Morning Notes
Reporter Verbally Assaulted, Mooned While Investigating Arlington Arrest — A WJLA reporter was met with hostility while looking into the case of two daycare workers arrested near Weenie Beenie for reckless endangerment of children. The two women are accused of driving seven children in a vehicle without securing them in safety restraints. The reporter discovered notices posted on the daycare’s door informing parents that it had been shut down. A woman who said she was a neighbor took down the notices with the cameras rolling, engaged in a verbal assault on the crew and then mooned the camera. [WJLA]
Trash and Hazardous Material Recycling Event on Saturday — The biannual Arlington Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) will take place this Saturday, April 20, at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Residents are able to bring items such as hazardous materials, metals, bicycles and electronics to be recycled or disposed of. The full list of accepted items is available online.
Man Rescued After Falling onto Metro Tracks — A man fell onto the tracks at the Pentagon City Metro station last week and was rescued by two bystanders. The man reportedly walked right off the train platform while texting on his cell phone as a train was approaching. A bystander in his 70s, along with his daughter, pulled the man to safety before the train arrived. [Washington Post]
Rosslyn ABC Store Closes — The Virginia ABC store at 1731 Wilson Blvd. has closed. A Virginia ABC spokeswoman told ARLnow.com last month that the store would not be renewing its lease, which expires April 30.
Streetcar Critics Keep Watch on Financing — The Arlington County Republican Committee vows to keep watch on county officials to make sure they follow the rules when finalizing the project’s financing package. The group opposes the streetcar plan and contends the County Board will go to any lengths to secure financing in order to avoid a voter referendum on the issue. Last week, the federal government declined the joint funding application from Arlington and Fairfax counties for the project. [Sun Gazette]
Printing Error Blamed for Outdated Flyer
About 4,000 Arlington households received a flyer in their water bill this month advertising a county E-CARE recycling event.
The only problem is, the flyer advertised the E-CARE event that happened this past October. A spokeswoman for the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services says the mix-up happened due to a printing error made by a county vendor. The flyer was supposed to advertise the spring E-CARE event that’s happening on April 20.
“The correct flyers are now being printed and will be sent out at no cost to the County,” spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel told ARLnow.com. “The flyers will be accompanied by a note explaining the error.”
E-CARE allows residents to safely dispose of electronics and hazardous household items. The next event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Rd).
Photo courtesy @poiuytr
Christmas Tree Collection Begins Jan. 7
If you have a live Christmas tree in your home, you’ll get to enjoy it for at least another 12 days.
Arlington County’s annual Christmas tree collection will begin on Jan. 7. The collection does not take place until the first full week of January.
Holiday tree collection will run from Jan. 7-18, on residents’ regular trash collection day. The trees will be picked up by county crews and recycled into wood mulch for garden use.
“Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your regular trash collection day and to remove all decorations, nails, stands, and plastic bags,” the county said on its website. Those who miss their pickup day or who live in townhouses, apartments or condominiums without curbside recycling service can haul their tree to the county’s Solid Waste Bureau near Shirlington during the collection period.
“Please call (703) 228-6570 to schedule an appointment Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m,” the county said. “The Solid Waste Bureau is located at the Arlington Trades Center, 4300 29th St. S. Residents will need to show proof of residence in Arlington, such as a driver’s license. Trees may also be dropped off the first Saturday of each month 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Trades Center without an appointment.”
After Jan. 18 trees can still be picked up by trash crews, but will not be recycled.
Morning Notes
Voter Turnout Just Missed Record — A record number of voters turned out in Arlington for the Nov. 6 election, but the turnout just missed the record for percentage of active voters who cast ballots. In the end, 84.6 percent of active voters in Arlington cast ballots, just shy of the 84.9 percent active voter turnout for the 1992 general election. [Sun Gazette]
County to Hold Recycling Chat Today — Arlington County officials will be holding an online chat about residential recycling today. The “Ask the Expert” chat will be conducted via Facebook from noon to 1:00 p.m. [Facebook]
JBG Installs EV Chargers — Property owner JBG has installed a number of electric vehicle charges at its Arlington properties. The company says charging stations have been installed at the Hilton Crystal City (2399 Jefferson Davis Highway) and at the Rosslyn Gateway buildings (1911/1901 N. Lynn Street). The charging stations, part of the Blink charger network, offer priority parking to electric vehicle owners, according to a press release.
E-CARE Event Collects Tons of Electronics, Hazardous Materials
Arlington County has deemed its latest Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) another success.
The event on Saturday attracted 1,239 residents who dropped off 41.5 tons of hazardous household materials and 11.5 tons of electronics for recycling.
The next E-CARE event will be held next spring. This past spring, E-CARE collected 35.5 tons of hazardous household materials and some 20 tons of electronics.
