State lawmakers vow to work for women’s health issues
Del. Kaye Kory and state Sen. Barbara Favola speak at a NARAL fundraiser. Advocates for women’s health are urging the Virginia General Assembly to enact legislation that supports women’s access to birth control, abortions, and equitable healthcare and reject anti-choice measures, like bills to defund Planned Parenthood. “Women should be in charge of women,” said … Continued
Board of Supervisors defers decision on Bailey’s Crossroads land swap
The Southeast Quadrant on Columbia Pike. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors deferred a decision on the Southeast Quadrant land swap in Bailey’s Crossroads until Feb. 2.The delay will provide time for the board to review last-minute information on some “contractual tweaks,” said Mason Supervisor Penny Gross at the Jan. 12 BoS session. The real … Continued
Fire damages three condos in Annandale
Smoke pours out of a condo in Annandale. [Photos by a witness] Four people were injured in a two-alarm fire in the Tall Trees Garden Condominium in Annandale Jan. 11. More people could have been hurt, however, if not for the efforts of Jeremy Shoemaker who was working nearby and rushed inside the building to … Continued
ABC applications withdrawn for local Starbucks
The Starbucks coffee shops at Barcroft Plaza and Bradlick shopping centers won’t be selling beer and wine after all. The Starbucks corporate office had initially identified those cafes for conversion to the Starbucks Evenings concept, which adds beer, wine, and more food options to the menu. Starbucks has withdrawn application for liquor licenses to Virginia … Continued
Winning ticket in ‘Cash4Life’ lottery sold at Barcroft Plaza
A lucky shopper bought a lottery ticket at the Harris Teeter in Barcroft Plaza on Columbia Pike, Falls Church, that won the Virginia Lottery’s Cash4Life game. The winner has the choice of $1,000 a day every day for the rest of his or her life or a one-time payout of $7 million. The winner hasn’t … Continued
An upsurge in coyote sightings
A coyote pup seen last summer in Falls Church. [FCPD] There’s been an increase in coyote sightings in Fairfax County in recent months. The animals are now considered “established and widespread” in the county, states a post in the Fairfax County Police Department blog. Coyotes could prey on free-range cats and small dogs, so residents … Continued
New ramp links I-395 and Seminary Road
The new ramp on I-395, with the Mark Center in the background. [VDOT] The Virginia Department of Transportation opened the new ramp linking Interstate 395 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes to Seminary Road in Alexandria Jan. 11. The new ramp is part of a series of projects aimed at easing traffic congestion for commuters working … Continued
Volunteers clean up Hogge Park
Volunteers pick up trash in Hogge Park. [FCPD] Hogge Park in Bailey’s Crossroads is a lot cleaner, thanks to the efforts of community residents, Stuart High School students, Fairfax County police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and Park Authority representatives. About 60 volunteers who took part in a cleanup day Jan. 9 collected enough litter to fill … Continued
Possibility of ICE raids spreading fear among local immigrants
A briefing briefing denouncing ICE raids with, from the left: Manuel Castro, Arnoldo Borja, Juan Osorio, Edgar Aranda-Yanoc, and Dae Joong Yoon. The Obama Administration’s new policy to step up deportations of undocumented individuals is creating a climate of fear among the local immigrant population. The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and … Continued
Stuart student and soccer star up for national ‘goal of the year’
The Annandale United FC U17 Girls team at the Disney Soccer Showcase in Orlando, Fla. Ana Heilferty is the second from the left in the first row. Coach Ann Germain, a wormer Women’s National Team player, is on the far right. JEB Stuart student Anna Heilferty is a finalist for “Goal of the Year,” a … Continued
New business offers childcare and office space in one place
The lounge at Play, Work and Dash. [Photos from Play, Work and Dash] If you work at home as a freelancer, telecommuter, or budding entrepreneur and you’ve also got young children underfoot, there’s a new place in Vienna just for you. Play, Work or Dash, which provides shared office space and child care, opened in … Continued
New restaurants coming to Mosaic District
Schlow By Mark Kawar of the West of Falls Church blog The Washington Business Journal reports that the Mosaic District will get two new restaurants soon: Chef Michael Schlow will open a third of his Alta Strada Italian restaurants (the first in the D.C. area). Schlow also owns Tico and The Riggsby in Washington. The … Continued
SE Quadrant would spur Bailey’s Crossroads redevelopment
Columbia Pike, with the Southeast Quadrant on the right. Fairfax County officials told local residents at a community meeting Jan. 7 that a real estate deal involving a land swap and land purchase is necessary to spur redevelopment in a rundown section of Bailey’s Crossroads. The real estate transaction for the 4.47-acre area known as … Continued
District Taco coming to Bailey’s Crossroads
District Taco will be at the right corner of the building next to Buffalo Wild Wings. District Taco is coming to the Skyline Center in Bailey’s Crossroads. A new branch of the local Mexican chain is expected to open in May in the Skyline 7 building at 5275 Leesburg Pike, which had been renovated to … Continued
Bridge project under way at Green Spring Gardens
The bridge/stream restoration project should take about three months. [Photo by David Seigel] Construction of a new pedestrian bridge at Green Spring Gardens is well under way. The old bridge was damaged during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. The $300,000 project includes a longer steel-frame bridge and stream bank restoration. In related Green Spring Gardens … Continued