Opinion | ARLnow.com

Ed Talk: The Miseducation of Black Students in Arlington

Published April 16, 2021 at 2:00PM

Esther Cooper started the Arlington branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1940 to fight for educational equality of Black students in Arlington Public Schools (APS).

Under her leadership, the NAACP sued the school board challenging the inequalities in the county’s Black high schools. In Carter v. School Board of Arlington Co. (1950), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that Arlington’s separate high schools constituted unlawful discrimination.

Morning Poll: Keep Arlington County Board Meetings Virtual?

By ARLnow.com

Published April 16, 2021 at 9:45AM | Updated April 16, 2021 at 11:11AM

Arlington County Board discussion on Sept. 12, 2020

(Updated at 11 a.m.) After more than a year of online-only Arlington County Board meetings, some have decided they actually prefer it to in-person.

Instead of schlepping to a Courthouse office building and sitting quietly for hours, one can now speak at Board meetings at home, in your pajamas if you prefer. Board meetings have been broadcast on local cable TV and online for years, but the virtual format now provides an opportunity to participate in the meetings to those who cannot attend in person.

Modern Mobility: Five Ways to Build Back Better

By Chris Slatt

Published April 14, 2021 at 3:25PM

The County is in the midst of putting together their Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the next three years.

This document will determine what projects get built in the near future, from transportation to parks to stormwater infrastructure.

Community Matters: We Have Been Challenged!

By Krysta Jones

Published April 13, 2021 at 2:45PM

Last year I joined a coalition of women’s organizations as a part of Vision 2020, which aims to increase the number of women who participate in the political process by voting and through public service. Vision 2020 had a goal of a record-breaking number of eligible women voting in the November 2020 national elections.

Over the last several months, I have also been engaged in a number of discussions analyzing next steps for women and political participation after the centennial of the 19th amendment. In order to increase the number of registered women across the nation, women voting advocates in San Francisco, CA have challenged Arlington to participate in a pilot program and develop strategies to register every eligible female Arlington voter.

Making Room: County Board, Increase Funding for Housing in the FY22 Budget

By Jane Green

Published April 12, 2021 at 3:15PM

I am proud to be a board member of the Alliance for Housing Solutions, a nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing in Arlington. Below is my own modified and condensed version of the letter AHS sent to the Arlington County Board regarding the FY22 Budget.

During this time, we have become more aware than ever how vitally important a safe and affordable place to call home can be. Today, a home is not only where we rest our heads at night but it is also where children receive much of their education and many adults either work or take refuge from the danger created by this rampant virus.

Morning Poll: Partaking in Legal Weed?

By ARLnow.com

Published April 12, 2021 at 9:30AM

Marijuana (Photo by Rick Proctor on Unsplash)

Last week the Virginia General Assembly approved a marijuana legalization law that will take effect this summer.

Yes, come July 1, you can legally possess, cultivate and share small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Regulated, commercial sales of cannabis products are not set to take place in Virginia until 2024 under the legislation.

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Published April 9, 2021 at 7:30PM

It’s a soggy start to what should be at least a half-decent weather weekend.

The past five days haven’t been the busiest for Arlington local news, but there still have been some big stories nonetheless. Below are the most-read ARLnow articles of the past week.

Lyon’s Legacy III: The Constitution and the Raid

By ARLnow.com

Published April 9, 2021 at 1:30PM

A later artist’s rendition of Crandal Mackey’s raid on Rosslyn. This painting hangs in the Virginia Room at Arlington Central Library. The depiction is hagiographic, cartoonish, and inaccurate, but indicates the significance of the event in Arlington’s history. Image used with permission of Arlington Public Library.

Lyon’s Legacy is a limited-run opinion column on the history of housing in Arlington. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

“Discrimination! Why that is exactly what we propose… That exactly is what this convention was elected for — to discriminate to the very extremity of permissible action under the limitation of the federal Constitution, with the view to the elimination of every Negro voter who can be gotten rid of.”

What’s Next: An Ode to Whitlow’s

By Opinion Contributor

Published April 8, 2021 at 3:15PM

Whitlow's on Wilson Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

What’s Next with Nicole is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s. Today’s post was guest written by Nicholas Beirne.

Nicholas Beirne is a lifelong Arlington resident. His best Whitlow’s memory: Ryan Zimmerman buying him a drink on his 21st birthday, on Thanksgiving eve, oh so long ago. Whitlow’s Crew, you will be missed.

Peter’s Take: Parents Need to Stand Up for Safe Use of Schools’ Digital Devices

By Peter Rousselot

Published April 7, 2021 at 2:55PM

Long before COVID-19 and during COVID-19, I have been critical of APS’s excessive reliance on digital devices.

I’ve cited many scientific studies documenting the damage that excessive screen use causes to students who are suffering the health impacts emotionally and physically, showing that overuse of digital devices also affects students’ educational growth and development. Even though some APS students are doing well in a virtual environment, COVID-19 has aggravated and increased substantially these previously documented harms.

The Right Note: Are Your Taxes Too High?

By Mark Kelly

Published April 6, 2021 at 3:15PM

The Right Note is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Last month I received the following advice from a fellow Republican, “our candidates should stop talking about taxes because it is not a winning issue in Arlington.”

Morning Poll: Have You Had Covid? Are You a Long-Hauler?

By ARLnow.com

Published April 6, 2021 at 9:45AM | Updated April 6, 2021 at 10:16AM

(Updated at 10:15 a.m.) Though coronavirus cases in Arlington are up over the past couple of weeks, there’s hope that progress is being made against the virus as vaccinations quicken.

Nationally, cases are up in some places and down in others — a stalemate as vaccinations are countered by increasing prevalence of more infectious variants. Still, some experts believe continued vaccinations will ultimately prevail, muting the impacts of new variants and leading to a relatively quiet summer in terms of infections.