ARLnow.com | ARLnow

Morning Notes

Published October 28, 2016 at 9:25AM | Updated October 28, 2016 at 9:54AM

Food trucks near Ballston Mall

County Manager on Buck Property — County staff have “made no recommendations for any specific function” at the to-be-acquired Buck property near Washington-Lee High School, the county said in a press release this morning. Nearby residents have launched a petition against a proposal to use the property for school bus operations. Said Arlington County Manager Mark Schwarz: “Our ability to provide essential services is only as good as the facilities we have to support them. As our population continues to grow, our services will either deteriorate or cost the taxpayer more without adequate support facilities.” [Arlington County]

Fundraiser for Employee Struck By SUV — A fundraiser for a Mad Rose Tavern employee run over by an SUV raised more than $5,000 last night, the restaurant’s manager said on Facebook. Victoria Gonzalez, 34, is still in the hospital, preparing to begin rehabilitation. The next court appearance for the DUI suspect in the case is scheduled for Nov. 17. [WJLA]

Feature

Congrats to Our Most Embarrassing Orthodontics Story Winners

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2016 at 5:45PM | Updated October 27, 2016 at 6:08PM

Sarah and Lisa are the top vote-getters in our Most Embarrassing Orthodontics Story contest, sponsored by our friends at VCO Orthodontics in Rosslyn.

Lisa will get professional teeth whitening for two from VCO, a more than $800 value, while Sarah, as runner-up, will get teeth whitening for one.

Around Town

Pentagon Row Skating Rink Now Open

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2016 at 4:45PM

The ice skating rink at Pentagon Row (1101 S. Joyce Street) opened this week.

The rink hosted its first skaters Tuesday, according to its Facebook page. A sure sign of the season, the rink — which was expanded in 2013 — generally opens around mid-fall and closes in mid-to-late March.

Schools

Block Scheduling for Middle Schools Being Considered Again

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2016 at 3:35PM | Updated October 28, 2016 at 8:49AM

Block scheduling introduces longer periods for core classes — math, English, science, etc. — reducing the number of classes per day attended by students and increasing instruction time. Critics, however, say that longer classes can detrimental to students, especially those with shorter attention spans. They also say that longer core classes cut into electives like music.

In response to an inquiry from ARLnow.com, prompted by emails to us from parents, Williamsburg principal Gordon Laurie confirmed that block scheduling is under consideration. School staff will be presenting a proposal to parents at a meeting in two weeks, he said.

News

Homeowner Fighting County’s Order to Trim Front Yard Vegetation

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2016 at 11:00AM

665 S. Harrison Street in October 2016

A homeowner in Arlington’s Forest Glen neighborhood says she plans to fight a county inspector’s order that the abundant plant life in her yard be dramatically trimmed.

Lori Brent says her front yard at 665 S. Harrison Street has been a certified wildlife habitat for well over a decade and is beloved by many of her neighbors.

News

Podcast: County Board Candidate Audrey Clement

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2016 at 10:00AM | Updated November 3, 2016 at 5:37PM

Audrey Clement in 2011

It’s true, Clement may be a perennial candidate, but she has dedicated supporters and, more importantly, she goes to the trouble of running for local office when other serious challengers to the Democratic candidate are often nowhere to be found. It’s hard to view that as anything other than a positive in our democratic system.

Clement’s ideas may seem a bit incongruous — she bikes everywhere but doesn’t like bike races, she is in favor of affordable housing but generally against new development — but she is consistent in her views.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2016 at 9:00AM

Murder Victim Feared for Her Safety — A friend of murder victim Bonnie Delgado Black said in court that she “was concerned if she would wake up in the morning” because of her estranged husband. A defense attorney for David Black, however, emphasized at trial that there’s a lack of physical evidence linking him to his wife’s murder. [Washington Post]

Rush Hour Offloading Peeves Riders — Metro riders were “furious” yesterday after a crowded train offloaded at the Rosslyn station during the morning rush hour due to a door problem. [Patch]

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Bluemont Baseball Fence Would Close Field Off to Other Users

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2016 at 4:15PM

The following Letter to the Editor was written by Sandra Spear, who lives near Bluemont Park and objects to the installation of a fence as part of the planned renovation of a baseball field in the park. Spear is responding to a Letter to the Editor in support of the fence, written on behalf of Arlington’s baseball community and published by ARLnow.com last week.

I am one of the many users of Bluemont Park who object to the County fencing off a quarter of its expansive open field for exclusive use by baseball players. This letter responds to John Foti’s October 20 letter to the editor at ARLnow in support of the fence, which both misunderstands the community’s opposition to the fence and makes our case for us.

News

Crime Report: Driving a Stolen Car While Drunk Is a Bad Idea

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2016 at 2:45PM | Updated October 26, 2016 at 3:18PM

File photo

Here’s a public service announcement, inspired by this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report: if you’re driving a stolen car, the least you can do is refrain from driving it while drunk.

An Ohio woman was arrested near the Virginia Square Metro station early Monday morning for allegedly doing just that.

Around Town

Rock ‘n’ Joe Now Open in Ballston, Offering Free Coffee Today

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2016 at 1:45PM

A new non-Starbucks coffee shop has opened in Ballston.

Rock ‘N’ Joe Coffee Bar held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning at 4401 Wilson Blvd, Ste. 103, its first Arlington location and the first of six planned for the D.C. area.

Around Town

Arlington Philharmonic Invites Passersby to Conduct Them in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2016 at 12:45PM

The Arlington Philharmonic, which is gearing up for its first concert of the season on Sunday, held a unique lunchtime event in Clarendon today.

A group of the orchestra’s musicians set up shop next to the Clarendon Metro station and invited random passersby to pick up a baton and conduct them. Their guest conductors ranged from small children to senior citizens.

Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Theodore Roosevelt Gill

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2016 at 12:00PM

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Theodore Roosevelt Gill or “Teddy,” an all-black Pomeranian who love plying tug-of-war, cuddling and chewing on rawhide bones.

Here is what Teddy’s owners, Christy and David, had to say about him: