of about 500 people across the country, about 50% reported using AI for support with mental health issues. That figure goes up to 80% for those between ages 25 and 34.

    And 15% of respondents said they used AI for mental health issues every day.

    “We’ve discovered that it is a very convenient and easy and intimate and easily accessible tool for responding to mental health concerns,” said Melissa Perry, dean of George Mason’s College of Public Health.

    While people admit to using the tech for mental health support, some do have lingering questions. People participating in their surveys, Perry said, wonder whether the information they get from AI is trustworthy and whether it ensures their privacy.

    “They were concerned about the privacy and the confidentiality of the data that they were providing by interacting with a chat bot, and they’re also wondering whether or not such platforms have been evaluated and optimized by mental health professionals,” Perry said. “But it’s critically important to keep in mind that they aren’t a replacement for human counselors and therapists and trained mental health professionals.”

    Society, Perry said, has become increasingly more comfortable with screens. However, she said, too much dependence on communicating with a machine could lead some to forget that “we are social beings who need to interact and live in a social world.”

    “Using AI is in response to feelings of loneliness, but it can’t be a cure,” Perry said.

    In the coming years, people who responded to the survey said the tech could be helpful for lowering the cost of mental health services and offering real-time support in particularly stressful moments.

    “The loneliness epidemic has become widely recognized,” Perry said. “People are turning to computers and to chat bots and platforms as a way to cope with loneliness, but it’s not going to be a cure.”

    Further research, Perry said, may help determine how the tech can help people in need without creating a sense of false security or errors in the type of advice that chatbots provide.

    More information on researchers’ findings is available online.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • How Arlington PTAs are helping address student food insecurity – WTOP News

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    PTAs in Arlington have been getting creative to meet the needs of students in Arlington Public Schools who are experiencing food insecurity.

    There’s apple sauce and pasta in a tiny cabinet on the side of Hoffman-Boston Elementary in Arlington, Virginia.

    The food cabinet remains unlocked 24/7 and is available to students, with the goal of making sure no child goes hungry.

    The school’s PTA is also working with a food rescue group, with the goal of procuring leftover items from bakeries or farmers’ markets.

    PTAs and parent teacher student organizations across Arlington have long considered ways to help students who might be experiencing food insecurity. But in recent months, in the aftermath of the government shutdown and uncertainty surrounding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, they’ve stepped in to address the increased need.

    “What we found is that schools were coming to PTAs, realizing there’s a lot more need right now,” said Claire Noakes, president of the Arlington County Council of PTAs. “It’s really increased, and so PTAs have tried to almost be a triage in the situation, to rapidly respond in creative ways.”

    The responses have varied, but Noakes said at least 20 PTAs and parent teacher student organizations have stepped in to help.

    Since November, Long Branch Elementary’s PTA has been giving food bags to families in need. It has also partnered with Troy’s Kitchen to connect families with hot meals for the weekend.

    Discovery Elementary’s PTA has organized a gift card drive to assist families. And Claremont Elementary’s PTA has prioritized covering meals during school breaks.

    “Many of our PTAs have been doing food distribution for years,” Noakes said. “It’s just part of understanding that there is a large and unmet need. Because of grocery prices, because of uncertainty with SNAP benefits, what we saw is there was just such a broad-based need more recently. Within the last month or so, people have been turning up the dial quite high.”

    In some cases, that’s meant requesting donations, working canned foods drives, collecting donated gift cards and collaborating with school social workers. The groups also work alongside community organizations, such as the Capital Area Food Bank, too.

    “The impact right now is triage,” Noakes said. “It’s just to try to address the immediate needs.”

    Before the pandemic, Noakes said Arlington Public Schools distributed what she described as “student-friendly food” to kids. But the program paused during COVID closures, Noakes said, “and it didn’t really restart.”

    Noakes said many distribution sites are at or near schools, so it’s easy for kids and their families to access.

    There’s also an emphasis on “student-friendly food,” which she described as “food that even young children can eat and consume and prepare without much work. You could maybe have a single-serving item, mac and cheese, you pour some hot water, you microwave it, a young child can prepare and get food in their stomachs.”

    Community members can help address student hunger and food insecurity by volunteering with or donating to a PTA, Noakes said.

    “Reach out to the elected officials and to the superintendent and let them know that child hunger is a really critical issue to them, and that more needs to be done,” Noakes said.

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  • Arlington students calling for upgrades to 2 middle schools – WTOP News

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    Students at two Arlington middle schools are urging school board members in the Northern Virginia county to fund and expedite renovation plans.

