Arlington Farmer’s Market Celebrating 30th Anniversary
Saturday marks the 30th anniversary of the Arlington’s Farmers Market, and the county has some special events planned to celebrate.
Shortly after the market opens at 8:00 a.m, county board member Mary Hynes will host a ceremony honoring the founders of the market.
There will also be giveaways, kids’ activities, gardening demonstrations, and appearances by local chefs, who will be sharing cooking tips.
In the wake of several farmers market vendors being shut down by health inspectors two weeks ago, safety-minded county officials will also be distributing flyers to market customers and vendors.
The content of those flyers, after the jump.
Flickr pool photo by Chris Rief.
BREAKING NEWS — County Manager Withdraws Proposal to Move Columbia Pike Library
County Manager Michael Brown has withdrawn a controversial proposal to move the Columbia Pike library from the Arlington Career Center to the future Arlington Mill Community Center. Brown told the county board today:
I am withdrawing the proposal to relocate the Columbia Pike Branch Library. The library will continue to offer services at this branch, at its current location, with no change in scope or format.
We solicited public opinion on the staff proposal to relocate the Columbia Pike Branch Library to Arlington Mill. Staff met with Civic Association leaders, solicited comment through the County website and social media, and held a well-attended town hall meeting this week. Public sentiment was strong and clear: People are passionate about this facility in its current location.
Staff will move forward expeditiously with development of the Arlington Mill Community Center. We will continue to explore options with the Steering Committee, framed by the existing community proposals and operating budget constraints, for any additional space that will be available in the Arlington Mill Community Center.
Aspiring Comedian From Arlington Joins Cast of The Real World
A 24-year-old Herndon native and current Arlington resident is a cast member on the upcoming season of MTV’s The Real World: Back to New Orleans.
Eric Patrick, an aspiring comedian and State Department employee, is “known for his dreamy eyes,” according to his MTV biography.
Eric is also “a handsome ladies’ man and has perfected the art of juggling various girls at one time.” I guess you can chalk that up to a State Department education in the art of diplomacy and multilateral negotiations.
From Facebook and the internet, we learn that Eric graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in political science. According to one account, he first came to the attention of Real World producers while attending a casting call at a bar in Adams Morgan in November.
Eric has performed stand up comedy around D.C. and Baltimore for the past three years. He advanced to the second round of the 2009 “Funniest Fed” contest and placed third in a competition called “Baltimore’s Next Superstar.”
See a NSFW clip of Eric’s comedy after the jump.
The new season of the Real World, set in New Orleans for the second time in series’ 24-year history, will premiere on Wednesday, June 30. You’ll recall that D.C played host to the Real World for the first time last year. Those guys down in New Orleans have all the luck.
Want To Be the Next ‘Signature Idol’?
Shirlington’s Signature Theater has launched a contest to find the next “Signature Idol.”
The Tony Award-winning theater is looking for ten talented solo singers to compete on July 17 as part of its Target Open House. The contest will be judged by Signature Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks, and “a special Broadway guest.”
If you think you have the talent and nerve to belt out a Broadway song in front of nearly 300 strangers and a panel of expert judges, you’ll first have to submit a video to Signature by July 5. Here are the instructions:
The music must be a Broadway song. Applicants can either upload a video to YouTube and send Signature the link at idol@signature-theatre.org <mailto:idol@signature-theatre.org> or send in a videotape to Signature Theatre, Attn: Signature Idol, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. Anyone who has previously sung on a Signature stage is ineligible to audition.
Confused? A handy video explanation of the competition is after the jump.
To Do This Weekend: Columbia Pike Blues Fest and Relay for Life
Be sure to check out the annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival this weekend, featuring acclaimed blues guitarist Debbie Davies, 16-year-old jazz prodigy Matt Wigler and plenty of other great performers.
While you’re there, you won’t want to miss the barbecue being provided by Pike resident “Big Daddy” Isaac Brown, who has been grilling mouthwatering Texas-style BBQ for more than 50 years.
The festival is taking place from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, at the intersection of South Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike.
Another big weekend event is the Arlington Relay for Life, which is being held Saturday and Sunday at Wakefield High School. Nearly 400 people on 45 teams will participate in the annual fundraiser.
So far, the event has raised more than $73,000 for the American Cancer Society.
For more weekend events, see our events calendar.
Morning Notes
Veggie Garden at Central Library Feeding Those in Need — Did you know that Arlington Central Library now has its own vegetable garden? The garden’s first crop of leafy greens was harvested yesterday. All produce grown in the garden is being donated to the Arlington Food Assistance Center. UPDATE: We hear that Christie Vilsack, wife of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak, may visit the garden later this month.
Gov. McDonnell Wants a Say at Metro — Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is making a heavy-handed push for the state to get two seats on the Metro Board of Directors. If he’s successful the seats may be taken away from Arlington and other Northern Virginia locales. More from the Washington Post.
Arlington MS-13 Member Sentenced – A member of the notorious street gang MS-13 has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to extort money from a prostitution ring, the Arlington Connection reports. Prosecutors say the defendant, 23-year-old Alcides Umana of Arlington, is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador.
Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White.
