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by ARLnow.com — April 19, 2012 at 8:40 am 3,245 34 Comments

The Gangs of Arlington — As of 2011 there were 10 active street gangs in Arlington. According to a speaker at a panel discussion held earlier this week, the gangs often try to recruit youths who have recently immigrated to the country. Arlington, however, has an extensive gang prevention program that limits the influence of gangs within the county. [Washington Examiner]

National Drug Take-Back Day — The Arlington County Police Department will be participating in National Drug Take-Back Day next weekend. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, police will be collecting “expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs” — no questions asked — in an effort to prevent possible abuse and theft. Collection stations will be set up at fire stations 1, 8 and 9. [Arlington County Police]

Earth Day Twitter Chat Today — The Arlington County Department of Environmental Services is hosting a live Twitter chat on the topic of “green gardening” from noon to 1:00 p.m. today. “Join us and get answers to all of your questions related to landscaping and lawn care, native plants, and water conservation,” the county said in an email. One participant who submits a question will be randomly selected to receive a free rain barrel. [Facebook, Twitter]

stoner

time to turn in that expired weed
- .T-G.E.O.A
  
  Make cupcakes
MC 703

Are they going to just dump them directly into the S. Glebe water treatment plant for us? I need some estrogen.
- Garden City
  
  You make an excellent point: all the prescription drugs that people flush down the toilet end up in the water supply and they are not removed by normal sewage treatment processes, so they just end up in lakes, rivers, etc, and eventually, back in the water supply. Measurable amounts of many drugs can be found in the nation’s waterways. Would it not be better to dispose of these unused drugs in the trash so that, in Arlington anyway, they would end up being incinerated?
  - Swag
    
    Breathe it or drink it. Your choice.
    - DSS10
      
      Any drug that is not metabolized ends up in drinking water. There is a measurable amount of caffeine in the Mississippi south of Minneapolis due to the popularity of coffee shops.
- WeiQiang
  
  Nah. Too busy installing the $350K work of art on the fence surrounding the plant.
nunya

you’d think they’d take back drugs tomorrow, 4/20.
- DarkHeart
  
  Willie Nelson statue dedication at 4:20 pm tomorrow. In Austin.
  - Bob
    
    So, are you guys doing that Kony thing tomorrow, 4/20?
  - Steamboat Willie
    
    God Bless America. That made me smile.
    - Steamboat Willie
      
      Was responding to DarkHeart
Swag

Those steps always seemed excessive. How many people would need to walk through there to necessitate such wide steps?
- Josh S
  
  I assumed it was a crowd-control measure. Or perhaps an homage to Albert Speer.
  - stig
    
    it’s for when all the too-big-to-fail banks go under – that’s where they’ll had out the cash to the masses.
    - Captain Pup McPuppo
      
      nice
- meh..
  
  I believe that’s a drainage plain. Surface water filters through it instead of into the county sewer system. There’s also a green roof on the FDIC building. One of the first in Arlington back in the early 2000′s.
  - drax
    
    Surface water never goes in the sewer, actually. This filters it so it doesn’t carry pollution into the streams.
    - nom de guerre
      
      Surface water can make its way into the STORM sewer system as opposed to the sanitary sewer system-Arlington has both.
      - drax
        
        Sure, it’s just a matter of terminology. The storm drains aren’t called sewers and they don’t go into any sewer system for treatment, just out into the local stream.
      - County Engineer
        
        You are correct that the water in the storm water system is not treated and that it is a matter of terminology, but we do refer to it as a storm sewer system-from the County website:
        
        “Storm Sewer System Information
        
        The storm sewer system transmits rainwater runoff from streets, sidewalks, and buildings to our local streams, preventing flooding during heavy rains. Water flows into “catch basins” (storm drains) located along the street, through storm sewer pipes and local streams. This water is NOT treated at the Water Pollution Control Plant, so it is important not to dump chemicals or throw trash in the street or storm drains. Find out more about stormwater pollution.
        
        http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/environmentalservices/uepd/stormsewer/EnvironmentalServicesStormsewer.aspx
      - drax
        
        Interesting.
        
        The county is using outdated terminology.
Bimmie Zondi

The most damaging gang goes unchecked: the County Board.
- 1RLI
  
  Touché!!
  - Josh S
    
    ?
    - 1RLI
      
      ??
      - meh
        
        meh.
- KalashniKEV
  
  They got checked- $40 a head. You know some of that is getting kicked back their way.
  
  I heard board meetings are going to start charging $5 entry soon.
  
  (free with EBT/WIC card or key fob to Clarendon Views)
  - drax
    
    So you’re telling us to get off your lawn?
Captain Obvious

I tried to turn in an unneeded Rx at CVS once and the pharmacist looked at me like I was a crazy person.
- nom de guerre
  
  Was the Rx for an antipsychotic medication?
  - drax
    
    Zing!
meh..

I believe that’s a drainage plain. Surface water filters through it instead of into the county sewer system. There’s also a green roof on the FDIC building. One of the first in Arlington back in the early 2000’s.
- drainage
  
  ooh look it seeped all the way down here too!

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