Tag: health

Community members say Diamond Lounge should be shut down
A memorial to Samuel Njikang in the Diamond Lounge parking lot. Friends of Samuel Njikang, who was fatally shot outside the Diamond Lounge in Annandale Oct. 30, say the club should be shut down. Other community members have been complaining for years about unruly mobs and noise at the Diamond. According to the police, there … Continued

New Virginia laws address police reform
Gov. Northam [Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury] Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed a series of laws on police and justice reform that were approved during the General Assembly’s special session. The measures were generally driven by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police this summer. The omnibus policing reform legislation (Senate Bill 5030) … Continued

Work underway on First Watch restaurant
The future home of First Watch. Demolition is underway on the former Ruby Tuesday space in Bailey’s Crossroads to prepare for the new First Watch restaurant. Ruby Tuesday, at 5850 Leesburg Pike in the Crossroads Center, closed in December 2019. First Watch is a daytime café that serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch. It’s open daily, … Continued

Rep. Connolly calls for government to address deficiencies at COVID-ridden Annandale Healthcare Center
The Annandale Healthcare Center, at 6700 Columbia Pike, is run by CommuniCare. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11th District) is urging both the federal government and Virginia Department of Health to take action to improve conditions at the Annandale Healthcare Center (AHC). “It is critical that the facility successfully implements their plan of correction and that they … Continued
Fairfax County board approves townhouses at Graham Park Plaza
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 20 approved a proposal by EYA Development LLC to build 177 townhouses on the western portion of Graham Park Plaza on Arlington Boulevard. Among other actions at the BoS meeting, the supervisors approved a plan for disposal of the Confederate monuments at the judicial complex in Fairfax … Continued
FCPS offers more details on concurrent learning
The concurrent instruction approach, although total class sizes won’t be this small. [FCPS] Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand and other FCPS officials provided more details on concurrent learning and other aspects of the return-to-school plans at a town hall Oct. 19. Several school board members, however, are not happy with the concurrent learning … Continued

Under FCPS return-to-school plan, all students won’t be back until February
The Fairfax Federation of Teachers held a car rally Oct. 15 at the FCPS Gatehouse Administration Center in Merrifield. The Fairfax County School Board has deadlocked, 6-6, on whether to endorse Superintendent Scott Brabrand’s schedule for bringing students back for in-person learning. Under Brabrand’s plan, presented at a school board work session board Oct. 15, … Continued

No ABC special promotions for the holidays
The ABC store on Little River Turnpike in Annandale. Thanks to the COVID pandemic, Virginia ABC stores will not host their usual fall and holiday promotions this year. That includes Door Busters, Spirited Thursdays, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Virginia ABC CEO Travis Hill cites several reasons for the decision: The pandemic has caused distilled … Continued

Volunteers distribute hundreds of meals a week to Annandale’s needy families
Donated food at the AUMC Mission Center on Heritage Drive. As Annandale residents struggle economically during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Annandale United Methodist Church’s Mission Center in Annandale is stepping up to ensure families have enough to eat. The mission center hosts food distribution events four days a week with donations from AUMC members. Demand has … Continued

Fairfax County community centers reopen Oct. 13
The James Lee Community Center [Fairfax County Government] The nine community centers operated by the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services will reopen on a limited basis on Tuesday, Oct. 13. That includes the Bailey’s Community Center on Summers Lane in Bailey’s Crossroads, the James Lee Community Center on Annandale Road in Falls … Continued

Rep. Connolly accuses opponent of hate speech
Rep. Gerry Connolly (left) and Manga Anantatmula. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11th District), who is running for re-election, accused his Republican opponent, Manga Anantatmula, of hate speech during a virtual candidate forum hosted by the Fairfax County NAACP Oct. 3. Connolly, who has represented the Annandale/Mason District area in Congress since 2009, also accused Anantatmula of … Continued

No trick-or-treating, no screaming advised for Halloween: COVID is scary enough
Even without traditional trick-or-treating this year, Halloween can still be fun. The Fairfax County Health Department urges people to avoid door-to-door trick-or-treating and other activities that would pose a risk of contracting COVID-19, but offers several alternatives. The recommendations are based on guidance from the CDC, which also offers recommendations for safely celebrating Día de … Continued

Annandale Healthcare Center failed to tell patients’ families about its huge COVID outbreak
Brenda Roozen celebrates a birthday at the Annandale Healthcare Center. Since the Annandale Blog began reporting on the problems at the Annandale Healthcare Center – and its huge COVID-19 outbreak – families have reached out to us about their negative experiences. The AHC, at 6700 Columbia Pike, had the most COVID cases in Virginia (156) … Continued

St. James sports center hosts learning pods for K-12 students
The St. James offers lots of sports options for all ages. [The St. James] The St. James sports complex in Springfield is launching a virtual learning program for K-12 students. The program will provide adult supervision for students participating in distance learning while schools remain closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will … Continued

Congressional candidates clash on climate change, racial justice, immigration and much more
Republican candidate Jeff Jordan (left) is running against Rep. Don Beyer (right). For Rep. Don Beyer, the Democrat who represents the 8th congressional district, the biggest existential threat facing the United States is climate change, while his Republican opponent, Jeff Jordan, says the biggest threat is socialism. The two candidates offered widely divergent views on … Continued