Morning Notes
Bike to Work Day Tomorrow — More than 12,000 bicyclists around the Washington region are expected to participate in Bike to Work Day tomorrow (Friday). Arlington will host four Bike to Work Day pit stops – in Rosslyn (6:30 to 9:00 a.m.), Ballston (6:30 to 9:00 a.m.), Crystal City (7:00 to 9:00 a.m.) and East Falls Church (4:00 to 7:00 p.m.). The annual event is free but attendees are encouraged to register.
Rosslyn Metro Project 85 Percent Complete – The new Rosslyn Metro entrance is over 85 percent complete, Arlington County announced this morning. The $32.6 million project will add a new entrance to the Rosslyn Metro station, featuring three high-speed elevators and an emergency staircase, but no escalators. With the elevator shaft and the emergency stairwell complete, the next step is installing the high-speed elevators.
Tiny Apartments: Solution to Rising Rents? — The average monthly rent for an apartment in Arlington was $1,999 in 2012, a 13 percent jump from one year prior. A recent forum sponsored by the Arlington-based Alliance for Housing Solutions suggested that one solution to rising rents could be smaller apartments. Specifically, the forum focused on sub-400 square foot apartments known as “micro-units.” [Sun Gazette]
Tuckahoe Home & Garden Tour on Saturday — The 13th annual Tuckahoe Home & Garden Tour will be held on Saturday from noon to 5:00 p.m. The line-up this year includes seven new and renovated homes and two gardens. Tickets for the event, which raises money for the Tuckahoe Elementary Discovery Schoolyard, are $20-25. [Tuckahoe Home & Garden Tour]
GU May Rent Rosslyn Apartments for Students — Georgetown University is considering renting units in the brand new Slate apartment building in Rosslyn in order to house graduate students. The Slate building, developed by JBG and located on the 1500 block of Clarendon Blvd, has 203 apartment units. [Washington Business Journal]
Flickr pool photo by Ddimick
Morning Notes
WJLA and NewsChannel 8 for Sale — Rosslyn-based TV station WJLA (ABC 7) has been offered for sale by Allbritton Communications. The company is seeking to sell WJLA and its companion cable channel NewsChannel 8 in order to continue investing in new media, like its Politico website and newspaper. Disney, owner of the ABC television network, is thought to be a likely buyer. [WBJ, Washington Post, Politico]
Brink, Lopez Announce Reelection Bids — Dels. Bob Brink and Alfonso Lopez announced their bids for reelection to the Virginia House of Delegates at last night’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. As part of his speech, Lopez made fun of a Republican effort in the state legislature to study the creation of a Virginia-based currency. Lopez joked that he wanted his face on the Virginia $5 bill and Brink’s on the $10 bill, so that “in Virginia it would cost a Brink and a Lopez to buy a pizza.” [Blue Virginia]
‘Over the Edge’ Fundraiser in Crystal City — Today, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., people will be rappelling 15 stories down the Hilton Crystal City at 2399 Jefferson Davis Highway as part of a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Among those scheduled to go “over the edge” today is Washington Nationals mascot Screech. The fundraiser will also run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. tomorrow (Friday). [Event Calendar, Special Olympics Virginia]
County Sells $206 Million in Bonds — Arlington County sold $206 million in bonds on Tuesday. The bonds were sold at a low 2.5 percent interest rate. The refunding of older bonds under the low rate will save the county about $5 million. [Arlington County]
Police Looking for Wallet Thief — Arlington police are looking for a man who allegedly stole a victim’s wallet in the Clarendon area last month. [ACPD]
Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann
Hockey Fundraiser for Injured Police Officer
The Arlington County Police Department is helping to spread the word about a hockey fundraiser on Sunday to help an injured Fairfax County Police officer.
Officer Long Dinh was critically injured in a February chase that ended with the suspect crashing head-on into his police cruiser at a high speed. The suspect died and Dinh was just released today from his nearly two month hospital stay.
Dinh has undergone multiple surgeries to repair his two broken legs, and continues physical therapy for the injuries. He is also dealing with short term memory issues stemming from the head trauma he sustained during the incident.
To help offset the costs of Dinh’s treatment and ongoing hospital stay, members of the Fairfax County Police Department are challenging members of the Metropolitan Police Department to a fundraiser hockey game. It will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston (627 N. Glebe Road). The public is welcome to attend and donations will be collected at the event.
Anyone who cannot attend Sunday’s event but wishes to contribute to Officer Dinh’s rehabilitation fund can do so online.