    Students at two Arlington middle schools are urging school board members in the Northern Virginia county to fund and expedite renovation plans.

    At a school board meeting earlier this month, students at Swanson and Thomas Jefferson middle schools said hallways are overcrowded, sprinkler systems and sinks are broken and major upgrades are needed.

    Board members approved the direction for the Capital Improvement Plan covering fiscal years 2027-2036. Part of the plan includes tasking Superintendent Francisco Durán with presenting renovation plans for the two middle schools.

    ARL Now first reported details of the vote.

    The total budget to upgrade both campuses would be in the range of $150 million, according to school board documents, and school leaders would have to prioritize infrastructure, safety and accessibility needs.

    It’s unclear, though, when exactly renovations would occur and how much work would be done at the schools.

    “We have stated a range of $150 million for the middle school projects,” School Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton said during the meeting. “We do not intend that to be a cap. We do not intend that to be a limit. We’ve had a great deal of discussion about this among the board over the past two months; I think that what it reflects is that we would like to see what is possible for that amount of money.”

    Board Member Kathleen Clark said, with “the amount of money for TJ and Swanson, it’s not an either-or, folks. There is a lot of work that needs to happen in those two buildings.”

    Renovations at Swanson, Clark said, require extra planning because of the school’s historic designation.

    Meanwhile, Board Member Mary Kadera voted against the draft guidance for the Capital Improvement Plan, explaining the school system has almost $600 million in “major infrastructure needs in the next decade.”

    “We simply don’t have enough money for all this work,” Kadera said. “So how we spend our limited capital funding matters enormously.”

    During public comments, one student who attends Thomas Jefferson said the school’s bathroom and hallway setup makes it difficult to navigate for people with disabilities.

    “Right when I get off the bus, it’s hard to get into the front door because it’s so narrow,” the student said. “I wish I wouldn’t have to get stuck in the door when I go into the school.”

    Another TJ student said the school doesn’t have a sprinkler system.

    And a different one said their science teacher said one out of six sinks in the building “actually worked, so when we are done with our labs, it’s 27 kids pouring chemicals down a drain that we’re not sure even works, and that makes me feel unsafe.”

    Meanwhile, at Swanson, one student said there are leaky pipes, cracked paint and classrooms that lack natural light.

    Another expressed frustration about the lack of a functioning auditorium, “because there was mold found in the vents, seats and carpets. It’s very important to have an available auditorium, because we use the space to hold our school’s plays and musicals, drama class, safety assemblies and so much more.”

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  • How will DC’s law enforcement surge be remembered? – WTOP News

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    Since August, Washington has grappled with a federal blow to its autonomy after President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital. Hundreds of National Guard members began to roam the city streets and D.C. police began working with federal law enforcement agencies. But where does the city stand now?

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    How will DC’s law enforcement surge be remembered?

    This story is part of WTOP’s series “Five stories that defined the DC-area in 2025.” You can hear it on air all this week and read it online.

    During a news conference on Aug. 11, President Donald Trump vowed to address crime in D.C. He promised to get rid of what he described as the city’s “slums,” activated hundreds of National Guard members to patrol D.C. streets and told Attorney General Pam Bondi she had control of the city’s police force.

    Trump similarly described his aim to address vandalism, potholes and medians on city streets and homeless encampments.

    In doing so, Trump invoked Section 740 of D.C.’s Home Rule Act.

    In the months that followed, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had to walk a tightrope to navigate the federal intervention. She pushed back on the assertion that it was a federal takeover, instead calling it a “surge” of law enforcement in the nation’s capital.

    Before the crime emergency was announced, city leaders maintained that violent crime had already been falling. The city’s crime data, though, has been the subject of congressional and Department of Justice investigations.

    The White House, meanwhile, is commending the surge for making D.C. safer. During the emergency, it released crime data from the day prior daily.

    “If you were to talk to any police chief in the country, they’re always going to want more resources,” said Patrick Eddington, a senior fellow at Cato Institute. “I don’t think that there’s any of them that would turn down additional money, especially money to hire additional officers.”

    But, Eddington said, there are federal grant programs in place for that.

    “The National Guard is not one of those resources that should be used,” he said.

    National Guard descends on DC

    Protesters, police, and National Guard troops congregate at the entrance to Union Station in D.C., where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance visited Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

    In the days after the crime emergency was declared, hundreds of National Guard members arrived on city streets. They worked near Metro stations and parks. Some helped collect garbage and assist with maintenance work.

    Federal law enforcement worked with D.C. government agencies to coordinate the clearing of homeless encampments across the city.

