Suspicious Package Investigation in Rosslyn
Update at 10:05 p.m. — The bomb squad “disrupted” the package, resulting in a “boom” that could be heard in the area.
N. Nash Street in Rosslyn has been shut down between Wilson Boulevard and the Golds Gym for a suspicious package investigation.
Some sort of suspicious package or device was spotted on the sidewalk, we’re told.
Police, firefighters and the Arlington County bomb squad are on the scene.
Last Chance to See Tulips at the Netherlands Carillon
Your chances to see the tulips at the Netherlands Carillon near Rosslyn are running out.
Although many of the flowers are still in top form, some have already lost their petals. There likely won’t be many more days to see the full display before only stems remain.
The colorful tulips bloom every year in front of the carillon, which was a gift from the Dutch in appreciation for the sacrifices the United States made during World War II.
Mixed-Income Apartment Complex Opens in Clarendon
A new apartment complex celebrated its grand opening in Clarendon yesterday. Formerly known as the Views at Clarendon, the vPoint apartment building is being touted as an eco-friendly residence that’s bringing additional subsidized affordable housing to the Clarendon area.
The eight-story complex, developed with financial assistance from Arlington County and the Virginia Housing Development Authority, sits above the Church at Clarendon, which recently celebrated its re-opening. An adjoining building houses the county’s largest daycare center.
The development contains 46 market rate apartments, and 70 affordable housing units. The units, which the developer calls “boutique apartments,” range from studios to three bedrooms. According to the complex’s website, prices run from $2,125 per month to $3,170 per month, with affordable units going for 60 percent of the cost to those who qualify.
Environmentally conscious features such as a carpool drop off area, Energy Star appliances, dual flush toilets and Green Label Plus carpet are expected to earn the building a LEED Silver certification.
A grand opening celebration yesterday included remarks from state Senator Barbara Favola and Arlington County Board Vice-Chair Walter Tejada.
Candidate Withdraws from School Board Race
A little more than two months after announcing he was running, a candidate for Arlington School Board is dropping out. Larry Fishtahler has withdrawn from the race.
In February, Fishtahler announced his interest in receiving an endorsement from the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC). Now that Fishtahler has dropped out, candidate Noah Simon and incumbent Emma Violand-Sanchez are the presumptive Democratic endorsees for the two open positions in November’s election.
(One of the open positions is the School Board seat formerly held by now-County Board member Libby Garvey.)
In a press release, Fishtahler said, “From the time I began I knew that to be successful a number of conditions should be met by the end of March. Over the spring break I determined that a necessary condition had not been achieved. I have been honored by the support I have received during this campaign, and look forward to continuing to work with Emma Violand-Sanchez, Noah Simon, and others to make Arlington’s schools even better than they already are.”
Fishtahler had been the Democratic candidate in the 2003 race, but lost to incumbent Dave Foster, a Republican.
ACDC had planned on holding a caucus on May 9 and 12 to determine which two of the three candidates would receive endorsements. Because only two candidates remain for the open spots, the caucus has been canceled. Instead, there will be a vote at the party’s next general membership meeting, on May 2, to confirm the two endorsements.
Both of the remaining candidates issued statements of their own following Fishtahler’s withdrawal.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to run for School Board with the endorsement of the Arlington Democrats and look forward to closely working with Emma during the remainder of the campaign,” Simon said. “I thank the Arlington Democrats and also commend Larry Fishtahler for his tireless work in support of Arlington’s students.”
Simon is a father of two APS elementary students. He says he’s committed to addressing overcrowding problems at Arlington Public Schools, closing achievement disparities, recruiting and retaining high quality staff, promoting health, fitness and nutrition education, and supplementing instruction with technology.
Violand-Sanchez said, “For the last three years, I have been honored to serve as an Arlington School Board Member, and I am excited to be able to run again with the Democrats’ endorsement to work for Arlington’s students. Though we have our challenges, Arlington’s schools remain one of our greatest community assets. I want to thank Larry Fishtahler for his contributions to our schools and thank the Arlington Democrats and all my supporters for their strong support.”
Voting for the Arlington School Board takes place on November 6, during the general election. Those who wish to run must qualify by June 12.
Your Beermonger: Spring Forward Into Summer
Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).
One of the areas where the explosion of craft beer’s popularity has had its greatest impact is seasonal beers. Not only in the number of said beers coming onto the market, but when they’re released. I’ve often joked with customers over the years about waiting by my phone on August 1st for the calls telling me fall beers, Pumpkin Ales, Oktoberfest beers and the like are in, but it’s not so much a joke anymore. Timing is everything in this competitive market, and being on shelves a week before someone else’s seasonal offering can give you just enough time to establish your beer as a consumer’s go-to beverage for a whole season. This has resulted in earlier releases for many seasonal beers, which has caused some controversy among enthusiasts (then again, what doesn’t?).
The blurriest line in seasonal beer may be in spring/summer releases. Many breweries make beers for both seasons, but most will release separate spring and summer beers for their fans. Again though, consumers have run into issues with ‘spring’ beers having come and gone before the first perfect spring day. Regardless of whether or not something’s a bit early, the beers are gaining in popularity and selling out quicker, so don’t expect any change in this pattern anytime soon.
What should you be keeping an eye out for right now? Well, there are many summer beers that are already out there, along with some more appropriately-timed spring beers. Bell’s Oberon is a big one; brewed essentially throughout baseball’s regular season, this American Wheat Ale is refreshing and rich in flavor, and should be in good supply through August and into September. Anderson Valley Summer Solstice is a bit early this year, but welcome. Summer Solstice is a Cream Ale that clocks in a 4.5% ABV and goes down all too easy as the temperature goes up. New this year is Heavy Seas Sea Nymph from Baltimore; this light, crisp Golden Ale should be hitting stores and bars as you read this. Brooklyn Summer Ale is a classic light English Ale that pairs well with meals and should be seen through July or so. Sierra Nevada Summerfest is a favorite of mine; a refreshing Pilsner with bright pale malts and a nice string of hoppiness. The new (to us, anyway) Schlafly Summer Lager is going to be the BBQ beer of this year for those who give it a try. Of course, I can’t forget my beloved Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager, which will sell out at an absurd rate, but is my personal signal that the warm months have indeed arrived.
In the end, that’s all this is about anyway—finding the beer that gives you the ok to enjoy the changing weather. There are so many great seasonals out there now worth trying, it’s easy to find a great selection to try out and find your own muse. Remember, try everything you can get your hands on, but drink only what you like. 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.
Obama Headquarters to Open on Columbia Pike
Big changes are in store for the old Giant pharmacy in Columbia Heights. The location (2408 Columbia Pike) is being turned into a campaign headquarters for President Obama.
According to a recently created Facebook page and the Arlington Democrats website, the grand opening of the Obama for America office is taking place from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to attend the event to meet staff and other supporters, as well as learning about neighborhood teams throughout the county.
In addition to asking for monetary support for the campaign, the Arlington Democrats are looking for volunteers and donations of supplies for the headquarters.
ART Bus Service Changes Begin Monday
Four ART bus routes will begin using different schedules or routes as of Monday.
Generally speaking, the changes to ART 42, 52, 75 and 77 will be to add additional hours of service or to tweak existing schedules by a few minutes. However, one stop is being removed in Clarendon for two of the routes.
For more information and for full ART bus schedules, log on to the Arlington Transit website. Details for the changes starting on Monday are as follows:
- ART 42 — Additional times are added on weekdays so buses run more frequently during the morning and evening rush hours. Saturday schedules do not change. Buses will no longer travel down N. Highland St in Clarendon, but will instead use N. Garfield St. The stop at N. Highland St and Clarendon Blvd will no longer be in service.
- ART 52 — Slight time adjustments will be made to help the buses run more efficiently. The schedule will help buses better coincide with the Yorktown High School bell schedule. Students should be able to use the bus to get to and from school more easily.
- ART 75 — Additional midday and evening service will be added. Buses will now run weekdays until after 10:00 p.m. The changes will also help buses better coincide with the Wakefield High School bell schedule.
- ART 77 — Saturday service will be added, starting at 7:00 a.m. and going until 11:54 p.m. The change should make it more convenient for riders to visit Shirlington on the weekends. Slight changes will also be made to the weekday schedule to make buses run more efficiently. Buses will no longer travel down N. Highland St in Clarendon, but will instead use N. Garfield St. The stop at N. Highland St and Clarendon Blvd will no longer be in service.
Morning Notes
The Stories Behind the Valor Awards — Wednesday’s Arlington Chamber of Commerce Valor Awards ceremony included some incredible tales of heroism in the line of duty by Arlington’s first responders. In addition to acts of bravery by firefighters and paramedics, there were stories of valor among Arlington’s law enforcement officers, including police officers who prevented a suicidal man from jumping off the Key Bridge in January, an officer who pulled the occupants of a burning, wrecked car to safety, and a Sheriff’s deputy who jumped on the electrified Metro tracks to come to the aid of a man hit by a train near Clarendon. [Sun Gazette]
Shirlington Dog Park Cleanup — Volunteers are being sought for a spring cleaning at the Shirlington Dog Park along Four Mile Run. The cleanup is planned from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. [Examiner.com]
Moran to Host ‘High Level Cyber Summit’ — Rep. Jim Moran will be hosting a summit and panel discussion in Arlington entitled “Cybersecurity in a Time of Defense Austerity.” Among the panelists will be the Department of Defense’s Chief Information Officer and representatives from the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Cyber Command, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The summit is being held on Tuesday, April 24 at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Ballston.
Olympic Gold Medalist Visits APS Schools — Steve Lopez, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in taekwondo, visited students at Arlington Science Focus School and Washington-Lee High School. Lopez encouraged students “to say ‘yes’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘no’ to underage drinking.” [Arlington Public Schools]
Photo courtesy Michael Resnick
