🌱 NAACP Meeting + Virginia Judge Cites Slavery Law In Embryo Dispute

Good morning, neighbors! It's me, Kaytlyn Mroz, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this Saturday started off right, with a quick dive into everything you need to know about what's happening around town.

But first, your weekend weather:

• Saturday: Mostly cloudy and windy. High: 46 Low: 28.
• Sunday: A couple of afternoon showers. High: 45 Low: 37.
• Monday: Morning showers; cloudy. High: 45 Low: 31.
• Tuesday: Some sun, windy and chilly. High: 42 Low: 29.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories in Tysons Corner today:

1. The local NAACP chapter held a meeting on Mar. 9 demanding better standards and faster accountability from Fairfax County police after a fatal police shooting last month. Timothy Johnson, 37, who was unarmed, was shot and killed by officers who suspected him of stealing designer sunglasses. During the virtual meeting, the NAACP discussed the current state of policing in Fairfax County with law enforcement experts and emphasized the need for a complete overhaul to ensure public safety. (WJLA)
2. In a preliminary opinion last month, Virginia Judge Richard Gardiner cited a 19th-century law regarding slave ownership to settle a dispute between a divorced couple over the ownership of two frozen human embryos. Honeyhline Heidemann wants to use the embryos since she is infertile due to cancer treatment, but Jason Heidemann objects, claiming it would violate his "procreational autonomy." The judge determined that as there is no prohibition on the sale of human embryos, they may be considered goods or chattels and could be valued and sold. (NBC News)
3. Fairfax County Public Schools employees were granted collective bargaining rights after a vote on Mar. 9. The Virginia General Assembly legislation, which came into effect in 2021, allowed localities in Virginia to adopt ordinances for collective bargaining with employees. The motion was introduced by Providence District School Board representative Karl Frisch and seconded by Sully District representative Stella Pekarsky, who believed that collective bargaining could help improve staffing levels, pay, morale, and student outcomes. (Patch)

Coming up in Tysons Corner:

Saturday, March 11

• Fairfax Choral Society 60th Anniversary Gala At Capital One Hall (7:30 PM)

Sunday, March 12

• 2023 Book Signing With Sadeqa Jones At Capital One Hall (2:00 PM)

Monday, March 13

• Photo Skills: Photography On iPhone At Apple Tysons Corner (3:30 PM)

Tuesday, March 14

• Crystalline Resonance: Final Fantasy At Capital One Hall (6:00 PM)

Thursday, March 16

• March Brewery Buzz With Lost Barrel Brewing At Tysons Corner Center (5:00 PM)

Friday, March 17

• Photos With The Bunny At Tysons Corner Center (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• The Fairfax County Public Schools is holding a community meeting on opioid awareness on Mar. 13 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Fairfax High School. Register for the event here. (Fairfax County Government via Facebook)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Tysons Corner area at the link! (Tysons Corner Patch)
• Thinking of dipping your toes into the housing market? Check out the list of open houses happening today in the Tysons Corner area at the link. (Tysons Corner Patch)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Pi Day Celebration! (March 14)
• Parenting Expert and Author Lynn Lyons Presents: Improving Your Family’s Emotional Health (March 15)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you all next week for another update.

— Kaytlyn Mroz

About me: Kaytlyn Mroz is a copywriter at Lightning Media Partners – a content creation agency. She is a Rowan University graduate where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in writing. Outside of work, Kaytlyn is a dog mom to a boglen terrier named Finn and a golden retriever named Willow.