News

Around 11:30 a.m. the President arrived at the fire station via motorcade and took the stage to announce his new $1 billion initiative, which he highlighted during the State of the Union address last month. The program particularly targets veterans who have served since 9/11 — a group whose unemployment rate is currently hovering around 13 percent.

“Our veterans are some of the most highly trained, highly educated, highly skilled workers that we’ve got,” said the President. “These are Americans that every business should be competing to attract.”


Events

Obama and representatives from the International Association of Fire Fighters union will announce the initiative at the closed event, which is expected to begin around 11:00 a.m.

Fire Station 5 is located at 1750 S. Hayes Street in Aurora Highlands, just blocks from Pentagon City mall. Police say drivers should expect road closures and other impacts in the area.


Around Town

Linden Resources — formerly SOC Enterprises — held its annual ‘Miracle on 23rd Street’ tree-lighting ceremony Friday night.

Families from the surrounding Aurora Highlands community formed a sizable crowd outside the Linden Resources building at 750 S. 23rd Street. The ceremony featured a brass band playing Christmas songs, the much-anticipated tree lighting, and the arrival of Santa Claus via fire engine.


News

Aurora Hills Babysitter Co-Op — While the District has been ranked as the most expensive place in the country for childcare, parents in the Aurora Hills neighborhood, near Crystal City, have banded together to save money by taking care of each other’s kids. The Aurora Hills babysitting co-op is “just a group of moms helping each other out,” according to one of the members. [MyFoxDC]

Seasonal Green Chiles Arrive in Arlington — A shipment of green chiles, fresh from the famous growing region of Hatch, N.M., has arrived at Santa Fe Cafe (1500 Wilson Blvd) in Rosslyn. The restaurant is expecting to receive about 100 pounds of Hatch green chiles throughout September. Owner Kip Laramie says he’ll be using the flavorful, spicy ingredient to serve dishes like locally smoked pork chop with green chile peach chutney, grilled spinach with green chile quesadilla, and red snapper with artichokes, mushrooms and green chiles. [Rosslyn Blog]


News

Arlington Lauded in The Atlantic — “New data from Arlington County, Virginia, provide an in-depth look at how a jurisdiction known for great planning has leveraged excellent transit service and transit-oriented development into efficient transportation performance.” [The Atlantic, CommuterPage Blog]

Renovated Aurora Hills Library Holds Open House — The newly-renovated Aurora Hills branch library will hold a grand opening next week. Residents are encouraged to attend the open house, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24. There will be several kid-friendly activities, including face painting, balloon animals and storytime. Among the new improvements is a spruced-up lobby and wireless internet access. [Library Blog]


News

The “PenPlace” site, as it’s called, is a 12-acre parcel owned by Vornado/Charles E. Smith. Its only inhabitants over the past decade have been a Marriott Residence Inn, Nell’s Carryout and the occasional traveling circus. Once considered as a possible location for the new Nationals stadium or an “Arlington County Conference Center,” the site has laid fallow for years.

Last month the LRPC considered a number of possible uses for the site (all of which preserve the existing Marriott hotel and add new streets to break up the large “superblock”):


News

According to Arlington Police, the luxury SUV was stolen around 10:30 last night. Two men wearing masks and pointing guns approached the car after it pulled out of a driveway on the 1100 block of S. 18th Street. The men, described as in their late teens or early 20s, forced two women out of the car, stole their purses and drove off.

Just after noon today, the Porsche and two men — presumed to be the same suspects from last night — were involved in an armored car robbery at 16th and M Streets NW, just south of Scott Circle in the District. The men — one with a machine gun and the other with a 9 millimeter pistol — attempted to hold up a Brinks truck, according to initial reports. It’s unclear if they made off with any money.


News

Fire broke out in the basement of a stately Aurora Hills home just before 5:30 last night.

The family that was living in the house evacuated as the flames grew larger. Firefighters rushed to the scene and were able to extinguish the fire within 10 minutes. Some smoke and water damage was evident, but no one was hurt.


News

It was a very busy weekend for the Arlington County Police Department, as reflected in this week’s crime report.

Early Sunday morning, a man’s relaxing massage in Clarendon turned into anything but. According to the report, he allegedly robbed the masseuse and then, when police arrived, pulled a knife on officers. That move bought him some deep tissue stimulation courtesy of an officer’s Taser.


Around Town

That transportation option was the electric trolley. More than 100 years later, Arlington’s leaders are moving forward with a $200 million streetcar project that will stop in some of the same places as its long-forgotten predecessor.

Aurora Highlands Civic Association president Michael Dowell recently wrote about the area’s transportation history in the group’s monthly newsletter.


News

Aurora Hills Roof Replacement — The Aurora Hills library and senior center is getting a new roof. The $240,000 project is set to begin on Thursday, Nov. 18. It will take about two months to complete, but the facilities will remain open — work will be done performed in the morning. More from the Library Blog.

Emergency Winter Shelter is Open — Arlington’s emergency winter shelter has opened for those in need of warmth, food and a roof over their head. The Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network is seeking volunteers 18 years or older to work at the shelter, at 2049 North 15th Street in Courthouse. More from ASPAN.


News

The board is scheduled to vote on the Crystal City Sector Plan at its 6:30 p.m. meeting tonight. But Aurora Highlands urban planning committee chairman Ted Saks says the county was unable to deliver an updated version of the plan to the association’s emergency meeting last night, prompting the call for a delay.

Saks says a meeting with County Manager Michael Brown two weeks ago has produced positive changes, including pledges of a traffic monitoring plan, a citizen advisory board, and a study of ways to smooth the transition from the high-density development that will surround Route 1 and the single-family home neighborhood to the west.


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