Celebrate the season at the Annandale Winter Festival
Celebrate the season next Saturday at the annual Annandale Winter Festival and Tree Lighting hosted by the Fairfax County Community Revitalization Section. The family-friendly event is Dec. 6, 3:30-6 p.m., at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space, 7200 Columbia Pike. There will be live carolers, children’s crafts, a festive photo backdrop, hot drinks and snacks from … Continued
Parents air views on an AAP Center proposed for Poe Middle School
Parents who spoke at a Dec. 1 school board hearing on a proposal to establish an Advanced Academic Program at Poe Middle School were split on the issue. An AAP Center in Mason District has long been sought by Mason School Board member Ricardy Anderson. Region 6, which includes the Annandale High School pyramid, is … Continued
New restaurant concept to replace O’My ChiQ
O’My ChiQ & Bar, at 7023 Columbia Pike in Annandale, has a new owner and will reopen soon with a new name, Pike Kitchen, and a new concept. The new owner of the chicken restaurant also owns Pike Kitchen on Rockville Pike in Maryland, an employee confirmed. The Pike Kitchen in Rockville describes itself … Continued
New native garden graces Columbia Pike
Volunteers spent hours this past weekend creating a native plant garden on Columbia Pike in front of the ACCA Child Development Center. The garden is the first project in the “Greening the Greenway” pilot program, which is aimed at enhancing the Annandale Greenway, a five-mile trail between Annandale Community Park and Green Spring Gardens. On … Continued
School news roundup – December 2025
The following information is from Fairfax County Public Schools unless otherwise noted. AI for schools – Fairfax County Public Schools, working with OpenAI, will be in the first cohort of school systems that will help guide how ChatGPT for Teachers will be rolled out across the United States. “We are, in essence, trailblazing a path … Continued
Fairfax Water proposes a rate hike
Fairfax Water is proposing a rate increase, which it says should add about $1.93 per month for most customers. According to Fairfax Water, the increased rates are necessary to cover rising costs for electricity, water treatment supplies, pipes, and project materials. Inflation is increasing capital and operational costs for water utilities nationwide, the company states. … Continued
Fairfax County gets back 50 cents for every dollar it sends to Richmond
For every dollar of revenue Fairfax County produces for the state, it receives just 50 cents in return. That’s the key finding in a report by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Matt Scheffel, an economist at the Cooper Center, presented the report to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Economic … Continued
Anti-vape law is a buzz kill for retailers
A new law enacted by the Virginia General Assembly that restricts the sale of vape products is already claiming at least one casualty; the House of Vape in the Eastgate Shopping Center in Annandale is expected to close by the end of the year. The Virginia Code prohibits the sale, distribution, or resale of any … Continued
Subsidized housing application opens in Lincolnia
The HUD Project-Based Section 8 waiting list for Strawbridge Square Apartments in Lincolnia will open for new applications on Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. and will close on Dec. 5 at 4 p.m., Wesley Property Management announced. Strawbridge Square, at 5128 Lincoln Ave., has 128 stacked townhouses and garden apartments with one, two, three, and … Continued
Happy Thanksgiving!
We’re taking the day off today to focus on our family. There’s so much to be thankful for in our little corner of the world – most of us have a roof over our heads, clean drinking water, educational opportunities, and a safety net. Enjoy your family and friends and have a chill holiday. … Continued
New utility rate class approved for data centers
Virginia’s State Corporation Commission has approved the creation of a new rate class for the biggest users of electricity, including data centers. The SCC also approved an increase in Dominion’s basic rate, but not as much as the utility requested. A final order issued by the SCC on Nov. 25 in Dominion Energy’s biennial review says … Continued
Fairfax County supports LGBTQ+ residents
Fairfax County has earned the highest score possible on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, a measure of support for LGBTQ+ residents. The county received the top score of 100 on the index, which rates cities and counties on how inclusive their policies and services are for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. … Continued
Viewpoint: Green Spring Gardens should focus on conservation
By Kathryn Cooper As a long-time resident of Mason District and dedicated volunteer at Green Spring Gardens, I urge the Fairfax County Park Authority to hire someone with conservation expertise as the new site manager at GSG. Mason District has fewer green spaces than almost any other district in the county, so GSG is a rare and … Continued
Help a family get through the holidays
With Thanksgiving and the December holidays around the corner, this is the season to turn one’s attention toward helping others. Here are just a few of the many ways to help families in need ensure a happy holiday for their children: Community members are invited to donate new, unwrapped toys, pajamas, and slippers for babies, … Continued
It just got easier to report a streetlight outage
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has created a new Streetlight Reporting Map to make it easier for residents to identify pole numbers and report streetlight outages. The map shows streetlight service areas and the location and pole numbers for individual streetlights. All you have to do is zoom in on the map to find the … Continued