Mercia Hobson | Staff

Mercia Hobson

Freelance Reporter

Recent Stories

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Is Fairfax County’s Co-Responder Program the Right Fit?

Advocates, public cite concerns.

It has been over three years since Fairfax County initiated its pilot co-responder program intended to help police respond to mental health emergency calls. Some county residents are raising multiple concerns about the program.

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County Honors Its Former Planning Commission Chairman

Peter F. Murphy: ‘Not driven by ideology or politics’

Planning award

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Homecoming Day, Fighting Hornet Style

Community, school spirit, lasting memories, and winning the game in Herndon.

Homecoming Day, Fighting Hornet Style

Coat Donations Needed Now

Coat Donations Needed Now

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The Closet Celebrates 50 Years

Not your average thrift shop, makes significant impacts; "Kindness goes a long way."

Not your average thrift shop, makes significant impacts; "Kindness goes a long way."

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Wait, Halloween Didn’t Originate in the U.S.?

Born of telling tales and rooted facts as seen in Fairfax County, Va

Born of telling tales and rooted facts as seen in Fairfax County, Va

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Children’s Book Festival by A Thousand Stories

The tale of embracing ‘no's’ to receive ‘yeses’ by award-winning author and Emmy Award winner Kwame Alexander..

books

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Reston, Herndon Community Tree Planting

Growing hope and democracy by ‘people who are different’ coming together.

Growing hope and democracy by ‘people who are different’ coming together.

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Police Fatally Shoot Woman During Welfare Check

Welfare check went deadly in three minutes. What happened?

For 459 days, the Fairfax County Police Department maintained a record free from incidents involving the shooting and killing of an individual by one of their officers. On Monday, Oct. 14, the department released the body-worn camera (BWC) video footage from a police wellness check in Reston conducted on mid-morning Sept. 16, which escalated into a fatal police shooting of a woman within three minutes.

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Junk Fee Warning: Rent at Your Own Risk

Are the 2024 Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act updates on your lease?

In Virginia, tenants, prospective tenants and landlords should know that the 2024 General Assembly introduced several bills to amend the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA). The following story is the first in a series addressing tenant-related bills in Virginia that were enacted on July 1, 2024.

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