Morning Notes
Bluemont to Vote on Safeway Development — Members of the Bluemont Civic Association will vote tonight on a proposed mix-use development on the current Safeway site. The development includes a new Safeway store and a 160-unit apartment complex. Many residents have expressed concerns about the height of the development, but Bluemont resident Ryan Arnold writes that “the character of a neighborhood is not defined by the height of its buildings, but by the spirit of its people.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Arlington Runner Raises Money for Boston Victims — Frank Fumich, a local runner, ran a 19 hour 38 minute triple marathon along the Mt. Vernon Trail over the weekend in order to raise money for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. Fumich raised more than $33,000 with the 78.6 mile run. [Washington Post]
Bill Thomas Awards Presented — The annual Bill Thomas Outstanding Park Service Volunteer Awards were presented at last night’s County Board meeting. This year’s winners are Steve Young, a “well-known figure for invasive plant removal at Long Branch Park,” and the Friend of the Gulf Branch Nature Center, a group that has fought the center’s closure and raised money for its operation. [Arlington County]
Chamber to Debut Business Blog — The Arlington Chamber of Commerce “is set to start an Internet blog” written by and about local business. The Sun Gazette reports: “All comments in response to specific articles will be moderated for content, so the Chamber blog does not spiral into the chaos of some online-news sites where anonymous cranks spew venom to little discernible purpose.” [Sun Gazette]
Katherine Heigl Tweets in Support of Moran — Actress Katherine Heigl has used her star power on Twitter to help promote a bill proposed by Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.). The bill would ban the use of gas chambers to euthanize shelter animals. “Please, please, please support Congressman Moran’s resolution,” the acress tweeted. [Twitter]
Flickr pool photo by Ddimick
Morning Notes
USS Arlington To Be Commissioned – The USS Arlington will be commissioned in Norfolk on Saturday. Fundraising for a 9/11 tribute room on the ship is continuing, as supporters have only raised $362,000 of the hope-for $500,000. [Washington Post, Patch]
Police Seek Wallet Thief — Arlington County Police are looking for a man who stole a victim’s wallet while at a bar/restaurant in Ballston. The man then used the victim’s credit cards at a store on the 200 block of S. Glebe Road. [Arlington County]
Fundraiser for Prisoner Assistance Org — A fundraiser was held Thursday for Offender Aid and Restoration, a group that “works in Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church with support programs for those in jail and prison, and assistance when they return to life outside a cell.” [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA
Photos: Leadership Arlington’s Monte Carlo Fundraiser
Leadership Arlington, a local nonprofit that works “to develop trained leaders who are committed to building and strengthening our community,” held its annual Monte Carlo fundraiser at Reagan National Airport over the weekend.
The event drew some 450 people, the group said. Among those pictured above are Leadership Arlington graduates Megan Lake (of Bean Creative), Bobby Wright (of Virginia Heritage Bank), Mary Johnson (of ESI International), Lee Anne McLarty (of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District), Omar Sider (of SuperStar Tickets — and an avid poker player), and respective spouses.
Additional photos can be found on the Leadership Arlington Facebook page. From the group’s press release:
With more than 450 Washington metropolitan community stakeholders in attendance, Leadership Arlington’s eighth annual Monte Carlo Night exceeded expectations. The event was held Saturday, March 9, 2013 at Ronald Reagan National Airport, Historic Terminal “A.” Proceeds from this event support Leadership Arlington’s mission and Youth Program.
The theme of the evening was “Monte Carlo Night Goes to Paris.” Guests were transported to an elegant Parisian soirée without having to leave the DC area. Patrons were treated to an exciting array of activities from a silent auction benefiting the Leadership Arlington Youth Program to Monte Carlo casino-style gaming tables. Mark Ingrao, President of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, graduate of the inaugural Leadership Arlington Signature Program Class of 1999 and member of the Leadership Arlington Board of Regents, led guests through an exciting live auction as the evening neared its end.
“We were thrilled to receive such amazing support from the community for this year’s Monte Carlo Night,” said Betsy Frantz, President & CEO of Leadership Arlington. “This event is critical to the success of the Youth Program and mission of the organization. We appreciate the collaboration of leaders from the area validating our organization.”
Each year, the “who’s who” in the business, nonprofit and public sectors enjoy the opportunity to connect with other key leaders in our community in a fun and elegant environment at Monte Carlo Night, and this year was no exception.
Photos courtesy Leadership Arlington
Fashion Show to Benefit Autism Charity
The annual Arts for Autism gala will take place tomorrow (Saturday) night, featuring art created by autistic individuals and a “New York-style runway fashion show.”
The fundraiser starts at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow at Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd). The runway show will feature a DJ and models who helped raise money for the event.
