Vehicle Decal Finalists Revealed
(Updated on 12/13/11) The four finalists for Arlington’s 2012-13 vehicle decal design contest have been revealed.
The annual contest challenges Arlington high school students to submit an original photograph or artwork to appear on the county’s vehicle decals. More than 150,000 decals are mailed to vehicle owners in Arlington each year. Those decals must be displayed on the windshield as a sign that vehicle’s personal property tax has been paid.
A “Citizen’s Panel” selected the four finalists (above) after a call for entries in October.
All of this year’s entries are photographs taken in south Arlington. Two of this year’s finalists are photographs of the Pentagon’s 9/11 memorial. Another showed an honor guard statue at the Air Force Memorial. The fourth was a nighttime photograph of a Ferris wheel at the Arlington County Fair.
Members of the public will be able to vote for their favorite decal design through the Arlington County website, starting on Thursday Tuesday, or via the Sun Gazette newspaper. More information about the entrants and the contest is available from the Sun Gazette.
Ray’s Hell Burger Robbed by Armed Men
Ray’s Hell Burger in Rosslyn was the scene of an armed robbery on Thursday night. The well-known restaurant was robbed by three men dressed in ski masks and sunglasses, we’re told.
From this week’s Arlington County crime report:
ROBBERY, 12/08/11, 1700 block of Wilson Blvd. On December 8 at 9:30 pm, three unknown men entered a restaurant and demanded money while brandishing a handgun. They fled through a rear door after receiving cash. The suspects were men of average height and weight, wearing all black clothing, black ski masks and sunglasses.
Initial news of the robbery was first reported by an ARLnow.com commenter last week. A police spokesperson was unable to elaborate on which Ray’s Hell Burger was robbed; both the original Ray’s Hell Burger and Ray’s Hell Burger Too are located in the same shopping center. Ray’s Hell Burger does not accept credit cards and operates as a cash-only business.
Obama, Iraqi Leader Visit Arlington Nat’l Cemetery
President Obama, Vice President Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki made a joint visit to Arlington National Cemetery this afternoon.
Maliki and the president participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, to honor American troops killed in Iraq. The visit coincides with the planned exit of nearly all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of this month.
Traffic was blocked in the area of the Memorial Bridge during the roughly 30 minute visit. Arlington County police assisted with the closures.
File photo
Arlington County Holiday Closures
The timing of Christmas and New Year’s this year couldn’t be worse for those hoping for a couple of extra days off work.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fall on a Saturday and a Sunday, as does New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Obviously, most people already get weekends off as a matter of course. Most Arlington County workers, however, will get an extra day off on the Monday following both holiday weekends.
Arlington County administrative offices, libraries, schools, courts, human services offices and nature centers will be closed on Monday, Dec. 26 and Monday, Jan. 2, in addition to being closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The courts, which are usually closed on weekends, will be closed on Friday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 30 in addition to the Monday closures. The Arlington Public Schools winter break will keep students out of classrooms from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.
Several Arlington community centers will be open on Dec. 26, though most — with the exception of Barcroft — will be closed on Jan. 2.
Trash and recycling collections will proceed as usual on Dec. 23, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
See more details on the holiday closures on the Arlington County website.
Police Release Image of Rosslyn Bank Robber
Arlington County Police have released a surveillance image of a man accused of robbing a bank in Rosslyn .
Police say the man walked into the Presidential Bank at 1700 N. Moore Street on Friday afternoon and demanded money from a teller. After receiving the cash, he fled on foot toward the Rosslyn Metro station. Officers arrived within a minute or two; they searched the station and the surrounding area but were unable to find the suspect.
The police department is now asking for the public’s help in identifying the man in the photo.
“The suspect is described as in his mid 20’s, White or Hispanic male, 5’5” to 5’6” with a thin build,” police said in a press release. “At the time of the robbery he wore a black hooded sweatshirt with red and white lettering, tan pants and light colored shoes.”
