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Morning Notes

by ARLnow.com | September 5, 2012 at 9:00 am | 2,326 views | 40 Comments

Policy Prompts Parents to Walk, Drive to School — A controversial new busing policy that has resulted in more students walking to school prompted many parents to walk with or drive their kids to school yesterday (Tuesday). A number of parents talked to the TV news crews who were camped outside schools to report on parents’ discontent with the policy. [WJLA, MyFoxDC]

More Troubles for Crystal City Head Shop — Now it’s not just Arlington County that’s telling the owner of a new head shop in Crystal City to take down a colorful mural outside the store. The shop’s landlord has told the store’s owner to take down the mural. A lawyer for the landlord also says the store owes back rent. [WUSA]

New High School in Arlington? — The Arlington Mill Continuation Program, which currnetly serves 127 students in grades 9 to 12 and 176 adults, may soon get accredited as a full-fledged high school, according to an article published by the Sun Gazette. The article is no longer on the paper’s website, but we’re told that it’s being integrated into a future article.

Arlington Woman Convicted of Double Murder — Arlington resident Natalia Wilson, 48, has pleaded guilty to the February 2010 double murder of her perceived romantic rival, Slavka Naydenova of Dale City, and the woman’s 8-year-old son. [Associated Press]

Flickr pool photo by Enigmatic Traveler

DarkHeart

HDR?
- CW
  
  Yes, the visual analog to auto tune. I wish it would hurry up and die the ignoble death it deserves.
  - Sam
    
    It’s still less annoying than instagram.
    - CW
      
      You mean you dont like experiencing every shot through sepia hues and a single small area of focus?
  - http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
    
    +1
BrianKal

G-d that WUSA article is awful, made it to a American dream struggle. And then “”I immigrated here. Don’t always understand so much,” Amin says.” Umm, pretty sure rent being paid on time is universal and if not you have lawyers to help you.
- Eamon De Valera
  
  In other countries they aren’t so nice and legal when you are behind on your rent…
- daniel
  
  Gotta love it. My mom plays the immigrant card when she gets into a bind, despite being in the US since the early 70s. It’s amazing how language is the first thing to go as stress increases.
  - CW
    
    Or when you try to argue a taxi fare.
  - DarkHeart
    
    Just ask Sammy Sosa.
Hmmm

Ya know, this walking thing could be a good thing for some of Arlington. Not only are the kiddies walking (which I wish I had done more of as a youth) but their parents are walking too. Health benefits for all! Plus, I would’ve killed for my parents to walk me as a kid. I loved spending time at the bus stop with them.
While it probably does cause a headache, maybe this will turn out to be okay in the end. Parents can either enjoy exercise with their kid or let their kid grow up a bit. The ones I feel bad for are the younger ones with parents who relied on the earlier bus pick up time, but even still, more quality time with your kid?

I hope in the end this works out for everyone
- SoArl
  
  That’s actually me in the FOX5 video. I’ve spent a lot of time stuck in traffic on Carlin Springs before my kid went to that school – enough to know that sitting in the drop-off line would be a nightmare. The parents are walking out of necessity. It’s faster to park a few blocks away, walk the kid to the door, then walk back to the car and drive to work. It isn’t about family time or exercise. There is no way I’d let my kid walk by herself at that age!
  - Hmmm
    
    I didn’t watch the video so I’m not commenting on that. I’m just saying that a kid is probably enjoying this, and while it may be a bit more of a pain to parents, it could be a good thing in the end. Lighten up.
    - SteamboatWillie
      
      Lighten up?
      - DarkHeart
        
        Francis?
- Ed
  
  That all sounds good, but “letting the kid grow up a bit” means crossing some long intersections where some drivers are not paying attention. Do you ever see drivers who do not pay attention? I do. If the kids were crossing cornfields, then I’d agree, no problem with a long walk.
  - Hmmm
    
    Younger kids, yes, probably not a good idea at all. Teens (14+) should know how to cross a road though, busy or not. And hey, maybe this will help show young drivers what it’s like to be on the walker end of that stick. I know I’ve become much more aware of bikers over the years as I started commuting via bike.
    
