Volunteers needed for stream clean-up
Volunteers will be cleaning up streambeds throughout the D.C. region—including several locations in the Annandale area—this Saturday, April 10, as part of the 22nd annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. The regional effort, sponsored by the Alice Ferguson Foundation is aimed at removing trash from parks, parking lots, and fields before it enters creeks and other waterways that drain into … Continued
Hazards lurking in basements and kitchens can cause fires, Fairfax County fire marshal warns
What appears to be a normal suburban house could be hiding a dangerous powder keg ready to explode. Time after time, Captain Jim Sobota of the Fairfax County fire marshal’s office, has discovered unsafe quantities of gasoline, propane, and hazardous chemicals lurking in basements and garages—and posing significant fire hazards. Sobota described his office’s responsibilities … Continued
Volunteers need to help Fairfax County control Canada Geese population
Fairfax County is seeking volunteer “goose addlers” to help control the growing population of Canada geese. Addling is a humane practice, in which the goose eggs are coated with oil to prevent them from hatching. Anyone interested in joining this volunteer effort is invited to attend a hands-on training session Monday, April 5, 1:30-3 p.m., … Continued
Maps show plans for Braddock Road beltway bridge and access routes to beltway
The areas in yellow are two-way traffic; green = construction zone; red = structures under construction; blue = pedestrian access. Phase 1 – to be completed by May 2010: Phase 3 – East bound traffic is shifted to the new eastbound bridge, and westbound traffic is shifted to a new westbound bridge: Phase 4 – … Continued
Residents near the beltway raise concerns about traffic congestion and noise
People who live close to the beltway in the Annandale area raised some concerns about noise and traffic congestion during the beltway widening/HOT lanes project at a briefing Tuesday evening at Annandale High School. The $2 billion project involves widening 14 miles of the beltway between the I95 and 395 interchanges at Springfield and just … Continued
Items for time capsule sought
A time capsule will be buried at the re-opening ceremony for the Thomas Jefferson Library on Arlington Boulevard this summer. Renovations of the library are nearing completion. Items sought for the time capsule include written materials, photos, or small objects that relate to the neighborhood around the library or your family’s history, or small token from … Continued
AARP volunteers providing help with tax returns
If you’ve been putting off getting your taxes done, the AARP Tax Aide program can help. Volunteers are providing free walk-in assistance with federal and state tax returns at the Mason District Government Center, 6507 Columbia Pike. The service is available Mondays and Thursdays, 1-8 p.m.; Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. All … Continued
Litter clean-up ideas offered
Daren Shumate of the Parklawn community is tired of picking up trash from the ball fields his children use and around schoolyards and along roadways. He told a group of community leaders at a meeting in Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross’ office March 27 that he regularly fills up six bags of trash on a … Continued
Parking violators: Your neighbors are watching
You might not be aware about some of the ways you can get a ticket for parking the wrong way on your street. Parking your car in the wrong direction, even in front of your house, for example, is illegal, as is parking perpendicular to the curb in a cul-de-sac. And you can’t park more … Continued
VDOT holds community meeting on HOT Lanes
The VDOT Megaprojects Office will host a briefing March 30 at 7 p.m. at Annandale High School on the HOT Lanes projects and the new Little River Turnpike bridge over the beltway. Construction of the eastbound bridge is almost complete. Once the new bridge opens, all traffic will be shifted to the new bridge, allowing … Continued
Proposed school budget cuts could pose financial burden for Annandale families
The proposed budget cuts for the Fairfax County Public Schools could have some major implications for Annandale families. The FCPS school board adopted an advertised budget calling for $2.3 billion in operating funds for fiscal year 2011. If this budget ends up being adopted, here is what it could mean for students and parents: You … Continued
Police release photo of bank robbery suspect
Fairfax County police have released this photo of the person suspected in the robbery of the Wachovia Bank branch at 7620 Little River Turnpike in Annandale (near the Hummer Road intersection) at around noon on March 16. The suspect approached a 20-year-old woman behind the counter, passed her a note, and demanded money. The victim … Continued
Annandale hosts Heisey class show
Glass collectors from all over the nation are converging at the Annandale Fire Station’s bingo hall this weekend for the 37th Annual All-Heisey Glass Show and Sale. All the glassware on display—vases, figurines, dinnerware, cake stands, punch bowls, drinking glasses—and much more—were produced by A.H. Heisey & Co., founded in Newark, Ohio, in 1896. The … Continued
Parklawn hosts fundraiser at Dogfish Head Ale House Tuesday
On Tuesday, March 23, a percentage of the money spent all day at the Dogfish Head Ale House on Route 7 in the Seven Corners Shopping Center will be donated to the Parklawn Community’s efforts to improve Glasgow Park. The Parklawn community has received a Neighborhood Enhancement grant from Fairfax County to rehabilitate the park, but … Continued
Fairfax County’s proposed budget cuts: The impact on Annandale
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will be making some difficult decisions as it addresses the county’s $257.2 million budget shortfall. At Supervisor Penny Gross’s Town Hall meeting earlier this week, County Executive Anthony Griffin said, “We just can’t raise the tax rate,” noting that people are not seeing their incomes increase, and many are, … Continued