Bonnie Hobbs

With more than 25 years experience in journalism, I’ve written and edited newspapers in California, North Carolina and Virginia. In California, I worked for a weekly paper in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I’m from originally.

In North Carolina, I worked two years (1990-92) at the Sun Journal, a daily paper in New Bern. There, I covered county government, commercial fishing – which is a big industry there – and the Gulf War.

New Bern is near the Marine Corps Air Station in Havelock, so I did lots of stories on the effects the war had on the wives and children left behind while the husbands and dads were fighting in Iraq. As one elementary-school teacher told me, “If one child’s father or mother is killed, the security for the rest of the students is shattered.”

In addition, my photographer and I were lowered by helicopter onto the USS Iwo Jima as it returned to port in Morehead City after deployment. I got to interview the sailors and Marines aboard ship and experience, firsthand, their welcome back by local residents who greeted them in the water in hundreds of small boats to escort them home.

I also interviewed parents of Marines killed in the war, as well as a Marine pilot whose aircraft had been shot down overseas. He spoke about what went through his mind while parachuting into the desert and what happened to him while he was a POW. Luckily, it was toward the end of the war and he was eventually freed to return home.

I also worked three years for the Prince William Journal, covering the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, as well as a slew of criminal cases. And I’ve been with Centre View for almost 19 years, covering Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, Fair Oaks and Fair Lakes. For the past few years, I’ve also covered Fairfax and some of Lorton and Fairfax Station for the Connection.

Recent Stories

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Land-Use Group Holds Supervisor’s Feet to the Fire

Committee and MWAA explain their opposition to Agape plan.

It’s one thing to deliberately misrepresent a group’s opinion about a project and another to use that opinion to help sway a vote.

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High School Students Learn about Job Possibilities

Career fair at Chantilly High is huge success.

Jobs

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Mason Is Praised for Regional Leadership

Friends, colleagues recall his governance and consensus-building.

Besides all he did for the City of Fairfax, former Mayor John Mason also played an important part in the county and region.

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Supervisors Approve Massive Chantilly Data Center

They say strong proffers, high standards will improve it.

Data Center

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Officer of the Quarter: PFC Jackson Russell

PFC Jackson Russell is the Sully District Police Station’s Officer of the Quarter for October, November and December 2023. He was honored at the Jan. 10 meeting of the station’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).

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Learning about Police Animal Protection Unit

Officers deal with everything from dogs to bats to snakes.

The Fairfax County Police Department’s Animal Protection Unit has some 30 officers, and Sgt. D.L. Cook, a field supervisor with that unit, recently spoke about its responsibilities.

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Supervisors to Decide on Chantilly Data Center

Public hearing is set for next Tuesday, Jan. 23.

Penzance wants to build a 402,000-square-foot data center off Route 50, Stonecroft Boulevard and Auto Park Circle in Chantilly.

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Warm Welcome for Lucy Loves in Fairfax City

A fun place for handmade items, vintage clothes, original art.

Lucy Loves

Detectives Investigating Fatal Car Crash in Centreville

An early morning car crash last week in Centreville killed a 30-year-old man and sent another to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

More stories