Annual Pohick Bay Park Easter Egg Hunt is Wednesday

How many eggs will be found?

Got any plans Wednesday morning?  The annual Pohick Bay Regional Park Easter Egg Hunt is here. From 10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., expect a fun-filled time with the Easter Bunny, hidden eggs, a moon bounce, refreshments and games.  There is a maximum number of 100 participants, and the price is $10 per child, ages 2-8 (grown-ups get in free).  Incidentally, Patch will be there, too, just in case you forget your camera! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!  

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Drowned Kayaker at Pohick Bay Identified

Rescue officials were at the scene two minutes after receiving the call.

UPDATE: John R. Funk, a 58-year-old Lorton man, has been identified as the kayaker who drowned on Monday, Sept. 24 in Pohick Bay. A witness at the scene called 911 after seeing the kayak overturn and the man go under as he attempted to swim to shore. Funk was not seen wearing a personal flotation device.   Fairfax County Police were called at 3:53 p.m., and were at Pohick Bay Regional Park at 3:55 p.m. Funk was spotted by a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue helicopter and was transported to Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.   Recovered at the scene were a light blue kayak, three unopened cans of Coors Light and a fishing rod.  No swimming signs are posted at the shoreline of the park, which is managed by the Northern …

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Lorton Restaurants

Update: Lorton Restaurant Inspection Results

The most recent inspection reports from local restaurants and food vendors.

You may want to know how area restaurants performed in their last Virginia Department of Health inspection.  Restaurants in the Commonwealth are inspected between one and four times a year. There are two types of violations: Critical and non-critical. What's the difference? Critical violations, unless corrected, can contribute to "food contamination, illness or environmental degradation," according to the state health department.  Non-critical violations are not as severe, but can lead to critical violations if not corrected.  The health department recently inspected the following Lorton restaurants:  How It Works Clicking on the restaurant name will bring you to the business' page in the Patch directory of local businesses. Clicking here …

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James Cullum

10:08 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012

Chef, Thanks for your comments! As you will doubtless agree - consistency and quality control are key with running a successful restaurant.   more ›

NVRPA Releases Draft of Strategic Plan

Residents are invited to a public meeting Sept. 20 in Fairfax County.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, which operates Pohick Bay Regional Park and Occoquan Regional Park in Lorton, recently released a draft of its five-year strategic plan. The draft can be downloaded to the right or obtained online. Residents are invited to a public meeting to discuss the plan at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the NVRPA headquarters in Fairfax Station. Residents can also send comments via email to executiveoffice@nvrpa.org. Some highlights of the 2012-2017 Vision and Plan: The authority controls 100 miles of trails, including some of the longest in the region—W&OD at 45 miles, and Bull Run/Occoquan at 18 miles—and has plans expand its role as a leader in developing and promoting major trail systems in Northern Virginia…

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Sally Spangler

12:37 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012

Thoughts? Give it a good name and nothing else? NO Get the parents totally involved in the proposal? YES! But I wonder how many parents would get going and provide guidance in all things of a healthy life style. The is lots of land. There are many "things" to become interested in one this piece of land which is Mason Neck. I became interested in the outdoors when my home was on the edge of Rock …   more ›

Photos: Disc Golf at Pohick Bay Regional Park

Fore!

Disc golf is cheaper than regular golf, but it can be just as frustrating. The course at Pohick Bay Regional Park is heavily wooded, and it takes a sure hand to curve it around tall trees and into one of the 18 holes/baskets. Washington Gas contractor Colin Morris of Annandale plays disc golf every day of the week with his neighbor Mark Lopez. "I really got into it three years ago," said the 25-year-old Morris. "Then I met this dude (Lopez), and he was like, 'What's disc golf?' and now he can't put it down."    Veteran players use discs with different weight - for driving, medium ranges, and putting. "I named this disc skipper, because it makes mad skips," said Lorton's Todd Strylowski, 21, who plays at Pohick Bay twice a week.  Why not …

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James Cullum

3:55 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012

Thanks Mark!   more ›

Photos: Cooling Off on a Hot Weekend in Fairfax County

Patch visited two water parks and took pictures of people cooling off.

Since it was 104 degrees over the weekend in Fairfax County, Patch decided to go to where the action was - Our Special Harbor Spray Park at Lee District Park and The Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston.  Pirate's Cove Water Park at Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton is also a great place for pictures. Click here to see our most recent gallery! Enjoy the pictures, and stay cool out there!

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Dominion Working to Restore Power to Mason Neck by Monday Night

It's pretty dark in these wooded areas at night.

Dominion Power crews are working to restore power to homes and parks along Mason Neck by Monday night, and have already repaired more than 10 breaks in the lines along Gunston Road. The aftermath of Friday's violent wind storm shut down power for thousands across Northern Virginia. Along the Neck, the steady hum of a power generator is a common sound.  "The plan is to get the main line hot in here today. There are a lot of downed trees, a lot of wires," said a Dominion worker on Monday afternoon along Gunston Road. "We started at 6:30 a.m. They make us work 16 hours on, eight hours off for rest and then you're back on it… We usually stop at 10 p.m., so we're going to try to have the power back up by then."  Dominion crews have been helped …

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Sally Spangler

12:51 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012

For Mr. LaChance - not a slap in your face sir, just that some of us decided that losing everything in the refrigerator/freezer was something that probably happened one or more times and so the expense of the generator was money well spent. It is also TOO HOT to try to put up with the heat. A fan is nice to fan yourself, but cool coming from electric power is better and provides cool to sleep by …   more ›

Photos: A Quinceañera at Pohick Bay Regional Park

Tiaras, piñatas and presents!

It only lasts one day, but a Quinceañera is an important milestone in the life of Latin American girls. Today, Sandra Martinez-Leiva of Woodbridge wore a pink ball gown, complete with tiara and scepter and was closely shadowed by her entourage of "damas" at Pohick Bay Regional Park. "I didn't want to do it (the Quinceañera), but my mom said I had to have it or I'd regret it later," Sandra told Patch. "Most of my presents are cards... I want to get a new cell phone."  Sandra, who was born in El Salvadore, and 75 of her closest friends and family will spend the evening at Klebers Restaurant in Woodbridge.  Enjoy the photos and this beautiful weather!

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Lorton Photos of the Day

Photo Gallery: Memorial Day at Pirate's Cove Waterpark

It was a perfect day.

Patch joined more than 1,000 visitors at Pirate's Cove Waterpark on Memorial Day.  "It's been nuts!" said assistant park manager Kevin Casalenuovo. "We hit our limit for the number of people allowed to come into the pool pretty quick. I think everyone wanted to get here early because they wanted to go out for dinner later." Pirate's Cove is part of Pohick Bay Regional Park, and the water park is open until Labor Day. 

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Ft. Belvoir's Warriors In Transition Collaborate with Mason Neck Parks

Local parks hope to make positive impact when wounded warriors make use of their parks.

It will soon be common to see busloads of soldiers from Fort Belvoir's Warriors in Transition Battalion being dropped off to enjoy the amenities of Mason Neck. Over the last few months, members of the Mason Neck Citizens Association have met with representatives of the U.S. Army and the heads of the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area, Mason Neck State Park, the Liz Hartwell National Wildlife Refuge and Pohick Bay Regional Park. All parties are for the partnership worked out by the citizens group, and the details of improving facilities to fully meet the needs of the soldiers are being ironed out.  "Therapeutic riding is one of the five most requested events with our warriors," said Capt. John Votovich, the Fort Belvoir Warriors …

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