From the Arts of Autism web site:
The gala opens with remarks and performances by people in the Northern Virginia autism community, followed by a New York-style runway fashion show featuring model-fundraisers — local students, community leaders, and professional and aspiring models decked out in fine apparel provided by leading designers and boutiques. Throughout the evening, attendees enjoy fine food and beverages, artistic creations on display by autistic citizens of all ages, and great prizes available as door prizes and auction items. Proceeds of this fundraiser will benefit families with programs including the mini-grants offered by the Autism Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) to pay for treatments and therapies not covered by local or state services.
Tickets start at $75. Students from Marymount University helped to plan the event.
Photo via Facebook
Capitol Steps to Perform at Yorktown High
The Capitol Steps comedy troupe will perform at Yorktown High School this weekend as part of a fundraiser.
The group — which was formed when a group of Senate staffers set out to satirize their employers — has been poking fun at Washington politics for more than 30 years. They are regularly featured on National Public Radio and have made appearances on network TV.
The Steps will be performing at the Yorktown High School Auditorium (5200 Yorktown Blvd) from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 13
The group is coming to Yorktown to benefit the student productions and educational workshops of the school’s theater program. Tickets are available online for $40.
Hokies to Hold Happy Hour for Sandy Hook
A group of local Virginia Tech alumni will be holding a happy hour tomorrow (Jan. 9) to raise money for those impacted by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.
The fundraiser will run from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at SoBe in Clarendon (3100 Clarendon Blvd). A $10 donation will buy attendees a wristband entitling them to $2.50 domestic beers, $3.50 rail drinks, $3.50 house wine and food specials. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and DJ Antonio Ernesto will perform.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Sandy Hook Support Fund, says co-organizer Colleen Whalen.
“As a Virginia Tech alum, I know what it’s like for a community to suffer loss from a tragic event such as what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary,” Whalen said. “It was the outpouring of support from communities around the world that helped my Virginia Tech family cope with our own tragedy.”
A local company, Project DC Events, is helping Whalen organize the happy hour. Whalen said she’s trying to build on the success of a previous Virginia Tech alumni-organized fundraiser for Sandy Hook, held at Whitlow’s last month.
“It’s kind of a second push for people who were unable to attend, or were already out of town for the holidays when the first one took place,” she told ARLnow.com. “Although some of the organizers went to Virginia Tech, we are trying to promote to a larger audience, not just Hokies.”
Morning Notes
ACFD Food Drive Ends Friday — The Arlington County Fire Department’s food drive, which began on December 1, will end this Friday, December 21. So far, ACFD has collected more than 1,200 pounds of food for the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Non-perishable food can be donated at all Arlington and Falls Church fire departments, and at the county government building at 2100 Clarendon Blvd.
County Hopes Residents Remove Snow to Avoid Fines — Arlington officials are reminding residents that it could be another year that snow piles up and needs to be removed from sidewalks. The county hopes residents follow the snow removal ordinance that was put in place in 2010. Failure to remove snow is a civil infraction that holds fines of $50-100, and moving snow from private property into public areas (like streets) is a Class 4 misdemeanor. So far, no tickets have been issued under the ordinance. [Sun Gazette]
Sandy Hook School Fundraiser — Whitlow’s (2854 Wilson Blvd) is hosting a fundraiser tonight (December 19) to raise money for families affected by Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. The effort was spearheaded by alumni from Virginia Tech who were students during that school’s deadly shooting in 2007. All proceeds from the event will go to the Sandy Hook School Support fund. There will also be a table set up for patrons to make cards to be sent to the community in Connecticut. [Hokies for Sandy Hook]
Today’s Featured Event
The following is today’s featured event from our newly-redesigned event calendar. Submit your event to the calendar here.
Book Fair to Support the Arlington Children’s Fund — Today (Dec. 07) from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. – Come help support the new Arlington Children’s Fund, established to help low income children and youth in Arlington. Barnes and Noble in Seven Corners (6260 Seven Corners Center, Falls Church) will be conducting a book fair to help raise money for the fund. Use Bookfair ID 10967693 at checkout, and 10–20% of the purchases on Dec. 6th and 7th, and online from Dec. 7th through 13th, will help grow the new Arlington Children’s Fund!
