The sidewalk seating in front of Rustico (4075 Wilson Blvd) in Ballston is open for business.
A number of patrons were sitting outside last night enjoying drinks and meals in the spring sunshine.
But is part of the solution to the attendance woes at Artisphere are few prominently-placed signs telling people where it is?
Doug Galbi of the Ode Street Tribune thinks so. In a blog post entitled “Artisphere needs more signs,” Galbi says that many Rosslyn visitors may be unaware that the multi-million dollar cultural center even exists.
The convention, which starts today, will feature appearances by a number of Twilight stars (including Chaske Spencer, left) as well as parties, musical performances, trivia competitions, auctions, photo ops and a costume ball. Tickets to the convention range from $20 for a one day pass to $289 for a weekend ‘gold’ package.
The event will be hosted by the sisters behind The Hillywood Show, of YouTube fame.
Ready?
If you said ‘burger restaurant,’ you are correct! A new burger concept called “Wiinkys” (no, that’s not a typo) is coming to the storefront at 3902 Wilson Boulevard. The space used to house the Pike Grill and, after the grill closed, Papi Pollo.
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Areizaga-Soto is a senior attorney at the U.S. Agency for International Development, a Stanford Law grad, and a senior advisor to Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, the retiring occupant of the 31st District seat. An Arlington resident, Areizaga-Soto is active in the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia, the Arlington County Democratic Committee and the National Puerto Rican Coalition.
Areizaga-Soto is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the JAG Corps of the District of Columbia National Guard. According to this biography, he is fluent in Portuguese, French and Spanish.
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Wright Gate Reopening — Fort Myer’s Wright Gate, used by local bicyclists and pedestrians, will reopen on Monday. The gate, located at N. Meade Street and Marshall Drive, closed for repairs in March. Starting Monday, it will be open from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Henry Gate, at Arlington Blvd and Pershing Drive, will revert to its normal hours: 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
State Senate Race Could Get Interesting — Could a well-funded Republican candidate defeat a Democrat this fall in the race for Arlington’s newly-redrawn 31st state Senate district? Sun Gazette Editor Scott McCaffrey thinks so. [Sun Gazette]
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A multi-vehicle accident has been reported in the northbound lanes of the GW Parkway near Lady Bird Johnson Park. Arlington County firefighters and paramedics are on the scene.
Initial reports suggest a jogger may have been struck by one of the accident vehicles. Two people are reported to be injured, one critically.
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The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment — also known as the Old Guard — was practicing firing canons.
“The Presidential Salute Battery was conducting synchronized firing training within Arlington National Cemetery from approximately 0700-0800,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Coffee, from the Old Guard public affairs office. “The reason the training is conducted at that time is to not interfere with any funerals being conducted at open cemetery hours.”
Ruffino’s Spaghetti House (4763 Lee Highway) will tonight for the first time following months of renovations. An answering machine message says the restaurant will open at 4:00 p.m.
The new Clarendon location of BGR: The Burger Joint (3024 Wilson Blvd) is undergoing a final inspection today and hopes to open next week — perhaps as soon as Monday, if the inspection goes well. The restaurant’s interior is complete and employees are wrapping up preparations for the opening.
“I do plan to run for County Board as a Green,” said Audrey Clement, a state Green Party officer and a national Green Party committee member. “However, I have not yet set up a campaign committee and filed my paperwork with [State Board of Election]. So I am not officially a candidate [yet].”
Clement’s campaign platform focuses on spending, housing and environmental concerns. On her web site, Clement says she wants to “focus funds on essential community services” like libraries, public safety, schools and the safety net, while “halt[ing] spending on wasteful building projects that we cannot afford” like the Columbia Pike streetcar and the Long Bridge Park aquatic center. She also criticizes the use of county funds for the Artisphere.
The County Board has allocated $258,000 to allow each branch library to stay open for an additional three hours per week. The funds will also support longer Sunday hours at the Shirlington and Columbia Pike libraries and allow the purchase of additional books and e-books.
The board is providing an additional $370,000 for park maintenance, Friday hours at the Lubber Run Community Center and for the restoration of seasonal programming at the shuttered Lubber Run Amphitheater. An additional allocation of $100,000 will fund early stages of restoring the amphitheater.
According to department statistics, the crime rate — the number of reported crimes per resident — declined by 7.6 percent from 2009 to 2010. The raw number of reported crimes, meanwhile, fell 5.9 percent.
Robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, larcenies and vehicle thefts all declined last year. At 29 percent, vehicle thefts saw the greatest year-over-year decline.