Borders Book Bonanza
Here’s your chance to catch up on summer reading at a lower cost than expected. Borders’ liquidation sale is officially on.
It’s no secret that Borders filed for bankruptcy in February and then announced last week that all stores would be closing, including the one in Pentagon City. Now you can pick up books and basically anything in the remaining Borders store in our area, at 1201 S. Hayes Street in Pentagon Centre, for 10-40% off.
The sale will continue until the stores close, which is expected to be in September.
Volunteers Needed for County Fair
The Arlington County Fair is fast approaching, and organizers are looking for volunteers.
Help is wanted from August 10-14. Volunteers are asked to attend an orientation session to learn about the fair and what opportunities are available. The first orientation is tonight and the other is next Tuesday. Volunteers will have the chance to win a door prize of tickets to a concert at the 9:30 Club.
If you’d like to volunteer, click here for the application, or email arlingtoncofair@gmail.com for more information.
Residents Fight County on Construction Project
Some South Arlington residents are trying to fight the county on an upcoming construction project.
The county has been planning to redesign parts of Arlington Ridge Road from 23rd Street to South Meade Street. Some of the improvements include work on curbs, gutters, sidewalks and bike lanes. The county cites pedestrian safety as the reason for the revamping.
Some neighbors launched a campaign called “Save Our Streets” to oppose the approximately $200,000 project. Group members say they’re upset because of wasteful spending, the county isn’t listening to them and there’s a lack of transparency.
The group hopes to encourage other residents to write letters to the county requesting a suspension of the project, which has a construction start date set for August 8. They want more time to give resident input and have it incorporated into the design.
County Manager Barbara Donnellan sent a memo to board members last month saying citizens’ concerns had been evaluated and the plan was adjusted accordingly. The memo concluded that “this project is ready and will move forward with construction.”
The start date was set for August 8 in order to avoid disrupting school children who walk in the area. Once work gets underway, the project is scheduled to take about four weeks.
Power Record Set During Extreme Heat
Dominion Virginia Power set an all-time record for peak demand for electricity on Friday.
The company’s 2.4 million customers used 20,061 megawatts of electricity between 3 and 4pm on Friday. That broke the previous record of 19,688 megawatts set on August 8, 2007. One megawatt provides enough electricity for about 250 homes.
Although the blistering heat and oppressive humidity from last week has died down, the continued warm weather means high electricity use. Dominion has the following tips for keeping energy costs down and keeping homes comfortable:
- Postpone activities requiring hot water to early morning or late evening to prevent heat and humidity from building up in the home.
- If you are comfortable, raise the thermostat to 78 degrees.
- Close drapes during the hottest points of the day.
- Turn off unnecessary lights, which add heat to a home. Consider switching to cooler, energy efficient CFL bulbs.
- Make sure window air conditioners are sized correctly. Those that are too small will run constantly, but will not cool the room. Those that are too large use more energy than necessary.
- Clean filters to window air conditioning units and clean or replace filters to central air conditioning systems. Clogged filters cause air conditioners to use more energy than necessary to keep a home cool.
- Clear attic vents. If the home has an attic fan, make sure it is functioning properly.
Proposed Ban on Kids in Dog Parks Goes Bust
The controversial proposal to ban children from Arlington dog parks will not come to fruition after all. As Gwyn Donohue of the blog Two Dog Tales first reported, the county has decided to keep the existing rules in place.
Officials have been taking in feedback and holding listening sessions since the proposal was brought up earlier this year. The idea was to ban children under the age of 8, and to require parental supervision for children aged 8 through 14.
In a letter to Community Canine Area sponsors and users, Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director Dinesh Tiwari said the existing rules and regulations are adequate. However, the county will take some additional steps to make sure dog park users comply with rules. One measure is to install signs advising parents “to pay close attention to their children to ensure that they remain under direct supervision at all times.”
The county will continue to take feedback on how the beefed up rules and regulations are working.
Morning Notes
Xe Services to Move–Xe Services, the company formerly known as Blackwater, is moving its corporate headquarters to Arlington. [CBS MoneyWatch]
Metro Songs CD for Sale– Jason Mendelson, the budding songwriter who was inspired to write a series of songs about Metro, is releasing his first CD. The $5 CD includes such songs as “Pizza Party at Virginia Square” and “Crawling Out of Crystal City.” [Washington Post]
Remy to the Rescue–Not to be outdone, another local artist has released a new YouTube video. Remy has a message for politicians with his “Raise the Debt Ceiling Rap.” [YouTube]
Free Movie Tickets–Stop by the 7-Eleven store at 201 S. Glebe Road from 3-5pm to win free tickets to the premiere of “Cowboys and Aliens.” There will also be samples of pizza and wings, 11 cent beverages and a chance to win a $50 shopping spree.
