2024: The year in review
Here’s a recap of some of the major stories we covered this year.
JANUARY
Town hall at Justice High School addresses fentanyl overdoses
Following the overdose death of a student, Justice parents urge Fairfax County school officials to find a solution to prevent drug abuse.
Supervisor Jimenez wants to make Mason District a cultural hub
Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez forms an Art Advisory Council to promote the arts.
Supervisors call for more studies on Lake Accotink
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directs staff to study the feasibility of a smaller lake, measure sedimentation, and assess the dam structure.
January openings
Salon Le Mirage, Annandale
Mad for Grill Korean BBQ, Annandale
FEBRUARY
Annandale teacher Annie Ray wins a Grammy
Annandale orchestra director Annie Ray wins the 2024 Grammy Music Educator Award.
First phase of Falls Church High School expansion nearly completed
Falls Church High School has a new cafeteria, lecture hall, library, science and math wing, culinary arts classroom, STEM lab, and auto tech lab.
Bren Mar Park residents urge the BoS to act against a by-right data center
Residents of Bren Mar Park are fighting plans for a huge data center at the Plaza 500 site.
Repurposed office complex at Skyline nearing completion
Three Collective, a former office complex in Bailey’s Crossroads, has 720 apartments where tenants can live, work, or do both.
MARCH
BoS calls for new regulations on data centers
The Board of Supervisors directs the planning staff to draft a Zoning Ordinance amendment to strengthen the regulations for data centers.
New houses proposed for Gallows Road
Madison Homes submits a rezoning to allow the construction of 22 single-family detached homes on Gallows Road across from Woodburn Elementary School.
School board rejects Glasgow boundary study
The School Board rejects a motion calling for a boundary study to relieve overcrowding at Glasgow Middle School.
March openings
Afghan Restaurant, Lincolnia
APRIL
Fairfax County sues owners of burned buildings on Columbia Pike
Fairfax County has filed suit to get the owners of the buildings in Annandale that had been destroyed by a fire to clean up the debris.
Residents concerned about Dominion’s substation project
Dominion is planning a major substation and transmission lines to serve a planned data center in Bren Mar Park.
Annandale celebrates ‘Art in Daily Spaces’
Annandale businesses are turned into temporary mini-art galleries.
Fairmont Gardens residents worry about crime, drugs, and children’s safety
Residents of an Annandale apartment complex speak out at a town hall about crime, drug abuse, and fear of retaliation if they call the police.
April openings
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Garden Social, Tiger Sugar, Annandale
Sinsegye Department, Annandale
Night Watch Urgent Care, Falls Church
MAY
Board approves 3-cent tax increase
The FY 2025 budget approved by the Board of Supervisors raises the property tax rate to $1.125 per $100 of assessed value.
Pickleball players fight pending court closure
Annandale residents who play pickleball at Kendale Woods Park are fighting back against the Park Authority’s decision to revert the courts to tennis-only.
Developer proposes converting Annandale office building to housing
Nicholas Development wants to repurpose an office building on Little River Turnpike in Annandale to multifamily housing.
White Gardens house demolished
The Fairfax County Park Authority tears down the house at the John C. and Margaret K. White Gardens following a failed attempt to find a resident curator.
May openings
Rumba Bar & Grill, Annandale
Taco Zocalo, Barcroft Plaza
JUNE
Multifamily housing proposed for Seven Corners
Southern Management proposes a new residential mixed-use building at the Cavalier Club.
Train crash victims identified
Two adults and a child were fatally struck by a train while walking on the trestle above Lake Accotink Park.
New Justice principal, Sean Rolon, to focus on communications and safety
Rolon, a former assistant principal at Falls Church High School, plans to create a caring culture at Justice.
Park Authority shuts down pickleball despite an injunction filed by residents
The Park Authority puts a lock on the fence to make sure no one plays pickleball at Kendale Woods Park in Annandale.
June openings
Sorimmara, Annandale
Jet’s Pizza, Annandale
JULY
Community speaks out against Plaza 500 data center
Bren Mar Park residents and environmental activists stage a rally calling for stricter rules to protect neighborhoods.
Library board renames the Woodrow Wilson Library the Culmore Community Library
The library’s new name better reflects the library’s history and location.
Luther Jackson Middle School celebrates its 70th anniversary
Alumni and current students commemorate the school’s history as the county’s first high school for Blacks.