    At the same time, some residents reported a rise in masked federal officers working in their communities.

    During appearances in late August, Bowser stressed the city didn’t ask for the federal assistance. But she said the federal help meant more resources, resulting in more traffic stops and more illegal gun seizures.

    Bowser criticized agents wearing masks and “ICE terrorizing communities.” She described having National Guard troops, especially those from other states, in the city as something “not working.”

    Asked for comment about the law enforcement surge’s impact, a spokesperson from Bowser’s office referred WTOP to those prior remarks.

    Meanwhile, Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said Trump transformed D.C. “from a crime-ridden mess into a beautiful, clean, safe city. Federal law enforcement officers, in close coordination with local partners, have removed countless dangerous criminals and illegal drugs from the streets, arrested MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gang members, and rescued missing children.”

    Federal government declines extension of declaration

    Congress declined to extend the president’s crime emergency, which expired in September.

    Bowser issued a mayor’s order, outlining how D.C. would continue to collaborate with the federal government after the 30-day declaration. It created a “Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center,” responsible for managing the city’s response to Trump’s Safe and Beautiful Task Force.

    The order outlined the agencies D.C. would continue to collaborate with. It didn’t mention U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the National Guard.

    D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, hoping to end the National Guard’s deployment, in early September. The legal battle, though, is ongoing.

    As of Dec. 14, a spokesman for D.C.’s Joint Task Force said there were 2,606 troops deployed to the city. Pending court rulings, troops could remain in D.C. through February.

    Trump called for hundreds more troops in the city after two were shot near Farragut Square during the week of Thanksgiving. Twenty-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died, and Sgt. Andrew Wolfe is still recovering.

    For a short time after the November shooting, D.C. police worked overtime patrolling city streets alongside the National Guard. That was no longer the case as of mid-December, a D.C. police spokesman told WTOP.

    Surge still lingers in DC

    Members of the National Guard patrol at Gallery Place Metro Station on Dec. 3, 2025 in D.C. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

    With signs of the surge still evident across the city, residents have conflicting feelings about its legacy.

    Taylor Helle moved to D.C. this summer for an internship, and enjoyed the city so much she stayed. She said it felt like “the safest city I’ve ever been in.”

    “I don’t think it’s really been that necessary, and I haven’t felt a lot safer because of it,” Helle said. “It just feels like there’s better things they can be doing with their time.”

    Dylan Vanek, meanwhile, said troops on D.C. streets crossed a line, “because what separates us from Russia or China or Iran is civil liberties. How can we claim to be better if we have troops on our streets policing civilians?”

    A federal government employee, who asked not to be named because she’s not authorized to speak publicly, said the surge and Guard presence “gave me a sense of calm.”

    “I just get a sense (that) people are a little calmer now,” the woman said. “To me, you don’t see a lot of foolishness going on. Even homeless people — it’s just a calm. I don’t understand it, but it’s a nice calm.”

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  • In year-end interview, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner says DC region hit hardest by Trump policies in 2025 – WTOP News

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    In a wide-ranging, year-end interview with WTOP, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said the D.C. region was hit the hardest by President Donald Trump’s policies.

    Reflecting on 2025, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said he and his office helped tens of thousands of people across the state with individual requests, while criticizing cuts at federal agencies and the law enforcement surge in D.C.

    In a wide-ranging, year-end interview with WTOP, he said his office assisted with 16,000 requests, ranging from passports to lost Social Security checks.

    “We had about $18 million that was rightfully Virginians’ (put) back into their pockets,” Warner said. “That was good. That doesn’t get a lot of attention, all of the case work that happens year in and year out.”

    Warner said his office also assisted victims of Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. He praised the opening of new VA Hospitals in Spotsylvania and Hampton Roads, projects he said were about 10 years in the making.

    “It was great to see them open,” he said. “Shouldn’t have taken that long, but it was also a little bit frustrating with the administration’s cutbacks on the VA that we can’t now fill the hospital with VA workers, because who wants to work for the VA if you’re going to be constantly threatened and fired?”

    Virginia is close to becoming one of the first states to have full broadband coverage everywhere, including in all the rural areas, Warner said.

    Reelection intentions

    The three-term senator has previously announced his plan to run for reelection next fall.

    Despite Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s victory in Virginia this year, Warner said, “it’s hard to predict politics these days. I’m going into next year ready to ask and make the case for Virginians to hire me one last time.”

    Nationally, Warner criticized the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, cuts at federal agencies. Federal workers and contractors lost thousands of jobs in Northern Virginia, he said, “a smart DOGE would have made sense. But this kind of ‘break things first and try and pick up the pieces later,’ I think it’s caused some permanent damage to our workforce.”

    Among problems he plans to tackle in the future, Warner said housing and child care costs are too high and “health care is an issue that we really have to revisit in a much more comprehensive way.”

    The Democratic senator is critical of conditions at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities in Chantilly and Farmville and said while President Donald Trump “rightfully said we need to fix the border, I don’t think that meant having masked ICE agents running around, picking up moms as they drop off kids at day care, or picking up dads as they go to work.”

    “It’s been a really hard year for the region, for Virginia,” Warner said. “In particular, the region, the DMV, we’ve probably felt the biggest brunt of the Trump actions. I think obviously, by all the elections in the region, this is not what we want.”

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  • Fairfax County launches new way to recycle unwanted books – WTOP News

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    Fairfax County, Virginia, is launching a new program that aims to make it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle unwanted books.

    Fairfax County, Virginia, is launching a new program that aims to make it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle unwanted books.

    Through a partnership with New Legacy Books, the county has placed a green drop-off bin at the Interstate 66 Transfer Station in Fairfax. There are currently two donation bins in place, though the program could expand to other locations if there’s enough demand.

    Residents can donate unwanted paperback, hardcover or textbooks. Any books dropped off have to be clean, dry and have ISBN codes that can be scanned on the back, according to Catie Torgersen, who leads the sustainability branch of Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program.

    “A lot of our libraries will accept donations, but sometimes they aren’t able to accept everything,” Torgersen said. “This is just another way for people to donate.”

    Most of the books will be resold, if possible, she said. The ones that can’t be sold are recycled through paper recyclers.

    “Then, the county receives a small portion of the sales that could go directly into their recycling services and help find more ways to help people,” Torgersen said.

    While paperback books can be tossed into a regular curbside recycling bin, Torgersen said hardbacks have mixed materials, which have to be separated.

    “The normal person in the normal recycling facility can’t do that, so that’s always been another hard-to-recycle item,” Torgersen said. “But because these people are collecting specifically books, they have the ability to separate the two materials and recycle them both.”

    The book program is similar to the recently-expanded partnership with Helpsy, which allows residents to drop off clothes, linens and towels.

    It’s likely the county will consider other locations to add book drop-off bins in the coming months, Torgersen said.

    “We didn’t want to inundate ourselves with books, but we’ve had a really great response from residents in other areas where we’ve done drop-off events for book recycling,” he said.

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  • Incoming interim DC police chief wants to rebuild community trust – WTOP News

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    Carroll wants to improve department morale and engage with community members. He’s planning to meet with and listen to citizens advisory councils, businesses and other community groups, and is hoping to recruit and retain more officers.

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    Incoming interim police chief on the future of the investigation into DC’s crime numbers

    Jeffery Carroll has always wanted to be a police officer.

    Growing up, he was a Law Enforcement Explorer, a program that allows young people to learn about career possibilities by working with local law enforcement. For three summers in college, he worked for Ocean City’s police department as a seasonal police cadet.

    When D.C. police hired him, he was in the agency’s seasonal police academy with the hope of becoming an officer.

    Carroll has worked for the department for decades, spending time in the first, third and sixth police districts, the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Special Operations Division and the Homeland Security Bureau.

    “One of the goals I’ve always had is to be the chief of police anywhere,” Carroll told WTOP. “But really here, at the Metropolitan Police Department, it’s such a great honor. It’s such a unique agency.”

    On Jan. 1, Carroll is set to become the interim D.C. police chief. Mayor Muriel Bowser tapped Carroll for the role to replace Chief Pamela Smith, who announced she will be stepping down at the end of the year to spend more time with family.

    Carroll’s tenure will start with department under scrutiny

    Reports from both the Department of Justice and House Oversight Committee accused Smith of encouraging leadership to manipulate crime data, with the intention of making D.C. appear safer than it is.

    D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked the city’s inspector general to launch its own investigation, and Carroll said Monday that an independent audit team with the department will look at crime reports to “make sure they’re being classified appropriately.”

    Officers will also be retrained on classifying crime, he said, to make sure the reporting system has “checks and balances that are built into it to make sure that if things are changed or modified, it’s making the appropriate requirements for revalidation approval.”

    When Carroll learned about concerns related to crime data, he said he notified the Internal Affairs Division, which launched an investigation. When reports are finished, he said, department leaders will review recommendations for other changes that need to be made.

    “Obviously, there’s concern from the community,” Carroll said. “It does raise a level of distrust or concerns about the numbers. That’s why, I talked a little bit about this when the mayor nominated me, but going into it, the reports aren’t done.”

