Sen. Marsden’s Richmond Diary: The 2012 state budget
In this edition of Sen. Dave Marsden’s periodic reports from Richmond, he explains why the Virginia General Assembly has so far failed to pass a budget. There has been much written this past week about Democrats voting down the Senate and House budgets. The Washington Post and other writers seem to think that this is … Continued
FXCO Planning Commission delays vote on infill developments
The Campbell and Ferrara property The Fairfax County Planning Commission again delayed action on proposed infill developments on the Peace Valley Lane and Campbell and Ferrara properties. Both proposals are bitterly opposed by the affected community associations. The commission approved a request by Janet Hall, the planning commissioner representing the Mason District, to defer a … Continued
The Annandale alphabet
All these letters are from signs on businesses in Annandale. Can you identify them? Some should be really easy, while others might be more challenging.
Play ball! It’s registration time for Mason District Little League
Calling all kids age 4-12: Baseball season is starting. Registration for baseball and teeball is now open for the Mason District Little League (MDLL) spring season and will close on March 20. The MDLL is an all-volunteer organization that serves Annandale, Alexandria, and Falls Church. The first games will be April 14 at Mason District … Continued
Efforts underway to coordinate trash cleanups along FXCO streambeds
Trash along the Accotink watershed [photo from Let’s Do It! Virginia] By Liz Kirchner Federal clean water regulations now require counties to show that their water protection strategies are working to reduce trash like plastic bags, bottles, cigarette butts, and food containers in streams and rivers. To do that, Fairfax County is harnessing community concerns … Continued
Fairfax County Republicans go for Romney over Paul
Mitt Romney got 65.2 percent of the vote in Fairfax County in the Republican primary yesterday, which is a bit more than the 59.5 percent statewide vote for Romney, the Virginia Board of Elections reports. The Virginia Republican primary doesn’t have a huge amount of credibility, though, as Ron Paul and Romney were the only … Continued
Library proposed as solution to overcrowded elementary school
Bailey’s Elementary School is way overcrowded, and even if there was funding for an addition, there isn’t enough land, and it isn’t structurally feasible to add another story. So a group of parents have come up with an innovative solution—add some classroom space at the nearby Woodrow Wilson Library, which is scheduled to start renovations … Continued
FXCO Citizens Police Academy offers a glimpse behind the badge
This the first in a series of reports about my experiences in the Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy. A mock shopping center in the Criminal Justice Academy The first session of the Spring 2012 Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy took place March 1 at the Criminal Justice Academy in Chantilly and offered a tour of … Continued
Singing competition to benefit the homeless
Are you or your friends or kids trying to be the next Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood? Here’s your chance to get noticed: Enter the Capital County Challenge—A Battle of the Voices, a competition to showcase up-and-coming vocal talent in the country and country-pop crossover genre. There are two division: ages 8-14 and 15-22. The … Continued
Annandale homeowners face slight rise in tax assessments
Most Annandale residents can expect a slight increase in their property tax assessments for 2011. The assessed value of residential properties in Annandale (zip code 22003) rose 0.06 percent from 2010, Fairfax County reported. That’s below the countywide increase of 0.71 percent. The average value of assessed residential property in Annandale was $366,097, compared to … Continued
Mason Crest Elementary School nearly finished
Here’s the first look inside Mason Crest, Annandale’s new elementary school. The school, in the Broyhill Crest neighborhood, will open in September. Here’s what you see when you walk in the front door. The office is on the right and the School-Age Child Care rooms are on the left. There are two SACC classrooms. The … Continued
Planning commissioner Alcorn selected FXCO Citizen of the Year; Annandale blogger honored, too
Alcorn The Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations has selected Planning Commission Vice President Walter Acorn as the 2011 Citizen of the Year. The federation is honoring Alcorn, a resident of Reston who has served as an at-large member of the Planning Commission since 1997, in recognition of his leadership in revising the county’s complex … Continued
Mason land use committee sides with residents’ concerns on infill development
The revised plan for the Campbell and Ferrera property The people spoke and the Mason District Land Use Committee (MDLUC) listened. After dozens of people offered impassioned pleas to reject infill development and protect the character of established neighborhoods, the committee agreed Feb. 28 not to urge the Fairfax County Planning Commission to approve proposals for higher-density … Continued
Daffodils in February
Spotted these daffodils on a walk through Annandale on Feb. 28, along with lots of crocuses. This spring weather is nice, but it’s not normal. Hope this doesn’t portend a miserably hot summer.
FXCO advertised budget includes 2 percent salary increase
The advertised budget presented by Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin to the board of supervisors Feb. 28 calls for a 2.18 percent salary increase for county employees and increases in stormwater and other fees. The $3.52 billion budget estimates revenue to increase a moderate 3.4 percent in FY 2013. While the budget document anticipates a … Continued