The “ARTists for PAL Bus Design Contest” challenged Arlington middle and high school students to create a design to be wrapped around an ART bus later this year. The theme of the design is based around Arlington’s “Share Our Streets — Be a PAL“ pedestrian and driving safety initiative.

Three finalists (below) were chosen from the 26 entries received by the county. Residents can vote for their favorite online. Voting ends on July 4 and the winner will be announced later this summer.

The winning design will adorn one ART bus for “about a year.”

Sunny and pleasant weather and a big-name headliner attracted the largest crowd yet to the Columbia Pike Blues Festival over the weekend, organizers said.

We’re told more than 7,000 people turned out for the 18th annual Blues Festival, which is held on S. Walter Reed Drive just north of the Pike. Guitarist G.E. Smith, of Saturday Night Live and Hall & Oates fame, headlined the event.

Takis Karantonis, Executive Director of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, said he wasn’t surprised by the new attendance record. He expects the festival to continue to grow in crowds and quality as community ties continue to strengthen around the developing Columbia Pike town center area.

Asked about the ideal weather condition, Karantonis wouldn’t comment, for fear of jinxing next year’s festival.

“We don’t talk about the weather — before, during and after,” he said.

Disclosure: CPRO is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

The restaurant, at 1515 Wilson Blvd, will open on Thursday, June 27, according to PR rep Danielle Tergis. It will offer “a menu featuring customizable, made-to-order rice and noodle bowls rooted in authentic and traditional Thai flavors that are served in a modern way.”

“We have been working on this concept for more than two years,” co-owner Aulie Bunyarataphan told ARLnow.com in February. “It’s the first Thai restaurant around in this format.”

From a press release:

Guests will choose from 4 bases, 4 grilled proteins, 5 sauces, and 10 toppings designed to be mixed and matched to create countless menu combinations. Highlights of the menu include their signature Tom Yum chili paste as well as other house made marinades and sauces including their exclusive green Sriracha sauce. The open design of the kitchen will allow guests to see their meal being cooked in a traditional stir-fry wok or on a plancha (flat top grill), which cooks proteins faster and more evenly than an open flame grill creating a perfectly moist meal. A specially curated beverage menu includes roasted coconut juice typically found exclusively in Asian markets, toasted rice-flavored green tea, as well as Thai tea in bottles, Thai beers as well as fountain drinks. Prices for the bowls range from $6.75 – $7.95.

“Bases” include white and brown jasmine rice, pad thai rice noodles and Asian mixed salad. “Proteins” include grilled beef, chicken, shrimp and organic tofu.

The restaurant will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Bunyarataphan owns Tom Yum District with her husband, Mel Oursinsiri. The couple also owns two established local restaurants: Bangkok Joe’s in Georgetown and T.H.A.I in Shirlington.

A new pizza chain has opened in Pentagon City.

Extreme Pizza opened at 1419 S. Fern Street, across from Costco, on Sunday. The restaurant offers various types of signature pizzas, with names like “Green With Envy,” “Poultry Geist,” “The Spice Route” and “Wingin’ It.” Customers can also customize their own pizza, or order off a menu that includes calzones, sub sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts.

A gluten-free pizza option is available for those who request it.

The Pentagon City Extreme Pizza has indoor dine-in seating, and also offers delivery and takeout. Its phone number is 703-271-1020.

This is the first Extreme Pizza location inside the Beltway and the fourth in Virginia. The existing Virginia locations are in Vienna, Henrico and Richmond.

A small section of fence is prompting a big stink at the River Place condominium complex (1011 Arlington Blvd) in Rosslyn.

The fence was put in place at some point this spring to block a paved pathway that served as a shortcut for those walking to and from the complex. The pathway leads to a parking lot used by TV station WJLA, which residents use to access a marked crosswalk that leads to the complex.

According to a Facebook page set up by a resident who opposes it, the fence was erected — or, more precisely, an opening in an existing fence was closed — by property owner Monday Properties due to safety concerns.