    Separately, Carroll will start the role in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge. While the crime emergency expired in September, National Guard troops and other federal officers remain in the city.

    After two West Virginia Guard members were shot near Farragut Square during Thanksgiving week, D.C. police patrolled the city alongside the National Guard.

    “MPD members are not actively going out with the National Guard members every day, but we do have a strong relationship with the National Guard. We use them every year for July 4. They support us for a variety of the national special security events,” Carroll said.

    The Guard has liaisons in D.C. police’s Joint Operations Command Center too, Carroll said.

    Some community members have criticized the agency for collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, but Carroll said the department “does not engage in civil immigration enforcement by policy. We don’t inquire about people’s immigration status.”

    D.C. police officers who are part of the city’s Joint Task Force are “not out with ICE members. MPD is not a part of any team that has ICE members on it,” Carroll said.

    While D.C. officers won’t inquire about immigration status, other federal law enforcement agencies “do have the authority and they might,” Carroll said.

    As is described in a mayor’s order that came after the crime emergency expired, D.C. police regularly collaborate with “every federal law enforcement agency except for ICE,” Carroll said.

    According to D.C. law, the council has to confirm a new police chief within 180 days, and Carroll said Monday he’d be interested in the permanent post if offered. But Bowser isn’t running for reelection, so it’s unclear how long his time leading the department will last.

    Separately, Carroll has been named in lawsuits that describe police misconduct against protesters.

    Ushering in ‘new era of honest leadership’

    In a statement after his appointment, the D.C. police union said it’s confident Carroll “will usher in a new era of honest leadership.”

    Carroll said he wants to improve department morale and engage with community members. He is planning to meet with and listen to Citizens Advisory Councils, businesses and other community groups, and is hoping to recruit and retain more officers.

    “It doesn’t feel like it’s working, just feels like you’re coming, you’re meeting people,” Carroll said. “Sometimes it’s in a bad situation. Sometimes it’s in a good situation. But at the end of the day, it really is to try to make things better.”

    When he isn’t focusing on work, Carroll said he spends time with his wife and three kids, “just same thing that any other father would be doing — sporting activities and cheer activities and things like that.”

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  • New Fairfax Co. Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer wants to restore trust in government – WTOP News

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    Former Fairfax County School Board member Rachna Sizemore Heizer was sworn in as a county supervisor during a ceremony Tuesday night.

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    New Fairfax Co. Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer wants to restore trust in government

    Former Fairfax County School Board member Rachna Sizemore Heizer was sworn in as a county supervisor during a ceremony Tuesday night, vowing to address concerns about affordability and hoping to restore the public’s trust in local government.

    Speaking to a crowded room, with her former school board colleagues and predecessors on the local governing body present, Sizemore Heizer said her family watched from as far as Hawaii and India. She’s said she’s the first Asian American to be elected to the Board of Supervisors.

    “Representation matters not as a symbol, but because it tells every child and every family that they belong here, that they are valued, that they bring something to us to make us better, and that their voices deserve to be heard,” Sizemore Heizer told the crowd.

    Sizemore Heizer won the Democratic primary and defeated two others vying for the seat.

    She secured over 67% of the vote. Republican Ken Balbuena received 29.7% of the vote, and Independent Chet Campbell won less than 3%.

    A special election was planned after former Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw was elected to Congress. Walkinshaw won the seat once held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    Now, Sizemore Heizer will serve the remainder of Walkinshaw’s term.

    In an interview with WTOP after Tuesday night’s ceremony, Sizemore Heizer vowed to prove to community members that “local government here works for them, that we can solve their everyday problems.”

    After knocking on thousands of doors between the primary and general elections, Sizemore Heizer said residents overwhelmingly expressed concerns about affordability, “being able to either age in place. People worried about their children not being able to come back and raise their families here. They want to make sure that the Fairfax County they love, they can stay here.”

    Sizemore Heizer stressed the importance of ensuring there aren’t more delays for plans to renovate the Audrey Moore Recreation Center in Annandale.

    As for preserving Lake Accotink, she said, “We’ve got to put some fire behind the work. There’s been a lot of task forces. We’ve now started to get to work to find the solution that’s going to work for the community, that’s going to work in the way that we can afford it, that’s going to work to preserve as much of the lake as possible.”

    To help offset the economic impact of changes in the federal workforce, Sizemore Heizer said the county should leverage the artificial intelligence and cybersecurity industries.

