By Del. Patrick Hope
Starting Jan. 1, up to 400,000 low-income Virginians will be eligible for the Medicaid program.
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Opinion
Amazon’s new Arlington HQ injects an even greater sense of urgency into planning for all the new public schools Arlington will need over the next 15 years.
In an interview striving to minimize Amazon’s impact on our schools, County Board Chair Katie Cristol observed:
Get ready for a slight warm-up this weekend, even if there also a few showers in the offing.
Temperatures should climb a bit as Saturday draws near, as will the chances of showers as December arrives. Luckily, Sunday should be as warm as the mid-60s, so it could well be the perfect time to get outside.
The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Amelia Black, a Nauck resident living within Drew Model School’s attendance boundaries and the mother of two young children.
She penned this note to the Arlington School Board as it weighs a redrawing of South Arlington school boundaries. Parents at Henry Elementary School have proposed converting Drew into a neighborhood school accepting countywide transfers for a “STEAM” program in order to address some of their boundary concerns. The Board has dismissed the possibility of such a proposal, and is set to vote on a final boundary map next month.
Here is what we know. In Arlington, our property taxes go up every year. The county takes in more revenue every year than the year before. Not only that, but the county takes in more revenue than they estimate when they pass the budget every year. And as they approach each new budget year, the county estimates their will be a “budget gap” every year in order to justify rising assessments and tax rates.
Next year is no exception to any of these things. The difference this time around is talk of large “unknown” costs on top of the estimated gap is larger for next year. While the guidance to the county manager says the gap will be $20-35 million, the county is hinting it may be looking for as much as $78 million.
By Greg Greeley
As a community, what kind of Arlington will we get? Will we get the Arlington we want, or will we have an Arlington that just “happens?” With all the potential growth that we’re facing as a community — now more than ever — this is an important question for us.
In a November 8 column, I discussed some serious flaws in Arlington County’s latest draft of its proposed Public Spaces Master Plan (PSMP) or POPS plan. That column discussed errors in the quantitative estimates of present and future demand for sports fields prepared by the staff of the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
Today’s column identifies additional weaknesses in the latest PSMP/POPS draft.
If you’re sticking around town for Thanksgiving this year, you might want to dig out that winter parka.
The forecast is calling for some absolutely frigid temperatures for Turkey Day and Black Friday alike, so be sure to bundle up if you’re planning to swing by a turkey trot or do some holiday shopping.
All the cold and snow that marred Thursday now seems to have dissipated, setting up a cool and crisp fall weekend.
The forecast for the countdown to Thanksgiving seems to call for a bit chilly, but otherwise pleasant, weekend. Be sure to check out our event calendar if you’re looking for ways to enjoy the weather.
The long weekend is finally here, but the weather hasn’t exactly been all that welcoming.
While the rain soaking the region is set to clear out by the end of the night, the forecast calls for temperatures to drop quite low indeed for Veterans Day weekend.
Another election day is in the books. Gone, for at least the next nine months, are the over-the-top campaign ads, flyers and emails that invade our lives in the run-up to election day every year in Virginia.
Politics is, and has always been, a contact sport. The 1800 presidential election for example between Adams and Jefferson quickly devolved into name calling. And the negative tactics will almost certainly continue until they no longer work. With 24-hour cable news preaching to their own choirs and with the unlimited reach of social media to the devices in our pockets, there may be no end in sight.
By Howard Solodky
Much has been said recently about Arlington County’s Neighborhood Conservation (NC) program that pays for neighborhood infrastructure projects such as sidewalks, streetlamps and traffic safety improvements. Because of misconceptions and rumors about the program and its overlooked public benefits, some have even suggested the program be terminated, while others have simply advanced unfounded criticisms. It’s time to set the record straight.