E-CARE is held biannually at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road).
County to Collect Hazardous and Unwanted Items
This weekend may be the perfect time to rid your house of unwanted items. Arlington County will hold its biannual Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) on Saturday to allow for the safe disposal of hazardous household items.
Residents can drop of materials at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) on Saturday, October 13, from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Commercial and business waste will not be accepted.
An ID is required as proof of Arlington residency in order to drop off materials. There is no smoking allowed at the drop off site. A list of hazardous items that will be collected is listed below:
Acceptable Chemical Materials:
- Paint Products (25 can limit)
- Lawn & Garden Chemicals
- Fuels/Petroleum Products
- Flammable Solvents
- Corrosives (acids/caustics)
- Poisons (pesticides)
- Automotive Fluids and Batteries
- Car Care Products
- Photographic Chemicals
- Household Cleaners
- Mercury
- Propane Tanks
- Fluorescent Lamps and Tubes
- Fire Extinguishers
- Household Hazardous Materials
Unacceptable Chemical Materials:
- Asbestos
- Explosives and Ammunition
- Freon
- Compressed Gas Cylinders
- Radioactive Materials
- Prescription Drugs
- Medical Waste
Mercury:
- Covanta Energy will be providing a $5 gift card to all residents who drop off household devices containing mercury (thermostats, thermometers, sphygmomanometers, manometers, barometers, hygrometers and liquid mercury). Arlington County will be collecting CFLs at E-CARE, but they are excluded from Covanta’s $5 rebate offer.
For a full list of other items that will be accepted — including bicycles, electronics, clothing, eyeglasses and hearing aids — log on to the E-CARE website.
A representative with Boy Scout Troop 505 tells ARLnow.com that boy scouts will be at the E-CARE event from 8:30 a.m. until noon to collect unusable American flags for retirement and proper disposal at a ceremony later this month.
Morning Notes
Bikes Stolen From Arlington Found on Craigslist — A woman who had her bike stolen from the Ballston Metro station last month ended up finding the bike for sale on Craigslist by a dealer in the District. When she went to D.C. police for help recovering the bike, however, she was reportedly told that police there can’t help her because she’s an Arlington resident. [DCist]
Pike Development Voted Down by Planning Commission — Last week the Arlington County Planning Commission voted against plans for a residential development at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road. Planning commissioners objected to the project’s plans for routing traffic only onto eastbound Columbia Pike and southbound Glebe Road, as well as to the composite siding that will be used to cover the buildings. The vote against the project was made despite the fact that it complies with existing zoning codes. [Arlington Mercury]
Va. HOV Rules Clarified – “Virginia’s rules for who’s legal in the HOV lanes are a mess — and they keep changing,” writes Robert “Dr. Gridlock” Thomson, who goes on to explain what exactly the current HOV rules are for highways like I-395 and I-66. [Dr. Gridlock]
Real Estate Rise in Arlington – April was a good month for real estate sellers in Arlington. The number of sales and the average sales price were both up by double digits compared to one year prior. The average residential real estate sales price in Arlington is now $613,421 — $809,450 for single family homes only. [Sun Gazette]
Options for Recycling a Computer – If you have some old computer equipment you need to get rid of, there are several options for recycling a computer in and around Arlington. [Arlington Virginia Computer Repair]
Flickr pool photo by ddimick
Easter Weekend E-CARE Event Deemed a Success
(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Despite the holiday, Arlington residents turned out in droves for Saturday’s Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE).
The bi-annual event gives Arlington residents an opportunity to safely get rid of hazardous materials and to recycle items that usually aren’t accepted during the weekly residential recycling collection.
This weekend’s event drew 1,341 people to the parking lot of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, according to the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services. DES spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel said residents filled two tractor trailers with some 30 20 tons of electronics to recycle.
This year’s spring E-CARE also collected about 35.5 tons of hazardous household materials, said Whalen McDaniel, who deemed the event a success.
“The weather for E-CARE was picture perfect and residents turned out!” she wrote.
This Saturday: Arlington E-CARE Recycling Event
Arlington County is holding its bi-annual Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) this coming weekend.
E-CARE gives Arlington residents an opportunity to safely get rid of hazardous materials like paint, solvents, garden chemicals and items containing mercury. It is also is an opportunity to recycle items that usually aren’t accepted during the weekly residential recycling collection, like electronics, bikes, small metal items, shoes, eyeglasses, and durable medical equipment.
Anybody who drops off household devices that contain mercury, like thermometers and barometers, is eligible to receive a $5 gift card courtesy of trash-to-electricity company Covanta Energy. Fluorescent lights are excluded from the gift card offer.
The event is being held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 7 at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road). E-CARE is open to Arlington residents only — not to businesses or to residents of other jurisdictions.
