April 16, 2014 | ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 5:45PM | Updated April 16, 2014 at 6:10PM

Shamrock Crawl (photo via Groupon)

At the Arlington County Board’s budget mark-up meeting this afternoon, the County Board approved an addition $42,000 to the police specifically for “pub crawl support.” Pub crawls in Clarendon, Courthouse and Ballston have drawn crowds close to 5,000-6,000 people, County Board Chair Jay Fisette said.

“I’m becoming a pub crawl expert, not by choice,” Arlington Police Chief Doug Scott told the Board Wednesday. “We are receiving crawl requests at a very escalated pace because they’ve been very popular. We thought we were going to have three, that went to nine, and it’s growing.”

Around Town

RedRocks ‘Relaunches’ On Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 4:45PM

The restaurant, located in the Penrose Square shopping center at 2501 Columbia Pike, is “relaunching” after a year in business due to lower-than-expected sales, according to co-owner Doug Baj.

“It’s been a little bit challenging, the whole Columbia Pike corridor,” Baj said. “I’m probably not the only business owner to voice that.”

Feature

Disrupt Fitness: Fresh, Fit Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 3:30PM | Updated April 22, 2014 at 4:14PM

Editor’s Note: The following biweekly column is sponsored and written by Disrupt Fitness.

Maybe it’s a backlash against a nation full of fast and processed foods. Or maybe it’s to counteract the sedentary desk-job lifestyle that tends to come with a career.

Events

E-CARE Recycling Event Set for Saturday

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 2:20PM

The event is held every spring and fall at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road). The E-CARE on Saturday is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

“E-CARE is an event where Arlington residents can safely dispose of household hazardous materials and recycle bikes, small metal items, shoes, clothing and bed frames among other things,” according to an event listing.

Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Thor and Loki

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 12:30PM

This week’s Pet(s) of the Week are two pups who share a house and the names of Norse gods.

Here’s what Thor and Loki’s owner had to say about her divine dogs:

News

Street Closed Due to Nauck Gas Leak

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 11:40AM

Initial reports suggest a public works crew struck a one-inch gas line on the 2100 block of S. Pollard Street, near Fort Barnard Park and the intersection with S. Walter Reed Drive.

Arlington County police and firefighters are on the scene. Washington Gas was considering ordering an evacuation of houses in a two block radius, but measuring devices indicated that the gas had dissipated, according to scanner traffic.

Around Town

Despite Ridicule from Yelp Reviewers, Ballston Cafe Keeps Phallic Sign

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 16, 2014 at 10:35AM | Updated October 7, 2016 at 1:30PM

The logo for Market Place & Cafe in Ballston (staff photo)

Yelp reviewers and out-of-town passersby alike see the same thing when they look at the sign for Market Place & Cafe in Ballston: a phallus.

But despite giggles from around the internet and outside the doors, the store at 901 N. Glebe Road has kept the logo plastered on its windows for at least 5 years. And there’s no indication that it will be changing any time soon.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2014 at 9:05AM | Updated April 16, 2014 at 9:26AM

Arlington Has Highest Tax Burden for the Poor — Arlington County has the highest tax burden for low income people in the D.C. area, according to a new study. In response, County Board Chair Jay Fisette suggested that the higher taxes go to providing more services, like affordable housing and better public schools, compared to other jurisdictions. [WAMU]

Op-Ed: Lower The Tax Rate — Local fiscal watchdog Wayne Kubicki says that the the County Board should reduce the property tax rate by 1.5 cents by utilizing part of the $37.1 million in unspent funds left over from Fiscal Year 2014. Kubicki suggests calling the tax rate reduction a “Vihstadt Dividend.” [InsideNoVa]