    “We have the people, very well-educated people, lot of incredible federal workers looking for jobs,” Sizemore Heizer said. “So we just have to put in the structure, bring people together to grow those industries, so we become known for entrepreneurship and innovation in industries of the future. So the federal government becomes a plus and not an only.”

    Sizemore Heizer joins the board ahead of the budget cycle for fiscal 2027. Addressing the sometimes-contentious budget conversations between supervisors and school board members in years past, she said the way to avoid that is improving communication.

    “We all understand that the budget is tight, the economy is tight, and within that, how do we work together to do what’s best for the county and best for the schools?” she said.

    Sizemore Heizer is a college professor, attorney and parent of two Fairfax County Public Schools graduates. She served one term on the school board as an at-large representative, and was elected to represent the Braddock District on the school board in 2023.

    A special election will have to be planned to fill Sizemore Heizer’s seat on the school board.

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  • Fairfax Co. expands popular textile recycling pilot program – WTOP News

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    A Fairfax County pilot program that aims to make it convenient for residents to recycle textiles is expanding to Lorton.

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    Fairfax Co. expands popular textile recycling pilot program

    A Fairfax County pilot program that aims to make it convenient for residents to recycle textiles is expanding.

    In January, the Northern Virginia suburb launched the program with the company Helpsy. The first drop-off location at the Interstate 66 Transfer Station in Fairfax yielded positive results, prompting the county to expand from two bins to six, and from pickup once a week to twice a week.

    Now, the county has added the blue bins at the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton, making it more accessible in the southern portion of the county.

    “Residents have always looked for different ways to recycle hard-to-dispose-of items, one of which is clothing or textiles,” said Catie Torgersen, who leads the sustainability branch of Fairfax County’s Solid Waste Management Program.

    Through the program, residents can bring any type of textile that is clean and dry. It can be ripped, Torgersen said, and includes clothing, bed linens, towels, bags, luggage, shoes and other accessories.

    Fabric scraps are accepted too, as long as they’re bagged and labeled, Torgersen said. The recycled items at the I-95 Landfill Complex get picked up weekly.

    Fairfax County has expanded their textile reycling program to the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton, Virginia. (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Once they’re collected, 45% to 60% of items are sold at secondhand stores in North and South America, Torgersen said. The county receives a small portion of the sales funding back, which is used “directly into our residential recycling services to look for ways to expand.”

    About one-fourth of recycled textiles are used for rags or wipes, and another 20% is used for stuffing or insulation, Torgersen said. Only about 5% is landfilled.

    “We’re constantly looking for ways to give things a second chance,” Torgersen said.

    Since January, the county has collected over 57 tons, or nearly 115,000 pounds, of material.

    “What we found is residents want to recycle,” Torgersen said. “They’re always looking for ways to reduce the amount of waste they put into their trash. And so whenever we offer these programs, there’s been a really tremendous response.”

    While the county is describing it as a pilot program, Torgersen said it’s become very popular, “so we definitely intend to keep this service.”

    More details on the program are available online.

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  • DC restaurant honors past presidents, East Wing with 2025 Christmas tree – WTOP News

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    After months of brainstorming, Floriana’s annual Christmas tree in Dupont Circle unveiled its bold 2025 theme: White House Christmas.

    The 2025 Christmas tree put together by D.C. restaurant Floriana.
    (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    WTOP/Scott Gelman

    Floriana Christmas Tree
    Image of the construction area around the White House placed on Floriana’s Christmas tree.
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    Floriana Christmas Tree
    Images of former first ladies Nancy Reagan and Laura Bush used as ornaments on the 2025 Floriana Christmas tree.
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    Floriana Christmas Tree
    Ornaments used on Floriana’s Christmas tree showcasing past U.S. first ladies.
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    WTOP/Scott Gelman

    Floriana Christmas Tree
    Portrait of former U.S. first lady Jackie Kennedy sits alongside Floriana’s 2025 Christmas tree.
    (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    WTOP/Scott Gelman

    Usually around August or September, Floriana owner James Branda starts receiving text messages about what the theme of the restaurant’s annual Christmas tree will be.

    Branda and Dito Sevilla agonize over it during the summer. Sometimes, there’s a theme set for a month or two, and then they have a change of heart, prompting the creative process to start again.

    The two brainstormed while sitting at lunch this summer, and by September, there was an intriguing option considered. But, then it shifted.

    By the first week of November, this year’s theme emerged and was selected: White House Christmas. Neither Branda nor Sevilla remember who came up with the idea, but it stuck.

    The 2025 tree, officially lit up during a ceremony outside the Dupont Circle restaurant on Wednesday night, honors holiday traditions at the White House and the influence of former presidents and first ladies.

