Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia

Deer hunting in parks starts Sept. 10

Deer hunting season starts in Fairfax County parks on Sept. 10 and will run through Feb. 18, 2023. The county’s deer management program allows qualified hunters to use archery to reduce the deer population in designated parks. The 2022-23 deer program allows archery in these parks in the Annandale/Mason District area: • Accotink Stream Valley … Continued

Schools are over 99 percent fully staffed

When public school starts on Monday, Aug. 22, there will be “a certificated adult in every classroom,” said Superintendent Michelle Reid. Fairfax County Public Schools are “over 99 percent fully staffed,” Reid said during a virtual community meeting Aug. 17. FCPS is still hiring, though. The school system has been struggling with a teacher shortage, … Continued

Backlick signal improvements underway

Construction is underway on improvements to enhance pedestrian and driver safety and traffic operations at the intersection of Backlick Road and Leesville Boulevard in the Springfield area of Mason District. The traffic signal upgrades include new mast arm poles, foundations, wiring, electrical equipment, high-visibility signal backplates, and signs, VDOT reports. Drivers on Backlick Road will … Continued

Tous les Jours opens in Annandale

The Tous les Jours bakery and café opened Aug. 15 in the East Gate Shopping Center in Annandale. The shop, at 4243 John Marr Drive, offers pastries, bread, fancy cakes, muffins, donuts, croissants, scones, buns, macarons, and other baked goods. Drinks include various kinds of coffee, tea, and smoothies made with fresh fruit. Bing soo … Continued

Police Dept. copes with personnel shortage

Faced with a personnel shortage, the Fairfax County Police Department is stepping up its recruiting efforts. FCPD has 195 operational vacancies, but that doesn’t account for the 50 recruits in the Police Academy, a public information officer reports. The vacancies are across the department and not concentrated in specific areas. The police department launched an … Continued

O’my ChiQ & Bar to open next month

O’my ChiQ & Bar is expected to open in late September at 7023 Columbia Pike in Annandale. A patio is under construction. The restaurant will specialize in rotisserie, grilled, and barbecue chicken and barbecue ribs, says the future manager, who now works at Omy Hot Pot on Annandale Road. It is being developed by the … Continued

Smoke & Vapor Planet opens in Annandale

Another vape shop is now open in Annandale. Smoke & Vapor Planet is located at 4425 John Marr Drive next to Duck Chang’s. A grand opening is planned for Sept. 15. The shop sells vaporizers, disposable vapes, glass water pipes, hookah pipes and supplies, CBD products, cigarettes, cigars, smoking accessories, incense, and more. Exotic snacks … Continued

Crime report: Businesses broken into

Here are the recent crimes in the Annandale/Mason District as reported by the Fairfax County Police Department: There was an attempted burglary at Unlimited Cigars & Vapes at 6531 Arlington Blvd. at 2 a.m. on Aug. 7. A witness heard two loud bangs and observed two juveniles run from the business. Property damage was found … Continued

County to reduce parking requirements

Fairfax County is undergoing a major effort to ease parking requirements for new developments.   The Parking Reimagined initiative is aimed at reducing the number of parking spaces required in multifamily housing developments and businesses. The goal is to increase green space, spur development and economic growth, reduce disincentives for building affordable housing, and discourage … Continued