NOVA Parks takes over nature preserve
There’s a new public park in the West End of Alexandria. NOVA Parks (the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority) has officially taken ownership of the Winkler Botanical Preserve between N. Beauregard Street and Interstate 395, the organization reports in a press release. The 44.6-acre wooded parcel has multiple streams, a lake, a waterfall, and a … Continued
Comments sought on affordable housing
Fairfax County is seeking public feedback on a proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan aimed at preserving affordable housing. The proposed policy would call for redevelopment projects to include one-for-one replacement of existing affordable units. Under the policy, developers would be allowed higher density or other incentives to encourage them to preserve affordable housing. The policy … Continued
Guapo’s to open in Gate House Plaza
The former Chevys Fresh Mex restaurant spot in Gate House Plaza off Gallows Road in Merrifield will be taken over by Guapo’s, another Tex Mex restaurant. Fairfax County approved a building permit Sept. 9 to renovate the interior space and patio. The new restaurant could open in March or April 2023, reports a Guapo’s manager. … Continued
Edsall Road Fire Station reopens
The new Edsall Road Fire Station, in the Springfield area of Mason District, has opened after a three-year, $12 million project to build a new station at the same location. Just a small section of the old building remains. During construction, the 11-member staff of Fire Station #26 were housed in a temporary building across … Continued
Kitchen & Bath shop opens in Annandale
Kitchen & Bath Solutions (KBS) opened a showroom Sept. 24 at 7024 Columbia Pike in the Annandale Shopping Center. As its name says, KBS can totally redo kitchens and bathrooms, replacing cabinets, showers, sinks, tiles, and much more. “We can start from nothing or just replace countertops,” says owner Henry Andrade, who’s worked as a … Continued
TV show to feature Celebrity Delly
The Celebrity Delly in Graham Park Plaza on Arlington Boulevard will be featured on TV. The restaurant was closed for four days last week for the filming of former White House chef Andre Rush’s new show “Kitchen Commando.” The show will air on the Tubi channel. Rush, an Army veteran, updated Celebrity Delly’s kitchen equipment … Continued
Bradlick Dollar Tree reopens
The Dollar Tree store in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale has reopened nearly a year after it was damaged following a two-car accident that destroyed the front door. The store had been closed since October 2021 when a Mercedes struck a Nissan Versa, then crashed into the glass door. The door still hasn’t been … Continued
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