Fire damages Bren Mar Park Elementary School
UPDATE: FCPS announced Bren Mar will be open on Monday. A fire at Bren Mar Elementary School on Sunday afternoon filled the air with a huge cloud of black smoke. When firefighters arrived, shortly before 3:30 p.m. on April 19, flames were showing on the roof of a two-story addition under construction. The school is … Continued
Kites soar at a festival in Mason District Park
Brilliantly colored kites soared over Mason District Park Saturday at the Basant Kite Festival, an event that also featured music, food, and vendors selling elaborate jewelry and clothing. The event was a smaller version of the annual Basant kite festivals held in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal to welcome the spring season, said organizer Sadaf … Continued
Person critially injured in Wedgewood fire
A person is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries following a two-alarm fire at the Wedgewood Apartments in Annandale, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports. Fire crews responded to reports of smoke in an apartment at 7529 McWhorter Place shortly before 7:30 a.m. on April 18. When they arrived, fire was visible from … Continued
Assistance offered to first-time homebuyers
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced a new program on April 14 to assist first-time homebuyers. The agency is offering up to $50,000 in loans to qualified individuals for down payments for home purchases. The funds are from Virginia Housing. To qualify, applicants must have a household income at or below 80 percent … Continued
Federal court revisits officer-involved shooting case
A federal appeals court has ruled that Fairfax County police Sgt. Joshua Moser, who shot and wounded a suspected drug dealer in Seven Corners three years ago, might have violated the suspect’s constitutional rights. Judge Nicole Berner of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on April 13 vacated a ruling in favor … Continued
Virginia is experiencing a severe drought
Fairfax County is under a drought warning advisory, as Virginia is experiencing its most severe drought in 20 years. “A prolonged stretch of warm, dry weather that began in fall 2025 has steadily worsened conditions across the state, and there is no significant rain in the immediate forecast,” the Fairfax County emergency blog posted on … Continued
Wedgewood tenants suffer without AC
While the area experienced an early heat wave this week, residents of the Wedgewood Apartments in Annandale suffered without air conditioning. Outside, the temperature has been in the 90s, which is 20 to 25 degrees above normal for this time of year. Inside Wedgewood tenant A. Osmani’s home, a thermometer recorded a temperature of 103 … Continued
Justin Fairfax kills wife in murder-suicide
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, 47, shot and killed his wife, Cerina, inside their home in Annandale, then shot and killed himself in the early hours of April 16. “This has been an ongoing domestic dispute,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said at a media briefing in front of their house in the … Continued
Vape shop coming to Little River Turnpike
A vape shop is coming to a building in Annandale formerly occupied by Tobacco Hut. Space on the first floor is being renovated for a shop called Blue Flame Smoke. The building, at 7221 Little River Turnpike, also has a Total Wireless shop on the first floor and Alianza’s Barber Shop upstairs. Related story: Anti-vape … Continued
Lego life-size interactive experience coming to Seven Corners
The Target on Arlington Boulevard in Seven Corners is hosting a Lego Star Wars immersive experience in the parking lot on Sunday, April 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The free event will introduce Lego’s new Smart Play Technology, while allowing guests to explore a life-size interactive Star Wars world based on Lego’s new technology. Guests will … Continued
Closure of Culmore library affects voting
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on April 14 authorized a public hearing on an ordinance to relocate the polling place for the Holmes precinct in Mason District from the Culmore Community Library to Bailey’s Elementary School. The hearing will be held on May 5, at 4:30 p.m. The polling place needs to be changed … Continued
Former aide to VP Pence runs for Congress as a Democrat
Olivia Troye, a national security expert who was an advisor to former Vice President Mike Pence during President Trump’s first term, is running for Congress as a Democrat. Troye joined a crowded field of candidates from both parties who plan to run for the 7th Congressional District if the constitutional amendment on redistricting passes. The … Continued
Dessert 39 opens in Annandale
Dessert 39, a new café in Annandale, has been busy since it had a soft opening earlier this month. Manager Sean Oh says the shop has drawn crowds of people curious to try the first Dessert 39 shop outside Korea. Dessert 39 is located at 7326A Little River Turnpike in the space formerly occupied by the … Continued
Spanberger signs more bills, vetoes others
In the days before the April 13 deadline, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed dozens of bills into law that had been passed by the General Assembly to expand workforce opportunities, strengthen schools, curb gun violence, and much more. She also vetoed several bills, including the closely watched measure on a casino in Tysons. Among the … Continued
Inova commemorates a milestone in its hospital project
Inova Health System and its partners celebrated the ongoing construction of the new Alexandria Hospital at the Landmark Mall site on April 13 with a “topping off” ceremony. The event featured the placement of the final beam on top of the building. Before a crane lifted the beam, it was signed by Inova officials, members … Continued