Police Rescue Man After Suicide Attempt
Police were able to rescue a man who attempted to hang himself from a light pole tonight.
The incident happened in the area of Walter Reed Drive and S. Pollard Street, near the Ft. Barnard dog park. Police received a call just before 5:15 p.m. for a man sitting on a light pole — about 20 feet up — with a rope around his neck. As officers arrived on scene, the man jumped, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
Sternbeck said the man came to rest about five feet off the ground. Officers worked quickly and managed to get the man down. He had a pulse when paramedics transported him to a local hospital, according to Sternbeck.
Police remained on scene to investigate the incident, Sternbeck said. The man’s current condition was not immediately available.
Courtesy photo. If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is a phone call away. Call CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.
Battle Brewing Over Westover Beer Garden Re-Opening
It’s been a contentious couple of weeks for the Westover Market and Beer Garden. Upon receiving a warning from Arlington County, it suddenly declared the beer garden would shut down until April 1. Today, the saga continues as management has decided to re-open the beer garden against the County’s wishes.
Owner Devin Hicks said he’s tried working with the county on the matter but his efforts have not been successful. Now he’s going to do what he believes Westover Market is entitled to do by law — operate a year-round patio area.
Bob Brosnan, Director of the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, clarifies that Hicks did not receive an actual citation — as stated in a previous article — but rather a courtesy letter requesting compliance. A violation notice will likely be sent out on Monday and Westover Market will have 10 days to bring itself in compliance, or face fines, Brosnan said.
The goal is not to hinder businesses or to collect fines, it’s to keep businesses in compliance with county ordinances, according to Brosnan.
“We’ve been trying to work with them to make them understand how we can work with them legally, that is our goal,” he said. “Our goal in these cases is always compliance.”
Arlington County has developed a web page specifically relating to the beer garden at Westover Market. On the page, it states that establishments with outdoor patios must have ample parking for the number of people being served, but that parking requirement is reduced if the establishment is near a Metro stop. The County allows establishments to get around the parking rule by becoming “seasonal” and closing for three or more months each year.
Because the Westover beer garden isn’t deemed as having enough parking, it’s supposed to be seasonal. However, Hicks points out the rule is technically a “guideline” and not an actual “ordinance.” He believes the county has been enforcing a measure that was never officially put in the books.
The County’s web page for Westover Market links to another County page, titled “Guidelines for Outdoor Cafes.” On that document it states: “Unless otherwise required by the County Board, outdoor cafes shall be exempt from any parking requirement.” It goes on to say: “There is no explicit requirement in the Zoning Ordinance that requires them to be temporary or seasonal.”
Of his long-running trouble with the county, Hicks said relations have improved over the past year or so, but he believes he’s currently being unfairly targeted with the enforcement of the seasonal rule.
“We’re just going to go ahead and do what’s legally right,” Hicks said. “There’s nothing in the rules that says it has to be seasonal.”
TRAFFIC ALERT: HOV Lanes Blocked Due to Accident
(Updated at 4:42 p.m.) The HOV lanes of I-395 are partially blocked due to an accident involving a bus and an SUV.
Police, fire firefighters and paramedics are on the scene, just south of Washington Boulevard. Paramedics are said to be evaluating several injuries, but so far no serious injuries have been reported.
Southbound traffic on both the mainline and HOV lanes of I-395 is very heavy approaching the accident. One lane of HOV traffic is now slowly squeezing by the scene.
Marine Corps Marathon Active Duty Registration Opens
Active Duty Registration has officially begun for the Marine Corps Marathon.
The special discount and early registration applies to all active duty and reserve service members. Military personnel from all branches of the armed forces will receive a 15 percent discount off the regular $92 entrance fee.
Military personnel have until March 6 to take advantage of the discount. Registration opens to the general public on March 7.
The Marine Corps Marathon, which takes place on October 28, is the fourth largest marathon in the United States and the ninth largest in the world. The race starts and ends in Arlington.
Girl Scout Cookie Booth Sales Begin Today
If you’ve been fiending for some sweets that only come around once a year, you’re in luck. Girl Scout cookie booth sales start today.
Here’s a list of some of the places you can pick up boxes of the famed cookies today:
- Ballston Metro (901 N. Stuart St) 3:00-7:00 p.m.
- Courthouse Metro (Clarendon Blvd & N. Uhle St) 3:00-7:00 p.m.
- Crystal City Metro (S. Bell St & 18th St) 3:00-7:00 p.m.
- East Falls Church Metro (2000 N. Sycamore St) 3:00-7:00 p.m.
- Pentagon City Metro (1200 S. Hayes St) 3:00-7:00 p.m.
- Giant Food Stores (3115 Lee Hwy, 2501 9th Road S., 2901 S. Glebe Rd) 4:00-8:00 p.m.
- Pentagon Centre (1201 S. Hayes St) 4:00-9:00 p.m.
- Safeway (5101 Wilson Blvd) 4:00-8:00 p.m.
A listing of daily locations for local booth sales through end end of March can be found here.
Screen grab via littlebrowniebakers.com
Your Beermonger: ‘Tis the Saison
Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).
It’s hard to imagine here in 2012 American, but the Belgian style of beer known as Saison was near-death not 15-20 years ago. Like many other beer styles, the rise of the American craft beer scene created an interest in Saison that brought this clean, refreshing Ale back from the brink and then some. In fact, it seems difficult these days to find a brewery that isn’t making a Saison of one form or another. Let’s take a look at a style of Belgian beer that has charmed the world.
