Annandale HS Marching Atoms need your support
Annandale HS marching band members Nicky, Ben, and Noah perform for shoppers at the Bradlick Shopping Center. Annandale High School band members have been entertaining shoppers at various locations around the community in an effort to encourage the public to contribute to the school’s music programs. Band members also went door-to-door seeking donations on Tag … Continued
Green Spring Gardens hosts fall garden club for kids
A garden at Green Spring. Green Spring Gardens is offering a Garden Club for kids ages 6-10 this fall. There are three monthly Saturday sessions. The first meeting of the Let’s Grow Garden Club, on Sept. 24, is on the topic salad days. Kids will help harvest the vegetables that grew in the summer to … Continued
Commonwealth’s attorney: Police not criminally culpable in Gianelos’ death
Gianelos Fairfax County Police officers “committed no wrongdoing” in the death of Paul Gianelos, reported Commonwealth’s Attorney Raymond F. Morrogh in a ruling released by the Fairfax County Police Department Sept. 8. Gianelos, a 45-year-old Annandale resident with autism and an intellectual disability, had wandered away from his caretakers April 20 during an outing at … Continued
Library system needs to evolve, consultants report
A full house at George Mason Regional Library. A community engagement study conducted for the Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees found widespread public support for the libraries but called for a strategic planning process to figure out how the library system can continue to provide core services while evolving to meet changing community needs. … Continued
Capt. Rogers appointed commander of Mason Police District
Rogers The Mason Police District is getting another new commander, just seven months after Capt. Christian Quinn started the job. The new commander, Capt. Thomas James Rogers, was previously the staff duty officer in charge of nighttime patrols for the Fairfax County Police Department. Before that, he was commander of the helicopter unit and had … Continued
Ready or not, school starts Sept. 6
And so it begins – the 2016-17 school year is now in session. It’s the last time Fairfax County Public Schools will start after Labor Day. Next year, school will start Aug. 28. Superintendent Karen Garza made an appearance at Holmes Middle School, one of four sites she visited on the first day of school. … Continued
ReelAbilities film festival promotes understanding of different lives
Scenes from some of the films in ReelAbilities. ReelAbilities, a film festival dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with different abilities, takes place in several venues in Northern Virginia Sept. 18-24. The festival is hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia with support from … Continued
NV Rides provides free rides for seniors to Jewish Community Center
The JCCNV NV Rides, a program that recruits volunteers to transport non-driving senior adults to medical appointments, is expanding. Beginning in October, the program will launch J Rides, a free volunteer-supported program to help seniors attend exercise classes and educational and social events at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia. J Rides is aimed … Continued
New ballet studio at Pinecrest Plaza
A performance by International Dance [Terry Wingfield]. A ballet studio will stay in Pinecrest Plaza after all. Balancé Ballet, which had been in the shopping center for the past 11 years, closed in June. At the time, co-owner Marla Boulter said she couldn’t afford a rent increase. International Dance of Falls Church has acquired Balancé … Continued
Police action on Lincolnia Road
A man in emotional distress, and possibly armed, is holed up in a home on the 6400 block of Lincolnia Road across the street from Parklawn Elementary School. The area is swarming with police vehicles, including the SWAT team, and Lincolnia Road is closed off for several blocks in either direction. The Fairfax County Police … Continued
Drivers: Watch out for school buses
With school starting next Tuesday, Sept. 6, there will be lots of school buses on the roads and students walking to school – so drivers need to be extra careful. It’s also a good time to review traffic laws, as the Fairfax County Police Department warns its officers will be out in force in school … Continued
Vote for a critter
The candidates: Black Rat Snake, Eastern Box Turtle, and American Toad. In what might be the most cold-blooded election ever, the Fairfax County Park Authority invites the public to vote for their favorite herptile. The candidates are a snake, a toad, and a turtle. Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale is campaign headquarters for the … Continued
Customer captures man who robbed laundromat
Quijada [FCPD] A man who committed an armed robbery at the Surf N Suds Laundromat at 5715 Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads Aug. 28 almost got away. But then a man waiting outside for his laundry chased the suspect and held him until the police arrived. Ricardo Guido Quijada, 32, of no fixed address, was … Continued
Deer hunting season starts Sept. 10 in Fairfax County parks
A deer on the Cross County Trail in Accotink Stream Valley Park. Fairfax County’s deer management program begins Saturday, Sept. 10, and runs through, Feb. 25, 2017. The program is aimed at reducing the deer population in designated parks mainly through the use of archery. Bow hunting is allowed in several parks in the Annandale/Mason … Continued
The Block: a new way to eat in Annandale
The Block, expected to open next to Kmart this fall, will offer a new concept in dining – new to Annandale, at least. It will house several food vendor stalls around a central area with communal seating. It’s like a food court, says the developer, Arturo Mei, who owns the Snocream food truck usually parked … Continued