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Fairfax County Commonwealthâs Attorney Steve Descano approves of criminal-justice changes enacted in 2020, but said more needs to be done.
The reforms aim to reduce mass incarceration and racial and economic inequities in the criminal-justice system while maintaining community safety, Descano told the McLean Citizens Association in a Dec. 16 virtual meeting.
Descano, a Democrat, said he was âreally excitedâ that Fairfax County police by the end of 2021 almost fully will implement a body-worn-camera program, providing cameras to about 1,200 officers.
âI really do feel that body-worn cameras are essential to creating trust in the community,â he said. âThey are a great tool for evidence, they are a great tool for police accountability, and quite frankly, theyâre also in many ways a tool to make sure our police arenât being accused of things that they did not do.â
From covert intelligence operations and governmental logistics work to authoring and editing publications and serving myriad organizations, McLean resident Armand Weiss accomplished much in his nearly 90-year-long life.
Weiss, 89, who died Nov. 27 at his home after several health setbacks, was a âtruly amazing, unique individual and he will be sorely missed,â said Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville) during the Board of Supervisorsâ Dec. 1 meeting.
âHe was very active in the community and was a great citizen and a good friend to us all,â said Robert Jackson, president of the McLean Citizens Association, for which Weiss at one time served as second vice president.
Pending final approval by the rank-and-file, the Arlington County Civic Federationâs new ad-hoc committee on Arlington governance will have its membership in place before the start of the new year.
The body has been tasked with bringing forward recommendations for consideration on how to improve â or at least modernize â a governance structure that dates to the early 1930s.
Civic Federation delegates voted 42-10 in October to empanel the body, which is being asked to have deliberations wrapped up and recommendations in place within a year.
The slate proposed by Civic Federation Allan Gajadhar, and slated to be voted on by delegates at the federationâs Dec. 15 meeting, includes Nancy Tate, John Vihstadt, Michael Beer, Dave Schutz, Chanda Choun, Sangita Sigdyal, Sharon Valenciais, Keith Fred, Beth Grossman, Kris Brown, Kevin Appel, Whytni Kernodle, Tannia Talento, Duke Banks and Chris Wimbush. About two-thirds of the nominees are current Civic Federation delegate