January, 2012 | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published January 17, 2012 at 8:35AM

Hope Proposes Cigarette Tax Hike — Arlington’s Del. Patrick Hope (D) is planning to introduce a bill that would increase Virginia’s relatively low cigarette tax. Unlike past years when Hope has proposed a cigarette tax hike only to have it promptly killed by Republicans, Hope is now proposing that revenue from the tax go directly to car tax relief, rather than to anti-smoking programs or Medicaid funding. [WTVR]

Record Profit for Virginia ABC — Virginia’s state-owned ABC liquor stores and restaurant wholesale business saw record sales and a record profit in fiscal year 2011. The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control says it recorded an all-time high profit of $121 million last fiscal year, amid record demand for wine, liquor and mixers at stores and from restaurants. The state’s top-selling liquor, meanwhile, is Jack Daniels. [Associated Press]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 16, 2012 at 9:00AM

MLK Day in Arlington — Arlington County government offices, libraries, and schools will be closed today in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. See the full list of closures here. ARLnow.com will return for a full day of news coverage on Tuesday.

GGW Endorses Bondi — The influential local blog Greater Greater Washington has endorsed Melissa Bondi in the upcoming Democratic caucus for Arlington County Board. GGW said Bondi’s “experience, openness to citizen input and dedication to smart urban development” outweighs her recent “tax controversies.” [Greater Greater Washington]

News

SUV Flips Over on Courthouse Road

By ARLnow.com

Published January 15, 2012 at 5:09PM | Updated July 12, 2017 at 1:36PM

An SUV lost control and flipped over on a busy Courthouse street this afternoon.

Initial reports suggest the Ford Escape SUV experienced a mechanical problem that caused the throttle to become stuck as it turned onto Courthouse Road. According to witnesses, the vehicle hit a curb, flipped over, hit two sidewalk trees, hit the front of a BMW, and came to rest near Bayou Bakery, one block from Arlington County Police headquarters.

News

County Board Candidates Strike Note of Fiscal Conservatism

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 3:00PM

Even as Arlington has avoided the worst of the stagnant economy, fears about the impact of federal spending cuts on Arlington’s tax base, combined with the reality of a burgeoning school population, has ushered in a slate of candidates largely devoid of ideas for sweeping new county initiatives. Instead, candidates are talking about prioritizing spending and, perhaps, pulling back on big ticket items like the struggling Artisphere cultural center and the planned Columbia Pike streetcar and Long Bridge Park aquatics center.

Iraq veteran and West Point graduate Terron Sims was perhaps the most blunt of the five Democrats in race when it came to spending.

Feature

Your Beermonger: Lager, Lager Everywhere

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 1:45PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Okay beer fans, let’s get into one of the great conflicts within modern craft beer today: the lack of support for and supply of quality Lagers out there. Worldwide, Lager is everywhere; by far, it’s the most popular style of beer on the planet. The ubiquitous Pilsners and Light Lagers that dominate the market are poor representatives of their style, though — so poor that the raison d’être of the craft beer movement was to create beers that were their opposite. As a consequence, many craft beer drinkers (and brewers for that matter) shy away from Lager. But there are many great Lagers to be found, both traditional in style and not-so-traditional. Let’s get into what Lager is and then find some examples of different styles that best express what Lager’s really all about.

News

Missing Woman Found in Library

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 12:30PM

Buckingham resident Julienne Erisnor, 70, was located just hours after Arlington County Police issued a press release asking for the public’s help in finding her. Quick-thinking library staffers spotted Erisnor in Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street) and immediately called police, we’re told.

Police came to the library and Ms. Erisnor was reunited with her daughter.

News

Wardian Trying Out for the Olympics

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 11:35AM

Wardian, who ran in 26 races of 26.2 miles or longer in 2011, will compete in the Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston on Saturday. The 37-year-old told The Daily that starting marathon running in his 20s, rather than earlier in life, is helping his endurance now.

“I’m not burned out,” Wardian told the tablet publication. “Many top guys start running when they’re 8 or 9 and have been competing at a high level for a long time. A lot of people in their late 30s think they’re done with sports. I’m still setting (personal records).”

News

Christmas Tree Came With Unwelcome Visitor

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 10:30AM

This week’s Arlington Animal Watch blotter includes a belated but somewhat amusing holiday-related item from December.

A Westover resident got more than she bargained for when her Christmas tree came with an unwelcome visitor. From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington:

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 9:25AM | Updated January 13, 2012 at 11:40AM

30th Anniversary of Air Florida Crash — Thirty years ago today Air Florida Flight 90 took off from Reagan National Airport, slammed into the 14th Street Bridge and plunged into the icy Potomac River, killing 78 people. Only five people on the plane survived the crash. [Wikipedia, Washington Post]

Bondi Releases Statement on Tax Lien — County Board candidate Melissa Bondi has released a statement to supporters regarding the recent revelation of her tax troubles. “Blog commenters very recently have begun attacking me about two issues,” Bondi began. “The attacks have been sudden, nasty, highly personal, and intended to derail the excellent work we have done together as a campaign.” Bondi said that she has hired a tax advisor “to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.”

Traffic

Accident Knocks Out Traffic Lights at Clarendon Intersection

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2012 at 2:28AM | Updated July 12, 2017 at 1:36PM

The traffic light sat the busy Clarendon intersection of Washington Boulevard, 10th Street and Fillmore Street is expected to remain dark throughout the morning rush hour following a car accident Thursday night.

Around 7:15 last night a car hopped the curb and took out the traffic signal control box near the Virginia ABC store. One minor injury was reported.

News

Cuccinelli Smells a Rat in D.C.

By ARLnow.com

Published January 12, 2012 at 4:29PM | Updated January 13, 2012 at 1:05PM

“Last year, in its finite wisdom, the D.C. City Council passed a new law — a triumph of animal rights over human health,” he told the hosts of WMAL’s ‘The Morning Majority‘ show. “Those pest control people… aren’t allowed to kill the rat. They have to relocate the rat. And… that’s actually not the worst part. They cannot break up the family of the rat.”

“Oh no,” one of the hosts said solemnly as another loudly gasped. But what does any of this have to do with Virginia? Cuccinelli explained that wildlife trappers might now simply take the rats they catch in D.C. into Virginia.

News

ACPD Asks for Help Finding Missing Adult

By ARLnow.com

Published January 12, 2012 at 3:18PM

Erisnor is described as a black female, approximately 5’2” tall and 150 lbs. She has black hair and occasionally wears a curly black wig. Police say Erisnor is required to take regular medication but does not have the medication with her.

“Anyone with any information about Ms. Erisnor’s whereabouts is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department at 703-558-2222 or Detective Alan Lowery at 703 228-4199,” police said.