Three suspects indicted for homicides
A grand jury on Sept. 21 has indicted suspects in three homicides that occurred during the past year following preliminary hearings in the Fairfax County General District Court, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced on Sept. 25. Musa Kargbo, 43, of Prince George’s County, was charged with second-degree murder for stabbing Isha Koroma, 26, outside of … Continued
Descano faces a Primary challenger
Brittany Dunn-Pirio, a career prosecutor, has launched a campaign against Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, who is up for re-election in 2027. They will face off in a Democratic Primary, expected to be scheduled for next spring. “If this office were doing its job, I wouldn’t be running against it. I’d be applying to … Continued
Arts scene emerges in Mason District
By James Albright, chair of the Mason District Arts Council A healthy arts scene is emerging here in Annandale, as the Mason District Arts Council is attracting and supporting new collaborations and events. One of the goals of the Arts Council is to encourage more art and cultural activities in the community by committing to … Continued
Health & Wellness: Step outside
By Rachel Martin Did you know that the average American spends only one to two hours outside each day? That’s anywhere from just 4 percent to 8 percent of our day. That’s a pretty dramatic shift when you consider that much of human history (300,000-plus years) was spent living and moving at least 90 percent … Continued
FCPD is hiring school crossing guards
The Fairfax County Police Department is hiring crossing guards for part-time morning and afternoon shifts at schools throughout the county. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 15 approved nearly $708,000 to restore crossing guards at 10 high schools following strong opposition after the board eliminated high school crossing guards earlier this year. Since … Continued
Beyer calls Trump’s arch ‘stupid and dangerous’
Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th District), who represents the Annandale/Mason District area in Congress, issued a statement on Sept. 22 blasting President Trump’s plan to use a proposed “gigantic arch” for military drones and snipers. The proposed 250-foot-tall “triumphal arch” would be located between the end of Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery. Trump posted on … Continued
Gallows Road called the most dangerous for pedestrians
A report released Sept. 10 by Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets says Mason District had more “near misses,” where pedestrians and bicyclists were almost struck by vehicles, than any other Fairfax County magisterial district. There were 27 near misses reported in Mason District between Jan. 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The worst spot … Continued
Jimenez’ reckless driving charge reduced to ‘improper driving’
The reckless driving charge against Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez has been reduced to “improper driving.” On May 5, a Virginia state trooper charged Jimenez with driving his 2025 Porsche 104 mph in a 70 mph zone on the Route 66 express lanes. Speeding at that level is considered reckless driving under state law. On Sept. … Continued
Culmore residents celebrate Hispanic Heritage
With the immigrant community in Culmore going through hard times, a festival on Sept. 15 brought residents of all ages outside to celebrate Hispanic culture and arts. That was the focus of Culmore Day on Sept. 19 in Bailey’s Crossroads, held in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month. Residents are on edge, and many are spending … Continued
Design approved for Route 7 sidewalk
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 15 endorsed VDOT’s design for a sidewalk along the north side of Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads between Magnolia Avenue and Halal Hunan Village in Glen Forest Shopping Center. The project will improve pedestrian safety along a roadway that has been called one of the most hazardous … Continued
New ordinance bans criminal blight
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the County Code to establish regulations for curbing “criminal blight.” While regular blight has to do with the neglect of a property, criminal blight refers to specific actions that occur on the property. A property that endangers the public and safety of residents can be … Continued
Former youth minister charged with sexual abuse of minors
A former youth minister for a Northern Virginia church was arrested on Sep. 15 and charged with “enticement of minors for illegal sexual activity and traveling with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with minors,” the Department of Justice reports. Jeffrey Turner Taylor, 66, now of Milford, Ohio, served as a youth minister … Continued
Basil restaurant permanently closed
Basil, the Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant at 7254 Columbia Pike in Annandale, has permanently closed. According to the Fairfax County Planning and Land Use System, a building permit has been submitted for a Mr. Pollo restaurant in that location. Basil Mediterranean Fusion Cuisine opened in November 2021 in the former New York Pizza Factory spot. The … Continued
Spanberger releases plan on data center accountability
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger unveiled a Data Center Accountability Framework on Sept. 18 to give communities a voice in local approvals, protect residents from higher energy bills, and enforce strong environmental standards. The new data center policies and implementation plans are outlined in Executive Order 22, which also creates an AI Task Force “to address growing … Continued
GOP candidate for Congress Tony Sabio calls himself a moderate who supports Trump
Tony Sabio, the Republican candidate running against Rep. Don Beyer in the upcoming midterm elections, characterizes himself as a “Reagan conservative” who can bring both sides of the political divide together. Despite his characterization of himself as a “moderate with commonsense solutions,” Sabio told Annandale Today he supports “80 to 90 percent” of what the … Continued