Annandale carnival opens Thursday
The 2013 carnival features a ferris wheel. The carnies are setting up the rides for the Annandale carnival, opening tomorrow at 5 p.m. The carnival is back in its traditional spot in the Kmart parking lot, after moving to the bowling alley parking lot last year. The carnival is open June 6-14, Mondays-Thursdays 5-11 p.m., … Continued
Crane falls on roof of Canterbury Woods Elementary School
Crane hits the roof of Canterbury Woods Elementary School [photo from WUSA]. A small crane crashed onto the roof of Canterbury Woods Elementary School in Annandale at about 8:40 a.m., June 4, just before students were scheduled to arrive, according to news reports. Staff members were in the building at the time; no one was … Continued
Meet former NBA star at Collector’s World Grand Re-Opening
Sports memorabilia collectors, comic book fans, and everyone else is invited to the Grand Re-Opening of Collector’s World Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Annandale Shopping Center. Enjoy free food, prizes, raffles and meet special guest Gheorghe Muresan, who played for the Washington Bullets from 1991 to 2006. At 7 feet, 7 inches, … Continued
VA lt. governor candidates Chopra and Northam square off in debate
Left to right: Aneesh Chopra, moderator Rex Simmons, and Ralph Northam. The two candidates running in the Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor—Aneesh Chopra and Ralph Northam—agree on a lot of key policy issues, such as women’s access to healthcare and the need to curb gun violence. One area where they differ is campaign tactics. … Continued
Korean community center task force has challenging agenda
Plans to establish a Korean community center in Fairfax County are proceeding despite conflicts over leadership within the task force set up to organize the project. The task force members include representatives of several Korean social service and business organizations. William Hwang, former president of the Korean American Association of Virginia, is serving as … Continued
Farewell to Annandale Sport & Health Club
Annandale Sport & Health Club (4317 Ravensworth Road) is closing June 30 “in response to changing market conditions,” states a May 30 letter to members from President and CEO Mark Fisher. The fitness center has been at that location for some 37 or 38 years, an employee says. The facility opened about 50 years ago … Continued
Massive cicada emergence not happening in Annandale
If you’re excitedly anticipating a plague of cicadas, don’t get your hopes up. The Annandale area won’t see a massive load of the bugs. The bulk of Brood II will emerge south of here, says Michael Gates, a USDA research entomologist based at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. He’s seen only about 15 … Continued
Community forums will address needs of older population
Evergreen House, a residence for the independent elderly in Annandale. Fairfax County is planning a series of community forums to gather public input on how to address the needs of a dramatically increasing population of older people. Between 2005 and 2030, the county expects the population of folks 50 and over to increase by 40 … Continued
Mason summer concerts begin June 1
Vietnamese Cultural Night at Ossian Hall Park last summer. Free summer concerts start this weekend at two locations in the Mason District: Mason District Park and Ossian Hall Park. The Spotlight by Starlight concert series opens in Mason District Park Sunday, June 2, with the City of Fairfax Concert Band. There will be shows Sundays, … Continued
Mason land use committee supports Parklawn cell tower
A full house at the May 28 Mason District Land Use Committee meeting. The Mason District Land Use Committee (MDLUC) voted 3-2 May 28 to recommend the Fairfax County Planning Commission approve AT&T’s proposal for a cell tower on property owned by the Parklawn Recreation Association (PRA). The recommendation is for a “mono-pole” with a … Continued
Alexandria Planning Commission to consider Landmark Mall project next week
The central part of Landmark Mall would be demolished. The City of Alexandria Planning Commission has scheduled a hearing for June 4 on a rezoning and special use permit application to clear the way for a mixed-use redevelopment project at Landmark Mall. The City Council will consider the proposal June 15. The Dallas-based developer, the … Continued
County grants available for neighborhood improvement projects
A Mason District Little League game at the Bailey’s Community Center. Park benches, trails, pavilions, tot lots, community-building social events: These are the types of projects funded by Neighborhood Enhancement Partnership Program (NEPP) grants. Community associations, HOAs, and recreation clubs should definitely consider applying for these Fairfax County grants aimed enhancing the quality of life … Continued
Bring kids to Hidden Oaks Nature Center for lots of drop-in activities
Nature Playce, an all-natural play area. Annandale’s Hidden Oaks Nature Center offers lots of nature programs for kids (such as science lessons, animal encounters, campfires, tea parties, and nature-related crafts) that require advanced registration and fees. But there are also a variety of drop-in activities at Hidden Oaks: Nature Playce – An unstructured woodland play … Continued
Cold water greets swimmers on the opening day of area pools
Adrianna Romano, a student at Poe Middle School, dives into the Annandale Swim & Tennis Club pool. It felt more like March than Memorial Day weekend on the opening day for community swimming pools May 25, but that didn’t stop a few brave souls from taking the plunge. Despite a dearth of actual swimmers, local … Continued
We love our team!
Thank you, Blue Jays, the AA Division baseball team in the Mason District Little League, for the beautiful plaque presented to the Annandale Blog in recognition of our sponsorship. Most of the boys on the team attend Bailey’s Elementary School or Columbia Elementary School. The photos here are from the game they played May 21 … Continued