    The younger ones that have to cross a major road, yes, it’s not wise. But the older ones can do it and the younger ones will learn some lessons from their parents about road safety.
Tara

Let there be art, stop being lame Arlington. As long as rent is paid, murals are a good thing.
- http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
  
  +1.5
- Ballston
  
  Unless you own the building and weren’t consulted before your tenant paints a giant blunt on it
  - SteamboatWillie
    
    cigar
  - Tara
    
    Marijuana needs to be legalized, silly how it still isn’t. They can call it a cigar in the mural, but I hear ya. Murals, in general, are good though. Smoking and drinking do not need to be glorified, I agree.
- Save the Whales
  
  WUSA article says the cigar/blunt is now a whale!! I
BreakPause02

The photo got me thinking of Z Burger. Any update on when it’s going to open? Didn’t they say September?
- CW
  
  Summer 2011; start camping out for the opening.
Casey

APS screwed up in calling this a ” walking policy”. Everyone is focusing on walking and the potential dangers thereof. They should have
merely called it the bus policy and laid the distance rules to have access to the bus.
Leaving it up o the families to decide how to transport their kids to school within the 1 or 1 1/2 mile no bus zone. The options are many but the APS should have kept their mouths shut on the options.
- Anon
  
  Actually it’s called the Transportation policy. The policy (with that name) is on the APS web site.
  - Casey
    
    This and other references to WALK, walking, walkers etc is what I’m referring to:
    WALKERS Letters
    Also in the third week in August, a separate letter will be mailed to students living in schools’ “WALK zones.” Bus transportation is available only for eligible students who receive a “bus pass” in the mail. All others are designated as “WALKERS.” Families are asked to ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO WALK OR BIKE to school – this is a healthier option and will also benefit the environment by reducing the number of cars transporting students to and from school.
    - drax
      
      It may increase the number of cars though.
    - Anon
      
      So, your position is that someone reading the “walkers” letter was misled to believe that little Johnnie or Janey was required to walk…and couldn’t be driven, take a bike, hop on a county bus, etc.? Or, that someone reading a “bus” letter was misled to believe that little Johnnie or Janey must take a bus and cannot walk, bike, get a ride, etc.? Come on….
      - Casey
        
        If you read and listen to all the complaints that is what they are all focusing on. I’m not complaining about it myself. As a parent I’ll figure it out as needed without making a federal case out of it.
        The APS could have helped themselves out pr wise and not having focused it on walking, but simply made it the family’s responsibility to get the child to school.
      - SoArl
        
        I think they were trying to promote walking to mitigate the flood of additional cars.
http://joshuataylorphotography.com/ Josh

Striking HDR Shot—well done!
zzzzz

The link for the Arlington Mill article is busted.
- http://www.arlnow.com ARLnow.com
  
  The link has been removed and an explanation added.
Tabby_TwoTone

From the AP link:
carlisha
Sep 04, 2012 – 07:42:49 PM
I met wilson when I was locked up at PWC adc she would never speak of the murders. When some one would ask or bring it up she would say nono my lawyer said no talk to anybody. I remember being outside for wreck and natalia seen a moth that could no longer fly ans she bust out in tears I did not understand why she seemed like a very nice and sweet lady I guess she just snaped
EFC Observer

ARL now – no stories on the Civic Federation debates last evening?
- http://www.arlnow.com ARLnow.com
  
  We were there and we’re working on articles.
novasteve

If memory serves me, wasn’t the fears about pedophiles kidnapping kids one of the main reasons that schools shifted away from walking to school and taking busses back in the late 70s and early 80s?
Lizzie

Creepy photo. There is a guy crouching behind the orange trash can.

Photos: Arlington Democrats Chili Cook-off and Pie-Eating Contest Power Outage Affecting Thousands in North Arlington

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