January, 2012 | ARLnow.com

Artomatic Coming to Crystal City

Published January 18, 2012 at 1:15PM

The popular, periodic arts event will take over the Transwestern Presidential Tower at 2511 S. Clark Street from May 18 to June 24. More than 76,000 visitors attended the last Artomatic, in 2009. The event featured more than 2,500 artists and performers. While the 2009 Artomatic was held in D.C., Crystal City hosted the event in 2007.

Described as an “open-entry creative arts showcase of visual art, music, film, performance, poetry and fashion,” Artomatic promises to transform the Transwestern tower into a “vibrant arts communit[y] that celebrate[s] creativity.”

News

ACFD To Honor Unprecedented Number of Retirees

By ARLnow.com

Published January 18, 2012 at 12:05PM

Arlington County fire truck (file photo)

A retirement ceremony is being held on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 24 for about 20 Arlington County Fire Department retirees. The firefighters have all retired over the past month or so after 25 to 37 years of service, according to department spokesman Lt. Gregg Karl.

“This is the largest number of retirees the ACFD has seen at one time and we want to honor them for their service,” Karl said.

News

Lopez Bill: Prenatal Care for Recent Legal Immigrants

By ARLnow.com

Published January 18, 2012 at 10:45AM | Updated January 18, 2012 at 11:04AM

Low-income women in their first five years of lawful residence in the United States are eligible for a number of pregnancy services under Virginia’s Medicaid system, including payment of labor and delivery costs and costs associated with the child once he or she is born. Prenatal costs, however, are not covered. Del. Lopez’s bill would change that.

“Prenatal care can reduce maternal deaths, miscarriages, birth defects, low birth weights, and other preventable problems,” Lopez said in a statement. “Women who receive no prenatal care are three and a half times more likely to have a low birth weight baby and nearly three times as likely to give birth prematurely as other pregnant women.”

Around Town

Audi Dealership Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published January 18, 2012 at 9:45AM

The shuttered Brown’s Used Car Super Center (3200 Columbia Pike) is set to become a new Audi dealership.

Architectural signs in the window indicate that the Arlington Audi dealership will be owned by Rosenthal Automotive, which also owns the Jeep/Chrysler dealership across the street. The Rosenthal Jeep/Chrysler site is set to be razed and redeveloped.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 18, 2012 at 8:47AM

Republican Files for County Board Race — Arlington County Republican Committee Chairman Mark Kelly has filed to be the GOP nominee in the upcoming County Board special election. It’s not the first time Kelly has run for County Board. In 2010 incumbent Chris Zimmerman defeated Kelly 57 percent to 36 percent. [Sun Gazette]

Progressive Group Endorses Bondi — Democratic County Board candidate Melissa Bondi has garnered an endorsement from Virginia New Majority, a statewide progressive organization. “As a long-time advocate of affordable housing and Smart Growth, she was worked tirelessly to ensure that the county’s plans for economic development have not been pursued at the expense of the county’s working and poor families,” the organization said in its endorsement. “And, we expect Board Member Bondi to pursue a transportation plan that won’t encourage displacement of low-income communities.” [Virginia New Majority]

Around Town

Columbia Pike Burger King Offers Delivery Service

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 5:00PM

The Burger King at 3627 Columbia Pike is currently one of few Burger King restaurants in the United States offering an experimental delivery service.

The Columbia Pike Burger King is offering delivery between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. seven days a week, for a $2 delivery charge. The minimum order is $10 and tip is not included in the delivery charge. Customers in a limited delivery area around the restaurant can order burgers, fries, bottled drinks and other lunch/dinner items via a new “BK Delivers” website or by calling 855-OrderBk (855-673-3725).

Schools

Caps Players Visit Randolph Elementary

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 3:15PM | Updated January 17, 2012 at 7:25PM

Defensemen Mike Green and Karl Alzner joined assistant coach Jim Johnson and mascot SlapShot at the school for “Capitals Hockey School.” The players answered questions from students in the school’s gymnasium before conducting a floor hockey clinic for 175 third through sixth graders.

“Alzner and Green instructed the students on basic hockey skills such as stick-handling, passing and shooting,” the Capitals noted in a press release. “The students were then called on to try out the skills in front of their peers.”

News

Ebbin Introduces ‘Coaches Bill’ in Response to Penn State Abuse

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 2:02PM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:48PM

Ebbin’s bill is SB 265 — an amendment to an existing Virginia law that requires “any teacher or other person employed in a public or private school, kindergarten or nursery school” to report any suspected incident of child abuse or neglect within 72 hours, or face fines. SB 265 would amend the law to apply to “any teacher, athletic coach or director, or other person employed in a public or private school, kindergarten or nursery school, or institution of higher education.”

The bill’s introduction comes just two months after the Penn State sex abuse scandal rocked the world of college athletics.

News

Construction Starting on Penrose Square Public Plaza

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 1:00PM

Fences have gone up around the construction site — a small grass field in front of the Penrose Square apartment complex, on the 2400 block of Columbia Pike. The first construction phase of the $2 million Penrose Square public plaza is expected to be completed this fall.

“Penrose Square is the first of three squares that will eventually be located along the Pike Corridor and will be an active pedestrian center and community gathering spot within the corridor’s Town Center,” said Arlington County parks department spokeswoman Susan Kalish.

News

Arlington ‘Disappointed’ By Loss of Vote on Metro Board

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 11:30AM

Now the Arlington representative, County Board Chair Mary Hynes, is limited to “alternate” status on the Metro Board. In response, Hynes released a statement expressing disappointment but also noting that the county “does still have a voice at Metro.”

For the first time since Metro was formed in the 1960s, Arlington does not have a principal voting seat on the Board of Directors for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA). The seat that was previously Arlington’s is now filled by a Commonwealth of Virginia representative.

News

County Board Candidates Have Varied Education Backgrounds

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 10:30AM

Terron Sims (D) graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, according to his campaign website. Sims has served on the Arlington Public Schools Strategic Plan Steering Committee and on the Committee on the Elimination of the Achievement Gap.

Kim Klingler (D) graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Science degree, according to her campaign manager. She majored in Health Services Administration and minored in Business Administration. Her campaign website says she has previously volunteered at a local elementary school.

News

Sen. Favola Reacts to Proposed Teen Pregnancy Cut

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 9:30AM

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) has proposed cutting the $455,000 program, which funds sex education and birth control for teens in seven areas with some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the state. McDonnell says the program has not worked.

In a statement, Favola said the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) helps teens make healthier decisions.