Dan Egitto | ARLnow

Path connecting Mount Vernon Trail and Long Bridge Park opens amid interchange upgrades

Published May 2, 2024 at 11:30AM

A map of Boundary Channel Drive at I-395 interchange improvements (via VDOT)

A half-mile path connecting Mount Vernon Trail with Long Bridge Park is now open to pedestrians and cyclists.

The connector between the popular waterfront trail and Boundary Channel Drive is part of a long-anticipated set up upgrades near Long Bridge Drive and the I-395 interchange.

Schools

Stronger protections needed, PTA group says after extended day worker’s child porn arrest

By Dan Egitto

Published May 1, 2024 at 3:45PM

Abingdon Elementary School (photo via Google Maps)

A parents association is calling for stronger guardrails in programs involving children following an extended day worker’s arrest for allegedly showing porn to kids.

The Arlington County Council of PTAs (CCPTA) said Arlington Public Schools should double down on systems of accountability after the 18-year-old suspect, who worked in an after-school program at Abingdon Elementary School in Fairlington, was arrested on charges of assault and battery and possession of child pornography.

Schools

School Board candidates release intro videos as Democratic endorsement caucus voting kicks off

By Dan Egitto

Published May 1, 2024 at 10:45AM

With the Arlington School Board caucus now underway, several Democratic candidates have released introduction videos.

Local Democrats have until May 11 to vote in this year’s caucus, determining which of the four candidates currently running for School Board will receive the party’s endorsement for two open seats.

News

Missing Middle critic subpoenaed as county seeks to ‘know what forces’ are behind lawsuit

By Dan Egitto

Published April 30, 2024 at 3:55PM | Updated April 30, 2024 at 4:57PM

Scene from after the County Board's Missing Middle housing vote (staff photo)

County government requests for extensive documentation in a Missing Middle lawsuit have expanded to include an outspoken critic who’s helping to fund the suit.

Attorneys representing Arlington County contacted Dan Creedon, one of the founders of the anti-Missing Middle group Neighbors for Neighborhoods (NfN), with a broad subpoena last week. The request includes:

News

Restorative justice director, wrongful conviction attorney receive permanent Arlington posts

By Dan Egitto

Published April 30, 2024 at 10:30AM

Arlington County courthouse on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

More county funding for reviewing claims of innocence and coordinating restorative justice was included in Arlington’s new budget.

The county payroll will now include permanent spots for a conviction integrity attorney and a Director of Restorative Justice and Diversion, the office of Arlington’s top prosecutor announced in a Friday press release.

News

More flights could be coming to DCA despite recent near-collision and pushback from Va. senators

By Dan Egitto

Published April 29, 2024 at 3:30PM | Updated April 29, 2024 at 4:51PM

An airplane takes off from Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A bill to add more flights to Reagan National Airport is moving forward despite opposition from Virginia’s senators.

Senate and House negotiators have reached an agreement to add five more daily round-trip flights to the airport. The 1,069-page reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration will now head to the Senate floor, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation announced today (Monday).

Around Town

Photos: American Legion Post 139 shows off new digs in Virginia Square

By Dan Egitto

Published April 29, 2024 at 11:30AM

American Legion Post 139 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A new American Legion post with a bar, a conference room, slot machines and an outdoor grill hosted an open house over the weekend.

American Legion Post 13 at 3445 Washington Blvd replaces a previous Legion building with a smaller footprint, which was demolished in 2020. The Virginia Square facility now sits at the foot of 160 units of affordable housing, half of which is set aside for veterans.

News

Concerns about ACFD staffing and workplace culture drive new five-year plan

By Dan Egitto

Published April 26, 2024 at 1:30PM

CPSE technical advisor Ernst Piercy fields questions during an ACFD public engagement event (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Arlington County Fire Department has a new plan for the next five years centered on recruitment, retention and employee wellbeing.

ACFD’s first-ever strategic plan, released earlier this month, is part of an effort to refocus the department around core values. Based on community and employee concerns about staffing, health and workplace culture, the agency developed the document to solve problems and improve existing systems.

News

County awards $2.4M to local nonprofits through equity-based grant pilot

By Dan Egitto

Published April 25, 2024 at 11:30AM

Arlington County Board members discussing a new grant program (photo via Arlington County/YouTube)

Arlington has awarded $2.4 million to nonprofits in a new equity-based grant program.

The county announced yesterday (Wednesday) that a total of 22 nonprofits received funding through the RACE to Rebuilding Trust and Community grant, designed to “support historically marginalized communities, ensuring equitable access to resources, transparency and accountability.” The Arlington County Board approved the grants in a unanimous vote.

News

Stop giving iPads and MacBooks to all students, parent group tells APS

By Dan Egitto

Published April 24, 2024 at 3:45PM | Updated April 25, 2024 at 8:35AM

Arlington Public Schools students learning on their devices while in-person during the pandemic (via APS/X)

A parent association is asking Arlington Public Schools to change its policy of providing every student with an iPad or MacBook.

Arguing that the devices are bad for children’s mental development and needlessly expensive, Arlington Parents for Education wants the Arlington School Board to roll back funding for them this budget cycle. It is requesting an end to the one-to-one policy for students in pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade, a reduction in devices for 3rd through 5th graders and a transition to PC laptops for grades 6 and up.

News

New tree canopy goal for D.C. area calls on Arlington to get greener

By Dan Egitto

Published April 24, 2024 at 11:30AM

Trees in Glencarlyn (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

The D.C. area’s council of governments wants to get at least half of the region covered in trees.

After years of shrinking tree cover, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) adopted a goal earlier this month of maintaining a minimum canopy of at least 50% throughout the D.C. area. It is calling on local governments including Arlington to commit to a similar goal.

News

County Board’s stance on Israel-Hamas war considered amid ceasefire demands

By Dan Egitto

Published April 23, 2024 at 11:45AM

Activists calling for a ceasefire in Gaza at an Arlington County Board meeting (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Arlington County Board members broke several months of relative silence on the Israel-Hamas war this weekend.

Responding to demands for a county resolution in support of a ceasefire, several officials on Saturday voiced personal concerns about the conflict’s ongoing humanitarian toll. Although county leaders “do not handle international relations,” Chair Libby Garvey said, “I think we are all absolutely appalled and horrified by what’s going on.”