Kaine, Planned Parenthood Hold Rally in Arlington
Former Virginia governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) was among the notable political figures who took the podium at a rally for Planned Parenthood in Arlington over the weekend.
Planned Parenthood’s “Women are Watching” bus tour stopped at Virginia Highlands Park near Pentagon City on Sunday morning. With a bright pink bus as a backdrop, Kaine told the crowd that he was committed to pro-choice policies and against efforts to place restrictions on birth control.
“Often, these issues are pushed by the other side as wedge issues. They want to use wedge issues that divide us,” Kaine said. “Women’s lives are not political issues, women’s lives are not wedge issues. Women have the ability to make their own health care decisions and their own moral decisions.”
Kaine was joined at the rally by several local Democratic elected officials, including County Board member Walter Tejada, state Senator Janet Howell, Del. Charniele Herring, and Arlington Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy.
Howell and Herring spoke of some of the bills pushed by Republicans during the latest legislative session in Richmond, including a bill that originally would have required women seeking an abortion to receive a transvaginal ultrasound. (The bill was amended to only require an external ultrasound after it made national headlines.) Also discussed was the more recent controversy over remarks by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.). Akin falsely suggested that the female body “has ways to shut… down” and prevent a pregnancy during a “legitimate rape.”
Charniele told the crowd of more than 100 Planned Parenthood supporters that politicians should be required to have a basic understanding of biology before they try to legislate on it.
While politics dominated the rally, not everything discussed was of a political nature.
One of the speakers was a young female immigrant who was diagnosed with breast cancer during a Planned Parenthood screening. She spoke of how, though she lacked health insurance, the organization provided the support and financial assistance she needed to get a mastectomy and emerge from treatment cancer-free.
Kaine will face Republican George Allen on the Nov. 6 ballot in Virginia.
Photos courtesy Kaine for Virginia and Cliffords Photography, as labeled
Labor Day Closures in Arlington
Most Arlington County government offices will be closed in observance of the Labor Day holiday this coming weekend.
Arlington’s administrative offices, public libraries, courts, schools and nature centers will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3. Community centers will be closed, with the exception of Barcroft, which will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
County pools will be open under a modified schedule. The Wakefield High School pool will be open from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Labor Day. The Yorktown pool will also be open from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., and the Washington-Lee pool will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
ART buses will operate under a holiday schedule. Trash and recycling collection will continue as normal.
One county office that will remain open is the Arlington voting office, at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. The office will be open on Saturday, Sept. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for absentee voting in the 45th District House of Delegates special election. The office will also be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Labor Day for “legal requirements.”
The election — 45th District voters will have the choice of candidates Tim McGhee (R), Rob Krupicka (D) and Justin R. Malkin (L) — is taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
Arlington Ranks #4 on List of the ‘Rich and Single’
Arlington is moving up in the rankings of places for the single and wealthy.
The county has ranked #4 on CNN Money’s 2012 list of “Best Places for the Rich and Single.” That’s up from our #7 ranking last year.
Also on this year’s list were Alexandria, at #12, and Towson, Md., at #8. Newton, Mass. ranked #1 on the list, which takes into consideration a place’s percentage of single people and the median family income.
According to figures cited by CNN Money, Arlington’s population is 41.5 percent single and has a median family income of $132,580. In writing about Arlington’s well-to-do single scene, the publication observed:
When the sun goes down, it’s time to turn the BlackBerry off and move and shake to a different groove. With its namesake Ballroom, the Clarendon neighborhood is the area’s hub for singles-spotting. Still, Arlington’s other “urban villages” are catching up. Head to Restaurant Row in Crystal City or Shirlington’s burgeoning nightlife scene to engage in a little bipartisan congress.
Morning Notes
Streetcar Video Came at a Cost — An Arlington County-produced video that makes the case for the planned Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar lines cost the county $3,400. Arlington officials greenlit the video because they “felt there was a general ‘lack of public awareness and education’” about the streetcar. [Washington Examiner]
Beef ‘O’ Brady Eyes Arlington — The Florida-based Beef ‘O’ Brady chain of sports bars/restaurants is apparently looking to open in Arlington. Arlington is a “key component to the company’s growth strategy in Virginia,” according to a press release. “While there’s definitely a market for Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in the Arlington market, we’re taking a careful approach to finding a franchise partner with business savvy, tenacity and a readiness to reinvest in the communities they serve,” said James Walker, Chief Development Officer of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, in a statement. “ [Restaurant News Release]
Donations Sought for USS Arlington Commissioning — The commissioning of the USS Arlington, a new Navy transport ship, is six months away. The USS Arlington Commissioning Committee is now seeking donations to help support the commissioning ceremony and to build a “tribute room” within the new ship. [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann
UPDATED: Thunderstorm Threat Tonight
Update at 8:25 p.m. — The storm threat appears to have passed.
