First phase of Falls Church High School expansion nearly completed
The community got a first-hand look at a completed section of the Falls Church High School expansion/renovation project on Feb. 22. That section includes a new cafeteria, lecture hall, library, 30 classrooms for science and math, a culinary arts classroom and kitchen, a STEM lab, an auto tech lab, and several small conference and workrooms. … Continued
Japanese restaurant coming to Annandale
Annandale is getting a new Japanese restaurant. A sign at 7358 Little River Turnpike says Issho Izakaya & Sushi is coming soon. It’s going into the space formerly occupied by the Baden Baden Korean restaurant and karaoke bar, between Laundromat and Gopchang Story BBQ in the Little River Shopping Center. For those unfamiliar with an … Continued
Woman dies of injuries from Bailey’s Crossroads crash
The passenger in a vehicle involved in a crash in Bailey’s Crossroads last week has died, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. Gladys Bilbao, 93, of Falls Church, succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash at approximately 7 p.m. on Feb. 16. Bilbao was in the front seat of a 2007 Toyota Corolla that was … Continued
Man arrested for firing shots from his Annandale home
Fairfax County police arrested a man Feb. 21 for recklessly discharging a firearm multiple times from inside his home in Annandale. Officers responded at about 10 p.m. for a report of gunshots being fired into a neighboring occupied townhouse in the 7800 block of Butterfield Lane in Lafayette Village. No one was injured. Michael Glaze, … Continued
Weekly crime report
The following recent crimes in the Annandale/Mason District area are from the Fairfax County Police Department as reported on CityProtect: Feb. 21 Feb. 20 Feb. 19 Feb. 18 Feb. 17 Feb. 16 Feb. 15
Fairfax Connector workers on strike
Fairfax Connector workers are on strike over unfair labor practices, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 announced Feb. 22. That means riders will need to find alternative transportation. ATU Local 689 represents approximately 638 Fairfax Connector bus operators and mechanics. Members have been working under an expired contract since December 2023. Local 689 and Transdev, the … Continued
Supervisors approve loan for affordable housing project on Route 7
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 21 approved a $9.7 million loan from the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority to Wesley Housing for an affordable housing project between Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads. The loan will facilitate the development of Kindred Crossing at 6165 Leesburg Pike adjacent to First Christian Church of … Continued
Alis Wang appointed to Planning Commission
Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez has appointed Alis Wang to the Fairfax County Planning Commission. “Alis is no stranger to our community and really understands the nuances surrounding land use development and planning,” Jimenez said. “She has a tremendous resume and I’m thrilled that she’s lending her expertise to the Planning Commission.” Wang succeeds Daren Shumate … Continued
Proposed county budget would raise taxes
County Executive Bryan Hill presented a budget proposal for FY 2025 to the Board of Supervisors Feb. 20 that calls for a 4-cent increase in the property tax rate, partially funds an increase for public schools, and raises employee compensation. “This would be the first real estate rate increase in six years, and it is … Continued
Supreme Court upholds TJ admission policy
The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20 let stand an appeals court decision upholding the admissions policy for the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. That decision ends a three-year legal challenge by the Coalition for TJ, a group of parents that claimed the policy unfairly discriminates against high-achieving Asian American students. … Continued
Tax bills likely to rise
Real estate assessments for 2024 are up an average of 2.86 percent, the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration announced Feb. 20. County Executive Bryan Hill’s proposed budget for the county, presented to the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 20, calls for a 4-cent increase in the tax rate, or $1.135 per $100 of assessed … Continued
Police seek ambulance thief
Fairfax County police have been searching the area for a man who stole a medical transport vehicle from Inova Fairfax Hospital Feb 19. The vehicle was abandoned in the 4200 block of Annandale Road in Annandale. The suspect, Rickey Lowe, 32, of Prince William County, escaped wearing a hospital gown, the Fairfax County Police Department … Continued
Medical facility proposed for aging retail strip on Arlington Boulevard
The Virginia Hospital Center is proposing to tear down a retail strip on Arlington Boulevard in the Falls Church area of Mason District and replace it with a freestanding emergency department combined with an urgent care center and medical offices. The shopping center, built in 1953, is anchored by Skyline Nail Supply and the long-closed … Continued
Anderson: Mason District will need a new school
Schools in Mason District are reaching the limits of their capacity. School expansions and renovations are needed, but one long-term solution proposed by School Board member Ricardy Anderson is building a new school on the site of the Willston Multicultural Center in Seven Corners. That is just one of the issues Anderson addressed in a … Continued
Bailey’s Crossroads office building played a key role in the Cold War
A soon-to-be-demolished office building in Bailey’s Crossroads once housed a company that played an important played a role in the Cold War. The two-story cinderblock building at 5623 Leesburg Pike has a glass facade with red, yellow, and blue stripes. It is being torn down to facilitate a second drive-through lane and an expanded parking … Continued