“An individual listening with headphones was allegedly ‘almost backed over’ by a WJLA news van,” a Facebook post said. “Monday Properties (MP) owns the lot and leases it to WJLA-TV. Obviously with liability in mind, MP closed the opening in the fence and chained the side entrance to the lot.”

Even though residents could just walk five yards out of their way to get around the fence altogether, Omar Baddar, who is helping to organize opposition to the fence, argues that that’s not a viable option.

“It’s not an acceptable alternative because there is no walkway there,” Baddar said in an email. “We’re forced to walk over mulch and then directly in between parked cars, which is an inconvenience, particularly to people with baby strollers or carts of any kind.”

“It is… obviously inconsiderate to block a pedestrian path and tell the hundreds of people who use it ‘why don’t you just walk over the mulch?’” Baddar continued. “Blocking a pedestrian entrance that has existed for decades without consultation with the residents who use it is simply not defensible.”

Baddar says he has collected more than 200 signatures — more than 10 percent of the River Place population — for an anti-fence petition.

Another option for pedestrian access to the apartment complex is walking down the N. Lynn Street sidewalk to the vehicle entrance for River Place. That adds travel time and another resident we talked to said it’s potentially dangerous at night due to poor lighting.

Tim Helmig, Executive Vice President at Monday Properties, says the fence was necessary to keep pedestrians from accessing the parking lot.

“What we have to focus on is keeping pedestrians safe,” he said. “What we noticed is that that parking lot is used by vehicles to pull in and out. It’s just not a safe place for pedestrians to walk.”

Helmig continued: “What we’ve encouraged pedestrians to do is utilize the sidewalk to access River Place. The sidewalk is there to provide a safe passageway, as opposed to cutting through that parking lot, which has a lot of traffic and has the potential to create a dangerous condition.”

No changes to the fence are planned, Helmig said.

Opponents, meanwhile, are not done fighting. Last week, a message on the River Place North building email listserv encouraged residents to call Monday Properties and sign the petition. It also called for those with legal backgrounds to help out with a pending legal challenge to the fence.

It’s been open since this spring, but today county and federal officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the South Joyce Street Shared-Use Sidewalk Project,

The $1.8 million Federal Highway Administration project built new, wider sidewalks on the 1/5 mile stretch between Army Navy Drive and Columbia Pike. The 10-foot-wide sidewalks can be used by pedestrians and bicyclists. The sidewalks “improve safety and access at one of the few places in Arlington where bicycles and pedestrians can cross I-395,” according to a county fact sheet.

“As a result of the FHWA project, which was funded with a Congressional allocation… the once highway-style passage has been transformed into an easy-to-navigate bicycle and pedestrian route that connects the east end of Columbia Pike, the Pentagon reservation and Pentagon City,” the county wrote. “Arlington supported the the project, which aligns with the goals of Arlington County’s ‘Complete Streets’ program, with design guidance and funding for some additional elements.”

County Board Chairman Walter Tejada lauded the project, saying that it’s especially useful for those who commute via bicycle from Columbia Pike. Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) joked that the new sidewalk “is not the kind of project you’d see on a postcard,” but said it’s important nonetheless.

“This is basic infrastructure,” he said. “If you don’t invest in it, if you don’t do the right thing, you negatively impact a lot of other infrastructure.”

In addition to wider sidewalks, pedestrian-scale lighting was added to the street and automatic bicycle/pedestrian counters were installed. Meanwhile, highway-style guard rails were removed and fire department standpipes were relocated out of the pedestrian route.

Pier 1 Imports and Spanish sandwich chain 100 Montaditos will be moving into the ground floor retail bays at 1776 Wilson Blvd, a new office building that opened last year. Pier 1 will take the retail space at the corner of Clarendon Blvd and N. Quinn Street, while 100 Montaditos will be on the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Quinn Street.

