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Morning Notes

by ARLnow.com | April 13, 2011 at 8:36 am | 603 views | 93 Comments

Tejada, Moran Get ‘Snippy’ Over Immigration — At a work session Monday afternoon, County Board member Walter Tejada and Rep. Jim Moran got in a verbal ‘tussle’ when Tejada suggested that Democrats have not done much recently to advance the cause of immigration rights on a federal level. [Sun Gazette]

Westover Farmers Market Delayed — Organizers had hoped to launch a farmers market in Westover this spring, but it looks like red tape will delay their goal by a year. Farmers market boosters have secured verbal approval to use school property for the market, but the county zoning office says it will not grant a use permit until the county ordinance related to farmers markets is changed. [Falls Church News-Press]

W-L Launches New Student Newspaper Web Site — Washington-Lee High School’s Crossed Sabres student newspaper has a new web site. [W-L Crossed Sabres]

Patrick

Mr. Tejada is an embarrassment. How can he defend trying to opt out of secure communities when 2 out of 3 illegal immigrants in Arlington detained under secure communities have been found to have criminal records? Clearly Mr. Tejada is more interested in defending illegal aliens who are criminals then his own constituents.
- Bluemontsince1961
  
  +1
  - Burger
    
    I agree overall on your position but what does 2 out of 3 have criminal backgrounds mean? Does that mean misdemeanors like public intoxication or something more serious like burglarly?
    - mehoo
      
      And where did he get this data in the first place so we can verify it’s truth?
      - BoredHouseWife
        
        There are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics.
- V Dizzle
  
  Did DHS start publishing statistics for the public at some point or did this 2 of 3 come from somewhere else?
- 1234
  
  The first time I voted for a Republican was against Zimmie, the second time will be against Tejada. And frankly my vote won’t be for the other candidate, just against Tejada, just as it was with Zimmie.
  - Bluemontsince1961
    
    Second the motion!
  - Josh S
    
    Might I suggest that your vote need not automatically go to the Republican just cause you don’t like the Democrat on the ballot. I haven’t voted for Moran in years but I never vote for the Rep. *shudder* If there are only the two, you can write-in or leave it blank.
    - arglebargle
      
      Leaving it blank or writing something/someone onto the Ballot will not remove him from office, which is the goal.
      - mehoo
        
        If you want to remove him, you have two choices – 1. vote against him in the Democratic primary, or 2. vote for a Republican in the general election. If you want a different Democrat, choose 1; if you want a Republican choose 2.
      - V Dizzle
        
        Or run yourself.
    - 1234
      
      Well, I’ve never actually been concerned that a Republican will make it onto the board, and even if one did, they’d only be one. But to be honest, a contradictory voice in that crowd would, in my opinion, only improve the discourse. It certainly doesn’t appear that they listen to their constituents (at least judging my the comments on here, many conversations I’ve had with neighbors, etc), and they don’t seem to challenge each others’ follies, so maybe scaring them a bit will help . . .
      - Bluemontsince1961
        
        My neighbors have been saying the same things for quite a while, and except for one family I know of for sure is Republican, the rest of the folks on my street are Democrats.
- KalashniKEV
  
  He’s a one trick pony on the way to his own welfare line VERY soon.
- The Pikester
  
  Couldn’t resist.
  - Bluemontsince1961
    
    Too funny!
Lou

So do we have to wait for the farmer’s market ordinance change until after they finish the sign ordinance change? What are the priorities here? This sucks, we were really looking forward to a Westover Farmer’s Market this season. More red tape, the Arlington Way.
- Burger
  
  Oh no! Yuppies in Westover will have to travel an entire mile to Falls Church on Saturdays or Ballston during the week to buy their veggies for extraordinary prices for one more year. What ever will they do?
  - borf
    
    Yeah, trying to provide fresh local produce is all about yuppies and not about health. Go get some Twinkies at the 7-11.
    - CW
      
      Ehh, I value fresh local produce – that’s why I have a CSA share. But I kinda agree with him in that the number of farmer’s markets per capita around here is almost ridiculous, consider that most decently-sized towns have a single one, if they’re lucky. We have one pretty much any day of the week if you’re so inclined, and that’s just in arlington, not even to speak of DC.
      - mehoo
        
        Ever try to park at a farmer’s market around here?
        
        I think there’s demand enough to add another one. Why not?
      - Southeast Jerome
        
        YOU DRIVE TO THE FARMERS MARKET!?!?!?!
      - Lou
        
        I guess if you want to show us some per capita numbers we can debate what the proper ratio is of markets to people. Do you have a number in mind or is one more just too many.
      - CW
        
        No, I didn’t say that there were too many or that a certain number was allowable or anything like that. All I said was that I kinda agreed with his humor – there are already ones in Clarendon, Courthouse, Falls Church, and several other locations, so I could see that there was some humor to be had in the discussion of adding another when we’re already gifted with so many. If another farmers market opened up at my doorstep, would I complain? Of course not!!
        
        Parking is a strawman – it’s hard to get parking in front of the pizza restaurants and cupcake shops too; does that mean we have an underabundance of them as well? Budding entrepreneurs, take note!
      - Lou
        
        I have no issue with parking, other than knowing it can already be bad around Westover on busy weekends. I think that was part of the planning thought process to have the market be early on Sunday’s, so it starts before the shopping center businesses open up. A ton of people, myself included, can walk to Westover in under 10 minutes, and will get to the market that way.
      - Burger
        
        That was essentially my point. Farmer’s Markets around Arlington are like Chic burger Joints. Not saying there aren’t more needed but we certainly live in an area that does not want for farmer’s markets.
    - MC 703
      
      Stupid nanny state. It’s un-American to eat local and organic and it threatens liberty. Support Big Agro. Cargill and ADM 4eva.
      - mehoo
        
        Delicious, ripe, local tomatoes are a threat to the integrity of marriage.
      - Bluemontsince1961
        
        ROFL!
      - KalashniKEV
        
        By not selling local organic produce, you violate the god given right of criminal aliens to pick it and be paid for it. This is clear racism.
      - Bluemontsince1961
        
        More ROFL!
- Larchmont
  
  “The once-sleepy Westover crossroads, with its spanking new library and hipster beer garden, is emerging as a social hub for inside-the Beltway adventurers.”
  
  I’m looking forward to the farmer’s market too, and live music, and anything else that makes Westover more sociable.
  
  “Yuppies in Westover”, “per capita – almost ridiculous – decently sized towns”? All I read is “wahh, wahh, wahh…”
http://www.spmnd.com David B

W&L might want to rethink the tittle of their website. Just look up “crossed swords” on urbandictionary.com I’m certain that the students have already picked up on that euphemism.

- Yorktown Alum
- http://arlingtondirt.blogspot.com TGEoA
  
  Nice.
- PikeHoo
  
  That’s a pretty weak stretch
  - Lou
    
    Not when you’re talking about teenagers.
  - MC 703
    
    I immediately chortled as I read it on Da Notes
    - JamesE
      
      agreed on the chortle
wat

so how about them dc slices?
- CW
  
  Do they actually cook the pizza in the truck? I’ve long been skeptical – I don’t believe that anything capable of cooking a decent pizza would fit in a truck. And if they’re driving around with a load of this morning’s pizza…no thanks.
  - http://www.exactcom.com.au/proofs/KombiPics/Wrecks/bayBushOvergrown.jpg Overgrown Bush
    
    It’s a food truck, and you get food truck food. That said, I had a slice from them a week or so ago and it wasn’t bad. Not oven fresh, but not bad.
    - CW
      
      Yeah, see I don’t like to make concessions because something is “food truck food”. That’s why I only like going to trucks where they make something that can legitimately be made fresh in the truck (e.g. anything made on a flat-top griddle) or where it doesn’t matter that it’s been sitting all day (e.g. curry or pulled pork in sauce).
      - CW2
        
        According to the “roaminghunger” website, the pizza is cooked inside the truck:
        
        “We use fresh rolled dough, homemade sauce, hand grated cheeses, flavorful toppings: our pizza is baked right inside the truck and served to you as it comes out of the oven.”
      - http://www.exactcom.com.au/proofs/KombiPics/Wrecks/bayBushOvergrown.jpg Overgrown Bush
        
        Then I’ll amend my opinion. The slice I had wasn’t so great for fresh out of the oven pizza.
      - CW
        
        Lol. I got a laugh out of that one.
        
        The old adage holds true: under-promise, over-deliver.
  - http://www.arlnow.com ARLnow.com
    
    From first-hand knowledge I can say: yes, they actually cook the pizza in an oven in the truck.
    - CW
      
      Ok, that settles it, I’m just going to have to give it a shot next time it’s near the office. If they’ve managed to shoehorn something into that thing that’s actually capable of getting hot enough to bake a decent pie, then more power to them.
      - V Dizzle
        
        Assuming they have a propane tank and stove.
      - CW
        
        Right, but most commercial pizza ovens are very large and part of that is having a large thermal mass that heats up for more even cooking. It’s not as simple as just having a gas range. Either way, it seems that they’re making something work.
      - V Dizzle
        
        I got you on the thermodynamics of it. Assuming they have good insulation on a small oven and don’t leave the door open long. I’d try it if they’d ever come to SE DC.
      - CW
        
        I’ve seen them down around Navy Yard sometimes according to the food truck fiesta site. But nothing compared to the hordes that camp out daily on Maryland Ave. SW.
      - V Dizzle
        
        Just started using Truxmap, though I don’t know how comprehensive it is.
    - FrenchyB
      
      I’d also add that Pupatella used to bake excellent pizzas in their cart. Of course, they’re even better when cooked in their restaurant’s brick oven.
  - wat
    
    yes, but why are they showing that truck on the morning notes of arlnow? got my hopes up that it was coming to arlington.
DT

What “rights” does Tejada think immigrants should have? As it stands, legal immigrants are afforded every single right as citizens sans the right to vote. Even illegals are allowed to go about being illegal in most instances. We get it, Walter, you’re a tool for illegals. Since the People’s Republic of Arlington will never elect a Republican, can a sane Dem please unseat this moron?
- KalashniKEV
  
  Por La Raza todo, Fuera de La Raza nada! Si se puede!
- MC 703
  
  +100
- Bluemontsince1961
  
  +1000
- KalashniKEV
  
  Unfortunately you’ll only get some other half-wit with Criminal Alien hospitality as his #3 issue instead of #1. We need a Republican County Board.
  - Bluemontsince1961
    
    The last time there was even one Republican on the County Board was sometime back in the late 80s or early 90s. I doubt with the political leanings/voting patters of the current population in Arlington that even one Republican could get elected, much less have a full Republican County Board.
    
    At this point, I’d settle for getting rid of the five “let-the-peasants-shut-up-and-sit-down-we-know-what-is-best” elitists we currently have and have type Democrats I remember from back in the sixties and seventies, who were very moderate and sensible in compared to the current members of the board.
    - Josh S
      
      Isn’t complaining about a lack of Republican board members in Arlington like complaining about a lack of rain in the desert? It is what it is.
    - mehoo
      
      Nah, I’m sure that the good people of Arlington are reading what Kev has to say and thinking he makes a good case for electing someone more like him. :rolleyes:
      - KalashniKEV
        
        Things would be better with at least one Republican to interrupt the board’s leftist elitist groupthink.
    - V Dizzle
      
      Whatever your polarized political views are, the results seem to show that over the long term, whatever they are doing is working, since things are pretty damn good in Arlington. Maybe when I’m older I’ll be bitter too (and fear illegal immigrants like your great great grandparents feared my family coming from Ireland) Yes, in all cases the majority will resist change out of fear. And people generally want a government to provide them certain specific services, but don’t want to pay for services that don’t directly help them.. In this case, I’m pretty sure they guy was voicing YOUR opinion on immigration, so this is an odd forum for the bashing I see on here every single day. Just sayin.
      - DT
        
        Your “I heart the ACB” t-shirt is in the mail.
      - V Dizzle
        
        Right, because I don’t bash anything and everything in a predictable and painfully repetitive manner, I’m pegged as an opposite in dogma. That’s what “polarized” meant in what I wrote. Thanks for making my point for me.
    - DT
      
      It was Ben Winslow and I think he was technically an independent. Regardless, it was nice to see some dissension on the Board. Now the minute a new person joins, he/she is indoctrinated into the arrogance. Tejada actually appeared sane at first, now look at him. At least Zimmerman has been a consistent douche from day one.
      - Bluemontsince1961
        
        Ben Winslow, that’s who I was thinking of.
MC 703

I am a left-leaning moderate and would love to see moderate Republicans on the board who might tackle the Criminal and/or Illegal Alien issue while maintaining Arlington’s focus on sustainability and Metro oriented development. And how bout a fleet skinny firetrucks for LV?
- Bluemontsince1961
  
  “I am a left-leaning moderate and would love to see moderate Republicans on the board who might tackle the Criminal and/or Illegal Alien issue while maintaining Arlington’s focus on sustainability and Metro oriented development.”
  
  MC 703, I’m a right-of-center independent, and I’d like to see the same thing. I’d even settle for a moderate Democrat that would seriously tackle the criminal/illegal alien issue and would at least spend my tax money on things like good salaries for police, fire fighters, etc. instead of boondoggles like the Artisphere or Zimmie’s Trolley!
- Bluemontsince1961
  
  MC 703,
  
  I can almost top that. I’m a right of center independent and I’d settle for moderate Democrats that would seriously tackle the criminal/illegal alien issue and spend my tax money and improving salaries for police, fire fighters, etc. instead of wasteful boondoggles like the Artisphere (which rumor has it we taxpayers will now have to help fund) or Zimmie’s Trolley Folly.
  - ClizzleDizzle
    
    Hear Hear!
  - Lou
    
    If the Green Party can run a smart and robust enough campaign they could put up a good challenge this cycle.
    - Bluemontsince1961
      
      I saw the following over at “Arlington Yupette” a little while ago:
      
      http://arlingtonyupette.blogspot.com/
      
      The entry for April 13, 2011 reads “Audrey Clement to Run for County Board”…”Virginia Green Party Co-Chair Audrey Clement has announced she is a candidate for Arlington County Board.
      
      Dr. Clement, a resident of Westover, will run on a platform of fiscal, social, and environmental responsibility. Her platform includes ending taxpayer support for the Artisphere, an end to more vanity projects like the Artisphere, preserving market-rate affordable rental housing, curtailing the widespread use of single-use plastic bags and styrofoam containers, installing solar and other renewable energy on public buildings, and encouraging comprehensive traffic mitigation to reduce the volume of single-occupant vehicles on Arlington’s streets and roads.”
      
      The following was what caught my eye: “her platform includes ending taxpayer support for the Artisphere, an end to more vanity projects like the Artisphere”. I don’t agree with some of her other policies, but her stand on the Artisphere and similar “vanity projects” is enough to make me seriously consider voting for her.
    - Burger
      
      So your goal to stop a leftward leading county board is to elect someone more leftward leaning?
      
      Help me understand that thinking?
      - Bluemontsince1961
        
        I said seriously consider voting for her because she favors ending taxpayer support for the Artisphere and stopping similar vanity projects. I don’t agree with her other policies. If the Democrats and Republicans in Arlington could come up with viable candidates that have a similar position on ending taxpayer support for the Artisphere, stopping similar vanity projects, and using my tax money for genuine needs for the County, such as wages good enough for our police, fire fighters and teachers to be able to live in Arlington, they would have my vote. I’ve reached the point where I want the current members of the County Board replaced. They’ve been in power too long.
      - Burger
        
        You do know that no Republican has served on the Arlington County Board since the mid-1990′s, right? So all the spending you have issues with comes from a County Board completely controlled by Democrats and has been for at least 15 years.
        
        Trying to move the Board farther left is not likely going to solve those problems.
        
        And more likely it will cost more in taxes to accomplish the following:
        
        –preserving market-rate affordable rental housing, curtailing the widespread use of single-use plastic bags and styrofoam containers, installing solar and other renewable energy on public buildings, and encouraging comprehensive traffic mitigation to reduce the volume of single-occupant vehicles–
        
        The last thing makes me wonder – trying to stop people from driving in their care – what planet she is on.
      - Bluemontsince1961
        
        Yes, I know there hasn’t been an Independant, much less a Republican, on the Board for the past 15-some years.
        
        As I said, I would consider voting for her and only consider it due to her stand on stopping taxpayer money from maintaining the Artisphere and stopping similar vanity projects. Considering it and actually voting are two different things, at least to me.
        
        The rest of her policies are too far out for me. I’d probably do what I usually do when it comes to County Board elections, vote against the incumbent knowing they will win any way or write someone in.
- mehoo
  
  Add me to that list too, except I’m going to be on that trolley.
  - Tabby
    
    Toot toot!
  - Bluemontsince1961
    
    “Clang ,clang, clang went the trolley
    Ding, ding, ding went the bell
    Zing, zing, zing went my heartstrings as we started for Huntington Dell.
    Chug, chug, chug went the motor
    Bump, bump, bump went the brake
    Thump, thump, thump went my heartstrings as we glided for Huntington Lake.
    The day was bright, the air was sweet
    The smell of honeysuckle charmed me off my feet
    I tried to sing, but couldnæŠ° squeak
    In fact I felt so good I couldn’t even speak
    Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer
    Time to all disembark,
    Time to fall went my heartstrings as we got off at Huntington Park
    As we got off at Huntington Park. ”
    
    Somehow, that old Judy Garland song came to mind!
    - MC 703
      
      I prefer the Martin Prince version that he sang when he auditioned to be Mr. Burns’ heir.
MC 703

I’ve lived in Penrose, Arlington Mill and now Green Valley and I would actually not be against the Columbia Pike streetcar if it didn’t sound like such an expensive fiasco.

I’m excited to see the new development going on along Columbia Pike and something like the streetcar would really set up the Columbia Pike corridor well for the future. But unfortunately it sounded like a boondoggle in the making.
- South Arlington
  
  The future installation of the streetcar is what drove much of the new development in the Columbia Pike Town Center area. After all the money everyone in the County has spent funding the Metro boondoggle for decades – enhancing the wealth of North Arlington homeowners – it’s about time SoArl got a little boondoggle funding attention.
  - Lou
    
    It’s a bit tenuous to credit the streetcar planning, which is still a long, long way from achieving an actual streetcar line, with very much of the new development. It’s more a case that the County decided about ten years ago to start promoting Pike redevelopment because they saw the north Arlington market was going to become saturated and fully built out in the not too distant future. Adding a streetcar was part of the redevelopment vision, but probably did not provide much incentive. The people needed to activate the new development are already there, they do not need a linear streetcar line to bring them to the Pike.
    - MC 703
      
      The development has just begun. The Rosenthal dealer hasn’t even started closing yet. When I was looking at apartments last year the Halstead at Columbia Pike and Walter Reed still had a million vacancies. The eventual light rail would attract a lot of people to the CP.
      
      I would definitely move directly onto the Pike if the rail line was there.
      - Lou
        
        And the trolley is years from even beginning. My point is just that all this development will happen with or without the trolley. And believe me the trolley is only 50/50 for getting built right now, and the development is still proceeding.
      - Lou
        
        And plenty of people will be moving there if you do not, whether the trolley gets built or not.
      - MC 703
        
        I agree with you 100%.
        
        To me this is just a good time to build mass transit infrastructure as opposed to down the road when people may say “If only they’d done something before everything was built” like everyone I knew who lives or works in Tysons says. I’d like to think this county has better planning foresight than Fairfax County.
      - http://www.exactcom.com.au/proofs/KombiPics/Wrecks/bayBushOvergrown.jpg Overgrown Bush
        
        You must work at the Pentagon, because that is where it will take you.
- mehoo
  
  Doing nothing would be an even more expensive fiasco.
Julia O’Brien

I actually really like WL’s website!
it’s organized and it’s cool that they have an actual website! I see no website for yorktown’s student paper….

ps. the crossed sabres has been their title for a VERY long time. I don’t believe that the kids chose it for that crude euphemism….

Lyon Villagers Press County Officials On Parking, Traffic Issues Del. Hope Decides Against State Senate Run

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