Police find three homeless adults deceased in Annandale
Three apparently homeless people died on the streets in Annandale on July 29, the Fairfax County Police Department confirms. Officers responded to a report of two people unresponsive outside the Goodwill store at 7031 Columbia Pike at 6:45 a.m. They discovered an adult male and an adult female deceased. “There doesn’t appear to be foul … Continued
Fairfax County launches an Opportunity Youth Network
Fairfax County has launched an Opportunity Youth Network, an initiative focused on empowering young people ages 16-24 who are not in school and not working. The network is a collaborative effort involving several agencies to drive equity, elevate youth voices, and strengthen support systems for more than 9,300 young people facing disconnection in Fairfax County, … Continued
Free trees available for community groups
Fairfax County’s Urban and Community Forestry Division is offering free trees to community-based organizations. The program, offered in partnership with Casey Trees, is aimed at helping volunteer groups, civic associations, and faith-based organizations obtain high-quality, professionally grown trees suitable for planting. “This opportunity focuses on increasing tree cover in economically disadvantaged communities, which typically do … Continued
Sign design options revealed for Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads
Design consultants hired by Fairfax County’s Community Revitalization Section presented several gateway signage concepts for Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads at a meeting on July 30. Ashton Design came up with several options for Seven Corners incorporating a symbol consisting of a star formed by seven number 7s. The symbol represents the convergence of many … Continued
A former courtroom artist brings art to his neighbors at Brightview Senior Living
By Shane Gomez From the Central Park Five to the man who killed John Lennon, Robert Smith has sketched some of the most well-known court cases of the 1980s and 90s. Now, Smith, age 80 and a resident of Brightview Senior Living Woodburn in Annandale, still does what he loves. He sketches entertainers who perform … Continued
Ken Balbuena launches campaign for Braddock supervisor
Springfield community leader Ken Balbuena is running as a Republican for the Braddock seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Balbuena seeks to succeed Supervisor James Walkinshaw if Walkinshaw wins a special election on Sept. 9 for Virginia’s 11th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. On the Democratic side, two school board members … Continued
Man arrested for multiple burglaries
Fairfax County Police detectives from the Fugitive Tracking and Apprehension Team arrested the man wanted for burglarizing a plumbing supply store on General Washington Drive in Mason District and multiple burglaries across the county. FCPD detectives, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, arrested Brian Serious, 29, in Clinton, Md. … Continued
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue celebrates Spam Musubi Day on Aug. 8
Residents are invited to drop by L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Annandale on Friday, Aug. 8, for a free Spam musubi from noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 8 is annual SPAM® Musubi Day, a holiday launched by L&L and officially established by the governor of Hawaii in 2021. The date, 8/08, pays homage to Hawaii’s 808 … Continued
Walkinshaw and Whitson clash over DOGE
Congressional candidates James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson clashed on just about every issue – DOGE, ICE detentions, climate change, school vouchers – that came up during a debate on July 28. The two candidates are vying in a special election for the 11th District seat formerly held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly. Early voting … Continued
Voice coach arrested for inappropriate contact with minors
Fairfax County Police arrested a former voice coach for having inappropriate contact with multiple minors dating back to 2004. Detectives from the Child Abuse Squad received a referral on July 15 that a child was inappropriately touched by an adult male. Following an investigation, detectives arrested Christopher Dudley, 46, of Fairfax. Dudley gave private voice … Continued
New features planned for the Taste of Annandale
The Taste of Annandale will have some new features this year. This free, family-friendly community festival is Sept. 20, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space, 7200 Columbia Pike in the heart of Annandale. As in the past, the Taste of Annandale features food vendors, live music and dance, beer sales, children’s performances … Continued
Library renovation to start next summer
A major renovation of the George Mason Regional Library in Annandale will update the aging building and provide a more logical layout. The project calls for more gathering spaces, small rooms for studying and research, and more natural light, said project manager Chris King-Archer, of the Fairfax County Building Design Branch, at a community meeting … Continued
Falls Church hires a Vietnamese outreach specialist
The City of Falls Church has hired a Vietnamese outreach specialist to advance the city’s relationship with the Vietnamese community. Le Nguyen (Nguyễn Ngọc Lễ), a former journalist, most recently with Voice of America, is using his Vietnamese heritage and bilingual fluency to engage with the community. Related story: City of Falls Church commits to preserving … Continued
Virginia is having a tax holiday Aug. 1-3
Planning to buy a home appliance or generator? If you can hold off for a bit, you’ll be able to get it tax-free. Virginia’s annual sales tax holiday, Aug. 1-3, covers school supplies, clothing, emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star™ WaterSense™ products. The tax holiday starts on 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, and ends … Continued
Flavor Hive opens in Annandale
Flavor Hive, the operator of seven popular food trucks, opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Annandale on July 24. The restaurant, at 4260 John Marr Drive, offers fast casual food with a Southeast Asian/Middle Eastern flavor profile. It’s located in a former Wells Fargo branch which the owners purchased in February. During renovation of the … Continued