Around Town

H-B Woodlawn Senior Struan Shields Prepares for Music Career

By ARLnow.com

Dressed in a vest and jeans, Arlington native Struan Shields, 18, steps out to join his four-man backup band while an enthusiastic audience jumps up and down. Singing to an crowd of primarily teenage girls, Struan repeatedly thanks his fans and holds out the microphone to allow them a turn to sing along. They already know all the words, even though this concert is meant to to celebrate the release of his debut EP.

Shields, who will graduate from H-B Woodlawn on Wednesday, isn’t your typical high school singer-songwriter. While others may have their popularity peak with a win at the school talent show, Shields has seen his debut EP hit the top singer/songwriter spot on iTunes.  He recently claimed the number one song download on PureVolume, a website for rising artists. And he has already amassed more than 3,000 Facebook fans.

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Feature

Voting Starts Tomorrow for Our Expanded Arlington’s Cutest Dog Contest

By ARLnow.com

Last week we asked you to submit entries for our inaugural Arlington’s Cutest Dog contest. Thanks to a tremendous response, we’re happy to announce that we’ve picked up another great sponsor. And both of our sponsors have pitched in additional prizes for the winners.

Wylie Wagg, Clarendon’s new hometown pet store, will now supply a $100 gift certificate as our second prize, a $50 gift certificate for third prize, and soccer ball fetch toys for all three top finishers, in honor of the World Cup. Plus, Wagg will be holding a patio party for all contestants at the end of the contest (well-wishers will also be welcome to attend).

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Feature

Outsource Your Life’s Mundane Tasks

By ARLnow.com

A new local company called CityCentric is your one-stop shop for services that will make your life easier. CityCentric offers on-demand laundry and dry cleaning service, picked up and delivered directly from your home. Plus, the company is offering low-cost home cleaning that you can manage online. All employees are fully bonded and insured and licensed to work in the U.S. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

For a limited time, get $10 off when you use the code ARLnow.

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Schools

Planetarium Fundraising Underway, But Goals Are Daunting

By ARLnow.com

Not bad for a grassroots community organization. But in order to meet the first fundraising goal set by superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy, the group will have to raise another $158,620 over the next 100 days. In order to meet the final goal, the group will need to raise another $400,000 over the next year.

The daunting goal is more than the group thinks it needs to raise to upgrade the 40-year-old planetarium. School officials have included a $162,000 dome replacement in the cost — an expense the group disagrees with. Instead of squabbling over the dome, however, organizer Raphael Perrino says the group has decided to focus on raising money.

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News

Arlington Police to Launch Project Lifesaver Program

By ARLnow.com

The program provides police departments with LoJack-like tracking equipment and training courses that allow them to find wander-prone people who have been outfitted with specialized wrist or ankle transmitters.

The program is especially geared toward those with Alzheimer’s, autism, Down syndrome, dementia, and similar cognitive conditions.

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News

Volunteer Opp: Lawyers and Law Students Needed

By ARLnow.com

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is looking for a few good barristers.  Here’s the listing from Volunteer Arlington:

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness, seeks volunteer attorneys and law students to provide general legal information and referrals (not legal advice) to people affected by mental illness issues.

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Events

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Flickr pool photo by mennyj. See more photos from Saturday’s Columbia Pike Blues Festival here.

Aftermath of Fight Outside Clarendon Grill Caught on Video — A late night fight outside Clarendon Grill left a man battered and unconscious in the middle of North Highland Street early Sunday morning. The aftermath of the fight was captured on video. Metro Transit Police, who were the first on scene, could be seen handcuffing two men as a crowd gathered around the victim. The victim eventually regained consciousness and was loaded into an ambulance.

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