Arlington First Responders Place First in Hockey Tourney
The team was formed less than two months ago, and they only got their jerseys the day before their first game, but Arlington cops and firefighters managed to take first place in a charity hockey tournament over the weekend,
The joint ACFD/ACPD team beat Montgomery County Fire (score: 5-1), D.C. Fire (score: 7-0) and Baltimore City Fire (twice) to win their division at the annual D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation hockey tournament in Laurel, Md. They won 5-4 in overtime in the championship game against Baltimore City on Sunday.
Team organizer Sean Spencer says the 30-man roster contains people who have been playing ice hockey since they were kids and people who just took up the sport in the past couple of years. They had great chemistry on the ice, he said, despite only playing together as a team one time prior to the tournament.
“We’re pretty happy with the outcome,” Spencer said. “[The players] are ecstatic we got a team together and were successful at the level we were.”
Spencer says the D.C. and Baltimore fire teams have already asked for a rematch. To facilitate that, he’s planning on talking to Ballston’s Kettler Capitals Iceplex about setting up a charity tournament in a couple of months, to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Photo via Facebook
Big Crowd for ‘Bus Riding 101′
Arlington Transit officials say their Bus Riding 101 event last Friday night was a smashing success.
A Metro representative taught novice bus riders how to read a bus schedule, find the best route and pay bus fare. The workshop also discussed the benefits of using a SmarTrip card.
According to the Arlington Transit web site, 129 people attended the event, which was held at the Gates of Ballston community center. Attendees later visited a nearby CVS to learn how to add money to their SmarTrip cards.
Road Closed After Person Struck by Construction Vehicle
Police are shutting down southbound Route 110 at the exit for Route 27, near the Pentagon, for a report of a person struck by a construction vehicle.
The person was initially reported to be trapped under a backhoe, but fire fighters on the scene have advised that the victim is in fact not trapped.
Update at 2:05 p.m. – Police are in the process of opening one southbound lane. The victim’s injuries are said to be non-life-threatening.
Scooter Accident in Buckingham
A scooter rider was injured after a crash at the intersection of N. Thomas Street and Pershing Drive in Buckingham, just south of Ballston.
Initial reports suggested the scooter ran into a car, but our photographer didn’t spot any damaged cars. There was, however, some road work and rough pavement in the area.
The scooter rider’s injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening.
Photo courtesy Addison H.
Arlington’s Outdoor Cafe Guidelines
What does it take to open an outdoor cafe in Arlington? With the arrival of spring, the county is reminding restaurant owners about the rules and regulations behind outdoor seating.
Below are a few of the guidelines for outdoor cafes, as outlined in this county-produced flyer which is being distributed to local businesses.
- Outdoor cafes must be part of a lawful operating restaurant, cafe, or vendor with a valid license from the Commissioner of Revenue and a Certificate of Occupancy from the Zoning Office
- Outdoor seating or cafes are seasonal, permitted typically from April through November of each year, from Spring through Autumn and only during normal business operating hours. They cannot be enclosed and no parking is required.
- The Location and seating arrangements must be pre-approved as part of the Certificate of Occupancy application and should remain that way for the duration of the outdoor season.
- Umbrellas are allowed and may not have logo(s) or signs(s) without legislative approval
- Portable signs are not permitted. These include A-frame signs, triangular or arrow signs, etc. Permits must be obtained for all signs.
- Shielding of fenced area with banner or logos are not permitted. State and local permits and approval is required for other services such as ABC, health, etc.
- During the course of the season, a County staffer may visit your business as part of our observation and verification process.
Where Are The Trout?
With floundering finances, Arlington budget sharks were forced to cancel the county’s annual trout fishing season this year.
“Trout season” is actually an artificial creation in Arlington County — a contractor stocks Four Mile Run with trout trucked in from a hatchery. But don’t tell that to the dozens of kids who show up with their parents every year with rod and reel in hand, eager to catch a fish.
In announcing that trout fishing was canceled, the county parks department advised anglers that trout fishing is still available in Fairfax County. More information about fishing in Fairfax is available here.
Eat and Drink Cheap for a Good Cause
Even if it wasn’t for a good cause, and even if there wasn’t a DJ, a raffle and a fun crowd, the food and drink specials alone would be worth the trip to The Front Page in Ballston (4201 Wilson Blvd) tonight.
The restaurant will be hosting the second annual Team Kickin’ it for Krista’s DC Walk for Lupus Now fundraiser tonight from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
What is lupus? It’s an autoimmune disorder with a variety of chronic symptoms.
Who is Krista? She’s a young woman who lives in Arlington, who was diagnosed with lupus several years ago, and who’s passionate about her work with the Lupus Foundation of America.
Tonight’s happy hour will feature the following specials, all of which are available with the purchase of a $5 wristband:
- $3 off appetizers
- 1/2 price burgers
- $4 shooter special
- $2.75 rail drinks
- $3 drafts
- $3.25 glasses of house wine
- $2 Miller Lite bottles
Raffle prizes include Washington Wizards tickets, gift cards to local restaurants and other schwag. Music will be provided by DJ Pat Premier.
Last year the happy hour raised $2,000 for Krista’s Walk for Lupus Now team, which raised $19,500 overall. Krista is hoping the happy hour will help her team reach $20,000 for the walk, which will take place in D.C. next weekend.
Photo courtesy Krista Blackburn
Morning Poll: Should Arlington Raise Employee Salaries?
A new analysis of county employee compensation, prepared by county staff, says that Arlington employees earn less than their counterparts in Alexandria and Fairfax County.
The Washington Examiner reports that veteran employees often earn thousands of dollars less than employees in Alexandria and Fairfax, the county’s two biggest competitors in terms of hiring. Despite the fact that Arlington often hires employees at higher starting salaries, the staff analysis recommends raising county employee salary ceilings in Arlington to compete for the best workers.
What do you think?
Morning Notes
McDonnell Gets Seat on Metro Board — Gov. Bob McDonnell “scored a major unexpected victory” last night when the state legislature approved a bill that will allow the governor to appoint a representative to the Metro board. The seat will come at the expense of one seat allocated to Northern Virginia jurisdictions. County Board member and Northern Virginia Transportation Commission chairman Jay Fisette blasted the legislature’s decision, saying McDonnell had “circumvented the process.” [Washington Post]
Slug Passenger Says McKinney Was “Angry and Belligerent” — Former Sgt. Maj. of the Army Gene McKinney was in Arlington County District Court Tuesday, accused of intentionally hitting a slug commuter with his Mercedes back in October. The commuter testified that he asked to be let out of the vehicle after McKinney started driving 95 miles per hour on the highway. After being let off in Pentagon City, the commuter said McKinney hit him with his car. [WTOP]
Dems Announce at ACDC Meeting — Three Democrats announced their candidacy for state and local offices at last night’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. Among those announcing were Walter Tejada, Barbara Favola and Rob Krupicka. [Blue Virginia]
Clarendon Car Dealer On CBS Undercover Report — A Clarendon used car dealership showed up on a CBS Early Show report about recalled cars. According to the report, the dealer did not tell the undercover reporter about a recall for a vehicle they picked out, even when the reporter specifically asked about recalls. [CBS News]
Flickr pool photo by Madame Meow
