School board, county exploring options for using Willston site for a school
Panelists at the forum on schools included (from the left): School board chair Tamara Denerak Kaufax, Regional Assistant Superintendent Fabio Zuluaga, Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Platenberg, school board member Sandy Evans, and Superintendent Karen Garza. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza told local residents at a State of Our Schools Forum Feb. 10 she is … Continued
Extensive vandalism at community garden plots in Annandale
Fencing destroyed at the Bo White Community Gardens. There has been extensive vandalism at the Bo White Community Gardens in Pine Ridge Park in Annandale in recent days. One gardener reports that about 50 of the 160 garden plots were vandalized in two separate incidents – late on the night of Jan. 22 or in … Continued
Man arrested for indecent exposure
Fairfax County Police officers arrested a 32-year-old Falls Church man Feb. 8 in Munson Hill Park for indecent exposure and felony exposure toward a child under age 15. “Police occasionally receive reports of indecent exposure in family-friendly parks across Fairfax County. Often, suspects flee and are not found when police arrive,” states a police notice … Continued
Inova will develop medical research institute on ExxonMobil site
Gov. Terry McAuliffe announces Inova’s deal to lease the ExxonMobil property. Looking on are Fairfax County Board Chair Sharon Bulova and Inova CEO Knox Singleton. Inova Health Systems will take over the ExxonMobil headquarters building on Gallows Road across the street from Inova Fairfax Hospital to create a Center for Personalized Health. Inova hopes the … Continued
Fire damages house in Sleepy Hollow Woods
The morning after a fire destroyed the kitchen in this house. An accidental fire in the Sleepy Hollow Woods neighborhood Feb. 8 was caused by “an electrical anomaly in the hood exhaust system over the stove,” the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports. Fire units responded to the fire at 3811 Forest Grove Drive … Continued
Legislators report on bills likely to pass – or fail – in Richmond
Sen. Saslaw speaks to constituents at a Legislative Town Hall. Three members of the Virginia legislature who represent the Annandale/Mason area – Sen. Dick Saslaw, Sen. Dave Marsden, and Del. Kaye Kory – gave a progress report on the session Feb. 7. Saslaw spoke in defense of the so-called Dominion bill, which passed the Senate … Continued
VDOT plans to widen I-395 southbound in Landmark area
I-395 usually isn’t this empty. [VDOT] The Virginia Department of Transportation plans to construct a fourth lane on southbound Interstate 395 between Duke Street and Edsall Road. A public information meeting on the project has been scheduled for Feb. 10, 7 p.m., at the Holmes Middle School cafeteria. VDOT believes the new two and a-half … Continued
Audrey Moore has some new friends
The organizational meeting for a new citizens’ group to advocate for improvements at Audrey Moore RECenter drew lots of support. About three dozen residents – and several county officials – came to a Feb. 5 meeting to explore the formation of a group called Friends of Audrey Moore RECenter (AMRC). Built in 1976, Audrey Moore … Continued
Sears Working Group agrees to draft plan for redevelopment
Friday afternoon traffic on Route 7. Members of the Special Working Group for the Sears site began their final scheduled meeting Feb. 5 not sure if they’d ever reach a consensus. By the end of the meeting, three and a-half hours later, they had agreed to a draft plan outlining the amount of density and … Continued
Planning Commission endorses apartments at 5600 Columbia Pike
The Bailey’s Gateway project would replace this vacant office building. A proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment to allow a 433-unit apartment complex at 5600 Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads got the green light from the Fairfax County Planning Commission Feb. 4. The proposal calls for a 10-story vacant office building on the 3.8-acre parcel, located at … Continued
Girls urged to consider science careers
Middle school girls and their parents are invited to STEMtastics 2015, a career day event aimed at encouraging girls in Fairfax County to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. STEMtastics will be held on Saturday, March 21, at the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College, 8:15 a.m.-noon. Registration is now … Continued
Public invited to Feb. 10 forum on ‘the State of our Schools’
Parents, local residents, Fairfax County officials, and county supervisors are invited to take part in a State of our Schools Forum Feb. 10, 7 p.m., at Glasgow Middle School. The forum, hosted by the Mason District Council of Community Associations (MDC), is open to the public. “With most of our schools currently at or overcapacity … Continued
Congressional School celebrating 75th anniversary
It’s a big year for the Congressional Schools of Virginia: The elite private school on Sleepy Hollow Road in Mason District is celebrating its 75th anniversary. A series of celebrations is going on all year, says Chris Pryor, Congressional’s development director, with the main events – a golf tournament at the Reston National Golf Course … Continued
Lincolnia planning study under way
The Lincolnia Building on Beauregard Street. [LoopNet] Fairfax County is launching a study to determine if portions of the Lincolnia Planning District should be redesignated from “suburban neighborhood” to “community business center.” The public is invited to a community meeting on the study March 2, 7:30 p.m., at Holmes Middle School. The Board of Supervisors … Continued
Aaron Frank leaving Gross’ office
Aaron Frank, the land use and development specialist in Mason Supervisor Penny Gross’ office, is moving on. Frank, who’s been at Gross’ office since October 2010, is relocating to Phoenix at the end of the month to be with his fiancé and finish a master’s degree. “It’s time for the next chapter in many areas … Continued