Updated Metro map lists new Silver Line stations, but safety remains a concern
Metrorail has updated its map showing the six new stations in advance of the opening of the Silver Line anticipated for late October. The new Silver Line stations are Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway, and Ashburn. It will take more than a month to replace every map, including … Continued
Shots fired into vehicles in Bailey’s Xroads
Someone fired shots into two e vehicles in the 3500 block of S. Jefferson Street in Bailey’s Crossroads at about 11 a.m. on Sept. 23, the Fairfax County Police Department tweeted. Route 7 in that area was closed while officers investigated the incident. The police department urged people to avoid the area and shelter in … Continued
Prosecutors won’t enforce abortion ban
If Virginia enacts a law banning abortions, the commonwealth’s attorneys for Fairfax and Arlington counties will not enforce it. That’s the message Steve Descano, the chief prosecutor for Fairfax County, and Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, who has that role for Arlington County and Falls Church City, brought to a fundraiser for Repro Rising Sept. 22 in Mason … Continued
More students can get free bus passes
Free student bus passes are now available at four more schools: Annandale, Falls Church, and Marshall high schools and the Davis Career Center. A pilot program offering free specially designated SmarTrip cards started in 2018 at Justice High School. The bus passes can be used on Fairfax Connector buses, CUE buses operated by the City … Continued
Man convicted of fentanyl distribution
A federal jury convicted a Prince William County man Sept. 21 for distributing fentanyl resulting in death and serious injury, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reports. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Michael Vaughn, age 28 of Dumfries, distributed cocaine laced with fentanyl at a party at … Continued
Big things are happening in Falls Church
While redevelopment in Mason District is slow going, the City of Falls Church is having a renaissance, with several major mixed-use projects underway. Part of that’s due to Falls Church’s status as a small, self-contained municipality and its proximity to Metro. The biggest project is West Falls, a huge development on the site of the … Continued
AI company to expand in Seven Corners
Enabled Intelligence Inc., an artificial intelligence startup, is investing $1.4 million to expand its headquarters in Seven Corners, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority announced Sept. 21. The company will add more than 10,000 square feet to its offices at 6400 Arlington Blvd. The two office towers at that site … Continued
Oak Hill Day offers a history lesson
For the first time since before the Covid pandemic, the community got a chance to explore Oak Hill in person. The Oak Hill property in Annandale is the last remaining remnant of the 24,000-acre Ravensworth Tract granted to William Fitzhugh in 1685. On Oak Hill Day, on Sept. 17, local residents toured the first floor … Continued
Scouts are restoring the Annandale sign
The welcome-to-Annandale sign on Gallows Road will be re-installed as soon as members of Boy Scout Troop 50 finish restoring it. John Gorak is heading an Eagle Scout project to repaint the sign. It could be completed as early as this Sunday, says John’s mother Kristin Gorak. The sign is located in front of the … Continued
LGBTQ advocates blast Youngkin’s policy to roll back protections for trans students
LGBTQ advocates are up in arms over Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s policy to roll back the rights of transgender and nonbinary students. They say the policy, which Youngkin touts as pro-parent, denigrates these students, will disrupt families, and will lead to more mental health problems among this population. Students outed without consent The “model policies,” … Continued
Police report shooting on Woodburn Road
The Fairfax County Police Department reports a shooting Sept. 18 in the 3300 block of Woodburn Road in Annandale. Officers found a man with a gunshot wound in the lower body, the department tweeted at about 6:30 p.m. The victim was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, which were subsequently upgraded to non-life threatening. … Continued
SweetFrog is coming to Annandale
This boarded-up storefront at the Annandale Shopping Center between Collector’s World and Mathnasium is going to be a sweetFrog frozen yogurt shop. It is expected to open in three to four months. “There are a lot of moving parts in getting our stores open so while we’re hopeful that’s the timeframe we’re looking at, there … Continued
VDOT to close lane across Route 50
The northbound lane on the bridge over Route 50 west of Route 7 in Seven Corners will be closed Sept. 19-Oct. 7, the Virginia Department of Transportation reports. That lane connects the eastbound Route 50 service road with the westbound Route 50 service road. It will be closed for cleaning and painting, beginning at 9 … Continued
Explore a Park: Ossian Hall Park
This article is part of our series on parks in the Annandale/Mason District area. See other stories in the series in the Parks tab. Ossian Hall Park, located at 7900 Heritage Drive next to Annandale High School, offers sports fields for AHS athletes and the community, free outdoor concerts in the summer, and playgrounds for … Continued
Road name changes move forward
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 13 voted to officially request the Commonwealth Transportation Board to rename Lee Highway Route 29 and to rename Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway Route 50. That decision follows a recommendation from the Confederate Names Task Force. “If approved by the CTB,” board chair Jeffrey McKay said, “this change will … Continued