Annandale residents say a large mixed-use development would destroy their neighborhood
Woodland Road, Annandale, the site of a proposed mixed-use development. Residents of Hummer Woods and surrounding neighborhoods in Annandale are organizing to fight a proposed redevelopment project. They say it would destroy the character of the residential community and charge a Mason District task force’s approval of the project was based on misleading information … Continued
Volunteers distribute hundreds of meals a week to Annandale’s needy families
Donated food at the AUMC Mission Center on Heritage Drive. As Annandale residents struggle economically during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Annandale United Methodist Church’s Mission Center in Annandale is stepping up to ensure families have enough to eat. The mission center hosts food distribution events four days a week with donations from AUMC members. Demand has … Continued
Annandale family fights to keep treehouse
Neighborhood kids enjoy the Dapoigny treehouse. A family on Holborn Avenue in Annandale with a treehouse in their front yard is fighting efforts by Fairfax County officials who say the structure needs to be removed because it violates zoning rules, the Wakefield Weekly reports. According to the Dapoigny family, the county sent them a letter … Continued
Soul food restaurant coming to Pinecrest Plaza
A sign on the future home of Granddaddy’s Skillet on Little River Turnpike. [Updated, Oct. 31: The opening is delayed until Nov. 9.] Granddaddy’s Skillet, a soul food restaurant specializing in pan-fried fish, is coming to Pinecrest Plaza. The restaurant is slated to have a soft opening on Nov. 2, says Roxanne David, co-owner with … Continued
Principal of Bailey’s ES is leaving
Julie Easa, the principal of Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences in Bailey’s Crossroads, is leaving her position, as of Oct. 30. In an email to the Bailey’s community, Easa wrote, “We have made a family decision (not an easy one for sure) to move to Florida to be closer to my parents who … Continued
Hackers post sensitive FCPS information on dark web
The hackers responsible for a ransomware attack on Fairfax County Public Schools last month posted information they stole on the dark web, Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced Oct. 9. “It appears as though certain personal information for some students and employees may have been impacted,” Brabrand acknowledged. According to news reports, that includes a spreadsheet from 2014 … Continued
Fairfax County community centers reopen Oct. 13
The James Lee Community Center [Fairfax County Government] The nine community centers operated by the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services will reopen on a limited basis on Tuesday, Oct. 13. That includes the Bailey’s Community Center on Summers Lane in Bailey’s Crossroads, the James Lee Community Center on Annandale Road in Falls … Continued
Crime report: man threatened with machete
The Fairfax County Police report for the week includes these crimes in the Annandale/Mason District area: A man waiting for a bus in the 5100 block of Backlick Road in Annandale at about 5 p.m. on Oct. 7 was approached by a man who began yelling racial slurs and threatening him with a machete. During … Continued
Fairfax County Planning Commission approves infill project
The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved an infill development in the Alexandria area of Mason District Oct. 8. The Board of Supervisors’ hearing will be Nov. 17. The property owner, Lora Seeds, wants to sell her property at 5824 Dawes Ave. to a developer who would build three homes on the 1.2-acre lot. She applied for … Continued
Fairfax County Schools superintendent says admission to TJ can’t depend on test-taking skills
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is in Mason District, but few students from Mason District Schools go there. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand, speaking at a virtual town hall Oct. 7, said the admissions process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has to change to give students … Continued
They built the road they would be forced to walk: a brief history of Little River Turnpike
By James Albright, from the Living Life in 4D blog From my front porch, looking over my garden, I can see the two blocks to the intersection of my street with the Little River Turnpike here in Lincolnia. I typically walk there once a day or so on my way to the local coffee shop … Continued
Thomas Jefferson HS alumni demand a more equitable admissions process
TJ alumni at a protest outside the school on Oct. 4. [Photos: TJAAG] Members of the TJ Alumni Action Group (TJAAG) held a rally in front of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Oct. 4 to urge Fairfax County Public Schools to drop the test-based admissions system in favor of a merit-based lottery. … Continued
Annandale restaurant closes permanently
Dice Burger Dice Burger, a fast-casual restaurant at 7023 Columbia Pike in Annandale, has closed permanently, according to a sign on the door. The restaurant was struggling even before the coronavirus pandemic. Owner Sayed Sanaei warned the community in September 2019 that he might have to shut down if business didn’t improve. The sign on … Continued
Man dies in moped accident in Lincolnia
Columbia Pike eastbound at Lincolnia Road. [Google Maps] A man is dead following a moped crash at 2:20 a.m. Oct. 5 at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Lincolnia Road in Lincolnia, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. Erwin Rodriguez, 32, of Annandale, was thrown from the 2011 TaoTao moped he was driving and pronounced … Continued
Rep. Connolly accuses opponent of hate speech
Rep. Gerry Connolly (left) and Manga Anantatmula. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11th District), who is running for re-election, accused his Republican opponent, Manga Anantatmula, of hate speech during a virtual candidate forum hosted by the Fairfax County NAACP Oct. 3. Connolly, who has represented the Annandale/Mason District area in Congress since 2009, also accused Anantatmula of … Continued