🌱 South County High Celebrates Black History + Outstanding Fire Dept

Hey, Lorton! Nicole Fallon-Peek here with your fresh copy of the Lorton Patch newsletter, filled with all the community information you need to know right now. Including updates on...

• South County High School students held a "Black Joy Family Reunion" event
• Lorton area volunteer fire department receives "Outstanding Fire Department Response" recognition
• Fairfax County NAACP calls for investigation of Tysons shooting

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Partly sunny. High: 63 Low: 50.
• Thursday: A few showers in the morning. High: 67 Low: 41.
• Friday: Cooler with periods of rain. High: 44 Low: 40.
• Saturday: Breezy and milder. High: 53 Low: 36.

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Here are the top five stories today in Lorton:

1. South County High School in Lorton held a "Black Joy Family Reunion" event recently, celebrating diversity and African American history. The event, hosted by Social Studies Department Chair Sean Miller’s African American history class, allowed students to apply what they've learned outside of traditional book learning. In addition to his current work, Miller will teach a new AP History African-American Studies course next year, which is being piloted in nine schools within the Fairfax County district. (WJLA)
2. For their response to the ice storm that left drivers stranded on I-95 for over 18 hours in January 2022, the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department, along with Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue and the Dumfries-Triangle Volunteer Fire Department, received recognition. At the recent 2022 Governor’s Fire Service Awards, the three fire departments were awarded recognition for "Outstanding Fire Department Response." The firefighters' efforts helped alleviate the suffering of those stranded during the storm. (Northern Virginia Magazine)
3. On Monday, the Fairfax County NAACP requested an independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Timothy Johnson in nearby Tysons Corner. The civil rights group is asking for the body-worn camera footage of the officers who shot and killed Johnson to be released, as well as the identity of the officers involved. Johnson, 37, was shot and killed by two Fairfax County police officers after allegedly stealing sunglasses from the Nordstrom department store at Tysons Corner Center last week. (Patch)
4. During a recent school board meeting, Abrar Omeish, a member of the Fairfax County School Board, referred to the Battle of Iwo Jima as "evil," which sparked national attention and outrage from some parents. Omeish made her comments while reflecting on the Japanese Day of Remembrance and the importance of understanding history. The Fairfax County Parents Association subsequently questioned whether Omeish was condemning the brave U.S. Marines who fought in the battle, which is considered one of America's most significant victories in World War II. Omeish said in a statement, “I am very disappointed my statements on Iwo Jima and the Japanese Day of Remembrance have been so misrepresented." The school board member's full statement is available at the link. (ABC 7 News)
5. In case you missed it: A Lorton man was involved in a crash on Jan. 25 in South Londonderry Township in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The 31-year-old man was involved in a single-car crash on South Forge and Mount Wilson roads and did not sustain any injuries. Authorities suspect that the weather conditions at the time were a contributing factor to the accident. (LebTown)

Coming up in Lorton:

Saturday, March 4

• 2023 Rolling Hills 5k, 10k, & Half At Laurel Hill Park Central Green (8:30 AM)
• Tammy Pescatelli At Workhouse Art Center (7:30 PM)

Sunday, March 5

• Book Talk & Signing: Lorton Prisons At Workhouse Arts Center (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Reminder: Additional SNAP food benefits, which began because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will end today (Mar. 1). Benefits will return to their previous state. (Fairfax County Government via Instagram)
• New homes have been listed for sale in the Lorton area! Get all the property details at the link. (Lorton Patch)
• Full- and part-time job opportunities are available in the Lorton area. More details about companies hiring in the area are available at the link. (Lorton Patch)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you back in your inbox soon with another update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.