New pedestrian bridge crosses I-395 at Seminary Road
A new pedestrian bridge over Interstate 395 parallel to Seminary Road opened May 4. The bridge links a sidewalk in front of Southern Towers Apartments to a sidewalk along Seminary Road on the east side of I-395 in Alexandria. The bridge, designed for bicyclists as well as pedestrians, is the final element in a $76 … Continued
Local Odyssey of the Mind team has a shot at the World Finals
An Odyssey of the Mind team with students from Bailey’s and Belvedere elementary schools was named the Virginia state champion in the “Division I Classics Problem” competition. That means the seven-student team has an opportunity to advance to the World Finals at Iowa State University May 25-29. They need some financial assistance for the trip … Continued
Brightview assisted living center opens next week
The view from the back terrace. The Brightview assisted living facility at 3450 Gallows Road in Annandale won’t officially open until May 9 but nearly half the units are already sold. Workers were still putting the finishing touch on the building last week when the Annandale Blogger tagged along on a tour for prospective tenants … Continued
Agape settles Medicaid fraud allegations
The Agape Adult Day Center at 6349 Lincolnia Road. Agape Health Management Inc., which operates under the name Agape Adult Day Healthcare Center, has agreed to pay $385,917 to settle federal and state civil fraud allegations that claimed Agape submitted false claims for reimbursement to the Virginia Medicaid Program. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the … Continued
The Bailey’s shelter isn’t a huge problem for these neighbors
The Ellery Place townhomes. Is the Bailey’s Crossroads Community Shelter a magnet for crime in the neighborhood? Not that much, according to three nearby residents who happened to be outside on a chilly Saturday afternoon. Residents of Lincolnia where the shelter is slated to be relocated are concerned that an influx of homeless people in … Continued
New restaurants, stores coming to Landmark Plaza
Big changes are coming to the Plaza at Landmark, the shopping center on Little River Turnpike on the eastern edge of Mason District. Here’s the rundown from Fred Cornett Jr., senior vice president at HHH Properties Corp., which owns the center: Five Below, a discount variety store where everything is $5 or less, is scheduled … Continued
Mortgage fraud is family affair
A former vice president of Sun Trust Mortgage in Annandale, Moshin Raza, 51, was sentenced to 24 months in prison April 29 for conspiracy and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reports. His wife, Humaira Iqbal, 40 was sentenced to 15 months in prison on … Continued
Volunteers from Annandale churches repair homes for those in need
ACCA volunteers work on a house on Terrace Drive, Annandale. Dozens of volunteers from local churches spent all day Saturday repairing two houses in Annandale as part of the annual Annandale Christian Community for Action’s (ACCA) Rebuilding Together program. One house, on Terrace Drive, is occupied by two adult men with autism and a caretaker. … Continued
Health clinic opens next to Annandale Safeway
The health clinic operated by American Executive Health System is now up and running at its new location between Petco and Safeway in the Little River Plaza Shopping Center. It was formerly located in an office building at 7611 Little River Turnpike. The clinic provides urgent care, primary care, cardiovascular services, vaccinations and travel medicine … Continued
Mason District Little League hosts Hit-a-thon this weekend
The Mason District Little League’s success depends on volunteers and contributions from the community. The MDLL’s third annual Hit-a-thon, its primary fundraiser, takes place this weekend – May 6 at Mason District Park for the Majors and May 7 at Parklawn Park for all other players. The Hit-a-thon is like a walk-a-thon. Each player solicits … Continued
Body found in Tripps Run in Falls Church
Police investigate report of body found in creek. [FCPD] A body was been found May 1 in Tripps Run near the 3000 block of Dashiel Road in the Bel Air neighborhood in the Falls Church area of Mason District. Updated, May 3: The deceased has been identified as Edward Stephen Hamilton, 30, of Springfield, the … Continued
Baha’i youth groups focus on community service projects
Students in Junior Youth Spiritual Empower programs beautify Bailey’s Community Shelter. By the time kids get to middle-school age, they reach a fork in the road: One path leads to drugs or gangs; the other, to a more positive lifestyle. The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, sponsored by the local Baha’i community, is aimed getting … Continued
Board of Supervisors approves Monticello Mews project on Edsall Road
A rendering of the Monticello Mews homes from the county staff report. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on April 26 approved a “proffer condition amendment” (PCA) allowing the development of the Monticello Mews project on Edsall Road in Mason District. No one appeared at the public hearing, and there was little discussion among the … Continued
Food court coming to Annandale
This vacant space will be transformed into The Block. Arturo Mei, the owner of the Snowcream mobile ice cream shop, plans to open a food court with about five vendors in a vacant store at Kmart Plaza in Annandale this summer. A dessert from Snowcream. The Snowcream truck, actually a converted school bus with space … Continued
Investigations underway on police actions in death near Round Tree Park
Gianelos [Everly Community] Advocates for the disabled believe the situation in which a severely autistic man, Paul Gianelos, died after a confrontation with the police near Round Tree Park in Annandale, could have been handled better. While no one has charged the authorities with acting negligently, St. John’s Community Services, the organization that employed Gianelos’ … Continued