July, 2012 | ARLnow.com

County Board to Examine Rosslyn Gateway Development Plan

Published July 19, 2012 at 1:35PM | Updated July 19, 2012 at 3:02PM

(Updated at 3:00 p.m.) The County Board will take up a set of issues at its meeting on Saturday, July 21, regarding the Rosslyn Gateway project — a plan for the re-development of a block just south of Rosslyn Gateway Park.

Developer JBG is seeking approval to redevelop the 2.2 acres of land bounded by N. 20th Street on the north, N. Moore Street on the east, N. 19th Street on the south, and Fort Myer Drive on the west. The plan is for the construction of a 26-story residential and hotel building, and a 25-story office building. The residential/hotel building would have its first 11 floors occupied by the hotel, and the remainder occupied by residential units.

Around Town

Arlington Artists Alliance Gets New Home in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published July 19, 2012 at 12:12PM

The airy gallery space, which the Alliance has dubbed the Northern Virginia Art Center, features “works from area artists covering a broad array of materials and mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, collage, pottery, glass and sculpture.”

The center will rotate exhibits on a monthly basis, and each exhibit will have its own unique theme. September’s theme will be “A Celebration of Color.” The current theme is “Individual Perspective.” The exhibits are juried, meaning each work must be selected by a judge or judges in order to be displayed. Many of the works displayed are also available for sale.

News

County Board to Vote on Bond Referenda

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 19, 2012 at 11:05AM

The referenda would approve funding for a variety of projects in the county’s $2.4 billion FY 2013-2022 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). During the CIP process, the county asked for public input, including at a public hearing last month. The adopted CIP will be published later this summer.

County staff recommends the Board approves four referenda to go to a public vote. Each asks voters if they believe the county should take on a debt and issue bonds for the specified amount in each category, in order to fund county projects. The breakdown of the three county government referenda and one school referendum is as follows:

Events

Bolivian Cultural Night Comes to Arlington

By Margaret Doyle

Published July 19, 2012 at 9:45AM

As a non-profit cultural organization now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Comité Pro Bolivia will showcase eight large Bolivian dance and music ensembles. Each performance will vary from Suri Sicuris, which is traditionally performed before the ostrich (suri) hunt, to the Tinku dance of strength and agility.

The event is free, open to the public and will begin at 8:00 p.m. It’s being held at the Lubber Run Amphitheater at North Columbus and 2nd Street North (two blocks north of Route 50). The amphitheater is wheelchair accessible.

Events

Central Library Hosting Family Friendly Outdoor Movies

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 19, 2012 at 8:45AM | Updated July 19, 2012 at 12:17PM

Viewers are welcome to bring a blanket and picnic while watching the family friendly movies. Films will begin shortly after dusk, around 8:00 p.m.

The first movie is “Hugo,” which will be shown on Thursday, August 2. The second movie is “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” and will be shown on Thursday, August 9. Trailers for the films are available on the library’s website.

Weather

NWS Issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 18, 2012 at 4:42PM | Updated July 18, 2012 at 5:22PM

(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) The National Weather Service has upgraded the previous storm watch to a warning. The warning is now effect until 5:45 p.m.

This is a strong storm that has the potential to bring damaging winds of 60 miles per hour and large hail.

News

Police: Newspaper Carrier Carjacked at Gunpoint

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 18, 2012 at 3:55PM | Updated July 18, 2012 at 7:15PM

Around 4:30 a.m., the 73-year-old woman was doing her rounds of paper delivery and had just exited the car to place a paper on a customer’s doorstep. According to police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, two men then drove up in a van next to her, and one said “give me the car.”

Police say both of the subjects, one of whom had a gun, pushed the woman to the ground. At that point, one of the men reportedly jumped into the woman’s car and threw her dog out of the vehicle, before driving off. The other suspect got back into the van and drove off.

Around Town

Arlington Catering Company Uses Aquaponics to Farm Fish

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 18, 2012 at 2:50PM

Main Event Caterers (3870 S. Four Mile Run Drive) recently began using the urban farming technique. Aquaponics is the practice of using a closed-loop ecological system to grow both fish and plants in one body of water. Water circulates through fish tanks, moves through filters and plant beds, then heads back to the fish tanks.

The catering company says the process benefits the business as well as the environment.

News

EXCLUSIVE: Bystanders Take Down Would-Be Thieves on Metro

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 18, 2012 at 1:45PM | Updated July 18, 2012 at 3:05PM

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) A group of bystanders helped out a Metro rider last night (Tuesday) by tracking down and detaining three men who allegedly tried stealing a woman’s cell phone.

Springfield resident Jonathan Jackson says he was riding the Blue Line home around 7:00 p.m., when he noticed a man acting suspiciously. When the doors opened at Arlington Cemetery, the situation grew weirder.

Weather

NWS Issues Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Heat Advisory

By ARLnow.com

Published July 18, 2012 at 1:18PM

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Arlington and the surrounding region through 9:00 tonight.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening may produce damaging wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.

Events

Priest Deported from Syria to Speak in Arlington

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 18, 2012 at 12:00PM

Father Paolo Dall’Oglio is an Italian Jesuit priest who had lived in Syria for 30 years, but was deported last month. He was reportedly targeted because he spoke out against the Syrian government’s crackdown on the widespread public uprising.

“The very fact that I am for change, for democracy, for human rights and dignity, this is very provocative,” said Father Paolo after his expulsion was ordered.

News

BREAKING NEWS — Pedestrian Struck by Taxi in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published July 18, 2012 at 10:44AM | Updated July 19, 2012 at 3:38PM

Investigators are on the scene of a critical pedestrian accident in Ballston.

The accident happened around 9:45 a.m. at the intersection of Glebe Road and N. Carlin Springs Road. An elderly female pedestrian was in the crosswalk, crossing Carlin Springs across from Ballston Common Mall, when she was struck by an Arlington Yellow Cab, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.