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Morning Notes

Published March 4, 2013 at 9:15AM | Updated March 4, 2013 at 4:39PM

‘Mussel Bar’ to Open in Ballston — Mussel Bar & Grille, from restauranteur Robert Wiedmaier, is set to open at 800 N. Glebe Road in Ballston this summer. The small gastropub chain has existing locations in Bethesda and Atlantic City. Wiedmaier is also known for BRABO in Old Town Alexandria and Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck in D.C. [Washington City Paper]

Deputy County Manager to Retire — Deputy County Manager Marsha Allgeier is planning to retire, and the county is now searching for her successor. Allgeier has worked for Arlington County since 1998. [Sun Gazette]

Weather

Winter Storm Watch Issued

By ARLnow.com

Published March 4, 2013 at 8:20AM

Forecasters say chances are increasing that we’ll get a significant late-season snowstorm starting Tuesday night. The storm could dump more than 5 inches of snow, though the precipitation could be mostly rain if the temperature stays too warm.

From the National Weather Service:

Schools

Proposed School Budget Maintains Class Sizes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 3:50PM | Updated March 4, 2013 at 8:30AM

Murphy formally unveiled his budget Thursday night at a budget work session with the School Board.

To help close the gap, Murphy’s budget takes advantage of $20.2 million worth of surplus and reserve funds from previous years, and “efficiencies” in custodial staffing, the teen parenting program and gifted teachers, among other programs.

Feature

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 3:00PM | Updated March 1, 2013 at 3:36PM

Searching for a new place to call home? Start March off right with a few of these open houses this weekend in Arlington.

See our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:

News

Man Accused of Lewd Act in Sauna, Again

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 2:15PM | Updated December 23, 2021 at 1:55PM

(Updated at 1:55 p.m. on 12/23/21) For the second time in as many months, an Arlington man has been arrested for allegedly masturbating in the sauna of a local health club.

Police were at the LA Fitness club on the 3500 block of S. Clark Street in Crystal City Thursday morning, investigating a separate incident, when a gym user approached officers to tell them about a man he saw masturbating in the public sauna, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Around Town

Underground McDonald’s Closes in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 1:30PM

The restaurant, at 2155 Crystal Square Arcade, was not visible from the outside; it was entirely inside the underground Crystal City Shops, and thus got most of its business from lunch-goers who work in the area. The closure comes as Crystal City faces higher office vacancies and fewer workers as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). As of January, almost 20 percent of Crystal City’s 12.5 million square feet of office space was vacant.

The McDonald’s space is expected to be used as art studio space as part of the Crystal City Business Improvement District’s new “Art Underground” initiative. The project, set to launch on March 16, is intended to transform “five blocks of Crystal City’s interior retail space into a vibrant arts and cultural destination with galleries, studios, interactive exhibits and activities, performance and classroom spaces, and a host of special events.”

Feature

Your Beermonger: Taking Chances with ‘Rhizing Bines’

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 12:45PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

There are days where you roll out of bed just knowing you’re going to get into trouble somehow. You’re not spoiling for a fight, but one’s coming regardless so you know you better sharpen up.

Around Town

County Working to Collect Tax Debts from Shuttered Restaurants

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 11:35AM

(Meals tax delinquencies are often accrued when restaurants collect a required tax on food from customers but then fail to pay the collected funds to Arlington County.)

The open restaurants on the list include Extra Virgin (4053 Campbell Avenue) in Shirlington, which has been gradually paying off its debt. The restaurant now owes the country $38,402.12, down from $54,568.51 one year prior. Also on the list is Monuments Restaurant (2480 S. Glebe Road), a restaurant in the Comfort Inn hotel on Glebe Road near I-395. Monuments owes $27,722.09 according to the list, which is published by the county treasurer’s office. Village Bistro (1723 Wilson Blvd), located between Rosslyn and Courthouse, is listed as owing $19,614.13.

News

Memo: Cuts Will Mean Fewer Cops at Community Functions

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 10:00AM

As we previously reported, Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s proposed FY 2014 includes the elimination of seven police officer positions by attrition. A new police memo details the potential impacts of those cuts.

“Until now, the Police Department has been able to make reductions without significantly affecting important programs,” says the memo. “That is no longer possible.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2013 at 9:15AM

Wakefield, O’Connell Advance in Tournaments — In high school basketball news, last night the Wakefield Warriors defeated Mountain View 83-76 to advance to the state semifinals, to be played Monday night. Earlier this week the Bishop O’Connell Knights defeated St. John’s 58-53 to capture the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament championship. After a quarterfinal victory, DJO will now play in the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association Division I tournament semifinals tonight. [Washington Post, Sun Gazette]

Parents Upset With School Boundary Changes — At a meeting Wednesday night, numerous parents expressed displeasure with Arlington Public Schools’ proposed elementary boundary changes. The changes are necessary due to overcrowding and the upcoming addition of a new elementary school. [Patch]

Around Town

New Restaurant Coming to Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com

Published February 28, 2013 at 4:05PM | Updated February 28, 2013 at 10:24PM

(Updated at 10:25 p.m.) A new restaurant is coming to 3811 Fairfax Drive in Virginia Square, but details about it are sparse.

The restaurant will be run by Tim Ma and Joey Hernandez, of Maple Avenue Restaurant in Vienna. This month Ma was named “DC’s Hottest Chef” by the food website Eater. No word yet on what type of food the restaurant will serve, but Maple Avenue Restaurant serves “eclectic American Cuisine… blending Asian, Latin American and French flavors.”

News

Apartment Fire in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published February 28, 2013 at 3:05PM

The Arlington County Fire Department responded to a blaze in a high-rise apartment building last night.

The fire, in a 12th floor unit at the Bennington Apartments (1201 S. Eads Street) in Crystal City, was reported just before 9:00 p.m. Firefighters managed to quickly extinguish the flames, but not before the floor filled with smoke.