July, 2010 | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published July 14, 2010 at 6:15AM | Updated July 12, 2017 at 2:25PM

Board Approves $250,000 in Art Grants — The county board voted unanimously last night to provide a quarter million dollars worth of grants to 19 Arlington-based arts organizations and three individual artists. The grants range from $44,600 to $1,240. See a list of recipients here.

Fisette Pens Green Jobs Op-Ed in Richmond Paper — In a column for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette compares Thomas Jefferson’s far-sighted and, at the time, controversial Louisiana Purchase to proposed federal spending on clean energy. Fisette argues that investing in green jobs now will pay off in a big way down the road.

News

Major Power Outage Hits Clarendon Area as Storm Approaches

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 5:26PM | Updated July 14, 2010 at 3:18AM

Photo of a Gold’s Gym step aerobics class being held outside during the power outage courtesy Matthew Henneman.

More than 3,600 Dominion customers are without power in the Clarendon area this evening. Police are reporting that numerous traffic lights are dark on Wilson, Clarendon and Washington Boulevards, causing traffic tie-ups in the area.

News

Arlington Stays in the Financial World’s Good Graces

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 4:59PM

For the tenth straight year, Arlington has scored a financial “triple-triple.” All three major bond rating agencies have just affirmed Arlington’s AAA bond rating, the highest rating available.

“I think it’s especially important at this time, which is very difficult for the economy, local governments and bond markets,” County Manager Michael Brown told board members while announcing the good news today.

Around Town

Streetcars, New Metro Entrance Among Big Changes Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 3:37PM | Updated July 13, 2010 at 3:55PM

Tonight the County Board is expected to advertise public hearings on the blandly-named but far-reaching Crystal City Sector Plan 2050.

The plan sets a vision of the new Crystal City that will emerge once dozens of federal agencies and thousands of federal jobs move out as a result of the Base Realignment and Closing Act.

Events

Planetarium Fundraising Event Planned

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 2:09PM | Updated July 14, 2010 at 11:01AM

From 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, the Friends and the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club will be holding a marathon session of planetarium shows, to be followed by a chance to look at real stars through NOVAC’s telescopes.

The stargazing will take place outside the planetarium (1426 North Quincy Street). The County will shut off the lights at the nearby Washington-Lee High School track so the dark sky will be visible.

News

Tejada: No Reason For “Disgruntled Persons” to Change County

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 9:04AM | Updated July 13, 2010 at 10:20AM

County board member Walter Tejada says Arlington is doing just fine under its current form of government, thank you very much.

Tejada was a guest on Friday’s Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi on WAMU radio. Asked about the change-of-government petition circulating around the county, Tejada had this to say:

News

Civil War at Army Navy Country Club Over Bike Path

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 7:42AM | Updated July 13, 2010 at 10:13AM

A rebel faction of tradition-bound military officers has declared a legal war on the management of Army Navy Country Club for having the temerity to allow Arlington to build a bike path along the northeastern edge of the golf course.

A gang infestation, hoards of recreation-seeking youngsters and liability issues are a few of the undesirable consequences that the dissident club members fear. The officers, 14 in number, have enlisted a lawyer and are suing the club.

Around Town

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2010 at 6:05AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 3:28PM

Northrop Spurns Arlington, Doesn’t Even Call — First, Northrop Grumman decided to head to the grassier, cheaper environs of Fairfax County. Now, it turns out Northrop didn’t even give a “thanks but no thanks” call to Arlington Economic Development, which had been working with the company as it considered a building in Ballston for its new headquarters. More from WBJ’s Sarah Krouse. Also: Northrop, if you’re reading this, you still owe us a call regarding the status of your Rosslyn office.

Metro Plans Confusing Service Change — Metro is considering shifting some Blue Line trains to the Yellow and Orange Lines by next summer to help expand capacity. Simple, right? Wrong. Our friends at Greater Greater Washington will make your brain hurt by trying to explain in 1,000 words how Metro plans to pull it off.

Feature

Meet Cooper, Arlington’s Cutest Dog

By ARLnow.com

Published July 12, 2010 at 5:15PM

Cooper the cocker spaniel/poodle mix is officially Arlington’s Cutest Dog. Cooper captured a whopping 1,238 votes in the final round of our inaugural contest.

Cooper and his owner, Joe, will receive a brand new Apple iPad courtesy of Siena Park, the new pet-friendly luxury apartment community on Columbia Pike.

Events

To Do Tonight: Wine Tasting at a Bike Store

By ARLnow.com

Published July 12, 2010 at 3:55PM

You heard right. In honor of the Tour de France, Revolution Cycles is holding a French wine tasting at its Crystal City store (220 20th St. S.).

The wines will be grouped by their location along the Tour de France course.

News

Signature-Gathering Enters Homestretch for Change-of-Government Proponents

By ARLnow.com

Published July 12, 2010 at 3:17PM | Updated July 12, 2010 at 3:40PM

Speaking to ARLnow.com at the Columbia Pike Farmers Market Sunday afternoon, signature collector Robert Farrell said they’ve collected about 15,000 signatures already and are trying to collect about 2,000 more by the deadline as a “cushion” to make up for signatures that might be disqualified by the registrar (due to duplicate signatures or an out-of-county address).

Officially, the Committee has declined to discuss the exact progress of its signature-gathering effort, except to express confidence that it will be successful.

News

BREAKING NEWS — Northrop Grumman Bypasses Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published July 12, 2010 at 2:07PM | Updated July 13, 2010 at 12:14AM

The purchase caps a “comprehensive site selection process” that lasted about a month and a half longer than originally anticipated. When Northrop CEO Wes Bush and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced in April that the company had narrowed its headquarters search down to Northern Virginia, Bush said the process would take about a month.

Amid the media speculation about the headquarters location, two sites were consistently mentioned near the end: the Falls Church site and a building in Ballston. Buildings in Crystal City and Rosslyn were also said to be in the early running. In the end, however, Falls Church won out.