Morning Notes
Commission Says No to Lee Hwy Project — The Arlington Planning Commission has voted against a developer’s plan to build a 10-story apartment building and a MOM’s Organic Market grocery store on the current Bergmann’s Dry Cleaner site on Lee Highway. The commission expressed reservations about approving the project when there’s no overarching county development plan for Lee Highway. Some neighborhood residents who supported the development said they were disappointed with the commission’s vote. The County Board will have the final say when they consider the matter on Dec. 8. [Arlington Mercury]
Arlington GOP Still Trying to Stop Streetcar — The Arlington County Republican Committee is trying a new tactic to halt the planned Columbia Pike streetcar. The GOP is asking state lawmakers to pass a measure that would require Arlington County to have a voter referendum before selling bonds to fund the streetcar. [Sun Gazette]
Ballston Bar Crawl to Benefit Sandy — Eight Ballston-area bars are hosting a bar crawl to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. The bar crawl will start at noon on Saturday at Front Page (4201 Wilson Blvd). The event also includes a poker competition for prizes, like Redskins and Capitals gear. [Clarendon Nights]
Musical Holiday Light Display Benefits AWLA
Tom and Jo Straub have prided themselves on their elaborate Christmas light display for years. Only recently have they started using it to raise money for a good cause.
The couple has transformed the front yard of their Leeway Overlee area house, located at 5612 24th Street N., into a “dancing” light show synchronized to 15 of their favorite Christmas songs.
The display contains some 10,000 LED lights, which blink and “dance” with the music. The tunes can be heard from speakers outside the house and via a low-power radio station they set up for people who’d rather stay in their cars with the windows up. The station can be found at 98.1 on the FM dial.
The lights have been on display since Thanksgiving night and will be on every night through New Years Day. The show runs from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Santa Claus (as played by Mr. Straub) is on hand from 6:00 to 8:00 on most nights.
Not only are the lights fun to watch, but they’re also helping to raise money for the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. A small mailbox near the street collects cash donations for the AWLA, as well as donations of pet food, pet beds, toys and other pet supplies. Once a donation is made, the donor can reward themselves by hitting a button near the mailbox for a small bonus light show.
Last year was the couple’s first year collecting for the AWLA. Tom Straub said they collected $1,100 for the organization, and hopes to raise even more this year.
Straub said the display requires about 2,000 feet of extension cords and takes all year to plan. He said the outdoor speakers turn off at 8:00 and he hasn’t heard any serious complaints from neighbors this year. He has, however, received a complaint about his Santa-like beard, which he started growing in June 2011.
“The wife is fed up with it, so it’s coming off on the 24th,” he said.
Optimist Club Christmas Tree Sale Begins Saturday
The annual Optimist Club of Arlington Christmas tree sale begins Saturday.
The trees arrived on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo bank lot near the corner of Lee Highway and Glebe Road. Volunteers offloaded the trees from tractor trailers, sending the unmistakable holiday smell of fresh Christmas trees wafting across the immediate area.
The Optimist Club will offer the trees — 1,800 total, including white pines, Canaan furs and Fraser furs — for sale starting at noon on Saturday. From there on out, until Dec. 22, the lot will be open on weekend mornings starting at 10:00 a.m., on weekdays starting at 2:00 p.m., and on Fridays starting at noon. The lot will remain open until 9:00 p.m.
The tree prices range from $40 to $240. This year, for the first time, the club will take credit cards.
Last year, the tree sale raised $75,000, according to Optimist Club volunteer Greg Clough. The proceeds all benefit the local club, which sponsors “academic and sports activities designed to give Arlington’s youth a better chance to succeed in today’s world.”
Morning Notes
LED Street Lights Draw Complaints — New energy-efficient LED street lighting has been drawing complaints from Arlington residents. Residents have complained that the new lights are too bright and too white. That has prompted county officials to install dimmers on the lights, which has driven up the cost of the new lighting. The county is also exploring the use of lighting that is less harsh but also less energy efficient. [Sun Gazette]
‘Chiefs vs. Chefs’ Cooking Challenge Tonight — Some of Arlington most notable chefs will be battling some of Arlington’s top firehouse cooks in a cooking challenge for charity tonight. The chefs — David Guas of Bayou Bakery, Todd Pozinsky of Carlyle in Shirlington and Adam Barnett of Eventide — will go up against the tastiest creations from Arlington’s bravest. ‘Chiefs vs. Chefs’ is taking place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. tonight at the Key Bridge Marriott (1401 Lee Highway). Tickets to the event, which benefits the Arlington Food Assistance Center, start at $100. [AFAC]
Transportation Advice for APS – Writing in response to the recent controversy over changes to busing at Arlington Public Schools, Greater Greater Washington writer and Arlington resident Steve Offutt says APS should look to Arlington County government for guidance on how to create a “real, 21st-century transportation plan” that isn’t so focused on buses. [Greater Greater Washington]
New Jeweler Coming to Clarendon — Alexandria-based B&C Jewelers will be opening a second location in Clarendon. The store will be opening at 2729 Wilson Boulevard, in the storefront once occupied by the Sisters3 boutique. [Patch]
