Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has reached our region, with cases reported to the Health Departments in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Developments are unfolding at a warp speed, and the one thing we can be certain of is that this as-yet-poorly understood virus will be continuing to infect and, in many cases, endanger and take the lives of exponentially growing numbers of people worldwide.

Next week the 2020 Census will hit your mailbox. It is important to City of Falls Church residents because of the new ways to respond, how it could make a difference in Virginia’s representation in Congress, and how the results will directly impact the City.

Across our county, the nation, the globe, the shortage of affordable housing plagues millions.

If it’s springtime, it’s budget time in Fairfax County.

As we go to print for this column, the legislature is coming down to the wire with the official end of the 2020 Legislative Session quickly approaching.

We believe that over the course of almost 30 years now that this newspaper has been an integral part of this community, it has been well-intentioned and constructive communication that has been a forceful aspect.

There is another small and treasured Falls Church business with its future on the line in the Broad & Washington project — Creative Cauldron.

Democracy can be difficult to achieve, and even more difficult to hold onto. It’s not just about voting; it’s about listening to others; making a case for your point of view; finding that “sweet spot,” if there is one, and treating all persons with respect and dignity.

Teens during my youth thought it was cool to light up Kools in the school bathroom. Today’s kids, as young as 6th grade, feel peer pressure to indulge in modern-tech flavors delivered through vaping.