Planning Commission defers hearing on substation
The Fairfax County Planning Commission has postponed the hearing on the substation for the Edsall Data Center to Dec. 2. The hearing had originally been scheduled for Sept. 24. Tyler Ray, founder of the Save Bren Mar Coalition, called Dominion’s request for a deferral “a move that reeks of desperation.” Staff at Mason Supervisor Andres … Continued
The Dominion/NextEra merger called a ‘bad deal’ for Virginians
The proposed merger of Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy is a bad deal for Virginians, as it will likely lead to higher electric bills for residents and businesses. That’s the consensus of the panelists who spoke at a community forum on Aug. 30 at the Sully Government Center in Chantilly. NextEra, a Florida-based energy company, … Continued
School news roundup – back to school edition
Middle school AAP centers – The Fairfax County School Board approved a plan on Aug. 27 to establish Advanced Academic Program centers at all middle schools along with a timeline for implementation. The plan calls for an AAP center to be in place at Holmes Middle School beginning with grade 6 in August 2027. Community … Continued
Qualified individuals can ride Fairfax Connector buses for free
Fairfax Connector has launched a new program allowing lower-income residents to ride the buses for free. The new TRIP100 program builds on the existing Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP), which provides a 50 percent fare discount for qualified residents. To be eligible for 100 percent discounts under TRIP100, participants must meet one of these criteria: Fairfax Connector … Continued
Supervisors approve Comp Plan amendment for new housing on Gallows Road
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 25 approved a Comprehensive Plan amendment to facilitate a housing development on Gallows Road across from Woodburn Elementary School. Madison Homes is proposing to develop 32 single-family homes. Eleven existing single-family homes would be demolished. The Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment in … Continued
BoS funds sidewalk improvements for Carlin Springs Road
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved $25.4 million for a long list of active transportation improvement projects and infrastructure maintenance at its Aug. 25 meeting. The funding allocation includes $9.9 million to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation for 16 new projects. The only one in Mason District is $860,000 to construct approximately 200 … Continued
Viewpoint: Virginia’s powerful problem
By Paul Gilbert Data centers, global climate change, the merger of power companies, and corporate money in politics seem like different issues, but they are all connected – in some ways literally, through power lines, and in other ways through cause and effect. Let’s “think globally, and act locally.” Climate change is driven by too … Continued
Board of Supervisors dissolves the Tree Commission
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution on Aug. 25 on a 9-1 vote dissolving the Tree Commission and the Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) and transferring their functions to a new Environmental Commission. That effort – which would save the county $20,000 and 600 hours of staff time – is part of a comprehensive … Continued
Body cam footage shows police-involved shooting in Annandale
The Fairfax County Police Department on Aug. 26 released the body-worn camera footage from the non-fatal officer-involved shooting in Annandale last month. Watch the footage on YouTube. The video shows two officers looking for and capturing Nehemia Fuentes Banegas, 26, of Annandale, a suspect in a domestic violence incident, in a wooded area between Americana … Continued
Renovations planned for two playgrounds in Mason District
The Fairfax County Park Authority will begin renovating playgrounds at seven parks throughout the county this fall, including two in Mason District. Construction will begin on upgrades to the playgrounds at Bren Mar Park on Edsall Road and Lincolnia Park 6295 Eighth St., in September. The projects are expected to be completed in December. The … Continued
Vulcan proposes asphalt plant at Edsall facility
Vulcan Materials Co. is proposing to add an asphalt plant to its Edsall concrete production facility on Industrial Drive in the Springfield area of Mason District. The company plans to file an application with the county within the next few days. Vulcan is currently building a new scale for weighing concrete, a new quality control … Continued
Viewpoint: School rankings obscure Annandale HS’s success
By Shawn DeRose, principal of Annandale High School A member of the Annandale community recently asked me a tough question: Why do certain ranking websites rate Annandale High School low despite all of our recent success? That question made me think of the movie “Moneyball.” In it, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) realizes baseball had been evaluating players … Continued
DeFlock Fairfax wants FCPD to take down the license plate readers
A new advocacy group is trying to get the Board of Supervisors to remove the police department’s Flock license plate readers that are popping up all over Fairfax County. DeFlock Fairfax is concerned that the automated cameras, which continually monitor all traffic, are eroding people’s privacy by creating an easily searchable history of a vehicle’s … Continued
Business spotlight: Sergio’s Hair Salon
Annandale Today has a new feature, “Business Spotlight,” offering brief posts about local businesses in the Annandale/Mason District area. If you would like to have your business highlighted, contact us at [email protected]. Sergio’s Hair Salon serves men, women, and children in a former single-family house at 6535 Little River Turnpike, Lincolnia. Services include haircuts, color, blowouts, barber … Continued
Jimenez condemns ICE agent’s intimidation of a U.S. citizen
Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez has issued a statement condemning the actions of an ICE officer who pointed a firearm at a U.S. citizen in Bailey’s Crossroads on Aug. 10. The ICE agents accused Carolina Molina of attempting to run them over with her vehicle. Video from her car’s dash cam shows that didn’t happen. … Continued