Concerts in the parks underway
The Fairfax County Park Authority’s Spotlight by Starlight concert series is in full swing, with shows three evenings a week at Mason District Park and weekly at Ossian Hall Park. Children’s shows are scheduled for Saturday mornings. On June 15, the Hai Hua Community Center hosted Taiwanese Cultural Heritage Night with music and dance at … Continued
Park Authority shuts down pickleball despite an injunction filed by residents
The Fairfax County Park Authority has followed through on its decision to shut down pickleball at Kendale Woods Park in Annandale, but the players have not given up on their fight to save the courts. As a Park Authority staff member and contractors showed up at the courts before 7 a.m. on June 14, they … Continued
FXCO reports on demographic trends
Fairfax County’s population is holding steady, while household incomes and housing costs have increased, according to the 2023 demographic report by the Department of Management and Budget. The county’s population in 2023 was 1,185,980. That’s a 1.1 percent increase from 2022, mirroring pre-pandemic growth rates. By 2050, Fairfax County’s population is expected to be 1.38 … Continued
Ball club gets grant to improve park fencing
The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved a $6,205 Mastenbrook Grant to support the extension of the fencing around field 6 at Pine Ridge Park. The applicant, the Braddock Road Youth Club, has committed to providing matching funds to complete the $12,410 project. Weather permitting, the new fence is scheduled to be completed this … Continued
Weekly crime report
The following recent crimes in the Annandale/Mason District area are from the Fairfax County Police Department as reported on CityProtect: June 11 June 10 June 9 June 8 June 7 June 6
FCPS presents awards to 2024 outstanding educators
Two principals and a teacher at Annandale/Mason District area schools were among the top award-winners at the Fairfax County Public Schools 2024 Outstanding Employees celebration on June 12. Shawn DeRose of Annandale High School is one of two winners of the Outstanding Principal Award, along with the principal of Dranesville Elementary School. Raven Jones of … Continued
New Justice principal, Sean Rolon, to focus on communications and safety
Sean Rolon, the incoming principal of Justice High School, told the PTSA on June 11 that he plans to focus on communications and safety. Rolon, currently an assistant principal at Falls Church High School, starts his new job on June 20. At Justice, Rolon said he will ensure that “every student has an advocate” looking … Continued
Teens’ art exhibit focuses on opioid awareness
Teens who live in Culmore are constantly exposed to drug use on the streets and in school, and many have relatives or friends who overdosed on opioids. An exercise at the Teen Center in Culmore helped put young people’s feelings about the impact of opioids on their community into artworks. An exhibit featuring their paintings … Continued
Beltway crash involved DUI drivers
UPDATED June 12: A crash on the beltway in Annandale on June 11 resulted in two DUI arrests and an injured Virginia State Police trooper. Shortly after 3 a.m., was dispatched to a sedan that had stopped in a northbound lane of I-495 near the Little River Turnpike exit. The driver, Erica Bernard, 43, of … Continued
Lake Accotink studies underway
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is making progress on the evaluation of Lake Accotink, Braddock Supervisor James Walkinshaw reports in the June edition of the Braddock Beacon. In December, the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink presented its Findings Report to the board of Supervisors. The report concluded that retaining … Continued
Animal shelter offers vouchers for pet neutering
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter is partnering with three veterinarian practices to provide vouchers to lower-income households for big discounts on pet spaying and neutering. The goal of the program is to encourage pet owners to keep their pets and not surrender them to the animal shelter, says Lauren Krzywicki, manager of the shelter’s Pet … Continued
Boy killed by train remembered as a standout soccer player
Eli Medrano, the Weyanoke Elementary School second-grader killed in a train crash on June 5, is remembered for his “larger than life personality, terrific sense of humor, and a smile that could light up the room.” That quote is from a GoFundMe page set up by soccer coach Ben Sprague on behalf of Jeffrey Medrano. … Continued
Changes proposed for Wakefield courts
The Fairfax County Park Authority plans to change the configuration of the tennis and pickleball courts at Wakefield Park in Annandale. The park has nine tennis courts, two dual-use courts (two tennis courts and four pickleball courts), and two dedicated pickleball courts. “Over time, the use of the dual-use courts has trended strongly toward pickleball … Continued
Chico’s pet shop closed but might resurface in a new location
After 10 years and three different locations in Barcroft Plaza, Chico’s Natural Pet Market has closed for good. But it’s not going away forever, as the owner, Danielle Areco, is searching for a new location. Areco spent the store’s last day, Sunday, June 9, hosting an ice cream party for dogs with big markdowns on … Continued
Pupusa Fest highlights Salvadoran culture
The local Salvadoran community celebrated their culture at a Pupusa Fest June 9 hosted by the General Consulate of El Salvador. The event, on the grounds of Braddock Elementary School in Annandale, featured free pupusas, a pupusa-eating contest, vendors, giveaways, raffle prizes, songs, and dances from El Salvador, Bolivia, Mexico, and Paraguay. El Salvador’s Consul … Continued