We remember Virginia Tech
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech. On April 16, 2007, a student at the university in Blacksburg went on a shooting rampage, killing 32 people and wounding 25 others. Among the victims was Mary Read of Annandale, a 19-year-old freshman who graduated from Annandale High School in 2006. Friends and … Continued
White Horticultural Park was saved from development
There’s a “secret garden” in the Mason District, a 13.5-acre parcel of woods and meadow that will never be developed. For that, we can thank Margaret White for her generosity in selling her homestead to the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) in 1999 for much less than she could have gotten from a developer … Continued
Democrats open campaign office
With the opening of an Organizing for America office at Loehmann’s Plaza in Falls Church April 14, the campaign to re-elect President Obama is officially up and running in Fairfax County. The office will serve as a hub for volunteers engaged in phone banking, door-to-door canvassing, and other campaign activities on behalf of Obama and … Continued
Scene around A-town: Bluebells
Bluebells along the Cross County Trail near Wakefield Park
Play ball! Little League in full swing
Team members and sponsors, including Mr. TD from TD Bank, joined in the “parade of champions” as part of the opening day ceremonies for the Annandale-North Springfield Little League this morning at Pine Ridge Park in Annandale.
Fuddruckers will close May 1
Want to have a last meal at Fuddruckers before the restaurant closes? You’ve only got a couple of weeks. Fudds’ last day will be April 30, says manager John Hannah. The building will be demolished, and a Walgreens drug store with a drive-through pharmacy will be constructed on that site, between Little River Turnpike, Columbia … Continued
Charter school leader Eric Welch reaches out to Graham Road parents
Eric Welch speaks to parents at a Graham Road Elementary School PTA meeting Eric Welch, the founder of a plan to develop Fairfax County’s first charter school reached out to Graham Road Elementary School parents at a PTA meeting April 10 to urge them to consider the school for their children. The Virginia Board of … Continued
New Mexican restaurant to open in central Annandale in July
A model of Buenos Grill The new Mexican restaurant under construction on the corner of Columbia Pike and Evergreen Lane in Annandale is tentatively scheduled to open July 1. Earlier plans to open in April fell through because the permit approvals took longer than expected. Buenos Grill will be a “family-oriented fast food-casual restaurant” serving … Continued
Most residents oppose the plan for redeveloping the Beauregard Corridor
The shopping center on N. Beauregard Street would become a new town center. The vast majority of the residents of Alexandria’s West End who spoke at a community meeting April 9 have major concerns about the city’s revised draft plan for redeveloping the Beauregard Corridor. Among the major complaints from the public: … Continued
Cop school: Gangs still pose a threat in FXCO
The following report about gangs in Fairfax County is based on a presentation by a police detective in the gang unit at the April 5 session of the Citizens Police Academy. The detective often works undercover so he prefers to remain anonymous. Gang graffiti in Fairfax County “The gang problem is not as bad as … Continued
A mad scramble for eggs
Crowds of children brought creatively decorated baskets to Mason District Park in Annandale Saturday morning for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. An incorrect listing on the Parks Authority website sent dozens of people to Hidden Oaks Nature Center by mistake but park staff directed them to the right spot, where they found the Easter Bunny … Continued
Think spring: Flower and plant sale benefits Annandale PTSA
The annual Annandale High School PTSA Flower Madness Plant Sale is now underway. Orders must be placed by April 16. Visit the Flower Madness section on the Annandale PTSA website to submit orders. Plants can be picked up at the school on May 4. The PTSA Plant Sale Committee works with a reputable wholesale nursery to … Continued
Two Annandale churches agree to merge
Immanuel United Methodist Church on Heritage Drive Membership at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Annandale has been slowly declining for a number of a years so, after exploring several options, the church agreed to merge with the much larger Annandale United Methodist Church (UMC). Only about 30 to 50 people come to services regularly at … Continued
Cop school: Probable cause, reasonable suspicion, and the use of force
The following report covers one of the presentations during the fifth week of the Spring 2012 session of the Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy, which took place at the West Springfield Police Station. Day Imagine a local resident sees a youth with a backpack and flashlight looking into cars in the middle of the night … Continued
Golf tournament is Annandale HS PTSA’s biggest fundraiser
Time to loosen up those drivers, sharpen the wedges, and warm up the putters. Spring is in the air and that means the Annandale High School PTSA’s major fundraiser, the Red and White Golf Classic, is right around the corner, reports Rich Fruchterman, who is co-chairing the event with his wife, Sallie Williams. The tournament … Continued