A historic first day of school at Bailey’s Upper Elementary School
The bus drop-off went smoothly. About 600 third, fourth, and fifth-graders streamed into the brand-new Bailey’s Upper Elementary School Sept. 2 on the first day of the 2014-15 school year. Housed in a former office building on Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners, Bailey’s Upper is the first vertical, urban-design public school in Fairfax County. Principal … Continued
Pro Maxx Fitness is being evicted
A letter to members on the front door says the gym expects to close at the end of the month. Owners, employees, and members of Pro Maxx Fitness in the Annandale Shopping Center on Columbia Pike are mounting a petition drive to fight the landlord’s plan to evict the gym by the end of September. … Continued
Suspicious death in Culmore area
The body of an adult male was discovered in a parking lot in the 6000 block of Bellview Drive in the Culmore area of Bailey’s Crossroads just after 2 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, Fairfax County Police report. There was “trauma to the upper body,” according to the announcement in the police blotter. “Police are … Continued
Help the needy on Day to Serve, Sept. 13
A volunteer collects donated groceries at the Annandale Giant during the 2013 Day to Serve. [ACCA photo] Local residents are encouraged to contribute food items during Day to Serve, an interfaith community service event on Sept. 13 aimed at filling the food pantries operated by Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) and the Dar Al-Hijrah … Continued
Local Boy Scouts explore wilderness on a Western camping trip
Members of Boy Scout Troop 895 of Falls Church headed west for summer camp this year, traveling a bit farther than usual, reports Matt Dillard, assistant scoutmaster. After over a year of planning and fundraising, 26 boys and 14 adults spent a week in Yellowstone National Park and a week in the Grand Tetons. At … Continued
77 townhouses planned for Columbia Pike
This house on Powell Lane will be torn down to make way for townhouses. Stanley Martin Homes plans to start work soon on the development of 77 townhouses on Columbia Pike between Powell Lane and Madison Lane. Two long-time businesses on that site, Rosslyn Auto Body and Nicholls Imported and Domestic Car Service, have relocated. … Continued
County education campaign targets speeding
Braddock Supervisor John Cook (left) speaks at kick-off of anti-speeding campaign. Fairfax County launched an anti-speeding campaign Aug. 28 aimed at educating drivers about the dangers of speeding on neighborhood streets. Fairfax County supervisors, Fairfax County Police Department officials, and leaders of community associations and Neighborhood Watch groups gathered at the FCPD driver training facility … Continued
Victory Lane Aquatic Club has a new coach
The Victory Lane Aquatic Club (VLAC) is continuing under a new coach, Shawn Mansfield. The swimming program was founded in 2008 by Clayton Joyner of Annandale, who died in May at the age of 29. Joyner had been a champion swimmer on the Falls Church High School swim team and was a coach for the … Continued
Seven Corners Task Force to vote on Sears redevelopment plan Sept. 9
The Sears site on Route 7 in Seven Corners The Seven Corners Land Use and Transportation Task Force, at its Aug. 26 meeting, deferred a scheduled vote on a redevelopment plan for the Sears site on Leesburg Pike until Sept. 9. The task force had planned to select one of three options spelling out the … Continued
Bailey’s Upper Elementary School offers light-filled, innovative learning spaces
A science lab. The brand new Bailey’s Upper Elementary School, retrofitted in a former office building on Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners, offers “a rich environment for learning and a rich environment for teaching,” says Jeffrey Platenberg, assistant superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools for facilities and transportation services. Pointing to all the windows and … Continued
Halloween superstore opens in Seven Corners next week
Cersei Lannister from GOT. It’s still August, but it’s not too early to start thinking about Halloween. Do you want to be a zombie? A vampire? A comic book character? You’ll find hundreds of costume ideas at the temporary Halloween superstore opening Sept. 6 in the Seven Corners Shopping Center next to Home Depot on … Continued
Rescued cats available for adoption
Emily was rescued by 4Paws. The 4Paws Rescue Team Inc. of Merrifield has been carrying out an ambitious project to rescue cats living in substandard conditions in a shelter in rural southeastern Virginia. The Petco Foundation supported this work with a $10,000 grant to 4Paws. The 4Paws Rescue Team is a non-profit community-based, all volunteer … Continued
Lawsuit challenges tenant fees for AC in Culmore apartments
Olde Salem Village The website for the Olde Salem Village apartments in Bailey’s Crossroads describes them as “beautiful” with “well designed kitchens” and “close to the East Falls Church Metro.” In fact, Olde Salem Village is a bug-infested, poorly maintained apartment complex with outdated appliances in tiny kitchens. It’s located in the crime-ridden Culmore area … Continued
Girls soccer teams collect donations to fight hunger
Annandale Pride team members. The Annandale United Football Club (AUFC) U12 Pride Girls Soccer Program hosted its biannual Kicks for Cans Charity Scrimmage Festival Aug. 23 in Annandale. Team members and their families and friends donated more than 500 pounds of food to help Food For Others in its fight against hunger. Six competitive and … Continued
11th congressional district: Scholte vs. Connolly
The start of the school year isn’t the only big thing going on after Labor Day; it’s also prime time for the election campaign season. Here’s a look at the race for the 11th congressional district (which includes parts of eastern, northern and central Fairfax County and eastern Prince William County.) Future posts will cover … Continued