In the race for County Board, Libby Garvey, who courageously bucked her party and backed Independent John Vihstadt, is on the ballot this year.
Let’s face it. She is going to win. Her opponent is perennial candidate Audrey Clement, and Democrat turnout will be through the roof. Democrat loyalists will vote largely according to their sample ballot — hypocrisy on the redistricting amendment aside.
By Elaine S. Furlow
A while back, I was tutoring a young Afghan refugee when the time came for a statewide election. For that week’s real-life lesson, I dutifully collected campaign literature from both sides and used it for an invigorating session (I thought) on how Americans choose their leaders and vote.
We are now 18 days from Election Day. Let that sink in.
If you’re sick of hearing about the presidential election, however, perhaps a heaping helping of local news will help. Here are the most-read Arlington stories of the past week:
It’s perhaps the least-celebrated federal holiday at this point, but Columbus Day — also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day — is still an off day for many.
After a long, pandemic summer, we’re giving our staff the day off, so ARLnow will be operating on a reduced publishing schedule on Monday. We trust that you’ll use the extra day for an even more substantive and civil discussion of local issues in the comments. 😉
Have you or your kid attended All American Sports Camp, Patriot Girls Basketball Camp, Orange Line Sports Camp, or Mojo Volleyball Camp?
Representatives from all of these organizations showed up to a recent Sports Commission meeting to voice their concerns over the new way summer camps will be administered, their ability to pay hourly employees, and new cost burdens on families.
The 2020 School Bond is worth $52.65 million. These bond funds will be used for the following projects:
Major infrastructure such as HVAC replacement which impacts air quality for schools: $15.4 million;
Thumbs up to the School Board for announcing the pathway for bringing kids back to school in person this year. According to the most recent update, Arlington Public Schools are on track to bring back students who need direct support this month and begin the in-person hybrid learning option in early December. After the false start this summer and a refusal to disclose specific metrics for the return, APS has a big communications hurdle to overcome over the next two months.
As parents continue to work through the logistical issues around their ongoing “home e-learning academies” and balancing their own work responsibilities, APS also put forward its proposed boundary changes for Fall 2021. According to APS, 1,400 students from Ashlawn, Science Focus, Glebe, Long Branch, McKinley, Taylor and Tuckahoe schools would be impacted, and the School Board will approve the changes December 3rd. There is no good time to finalize boundary changes, but the middle of pandemic school from home seems less than ideal.
(Updated at 9:45 a.m.) Halloween has not been cancelled, but the pandemic is putting a damper on the usual spooky spirit of the holiday.
The owner of a local costume store in the Crystal City Shops told the Washington Post that his sales are down 80%, amid a nationwide drop in Halloween spending. Sales of adult costumes in particular are down significantly, as parties are curtailed.
By Maya Jones
At five, I cast my first ballot for president, during an elementary school mock election.
It was, to be honest, a relatively light news week in Arlington.
Most of the local news revolved around restaurants, at a time when much of the population is still not even considering dining out at a restaurant. The restaurant stories did well, readership-wise, but not as well as we would expect during normal times.
Fall weather has arrived in Arlington, and colder temperatures mean more people migrating indoors to stay warm. For restaurants, cold weather presents a unique challenge since many patrons are still hesitant to dine indoors due to COVID. Restaurants are finding that they have to again adapt to ensure safety for their patrons and employees.
To preempt the “stay-in-your-laners,” I am clearly not a restaurateur. I am, however, a front line healthcare worker (HCW) and there is a surreal parallel between what I experience in the hospital and what I have seen in restaurants since reopening.
The title of today’s column is a common adage in the planning world that’s at least 30 years old; I regret that I do not know its original source to provide credit.
At its heart, it reflects the insight that the best way to ensure people can quickly and easily get to the places that they need to go is to ensure that they don’t have to go as far to get there – trips, on average, become shorter.
