Cyclists: Beware This Sinkhole in Ballston
Cyclists and pedestrians may want to watch out for this small sinkhole on 9th Street, just east of N. Stafford Street in Ballston.
The hole may be small but it appears to be at least a foot deep.
Photos from Crystal City’s Photo Show
FotoDC’s month-long FLASH photo exhibit will kick off in Crystal City tonight.
Located on the top two floors of an office building at 2450 Crystal Drive, the show features 250 photos from 55 local photographers, a library of 150 photography books and a wine bar run by the Washington Wine Academy.
Photographers and reporters got a sneak peak at the exhibit last night. Here some of our photos from the event.
DISCLOSURE: Crystal City BID, the sponsor of FLASH, is an ARLnow.com advertiser.
As part of FLASH, ARLnow.com will be hosting a photo contest dubbed “Flickr Flash.”
The contest will challenge photographers to take photos during the first two Crystal City 5K Friday races in April and submit them to a Flickr group for recognition and prizes. Ten finalists will be chosen and will be voted on by ARLnow.com readers. The top three vote-getters will be announced at a FLASH event and will receive gift cards from local restaurants.
Mobile Food Business Ramps Up As the Weather Warms Up
(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) Food trucks and carts were out in force around Welburn Square in Ballston today. With temperatures reaching into low 70s, workers flocked to the square for some spring-like outdoor dining.
The proprietors of the BBQ Bandidos truck, who continued serving their signature sandwiches and cemitas through the cold weather months, said business has picked up considerably. Across the street, a long line extended from the bright pink Curbside Cupcake truck.
Meanwhile, the broadcast team behind the Taco Carrito cart said they had just returned from their winter hibernation this week and were pleasantly surprised by demand today. The tiny two-person cart was sold out by 1:30 p.m.
Comcast Switches on HD Channels in Time For NCAA Tourney
Update at 6:40 p.m. — Readers are reporting in the comments that the channels are not operational in all parts of the county.
Two days after we reported about a delay in Comcast’s plan to switch on additional HD channels for Arlington customers, the company has managed to get the promised channels up and running.
As of this morning, channels including CNBC HD, Comedy Central HD, BET HD and ESPNews HD were up and running. Also available was truTV HD, which is carrying a number of NCAA March Madness basketball games.
The new additions were made between channel numbers 800 and 900.
The channels were originally supposed to be available on March 15, according to a mailing sent to customers. After they missed the self-imposed deadline, Comcast told an Arlington County official that the channels were to be switched on no later than March 24.
Hat tip to @reidjoshua
State Senate Race Gets “Nasty”
Mud is already flying in the three-way race for a local Democratic state Senate nomination.
Yesterday Arlington School Board Chair Libby Garvey sent out an email blasting opponent Rob Krupicka, an Alexandria City Council member, for the Council’s stance on the relocation of thousands of military jobs to the Mark Center development on I-395. In a letter dated August 13, 2008, posted on Garvey’s web site, an Alexandria official writes that the Council supports what was then still a proposal for the military to use the Mark Center site.
Garvey argues that the lack of Metro accessibility and the likelihood of traffic congestion at the site makes for “a terrible situation.”
“I join with Sen. Webb, Sen. Warner, Rep. Moran and Rep. Connolly in their request to the Defense Department that they delay fully staffing the [Mark Center] facility until traffic mitigation efforts are completed,” Garvey wrote. She then pounced on Kupricka.
“I believe strongly that we should judge public officials by the decisions they make,” she said. “In this case, Rob Krupicka, one of my opponents for the Senate seat currently held by Patsy Ticer, made a terrible decision by giving the DOD a green light to locate the BRAC building at the Mark Center site. His candidacy for the Virginia Senate, like that of all of us running for that important position, should be evaluated according to the quality of our decisions.”
Garvey, Krupicka and Del. Adam Ebbin are running for Ticer’s 30th District state Senate seat.
Krupicka responded with an email of his own, accusing Garvey of “distorting” his “record of leadership on transit and transportation for our community.” The email’s subject line: “Today this race got nasty.”
“This is a race between three good Democrats,” Krupicka wrote. “We’ve worked together over the years, and I’ve considered both opponents friends. So I’m disappointed that Libby decided to go negative.”
The email concludes with a call to action: “P.S. Let’s not let mudslinging stop us from making our community stronger. Can you contribute $25, $50, $100 or $250 today to help us bring new ideas to move us forward today?”
Randy Realtor Charged With Unlawful Entry
A real estate agent has been arrested after Arlington County police say he solicited the services of a prostitute inside a vacant, for-sale home.
Springfield, Va. resident Dennis Mahafkey, 55, was charged with unlawful entry and solicitation of prostitution after being apprehended on the 3700 block of South 2nd Street on Friday, March 11. Cops say they were tipped off when someone called to report a suspicious vehicle next to the home.
“Police were alerted when people saw a car in the driveway that did not belong there,” said police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal.
Nosal said that Mahafkey was not the “listing agent” on the home, but had access via a key box on the door.
Mahafkey has 24 years of real estate experience and is noted for his “award winning service,” according to a profile on the Coldwell Banker web site. He was held on a $5,000 bond.
The arrest was listed in this week’s Arlington County crime report.
Morning Notes
Pike Realignment in County Legislative Priorities — The county’s wish-list of federal legislative priorities includes a land exchange with the federal government to allow Columbia Pike to be shifted closer to Pentagon City as it approaches South Joyce Street, which would in turn allow the county to build an Arlington “heritage center.” Also on the list: the Potomac River boathouse and a plastic bag tax, plus provisions against helicopter noise and additional flights at Reagan National Airport. [Sun Gazette]
Moran Truth in Fur Labeling Law Takes Effect — A bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Moran (D) and signed into law in December goes into effect today. The law, the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, closes a loophole that allowed products with less than $150 worth of fur to avoid being labeled as a fur product. “This loophole has been exploited to pawn off dog, cat, and other animal fur as an artificial fiber,” Moran said in a statement yesterday. [Federal Trade Commission]
Green Living Expo Takes Place Saturday — The group Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment is hosting its second-annual Green Living Expo on Saturday at Washington Lee High School. The expo will feature eco-friendly products on display, seminars, a raffle, and activities for kids. DISCLOSURE: The Green Living Expo is an ARLnow.com advertiser. [Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment]
