Annual seedling sale starts March 1
Every year, the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District sells a collection of bare-root native seedlings. This year’s sale starts March 1 at 10 a.m. The 2022 seedling sale features shrubs and small trees that attract bees and produce colorful flowers and fruits.Seedlings packages must be purchased in advance online. The Tree-Mendous Flowers package … Continued
Two sites identified for dredging operation at Lake Accotink
Fairfax County public works staff recommend two sites for processing the sediment to be dredged out of Lake Accotink. Those sites, announced at a community meeting Feb. 10, are at Southern Drive and the maintenance area in Wakefield Park. The dredged material would be transported to whichever dewatering site is chosen via a pipeline. After … Continued
New group supports public education
A new grassroots advocacy organization, called 4 Public Education, is speaking out against the increasingly aggressive attacks against public education. Mason District resident Holly Hazard, chair of 4 Public Education, announced the launch of the group during the community participation portion of the Feb. 10 Fairfax County School Board meeting. “Negative forces are at work … Continued
Mason District not likely to be renamed
The Fairfax County Redistricting Advisory Committee is not expected to recommend that the name “Mason District” be changed. According to the RAC’s draft report, the Mason and Mount Vernon Subcommittee agreed neither district be renamed. The RAC is scheduled to present its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors by March 1. The BoS will make … Continued
Supervisors approve county trash service for two Annandale neighborhoods
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week approved a motion to add two communities in Annandale to the county-operated trash and recycling program. A new Small and Local Sanitary District will be created for the Canterbury Woods community, and the sanitary district in the Pleasant Ridge neighborhood will be expanded. The changes will take … Continued
Alternative names proposed for Lee Highway
The Confederate Names Task Force has recommended renaming Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway and presented several possible alternatives to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Feb. 8. For Lee Highway (Route 29), the task force recommended these new names:• Cardinal Highway• Route/Highway 29• Langston Boulevard/Highway• Lincoln-Douglass Highway• Fairfax Boulevard/Highway For Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway (Route … Continued
Watch out for counterfeit face masks
There is some concern that the free N95 and KN95 masks distributed to Fairfax County employees might be counterfeit. Fake masks are a nationwide concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reports 60 percent of the N95s it evaluated in 2020 and 2021 were counterfeit. An employee who works in … Continued
Historic marker project engages students
The Historical Marker Project, launched by the Fairfax County School Board and Board of Supervisors earlier this month, is aimed at encouraging students to bring attention to the accomplishments of lesser-known people and communities. The project will initially focus on the county’s Black/African American communities and will expand to other underrepresented stories in the coming … Continued
Ravensworth Shell plans a makeover
The owner of the Ravensworth Shell gas station at the Ravensworth Shopping Center is seeking county approval to convert its vehicle repair shop to a convenience store. The gas station, at 8011 Braddock Road, has four vehicle service bays and six fuel pumps. Ravensworth Shell Capital Services Inc. is also proposing architectural upgrades, including brick … Continued
Health officials confirm measles case
The Fairfax County Health Department is warning residents they might have been exposed to a person with measles if they were at certain places on Feb. 2 or 3, including Inova Fairfax Hospital. These are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites associated with the confirmed case of measles:• Grand Centreville Plaza, … Continued
Lego attraction coming to Springfield
A Legoland Discovery Center is coming to the Springfield Town Center. The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, the owner of the shopping mall, announced an agreement with Merlin Entertainments to open a 32,000-square-foot indoor attraction in 2023. The Legoland Discovery Center will offer Lego-themed rides, a 4D theater, and other attractions, as well as a … Continued
Zoning board rules against treehouse
The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals ruled Feb. 2 that the Dapoigny family cannot keep their treehouse on the front lawn of their home in the Wakefield Chapel Estates subdivision in Annandale. “This is a difficult decision,” said BZA Vice Chair James Hart, but the BZA cannot overrule the zoning regulations approved by the … Continued
Falls Church HS renovation to start soon
Construction will finally start – this spring – on a major renovation and expansion of Falls Church High School. The project is expected to be completed in summer 2025. As described at a community meeting Feb. 3, the school will get a new entry, library, lecture hall, science labs, classrooms, performing arts and music suite, … Continued
Registration open for Pinecrest camp
Registration is open for Pinecrest Pavilion, a summer camp program at Pinecrest School in Annandale. Pinecrest Pavilion offers rising K-6 grade campers a fun-filled day of indoor and outdoor in-person play and learning. Activities include arts and crafts, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) experiments, nature discovery, games and puzzles, and more. There are … Continued
Nature center to close temporarily
The Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale will be closed Feb. 14-June 10, but outdoor programming will continue, the Fairfax County Park Authority reports. The nature center, at 7701 Royce St., is undergoing a $1.6 million renovation and expansion. The project, funded with a 2016 park bond, includes an additional classroom, kitchen area, and interpretive … Continued