Mother’s Day is big business in the U.S.
Between the cards, the flowers, the brunches and all the other accoutrements, Sunday’s little holiday for mom will have many local businesses seeing green. Of course, it’s the thought that counts, not the price tag — but we were wondering how much you were planning on spending on your own mother this weekend.
Okay, it’s not Hollywood, but Arlington certainly has its share of beautiful people.
Don’t believe us? Next time you’re out near the local gym, the local pool, or the local trail, look around and see for yourself. This is a good-looking, fitness-oriented town.
Yes, it seems that the much-ballyhooed royal wedding is local news. After all, that and a weather item regarding today’s slight risk of showers makes up the entirety of the “above the fold” portion of the Washington Post’s local news page.
But to those who own cars and frequently utilize street parking, even the loss of a couple of parking spaces in a crowded area like Rosslyn can seem like an encroachment. Doubly so if you don’t believe Bikeshare is an efficient use of tax dollars.
Thus, when someone at the Arlington County Republican Committee observed the loss of eight parking spaces for CaBi’s four new Rosslyn locations, he or she took to blogosphere to vent.
But is part of the solution to the attendance woes at Artisphere are few prominently-placed signs telling people where it is?
Doug Galbi of the Ode Street Tribune thinks so. In a blog post entitled “Artisphere needs more signs,” Galbi says that many Rosslyn visitors may be unaware that the multi-million dollar cultural center even exists.
That increase includes an extra $630,000 for the county’s housing grant program, which serves just over 1,000 households per year; an extra $467,000 for permanent supportive housing programs, which will serve just over 100 households per year; and an extra $162,000 for ‘general relief’ emergency housing assistance, which will serve 250 households per month.
Arlington County officials place great emphasis on safety net programs, which are serving those in need during tough economic times. But some are questioning whether the increases are sustainable or even appropriate given the county’s tight finances.
The pollen count in the area was listed as ‘high’ yesterday. It’s back down to ‘moderate’ today thanks to the cool, wet weather, but many seasonal allergy sufferers are still sneezing, scratching and reaching for the pill bottle.
Are your allergies acting up?
A new analysis of county employee compensation, prepared by county staff, says that Arlington employees earn less than their counterparts in Alexandria and Fairfax County.
The Washington Examiner reports that veteran employees often earn thousands of dollars less than employees in Alexandria and Fairfax, the county’s two biggest competitors in terms of hiring. Despite the fact that Arlington often hires employees at higher starting salaries, the staff analysis recommends raising county employee salary ceilings in Arlington to compete for the best workers.
This site is often a venue for serious debate about (mostly) serious issues. Which is fine — although we wish some folks would play a little nicer in the comments section.
On a day like today, however, with the sun shining, plants in bloom, and people enjoying the nice weather, maybe a less serious question is in order.
But, if you’re so inclined, feel free to vote for ARLnow.com in TBD’s #DCjournotweeps competition, which seeks to rank “the best journalists using Twitter in their coverage of local news.”
We are in the esteemed company of such local notables as the Washington Business Journal’s Missy Frederick and Sarah Krouse, WTOP’s Neal Augenstein and Adam Tuss, and DCist’s Martin Austermuhl and Aaron Morrissey. It’s tough competition, but let’s at least not finish last.
Although Arlington will benefit from rising property values this year in the form of higher tax collections, the Board still must make tough choices when it comes to deciding what to fund and how to fund it.
County Manager Barbara Donnellan has recommended keeping real estate taxes steady at 95.8 cents per $100 in assessed value, following a year in which the rate jumped 8.3 cents. The Board gave itself the flexibility of raising that rate slightly by advertising a 96.8 cent rate.
Cooper joined TBD last July, a month before the site launched. She was formerly a contributor to DCist.com and a reporter for a Long Island newspaper. No word yet on her future plans.
TBD is in the midst of layoffs and will likely not replace Cooper or her Arlington coverage.
