UPDATED: Key Bridge Protesters Disperse After Peaceful March
Update at 5:55 p.m. — The few protesters who made it to the Virginia side of the Key Bridge were “pretty low-key,” says Arlington County police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal. No arrests were made and no injuries were reported. A small group of young protesters wearing anarchist symbols and bandanas over their faces had a brief but peaceful confrontation with Arlington police that ended with the group crossing back into D.C.
Update at 4:50 p.m. — After a peaceful occupation of one of the bridge’s sidewalks, protesters have largely dispersed. Traffic on the Key Bridge is currently light and unobstructed.
Earlier: Several dozen Arlington County police officers in riot gear are stationed on the Virginia side of the Key Bridge, waiting to see if protesters from the Occupy D.C. movement decide to cross.
The heavy police presence on the Rosslyn side of the Potomac is accompanied by the presence of D.C. police mid-span and on the Georgetown side, and a U.S. Park Police helicopter overhead.
A couple hundred protesters are said to be marching in the District, compared to just over a dozen ‘Occupy NoVA’ demonstrators — mostly Verizon CWA union members — who marched down Wilson Boulevard around 3:00 this afternoon.
Indoor Cycling Studio Coming to Clarendon
Stand-alone indoor cycling studios are becoming trendy across the country, and soon Arlington will have one such facility to call its own.
Revolve, which describes itself as a “high-end specialized indoor cycling studio,” is hoping to open at 1025 N. Fillmore Street in Clarendon by the end of the month. The studio, which is currently under construction in the ground floor of the Zoso Flats building, will eventually feature 40 Schwinn exercise bikes in a room surrounded by nearly a dozen speakers — to help pump in music to keep participants energized.
Revolve will offer three different types of classes classes, which will last 45 to 60 minutes and cost $17 to $20 per session. From a press release:
Revolve’s Fitness Consultant, Christianne Phillips, has designed three revolutionary classes to be featured exclusively at Revolve: Real Ride, Complete Body Ride and Barre Ride. A more traditional cycle class focusing on endurance, the Real Ride class will provide participants with an indoor journey that feels like an outdoor ride. Complete Body Ride is a full-body workout that incorporates cardio, strength and flexibility, and keeps participants moving while engaging in upper body weight training. Barre Ride is a revolutionary hybrid workout that combines cardio with toning barre-based exercises. In a Barre Ride class, participants will burn calories while sculpting muscles, using the bikes’ handlebars as a ballet-style bar.
Sylvan Garfunkel, who left the “rat race” of his job as a corporate attorney in New York City to run the studio as a co-owner, says what will set Revolve apart from the “big box gyms” is more personal service and an emphasis on camaraderie among the cyclists.
“Group fitness enthusiasts, especially indoor cyclists, feel a special kinship with their fellow participants,” Garfunkel said. “We want our studio to offer a community-like atmosphere, where bonds with instructors and fellow riders grow beyond the cycle room.”
In addition to regularly-scheduled classes, Revolve will offer special events like charity rides, private corporate and group rides and a monthly event featuring a live DJ. The business, which counts two college-aged brothers among its other co-owners, is hoping to do a “soft opening” by the end of this month, with a full opening expected by mid-December.
Authorities Warn of Traffic Impact from ‘Occupy’ March
Local authorities are warning of possible rush hour traffic impacts as a result of today’s scheduled Occupy NoVA and Occupy D.C. marches to the Key Bridge.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are advising the public about the possibility of traffic delays during the evening rush hour today (17 Nov) due to a planned demonstration and march by Occupy DC in the vicinity of the Key Bridge and McPherson Square.
The demonstration / march is scheduled to begin at 1430 and continue through the evening rush hour. Potential impacts include the possibility of heavy pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic between the Key Bridge, McPherson Square, and surrounding areas.
Arlington and D.C. police are stationed on either side of the Key Bridge to ensure the march remains orderly.
Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season
Looking for a way to give back this holiday season?
The county’s Volunteer Arlington program lists several holiday-related volunteer and donation opportunities that are open to interested members of the public.
- Thanksgiving Meal Delivery — The Arlington Knights of Columbus chapter is feeding some 2,000 needy people on Thanksgiving, and they need volunteers to help deliver meals or serve food in their North Arlington facility.
- Angel Tree Program Setup, Sorting and Distribution — Help the Salvation Army provide gifts to needy children and elderly citizens who would otherwise be left out on Christmas.
- Gift Wrapping at Pentagon City Mall — A gift wrapping service provided to shoppers at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City by Arms Outstretched Ministry. Proceeds benefit wounded warriors, deployed military personnel and their families.
- Secret Santa/Adopt-A-Family — Help provide gifts to needy families via the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing.
- Arlington DHS Secret Santa — Donate gift cards to the Arlington Department of Human Services to make the holidays “a little happier for some of Arlington’s most vulnerable residents.”
Board to Advertise Hearings on Sign Ordinance Changes
The Arlington County Board is expected to advertise two public hearings on changes to the county’s sign ordinance on Saturday.
The proposed changes, which have been in the works since the beginning of the year, include:
- Permitting temporary sidewalk “A-frame” signs
- Permitting logos on umbrellas within sidewalk cafes
- Permitting coordinated public parking signs near parking garages
A-frame signs are currently verboten under the county’s sign ordinance — a rule that has led to conflicts between county zoning personnel and local business owners. Under the proposed changes, A-frame signs would be allowed without a permit for “all businesses that provide goods and services to the public,” as long as the sign is no more than 3.5 feet high and as long as a minimum 6-foot clear passageway is maintained on the sidewalk.
Similarly, branded sidewalk cafe umbrellas — currently prohibited under most circumstances — would be allowed without a permit as long as it’s within an approved sidewalk cafe. Wrote county staff: “The proposed amendment would allow up to four square feet of each umbrella… to be used for commercial messages related to the business and/or products sold there, and thus allow outdoor cafes to create their own identity and contribute to neighborhood character.”
The parking sign change would allow a more uniform system of way-finding for parking garages in Arlington. A pilot program in Rosslyn has allowed such signs since 2008. County officials consider the program a success, and are recommending it be extended to the entire county.
“An effective parking way-finding program can reduce congestion by eliminating unnecessary travel by lost motorists,” staff wrote.
Morning Poll: Occupy Arlington?
Yesterday we were the first to report about the newly-formed Occupy NoVA group’s plan to march from Ballston to the Key Bridge.
It’s not clear how many people will show up for the march. At this point, Occupy NoVA appears to be a loose coalition of, at most, a couple dozen people. And unlike their Occupy D.C. and Occupy Wall Street brethren, Occupy NoVA is not occupying anything at the moment. The group has not yet established any encampments — but they say that future plans are up for discussion.
Though Arlington is generally considered a bastion of progressivism in an otherwise right-leaning state, would county residents and workers support a move by Occupy NoVA to occupy a local park or square?
Morning Notes
White House Shooting Suspect Arrested — The man wanted for firing bullets at the White House Friday night, who may or may not have been squatting in Arlington, was arrested in Pennsylvania yesterday. Investigators now say Oscar Ramiro Orgeta-Hernandez was “obsessed” with President Barack Obama. One of the bullets that was fired cracked a window of the first family’s living quarters. [CBS News]
Arlington-Based Firm Considering IPO — Courthouse-based Opower, an energy software company that was visited by President Obama last year, is growing and eying a possible initial public offering. [GigaOm]
News Anchor Remembers Arlington Childhood — In a recent interview, NBC4 anchor Doreen Gentzler reminisced about growing up in Arlington. She marveled at some of the changes that have taken place over the years and recalled the time when there was a nearby A&P store. [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by Maryva2