Anyone who has information about the suspect or the case is asked to call the police department at 703-558-2222 or Det. Gary Skeens at 703-228-4166.
Wilson Tavern Now Open in Courthouse
Wilson Tavern (2403 Wilson Blvd) is now open in the old Kitty O’Shea’s space in Courthouse.
The restaurant, which describes its offerings as “updated American classics,” is currently only open for dinner, but plans to start serving lunch on Tuesday. A weekend brunch service is expected to begin later this month, perhaps on Christmas weekend.
Wilson Tavern retains the small footprint of Kitty O’Shea’s, as well as the prominent bar, but renovations have resulted in an updated look that got rid of the old drop ceiling and exposed some of the building’s rugged brickwork. Black woodwork, an eclectic collection of new and antique furniture including repurposed 19th century church pews, and bare, hanging light bulbs give the tavern a unique, vaguely old-fashioned feel.
The food menu includes updated takes on comfort food, like a burger with beef sourced from The Plains, Va., saffron PEI mussels with steak frites, and stuffed mac ‘n’ cheese with artichoke, pork belly and a brioche crumb. Some may not find the prices as comforting, though: the fish ‘n’ chips is $17 (compared to $13 at Ireland’s Four Courts, down the street), a roasted chicken with collard greens and gravy is $17, and the Plains-sourced burger — with aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and a brioche bun — is $12.
The menu will be changed seasonally and daily specials will be available. There is also a condensed menu available for late night diners.
The draft beer list, which will also change regularly, currently includes eight curated selections from brewers like New Belgium, Legend, Bell’s and Port City. Drafts range from $5 to $8, while bottled macrobrews like Miller Lite and Budweiser clock in at $4. A short California-centric wine list prices glasses from $6 to $10 and bottles from $22 to $38.
Wilson Tavern will serve classic cocktails made with freshly-squeezed juices. The menu includes a dark and stormy, sazerac, old fashioned, gin and juice, screwdriver, pickled Martini and a Negroni, with prices from $7 to $10.
Wilson Tavern’s chef, Chris Kenworthy, hails from Hook, Equinox and Watershed restaurants in the District. Bar manager Matt Culbertson is a former bartender at PS 7′s in D.C. and Cowboy Cafe in Arlington.
Owner Sandy Lewis, a friend of landlord and fellow Lyon Village resident Ray Schupp, says she hopes Wilson Tavern becomes more of a neighborhood dining destination than Kitty O’Shea’s, which was forced out after a contentious legal battle. Despite a very quiet opening last Tuesday, Lewis says she’s been happy with the number of diners who have been showing up for dinner.
“We’re putting out a little bit higher quality food than the average bar,” she said, pointing to locally-sourced meats, freshly-prepared sauces and other house-made ingredients.
Morning Notes
Board Lifts Ban on A-Frame Signs — Following through on a New Years promise from Arlington County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman, the Board voted on Saturday to allow businesses in the county to use temporary sidewalk signs, also known as A-frame signs. The Board also approved the use of branded sidewalk cafe umbrellas. [Arlington County]
New Soccer Fields Discussed — The County Board is pondering where future soccer fields should be built in Arlington. New fields are necessary, the Board has been told, due to expected growth of youth soccer programs. The 6,000 player strong Arlington Soccer Association is expected to add another 1,000 players in coming years as Arlington experiences growth in its youth population. [Sun Gazette]
WaPo Readers Complain About ‘Hippie High’ Nickname — A pair of Washington Post readers wrote letters to the editor to complain about an article that once again dubbed the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program “Hippie High.” [Washington Post]
Arlington Expecting Another Tough Year in Richmond — Arlington’s legislative delegation is anticipating another difficult year in Richmond. They say the Republican-controlled Virginia General Assembly has repeatedly passed legislation that goes against the county’s interests, despite the fact that Arlington is a significant source of state tax dollars. [Washington Times]
Flickr pool photo by Damiec
