News

Youth Justice 5K on Sunday — Bluemont Park will be the scene of the first annual 5K Walk/Run for Justice on Sunday. The event will take place at noon and will raise money for Families and Allies of Virginia’s Youth, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to transforming the juvenile justice system in Virginia to one that is fair, effective and age-appropriate.” On-site registration is $25 and includes a free long-sleeved t-shirt. [DC Road Runners]

Arlington Fun Ride on Saturday — Phoenix Bikes is organizing a family-friendly 17-mile bike ride on Saturday. The Arlington Fun Ride will take riders on a leisurely bike tour of Arlington that will include stops in Crystal City, Ballston and Rosslyn. The ride will start at 8:00 a.m. and will begin and end at Phoenix Bikes (4200 S. Four Mile Run). There will also be a short children’s ride. The entry fee — $5 for individuals or $15 for families — will benefit Phoenix, a non-profit bike shop. Editor’s Note: The Arlington Fun Ride is an ARLnow.com advertiser. [Ode Street Tribune]


Schools

Today was “Walk and Bike to School Day” in Arlington and across the country.

The annual event in Arlington, organized by Arlington Public Schools (with the help of local PTAs), encourages students and parents to bike and walk to school more often. At Oakridge Elementary School, this year’s “spotlight school” for Walk and Bike to School Day, hundreds of students and parents walked, biked or even scootered to school.


Events

The Crystal City Diamond Derby will take place on Saturday, September 29 from 4:00-10:00 pm. The venue is the underground parking garage at 2345 Crystal Drive, which will be transformed into an urban cycling course.

Riders of all abilities can try out the courses, some casual and others competitive. The Kids’ Derby and D&Q River Ride are free, but there are fees to enter the Open Course Challenge, Team Competition and 4X Comps. Registration for the various events is available online. All participants must have their own bikes and helmets.


News

So far, five areas feature the green markings including Veitch Street at Clarendon and Wilson Blvds, Military Road at Nelly Custis Drive and S. Joyce Street near Pentagon Row. Two others should be finished soon, and an additional five are expected by the end of the year.

According to Wayne Wentz, Chief of Arlington’s Transportation and Engineering Bureau, the markings draw extra attention to areas where cars may have to cross into bike lanes, particularly to make a right turn.


News

At the time, police believed the cyclist may have had a medical emergency and fallen off the bike. That was based on a report from a person who claimed to have seen a cyclist experiencing what appeared to be a seizure, then falling to the ground.

According to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, the police investigation into the incident indicates the report of a medical emergency is inconsistent with what responders observed at the scene. Sternbeck says based on damage to the bicycle and emergency crews finding an unconscious victim bleeding from the head, the incident is now deemed a hit and run.


News

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Police are investigating an unusual accident near Westover involving a bicyclist.

Initial reports said the cyclist was unconscious when police arrived, after being struck by a vehicle that left the scene. However, a police spokesman now says there might not have been a vehicle involved at all.


News

Tri360 is located at 2121 N. Westmoreland Street, just off of the W&OD Trail. The store is built, stocked and ready for customers, but it’s awaiting its Certificate of Occupancy from Arlington County before it can open, according to the Tri360 Facebook page.

Tri360 will sell athletic apparel, accessories and shoes, and will also feature a “full-service” bike store — everything a triathlete needs to swim, cycle and run.


News

County Fair Moves on From Embezzlement Case — All seems to be going well with the Arlington County Fair (photos, above) this year, despite the arrest and subsequent guilty plea of the fair’s now-former event manager on embezzlement charges several months ago. [Falls Church News-Press]

Rumsfeld to Attend Murray Fundraiser — Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is slated to be the special guest at a private fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate Patrick Murray next month. Murray is a retired U.S. Army colonel. [Patrick Murray for Congress]


News

County Fair Starts Today — The Arlington County Fair officially kicks off today at 5:00 p.m. The first racing piglet competition will take place at 5:30 p.m. The fair will run through Sunday at 10:00 p.m. [Arlington County Fair]

‘Pike Hike’ Scheduled for SundayWalkArlington is sponsoring a new community “walkabout” timed to coincide with the county fair. Pike Hike II Junior Walkabout will take participants on a family-friendly stroll of the Columbia Pike town center area from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12. Sights along the way include the Pike farmers market and the Columbia Pike Branch Library. Participants will also get a free ticket to take the shuttle from the Arlington Career Center (816 S. Walter Reed Drive) to the fair. [CommuterPage Blog]


News

Organizations such as the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee (ABAC) haven’t yet taken an official position on the streetcar plan, considering it hasn’t been officially approved yet. Still, individual members of the organizations are raising red flags for potentially dangerous situations.

Shane Farthing, Executive Director of WABA, explains that the streetcar tracks pose a particular problem because bicycle wheels could become caught in them. In addition to such a scenario making it possible for a cyclist to tip over, it increases the danger of being hit by a vehicle.


Around Town

This week-long camp for children between the ages of eight and 18 uses trained staff and adapted bicycles that can be modified as riders develop more skills and self-confidence. The success rate is high, as most riders are expected to begin pedaling independently by mid-week.

This is the third year that the Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation Therapeutic Recreation Office will be teaming up with the non-profit Lose the Training Wheels organization. The camp will be held at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs Road), from July 30 to August 3.


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