April 2, 2012 | ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 3:58PM | Updated April 2, 2012 at 4:48PM

The military base announced a policy change today that will open up most recreation facilities there to non-Department of Defense federal employees. Among the facilities that federal workers can now take advantage of are the Fort Myer Bowling Center and the Fort Myer Officers’ Club. The club has a swimming pool, tennis and racquetball courts and fine dining facilities.

Federal workers don’t have to be an Officers’ Club member to use the facilities, but they will have to pay a non-member fee. Official government ID is required to access the facilities. The policy change announced today also allows federal employees to join the Officers’ Club, if they wish.

News

Man Arrested for Lewd Act Outside 7-Eleven

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 3:08PM

An officer was driving by the store around 4:40 a.m. when he saw Nathanael Lovett, 28, performing the lewd act in plain view of potential passersby, according to police. The police report does not note whether anybody other than officer witnessed the act.

Lovett, who police say was recently released from jail in D.C., was charged with indecent exposure and held without bail. Public records show Lovett’s most recent address was an apartment in Northeast D.C. He does not match the description of a suspect seen masturbating along the W&OD Trail last week, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Schools

Group Wants New Montessori School in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 1:41PM | Updated April 2, 2012 at 2:19PM

As part of its ongoing capacity planning process, APS has been narrowing down its options for keeping up with rising enrollment at schools countywide. The options for adding capacity include building new schools and making additions to existing schools.

Montessori advocates have seized upon an APS proposal to build a new PreK-8 countywide magnet school between Carlin Springs Elementary and Kenmore Middle School. AMAC says the school would be ideal for a central Montessori “choice” program, hosting between 600 and 750 Montessori students either from PreK-5 or PreK-8. Currently, there are almost 600 PreK-8 students in 31 Montessori classrooms at schools across Arlington, with hundreds more on waiting lists, according to AMAC.

Events

This Saturday: Arlington E-CARE Recycling Event

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 11:40AM

E-CARE gives Arlington residents an opportunity to safely get rid of hazardous materials like paint, solvents, garden chemicals and items containing mercury. It is also is an opportunity to recycle items that usually aren’t accepted during the weekly residential recycling collection, like electronics, bikes, small metal items, shoes, eyeglasses, and durable medical equipment.

Anybody who drops off household devices that contain mercury, like thermometers and barometers, is eligible to receive a $5 gift card courtesy of trash-to-electricity company Covanta Energy. Fluorescent lights are excluded from the gift card offer.

News

UPDATED: Bishop O’Connell Inadvertently Contributed to Kelly Campaign

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 10:15AM | Updated April 2, 2012 at 5:46PM

In a statement issued late this afternoon, Michael J. Donohue, Director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, said the donation was made by a school employee using school funds. The check was intended to be a donation from an individual, however, and not a donation on behalf of the school itself, according to Donohue.

The Diocese learned today that a member of the staff of Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington County recently used a school check for the sake of convenience to purchase a set of tickets to a political fundraiser for a candidate for local office. This was a significant error in judgment on the part of the school employee as well as a clear violation of diocesan policy. Though all of the $350 in school funds were reimbursed by the employee, Chancery and school officials are presently reviewing the matter, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

Around Town

Clarendon Blogger Moves to Bethesda

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 9:15AM | Updated April 2, 2012 at 11:43AM

In her last blog post, Amy says she would have liked to buy a home in Lyon Village, but it turned out to be beyond her and her husband’s price range. Instead, the couple and their baby girl moved to Bethesda, where they bought a house about six miles away from D.C. proper.

Amy is now launching a new Bethesda blog at www.Bethesdan.com.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2012 at 8:15AM

Local Deer Population Growing — The local population of white-tailed deer is on the rise and having an impact on plant life in Arlington County, according to a county naturalist. “Shrubs like spicebush and pawpaw are becoming much more abundant at the expense of things like wild azaleas, oaks, cedars and American euonymus,” said naturalist Alonso Abugattas. [Sun Gazette]

New Trail Signs Installed — New “wayfinding” signs were recently installed along bike and pedestrian routes throughout the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. The signs are intended to make it easier to navigate to one’s destination, but sometimes can be unintentionally confusing. [Greater Greater Washington]