Frisch and Siebold running for the General Assembly
Fairfax County School Board member Karl Frisch (Providence) and Holly Seibold, an advocate for women’s issues, are seeking the Democratic nomination for the House of Delegates in the 35th district. That seat has been held by Mark Keam since 2010. On Sept. 4, Keam announced his departure from the General Assembly to take a position … Continued
Church launches chorister program for kids
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church is launching a Royal School of Church Music Chorister Program for children this month. St. Albans is located at 6800 Columbia Pike in Annandale. The chorister program is open to families of all faiths – or of no faith – and is free to join, reports Adam Detzner, minister of music … Continued
Assisted living facility honors NFL pro
Renaissance of Annandale will host a ceremony Sept. 14 for resident Ron McDole in honor of him being named to the Nebraska Hall of Fame. McDole, nicknamed “the Dancing Bear,” has had a notable 18-year career in professional football. He played for the Cardinals, Oilers, Bills, and Redskins. McDole played in two American Football League … Continued
Gas station plans to replace repair shop with a convenience store
The Fairfax County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider an application Sept. 14 to transform the vehicle repair facility at the Ravensworth Shell gas station into a convenience store. The Shell station is located at the Ravensworth Shopping Center on the corner of Braddock Road and Port Royal Road in Annandale. The applicant, Capital Services … Continued
Man tries to abduct female at knifepoint
The Fairfax County Police Department reports an attempted abduction in the 7200 block of Arlington Boulevard in Falls Church. A man armed with a knife grabbed a woman in the early hours of Sept. 4. She was able to break free. Police describe the man as Hispanic, 5 feet seven inches tall, and of medium … Continued
Police find beltway shooter’s car
The Virginia State Police released a photo of the vehicle driven by the suspect in the shooting incident on the beltway in Annandale at 4:50 a.m. on Aug. 25. It’s a blue, two-door 2010 Honda Civic with Virginia license plate TWW 9398. On Sept. 4 it was found in the woods in Prince William County, … Continued
Firefighters seek donations for the Fill the Boot campaign
Fairfax County firefighters are at intersections during the Labor Day weekend soliciting donations for the Fill the Boot campaign, which raises money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Fill the Boot is a partnership between the Fairfax County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics- IAFF Local 2068 and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. It’s part of … Continued
Recent crimes: robbery at Target, assaults
The Fairfax County Police Department reports the following recent crimes in the Annandale/Mason District area: The Target at 5115 Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads was robbed on Aug. 27. A man and woman exited the store with merchandise without paying shortly after 6:30 p.m. When confronted by a store employee and a community member, they … Continued
Hidden Oaks gets a new gate
A major expansion and renovation project was just completed at Hidden Oaks in July, and now the nature center has something else new. Chainsaw artist Andrew Mallon created a new gate for the outdoor Nature Playce play area featuring local animals – an owl, snake, frog, dragonfly, skink, butterfly, and more. Related story: Community celebrates … Continued
Youngkin attacks public schools
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other Republican state leaders came down hard against public education at a back-to-school rally for GOP congressional candidates Aug. 31 at Mason District Park in Annandale. The key message at the event is that parents, not school administrators, teacher unions, or “radical politicians,” should have control over their children’s education. … Continued
Driver charged in pedestrian crash
The Fairfax County Police Department has arrested the driver responsible for a fatal pedestrian crash in Seven Corners on Aug. 18. The crash killed Albert Sweat, 62, of Maryland, as he was walking through a parking lot in the 6200 block of Arlington Boulevard. Yansi Martinez Gonzalez was charged Aug. 30 with reckless driving and … Continued
Animals like bedtime stories, too
Kids can practice their reading skills while providing a comforting voice for animals, thanks to the Reading Tails program at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Fairfax. Participants first take a tour of the Animal Shelter, then children can choose which animal they want to read to – a dog, cat, guinea pig, snake, or … Continued
Mixed-use project coming to West End
Construction is expected to start by the end of the year on the Upland Park mixed-use development in the West End of Alexandria. The project, at Seminary Road and N. Beauregard Street, will include 401 multifamily units, 92 townhouses, 8,470 square feet of ground-level retail, and a hotel with 171 rooms. Related story: Major redevelopment … Continued
Lake Accotink celebrates 60th anniversary
The Fairfax County Park Authority hosted a 60th-anniversary celebration of Lake Accotink Park Aug. 27. There were remarks by public officials, informational tables hosted by county agencies and nonprofit organizations, free activities, food trucks, and a cake. In 1960, the Park Authority leased 242 acres from the federal government to create the park. There were … Continued
Rec centers offer membership discounts
The Fairfax County Park Authority is having a sale on recreation center memberships, with savings of up to 15 percent off the annual fee. The sale is effective Sept. 1-Oct. 15. The annual membership pass provides access to indoor tracks, drop-in and virtual group fitness classes, pools, saunas, basketball courts, racquetball courts, fitness centers, drop-in … Continued