Resident shoots man trying to get into his home
Fairfax County police are investigating a shooting that left a man hospitalized after he attempted to force entry into a home near Lake Barcroft. On Jan. 15, at about 2:30 a.m., a homeowner in the 6400 block of Oakwood Drive called 911 to report an unknown man trying to get into his house, the FCPD … Continued
TJ student is on a mission to reduce light pollution
Rushil Kukreja, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, is so committed to reducing light pollution, he founded a nonprofit organization and is working on drafting legislation to address the problem. He even spoke at a science summit at the United Nations in October on potential solutions. Princia, the 501(c)(3) Rushil … Continued
Annandale-Mason Roundtable presents grant to Scout Troop 150
The Annandale-Mason Roundtable on Jan. 13 presented a $3,000 grant to Scout Troop 150 to expand opportunities for local youths to take part in outdoor activities. The funds are from the proceeds generated by the 2024 Taste of Annandale, a community festival held in September at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space in Annandale. The next … Continued
Police arrest man for burglary and shoplifting
Fairfax County Police arrested a homeless man for burglarizing two local businesses. On Jan. 13, officers responded to a commercial burglary report on the 9400 block of Mathy Drive in Mantua. The victim said the business was burglarized the previous day and provided surveillance footage. Shortly before 3 p.m. on Jan. 13, officers responded to … Continued
Stream restoration planned for Bren Mar Park
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is planning a major stream restoration project at Turkeycock Run in Bren Mar Park. The design is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall of 2025. “Excessive widening of the channel has resulted in significant erosion of the stream banks, leading to … Continued
Northern Virginia Girls Softball Association still going strong after 30 years
Girls are invited to hone their athletic skills, get fit, and have fun by joining the Northern Virginia Girls Softball Association. The NVGSA is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The league encourages families to sign up and “experience the dynamic, empowering environment that has shaped thousands of young athletes.” Registration is currently underway for … Continued
Help a young cancer patient meet her idol
It’s been an incredibly tough year for Cassidy Rajala, an Annandale sixth-grader who’s spent months in the hospital since being diagnosed with leukemia in December 2023. One of the bright spots has been her discovery of pop singer Benson Boone. During her stay at Inova Fairfax Children’s Hospital, the music therapist on staff taught her … Continued
DOJ charges landlords with rent collusion
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint Jan. 7 against six of the nation’s largest landlords accusing them of colluding in algorithmic pricing schemes that result in overcharging renters. That complaint is part of the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit filed in August against RealPage, a property management software company. According to the DOJ, RealPage … Continued
TJ alum, Michael Mukai, named principal
Michael Mukai, the current principal of West Springfield High School, has been named principal of the highly selective Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Mukai was in the very first class at TJHSST when it was converted to a magnet STEM school in 1985. “As we continue the tradition of excellence at Thomas … Continued
Waitlist opens this week for affordable housing for seniors
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority is opening the waitlist for affordable housing at nine properties for older adults on Jan. 13 at 8 a.m. The application window closes at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 19. Applications must be submitted through Rent Café. Instructions for creating an account on Rent Café are available here. To … Continued
Fast-casual eatery coming to Barcroft Plaza
Honeygrow, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in stir-fry bowls and salads, is coming to Barcroft Plaza. It will be located at 6464-A Lincolnia Road in the space formerly occupied by Chico’s Natural Pet Market. It’s expected to open in July, says Issa Abuelhawa, manager of the Honeygrow in Tysons. Customers can order several kinds of stir-fries … Continued
Weekly crime report
The following recent crimes in the Annandale/Mason District area are reported by the Fairfax County Police Department on CityProtect: Jan. 8 Jan. 7 Jan. 6 Jan. 5 Jan. 4 Jan. 3 Jan. 2
Dog grooming school opens in Annandale
The Pawtiques dog grooming salon is now accepting students interested in a career as a dog groomer. The salon, at 4207 Tom Davis Drive in Annandale, has been certified as a dog grooming academy by the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia. The 460-hour, 16-week course includes hands-on and theoretical training covering grooming techniques, … Continued
Ummah Market opens in Culmore
Ummah Market, an international grocery store specializing in products from the Middle East, had a soft opening in Culmore on Jan. 4. The store is located at 6053 Leesburg Pike in a renovated building that formerly housed a Walgreens. Owner Jawad Yousufi is tentatively planning a grand opening on Feb. 1, once additional fine-tuning is … Continued
Leasing underway at Alta Nova apartments
Construction of the Alta Nova apartments in Bailey’s Crossroads is nearly complete, and the first two tenants moved in on Jan. 6, says Moustafa Khan, community manager with Greystar, the company managing the building. Alta Nova, at 5851 Columbia Pike, has 361 apartments. Thirty-five have been leased, Khan says. The project also includes three townhomes … Continued