A line of strong thunderstorms, packing heavy rains and gusty winds, is heading toward Arlington.
The National Weather Service has issued the following Special Weather Statement.
… STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… ARLINGTON… MONTGOMERY… PRINCE WILLIAM… PRINCE GEORGES AND FAIRFAX COUNTIES…
AT 414 PM EDT… STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF DALE CITY TO CAMP SPRINGS… MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE JEFFERSON MANOR… HUNTINGTON… FOREST HEIGHTS… MORNINGSIDE… WEST SPRINGFIELD… DISTRICT HEIGHTS… SUITLAND-SILVER HILL… SUITLAND… NORTH SPRINGFIELD AND BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE.
HEAVY RAIN WITH THESE STORMS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE MILE AND CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend
It may be a cloudy, rainy weekend, but that shouldn’t hold you back from doing a bit of home shopping.
Below are some highlights of open houses this weekend in Arlington. All open houses are scheduled from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26.
Check out our real estate section for a full listing of open houses around Arlington County.
$1,329,000 — 2215 N. Greenbrier Street — 5 Bed / 5 Bath
$1,265,000 — 3114 Pershing Drive — 5 Bed / 6 Bath
$825,000 — 6020 2nd Street N — 4 Bed / 4 Bath
Vintage Bike Store to Open in Lyon Park
A new used bike store is coming to a small storefront at the corner of N. Pershing Drive and Washington Blvd in Lyon Park, just south of Clarendon.
The Old Bike Shop (2647 N. Pershing Drive) will sell “refurbished” and vintage bicycles, according to the store’s Facebook page. The store will also perform repairs and sell spare parts.
According to a Facebook post, the store has completed most of its build out, and plans to open soon, after obtaining final permits from Arlington County.
Photos via Facebook
Ice Skating Stars Coming to Arlington
The 8th annual “Ice Champions LIVE!” ice skating show and fundraiser will be coming to Arlington next month.
The event is taking place on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 4:00 p.m. at Kettler Capitals Iceplex (627 N. Glebe Road) in Ballston. Among those scheduled to perform are recognizable national skating champions like Brian Boitano, Ashley Wagner, Ryan Bradley, Kimmie Meissner, Mirai Nagasu, Michael Weiss, Steven Cousins, and Richard Dornbush.
The ice show (and a silent auction of skaters’ personal memorabilia at the event) benefits Weiss’ nonprofit, the Michael Weiss Foundation, which provides financial support for skaters with Olympic potential who need help paying for things like coaching, choreography, costumes, music editing and tutoring. The foundation is currently sponsoring 22 potential future skating stars.
“Knowing firsthand the financial burden required for an athlete to get to the Olympics, Weiss established the Foundation to give back to the sport that has given him so much by providing deserving children with scholarships so they can become future Olympians and carry out the legacies of their heroes who preceded them,” according ot a press release. Weiss is a resident of McLean.
Tickets for the show start at $30 and are available online. Seats are also available on the ice itself for $50.
Your Beermonger: Are Beer Expectations Too High?
Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)
We’re going to delve into the matter of opinion this week. I read a lot of beer reviews — both professional and on the big aggregator websites — and lately something has been jumping out to me in a lot of them. It seems, reading many accounts of people trying one beer or another, that because the beer wasn’t what they were expecting it was bad or somehow deficient. If possible, I’d like to talk a bit not about beers to seek out, but how we approach beer (and in many ways life in general).
To use a specific example of what I mean: A couple years back Sam Adams and Weihenstephaner announced they were collaborating to produce a new beer. This beer, Infinium, was going to be brewed at Weihenstephaner’s brewery in Germany and was said to promise a breakthrough in German brewing technique, which has faced charges of growing stale in the face of the Reinheitsgebot. Infinium was put out in a champagne-like bottle and the talk began about a “champagne-style” beer from these two breweries. Upon release, the 2010 Infinium was champagne-like in carbonation and mouthfeel, but was decidedly malty — imagine a mild sparkling Barleywine and you’re about there. Reaction was swift and oddly vengeful: all over the ‘net there were angry words being thrown around about how bad Infinium was and how they’d gotten it all wrong.