    It also offers a satirical take on President Donald Trump’s transformation of the East Wing.

    “The theme sort of chose itself,” Sevilla said. “We were looking back at some of our favorite trees and how many of them had been politically popular, and what would enchant the neighbors, as we always add those factors in to the decision making.”

    ‘East Wing of the White House revival tree’

    The 14-foot tree includes traditional ornaments, snowflakes, American flags and pictures from the Kennedys to the Clintons. A “Be Best” ornament, Sevilla said, honors first lady Melania Trump with the mantra she used during Trump’s first administration.

    Sevilla described the tree as a “East Wing of the White House revival tree.”

    “There are a lot of ornaments that harken back to the past, while at the same time, showing us imagery of the current East Wing, which doesn’t exist,” Sevilla said.

    “There’s rubble sites, and there are some bulldozers on top, and some Earth movers, and pictures of the East Wing as it was, and some of it currently displayed here, where you can see there’s nothing but rubble.”

    A day after the tree arrived, Sevilla started decorating it outside the restaurant. The ornaments are brainstormed in advance, so they can be added quickly, too. The tree will stay up through January.

    “We want people to come by and really enjoy the work that we’ve put in,” Branda said. “We hope to get a chuckle out of people.”

    For years, Sevilla and Branda worked to create a tree that honors luminaries, politicians or current events. Last year’s tree theme was “La Dolce Vita,” all things Italian. Others have honored former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as Kennedy Center honorees and teachers.

    “As a D.C. local, I think it’s a great example of the creativity and humor that goes into planning a festive, D.C.-specific landmark,” said David Clark, who attended Wednesday’s lighting.

    For passersby who might not find that humor, Branda said, “Let people have fun. Not everyone’s going to agree with you. Not everyone’s going to think the same things about the same things.”

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  • Fairfax Co. middle school eyeing 14th straight Science Olympiad state title – WTOP News

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    Longfellow Middle School’s team has won 13 consecutive state Science Olympiad titles, and is eyeing a 14th. The school has won the state championship 19 times.

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    Fairfax Co. middle school eyeing 14th straight Science Olympiad state title

    After seventh grader Chloe Kim finished taking a practice test as part of the Science Olympiad team, she researched some of the questions she got wrong.

    Then, she added new information to her cheat sheets, with the hope of improving her understanding. For the events Kim participates in, the cheat sheet can be double sided with information in small fonts. The font gets smaller as she adds to the sheet throughout the year.

    Kim is one of 30 students who secured a spot on Longfellow Middle School’s prestigious Science Olympiad team. Over 100 competed for one, taking tests and building devices, with the hope of keeping the Fairfax County school’s reputation in tact.

    Longfellow’s team has won 13 consecutive state titles, and is eyeing a 14th. The school has won the state championship 19 times.

    “It’s a big commitment,” seventh grader Will Stacy said.

    Once students earn a spot on the team, they pick from one of 20 science topics to learn about over the course of the year. Many of the options are displayed on the wall outside the school’s technology lab, where the team meets.

    Competitions range from tests to building events, which require students to construct something from a set of materials. Some events involve creating a binder with relevant information.

    “It’s a great experience if you want to major in science or if you want to be a doctor,” seventh grader Ava Jain said. “It helped me feel like I belong somewhere.”

    Jain spends 16 hours each week studying and taking practice tests. For her track focus, she builds upper and lower rotors and motor sticks for “fragile helicopters.” The team meets three times per week, and some students organize late-night Zoom calls to review.

    “It takes up a lot of time, so you can’t really do other stuff, like MathCounts and debate,” seventh grader Delina Gessesew said.

    Coaches and parent volunteers work with the group, helping to review with the goal of ensuring the school’s standard is upheld. Many of the concepts students learn are high school level.

    “The coaches are really dedicated,” parent Amit Sharma said. “They have created a legacy of winning this over decades.”

    Notes from each year are saved and shared with the next team’s kids, and there’s a network of former team members to reach out to if students get stuck.

    “Getting our device to work consistently, it’s a big problem,” said eighth grader Mattias Gessesew. “Our device just doesn’t work sometimes.”

    As for handling the pressure of participating in a program that’s had routine success, Kim said it’s “more of a motivation for me, because I can see how well others have done before me, and I want to live up to that example.”

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  • Fairfax Co. approves plan to significantly increase fees for trespass tows – WTOP News

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    The move comes months after a change in Virginia law went into effect that kept the minimum fee localities can charge at $135 but set the maximum to $210.

    The fee that drivers have to pay if their car gets towed in Fairfax County, Virginia, is going up, as part of a plan the Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday night.

