ARLnow.com | ARLnow

Published August 12, 2014 at 4:57PM | Updated August 12, 2014 at 5:23PM

(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) U.S. Park Police are on the scene of a multiple vehicle accident that’s snarling traffic in the southbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway, near I-395.

Traffic is being diverted around the accident but the entire area is congested. Park Police recommend avoiding the area.

Events

Get Batty at the Arlington Bat Festival

By ARLnow.com

Published August 12, 2014 at 3:45PM

From 6:00-9:00 p.m., attendees can take part in bat-centric habitat walks, games and crafts at Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road). There also will be three live bat shows. The show schedule and which age group each is aimed at can be found online.

There is an $8 fee to attend the event and online registration is recommended to guarantee a spot.

News

AFAC Expands Program to Fight Child Hunger

By ARLnow.com

Published August 12, 2014 at 1:15PM | Updated March 31, 2015 at 8:59PM

Last week, Fair Share Education Fund released a report showing eligibility for free or reduced price school lunches is growing faster in suburbs like Arlington than in cities. Although the report focused on 2010-2011, an Arlington Food Assistance Center spokeswoman confirmed the organization still saw a huge increase in Arlington families using its services for the 2014 fiscal year, which ended on June 30.

AFAC served 1,400 families each week as of July 2013, and that bumped up to 2,000 families each week by this summer, which is a 40 percent increase. That equals about 5,000 individuals every week, of which 36 percent are children.

Weather

NWS Issues Flash Flood Watch

By ARLnow.com

Published August 12, 2014 at 12:15PM

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Arlington and the rest of the D.C. metro area. It remains in effect until 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

Rain is expected to continue through the evening and the area may also see thunderstorms.

Traffic

TRAFFIC ALERT: Fallen Tree Blocks Route 50

By ARLnow.com

Published August 12, 2014 at 11:23AM | Updated August 12, 2014 at 1:16PM

Update at 1:15 p.m. — The tree has been cleared and only one westbound lane of Route 50 remains closed. All other lanes are open to traffic.

Earlier: All westbound lanes of Route 50 are blocked near Garfield Street due to a tree that fell across the road.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 12, 2014 at 9:05AM

APS Identifies Elementary Schools to Possibly Expand — Arlington Public Schools named two schools that could be expanded as a “plan B” if the proposal to put a new school on the Thomas Jefferson Middle School campus doesn’t go through. If the new school cannot be constructed, APS has suggested expanding Randolph Elementary School and Barcroft Elementary School. The County Board commissioned a working group last month to look into the possibility of building a new school on the Thomas Jefferson campus. [InsideNova]

Voter Registration Deadline — Today is the deadline to register to vote, both in person and absentee, in the special election next Tuesday, August 19. Voter registration can be done online. [Arlington County]

Around Town

Bike Fixit Stand Planned for Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Published August 11, 2014 at 3:45PM

The exact site for the stand has yet to be announced, but BikeArlington expects it to be near the Pentagon City Metro station.

The County installed two other stands — one near the Clarendon Metro station and one near the Ballston Metro station — in the spring. Crystal City BID installed a similar stand near the Crystal City Water Park last year.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 11, 2014 at 10:00AM

APS Still Looking for Teachers — Officials with Arlington Public Schools are still searching for teachers for the 2014-2015 school year, which is only about three weeks away. APS would like about 75 more new teachers in addition to the 225 it already hired. [InsideNova]

Att’y Gen. Asks Supreme Court to Hear Gay Marriage Case — Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has, as expected, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the state’s gay marriage case. Herring agrees with the gay marriage ban being struck down, but believes the Supreme Court should look at the case because it could set a nationwide precedent. Last month, Arlington County Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson told ARLnow.com he was waiting for guidance from Herring and would begin performing gay marriages as soon as he received word they would be valid. [Daily Press]

News

Construction Begins at Lacey Lane

By ARLnow.com

Published August 8, 2014 at 11:30AM | Updated August 8, 2014 at 12:11PM

Work on the first model home first was expected to begin in March 2013, but didn’t actually happen until a few weeks ago. County employees told ARLnow.com last November that the stall had to do with developer The Barrett Companies fulfilling safety obligations in order to receive permits. County staff confirms the developer met all requirements and obtained a building permit this spring.

According to the Evergreene Homes website, the nine properties will be “exquisitely detailed luxury residences.” Renderings of what the finished homes are expected to look like are also available on the website.

Events

Library Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Nixon Resignation

By ARLnow.com

Published August 8, 2014 at 10:15AM | Updated August 8, 2014 at 10:34AM

The library has a temporary display of Nixon-related items that visitors can check out through the end of the month. A private, local collector allowed the library to borrow the pieces of memorabilia covering the decades from Nixon’s 1950s vice-presidential campaign through his death in 1994. The display includes a couple dozen items including newspapers, masks and even a section of carpet from the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate — the target of the 1972 break-in that sparked a larger investigation.

The collector is particularly proud of a t-shirt from the late 1970s prompting readers to “Don’t Buy Books By Crooks.” It was part of a national campaign, started in Arlington, to encourage people not to buy Nixon’s memoirs. The headquarters for that campaign was located close to where the Ballston Metro station currently exists.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 8, 2014 at 9:10AM

CEB to Pay $22 Million Per Year for Rent — The Corporate Executive Board filed a quarterly report on Thursday showing it plans to pay $22 million per year in rent to anchor the Central Place office tower in Rosslyn. That number is just base rent without any additional operating expenses or real estate taxes. [Washington Business Journal]

New App for Job Seekers — A free app called VAWorks launched yesterday to help residents find jobs. Users can search for jobs by occupation, location or keyword. The app is available for Apple and Android devices. [The Virginian-Pilot]

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