Cop school: the bomb unit
MPO Tom Eggers with the EOD unit’s robots. When a bomb threat was called in to Annandale High School and a suspicious package was left there March 30, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) unit brought its robots to investigate. X-rays conducted by the robots found the contents “completely innocuous,” says Master … Continued
Annandale carnival brings family fun to bowling alley parking lot
Annandale’s annual spring carnival may be just a little harder to find this year, but it’s still got all the rides, games, and junk food as in past years. The carnival has been moved from the Kmart parking lot to the lot in front of the AMF Annandale Lanes bowling alley on Markham Street. Among … Continued
Name sought for Annandale stream that feeds into Accotink Creek
The “unnamed tributary” runs close to the Cross County Trail. Everyone who uses, enjoys, or lives near Wakefield Park is invited to suggest a name for one of the park’s small streams currently known as “Unnamed Tributary to Accotink Creek.” The stream begins east of the beltway, runs through a culvert at the entrance to … Continued
Cop school: The SWAT team
Sgt. Reiff describes the SWAT team uniform If your neighborhood is swarming with police officers running around in heavy jumpsuits and helmets, chances are there’s a SWAT team operation in progress. They could be dealing with a barricade situation, home invasion, or some other type of tactical mission. The officers won’t have time to chat … Continued
Nancy Pelosi draws record crowd at fundraiser
Del. David Bulova and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi share a moment at the FDR Dinner By Judith Fogel It was a packed ballroom Sunday night as local Democrats turned out for an elegant evening at the McLean Hilton in Tysons Corner. The main attraction was congressional Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who headlined the first … Continued
Parking lot expansion proposed for Yechon restaurant
The house (on the left) could be torn down to make room for a bigger parking lot for Yechon (right) The owner of Yechon, the Korean barbecue/sushi restaurant at 4121 Hummer Road, Annandale, is seeking a zoning special exception for a parking lot expansion. The request is expected to come before the Fairfax County Planning … Continued
Kory’s Report from Richmond: McDonnell dropped the ball on transportation
For a state with the motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis,” the commonwealth of Virginia places a surprising level of budgetary discretion in the hands of its governor. After a grueling three-month campaign for sanity, waged primarily by the Senate Democrats, weeks later than expected, the General Assembly passed and sent a budget to Gov. McDonnell. The … Continued
Elderly people with memory loss targeted by home repair scammers
What do Gypsies, Irish Travelers, and woodchucks all have in common? They’re prowling the streets of Annandale looking for people they can rip off, especially elderly people with mental deterioration. Det. Ryan Young of the Mason Police District spoke at a recent Citizens Advisory Committee meeting about how these scammers are operating unscrupulous home improvement … Continued
A great day for a bed race
A major Annandale tradition took place Saturday morning, the annual bed race, sponsored by the Annandale Chamber of Commerce, to benefit Virginia Special Olympics. The three finalists race down John Marr Drive Rep. Gerry Connolly (right) with the Beanetics team The Connolly-Beanetics team awarded plaques for finishing in second place. Supervisor Penny Gross … Continued
Linconia Park Rec Club uses county grant to enhance streetscape
The Lincolnia Park Recreation Club (LPRC) parleyed a $3,000 Fairfax County Neighborhood Enhancement Partnership Program grant into what is likely to be $25,000 worth of landscaping when the project is completed. About 60 to 70 members of the pool—with assistance from other residents of the Lincolnia Park-Heywood Glen neighborhood and students from Holmes Middle School—spent … Continued
Property maintenance is huge issue in Annandale
4021 Oxford St., Annandale, was cited for multiple occupancy and multiple dwelling violations in fall 2011. The problems have been resolved. Residents of Annandale and the Mason District area are becoming increasingly unhappy about the lack of property maintenance—and are growing frustrated at county officials’ failure to act quickly enough. Among the problems cited by … Continued
Annandale blog marks third anniversary
It’s hard to believe, but today is the third anniversary of the Annandale blog. When the first article was posted (it was about the beltway construction) on May 4, we had no idea the blog would still be going strong in 2012, or how it would evolve. Back then, the goal was to post at … Continued
Cop school: Animal Services
Fairfax County has a pilot program to test the 4-poster system for combating deer ticks that spread Lyme disease. [photo from 21st Century Deer Management.] The work of the Fairfax County Police Department isn’t all about chasing bad guys; sometimes it’s about chasing a rabid raccoon or catching an aggressive dog. That’s because a key … Continued
Skate plaza proposed for empty lot in central Annandale
The lot proposed for a skate plaza, with the ACCA building in the background. There’s a small, derelict lot in the center of Annandale, in between the fire station and the Annandale Christian Community for Action building on Columbia Pike, that would be a perfect spot for a skate plaza. There aren’t that many … Continued
FCPS approves new school bell schedule
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has changed the opening and closing times for some schools to improve bus efficiency while accommodating the influx of about 4,000 new students. Schools in the Annandale/Mason District area with new bell schedules include Annandale Terrace, Bailey’s, Braddock, Bren Mar Park, Columbia, Glenn Forest, Ravensworth, Sleepy Hollow, Weyanoke, and Woodburn … Continued