Tag: federal government
Democratic leaders urge voters to support Walkinshaw in special election Sept. 9
With just three days before the special election, congressional and state leaders came out in force at a rally in support of Democratic congressional candidate James Walkinshaw. Walkinshaw, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, is running to represent Virginia’s 11th District. That seat has been vacant since Rep. Gerry Connolly died in … Continued
School board sues the U.S. Education Department
The Fairfax County School Board filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education on Aug. 28 over a conflict involving bathroom rights for transgender students. The Education Department had claimed FCPS is in violation of Title IX because it allows trans students to use the bathroom and locker room that conforms to their gender, … Continued
U.S. Education Department puts FCPS on ‘high risk’ status
The U.S. Department of Education announced Aug. 19 that it is placing Fairfax County Public Schools and five Northern Virginia school districts on “high-risk status” for violating Title IX. That means “all federal funding flowing to these districts is done by reimbursement only,” the department states. The funds are being withheld because the districts are … Continued
FCPS won’t comply with federal order to rescind bathroom policy for trans students
Fairfax County Public Schools will not comply with a U.S. Department of Education order to change its policies on bathrooms for transgender students. On July 25, the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights notified FCPS and four other Northern Virginia school systems that their policies and regulations violate Title IX, a civil rights law … Continued
Rep Beyer gets a progressive challenger
Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein, a former member of the Alexandria City Council, is challenging Rep. Don Beyer in the 2026 Democratic Primary for Virginia’s 8th congressional district. All seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for re-election in the 2026 midterms. Seifeldein, the son of Sudanese refugees, says he is entering the race “with … Continued
Fired federal workers share their stories
Fired federal workers have been sharing their stories at a roundtable hosted by Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw and at a rally protesting the cuts at USAID. Participants at the July 31 roundtable ranged from young professionals just starting their public service careers to veteran civil servants nearing retirement. All have lost their livelihood due … Continued
Walkinshaw and Whitson clash over DOGE
Congressional candidates James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson clashed on just about every issue – DOGE, ICE detentions, climate change, school vouchers – that came up during a debate on July 28. The two candidates are vying in a special election for the 11th District seat formerly held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly. Early voting … Continued
Northern Virginia leaders blast Youngkin for failing to address unemployment crisis
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay and Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell issued a joint statement condemning Republican state leaders for failing to address the county’s unemployment crisis. “We are dismayed by the staggering rise in unemployment across Fairfax County, which has reached levels not seen since mid-2021,” the letter states. The … Continued
Medicaid cuts would harm Virginians and the state budget
The budget reconciliation bill expected to be passed by Congress would impose a significant burden on Virginia, including the elimination of Medicaid benefits and safety net assistance for hundreds of thousands of residents. The bill will result in a 21 percent cut in Medicaid for Virginia, state Sen. Saddam Salim (37th District-Merrifield) said at a … Continued
Walkinshaw wins Democratic Primary
Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw (Braddock) has won the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. Voters overwhelmingly elected Walkinshaw in a firehouse primary on June 28 organized by the 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee in partnership with the Democratic Party of Virginia and local committees. Walkinshaw will face the Republican nominee Stewart Whitson in … Continued
Whitson wins Republican Primary for Congress
Republican voters in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District selected Stewart Whitson to vie for the late Gerry Connolly’s seat in the House of Representatives. Whitson beat six other Republicans in a firehouse primary at Fairfax High School on June 28. Whitson will be on the ballot in a special election on Sept. 9, along with Braddock … Continued
Congressional candidates lay out plans for resisting Trump
Nine candidates running in the Democratic Primary for Virginia’s 11th congressional district all say they will fight against President Trump’s overreach and stand up for federal workers. But they all bring a different set of skills, experience, and priorities. The 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee is holding a primary on Saturday, June 28, at 17 … Continued
Walkinshaw launches congressional campaign
James Walkinshaw promises to work “to put the brakes on the dangerous and reckless Trump administration,” if elected to Congress. Walkinshaw represents the Braddock District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. He is one of nine candidates running in a Democratic Primary for the vacant House seat formerly held by Rep. Gerry Connolly, who … Continued
Residents show their support for the Constitution at ‘No Kings Day’ protests
While President Trump celebrated his birthday with a military parade in D.C. on June 14, protesters gathered in Annandale, Bailey’s Crossroads, and Falls Church as part of the nationwide No Kings protests against the overreach of the Trump administration. Local residents, armed with homemade signs and American flags, expressed anger at the Trump administration’s disregard … Continued
ICE arrests people at the Annandale Immigration Court
Four people were arrested by ICE on June 10 inside the immigration court in Annandale. They had been waiting for their cases to be heard, reports John Cano, a senior organizer with the Legal Aid Justice Center. The Annandale Immigration Court, located at 7619 Little River Turnpike, is a branch of the U.S. Department of … Continued