Tag: safety
Bethany House offers a safe haven to women escaping domestic abuse
Bethany House Executive Director Catherine Hassinger (left) and Gayan Peart, family assistance program manager. When Alexandra [not her real name] decided she could no longer live with her abusive boyfriend after he beat her and threatened her with a gun, she landed in a shelter. But after her time there was up, she had nowhere … Continued
Forum focuses on pedestrian safety
Pedestrians crossing Route 50 at Patrick Henry Drive in Seven Corners. By Tammy Barbee About 50 people came to a community forum April 22 at Bailey’s Elementary School to learn more about a huge safety problem in Mason District—accidents involving pedestrians. Officer Michael Greene of the Mason Police District said there have been four pedestrian-related … Continued
Warmer weather means more crime
Mason Police Commander Capt. David Smith (right) presents the “Edwin Smith Officer of the Year Award” to Pfc. Jonathan Nytes at the April 1 CAC meeting. Nytes, a 10-year veteran on the Fairfax County police force, has been a consistently high performer, mentors junior officers, and has a particularly strong record in DUI arrests. The … Continued
Woodson community comes together to focus on suicide prevention
A poster on a Woodson High School hallway has photos of Woodson alumni holding signs showing their support for the school and current students. Following the presumed suicide of two Woodson High School students in recent days, hundreds of parents, students, and educators packed the school’s auditorium last night to comfort one another and learn … Continued
Residents urged to clear sidewalks
Nice job, neighbor. With schools reopening Wednesday (two hours late), Fairfax County Public Schools urges residents to remove snow and ice from sidewalks to ensure safety for children who walk to school and bus stops. “Neither the Virginia Department of Transportation nor the county clears snow and ice from public walkways,” a message from FCPS … Continued
Mason District residents frustrated by lax property code enforcement
Vehicles and debris in a yard in Mason District. Eighty-seven percent of more than 500 local residents who responded to a survey conducted by the Mason District Council of Community Associations (MDC) believe that unresolved zoning violations are having a negative impact on revitalization. Nearly half the respondents are so frustrated with the county’s failure … Continued
Education campaign aimed at keeping teens away from sex trafficking
Teen sex trafficking is on the rise in Northern Virginia, so Fairfax County Police, public schools, and the Office for Women and Domestic and Sexual Violence Services announced a new “Just Ask” prevention campaign Jan. 10. The campaign, launched to coincide with Human Trafficking Awareness Day Jan. 11, is aimed at educating teens about the … Continued
November is the top month for deer-vehicle collisions
A car damaged in a collision with a deer. [FCPD photo] Be careful driving. November is deer breeding season, which means there are more deer on the roadways. In November 2012, there were 27 deer-vehicle collisions in Fairfax County, which is more than another month, reports the Fairfax County Police Department. December had the next-highest … Continued
Resident of Seven Corners apartment building burned in electrical fire
Firefighters rescued a man early Friday morning from a fire in the Jefferson Apartments on 6166 Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners. He was transported to the Washington Hospital burn center, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported. More than 50 firefighters from Fairfax County and Arlington County responded to the fire, which originated in … Continued
Burglars targeting Broyhill Crest area
Lots of police cars have been spotted in the area. The Broyhill Crest neighborhood in Annandale has been hit with a series of daytime burglaries—mostly between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.—in the past week or so. The burglars are taking cash, jewelry, and prescription drugs. The most recent incident was Nov. 7 in the 7000 … Continued
How should Fairfax County spend transportation money?
Afternoon rush hour on Route 50. Where should Fairfax County spent the $1.2 billion it expects to have available for transportation projects over the next six years? The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is seeking public input before submitting a proposed list of projects to the Board of Supervisors in December. Civic associations and advocacy … Continued
Drive carefully – Let’s have a safe Halloween
Seen on Terrace Drive. Drivers are warned to slow down and be extra alert on Halloween, as kids will be out trick or treating tonight. There will only a thin sliver of moon, which means it will be very dark. And because Halloween isn’t just a kids’ holiday, Fairfax County Police will be stepping up … Continued
Nearly 80 percent of Old Columbia Pike residents approve speed humps
Old Columbia Pike is hilly, narrow, and lacks sidewalks. Enough residents of Old Columbia Pike in Annandale voted for speed humps, so the measure is going forward. The traffic calming plan calls for seven speed humps along Old Columbia Pike between Little River Turnpike and Lincolnia Road. The matter was debated at a contentious community … Continued
Major sewage spill at Holmes Run and Cameron Run
Dead fish in Dora Kelley Nature Park. [Photo by Mark Kelly.] UPDATE: A notice from Fairfax County urges people to avoid Holmes Run stream between Columbia Pike and Dowden Terrace. A sanitary sewer line has broke at Holmes Run, and the City of Alexandria has published a warning urging people to “avoid contact with waters … Continued
Truck parking ban approved for three streets in central Annandale
Daniels Avenue across the street from American Legion Post 1976. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Oct. 8 prohibiting commercial trucks from parking on Poplar Street and parts of Daniel Avenue and the Little River Turnpike service road in central Annandale. The parking restriction would ban commercial vehicles, recreational vehicles, and … Continued