Go Ape Course at South Run Puts Adventure in the Treetops
Nationwide adventure course uses ropes and pulleys to challenge participants.
Go Ape
Donated Football Practice Gear Gets Players Jumping at Hayfield
Parent turns a donation into a lesson on positivity for others.
football equipment
Murder Victim in Southern Fairfax County Never Identified
Body found in Giles Run creek remains a mystery since 1972 as does the exact location of his burial plot in a Mount Vernon graveyard.
Murder mystery
Detectives Learn of New Information from 2016 Murder
Shopping trip before the murder may hold clues.
Murder
A Few More Efforts Made to Save River Farm
A letter, historic overlay implementation and a 6,000 signature petition are there to keep it the same.
River Farm
Questions Surround the Coffer Family Cemetery
Local historian’s investigation delves into Coffer history in Burke Centre’s Woods Community.
Cemetery in Burke
Student’s Art Contains A Global Message, and Wins a Scholarship
Global warming is just one of the many messages expressed in arts competition.
Art Scholarship
Alexandria Power Plant Redevelopment Includes Bike Improvements
The north end Small Area Plan does not leave bike trail users high and dry.
Bicyclists won’t be left out of the plans when the GenOn Energy plant is redeveloped as a major part of the Old Town North Small Area Plan, originally adopted by the city in 2017.
Mask Rules on the Mount Vernon Trail
Many wear masks on the trail regardless.
The rules about wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 indicate that if you are outdoors and practicing social distancing, things are relatively safe.
Intersection Improvements Needed in Crystal City
VDOT Multi Modal Study identifies places that need work to handle the new workforce
As part of the negotiations to bring Amazon to the area, the Commonwealth of Virginia agreed to make multimodal improvements to Route 1 in the Crystal City area that should improve safety, accessibility, and the pedestrian experience crossing Route 1.
Conversation Started to Rename Lee District in Fairfax County
Supervisor Lusk opened the floor to constituents who had a few suggestions.
Seemingly, everyone in Lee District knows the district is named after Robert E. Lee, the head of the Confederacy in the Civil War that ultimately ended the practice of slavery when the southern states lost and the Union won the war.
Viewpoints: What do you think about the legalization of marijuana in Virginia?
Viewpoints on Marijuana
Housing Values Increase and This Will Soon Be Felt in Tax Bills
The county juggles the tax rate, but higher tax bills are on the horizon.
Home Assessments Increase
Mount Vernon’s River Farm Offer Falls Short of Asking Price
NOVA Parks and partners made an offer but the farm remains on the market.
In an attempt to keep the property open to the public, the NOVA Parks, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, and their partners recently made an offer to buy River Farm in Mount Vernon, but the American Horticultural Society board of directors has voted to decline their offer, looking for their original asking price of $32,900,000 that they say they need to keep the society in operation.
Burglaries Put Mount Vernon Business Owners on Alert
Smash and grab at three Hollin Hall places yields little for thieves.
Burglaries
TSA Is Filling Up in Southern Springfield
Access improvements are still to come for this Federal facility.
TSA in Springfield
At Dog Parks, the Clean-Up Bag is a Must
Walks are important for the family dog, but so is scooping the poop.
Scooping the Poop
Queen Bee’s Priebe Victim of Car Theft in Alexandria
Police investigate incident during gas stop in Old Town
It was Super Bowl Sunday and Allison Priebe had her hands full with things to do.
Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Wins Eight Awards
The Noman M. Cole Jr. Pollution Control wastewater treatment plant was recently recognized for their “Tertiary Filters Rehabilitation Project,” and “Rehabilitation of Three Equalization Basin and Ancillary Facilities,” by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) in its annual Mid-Atlantic Region awards.
New Police Station and Animal Shelter Planned for Lorton
As the South County area grows, facilities are needed to meet the demand.
New Police Station
Roof is Raised on Jean and Ric Edelman Indoor Riding Arena
The indoor facility will expand the success for the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program.
Riding Arena
Mount Vernon’s Virtual Town Hall Meeting Hits All Levels
Pandemic in the area was looked at, along with other issues
The common thread for all the speakers at Supervisor Dan Storck’s (D-Mount Vernon) town hall meeting was the need to defeat the coronavirus, and rebuild the economy as the virus impact is lessened in Virginia.
High School Football and Other School Sports Start Soon, Masks and All
Winter tryouts and practices in snow are not the only change this year.
