Workshop set to review development proposals
The Fairfax County Planning Commission will hold a workshop on March 9 to review 17 Comprehensive Plan Amendment proposals including five in Mason District. The workshop will be held at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax at 7:30 p.m. Under the Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process, developers submitted applications for housing and other land use … Continued
A vape shop with a twist is coming to Annandale
Can Annandale handle another vape shop? Apparently, it can. The Hidden Cloud Smoke Shop is coming to 7031 Little River Turnpike, unit 11-B, in Great World Plaza. They’re aiming for an April 1 opening. This one will be a little different. According to the company’s Instagram, the shop will sell anime, videogame merchandise, and “exotic … Continued
Dredging Lake Accotink is not financially or environmentally feasible
At a virtual community meeting Feb. 15, Fairfax County officials explained why the dredging project that had been proposed to save Lake Accotink is no longer feasible. County public works staff are recommending that “Lake Accotink not be dredged due to significant community and environmental impacts and excessive costs.” A new analysis found the project … 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. 14 Breaking and entering (attempted forcible entry), burglary – 7000 block of Columbia Pike, Annandale, 12 a.m. Vehicle theft – 5800 block of Seminary Road, Bailey’s Crossroads, 3 a.m. Feb. 13 Simple assault – 6300 … Continued
Fairfax County proposes free Connector rides for children
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is proposing to allow children ages 5-11 years old to ride for free on Connector buses when they’re with a paying adult. FCDOT will hold a virtual community meeting on the proposed changes on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Access the meeting here. Currently, only up to two children … Continued
Presidents’ Day is cleanup day
Local residents are encouraged to join the cleanup brigade at Americana Drive in Annandale on Monday, Feb. 20, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. It should be nice weather, with a high of 59 degrees predicted. Cleanups at Americana Drive have been going on for years, as the roadside attracts lots of construction debris from commercial trucks as … Continued
Sweet Frog will be at the Taste of Annandale
The Taste of Annandale, April 29, in the heart of the community, will have some sweet treats on hand. The Sweet Frog truck will offer six ice cream flavors, about 30 toppings, non-dairy sorbet, and frozen yogurt. Franchise owners Kimberly Douglas and Jennifer Roseboro bring their Sweet Frog truck to community festivals, birthday parties, universities, … Continued
Annandale’s coffee joints: Each one has its own character
This piece, by James Albright, originally appeared in his blog, “Living Life in 4D.” As an aging European-American, I came late to the need for lattes in my life, specifically vanilla lattes. In keeping with the aging part, I now have moved into the non-sugar lattes; I am verging on just straight shots of espresso … Continued
Fairfax County honors local heroes during Black History Month
Fairfax County honors local heroes of the African American community during Black History Month. A commemorative banner in honor of Dr. Edwin Bancroft Henderson is on display at the Providence Rec Center, and six new historic markers relating to Black history have been approved for installation around the county. Henderson (1883-1977), led the fight against … Continued
School board approves three-year calendar
The Fairfax County School Board has adopted a school calendar for the next three years with a school start date well before Labor Day. The 2023-24 school year will start on Aug. 21 and end on June 12. There will be a two-week winter break (Dec. 18-29). The school board approved the calendar by a … Continued
Garden plots available for rent at Hogge Park in Bailey’s Crossroads
Garden plots are now available for rental at the newly renovated Boyd A. and Charlotte M. Hogge Park in Bailey’s Crossroads. The park, at 3139 Glen Carlyn Road, has a fenced-in garden with 34 raised 6 by 9-feet garden beds. The plots are available for rental for one season – February through November – for … Continued
Planning Commission endorses senior housing project in Seven Corners
The Fairfax County Planning Commission is recommending approval of a rezoning application to permit an apartment building on the grounds of First Christian Church on Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners. Wesley Housing Development Corp. plans to build a four-story 113-unit apartment building for low-income seniors. The Culmore Clinic, currently housed in the church would be … Continued
Hot Lola’s specializes in spicy chicken
A new chicken place, called Hot Lola’s, opened Feb. 8 in Pinecrest Plaza. The restaurant, at 6544 Little River Turnpike, Unit A, is in the space formerly occupied by Granddaddy’s Skillet. Hot Lola’s offers chicken sandwiches, tenders, fingers, drumsticks, and wings at a variety of spice levels. Co-owner and manager Alan Vo describes the chicken … Continued
Lake Accotink dredging project not likely to happen, due to increased cost
The plan to carry out a major dredging operation to save Lake Accotink is not expected to go forward, Braddock Supervisor James Walkinshaw reports. New cost estimates make the project untenable. Instead, the county will start over with the development of a new Master Plan for Lake Accotink Park. Without dredging, the lake will eventually … Continued
Sleepy Hollow Road gets a speed camera
Fairfax County plans to install speed cameras at eight school zones – including Sleepy Hollow Road at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School – by Feb. 10 The goals of the photo monitoring program are to encourage drivers to slow down and protect pedestrians. Studies have shown that speed camera enforcement reduces crashes and traffic-related injuries and … Continued