Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia

COVID takes a big bite out of county budget

Fairfax County Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro and Mason Supervisor Penny Gross speak at a virtual Mason District Budget Town Hall.  A virtual budget town hall hosted by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross revealed how much Fairfax County’s economic picture has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic. At the last Mason District budget town hall, on … Continued

Spiritual Support Team aids older residents overwhelmed by coronavirus fears

A Call Center staff member answer questions about COVID-19. The Fairfax County Spiritual Support Team is offering support by telephone to adults age 60 and over who are feeling overwhelmed, scared, isolated, and in need of comfort during the coronavirus pandemic. Fairfax County announced this service in its Emergency Information blog April 20. The team … Continued

Financial aid available for small businesses hurt by pandemic – apply now before the money runs out

If you own a small business that’s facing economic hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic, several new federal programs could provide a lifeline. The office of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) has prepared a guide on the assistance available to small business under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and other sources. These … Continued

Volunteer sought for Annandale Farmers Market

The  Farmers Market at Mason District Park. Britepaths seeks a “highly motivated” volunteer to coordinate the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program at the Annandale Farmers Market. The market, at Mason District Park, operates on Thursday mornings, beginning May 7. The volunteer coordinator would need to be there 7 … Continued

Board of Supervisors renames Merrifield Center for Sharon Bulova

The Merrifield Center. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agree to rename the Merrifield Center for former board chair Sharon Bulova. The Merrifield Center, at 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive in Merrifield, is operated at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. It opened in January 2015. “For more than three decades, Sharon Bulova dedicated her … Continued

Residents take issue with plans for expanding Pine Ridge police facility

An artist’s rendering of the new FCPD Pine Ridge Operations and Support Bureau.  People who live next to the Fairfax County Police Department’s Pine Ridge Operations and Support Bureau in Annandale continue to have concerns with the county’s plan to replace that facility with a new, larger building and reconfigure the site’s layout. The FCPD … Continued

Fewer immigrants applying for childcare

Story time at the CDC. Fewer immigrant families are enrolling their children in the Child Development Center (CDC) operated by the Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) as a result of the climate of fear created by the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant policies. In addition to the high-profile ICE raids and stepped-up deportation actions, the Administration’s … Continued

Guests at new Bailey’s shelter share their stories of homelessness

Robert, a guest at the new Bailey’s shelter, at the reception desk.  Relationships gone bad, alcoholism, overwhelming grief, and bad luck – those are some of the reasons people ended up at the new homeless shelter on Seminary Road in Bailey’s Crossroads. The brand-new Bailey’s Crossroads Shelter and Supportive Housing, as the facility is officially … Continued

New Bailey’s shelter serves most vulnerable members of the community

The nearly completed Bailey’s Shelter and Supportive Housing facility on Seminary Road in Bailey’s Crossroads includes 18 apartments for people transitioning out of homelessness, as well as emergency lodging for 52 men and women. The community will be invited to an open house at the shelter on Nov. 23. Each supportive housing unit has a … Continued