MS-13 gang members indicted for murder in Northern Virginia
Thirteen members of the La Mara Salvatrucha gang (MS-13) were indicted for three murders, one attempted murder, and other charges in Northern Virginia, states a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment on whether this case is connected with the extensive FBI … Continued
Help Stuart HS boosters raise funds for artificial turf fields
A Stuart football game. [Turf Stuart photo] The JEB Stuart High School Athletic Boosters Club is reaching out to the broader community to help raise funds for artificial turf football and baseball fields. Turf fields cost more than $1 million to install but cost less to maintain than grass fields and are more durable in … Continued
Jim Webb urges Democrats to focus on income inequality
Webb Former Sen. Jim Webb may or may not be actively contemplating a run for the presidency but he certainly sounded like a candidate in a brief speech at a brunch sponsored by the Mason District Democratic Committee Oct. 18. When asked if he is running for president, Webb told the Annandale Blog, “not at … Continued
Lotte international grocery will replace Safeway in Ravensworth Shopping Center
A rendering of the shopping center after remodeling. The Safeway at the Ravensworth Shopping Center will close this winter and will be replaced with a Lotte Plaza international grocery store. That change is part of a project to renovate the shopping center outlined at a community meeting Oct. 16. “We want to create a warm, … Continued
Shoppers converge on new Springfield Town Center
Several hundred people gathered for the grand opening of the new Springfield Town Center Oct. 17. It replaces the old Springfield Mall, which opened in 1973 and had declined in recent years as an increasing number of stores became vacant. The new 1.3 million square foot shopping structure is still a mall, although it boasts … Continued
Pedestrian fatality in Seven Corners
A woman crossing Leesburg Pike near Row Street in Seven Corners was struck by a car at about 9:45 p.m. on Oct. 16, the Mason Police District reports. The pedestrian, Irma Taracena, 61, of Munson Hill Road in Falls Church, was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Taracena was struck by a … Continued
Bailey’s principal sued for discrimination and harassment
Principal Marie Lemmon greets students on the first day of school at the new Bailey’s Upper Elementary School. The complaints about Bailey’s Elementary School Principal Marie Lemmon outlined in a lawsuit charging her with discrimination and harassment are similar to the experiences of other current and former employees. “I can’t attest to the facts in … Continued
Residents express growing opposition to Seven Corners redevelopment plan
A Mason District Council community forum attracts a large crowd. A proposed redevelopment plan for Seven Corners is facing growing opposition from local residents, who are concerned about the prospect of significant increases in density and the impact on traffic congestion, school capacity, and the general quality of life in the area. Many of those … Continued
Note to readers
The Annandale Blog is taking a brief break during the first half of October. We’ll be back in a few weeks – energized and ready to jump back into reporting on the Annandale, Seven Corners, and Bailey’s Crossroads areas. Meanwhile, please continue to send comments on stories and send news tips to [email protected]. We’ll have … Continued
The polls are open for absentee in-person voting through Oct. 31
Absentee voting at the Mason Government Center. Voting is already underway for the Nov. 4 election. You can vote absentee in-person at the Mason Government Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, Monday-Friday, 3:30-7 p.m. through Oct. 31 and Saturdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Nov 1. Voting will not take place on Columbus Day, Oct. 13. The … Continued
Youths encouraged to join the Annandale Mat Rats
The Mat Rats in action. By Gary Rubin Wrestling is a challenging sport, both physically and mentally, but it is one in which children can excel regardless of size and athleticism. Local youths are encouraged to join the Annandale Mat Rats, a wrestling club affiliated with the Annandale Boys and Girls Club and Annandale High … Continued
Work begins on assisted living facility on Gallows Road
The site plan shows an entrance to the property on Gallows Road. Site preparation work on the 94-unit Brightview senior living facility on Gallows Road across from the Holmes Run Pool is starting imminently, reports Andrew Teeters, vice president of Shelter Development. The project was approved by the Board of Supervisors in spring 2013. Shelter … Continued
Food program helps Culmore residents support their families
Culmore residents collect produce Many of the families living in the Culmore community would have a hard time feeding their families if it weren’t for the twice-monthly food distribution program organized by the Legal Aid Justice Center. On a recent rainy Thursday morning, about 80 people, most of them immigrants from Central America, lined up … Continued
NVCC leaders getting new offices
A rendering the Brault Building by the Cole & Denny architectural firm. The renovation of the old Brault building on the corner of Little River Turnpike and Wakefield Chapel Road on the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College is expected to be completed Sept. 1, 2015. The NVCC staff members displaced by the renovation … Continued
Supervisors approve shopping center in Bailey’s Crossroads
The shopping center site consists of parcels numbered 1-5, bordered by Route 7, Charles Street, Washington Drive, and the Courtland Park neighborhood. [Fairfax County photo] The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an amendment to the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan Sept. 23 allowing development of a shopping center on Leesburg Pike between Charles Street … Continued