County seeks public engagement in litter initiative
Faced with growing piles of litter up around bus stops and no funds for trash pickup, the Fairfax County Department of Solid Waste is asking residents to help out. The department is launching a contest to see which group of bus riders can collect the most trash in plastic bags affixed to the bus stop … Continued
Peers in recovery help those still struggling regain control of their lives
At the Peer Resource Center open house, left to right: Byron Hall, Jullie Calkin, and peer support specialist Karen Wands Park. People in recovery are finding the help they need from people who’ve made it through similar challenges and have been trained as peer support specialists. That’s the premise of the Peer Resource Center, a … Continued
Verizon antennas proposed for a dozen sites in Mason District
Verizon is proposing to put telecom antennas on 12 Dominion utility poles in Mason District, mostly in the Lincolnia area, and several more in the City of Alexandria. Verizon would replace existing utility poles with new ones that would be about five to seven feet taller, Ed Donohue, of Donohue & Stearns PLC, told the … Continued
Bailey’s Crossroads homeless shelter to be relocated to Lincolnia
The Bailey’s Crossroads Community Shelter will be relocated to a temporary facility in a field behind the Lincolnia Senior Center at 4710 N. Chambliss St., Alexandria, according to an announcement posted online by Fairfax County March 29. The shelter needs to be relocated from its current site on Moncure Avenue in Bailey’s Crossroads to make … Continued
Spectrum vows to clean up Route 7 development site
Six mattresses piled up behind the old Geico building. Spectrum Development, the company planning to build a retail center on Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads, is planning to remove the trash, old mattresses, and furniture piling up on the site. Residents who live nearby have sent several emails to Mason Supervisor Penny Gross in recent … Continued
Former Hess station in Annandale is now Speedway
The former green and white Hess gas station at 7100 Little River Turnpike in Annandale is now a red and white-trimmed Speedway station. Actually, the Marathon Petroleum Corp., the owner of the Speedway convenience store chain, bought Hess Corp.’s retail operations over a year ago for nearly $2.9 billion. “We’ve been operating as Speedway since … Continued
Residents just wanted pedestrian bridge fixed or replaced and now it’s gone
This is where the bridge used to be. Broyhill Crest residents have been complaining for years about a dilapidated pedestrian bridge over a small creek and urged county officials to fix or replace it. Instead, the county removed the bridge on March 23 and there are no funds for a new one. People attempting to … Continued
Lawsuit charges Virginia’s ‘habitual drunkard’ law is unconstitutional
Virginia’s “habitual drunkard” statute violates the commonwealth’s constitution by criminalizing the consumption of alcohol by homeless alcoholics, charges a class action lawsuit filed by the Legal Aid Justice Center and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. The complaint, filed in federal court earlier this month, asserts that commonwealth’s attorneys offices have used the Interdiction … Continued
Man stabbed at Landmark Mall carnival
A screen grab from NBC4 Washington’s report on the stabbing at Landmark carnival. Opening night of the carnival at Landmark Mall was cut short Friday evening due to a stabbing. A fight broke out and one person stabbed another. The victim was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the Alexandria Police Department reports. The … Continued
Is Fairfax County paying too much for Bailey’s Crossroads building?
The Bailey’s International Center. The Southeast Quadrant land swap has been approved but there are lingering questions about the deal and why Fairfax County has agreed to spend a lot more for an aging office building than its assessed value. The real estate exchange approved by the Board of Supervisors Feb. 16 calls for Fairfax … Continued
Invasive insects destroying local ash trees
This pest is killing ash trees. [Emerald Ash Borer Network] If you have an ash tree, it’s most likely infected with the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that has killed millions of ash trees in the United States since 2003. The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is urging residents to … Continued
Summer jobs available at community centers
The summer program for kids at the Willston Center. The Fairfax County Department of Community and Neighborhood Services is seeking people for summer jobs at the Bailey’s Community Center in Bailey’s Crossroads, the James Lee Community Center in Falls Church, and the Willston Multicultural Center in Seven Corners. Potential applicants are encouraged to come to … Continued
Just Neighbors relocating from Bailey’s Crossroads to Annandale
This former church building is part of the campus of Annandale United Methodist Church. Just Neighbors, a nonprofit organization that helps immigrants and refugees, is moving from its offices in Bailey’s Crossroads to the Immanuel Methodist Church building at 7901 Heritage Drive in Annandale. The organization is currently located in the Bailey’s International Center at … Continued
County employee charged with larceny
Kapoor A senior employee with the Fairfax County Department of Code Compliance (DCC) was arrested by detectives from the Police Department’s Major Crimes Division for larceny March 22. Rakesh K. Kapoor, 54, of Manassas, was charged with obtaining money by false pretenses, a felony, the police blotter reports. He was transported to the Fairfax County … Continued
Road repaving and bike lanes proposed for Annandale
Ravensworth Road needs repaving and has gotten worse since this photo was taken last May. The Virginia Department of Transportation is slated to repave several roads in Annandale, starting this summer, and is taking that opportunity to implement bike lanes. Affected roads are Ravensworth Road, Heritage Drive, John Marr Drive, McWhorter Place, and Markham Street. … Continued