Pier 1 Imports sells home furnishings, decor and furniture. The chain has more than 1,000 stores, including a location at Potomac Yard. The Rosslyn location will be more than 11,000 square feet.

100 Montaditos is a Spanish sandwich chain that is planning to open its first U.S. location outside of Florida in Bethesda this summer. The restaurant uses Mediterranean ingredients like Serrano ham, Spanish tortilla, chorizo sausage and Manchego cheese, and offers 100 varieties of fillings. It also sells Spanish wine, beer and sangria.

100 Montaditos will occupy nearly 3,000 square feet, and will have space for 140 diners inside and 50 on an outdoor patio.

Both Pier 1 Imports and 100 Montaditos plan to open this fall, Washington Business Journal reported.

Skanska USA, the building’s owner, just issued the following press release about the new retail tenants.

Skanska USA Commercial Development Inc. announced today that it has secured two more leases at its project 1776 Wilson Boulevard with 100 Montaditos and Pier 1 Imports.

100 Montaditos, a Spanish franchise restaurant known for serving 100 different tapa-sized rolls, a typical element of the Spanish culture and gastronomy, will occupy 2,940 square feet of ground floor corner retail space at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and North Quinn Street. The restaurant will be able to serve approximately 140 customers inside and an additional 50 diners on the patio.

Pier 1 Imports, the original global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts, will lease approximately 11,083 square feet of ground floor space on the Clarendon Boulevard side of the building.

“We are excited to be welcoming two very popular and rapidly expanding retail establishments to our building,” said Rob Ward, executive vice president of Skanska USA Commercial Development. “The opening of Pier 1 Imports and 100 Montaditos will undoubtedly bring a renewed energy and refreshing vibrancy to Rosslyn.”

Skanska acquired the site in May 2010, and self-financed 100 percent of the development costs for the five-story, Class A project, which recently celebrated its completion in November 2012. The building features 134,750 square feet of highly sustainable office and retail space.

Current office tenants in the building include CRDF Global, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Evermay Wealth Management and Skanska USA. Currently, there are 11,750 square feet of retail and 27,660 square feet of office space available.

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March organizer Adam Kokesh encouraged supporters to join him on July 4 in publicly carrying loaded rifles during the march, which he dubbed a “non-violent event, unless the government chooses to make it violent.” It was scheduled to begin at Arlington National Cemetery, and then continue over the Memorial Bridge into various parts of the District before returning to Arlington.

As widely reported, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier promised to enforce the District’s strict stringent laws, which ban the carrying of loaded weapons. Lanier suggested police might even meet the marchers at the District line. Last week organizers cancelled the march.

Yesterday, U.S. Park Police sent out a reminder that certain parcels of land along the George Washington Memorial Parkway that appear to be in Virginia — such as Theodore Roosevelt Island and Columbia Island, which includes LBJ Memorial Grove, Lady Bird Johnson Park and the Columbia Island marina — are actually in the District. Therefore, D.C. gun laws apply there.

As seen on the USPP-provided map (above), Columbia Island extends from just below the Roosevelt Bridge to the Humpback Bridge. From the press release:

The proposed “Open Carry March on Washington” that was being organized by Adam Kokesh to occur on July 4, 2013, has been cancelled by him.

The United States Park Police… want[s] to make sure the public is aware that portions of the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) is located in the District of Columbia, and that their firearm laws applies there.

