Suspicious device at Skyline Towers was a costume prop, not a bomb
Police investigate suspicious device at Skyline Towers. A huge police presence at the Skyline Towers Apartments in the 5500 block of Seminary Road March 22 was spurred by the discovery of a “suspicious homemade items found inside an apartment” resembling an “explosive device,” the Fairfax County Police Department reports. The object was eventually determined to … Continued
Supervisors approve daycare facility for seniors/banquet hall in central Annandale
An illustration of the proposed Sunflower senior daycare facility/banquet hall. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 20 approved a rezoning special exception to allow the construction of a combination adult daycare center and banquet hall on the site of the Kids’ Choice indoor sports center at 4317 Ravensworth Road in Annandale. … Continued
Stork Stop helps parents announce a new baby
Tarah Nypaver and her family. Storks may not actually drop off newborns, but a stork sign in your yard will let your neighbors know the baby has arrived. The Stork Stop, a home-based business owned by Annandale resident Tarah Nypaver, rents six-foot stork signs in blue or pink for seven or 10 days. Each stork … Continued
New Edsall Road Fire Station planned
An illustration showing what the new Edsall Road Fire Station could look like. Construction of a new, larger Edsall Road Fire Station will start in fall 2019, and the building is expected to be completed and ready for occupancy by winter 2021. Meanwhile, the fire station will be housed in temporary quarters in spring 2019, … Continued
Supervisors to hold hearings on zoning rules to allow short-term rentals
This three-bedroom guesthouse on Hummer Road in Annandale is available on Airbnb for $220 per night. [Airbnb] The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 20 authorized public hearings on proposed zoning rules on short-term rentals, such as those offered through Airbnb. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold its hearing on May 3, and … Continued
Annandale house fire caused by smoking materials
Firefights attack Annandale townhouse fire. [FCFRD] Five people were displaced as a result of a fire in a townhouse in the 6800 block of Lafayette Park Drive in Annandale March 19, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports. When firefighters arrived at the home in the Lafayette Park West community just before 10 p.m., … Continued
Pedestrian improvements planned for Route 50
Route 50 at the Wayne Road and Woodlawn Avenue intersections. [Google Maps] Construction will start soon on several pedestrian improvement projects along Route 50 between Jaguar Trail in Falls Church and east of Patrick Henry Drive in Seven Corners. The 10 projects, undertaken by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation in coordination with the Virginia … Continued
New coffee shop to offer creative smoothies
Bambu, a coffee/tea shop could open at 4220B Annandale Road in Annandale as early as mid-April, says owner Thao Nguyen. The shop will also also offer Vietnamese-style smoothies (with flavors like pandan jelly, lychee, avocado, grass jelly, and coconut milk), frozen yogurt, snow ice, and other desserts. There will be indoor seating and carryout service. … Continued
Summer camp registration open at Pinecrest School
An animal activity at Pinecrest Pavilion. Registration for the Pinecrest Pavilion summer camp is now under way. Pinecrest Pavilion, at Pinecrest School (7209 Quiet Cove in Annandale), is a creative and enriching summer camp program for four-year-old preschoolers through rising sixth-graders. The nine one-week morning and afternoon sessions offer a mix of STEM (science, technology, engineering … Continued
Public invited to community dialogue session, with free dinner
Some of the artworks produced by students as part of the Re-Imagining Community initiative. The public is invited to a gathering next Thursday to explore the meaning of community through art – and enjoy a free Latin American Dinner. The session, titled “Re-Imagining Community through Dialogue, Poetry and Art,” is March 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m., in … Continued
County executive wants to make county more efficient so tax rate won’t have to keep rising
From the left: Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro, and County Executive Bryan Hill. Fairfax County is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, says Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, but finding the funds to meet its budget priorities continues to be a challenge. That’s because wealth is based on income, and … Continued
CSB has new online tool to detect psychosis
Are you concerned that you or someone you’re close to might be psychotic? The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) has a new online screening tool to help people recognize early psychotic behavior or episodes. It’s free, anonymous, and easy to understand. Examples of early signs of psychosis: withdrawing from family and friends or from things … Continued
Bicycle/pedestrian improvements to be considered for Columbia Pike
Columbia Pike in Annandale. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is studying options for enhancing bicycling and pedestrian facilities along Columbia Pike between Little River Turnpike and the Arlington border. Columbia Pike is classified as a “use caution” road within the Fairfax County bicycle network. That means the road is too narrow and there is … Continued
Planning Commission to delay decision on Vulcan
Fairfax County Planning Commissioner Julie Strandlie (Mason) plans to make a motion at the commission’s March 15 meeting to defer a decision on Vulcan Materials until April 19. The Board of Supervisors’ hearing will be delayed to May 1. The company is seeking a rezoning and special exception that would allow it to replace some … Continued
Toys ‘R’ Us stores are closing
Toys R Us at 5521 Leesburg Pike. [Alisha D./Yelp] The Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores in Bailey’s Crossroads will close within 60 days, as the company is shutting down operations after filing for bankruptcy. Toys “R” Us Inc. announced March 15 that it has “filed a motion seeking bankruptcy court approval to begin … Continued