Armed robbery at Route 50 jewelry store
The Route 50 Gold & Jewelry Exchange When armed robbers hit the Route 50 Gold & Jewelry Exchange July 14, they took irreplaceable items of sentimental value. That’s what happened to one local resident who went to the store the next day to retrieve a couple of pieces of jewelry she had pawned and learned … Continued
The ABCs of Annandale
How many of these letters can you identify? They are all from signs on businesses in Annandale.
Diamond ring donated to Annandale Goodwill store sells for $11,600
The Annandale Goodwill Someone donated a 3-carat diamond ring to the Goodwill store in Annandale. The store had been prepared to sell it for $200, but it was put on the Goodwill online auction site instead, where it sold for $11,600 on July 15, says Kiri Grant, general manager of the store on John Marr … Continued
Courtland Park residents raise concerns on proposed retail center
The site of a proposed shopping center on Leesburg Pike as seen from Charles Street. With a public hearing scheduled before the Fairfax County Planning Commission July 17 on a proposal for a shopping center on Route 7 in Bailey’s Crossroads, local residents are urging that the project be modified to protect the Courtland Park … Continued
Annandale Blog readers pick Cue Club as best local bar
This is the third in a series of profiles of the winners of 2014 Annie Awards, presented to local businesses at Blogapalooza on June 28. The winners were selected by Annandale Blog readers in an open-ended survey. Cue Club manager John Kim. The Cue Club “is your neighborhood bar, no matter what your neighborhood is,” … Continued
All types of music featured at free concerts in local parks
Looking for some free entertainment nearby on a summer evening? The Spotlight by Starlight series at Mason District Park and Ossian Hall Park are the places to go. Here’s a video by Bob Kovacs of Jeff Little performing “Orange Blossom Special” on July 11 at Mason District Park during a show that also featured Wayne … Continued
Middle Eastern restaurant planned for central Annandale
After a long break, the construction project under way at 7250 Columbia Pike in Annandale is back on track with a new contractor. The building, across from Walgreens, is house a Middle Eastern restaurant, reports Derek Sielewicz, owner of ADS – Architecture Design Services. The lower-level will offer regular eat-in dining and carryout, and … Continued
Police executing search warrant off Ravensworth Road
UPDATED July 13, 11 p.m. A couple of blocks in a townhouse community on Ravensworth Road, Annandale, have been blocked off with police tape since the early hours of July 13 as Fairfax County Police are carrying out a search for an “explosive device,” according to a police officer on the scene. The occupants of … Continued
You’re never too old to be an Olympian
A competitor in the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. [NVSO photo] Registration is under way for the 2014 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. Competitions for people age 50 and over take place Sept. 13-24 in venues throughout the region. Events include track and field, tennis, swimming, cycling, horseshoes, and much more. There are plenty of less-strenuous events, … Continued
VDOT outlines drainage plan for Annandale Acres
A burlap-lined ditch on Auburn Street recently put in by VDOT. The Virginia Department of Transportation has come up with a preliminary plan for a permanent solution to the drainage problem in Annandale Acres. The estimated cost is $5.6 million and Fairfax County’s share of the cost is expected to be an equal amount. It’s … Continued
Planning Commission defers action on Glen Carlyn childcare center
The Fairfax County Planning Commission on July 10 deferred until July 24 a vote on proposal for a childcare center on Glen Carlyn Road in Bailey’s Crossroads. That action was taken because the applicant, Deyi Awadallah, submitted a revised application for a zoning special exception that includes several major changes. The number of children to … Continued
Fire at TJ High School
An accidental fire at Thomas Jefferson High School forScience and Technology in Annandale July 10 was caused by a safety vest drawn into a fan motor, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports. The school is undergoing major renovations. Damages are estimated at $15,000.
Annandale’s challenge: Renovate a building vs. large-scale redevelopment
An illustration of Hanna Plaza after the building is renovated. Jeffrey Levine, of Levine Design Studio, gave a presentation on plans for renovating the building at 7409 Little River Turnpike at a meeting of the Annandale Central Business District Planning Committee (ACBDPC) July 8. What started out as simple update on a by-right project, however, … Continued
Readers select AnnSandra as one of Annandale’s best gift shops
The 2014 Annie Awards, for the “best of Annandale/Mason,” were presented at Blogapalooza, the Annandale Blog’s fifth-anniversary celebration June 28. The award winners were selected by Annandale Blog readers in an open-ended survey. We’ll be profilingthe winners over the next few weeks. AnnSandra, the winner of a 2014 Annie Award for best gift … Continued
Seven Corners Task Force favors lower density project on Sears site
The Sears site on Leesburg Pike. Members of the Seven Corners Land Use and Transportation Task Force agree with local residents’ concerns that a proposed apartment complex on the Sears site would be too big. The group’s July 8 meeting focused on revisions suggested by task force members to the language for the Seven Corners … Continued