Theodore Roosevelt and Columbia Islands are located in the District of Columbia. While most of the GWMP is located in Virginia, both the Theodore Roosevelt Island and Columbia Island is actually located in the District of Columbia. A good rule of thumb for Columbia Island, which includes the LBJ Memorial Grove, Lady Bird Johnson Park and Columbia Island marina, is that it surrounded by the Potomac River to the east and Boundary Channel to the west. The following are various access points that lead to Theodore Roosevelt and Columbia Islands in the District of Columbia:

• The foot bridge leading on to Theodore Roosevelt Island from the parking lot off of the GWMP southbound.
• Northbound GWMP and the Mt. Vernon Trail in the area of Humpback Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island.
• Ramp to Rt. 50 from northbound GWMP to Columbia Island.
• Memorial Avenue to Columbia Island.
• Southbound GWMP south of Theodore Roosevelt Island to Humpback Bridge.
• Boundary Channel Dr. @ Rt. 27 to Columbia Island.
• LBJ Memorial Grove footbridge (leading from the Pentagon parking lot) to Columbia Island.

District of Columbia firearms laws apply on Theodore Roosevelt and Columbia Islands. Before entering Theodore Roosevelt and Columbia Islands, people need to know that they are located in the District of Columbia. This is important because since February 22, 2010, 16 USC 1a-7b generally provides that people can legally possess firearms if they are in compliance with the law of the State in which the park area is located.

It remains the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearms laws. For example, D.C. Code 22-4504(a-1) provides that “[e]xcept as otherwise permitted by law, no person shall carry within the District of Columbia a rifle or shotgun.” While there are a number of public sources to locate the firearms laws, the GWMP’s website at www.nps.gov/gwmp/parkmgmt/firearms.htm has hyperlinks to the firearm laws of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Parkland located in Arlington, meanwhile, is subject to the following Virginia gun laws.

18.2-287.4. Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.

It shall be unlawful for any person to carry a loaded (a) semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine that will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (b) shotgun with a magazine that will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered on or about his person on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public in the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, or Virginia Beach or in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun, or Prince William.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement officers, licensed security guards, military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, or any person having a valid concealed handgun permit or to any person actually engaged in lawful hunting or lawful recreational shooting activities at an established shooting range or shooting contest. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

§ 18.2-282. Pointing, holding, or brandishing firearm, air or gas operated weapon or object similar in appearance; penalty. —

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to point, hold or brandish any firearm or any air or gas operated weapon or any object similar in appearance, whether capable of being fired or not, in such manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another or hold a firearm or any air or gas operated weapon in a public place in such a manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another of being shot or injured. However, this section shall not apply to any person engaged in excusable or justifiable self-defense. Persons violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor or, if the violation occurs upon any public, private or religious elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds or upon public property within 1,000 feet of such school property, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

B. Any police officer in the performance of his duty, in making an arrest under the provisions of this section, shall not be civilly liable in damages for injuries or death resulting to the person being arrested if he had reason to believe that the person being arrested was pointing, holding, or brandishing such firearm or air or gas operated weapon, or object that was similar in appearance, with intent to induce fear in the mind of another.

C. For purposes of this section, the word “firearm” means any weapon that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel single or multiple projectiles by the action of an explosion of a combustible material. The word “ammunition,” as used herein, shall mean a cartridge, pellet, ball, missile or projectile adapted for use in a firearm.

Although the announcement of the shop’s arrival in the old “News and Necessities” space at 1735 N. Lynn Street came in April of last year and it hoped to open last summer, Fro.Zen.Yo will now open on Wednesday, June 12.

Co-owner Gary Bobcek became involved with this franchise location about six months ago and said although things haven’t always gone as expected, he is excited to finally be able to serve the public.

“It posed a few challenges but thanks to the great team we have we were able to work around those to get our store open,” he said.

Bobcek, who lives in Alexandria, said he used to work in Georgetown and has spent a lot of time in Rosslyn.

“It’s a great environment to have a business. I had the opportunity to have a business here and it’s something I took advantage of,” he said. “We’re very pleased to be here in the area and to be able to offer a great product. We look forward to becoming a part of the community.”

We’re told Bobcek just informed members of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District of the opening date, and the BID is “very excited” about the self-serve frozen yogurt shop’s arrival.

The Rosslyn Fro.Zen.Yo will be offering customers free samples during its grand opening on Wednesday.

Disclosure: Rosslyn BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser