Barbara Favola | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published May 9, 2018 at 9:45AM | Updated May 9, 2018 at 10:02AM

Bike and Walk to School Day — Today was Bike and Walk to School Day for Arlington Public Schools. The yearly event encourages families to use their feet — rather than cars — to get to school, at least for a day. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

Hospital Expansion Meets Some Resistance — Some neighbors are at odds with Virginia Hospital Center over its plan to expand its campus. Complaints include objections to “height and mass in close proximity to single-family homes” and the large number of proposed parking spaces. [Greater Greater Washington]

News

Arlington Officials Fear Metro Funding Deal Could Imperil Ballston, Crystal City Station Projects

By Alex Koma

Published May 8, 2018 at 1:45PM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 10:11AM

18th Street S. outside the Crystal City Metro stop (photo via Arlington County)

Funding to help WMATA keep running and catch up on maintenance may end up jeopardizing major projects slated for two busy Arlington Metro stations.

A new deal brokered by state lawmakers will send about $154 million to Metro each year, providing funding for badly needed improvements to the system — but Arlington officials fear the structure of the agreement could imperil planned Metro entrance projects.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 7, 2018 at 8:45AM | Updated May 7, 2018 at 4:56PM

Water Disinfectant Switch — With the annual pipe spring cleaning complete, the Washington Aqueduct will be switching back to chloramine as its water disinfectant after today. [ARLnow]

Car-B-Que on the Pike — A car caught fire on Columbia Pike between S. Oakland and Quincy streets Friday night. The road was closed while firefighters extinguished the blaze. [Twitter, Twitter]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2018 at 8:45AM | Updated April 2, 2018 at 9:02AM

Favola Weighs in on Country Club Tax Bill — State Sen. Barbara Favola (D) said in an op-ed that Gov. Ralph Northam should veto a bill lowering the taxes of Arlington country clubs. She added: “If the country clubs are really interested in preserving open space, Virginia has a successful land preservation tax-credit program. It gives financial incentives to landowners who agree to keep their open space undeveloped, in perpetuity, while ensuring that the space is maintained for everyone’s benefit.” [Washington Post]

Fatal Motorcycle Crash Near Fairlington — A 34-year-old Haymarket man died after he crashed his motorcycle on King Street near Fairlington early Friday morning. Residents said on a local online group that a large group of motorcyclists was riding down King Street at the time of the crash. [Patch, WTOP]

News

Favola Says Anti-Lunch Shaming Bill Likely to Pass

By Anna Merod

Published February 16, 2018 at 3:45PM | Updated February 16, 2018 at 4:51PM

State Sen. Barbara Favola (D)

(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) A bill prohibiting school officials from stigmatizing students who can’t afford school meals or pay off their debts is likely to pass the Virginia General Assembly, said bill sponsor state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31).

The SB 840 bill, which has already passed through the Virginia Senate, will ban school board employees from identifying students who owe a meal debt by, for example, requiring students to wear bracelets or hand stamps.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 6, 2018 at 9:05AM

Plane landing at Reagan National (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Highway Renaming Bill Fails — A bill from state Sen. Barbara Favola that would have allowed Arlington to rename Jefferson Davis Highway in the county failed to get out of committee on a 7-6 party line vote. The county will likely have to wait until next year’s legislative session to try again to get a bill passed. [InsideNova]

Snagajob Heading Toward IPO — “Arlington job management company Snagajob aims to raise up to $30 million, part of a strategy to reach $100 million in revenue this year to prepare the fast-growing company for a future initial public offering.” [Washington Business Journal]

News

Ebbin Bill Banning ‘Bump Stocks’ Progresses in Va. Senate

By Chris Teale

Published January 19, 2018 at 3:45PM | Updated January 19, 2018 at 5:19PM

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) A bill by state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30) banning so-called “bump stocks” in Virginia has made progress in the early days of the 2018 Virginia General Assembly legislative session.

Ebbin’s bill — S.B. 1 — passed the Senate’s Courts of Justice Committee on Monday, January 15 and then was referred to the Finance Committee.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 11, 2018 at 9:45AM | Updated January 11, 2018 at 10:27AM

Pentagon Looking into Helicopter Noise Reduction — After pressure from residents who live near the Pentagon, along with Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), “FOX 5 has learned the Department of Defense is researching ways to reduce helicopter noise and is ready to hear concerns from… neighboring residents.” [Fox 5]

Caiazzo is New ACDC Chair — The Arlington County Democratic Committee has elected Jill Caiazzo, a lawyer and policy advocate, as its new chair. She succeeds Kip Malinosky, who was lauded at last night’s ACDC meeting for his four years of service as chair. [Blue Virginia, Facebook]

News

Va. Bills Would Ban ‘Bump Stocks’ for Semi-Automatic Weapons

By Chris Teale

Published December 21, 2017 at 9:45AM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:26PM

Del. Mark Levine

Months after the mass shootings in Las Vegas, several legislators representing Arlington County have filed bills in the Virginia General Assembly to outlaw “bump stocks.”

After the October 1 shooting, which left 58 people dead and 546 injured, investigators found that gunman Stephen Paddock had modified some of the semi-automatic rifles in his hotel room with “bump stocks,” an attachment that allows the guns to fire faster.

News

Local Legislators Propose Marijuana Decriminalization Bills

By Chris Teale

Published December 20, 2017 at 2:45PM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:27PM

Two state Senators who represent sections of Arlington County have proposed bills that would decriminalize the possession of marijuana and reduce penalties for its distribution.

State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D) has re-introduced a bill, SB-111, which would decriminalize simple possession of marijuana and make it a civil offense, rather than a Class 1 misdemeanor, which it is now in Virginia.

News

Va. Bill Would Require Drivers to Stop for Pedestrians

By Chris Teale

Published December 19, 2017 at 2:45PM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:27PM

State Sen. Barbara Favola (D)

A bill in the Virginia State Senate would require that drivers come to a complete stop when yielding to pedestrians crossing the street.

The bill, SB 46 introduced by state Sen. Barbara Favola (D), adds language to state law telling motorists what constitutes yielding to a pedestrian: “by stopping and remaining stopped until such pedestrian has safely crossed,” per the bill text.