Annandale Boy Scout achieves Eagle status at age 14
Michael Paladino (right) recites the Eagle Promise with Scoutmaster Larry Wood. Very few Boy Scouts make it to the Eagle Scout level and it’s much rarer to achieve that distinction before entering high school. That makes Michael Paladino’s accomplishments that much more remarkable. He was just 14 when he achieved Eagle Scout status, the highest … Continued
Peruvian cultural heritage showcased at Ossian Hall Park
The cultural heritage celebration at Ossian Hall Park in Annandale Aug. 24 featured traditional music and dance from different regions of Peru. The program was organized by Centro Cultural Peru, a nonprofit organization that promotes Peruvian dance and folklore. Tinkuy uses a mix of traditional and modern instruments. Marinera Nortena, a dance from the … Continued
Fairfax County hosts free workshops for business owners
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority starts its third annual Marketing Communications Strategies and Tactics workshop series for entrepreneurs and business owners next month. There are five sessions, and they’re all free: Sept. 18: Promoting Your Startup—Musts and Mistakes Nov. 20: Affordable Ways to Advertise Your Small Business Jan. 15, 2014: LinkedIn for Marketing Pros … Continued
VietFest this weekend at Landmark Mall
Lion dance. Celebrate all things Vietnamese—food, entertainment, contests, culture, and much more—this weekend at the second annual VietFest at the Sears parking lot at Landmark Mall, 5801 Duke St., Alexandra. This year’s theme is “Beautiful Vietnam.” Highlights include a pho-eating competition (1 p.m. Aug. 24 and 25), a crawfish eating competition (12:30 p.m. both days), … Continued
Vanessa Pham’s killer gets 49 years
Vanessa Pham A jury recommended a 49-year prison sentence for Julio Blanco Garcia Aug. 22, just two hours after they found him guilty of first-degree murder for killing Vanessa Pham, age 19, three years ago. Pham’s body had been found in a car in a ditch on the side of Route 50 in Merrifield with … Continued
Opponents of I-95 ramp continuing to press for pollution monitoring
Pylons for the ramp are under construction. After months of trying to get government officials to halt construction of a ramp on Interstate 95 between the Edsall Road and Route 236 exits, members of the citizen advocacy group Concerned Residents of Landmark are disappointed that the ramp is being built, but “we haven’t given up,” … Continued
Annandale kids ready for school
Students pick up free backpacks full of school supplies. Thousands of Annandale kids are ready for school, thanks to the many donors and volunteers who took part in the first-ever Annandale Pyramid Back-to-School Resource Fair Aug. 21 at Annandale High School. Kids and their parents started lining up two hours before the doors opened at … Continued
Deer hunting in Annandale starts Sept. 7
Roundtree Park on Annandale Road. Only two people attended the public meeting on Fairfax County’s deer hunting program Aug. 20. Maybe the low turnout had to do with the inconvenient time, 6 p.m., and remote location at the Fairfax County South County Center on Richmond Highway, which is nearly as far as Mount Vernon. The … Continued
Celebrate National Dog Day at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter
This dog needs a home. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter will be celebrating National Dog Day this weekend with no-fee dog and puppy adoptions along with fun activities. Normally, the fee for adopting a dog is $40. The shelter is at 4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax. The celebration takes place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 24 … Continued
Public invited to end-of-summer party at Edsall Park Pool
The Edsall Park pool. The Edsall Park Swim Club is having a big end-of-summer Pool Party Blast Aug. 31, and you’re all invited. There will be a whole day full of fun activities, including a pancake breakfast at 10:30 a.m., a cardboard regatta at 2 p.m., and a barbecue and chili cook-off 5 p.m.-8 p.m. … Continued
Free summer concerts draw crowds to Mason District Park
One of the recent shows at Mason District Park in Annandale featured the Patty Reese Band. The video, shot by Bob Kovacs, is Reese’s version of “Piece of My Heart,” the Janis Joplin classic. “It’s not an easy song to do convincingly, and Patty convinces from beginning to end,” says Kovacs. On Aug. 9, Caravan … Continued
Speed humps proposal for Old Columbia Pike not sitting well with Pinecrest HOA
Old Columbia Pike by the intersection with Elmdale Road. Some residents of the Pinecrest community feel it is unfair that they they’re being excluded from voting on a proposal to put speed humps on Old Columbia Pike. A group of people who live close to Old Columbia Pike earlier formed a task force, the first … Continued
What’s wrong with moss?
This is the third piece in a three-part series on lawns by Jim McGlone, an urban forest conservationist in the Virginia Department of Forestry. The first piece, published April 9, explored the forces at play in the popularization of the “great American lawn.” The second article, published April 23, described how to keep your lawn … Continued
Carwash tomorrow to support AHS band
Members of the Annandale Marching Atoms will be washing cars on Saturday, Aug. 17, at two locations to support the band programs at Annandale High School. The car washing will be taking place at the Pinecrest Exxon at 6566 Little River Turnpike and the Ravensworth Sunoco at 8011 Braddock Road, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Annandale home prices up 14 percent over this time last year
This five-bedroom house on Chanel Road in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood in Annandale is listed at $750,000. The average price of homes sold in Annandale (zip code 22003) in July was $469,638, a 14 percent increase over June 2012, according to data provided by Annandale realtor Vivianne Couts, of the Couts Group with Coldwell Banker. … Continued