It’s now the Minnie H. Peyton Community Center at Bailey’s
The Bailey’s Community Center is renamed to honor the matriarch of the Springdale community.
Residents concerned about sidewalk squatters
A small group of unsheltered individuals creates a community on Patrick Henry Drive in Seven Corners.
July openings
Fortunoff Backyard Store, Bailey’s Crossroads
Tobacco Hut, Annandale
Heber Market, Bailey’s Crossroads
MQR Café, Barcroft Plaza
1943 Classic, Annandale
AUGUST
Homeless people are camping out in central Annandale park
A homeless encampment takes over Toll House Park on Little River Turnpike.
FCPS launches cell phone storage pilot
To prevent distractions in class, middle schools are keeping students’ phones locked away during learning time.
Annandale mural design revealed
Annandale’s first official mural is going up on the ACCA Child Development Center building.
August openings
The Halal Depot, Bailey’s Crossroads
JMT Kitchen & Bar, Annandale
Yes! Buckwheat, Arte K-Beauty World, K-Pop Nation, CareSys, and Happy Living at K-Market, Annandale
SEPTEMBER
Fairfax County will remove nine homes to reduce flooding from Tripps Run
A major stream restoration project in the planning stages is expected to reduce flooding in the Bel Air neighborhood in Falls Church.
Supervisors pass zoning ordinance on data centers
A new zoning ordinance on data centers fails to block the Starwood Capital project at Plaza 500 in Bren Mar Park.
The Diamond Lounge – a hotbed for violent crime, gang activity
A popular nightclub in Annandale has been the target of numerous complaints in recent years about violence, gang activity, noise, and ABC violations.
Taste of Annandale draws a big crowd
Thousands of people came together to enjoy food and entertainment at the Taste of Annandale, a street festival with more than 100 vendors.
September openings
Floor & Decor, Bailey’s Crossroads
OCTOBER
Board approves medical center to replace retail strip
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved Virginia Hospital Center’s proposal to replace an aging retail center on Arlington Boulevard with a standalone emergency room.
Developer sought for affordable housing in Bailey’s Crossroads
Fairfax County plans to issue a request for proposals seeking a developer to build affordable housing on Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads.
October openings
Raising Cane’s, Seven Corners
International Dance, Annandale
Dunkin’, Annandale
Elite Brow Studio, Seven Corners
The Red Bird, Bailey’s Crossroads
Shaghf Café, Bailey’s Crossroads
Elegant Snob, Annandale
PromiseOne Bank, Annandale
NOVEMBER
Virginia re-elects Sen. Kaine
Voters in Virginia buck the national trend by supporting Kamala Harris; Sen. Tim Kaine, Rep. Don Beyer, and Rep. Gerry Connolly are re-elected.
Inova to open an EmPATH mental health unit
Inova Fairfax Hospital has a new specialized unit that provides a safe, calming environment for patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
McKay: Trump administration would devastate the local economy
Trump’s plan to reduce the size of the federal government would harm the Fairfax County economy, says Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay.
Parents weigh priorities for FCPS boundary study
FCPS begins work on a comprehensive boundary study.
FCDOT outlines options for Gallows Road
County transportation officials are considering a “road diet” and bike lanes for Gallows Road.
November openings
Agnes Home Healthcare, Annandale
Issho Izakaya & Sushi, Annandale
Crimson Coward, Annandale
DECEMBER
County projects a dire budget picture
Fairfax County’s budget forecast for FY 2026 projects a $293 million shortfall, due to declining office property values, increased employee compensation, and limited opportunities for revenue growth.
Community urged to oppose huge power lines for a data center
Bren Mar Park residents speak out against Dominion Energy’s plans for transmission lines next to people’s homes.
Annandale resident lost everything in a fire
A Talltree South resident who was injured in a fire says the condo management isn’t doing enough for displaced residents.
Immigrant rights groups respond to mass deportation threat
Trump’s proposals for mass deportations would devastate local communities.
Fairmont Gardens tenant is fighting eviction
A tenant says he’s being evicted because he complained to the county about unsanitary and unsafe conditions at an Annandale apartment complex.
December openings
Casmera, Annandale
Amazon Fresh, Bailey’s Crossroads
Alpha School of Massage, Annandale
Z’s Boxing Gym, Annandale
