Sunday, May 12, 2013
We want to hear from you, Annandale. Tell us why the mom in your life is special.
Mother's Day is a time to appreciate the special maternal figure(s) in your life and pamper and spoil them with more love and attention than they can handle while also reflecting on why you're thankful for their presence. I'm thankful for my mom because, well, she gave me life. That sounds like such a cop-out answer, so let me explain. I'm the youngest of four children. When I say I'm the baby of the family, I really mean it. I'm 19 years apart from my eldest brother, 16 years apart from my other brother and 13 years apart from my sister. People in our neighborhood assumed I belonged to one of my siblings because of the age difference. As you can imagine, my mom was pretty done on the kid front before I arrived, but my sister really wanted…
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Whether you're a business owner holding an event or just someone with something to say, here's how to share it with everyone in town.
No, as far as I've heard, there are no zombies at Walmart or anywhere else in town. But that, of course, doesn't mean you have nothing to tell your neighbors. And if you do, I'm here to help. Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Jessie Biele, and I'm your Community Engagement Editor. What do I do? I help you reach your neighbors, right here on Patch. And why do I do that? Because Patch doesn't just talk to you; Patch gets neighbors talking to each other, too. So, if you're a business owner with an event to announce, a school teacher who wants to highlight student achievement, a gardener who wants to share tips to get the whole city blooming or a photographer who wants to share some great pix, I'm here to help. Posting announcements, …
Monday, March 11, 2013
Mollie Loeffler, chair of the Mason District Council, suggests that the community labor force in the county could help keep districts clean by picking up litter when removing illegal signs.
Dear Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Code Compliance, and Community Labor Force, Thank you for listening to the public comment yesterday on the sign removal agreement. The reason for my email is to request that while the community labor force is out picking up signs that they also remove the litter. I realize not all districts are drowning in litter like the Mason District. However, any help is greatly appreciated. The community groups and neighborhoods cannot keep up with the amount of trash over in our district. There is a visible difference the moment you drive in here. It is embarrassing and shameful and it no longer looks like the country we all love. It would not cost any additional funds to do this, because the labor is free …
A resident suggests Fairfax County enforce litter laws to ensure the county is a "cleaner and more attractive place in which to live and conduct business."
Dear Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I'm glad that the board approved the agreement between VDOT and the county to enable the county to patrol VDOT's right of way to remove illegal signs. It's my understanding that there may be some reluctance on the board to issue fines even to repeat offenders. I think it's vital to educate businesses about the signage code so they will understand what is permitted and what is a violation. The board could post ads in newspapers and on the county website to announce the new sign removal initiative and urge people to cooperate by voluntarily removing their illegal signs. Initially, the county should issue warnings to businesses and people who are posting illegal signs to advise them that their signs …
Friday, February 15, 2013
With the support of Cook and other Braddock District residents, the annual event collected 210 units of donated blood.
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Friday, February 15
Editor's note: The following submission is from Braddock District Supervisor John Cook's office. Braddock District Supervisor John C. Cook was proud to attend the annual Friends of Sadie blood drive last Sunday and support such an amazing group of moms working for such an amazing little girl. While a cold kept Supervisor Cook from donating blood, he was proud of how many Braddock residents braved the winter weather to donate time, food and blood. The drive netted 210 units of blood, which can save up to 650 lives. “It’s heartwarming to see our community rally together like that,” Cook said. “The Friends of Sadie have turned their group into a pillar of Braddock.” Friends of Sadie is a group of moms that came together in 2009 to secure …
Sunday, January 27, 2013
R-rated film released Friday in movie theaters nationwide.
Sometimes a movie is just...bad. We can all watch it and see what they had in mind, how the pitch went, how the director and producers signed on, and talked some pretty big stars into taking part. And we can see the whole thing derail through to post production, delayed release, and as we watch the finished product with an ever-dwindling vestige of hope. Such is the case for Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Why Cinema Siren is reviewing this movie at all is a fair question. I go on record as saying there is always a chance a good movie will find its way to the multiplex in January. Not the ones that were in limited released in LA and New York in December to qualify for the Oscars….Those are the movies everyone is busying themselves with…
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Director Kathryn Bigelow overlooked for Oscar in Best Director category.
Zero Dark Thirty, which brought in $24 million in its first two days of wide release, has been lauded worldwide and almost universally as an impressive piece of filmmaking, a movie that is anything but formulaic. It is always very different for those of us who live within the Washington area. Our experience of anything political is amplified. The headquarters of the CIA, FBI, and of course, the White House, are all within driving distance. It is, therefore, nearly impossible not to have heard about the controversy surrounding this film. Senators Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) denounced the film, for its depiction of torture. “We believe the film is grossly inaccurate and misleading in its …
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Think of our site as the community water cooler — a place where you can stop by and talk about everything going on in town
On Sept. 8, 2013, we will turn three years old and a lot has happened on Annandale Patch. We've gotten to know the community and have created a large following. It's been fantastic. We wanted to take the time to remind you why we're here and what this site is all about. Simply put, it's about you. We've built Patch so that you have plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share your opinions, post photos and announcements and add events to the community calendar. We hope that our site will strengthen the community, but we can't do it without you. So get to it! 1. Comment on an Article We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." Much of our reporting will emanate from what readers tell us in emails, comments on our …
Monday, December 31, 2012
Which stories grabbed the attention of Annandale residents in 2012?
Originally, I was going to post the top 12 most-read posts on Annandale Patch in 2012. However, the top 12 included two or more stories related to the same story or included a story that wasn't completely central to Annandale (like our number 10, Walmart Workers May Strike Over Black Friday Hours). So instead, we will settle for the top 10 most-read posts on Annandale Patch in 2012. It doesn't sound as nice as top 12 of 2012, but it works. 10. Surprise Derecho Storm The unexpected derecho storm that struck in June and left close to 12,000 Annandale residents without power actually ranked just outside of our top 10 most read stories (derecho related stories ranked 11 and 12). Businesses including grocery stores were left in the dark and …
Friday, December 28, 2012
In the week before New Year's, be sure to enjoy some time away from your screens
I will not be going cold turkey. Technology is a part of my daily routines and during holiday times it is a treat to see updates from friends and family that I am unable to see in person. But I will be making an effort to step away from the tech that just passes time. Some of us either are, or know someone who is, a bit compulsive about 'checking in.' It becomes a part of our busy lives, engaging or entertaining us in the midst of work emails and projects. A distraction from our pressing responsibilities is welcomed during the rush but when work pressures ease and emails are answered with out-of-office notices, it might help to step away from the keyboards to truly enjoy our time off. Time flies when you click links and flip virtual pages…
Jessie Biele
3:28 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Thank you Michael!! more ›