October 10, 2012 | ARLnow.com

Published October 10, 2012 at 5:00PM

As reported in the Washington Post earlier this year, 29-year-old Massoud Adibpour and his friends set out on a mission to bring joy to seemingly overworked and unhappy people in the District. They have posted inspirational signs around town and have been spotted in high traffic areas holding signs with smile-inducing phrases such as “Honk if you love someone” and “Do more of what makes you happy.”

The Make DC Smile Facebook page says the following: “No one ever looks forward to sitting in traffic and going to work on Monday morning. What started as a simple bucket list idea to hold the sign ‘Honk if you love someone’ at a busy DC intersection has turned into a weekly movement to get commuters starting their week off with a smile.”

Events

County to Collect Hazardous and Unwanted Items

Katie Pyzyk

Published October 10, 2012 at 3:45PM | Updated October 10, 2012 at 4:03PM

Residents can drop of materials at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) on Saturday, October 13, from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Commercial and business waste will not be accepted.

An ID is required as proof of Arlington residency in order to drop off materials. There is no smoking allowed at the drop off site. A list of hazardous items that will be collected is listed below:

News

ACPD to Hold Community Crime Forums

Katie Pyzyk

Published October 10, 2012 at 2:45PM

In addition to looking at trends, part of the discussions will examine recent incidents of violent crimes. Residents will be able to ask questions and voice concerns about crime throughout Arlington as a whole, and localized crime in each neighborhood.

District commanders and officers from each of the three districts’ community policing teams will be on hand to present information and answer questions. Police Chief M. Douglas Scott and Deputy Chief Michael Dunne will also attend the forums.

Events

Festivities Begin for NOVA Fashion Week

Katie Pyzyk

Published October 10, 2012 at 1:30PM

Although much smaller than fashion weeks in style hubs such as New York and Paris, the event brings both established and up-and-coming designers to Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) to show off their collections and to give a peek at emerging fashion trends.

Festivities technically kick off tonight (Wednesday) with a VIP cocktail reception, but public availability for tickets to that event will be very limited. The main draws are the fashion shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the free networking event on Saturday afternoon.

Around Town

Which Wich Sandwich Shop Coming to Ballston

Katie Pyzyk

Published October 10, 2012 at 12:20PM

Which Wich is preparing to move into the neighborhood, apparently into the space previously occupied by the recently closed Daily Grind.

The chain touts more than 50 customizable sub sandwiches, including a few breakfast options, as well as salads and shakes. The restaurants highlight their unique way of ordering, in which customers use markers to write their orders on brown paper bags, and the sandwiches are delivered to them in those bags.

Schools

Changes Proposed to APS Boundary Policy

Katie Pyzyk

Published October 10, 2012 at 11:15AM

At the School Board meeting last Thursday (October 4), staff presented proposed changes to the boundary policy and a framework for boundary decisions to be made during the 2012-2013 school year. According to APS spokesman Frank Bellavia, slight revisions were proposed because the policy hasn’t been examined since June of 2002.

Proposed updates to the policy include identifying when boundary changes may be necessary. Also included are criteria for the School Board and superintendent to consider when proposing boundary changes, such as promoting demographic diversity and minimizing the number of times students are affected by such changes.

Events

Free Tree Distribution on Saturday

Katie Pyzyk

Published October 10, 2012 at 9:45AM

All of the trees, referred to as whips, are native to Virginia. They’re distributed in one, two or three gallon containers and typically range in height from two to four feet.

Representatives from the Arlington County Landscape staff and from TreeStewards will be on hand to offer planting guidelines and tree care tips. They can also explain characteristics of each tree species.

News

Morning Notes

ARLnow.com

Published October 10, 2012 at 9:05AM

Gun Confiscated at DCA — TSA agents confiscated a 9mm handgun from a 59-year-old Fairfax man who tried to bring it with him on his trip to Dallas. The TSA said the man, who was charged with a misdemeanor weapons offense, was “just a forgetful passenger” and not a terrorist. [Washington Post]

WAMU Offers Voter Guide — WAMU has built an interactive voter guide for D.C. area elections. Among the races where voters can compare and contrast positions are the Virginia Eighth District congressional race, the Arlington County Board race, and the non-competitive Arlington School Board race.