New details emerge on future hospital
The new Inova Alexandria Hospital to be constructed at the Landmark Mall site will consist of three buildings – a patient hospital, a cancer center, and a specialty center – plus a parking garage. The updated plan was discussed at an Oct. 17 webinar hosted by the Walsh Colucci Lubeley & Walsh law firm. Inova … Continued
Taco Bell, KFC remain drive-through only
There are no plans to reopen the dining room at the KFC and Taco Bell in Annandale. The two restaurants share a building at 7450 Little River Turnpike. The reason, according to a KFC manager, is because the restaurants haven’t been able to hire enough staff. They’ve been providing only drive-through and carryout orders since … Continued
Voting starts Oct. 27 at satellite locations
Early voting for the Nov. 8 election starts Oct. 27 at satellite locations. Early voting sites in Mason District are at the Mason Government Center at 6507 Columbia Pike and Thomas Jefferson Library at 7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church. Those voting centers will be open through Nov. 5, 1-7 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. … Continued
Residents can upload critical information to help first responders
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department launched a new program, Community Connect, that allows residents to share critical information about their household that will aid first responders during an emergency. The kinds of information that can be stored in Community Connect includes the names and contact information for residents; information about pets; and whether … Continued
Congressional candidates face off
The three candidates running for Congress in the 8th Congressional District spoke about their priorities Oct. 13 at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters. Rep. Don Beyer, the Democratic incumbent, stressed the need to tackle the climate crisis and touted his experience representing the 8th District since 2015 and his leadership in … Continued
BoS urges state to prevent schools from hiring offenders
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agreed on Oct. 11 to urge the state to strengthen its policies on how the arrests of public school employees are reported. This action comes in the wake of the discovery of a convicted sexual predator working as a counselor at Glasgow Middle School. County and school officials were … Continued
Metro to reimagine bus system
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is undertaking a major effort to reimagine the Metrobus system. Better Bus is “a new initiative to rethink, redesign, and revitalize bus service,” WMATA says. Metro is hosting events around the region to gather customer feedback on bus service. One of those events is scheduled for Nov. 5, 1-5 … Continued
Board of Supervisors approves restrooms for high school stadiums
A carryover budget package for fiscal year 2022 approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 11 includes several items relevant to the Annandale/Mason District area. The BoS approved $7.5 million in carryover funds to provide permanent restrooms at the outdoor stadiums at 15 high schools, including Annandale, Justice, and Woodson. Currently, those … Continued
Book sale at library opens next week
Looking for a book to read to the kids, a travel book to plan your next trip, or a novel for hunkering down on a cool fall evening? The fall used book sale at George Mason Regional Library in Annandale has all that and much more. The sale, sponsored by George Mason Friends. is Thursday, … Continued
Students urged to avoid the extremely hot One Chip Challenge
School leaders nationwide are urging students not to try the One Chip Challenge, a super spicy tortilla chip that has sent people to the hospital. Glasgow Middle School Principal Victor Powell called upon parents to speak with their students “about the dangers of this challenge and encourage them not to participate.” “We are not allowing … Continued
The PLUS system will supersede all other land use records
Fairfax County’s land use systems will partially shut down from Friday, Oct. 21, to Monday morning on Oct. 31, when the new Permitting and Land Use System (PLUS) becomes fully operational. PLUS is a central online platform for creating and submitting permit applications online, paying fees, tracking the status of applications, and receiving electronic notifications. … Continued
Explore a Park: Hidden Oaks Nature Center
This article is part of our series on parks in the Annandale/Mason District area. The most recent reports in the series covered Backlick Park and Ossian Hall Park. Hidden Oaks Nature Center, at 7701 Royce Street in Annandale, offers educational displays. programs for children. and live animals, including turtles, snakes, and toads. It’s adjacent to … Continued
Upgrade slated for Route 7 McDonald’s
The McDonald’s at 5603 Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads is applying for a zoning special exception to allow a modernization project. The restaurant’s façade and interior would be significantly updated. The exterior would have a white and muted gray color scheme. A 1,612-square-foot addition would allow a larger kitchen area and extra space for carryout … Continued
Supervisors to consider speed cameras
Fairfax County is considering a pilot program to install mobile speed cameras at school zones and construction sites. The pilot program would start in the first quarter of 2023 and last six months. It would assess the effectiveness of speed cameras to prevent pedestrian injuries and deaths. Capt. Alan Hanson, commander of the Fairfax County … Continued
Police arrest active shooter in Falls Church
Police arrested a man Thursday evening after a daylong crime spree culminating at Arlington Boulevard and Graham Road in Falls Church during which he fired at police officers with a semiautomatic pistol. Ricardo Singleton, age 27, was taken into custody. “It’s an absolute miracle that no one was struck and injured or killed,” said Fairfax … Continued