What I didn’t read a lot of was what specifically was wrong with Infinium. It seemed the entirety of what was wrong with the beer had to do with what it wasn’t rather than anything it was. In conversations with other beer geeks, some rethought their position on the beer and found some stuff they liked about it; others refined their opinions and could find true, relevant criticisms as to why it wasn’t to their palate. When I first tried Infinium, I thought it was interesting but could see the controversy coming as it wasn’t anything that anyone seemed to be expecting. The controversy of the first Infinium release lingers on: the 2011 release was much different, seemingly closer to what many were expecting from that first year, but many didn’t want to pick it up because of their memories of that first year’s release.
When I try any beer, I do my best to keep a ‘blank slate’ approach. In my professional life I have to be able to decide whether a beer will be interesting to my customers without any preconceived notions or preferences getting in the way. While I do the beer buying here at Arrowine and much of what we stock is based upon what I find interesting in the business right now, it’s not all about me. Anyone who is a professional in our business should strive to be the kind of person who can tell you that they don’t prefer the style of beer or wine you enjoy, but still be able to recommend a great one that you’ve never tried.
At home, it is all about me, as it is with you in your home, or at the restaurant or bar you may happen to be at. I’m not here to preach: we’re all entitled to our opinions and if you find a beer disappointing or think it doesn’t live up to what you thought it was going to be, you’ve every right in the world to think so and say so. What I’m saying here (and forgive me if I go a bit too Zen here — I do that), is ask yourself: why be disappointed at all? Examine any expectations you may have and ask yourself where they came from. Are they worth having? Is it worth setting up hoops for a beer to jump through just so you can say you enjoyed it? I’m not asking anyone to lower their expectations for beer — I’m asking everyone to get rid of their expectations altogether.
Reading tasting notes and talking to fellow beer geeks can give you an idea of what a beer might be like, but don’t let that influence your thinking as you try it for yourself. Even if a beer throws you for a loop, adjust; save for the beer having a fundamental flaw, realize that the beer simply isn’t what you thought it was going to be and start the process of considering what it is rather than what you thought it would be. At the end of the day, it’s all still beer – it should be fun. Even if something isn’t the greatest thing ever, it’s still a good beer.
Good Stuff Eatery to Hold ‘Great Burger Debate’
Good Stuff Eatery in Crystal City (2110 Crystal Drive) is holding a “burger debate” just in time for election season.
The restaurant is challenging customers to see if their politics line up with their taste buds by unveiling two new burger offerings: a James Carville burger and a Mary Matalin burger.
The famous political couple, who live in Alexandria, have lent their likenesses to what the restaurant is calling the “Great Burger Debate.” Starting today until Election Day (Nov. 6), Good Stuff will be offering the two burgers at its Crystal City and Capitol Hill locations. Each day, the eatery will tally how many of each burger have been ordered so far.
The Carville burger will match the Democrat’s “spicy personality.” It’s described as “a burger topped with a roasted creole onion slice, southern fried pickles, cheddar cheese and our Ragin’ Cajun Chipotle & Chili BBQ sauce.”
The Matalin burger represents the Republican’s “sophistication and sharp-wit. It’s described as “a burger topped with grilled, organic Portobello ‘shrooms, a goat cheese, fresh tomato and red onions, peppery arugula & a dollop of Peppadew Pepper Mayo.”
A final tally will be announced when the “polls” close on Election Day. Good Stuff held a similar contest for the 2008 presidential election.
Morning Poll: Buses or Teachers?
According to Arlington Public Schools officials, the school system faced a choice: buy more buses and hire more bus drivers — at $190,000 per bus — or invest the money in education and more teachers.
APS chose the latter, and now faces a growing protest from parents whose children are no longer able to take the bus to school due to new busing policies. Many parents affected by the new policies have said that forcing their children to walk 1 to 1.5 miles to school, often across busy roads, puts their safety at risk.
If you had to choose one, assuming a finite school budget, would you invest in a few extra buses or, as the school system ended up doing, spend the money saved on education instead?