    For passenger cars, drivers will now have to pay $210, an increase from the current $150 fee.

    The move comes months after a change in Virginia law went into effect. The switch kept the minimum fee localities can charge at $135 but set the maximum to $210.

    “As far as pricing, obviously, everything is significantly more expensive now, not just towing fuel, just everything,” Ashley Miller with Dominion Towing said at a public hearing Tuesday. “It’s affecting everybody, just like it’s affecting county residents.”

    The change in fee applies to trespass tows, which involve the removal of a vehicle that’s parked in violation of a property owner or manager’s rule.

    About 45,000 trespass tows occur each year in Fairfax County, according to county data, and there are 16 trespass tow operators.

    Under the approved changes, the hookup and initial towing fee for passenger cars is $210.

    For vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,501-10,000 pounds, the fee is increasing from $250 to $305.

    For vehicles other than passenger cars with a GVWR of over 2,000 pounds, the fee is increasing from $500 to $610.

    The storage fee after 24 hours is increasing from $50 per 24-hour period to $61 per 24-hour period. And the administrative fee is increasing from $75 to $92.

    County leaders said the changes are in line with recommendations from the Virginia State Corporation Commission and maximums allowed in state law.

    Michael Fernandez, owner of Battlefield Towing, said during the public hearing that the increase is “not about excess or greed. It’s about sustainability and accountability. It will allow responsible operators to pay fair compensated wages and provide health insurance, helping us retain qualified employees who take pride in their work and serve our community with integrity.”

    But some community members criticized the increase during the hearing.

    “This is absolutely ridiculous,” one speaker identified as Mandy said. “I understand that the Virginia law allows you guys to reach the maximum amount that you can increase it, but it doesn’t mean that we have to do that.”

    Another person described scenarios in which residents forget to display their parking decal and get towed and asked if “they really deserve to pay hundreds of dollars, even more so now with the proposed fee increase.”

    The changes went into effect immediately.

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  • Loudoun Co. students launch nonprofit to help prevent teen dating violence – WTOP News

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    What started as a school project for Sukhi Mahadevan and Rithika Kanakamedala when they were sophomores in high school has become a larger effort to curb domestic violence in Virginia.

    What started as a school project for Sukhi Mahadevan and Rithika Kanakamedala when they were sophomores in high school has become a larger effort to curb domestic violence in Virginia.

    The pair wanted to do something to give back to their Loudoun County community, so they began arranging local fundraisers. But then, they came across Loudoun County’s women’s shelter and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. It draws people from nearby jurisdictions and those as far as Richmond, and some of them are looking for legal help or financial resources, Mahadevan said.

    The circumstances inspired them to try and do more.

    The revelation ultimately led to the launch of Her Voice, a nonprofit that aims to help teens prevent dating violence. Using events and a podcast, the group is evolving to spread potentially life-saving messages.

    “We felt that obviously domestic violence and sexual assault are incredibly common problems within our age group that often go really under-looked or over-stigmatized within so many minority households,” Mahadevan told WTOP.

    The group created “Her Voice, Her Story,” a nearly hourlong podcast during which survivors of domestic violence share their stories. It’s very focused, senior Ishita Sharma said. Nobody usually chimes in, except to ask a question.

    “It’s kind of a place where we give a lot of people the opportunity to have a voice, when a lot of other people said no to them and didn’t want to hear their stories,” Sharma said.

    Anyone interested in sharing their story on the podcast can fill out a form online.

    For many people, Kanakamedala said, domestic violence is misunderstood. Some think it’s “just physical. But we want to tell people that it can come in any form. There’s a lot of different ways that you can see it develop. You want to find the red flags first.”

    They attended basketball and football games, selling shirts as part of their fundraising efforts, and they hosted an event at a middle school last year. In partnership with a business, they also hosted a self-defense class with about 40 attendees, offering defense tips if facing a threat or if a family member is an abuser.

    Student Ved Bhandare said he “didn’t fully understand the importance of domestic violence awareness and how prevalent it is in the local area. But with their project, I was impacted and I found out the importance.”

    The group has meetings with its board of directors twice per month, and Kanakamedala said they’re hoping to get more of their peers involved through volunteering. They’re planning a gala, which will feature activities and guest speakers.

    “It’s really important that kids our age don’t fall into the same kinds of patterns that a lot of adults might have faced when they were younger,” Sharma said.

    Meanwhile, Mahadevan said, their work aims to create meaningful conversations: “It’s 2025, almost 2026, and these stigmas and preconceptions of DV and SA still exist.”

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