🌱 Patch AM: Did you see this fatal hit-and-run near Little River Turnpike?

What's up Annandale! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Did you see this fatal hit-and-run near Little River Turnpike?
• How Annandale is rallying after a student’s tragic Christmas Day crash
• How much did Annandale rents jump compared with nearby communities?

Also on today's calendar: Merritt Academy Winter Open Campus/Open House and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: After dinner, my parents asked if I could clear the table. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Sun followed by some clouds, with a high of 57 and low of 37 degrees.
• Friday: Occasional afternoon rain, temps: high: 57, low: 50.
• Saturday: Rain and drizzle, with a high of 58 and low of 45 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Police Seek Driver In Fatal Hit-And-Run Crash In Annandale (patch.com) — A pedestrian from Annandale died after being struck by a dark-colored sedan that fled the scene near Little River Turnpike and Shelley Lane on Wednesday morning. Fairfax County police are asking anyone who saw the crash or has camera footage from the area to contact their Crash Reconstruction Unit or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Solvers.
   

2. Girl, 15, Dies in Christmas Day Crash Alongside Her Grandmother, 75, After Being Struck by Car Allegedly Driving at 100 MPH (people.com) — A 15-year-old Annandale High School student and her grandmother were killed in a high-speed Christmas Day crash on the Beltway, leaving four relatives badly injured. The Annandale school community is rallying behind the Vu family, sharing a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs, medical bills, and long-term care for Annie’s younger brother as prosecutors weigh potential charges.
   

3. Apartment rents higher to end 2025 in some parts of Fairfax County, down in others (ffxnow.com) — Annandale renters are facing higher costs, with 2025 median apartment prices rising about 5.2% to roughly $1,951 for a one-bedroom and $2,226 for a two-bedroom. The report compares Annandale’s increases with nearby Fairfax County communities and shows how local rents stack up against regional and national trends.
   

4. The Blizzard of 1996: Looking Back at the Snow Storm That Brought the East Coast to a Standstill (people.com) — Annandale residents are reminded how the 1996 blizzard buried local streets so deeply that cars stayed snowed in for nearly a week. A new photo-driven retrospective revisits how that massive nor’easter shut down cities from Washington, D.C., to New York, snarled air travel, and left communities across the East Coast slowly digging out from record snow totals.
   

5. Park authority rolls back boulders blocking field at West Falls Church park (ffxnow.com) — Residents who use Roundtree Park off Annandale Road should know Fairfax County Park Authority is removing the boulders that suddenly blocked a popular open field used for soccer and other games. After complaints from neighbors and attention from Mason District’s park board representative, the agency reversed course, keeping the field open while clarifying it won’t be maintained as an official athletic facility.
   

📸 Around Annandale

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Annandale

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday January 24

• Merritt Academy Winter Open Campus/Open House
  9211 Arlington Blvd, Fairfax
  9:30 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday January 8

• Heirloom Silver and Brass Restoration Services: THURSDAYS 10-4
  6830 Elm St. Suite 9, McLean, VA, 22101
  10:00 am
• English Conversation Practice (Thursdays)
  George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 22003
  2:00 pm

Saturday January 10

• Falls Church Farmers Market
  City Hall Parking Lot , 300 Park Ave. , Falls Church
  8:00 am
• Suicide Loss Support Group In Person Drop In
  Haven of Northern Virginia Inc , 4606 Ravensworth Rd , Annandale
  11:00 am
• CANCELLED Chair Yoga
  George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 22003
  11:00 am
• Photography: Reflections
  George Mason Regional Library , 7001 Little River Turnpike , Annandale
  12:30 pm

Sunday January 11

• Winter Sowing Workshop Annandale hosted by Wild Ones
  Mason District Government Center , 6507 Columbia Pike , Annandale
  2:00 pm

Friday January 16

• Drop-In Citizenship Test Prep Fridays
  George Mason Regional Library
  11:00 am
• Brain Fitness Time
  George Mason Regional Library , 7001 Little River Turnpike , Annandale
  2:34 pm
• Festival de Salsa Y Timba En Virginia
  Diamond Lounge , 7203 Little River Turnpike , Annandale
  9:00 pm

Saturday January 17

• Suicide Loss Support Group (On Line)
  Haven of Northern Virginia Inc , 4606 Ravensworth Rd , Annandale
  11:00 am

📣 Annandale Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Annandale PatchAM possible:

• Grapevine Vows — (703) 810-7511
  Discover a new way to find your wedding venue in NoVa!
• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
• The Grout Genie — (571) 374-3643
  Licensed Tile & Grout Experts Serving Northern Virginia
• ORS Interactive — (703) 570-1514
  Get Certified in Food Safety in Just One Day!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• To the Good Samaritans who helped my mother on Hummer Road
  I want to express our deepest gratitude to the two ladies who stopped to help my 83 year old mother after she took a fall while taking a walk on… (Nextdoor Broyhill Crest)
• Four Outdoor Skating Rinks in Northern Virginia
  Harris Pavilion 9201 Center St., Manassas The Harris Pavilion transforms into a giant outdoor rink open daily from November to January. Open… (Nextdoor Broyhill Crest)

• Officers are on scene of a pedestrian hit-and-run crash at Little River Tpke and Wakefield Chapel Rd in Annandale. An adult male victim was taken to... (X: FairfaxCountyPD)
• Detectives Seek Driver in Fatal Pedestrian Hit-and-Run in Annandale. Full story here ⬇️... (X: FairfaxCountyPD)

• Albertsons Companies, Inc. posted a job opening for Meat Manager-Annandale in Annandale. Apply here.
• Burger King posted a job opening for Team Member in Annandale. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Annandale here.

Ok Annandale! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I needed a running start, but I made it!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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