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Morning Notes

Published February 2, 2016 at 9:20AM | Updated February 2, 2016 at 9:43AM

Expect Early Spring, Says Groundhogs — Updated at 9:40 a.m. — Punxsutawney Phil and Potomac Phil both did not see their shadow this morning and thus have predicted an early spring. Unfortunately, the former Phil is wrong more often than he is right. [CNN, Borderstan]

New County Manager Inks Contract — The Arlington County Board last week ratified a contract with Mark Schwartz, the county’s newly-appointed county manager. (Schwartz served as interim county manager for six months before his appointment.) Under the contract, Schwartz will earn $245,000 in his first year, which is less than the $270,000 annual salary of his predecessor and former boss, Barbara Donnellan. [InsideNova]

News

New Rosslyn Condo Project Approved

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 4:55PM

Rendering of new 1411 Key Blvd development

An aging low-rise apartment complex in Rosslyn will be replaced with a new condominium development.

The Arlington County Board on Thursday approved the condo project from Reston-based developer NVR, Inc., the parent company of homebuilder Ryan Homes. The Board approved NVR’s plan for a six-story building with a total of 63 units, which will replace a four-story, 33-unit apartment complex built in 1955, along with a two story house.

Events

Arlington Agenda: Feb. 1-7

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 3:50PM

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

News

Police: Middle-Aged Man With Pony Tail, Redskins Cap Exposed Himself Near Ballston Metro

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 3:05PM

Police say the man was urinating in public on the 4200 block of N. Fairfax Drive when he exposed himself to a woman who was walking by.

From a police crime report:

Around Town

Closing Date Set for Public Shoe Store in Clarendon, To Be Replaced By 7-Eleven

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 12:00PM

“We’ll have an open house from noon to 6 that afternoon to say goodbye to our friends and customers and to give them a chance to say ‘happy retirement’ to Doc,” Karen Friedman Widmayer tells ARLnow.com.

The store was originally slated to close last summer, but lease negotiations and planning stretched longer than expected. After Public Shoe Store closes, a new 7-Eleven store will move in following some interior construction and exterior changes. Friedman, 82, is retiring from the shoe business but is leasing the space at 3137 Wilson Blvd to the convenience store.

Schools

Could APS Students Telecommute During Snow Days?

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 10:45AM

Care-free snow days, however, could eventually become a thing of the past.

APS is likely, in the near future, to consider the idea of having students “telecommute” from home when school is cancelled. They would do so from their school-issued computers — APS is in the process of outfitting every high school student with a Macbook Air and every second- through eighth-grader with an iPad.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 9:45AM | Updated February 1, 2016 at 2:01PM

It’s February — Today is the first day of February. As happens every four years, this year February will have an extra leap day — Monday, Feb. 29.

New Beer Store Now Open — The Brew Shop, a new craft beer store near Courthouse, opened its doors on Friday. The store is located at 2004 Wilson Blvd. [Instagram]

Opinion

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2016 at 2:15PM

The weekend is here and the remnants of last weekend’s blizzard are continuing to melt.

Expect relatively mild temperatures this weekend and into next week, says the Capital Weather Gang.

Events

Next Month: Meet the Two New County Board Members in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2016 at 4:30PM

The old guard of the Arlington County Board is out and new leadership is in.

With the election of Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey in November, the County Board became younger and more geographically diverse. Cristol and Dorsey, who both live along Columbia Pike, bring a fresh perspective to a Board that has been perceived as being most responsive to affluent, north Arlington homeowners.

Around Town

Flashback: ‘Snowzilla’ in Photos

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2016 at 2:55PM

A week ago, the first flakes started falling as the “Snowzilla” blizzard of 2016 got underway.

Before, during and after the snowfall, contributors to our Flickr pool were documenting the historic storm. Above is a photographic look back at the winter storm that crippled the D.C. region and much of the Mid-Atlantic.

News

County Board Approves $1.3 Million ‘Universal Design’ Playground, Volleyball Court

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2016 at 1:45PM

The Arlington County Board on Thursday approved major renovations to a playground and volleyball court at Quincy Park.

The new playground will incorporate “universal design” to make it fun and accessible for users of all ages and physical abilities. Features include swings, picnic tables, a slide and a “climbing tree.”

Around Town

Here Are the Top 10 Books and DVDs at Arlington Libraries in 2015

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2016 at 11:30AM

That’s the takeaway from the library’s list of top books and DVDs for 2015, which was released Thursday.

The top 10 print books in circulation last year: