Persistent Animal Cracker Sellers Draw Questions
They don’t exactly look like hardened criminals, but some are questioning the persistence of groups of kids who have been selling animal crackers along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
A young animal cracker seller near Market Common Clarendon prompted a citizen to call police this afternoon – apparently out of concern for the child’s welfare – and others, in Rosslyn, prompted a post in our forums.
“For the past few weeks in Rosslyn, I keep seeing kids approaching people on the street and at the outdoor spaces of Cosi/Starbucks, etc. asking them to buy animal cookies for some charity,” the poster wrote. “This seemed suspicious to me as A. there are never any kids in Rosslyn and B. they seem to be cornering people.”
No word on which charity the kids may or may not be working on behalf of.
Photo via Wikipedia
Police Investigate Incident at Capital One Bank in Ballston
Update at 5:00 p.m. — “This occurred outside the bank near the ATM in the mall,” Arlington Police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal tells ARLnow.com. “It does not appear to be hazardous at this time and was not a robbery or attempted bank robbery.”
Update at 4:20 p.m. — We’re told that tests have revealed the substance to be “non-hazardous.” At least one patient was transported to the hospital, however.
Police are investigating an incident at the Capital One bank on the ground floor of the Ballston Common Mall (4100 Wilson Blvd).
According to initial reports, an unknown man entered the bank and splashed a “caustic liquid” in the face of two female bank employees. The employees reportedly suffered a burning sensation and the inability to open their eyes. Police are looking for the man, who fled the scene.
Paramedics treated the employees and a hazmat team responded to try to identify the substance. At this time the injuries are not reported to be serious.
South Block Smoothie & Burrito Co. Plans Wed. Opening
Update at 4:30 p.m. — South Block just said via Twitter that due to a “slight snag” with the county’s zoning office, it may not open on Wednesday, after all. The Friday giveaways, however, are still on for now.
South Block Smoothie & Burrito Co. (3011 11th Street N.), a new health-oriented eatery in Clarendon, is planning to serve its first customers tomorrow afternoon.
Ladders and power tools still clutter the inside of the store, but work is expected to wrap up in anticipation of tomorrow’s hoped-for 3:00 p.m. opening. South Block offers a variety of fruit smooties, Acai bowls, “wholesome” burritos, soups, as well as other healthy fare like wheatgrass juice, oatmeal and yogurt (Greek or frozen).
South Block will have a more formal introduction to the Clarendon community on Friday, when it gives away free smoothies to the first 200 people in line at 3:00 p.m. Coconut water manufacturer Vita Coco will also be on hand on Friday, offering free samples, according to store management.
As reported in May, the store is owned by Amir Mostafavi, who owns the Campus Fresh store in George Washington University’s Lerner Health & Wellness Center.
Report: Redevelopment Threatens Affordable Housing on the Pike
A new report on affordable housing in Northern Virginia suggests that the redevelopment of Columbia Pike will make it difficult to preserve affordable housing along the corridor.
The report, commissioned by the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance, examined three major corridors where redevelopment is underway: Alexandria’s Beauregard corridor, Fairfax County’s Baileys Crossroads area and Arlington’s Columbia Pike corridor.
All three areas, the report says, are affordable thanks to a “lack of private investment, along with poor transportation options and infrastructure” — attributes that have made the areas undesirable to more affluent residents. Now that the Arlington County is actively encouraging economic development and planning a new streetcar line along Columbia Pike, however, the “type of households” seeking to live on the Pike will likely change, leading to “opportunities” for the owners of existing affordable apartment complexes to “reposition their properties… to attract higher-income residents.”
According to the report, there are currently 7,736 affordable, privately-owned rental units along Columbia Pike. Even with the county’s planned efforts to preserve affordable housing on the Pike, however, the report cites county projections that predict 23 percent fewer affordable units by 2040 — a loss of nearly 1,800 affordable rentals.
That loss is expected to be concentrated among the 3,344 market-rate rentals that are affordable to residents who make between 60 and 80 percent of the area’s median income (AMI). About half of the Pike’s 80 percent AMI units are projected to be lost by 2040, while the county focuses its efforts on preserving all of the 3,151 units affordable to those making 60 percent AMI or below. Meanwhile, the county is forecasting a 447 percent increase in market rate (non-affordable) units, or nearly 6,500 new units targeting more affluent renters.
The Alliance is recommending Arlington set “more aggressive targets” for affordable housing on the Pike while offering affordable housing financing that’s more lucrative than that offered by private developers. The Alliance also recommends using reduced property taxes as a “carrot” for preserving existing market-rate affordable apartments.
Cuba’s Sierra Maestra to Perform Tonight in Rosslyn
Sierra Maestra, a Havana-based, Grammy-nominated band that has been performing since 1976, will be bringing their traditional Cuban sound to Rosslyn’s Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) tonight.
The group is making its only D.C.-area stop here for Artisphere’s Salsa Tuesdays. Dancing lessons start at 7:30 p.m., followed by the band’s performance and dancing from 8:30 to 11:00 p.m. Tickets are $25, discounted to $22 for students, military servicemembers and senior citizens.
Many of the members of Sierra Maestra have performed with the Buena Vista Social Club, the international “supergroup” created by Sierra Maestra founder Juan de Marcos Gonzales.
Tonight’s performance will take place in Artisphere’s 4,000 square foot ballroom.
LGBT Dems Endorse Candidates in Local Races
The LGBT Democrats of Virginia and the Virginia Partisans PAC announced a series of endorsements in local races for state Senate and the House of Delegates this morning.
The PAC has endorsed Del. Adam Ebbin, who’s running in the 30th state Senate district and Jaime Areizaga-Soto, who’s running in the 31st state Senate district. The group also endorsed both candidates who are running in the 49th House of Delegates district: Alfonso Lopez and Stephanie Clifford.
While saying that Ebbin’s two primary opponents — Rob Krupicka and Libby Garvey — would be “strong allies,” and while expressing confidence that Areizaga-Soto’s opponent — Barbara Favola — would “vote on the side of equality” — the LGBT Dems nonetheless sided with Ebbin and Areizaga-Soto.
See the group’s press release, after the jump.
Morning Poll: Heat Edition
Needless to say, it’s hot out there.
With temperatures expected to reach the upper 90s today and the lower 100s Friday, some people have got to be getting sick of summer and nostalgic for cooler weather.
If you could press a button and fast forward to the weather and climate of a different month — assuming you couldn’t go back — would you do it, and which month would it be?
Morning Notes
Construction Planned for New Penrose Square Park — Construction is set to begin on a new public park in front of the Penrose Square apartment building on Columbia Pike. Included in the park will be a 50-ton granite sculpture of a “concave elliptical parabola.” [Pike Wire]
Free Pizza Offer — For some reason, Papa John’s and the Washington Post are giving away thousands of free pizzas over the next three days. Papa John’s has three Arlington locations. [The Capitol Deal]
A-SPAN Launches ‘Street Soccer’ Team — The Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network has set up a soccer team for its homeless clients. The team was created as part of the Street Soccer USA program. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]
Flickr pool photo by Christaki