Football Starts Soon
Mount Vernon’s Virtual Town Hall Meeting Hits All Levels
Pandemic in the area was looked at, along with other issues.
Town Hall
Grocery Store at Liberty Market is Another Asset for Laurel Hill
Must-have amenity enhances community appeal.
Lidl in Lorton
National Coach of the Year
South County Coach Gerry Pannoni recognized for undefeated season in 2019-2020.
South County Coach
Delivery Vehicles Are Everywhere
The quick-stop lifestyle could be here to stay.
Delivery trucks are not a new thing to area neighborhoods, but with the pandemic and the stay-at-home lifestyle many have adopted over the last 10 years, everyone delivers these days.
Ribbon Cut on Stream ‘Restoration’ at Little Hunting Creek and Fairchild
Project fights stream erosion and regulates pollution in area waterways.
Stream project
West Springfield Moms Moving Forward to Grad Party
Optimism flows despite the dark cloud of covid.
WSHS Grad Party Fundraiser
Promoting Tysons: ‘America’s Next Great City’
Tysons rental market grows with pandemic: Large apartments, pricing popular in suburban location
The Tysons Corner area has been recognized recently for their apartment availability, signaling another area where the rapidly growing suburb is becoming the place to live for the professionals in Northern Virginia.
Archangels and Underworld Kings Make the Story for New Author
Former Mount Vernon resident delves into storytelling, acting, radio and business.
They say a writer uses their own persona to create the characters in their books, and in “Summerlands,” Susan Butler Colwell injects some of her own traits for “Sera Parker,” the protagonist in this recently released book.
Archangels and Underworld Kings Make the Story for New Author
Former Mount Vernon resident delves into storytelling, acting, radio and business.
"Summerlands"
Police and Coast Guard Monitor Prior to the Inauguration
Fairfax County officials advised people to stay home and quarantined for the ceremony.
Inauguration Preparations
Stairway to Heaven, the Song Everyone Loves to Hate
50th Anniversary of the Song is Upon Us.
Stairway to Heaven turns 50
Pandemic Layoff Spurs Artist to Paint Window Mural in Vienna
After the pandemic forced Pet Valu to close in Alexandria this month, the employees looked elsewhere for a job, but the Pet Valu manager was hired by Loyal Companion pet supply store in Vienna.
Northam: ‘Time to Legalize Marijuana’
Virginia looking to be the first state in the South with legalized marijuana.
Marijuana Legalization is a Goal of the Governor
County’s Incident Alert System Helps Nab a Robbery Suspect
Phone calls and social media enable Fort Hunt residents to help in this case.
Incident alert
Local Breakfast Oats Company Catapulted by Reality Show
Shark Tank Success pays off for GoOats in Burke.
GoOats
South County Scenes from 2020
With the pandemic dominating headlines, the community strived for normalcy.
Scenes from 2020
Mount Vernon and Global Warming
Ground water seeping up regularly may be a sign.
With the Potomac River a few hundred yards away, residents of Fort Hunt are seeing ground water seeping up, running down the sidewalks and low-lying street areas.
Unusual and Quirky Items Sell at Area Gift Stores
Consignment shops and estate sale hubs in the Mount Vernon corridor.
Gift Shops
Blacksmithing in Burke
It all started as a Boy Scout badge requirement and is now spitting out knives and swords.
Blacksmith in Burke
Boxing isn’t Always About the Knockout
Springfield has its own boxing workout gym to try out the jab and the roundhouse.
Boxing workout
Belle View Upgrades May Bring New Life to Shopping Center
Façade improvements continue during pandemic
In early December, shoppers aren’t the only ones busy at Belle View Shopping Center in Mount Vernon.
Sidewalk and Bike Trail Project Connects to Lee District Park
Spot improvement projects along Telegraph Road improve traffic flow.
Road project in Lee District
First Female NFL Coach Got Her Start with the MV Majors
Mount Vernon native Callie Brownson is now a Cleveland Browns Coach
Female NFL Coach
Artifacts Tell the Nation’s Story at the New Army Museum
Museum showcases display cases, first hand accounts, newsreel footage and more.
Inside the Army museum
‘Fairfax Peak’ Indoor Ski Slope Jumps Another Mogul
Public comments show mixed opinions for the slope planned at Lorton Landfill.
Fairfax Peak skiing