Charter school would offer dual enrollment with NOVA
FCHS parents put up these signs outside the meeting Founders of the charter school proposed for Fairfax County presented their vision to a packed room at a public meeting hosted by Fairfax County Public Schools at the FCPS headquarters building in Falls Church June 12. The Fairfax County School Board is scheduled to hold a … Continued
Allen, Perkins, Moran ace primaries
There were no big surprises in the results of the Virginia primary Tuesday. In the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, former Virginia Gov. George Allen easily won the chance to go up against former Democratic governor Tim Kaine in November. They are vying for the open seat left by Sen. Jim Webb (D), who … Continued
Annandale drivers to be affected by road work on Little River Turnpike
Parts of Little River Turnpike will be upgraded this summer, which could mean delays on your nighttime trips. Milling (removing the old road surface) and resurfacing will be carried out from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. (or 9 a.m. on weekends) according to this schedule: May 15-June 30—Both directions between Hummer Road/Heritage Drive and Oasis … Continued
Property maintenance issues plague Mason District
4026 Arcadia Road Neighborhood activists concerned about declining property maintenance are increasingly frustrated about the lack of action by government officials, although the county’s ability to act is limited. “If there is not a law that keeps rogue homeowners from creating dangerous and unsafe habitable conditions in Fairfax County, then there should be one,” says … Continued
FXCO School Board to consider later start times for high school
By Laurie Lindberg As you may have heard, the Fairfax County School Board passed a resolution in April that requires the superintendent to report back to the board about how other school systems have been able to provide high school start times after 8 a.m. The school board directed the superintendent to identify successful approaches … Continued
Ambitious bike plan proposed for Fairfax County
Bikes parked in front of the George Mason library How would you like to see central Annandale circled with bike routes connecting Gallows Road, Village Drive, Chatelaine Road, John Marr Drive, McWhorter Place, Markham Drive, Annandale Road and Maple Street? And how about bike lanes along Gallows, Annandale Road, Hummer Road, and Backlick Road and … Continued
Longtime Annandale shops, AnnSandra and Party Co., are expanding
With so many Annandale businesses closing in recent months (Bloom, Room Store, Sunset Grille, to name a few), it’s nice to see some retail expansion going on. The Party Co., at 4421 John Marr Drive, is planning to relocate to the much larger space that used to house Super Pets in the same strip mall. … Continued
ExxonMobil leaving Fairfax County – along with 2,100 jobs
ExxonMobil’s Merrifield campus ExxonMobil will close its 118-campus in Merrifield, the company announced June 6, and will relocate that operation to Houston, beginning in early 2014. That means a loss of 2,100 jobs for Fairfax County. That complex, which is owned by Exxon Mobil, housed the offices of ExxonMobil’s Refining and Supply Co., ExxonMobil Research … Continued
Parents, community get a first look at Annandale’s newest elementary school
The entrance, with the office on the left. Parents, community residents, and students are getting their first look at Mason Crest Elementary School, as the principal, Brian Butler, and his staff are conducting tours of Annandale’s newest school over the next couple of weeks. [See the school’s website for a tour schedule.] Mason Crest will … Continued
Merrifield offers model for redevelopment
The Mosaic District at Merrifield shows what could be happening in central Annandale if developers and property owners could get their act together. The first store to open at the Mosaic development will be the Target, set to open in October. The Angelika Film Center is slated to open in spring 2013. The other stores … Continued
Man arrested for extorting money from Annandale business owners
Federal officials have charged a Korean man with extorting money from Annandale business owners by threatening to report them for employing illegal immigrants, the Washington Examiner reports. Je Hyung Yoo, 29, was charged in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats of violence. Yoo, also known as “Justice,” … Continued
FCPS holds public meeting on proposed charter school
The public is invited to a meeting on the charter school application submitted by the founders of the Fairfax Leadership Academy (FLA). The meeting will take place Tuesday, June 12, 7:30 p.m., at the Gatehouse Center, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church. It will cover the objectives and instructional approach of the proposed charter school, its … Continued
Land use experts weigh in on revitalization strategies for Seven Corners
The pedestrian bridge over Arlington Boulevard With Fairfax County in the earliest stages of exploring redevelopment possibilities for Seven Corners, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) issued a brief report in May outlining how land use experts think the area can be improved. Fairfax County’s efforts for dealing with Seven Corners began with a “visioning exercise” … Continued
The sun sets on Annandale’s dive bar
The Thrillbillys final set at the Sunset Grille The regular crowd turned out in droves last night to rock out to the Thrillbillys one last time at the Sunset Grille. The popular nightspot shut down for good on May 31, as the owner, Shel Youtz, determined it’s no longer financially viable. Revenue has been declining … Continued
Voters’ guide to the primaries
Primary elections on Tuesday, June 12, will determine a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, a Republican House of Representatives candidate for the 11th district, and a Democratic candidate for the 8th congressional district. Republican primary-Senate Voters in the Republican primary will have a chance to choose one of these four Senate candidates to fill … Continued