Pedestrian killed in school bus accident in Annandale
A dangerous intersection. A man struck by a Fairfax County school bus in Annandale has died, the Mason Police District reported Sept. 21. Falls Church High School students were on the bus at the time of the accident. Joon Seok Ahn, 89, of 6925 Columbia Pike, was walking westbound and entered the crosswalk at Columbia Pike/Gallows … Continued
Community input sought on how to pay for transportation as state funding runs out
Fairfax County will be holding a series of community outreach meetings over the next couple of months to explore what the public thinks should be done about paying for transportation in light of diminished state funding.Various options are on the table, including a meals tax. The meeting for Mason District residents will be Oct. 1, … Continued
Scene around A-Town: A peace sign on the AHS football field
Annandale High School students in the Peer Mediation program organized a human peace sign on the football field Sept. 21 to commemorate the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the online edition of Annandale A-Blast reported.
ReBuild founder Paul Hughes remembered as advocate of sustainability
ReBuild Warehouse founder and executive director Paul Hughes, who died suddenly of a heart attack Sept. 15 at age 68, is being remembered as a champion of sustainability and environmental activism. “He had an environmental vision which is sorely needed, and he devoted his life to promoting this cause, as well as many others,” states … Continued
Great gardens: No more lawn at this Annandale home
The Essers’ front yard. This is the first article in what we hope will be a series on extraordinary gardens in the Annandale area. Please email suggestions for other gardens to highlight. The entire lot surrounding Cam Esser’s house in the Truro community of Annandale is grass-free. Instead of a lawn, there are all sorts … Continued
Dedication ceremony held for Mason Crest Elementary School
Third-graders sing the Mason Crest school song. The Mason Crest Elementary School gym was a sea of parents and teachers, plus a few students, many dressed in the school colors red and black, as local dignitaries officially launched the new school with a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Sept. 18 dedication for Annandale’s newest school, held … Continued
Lake Barcroft Village will help older residents stay in their homes
The Lake Barcroft Village, an aging-in-place organization aimed at helping older residents stay in their homes, is on target to officially launch in January 2013. So far, 28 members and 70 volunteers have signed up and the group has raised $25,000, Dale Gianturco, treasurer of the Lake Barcroft Village, said at the organization’s September meeting. … Continued
The battle of the soups: Pho Hoa vs. Gom Ba Woo
The pho at Pho Hoa By James Moon In some bouts, competitors start from opposite corners. But in Annandale two small, opposing restaurants known for their soup, have shared the same corner, overlooking Columbia Pike at Tom Davis Drive for years. To the left is Pho Hoa (7133-B Columbia Pike), a Vietnamese noodle soup specialist … Continued
Wow! houses: A dome in Annandale Acres
Charles “Chip” Emmons had always been a fan of Buckminster Fuller, the visionary inventor of the geodesic dome. So you could say the house he and his wife, Betty, built in Annandale in 2001, based on that concept, is truly their dream house. Chip says a dome house has one-third more surface area and “the … Continued
MOM’s offers organic, environmentally friendly groceries
Organic produce at MOM’s Market. MOM’s Organic Market, the grocery store that opened in the Mosaic District in Merrifield Sept. 14, puts a high value on organic food and environmentally friendly practices. And that means it doesn’t sell bottled water. [In case you’re not familiar with the harm of bottled water: It creates a huge … Continued
FCPS committee recommends that FLA charter school application not be approved
A Charter School Review Committee, convened by Fairfax County Public Schools to evaluate the application submitted by the Fairfax Leadership Academy (FLA) has recommended that the school board “not accept” the application “as submitted.” A report by the committee, released by FCPS Sept. 14 says the “the proposal as currently described should not be approved” … Continued
Beltway toll lanes expected to open by the end of the year
The Gallows Road exit on the beltway. If you’re one of those people vowing to never pay to drive on the beltway or feel the new Express lanes (they’re not called HOT lanes anymore) promote a class system, with the affluent able to pay for a less-congested trip, the companies developing the new system want … Continued
Support groups forming for women and children abuse victims
The Fairfax County Office for Women and Domestic and Sexual Violence Services is hosting three free, confidential support groups in the Annandale area. [The exact location isn’t being disclosed to the public to protect the participants.] A support group for women survivors of domestic abuse (physical, emotional, or verbal) starts Wednesday, Oct. 17. It meets … Continued
Bank customers cheated by ‘skimmer’ on Inova Fairfax ATM
This “skimmer” was removed by police. Fairfax County police from the Mason district report that a “skimmer” in an ATM machine in the lobby of the Inova Fairfax Hospital Cardiac Care Center has been used to steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting employees, patients, friends, and family members since late August. There have been no … Continued
Ground broken for new Inova women’s and children’s hospitals
A rendering of the new hospital. Inova Health System senior leaders, elected officials, government representatives, and donors gathered at a groundbreaking ceremony for a $400 million Women’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus Sept. 10 on Gallows Road, east of Annandale. The 650,000-square-foot building is the second phase of the Inova Fairfax … Continued