Saison’s roots can be found in the French-speaking Belgian region of Wallonia. Farmers would brew these Ales in the autumn or winter for farm workers to drink during their long harvest-time shifts (this is why you’ll often see Saison alternately referred to as Farmhouse Ale). You see potable water wasn’t exactly an option in those days, and said farmworkers were entitled to as much as five liters per day (for hydration purposes, or for the hell of it) while harvest was happening. Because of this the original Saisons were around 3% ABV so as to be more refreshing than anything else, and while the strength of Saison has gone up over the years (most examples today check in between 6-8%) a bright, refreshing feel with a crisp hop character (hops act as a preservative, don’t forget) remain the hallmark of the style.
With Saison we’re blessed with many great examples brewed here in the U.S. as well as its native Belgium, but there is a standard of the breed. Saison Dupont has been brewed in the same farmhouse since 1844 and is one of a precious few beers that perfectly represent what their style should be. Dupont has fresh wheat notes with a subtle hoppy backbone and a slightly floral finish. Above all else, Saison Dupont is a joy to drink; it’s a beer that is welcome and fantastic to have anytime of the year and one of only a handful of beers I know of that just about everyone who is into beer can always agree on.
Dupont also make a holiday season version called Avec Les Bons Voeux that is stronger at 9% and well worth seeking out. For Belgians, I also recommend Urthel Saisonniere. Here in America, there is a seemingly endless list of great Saison-style beers available. Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a favorite, featuring the Japanese Sorachi Ace hop and a more floral character with slightly more assertive hops than usual. Heavy Seas Red Sky At Night from Baltimore is available during the summer months, as it tradition, and usually sells out fast so if you find it, jump on it.
Stillwater Ales has made an art of Saison-inspired beers; their American Farmhouse Ale is a delight and Debutante, with its rye malt and use of heather and honeysuckle, is a revelation. Ommegang Hennepin is a legend and can be found all year. The Bruery Saison Rue is brewed every season and mixes rye malt and brettanomyces to make things more interesting. Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale is a more-than-solid straightforward take on the style. Among the more intriguing, though, is Saison du Buff made in an epic collaboration between Dogfish Head, Stone, and Victory brewing companies. Each brewery makes their own version of the beer, and each has their own qualities. It’s a fascinating experiment if you can gather all three for a tasting session. Expect to start seeing the new releases of Saison du Buff in the next couple of months.
Until next time. Cheers!
Nick Anderson keeps a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx.
Wind Advisory Issued for Region
Get ready for some breezy weather tonight. The National Weather Service is predicting 20 to 30 mph sustained winds, with gusts up to 55 mph, starting late this afternoon.
The winds carry the possibility of blowing debris and downed power lines, among other hazards. From Arlington Alerts:
The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for Arlington County and other jurisdictions within the National Capital Region from 3 pm, Friday, February 24th, until midnight tonight. The strongest winds are expected to occur late this afternoon thru this evening with gusts up to 55 MPH. Winds this strong may make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution
Artisphere’s Opening Night of Kahlo Exhibit
Last night the public got its first look at Artisphere’s exclusive exhibit of personal photos from famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Nearly 2,000 people showed up for the opening night.
Dignitaries from Kahlo’s native Mexico, such as Alejandra de la Paz from the Embassy of Mexico and Jefe Delegacional en Coyoacan (similar to a mayor) Raul Flores Garcia, also attended. Coyoacan is a suburb of Mexico City, and a sister city to Arlington.
The exhibit contains 259 of the artist’s personal photographs. Artisphere is the only venue in the United States to display these photographs. The free exhibit will run through March 25.
Photos courtesy of Artisphere
Drill Planned at Water Pollution Control Plant
For the next few hours, it may look like there’s trouble at Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant. But don’t worry, because it’s only a drill.
The Arlington County Fire Department will assist the County with conducting a safety drill at the facility from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The activity will center around the Methanol Facility at the southwest end of the WPCP, near S. Glebe Rd. A number of fire department vehicles will be on scene and there will be audible alarms sounding.
The WPCP has spent several years going through a massive upgrade and renovation period. Most of the renovations are expected to be finished this summer.
Morning Notes
Fetus Personhood Bill Defeated — A coalition of Democrats and Republicans helped defeat a bill that would have granted legal “personhood” status to unborn children at the moment of conception. The Virginia House of Delegates had approved the bill, but the state Senate voted yesterday to delay consideration of the bill until next year in order to allow further study. Pro-choice advocates argued the bill would have had unintended consequences, like outlawing some forms of contraception and granting expectant mothers use of HOV lanes. [Huffington Post]
Amazon to Pay Sales Tax in Virginia — Get ready to start paying a 5 percent sales tax on your Amazon.com purchases. The online retailer agreed yesterday to start collecting sales taxes in Virginia. Traditional brick and mortar retailers were pushing state legislators to force Amazon to pay sales taxes, saying that the company’s sales tax “loophole” gave them an unfair competitive advantage. [WAMU]
Klingon Casting Call — Arlington’s WSC Avant Bard is seeking some local Klingons for its “Shakespeare in Klingon” show on March 4. The theater company is holding a Klingon casting call in Dupont Circle from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. [Washington Post]
Improv Class This Weekend — An “Introduction to Improv” class is being held on Saturday at Arlington’s Theater on the Run (3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive). The class is being hosted by The Arlington Players and taught by Dunbar Dicks of the legendary Chicago improv troupe Second City. [The Arlington Players]
Flickr pool photo by Chris Rief
