Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia

MetroAccess driver charged with sexual assault

A van driver working for MetroAccess, a transit service for people with disabilities, has been charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a 51-year-old woman, the Fairfax County Police Department reported Aug. 11. The assault happened June 28 in the 3400 block of Carlin Springs Road in Bailey’s Crossroads. According to sex crimes detectives, the victim used … Continued

Backlick Park is victim of budget cuts

A picnic table at Backlick Park. Backlick Park has deteriorated so much, it was featured Aug. 9 on WJLA’s “7 on Your Side,” which serves as an advocate for people who have trouble getting authorities to deal with their complaints. The TV news show followed up on an email from Annandale resident Binod Gupta, who … Continued

Man arrested for bank robbery

Canavan [FCPD] Fairfax County Police arrested a suspect in the robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank Aug. 9 at 2903 Gallows Road across from the Mosaic District in Merrifield. David Canavan, 53, of Vienna, was charged with robbery and is being held without bond at the Adult Detention Center. According the FCPD and FBI Washington … Continued

Mason District Little League to be honored at Nationals game

The Mason District Little League is being honored by the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. As part of the foundation’s investment in local Little Leagues, it announced plans to renovate a field used by MDLL  Most likely it will be Parklawn field, but details haven’t been finalized.  This Sunday, Aug. 14, designated as “Nationals Dream Foundation … Continued

Volunteers are key to success of Stuart Pyramid Resource Fair

Stuart students and community members lay tarps on the gym floor to prepare for the Resource Fair. A huge crowd is expected at Stuart High School this afternoon for the Stuart Pyramid Resource Fair, and volunteers from the Bailey’s Crossroads Rotary Club, Lions Club, Moose Lodge, and the Stuart community have been working hard to … Continued

County purchases site for permanent homeless shelter

Fairfax County is purchasing this former animal hospital as the site for a new homeless shelter. Fairfax County is going ahead with plans to relocate the Bailey’s Crossroads homeless shelter to a field behind the Lincolnia Senior Center, even though the county has found a permanent site for the shelter. The Planning Commission approved the … Continued

Get ready for school at the Stuart Pyramid Resource Fair

Students and parents prepare for school at the 2015 Stuart Pyramid Resource Fair. Do you have children going to Beech Tree, Sleepy Hollow, Parklawn or any of the other schools in the Stuart High School pyramid? Get a jump start on the school year at the second annual Stuart High School Resource Fair, Aug. 9, … Continued

Urban design experts recommend short-term fixes for Annandale

Columbia Pike and Tom Davis Drive: Picture a “pop-up” plaza here. Short-term fixes to make central Annandale more inviting could include a plaza for community gatherings, streetscape improvements to promote walkability, and a new nonprofit organization to implement revitalization strategies.  Those are some of the recommendations of a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) convened by the … Continued

Gianelos death ruled an accident

The death of Paul Gianelos has been ruled an accident by the Fairfax County Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the Fairfax County Department Police Department reported Aug. 5. Gianelos died in police custody Aug. 20 following a struggle. The severely autistic man had been on an outing at Round Tree Park when he wandered … Continued

Fairfax mayor arrested for distributing meth in exchange for sex

Silverthorne City of Fairfax Mayor Richard “Scott” Silverthorne, 50,  was arrested Aug. 4 for allegedly attempting to distribute methamphetamine through a website used to arrange casual sexual encounters between men. Silverthorne is also employed as a substitute teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools. Capt. Jack Hardin, commander of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Organized Crime … Continued

Sales tax holiday this weekend

Planning on a shopping spree? This weekend would be a good time to do it. Aug. 5-7 is Virginia’s “sales tax holiday.” You can buy school supplies, back-to-school clothes, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and appliances without paying the state sales tax.  Eligible items listed on the Virginia Department of Taxation website include: School supplies, … Continued

We’re on a break

The Annandale Blog is taking a summer break. We should be back, with recharged batteries, by the second week of August.