High school teams face off in culinary competition
Chef KN Vinod of Indique contemplates the Chantilly culinary team’s entry. [Photo from Real Food for Kids.] Teams of students from the culinary arts programs at five high schools—Annandale, Falls Church, Chantilly, Edison, and Marshall—competed in the second annual Feeding Academic Success Culinary Challenge March 13 at Falls Church High School. The teams created vegetarian … Continued
Democrats vying for Moran’s seat in Congress outline priorities
Four of the 11 candidates still in the running in the Democratic primary for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jim Moran in the 8th congressional district outlined their priorities at a meeting of the Brigades, a grassroots progressive political group, March 13. The four candidates profiled here are talk show host Mark Levine, Urban … Continued
Space available at after-school, senior programs at Bailey’s Center
The Bailey’s Community Center has slots available in its free after-school program for elementary and middle school students. The center, 5920 Summers Lane, Bailey’s Crossroads, provides educational, cultural, and recreational activities in a safe, nurturing environment. It’s open 1-6 p.m. on Mondays and 3-6 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and is open to to everyone … Continued
Man charged with soliciting minors for sex
A Springfield man has been charged in federal court with “coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity,” the Fairfax County Police Department reported March 13. The arrest of Kenneth A. Brauckmann, 50, of 7303 Calamo Street, was the result of an investigation conducted by detectives from the FCPD’s Child Exploitation … Continued
No date set for opening of Silver line
The Tysons Corner Station. Metro’s new Silver line will open at some point within in the next few months, but Richard Sarles, general manager and CEO of the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA), would not pin down a specific date at a meeting with the Fairfax Committee of 100 March 11. The Silver line … Continued
FCPS leaders urge supervisors to avert school budget crisis
A fourth-grade class at Mason Crest Elementary School. Now that the Board of Supervisors has released an advertised budget for fiscal year 2015 that would only provide a 2 percent increase in the amount of funds to be transferred to Fairfax County Public Schools—rather than a 5.7 percent increase sought by Superintendent Karen Garza and … Continued
Neighborhood Spotlight: Annandale Acres
Beverly Street Annandale Acres is a mix of new and old and small and large houses, but what really sets it apart from other neighborhoods are the large lots. It’s always been zoned R-1 (one acre per unit), and residents several times beat back attempts to rezone it for higher density. Annandale Acres might well … Continued
Beautify your yard with organic gardening
A garden created by Prior Unity Garden. By Marie Reinsdorf If you are not yet growing some of your own food in your backyard, you can do it—and in such a way that your food plants are part of beautiful landscaping. Debby Ward offered lots of advice on how to do that in a presentation … Continued
Preliminary schedule set for Mason District summer concerts
The first concert, June 1 at Mason District Park, features the Toast Big Band, seen here performing at the park last summer. [Photo from a video by Bob Kovacs.] The preliminary schedule for free Spotlight by Starlight concerts this summer has been set. The shows are presented by the Fairfax County Park Authority and Friends … Continued
Medical building under construction in Merrifield
The design for the new building from Avison Young. A medical office building is under construction at 8120 Gatehouse Road, Merrifield, on the site of a long-closed Sir Walter Raleigh Inn restaurant. (The one-time local restaurant chain is down to just one location, in Berwyn Heights, Md.) Construction under way at 8120 Gatehouse Road. The … Continued
Q and A: New housing projects and the impact on school overcrowding
Construction has started on a multifamily housing complex in Seven Corners. With lots of new development under way or planned in the Annandale/Mason area, lots of people are wondering how that will affect the already overcrowded public schools. We asked Fairfax County Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Platenberg, who’s in charge of the Department … Continued
Woodson community comes together to focus on suicide prevention
A poster on a Woodson High School hallway has photos of Woodson alumni holding signs showing their support for the school and current students. Following the presumed suicide of two Woodson High School students in recent days, hundreds of parents, students, and educators packed the school’s auditorium last night to comfort one another and learn … Continued
Two women sexually assaulted in Bailey’s Crossroads
Note: Scroll to the end for a surprising update. Police are investigating two incidents in which women were sexually assaulted near commercial businesses in the Bailey’s Crossroads area, a bulletin from the Mason Police District reported on March 5. The most recent incident took place on Friday, Jan. 31, around 6 p.m. A 28-year-old woman … Continued
Residents urged to clear sidewalks
Nice job, neighbor. With schools reopening Wednesday (two hours late), Fairfax County Public Schools urges residents to remove snow and ice from sidewalks to ensure safety for children who walk to school and bus stops. “Neither the Virginia Department of Transportation nor the county clears snow and ice from public walkways,” a message from FCPS … Continued
Board of Supervisors to consider two-cent increase in tax rate
The Board of Supervisors The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted March 4 to advertise a fiscal year 2015 real estate tax rate of $1.105 per $100 of assessed value. That’s a two-cent increase from the current rate of $1.085. “Advertising a higher rate sets an upper threshold as budget decisions are considered,” said BoS … Continued