More than 1,000 residents disposed of 36.8 tons of hazardous material and recycled some 16 tons of electronics at the Fall 2011 E-CARE event, according to the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services.
Photo via Arlington County DES
Website Allows Residents to Opt Out of Receiving Directories
The internet has made many things easier, including looking up businesses and phone numbers. If you don’t feel the need to receive those big phone books on your doorstep anymore, there’s a way you can opt out.
Two trade groups have teamed up to create a phone book opt-out website. It was set up to reduce the amount of waste and costs associated with delivering unwanted directories.
The site determines which phone books you are eligible for based on your ZIP code, and allows you to choose which you do or do not want to receive.
Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services didn’t have specific stats on how many phone books are recycled in Arlington each year, but officials remind anyone who still wants to receive the directories that they can be recycled in the standard county recycling bins.
Video: Christmas Tree Collection in Arlington
Arlington’s Christmas annual tree collection and recycling program has begun, and the county has created a short video (above) to help residents understand how the program works.
According to the video, Arlington County collects more than 9,000 Christmas trees every year. The trees are brought to the county’s Solid Waste Bureau and ground into mulch, which is then redistributed to residents who want to use the mulch in their yards and gardens.
This year’s Christmas tree collection runs from Jan. 3 to 17 on normal trash collection days. All stands, lights and decorations should be removed from the tree before it’s placed curbside. As the video explains, residents who don’t have curbside recycling service — such as those living in apartments — can call 703-228-6570 to schedule an appointment to drop off their trees at the Solid Waste Bureau.
Fall E-CARE Disposal and Recycling Event Scheduled
If it can’t be thrown out with the trash or picked up for normal recycling, chances are you’ll be able to get rid of it next month at Arlington’s “E-CARE” Environmental Collection and Recycling Event.
The biannual event is being held at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Residents will be able to drop off various types of large or hazardous items, including small metal items, computers, televisions, cell phones, other electronics, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, paint products, fuels and petroleum products, lawn and garden chemicals, poisons, pesticides, automotive fluids, car care products, propane gas cylinders, photographic chemicals, swimming pool chemicals, household cleaners, mercury, flammable solvents, fire extinguishers and corrosive materials.
There will also be a collection of gently used clothes, shoes, microwaves, mattresses, bed frames, eyeglasses and old bicycles. Most items will be donated to poor residents of Honduras, while the bikes and eyeglasses will be sent to unspecified overseas destinations.
The only items that are specifically banned are explosives, ammunition, freon, radioactive materials, prescription drugs, medical waste and asbestos. Also, smoking is prohibited while on-site.
See more information on the Arlington County E-CARE web site.
Free Paper Shredding Event on Saturday
Arlington County is now offering free paper shredding to residents on the first Saturday of every month.
Since holiday weekends are excluded, July’s paper shredding event will take place this Saturday. Residents — not businesses — can take their sensitive documents to the county’s Solid Waste Bureau (4300 29th Street S.) to be shredded, for free, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“A County employee will process the materials while you observe,” according to the Arlington County web site. “100% of shredded material is recycled.”
Residents are limited to two boxes or paper bags of documents each month. Stapled and paper-clipped documents are okay, as are checkbooks, but magazines, catalogs, binders, phone books and credit cards are prohibited.
Business Owners Face New Recycling Requirements
Those who own and operate apartment complexes and multi-family residences must now provide their residents more opportunities to recycle materials.
The Arlington County Board in December voted to change its recycling regulations and now requires businesses and multi-family homes to accommodate the recycling of additional materials like mixed paper – cardboard, office paper, junk mail, food boxes – along with metal cans and other metal objects, glass, aluminum, and plastic.
County officials say business owners have 90 days, beginning Feb. 1, to get a recycling program in place or they will be in violation of the new ordinance.
“By stepping up education and recycling requirements in the County, we plan to capture more recyclables while reducing trash – which ultimately will provide cost savings for County businesses and residents while helping to preserve our resources,” said Arlington Department of Environmental Services Director William O’Connor in a press release.
Arlington Christmas Tree Collection Schedule
Arlington County has released its Christmas tree collection schedule.
Trees will be picked up for recycling between Monday, Jan. 3 and Friday, Jan. 14. The county is asking residents to remove all ornaments, lights and stands, and to place the tree outside by 6:00 a.m. on their regular trash collection day. Do not place the tree in a plastic bag, say county officials.
Apartment, condo and townhouse dwellers who don’t have curbside garbage pickup can drop off the trees for recycling at the county’s Solid Waste Bureau (4300 South 29th Street) provided they show proof of Arlington residency.
Trees collected by the county will be ground down into wood mulch. Find out more information about tree collection here.
