Hedgehogs move closer to pet status

Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved a motion recommending a change in the zoning ordinance to allow hedgehogs, chinchillas, and hermit crabs to be considered “commonly accepted pets.”

That means those animals could be kept as pets without the need of a special permit. The Board of Supervisors will consider the zoning amendment Jan. 22.

Hedgehogs are actually prohibited as pets as they are classified as exotic animals. The other two are currently allowed but require a permit.

Sponsor a family for the holidays

Volunteers help with the Britepaths Holiday Program. [Britepaths]

Fairfax-based non-profit Britepaths is seeking help from community members, companies, and organizations to sponsor Fairfax County area families in need for the December holidays.

The deadline to sign up for the Holiday Program is Dec. 14. Sponsors provide a holiday meal and/or gifts for children under 18. People can also donate funds or gift cards from grocery stores, Target, or Walmart.

Paws for Pets: Danny wants your vote

Danny

Paws for Pets is a series focusing on pets of any kind. 

Danny, a formerly homeless 2-year-old hound lab pit mix, has dreams of stardom, but he needs your help. He is asking people to vote for him in the Washingtonian magazine’s cutest dog contest. 

If he wins, Danny plans to host to host a happy hour, with free drinks for everyone who voted for him, says his owner, Annandale realtor Vivianne Couts of Coldwell Banker.

Girls sexually assaulted on school bus

A 12-year-old boy is facing charges that he sexually assaulted two girls on a Fairfax County school bus, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. 

Taste of Annandale attendees offer comments, suggestions for next year

The 2019 Taste of Annandale drew a large crowd.

According to a brief, non-scientific survey on the Taste of Annandale, attendees’ favorite features of the Oct. 13 street festival were the food in general and, specifically, the food trucks.

The second-most frequently mentioned response to the open-ended question about the best thing at the street festival had to do with the sense of community generated by the Taste of Annandale.

Golden Boot offers soccer winter break camp and skills training classes

A Golden Boot Soccer class at the JCC.

Kids don’t have to stop playing soccer just because it’s winter. Golden Boot Soccer is offering two ways to get kids ready for spring soccer leagues: indoor soccer skills classes and an indoor winter break futsal camp.

The classes, for players age 3-18, beginners through travel-level, are on weekends and weekdays at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia (8900 Little River Turnpike).

Sharon Bulova will not seek re-election

Sharon Bulova (center) at the opening of the Silver Line in 2014.

Sharon Bulova, who has served as chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for the past 10 years announced Dec. 6 that she will not be seeking re-election in 2019.

Supervisor Jeff McKay of the Lee District is planning to run for chairman of the board, and Supervisor Pat Herrity (Springfield), is considering running.