FCPS will get more electric school buses
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Fairfax County Public Schools $16.59 million to purchase 42 electric school buses. The EPA’s first Clean School Bus Program grant competition is aimed at accelerating the transition to low and zero-emission vehicles. “These awards will improve air quality for children and their families and advance environmental justice, all … Continued
New owner of Coralain Gardens plans to keep it affordable
Enterprise Community Development, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, has acquired Coralain Gardens, an apartment complex in the Falls Church area. The company plans to rehabilitate the community and keep rents affordable. Work is expected to start in the first quarter of 2025. The total cost of acquisition is $21.7 million. Coralain Gardens, located at … Continued
Police, prosecutors are cracking down on felons with guns
The Fairfax County Police Department and Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney are collaborating on a new initiative to curb violent crime. The goal is to build safer communities by taking a high-level, multi-pronged approach to crack down on felons who illegally possess firearms, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano at a Jan. 9 press briefing on … Continued
Town hall at Justice High School addresses fentanyl overdoses
Parents need to establish strong bonds with their kids and talk to them about the dangers of fentanyl, school officials advised during a town hall on drug abuse Jan. 8 hosted by the Justice High School PTSA. “Kids are dying,” said PTSA President Kim Lanoue, referring to Justice 10th-grader Madeline Valeria Mora Centeno, who died … Continued
One vape shop closed but another is opening
Annandale has lost one vape shop but is getting another. Tobacco Luxe, at 7109 Columbia Pike, closed at the end of December. Meanwhile, a Tobacco Hut is coming to 7221 Little River Turnpike. That building has been vacant for years since a title lender moved out. Tobacco Luxe opened two years ago. The previous tenant … Continued
New homes for sale in Annandale
Three new houses developed by Evergreene Homes at the corner of Little River Turnpike and Lee Place in Annandale are listed at $1.649,500 to $1,774,500. The three-house development, called Wakefield Grove, was built on the site of a single-family home. The first open house was held on Jan. 6. All have six bedrooms. The smallest … Continued
Free consulting available for small businesses
Small businesses struggling financially could be eligible for free consulting services from Fairfax County worth up to $10,000. The county’s Department of Economic Initiatives is opening a second round of Thrive funds. Applications will open on Jan. 16. The first round of Thrive, which closed Dec. 21, provided assistance to 250 businesses. Applications will be … 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: Jan. 3 Jan. 2 Jan. 1 Dec. 31 Dec. 30 Dec. 29 Dec. 28
New dining options at the Eden Center
Lots of new things are going on at the Eden Center, the Vietnamese-focused shopping center in Seven Corners. A sugarcane juice shop, called Mia & More, opened Dec. 29. Crabby Noodles, a restaurant specializing in pho and seafood, also opened last month. And the Pop Up District, a food hall plus short-term popup shops, is … Continued
Volunteers will assemble 1,700 meals for those in need
The Bailey’s Crossroads Rotary Club, the Bailey’s Crossroads Host Lions Club, and the Arlington Moose Lodge are hosting a community meals packaging event on Saturday, Jan. 6. Community members are invited to participate, too. Sign up for a shift here. Volunteers will measure and weigh ingredients and assemble 1,700 meals for distribution to those in … Continued
Crime rose in 2023 in Mason District
Crime is up in the Mason Police District in nearly all categories, station commander Capt. Patrick Brusch reported at a community meeting on Jan. 2. There were 1,504 assaults in 2023, a 27 percent increase from the previous year. Residential burglaries are up 100 percent, with 54 in 2023, compared to 27 in 2022. Commercial … Continued
Culmore Clinic is participating in a clinical trial on Chagas disease
The Culmore Clinic is participating in a clinical trial for a new treatment for Chagas disease. The Culmore Clinic provides low-cost healthcare to uninsured adults in Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners. It was selected for a phase 1 trial because it serves many patients who immigrated from poor, rural areas in Latin America where the … Continued
Economic pilot program can spur revitalization of Bailey’s Crossroads
Bailey’s Crossroads has a significantly higher population density and lower household income than the average for Fairfax County. It has strong retail performance despite some vacancies; a decent, but not great, level of walkability; and a lack of parks. Those are some of the key takeaways from a draft profile of the community by the … Continued
Crypto scammers are targeting the elderly
Eleven people, most of them elderly, have lost thousands of dollars to crypto-related scams in the last couple of months, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. In one case, a 76-year-old victim was scammed into depositing $21,000 into a crypto ATM on Nov. 15. Another victim, age 86, was scammed out of $25,000 on Nov. … Continued
Crabby Noodles opens in the Eden Center
Crabby Noodles, a new restaurant at the Eden Center in Seven Corners, offers Vietnamese and Cajun-style seafood with a focus on crab meat. The restaurant, at 6795 Wilson Blvd., is in the former Mango Mango spot. The interior has been totally redone. Menu highlights pointed out by co-owner Charlie Le include crabby pho; spicy lemongrass … Continued