September, 2011 | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published September 28, 2011 at 8:43AM

Hard Times Cafe Opens in Verizon Center — Local staple Hard Times Cafe has opened a new concession stand in the Verizon Center. Located on the main concourse near section 119, the stand opened in time for the first Capitals preseason game on Monday. In addition to brick-and-mortar locations in Clarendon and around the D.C. suburbs, Hard Times also operates a stand in Nationals Park.

Arlington Sheriff Elected to Association — Arlington Sheriff Beth Arthur has been elected vice president of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. [Sun Gazette]

Schools

APS to Discuss School Capacity Challenges

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2011 at 3:57PM

The forum will be held next Wednesday night at the Washington-Lee High School auditorium, not far from where several new trailer classrooms were installed over the summer. School officials will discuss the steps they’re taking to address the burgeoning student population, which is expected to reach 3,400 seats overcapacity by 2016.

Among the possible solutions to be discussed are “building opportunities” on existing Arlington Public School sites. The APS press release is below.

News

Construction Expected Soon on New Clarendon Park

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2011 at 2:25PM | Updated May 15, 2012 at 9:29AM

(Updated at 2:50 p.m.) What is now a muddy, run-down dog park in Clarendon will soon be transformed into an attractive, modern park serving both people and pets.

James Hunter Park (the new name for the previously unnamed “Community Canine Area” at N. Herndon and 13th Street) will feature picnic and seating areas, a demonstration garden, water feature, comfort station, kiosk, decomposed granite dog play area, grass lawn, public art and permeable paved walkways. Trees will line the park, which is located about two blocks northwest of the Clarendon Metro station.

Around Town

Arlington: Come Get Your Free Trees

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2011 at 11:59AM

The county is offering one tree per household and up to five trees for groups like condo/homeowner’s associations, churches, civic associations or other neighborhood organizations. Among the available species are large trees like American sycamores, black oaks, black gum/tupelos, cherrybark oaks, red maples, yellow poplars and Virginia pines. Smaller tree offerings include serviceberries, staghorn sumacs, winterberry hollies and American witch hazels.

A PDF list of tree species, their growth requirements, estimated measurements and other attributes is available on the county’s web site.

News

Virginia Dems to Host DNC Chair at Clarendon Fundraiser

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2011 at 11:13AM

7. Valets outside Clarendon Ballroom in 2010

Schultz will join Democratic Party of Virginia Chairman Brian Moran, as well as local Reps. Jim Moran and Gerry Connolly, at Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Tickets to the event are $50 for individuals. That price is discounted to $35 for Young Democrats. “Sponsorship level” tickets, however, range from $1,000 to $10,000.

The event will benefit the Democratic Party of Virginia.

News

Sierra Club to Hold Rally Outside Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2011 at 9:51AM

With the help of some interesting visuals, environmental activists will be calling for policies that support cleaner air in Virginia. Specifically, the Sierra Club is asking for public hearings regarding Dominion Virginia Power’s long-term energy plan. They’re also asking for the State Corporation Commission to approve Dominion’s plan to retire two coal-fired power plants in Virginia.

To help put an exclamation point on their message, demonstrators will be bringing along “a 6-foot cardboard asthma inhaler… 6-foot tall mock wind turbines…. pinwheels symbolizing desire for wind energy… and posters and signs calling for a transition from dirty coal to clean energy.” In addition, rally bystanders will be encouraged to place phone calls to the State Corporation Commission requesting public hearings about Dominion.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2011 at 8:25AM

Arlington Latin-American Festival Planned — Arlington County is hosting a Latin-American festival on Sunday in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. “Savor the best of Latino culture at this annual festival with fellow Arlingtonians of all backgrounds in this diverse community,” the county said of the event, which is being held outdoors from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road). [Arlington County]

Lawmakers to Tour Housing Site — Four state legislators and three county board members are scheduled to tour permanent supportive housing facilities at the Gates of Ballston apatment complex (4108 N. 4th Street) today. “The tour will demonstrate how the increase in Permanent Support Housing is necessary to meet the Governor’s plan to reduce homelessness by 15% by 2013,” according to the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, a tour organizer.

Schools

Arlington Teacher Attends NBC Education Summit

By ARLnow.com

Published September 26, 2011 at 4:23PM

Randolph Elementary third grade teacher Matt Tosiello, Arlington’s Teacher of the Year, was in New York City yesterday for the NBC News Education Nation summit.

While there, Tosiello participated in a two-hour Teacher Town Hall with NBC’s Brian Williams. The event focused on the struggles teachers face in the classroom and on future opportunities for improving the country’s educational system. (Tosiello can be seen briefly, holding an iPhone in this NBC Nightly News clip.)

Around Town

LeoNora Bakery to Open Clarendon Storefront

By ARLnow.com

Published September 26, 2011 at 3:24PM

The bakery is opening a store at 1108 N. Irving Street. Clarendon’s grungiest block — home to the Red Top Cab parking lot and to the no-frills Sam’s Corner deli — will soon be filled with the aroma of fresh-baked bread, as LeoNora plans to do all its baking in-house, in a bakery area behind the front counter.

Colombian-born bakery owner Carolina Garcia says that after a year and a half in the delivery business, LeoNora is ready to have a storefront to call its own.

Around Town

Crystal City to Get ‘Sparkling’ New Southern Entryway

By ARLnow.com

Published September 26, 2011 at 1:46PM

A drab piece of vacant land that serves as the decidedly unspectacular southern entryway to Crystal City will soon be getting a new look.

The 30,000 square foot, triangular lot at the intersection of Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway will be getting “a large-scale lighting and landscape enhancement that will create a truly enticing gateway experience.”

News

Clarendon/Courthouse Verizon Outage Continues

By ARLnow.com

Published September 26, 2011 at 11:45AM

“Our restoral efforts continue,” Verizon spokesman Harry J. Mitchell told ARLnow.com this morning. “We’ve replaced and completed work on one of the damaged cables, and we’re at work on the second cable. We also found that a third cable was damaged, and we’ll be replacing a section of that one as well.”

The cables contain thousands of individual copper lines, which carry phone conversations and internet service to hundreds of Verizon customers in the area. Each copper line must be painstakingly spliced together to restore service. On Wednesday, Mitchell said employees were working around the clock to perform the repairs.

Around Town

Yorktown Defeats District Rival Hayfield

By ARLnow.com

Published September 26, 2011 at 11:00AM | Updated September 26, 2011 at 11:31AM

The Yorktown Patriots are now 4-0 after defeating National District football rival Hayfield before a home crowd Friday night.

Despite a slow start on offense, the Yorktown defense held up and led the team to a 21-0 victory. The Patriots will try to improve to 5-0 this week when the team faces J.E.B. Stuart on the road.