Tag: community organizations
Library staff, supporters battling plan to overhaul library system
George Mason Regional Library. With a crucial library board meeting approaching, library employees and “friends” groups are mobilizing support from officials, community groups, and patrons to urge the board to roll back plans to restructure the library system and downgrade the professional qualifications of employees. The Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees will consider major … Continued
Annandale Boy Scout achieves Eagle status at age 14
Michael Paladino (right) recites the Eagle Promise with Scoutmaster Larry Wood. Very few Boy Scouts make it to the Eagle Scout level and it’s much rarer to achieve that distinction before entering high school. That makes Michael Paladino’s accomplishments that much more remarkable. He was just 14 when he achieved Eagle Scout status, the highest … Continued
Opponents of I-95 ramp continuing to press for pollution monitoring
Pylons for the ramp are under construction. After months of trying to get government officials to halt construction of a ramp on Interstate 95 between the Edsall Road and Route 236 exits, members of the citizen advocacy group Concerned Residents of Landmark are disappointed that the ramp is being built, but “we haven’t given up,” … Continued
Board of Supervisors approves Fairfax Forward land use process
Board hearings take place in the Fairfax County Government Center. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a new, more comprehensive process for reviewing and making changes in the county’s land use plan. The new system, known as Fairfax Forward, replaces the current Area Plans Review (APR) system for updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan. Fairfax … Continued
Lifetime Leadership Program helps retirees give back to community
Retirees finally have time to pursue hobbies and relax, but for those who’ve accumulated a lifetime of skills and knowledge, the Lifetime Leadership Program (LLP) offers a way to use their expertise in a personally rewarding way to make a difference in their communities. The LLP seeks retirees who want to move their lives from … Continued
Public invited to free film Sunday on Islamic art
The public is invited to a free screening of a documentary film, “Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World,” followed by a discussion, Sunday, June 16, 3-7 p.m., at the Mason Government Center. Refreshments will be served. The event is organized by Bridging the Gap, Connecting the Faithful, a nonprofit organization founded by Rafia Syeed, … Continued
VDOT is failing to play fair in the I-395 ramp pollution issue
Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton (left) with local residents at the ramp site. Residents of the Landmark area are “deeply disappointed” in VDOT’s failure to address their concerns about the impact of dangerously high levels of pollution resulting from a new ramp on Interstate 395. Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton, Fairfax County Chair … Continued
Join the Culmore Cleanup this Saturday
Culmore Cleanup volunteers at last year’s event. Local residents are encouraged to join the 2013 Spring Culmore Cleanup Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon. This semi-annual event has been going on for more than 10 years. It’s a huge collaborative effort that brings together teams from many organizations and companies, as well as individual volunteers, who not only … Continued
Work group clarifies vision for Korean community center
A working group made up of representatives from the Korean community, many of them with ties to Annandale, is making progress in formalizing their objectives for developing a Korean community center. William Hwang was selected as the coordinator of the Korean Community Center Work Group. Hwang is president and CEO of Young Won Trading Inc., … Continued
Annandale youth engagement initiative in the works
Annandale youths on Medford Drive on a recent afternoon. Annandale stakeholders have come together to develop recommendations for a youth engagement initiative. The Annandale Community Planning Group (CPG), an outgrowth of the Annandale dialogues on diversity, is facilitated by the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS). At the group’s second meeting, Feb. … Continued
Korean community center under discussion
A group of local Korean business and nonprofit leaders are discussing options for establishing a Korean community center. A location hasn’t been determined yet, although Annandale would be a good choice, as it’s the commercial center for the Korean community, and a center here could spur more redevelopment activity. On the other hand, it could … Continued
Mason District Council urges county to take action on litter
Litter by a parking lot in central Annandale. The Mason District Council (MDC) passed a resolution Feb. 21 calling on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Police Department to enforce the state law banning litter and to “adopt more stringent standards in litter prevention by increasing litter enforcement throughout the year.” … Continued
Annandale stakeholders to develop youth engagement initiative
A group of Annandale stakeholders—including community and business leaders—is being formed to develop an action plan for a youth engagement initiative in Annandale. In a separate but related effort, a series of focus group meetings has been scheduled to elicit the opinions of various ethnic groups on “livability” issues in Annandale. Those efforts build on … Continued
When it comes to cleaning up VDOT property, no good deed goes unpunished
You might think if a community comes together and spends countless hours cleaning a small plot of public land, that would be a good thing, right? It’s a great example of people putting in some sweat equity to improve their neighborhood. The Virginia Department of Transportation doesn’t think so. The site in question is on … Continued
Lake Barcroft Village will help older residents stay in their homes
The Lake Barcroft Village, an aging-in-place organization aimed at helping older residents stay in their homes, is on target to officially launch in January 2013. So far, 28 members and 70 volunteers have signed up and the group has raised $25,000, Dale Gianturco, treasurer of the Lake Barcroft Village, said at the organization’s September meeting. … Continued