Water Main Break on Columbia Pike
From Arlington Alert: Westbound Columbia Pike at S. Dinwidde to S. Frederick St shut down to water main break. Detours set up for traffic in area.
Change-of-Government Petitions Submitted
Supporters of a proposed change in the county’s form of government submitted their petitions to the Clerk of the Arlington County Circuit Court this morning, the Sun Gazette first reported.
A formal hand-off of the petitions from the clerk to Arlington County General Registrar Linda Lindberg, whose department will verify the signatures, will take place at 9:00 tomorrow morning, the county said in a statement. Supporters need 14,350 valid signatures to get the proposal on the November ballot.
Arlington Youth Baseball Team Claims District Title
The 13-year-old Arlington Babe Ruth All-Star Baseball Team won their league’s district tournament Monday night. They will now advance to the Babe Ruth League state championship, to be held later this month in Victoria, Va.
The Arlington team bounced back from a 1-11 loss against Vienna, beating the same Vienna team 10-4 to capture the district title.
“We were able to re-focus and win the game with strong pitching, great defense, and some timely hits and bunts,” coach Greg Wigton said. “We scored 8 runs in the 4th inning, and added 2 more in the 7th.”
The team’s first game in the state tournament will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 23.
The team roster, after the jump.
The $150,000 Soccer Ball
Q: What’s round, inflated and costing an insurance company $150,000?
A: The soccer ball that hit a sprinkler in a Washington-Lee High School hallway and ruined the brand new gym.
The Washington Examiner has the story of how the insurance company is trying to recover damages from the parents of the kid who kicked the ball.
Board Recognizes Yorktown Grad Killed in Iraq
A moment of silence was observed in the Arlington County board room yesterday in recognition of a fallen native son.
Capt. Michael Cassidy, a married father of two young girls, died last month in Mosul, Iraq. Cassidy, 41, was on his second tour of duty. He served the Army as a medic and a physician’s assistant.
“By all accounts he was a sweet and sensitive soul who demonstrated unbelievable and serious determination in his quest to serve his fellow veterans,” Board Chairman Jay Fisette said.
Cassidy was born in Wheaton but attended Yorktown High School, where he played in the both the band and the orchestra. He was the co-valedictorian of his graduating class of 1986, according to the Washington Post.
His parents, Henry and Susan, still live in Arlington.
Cassidy, who was assigned to Fort Stewart in Georgia, died in a non-combat related incident, according to the Department of Defense.
Photo via WSPA-TV.
To Do Tonight: Baseball Book Signing at Central Library
Now that the National League has broken their 13-year All-Star Game slump, and not a single game is to be played today, what’s a baseball fan to do?
Head to the library.
The authors of Baseball Americana, a comprehensive history of the game chock full of illustrations and memorabilia from the archives of the Library of Congress, will be discussing the book and signing autographs tonight at 7:00 at the Central Library auditorium (1015 North Quincy Street).
There will also be baseball-themed prizes given away during the event, which is free and open to the public.
Arlington Rap Guy Releases First Video From New Album
Remy Munasifi, a.k.a. the Arlington Rap guy, is releasing a new comedy album in September. The first music video from the album hit YouTube yesterday and has already amassed thousands of views.
The video is for a track called the “Falafel Song,” and features Habib Abdul-Habib, Remy’s comic alter ego. Enjoy.
Funding for New Rosslyn Metro Entrance Approved
Construction on a new entrance to the Rosslyn Metro station could begin as soon as this fall. Last night the Arlington County Board approved $32.6 million in funding for the project, which will include other safety and access enhancements to the station.
The Rosslyn station, Northern Virginia’s busiest, will be getting three high speed, high-capacity elevators, new fare collection equipment and an underground mezzanine with a dedicated Commuter Store.
The new entrance to the station will be built between North Moore Street and Lynn Street, across the street from the existing Metro entrance. The old station entrance will remain in service even after the new one is completed.
“Arlington is committed to investing in Rosslyn, an evolving commercial and cultural center and a critical transit hub for the County and the region,” County Board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a statement. “The Rosslyn Station project is an important step in a larger effort to revitalize street life in the area and make public improvements to this neighborhood.”
The improvements will be funded by a combination of federal, state and local sources.
See more information on the project from the county’s press release.
Morning Notes
Board Approves $250,000 in Art Grants — The county board voted unanimously last night to provide a quarter million dollars worth of grants to 19 Arlington-based arts organizations and three individual artists. The grants range from $44,600 to $1,240. See a list of recipients here.
Fisette Pens Green Jobs Op-Ed in Richmond Paper — In a column for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette compares Thomas Jefferson’s far-sighted and, at the time, controversial Louisiana Purchase to proposed federal spending on clean energy. Fisette argues that investing in green jobs now will pay off in a big way down the road.
Metrobus Involved in Rush Hour Accident — A Metrobus was involved in a relatively minor multi-vehicle accident that tied up traffic on southbound Route 110 around 5:30 yesterday evening. The accident happened on the ramp from Memorial Drive to Route 110, near Arlington National Cemetery. Two people on the bus were reported to have minor injuries. The accident and the emergency response blocked lanes on the busy thoroughfare, causing delays for traffic coming from Rosslyn. It’s not clear what caused the accident. The Metrobus continued on its way shortly after police arrived.
Flickr pool photo courtesy philliefan99.