Flickr pool photo by Afagan
Morning Notes
Author Event to Discuss Soldiers –Arlington Public Library is holding an author event next week with George Mason University Professor Christopher Hamner. Hamner, author of “Enduring Battle,” will discuss the evolution of the American soldier from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to World War II. The talk is scheduled on Aug. 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street). [Arlington Public Library]
Street Sweeping Underway — Arlington County has begun its annual street sweeping program. The sweeping is being grouped into 11 different “street sweeping zones.” Parked cars must be moved from the streets in each zone on the days designated for street sweeping. About 814 “lane miles” will be swept by the time the program ends on Oct. 29. [Arlington County]
O’Connell to Open New Field — Work on Bishop O’Connell High School’s new stadium and synthetic athletic field is complete. The first major event at the stadium will be a varsity football game at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31. [Sun Gazette]
Resident’s Fact-Checking Org Profiled — PolitiFact, a journalistic organization dedicated to fact checking politicians and political ads, is turning five years old. The organization, which is currently busy assigning “Truth-O-Meter” rankings to statements from the U.S. presidential race, is headed by Bill Adair, an Arlington resident. [Nieman Journalism Lab]
Photo courtesy Captain Pup McPuppo
Earl’s Sandwiches Expanding to Ballston
Earl’s Sandwiches, located at 2605 Wilson Blvd in the Clarendon/Courthouse area, is expanding with a second location in Ballston.
The restaurant will be replacing an existing deli across the street from the Ballston Metro station. Co-owner Steve Dugan told ARLnow.com that he hopes to open in early September, after a couple days of renovations. Dugan was unable to confirm the exact address of the restaurant due to a confidentiality agreement.
Earl’s of Ballston is applying for a license to serve beer and wine, according to Virginia ABC records.
Earl’s in Courthouse offers sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and wraps, as well as soups, chili, fries and salads. Most sandwiches are made with fresh-roasted meats and range in price from $7 to $9.
Photo via Facebook
Five Arlington Companies Make Inc. 500 List
Five Arlington-based companies have made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.
The highest on the list, at #80, is Innotion Enterprises, which has 43 employees, $35.8 million in revenue (as of 2011) and a 3-year growth rate of 3,500 percent. The company, based in Ballston, offers information technology services to the federal government and asset management services to real estate firms.
Another Ballston-based real estate management firm, Matt Martin Real Estate Management, ranked #116. The company had $31.4 million in 2011 revenue, a 3-year growth rate of 2,669 percent and has 110 employees across the country. It provides services to the real estate industry, and to the General Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Evoke Research and Consulting, based in Rosslyn, ranked #283. The company had $8.9 million in revenue in 2011 and a 1,291 percent growth rate. Evoke employs 49 people and offers project management, budgeting, contract, portfolio management and business management strategy services to government clients.
Ballston-based Global Telesourcing is #441 on the Inc. 500 list, with $8.4 million in revenue (in 2011), 847 percent growth and 410 employees. The company provides outsourced inbound and outbound sales call centers, utilizing native-level English speakers at a facility in Monterrey, Mexico. “We achieve results and quality scores that typically outperform domestic U.S. competitors, but at a dramatically lower cost,” the company said in a press release today.
Courthouse-based A+ Government Solutions rounds out the Arlington list at #468. The company provides management and IT consulting services to government clients, specializing in health programs and human resource management. A+ had $24.5 million in revenue in 2011, a 821 percent 3-year growth rate, and has 128 employees.
Bill Colton, president of Global Telesourcing, said making the Inc. 500 list is an honor for growing companies.
“We are thrilled to make this list,” he told ARLnow.com. “It’s the ‘gold medal’ for entrepreneurs and is particularly meaningful to have earned the honor during one of the most challenging economic environments in a century.”
Look Back: One Year After the Earthquake
Exactly one year ago, at 1:51 p.m. on August 23, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit Virginia and the D.C. area, a wholly unexpected jolt that sent residents and workers scurrying into the streets.
Damage from the earthquake was relatively minor. Loose items fell from store shelves. Some brick structures like chimneys were damaged. Walls cracked at historic Arlington House. The foundation at Arlington Fire Station No. 2 was damaged. The Thomas Jefferson Theater had to be closed for repairs.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, cell phone service was overloaded by people calling loved ones. Numerous gas leaks are being reported and hundreds of Dominion customers in Arlington lost power. This website crashed and remained only periodically reachable for at least an hour. Office buildings closed for damage assessments, and highways were jammed with workers heading home early.
If there were some bright spots, it was that no significant injuries were reported, and the day’s Democratic primary went off without a hitch.
After the jump, some videos that were taken in Arlington during and after the earthquake.
