controversy | ARLnow.com

County Board Approves Temporary WETA Parking Lot Despite Neighborhood Concerns

Published June 17, 2020 at 3:55PM | Updated March 14, 2023 at 1:52PM

Location of new temporary parking lot along S. Four Mile Run Drive (photo via Arlington County)

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) It was a seemingly uncontroversial item on the County Board agenda: shifting a temporary parking lot for television station WETA down the block, in order to allow renovations to Jennie Dean Park to proceed.

But the proposal, which was approved unanimously last night after a detailed discussion, ended up raising questions about race, equity and public engagement. It was the subject of a recent op-ed published by the Sun Gazette entitled “Arlington government again fails Green Valley,” accusing the county of repeatedly ignoring the wishes of the historically Black neighborhood.

News

County Leaders Defend ACPD Officers Who Were Recalled from D.C. Protests

By ARLnow.com

Published June 3, 2020 at 8:45AM | Updated June 3, 2020 at 10:09AM

(Updated at 10 a.m.) Despite what you might have seen on TV, the Arlington police officers who were sent to assist the response to protests in D.C. conducted themselves professionally, county leaders say.

In a half-hour phone interview with ARLnow, Police Chief M. Jay Farr, County Board Chair Libby Garvey and County Manager Mark Schwartz discussed the decision to send officers to help U.S. Park Police in D.C., and the subsequent decision to bring them back to Arlington — which is facing criticism from the local police association.

News

Cristol Walks Back Criticism of Beer Garden

By ARLnow.com

Published June 1, 2020 at 12:00PM | Updated June 1, 2020 at 12:21PM

Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol says she was wrong to suggest that a local beer garden should be shut down over the weekend.

Cristol retweeted a photo posted by Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko on Friday night, which showed a large crowd — none wearing masks — outdoors at The Lot beer garden near Clarendon.

Schools

Yorktown Principal Apologizes for Banner Seen as Racist

By ARLnow.com

Published May 21, 2020 at 9:30AM | Updated May 21, 2020 at 9:49AM

Screenshot of a social media post about Yorktown High School's controversial banner

A banner featuring a collage of photos of Yorktown High School seniors was intended to celebrate the class of 2020, but instead it is being decried as racist.

The banner has since been removed and Yorktown’s principal has apologized, after the controversy blew up on social media yesterday. At issue: the banner uses class photos to form an image of the Yorktown logo, but singles out students of color to create the black outline of the logo.

Schools

Petition Against School Swap Garners 1,700+ Signatures

By ARLnow.com

Published January 28, 2020 at 10:15AM | Updated January 28, 2020 at 10:45AM

Parents opposed to a proposed four-school swap, set for a School Board vote on Feb. 6, are ramping up pressure to scuttle the plan.

A new coalition calling itself “No School Moves” has gathered more than 1,700 signatures on a Change.org petition launched earlier this month, calling for the School Board to vote “no.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 6, 2019 at 7:30AM

Parents Protest APS Proposal — “School officials tasked with the perpetual jigsaw puzzle of reassigning school zones have stirred new tensions… If you drive McKinley Rd., you can’t miss the printed signs ‘SAVE MCKINLEY: Our Neighborhood School Since 1951.’ The Madison Manor Civic Association has revved up with nearby PTAs and community groups to assemble contrary arguments.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Tafti Pushes Back on AG Comments — From Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney-elect Parisa Dehghani-Tafti: “We are neither righteous warriors nor avenging angels. We are public servants. So a little humility in how we do our job and how we accept public critique of our work would go a long way toward building a system that is both safe and just.” [Twitter]

Schools

Arlington PTA Leaders Speak Out Against Proposed Elementary School Changes

By Kalina Newman

Published December 4, 2019 at 3:30PM | Updated December 5, 2019 at 9:14AM

McKinley Elementary School (photo via Arlington Public Schools)

(Updated at 9:15 a.m.) Leaders from Arlington’s Parent Teacher Associations are speaking out against Arlington Public Schools’ plans for a major elementary school boundary swap.

In a joint letter to the School Board, PTA presidents from seven Arlington elementary schools requested that members “not vote on any elementary school moves.” Rather, the PTA members presented a “holistic, twelve-month process” that incorporates more analyses and data review.

News

Residential Parking Changes On the Way: “It’s Going to be a Doozy”

By ARLnow.com

Published November 20, 2019 at 2:30PM

If there’s one thing that drives passions in residential neighborhoods, it’s parking. And Arlington County is gearing up to change some of its residential parking policies next year.

The forthcoming update to Arlington’s Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program promises to bring out strong opinions, with some residents very much in favor of keeping the program as is, and others saying it promotes inequity and should be scrapped. The county staff recommendation, however, is likely to be somewhere in the middle.

Opinion

Morning Poll: Is ‘Happy Endings’ An Inappropriate Name for a Food Hall?

By ARLnow.com

Published November 20, 2019 at 10:25AM | Updated November 20, 2019 at 10:48AM

In Rosslyn, the owners of Chasin’ Tails, Tea’n You, and Lei’d Hawaiian Poke are opening a new food hall called Happy Endings Eatery. This time around, however, the double entendre name is generating some controversy.

The trio of Vietnamese-American brothers behind the successful restaurant group — two of whom are successful former poker players — may have just had their naming luck run out in the post-#MeToo era.

Around Town

‘Best of Nextdoor’ Highlights Lee Highway Taco Bell Drama

By ARLnow.com

Published November 12, 2019 at 9:25AM

14. Exterior of Taco Bell at 4923 Lee Highway

The popular Best of Nextdoor Twitter account, which highlights “quality neighborhood drama” on the hyperlocal social networking site, has taken aim at the Taco Bell on Lee Highway.

Last night the account posted a screenshot of a post by a High View Park resident who says she was reprimanded by the owner of the recently-renovated Taco Bell at 4923 Lee Highway for taking “15-20 sauce packets” for a take-out meal for her family.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 4, 2019 at 6:00AM | Updated November 4, 2019 at 8:51AM

Fall foliage in Arlington Ridge (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington Office Market Improving — Arlington County landing Amazon HQ2, a selection announced one year ago this month, has helped move its office market in the right direction after years of struggles. The office vacancy rate in National Landing, the newly branded area comprising the Crystal City and Pentagon City neighborhoods, dropped from 19.6% in Q3 2018 to 16% as of Sept. 30, the lowest level since 2012, according to JLL.” [Bisnow]

Chamber Supports Keeping Dillon Rule — “Facing a possible Democratic majority in the General Assembly, @ArlVAChamber is standing firm in its support of the Dillon Rule. Why? A Dem majority could allow localities like Arlington to raise the minimum wage.” [Twitter, InsideNova]

Schools

Planting of Cotton at Arlington Elementary School Prompts Discussion

By Airey

Published May 16, 2019 at 5:15PM

A cotton plant growing at Campbell Elementary School drew criticism online today, but Arlington Public Schools said allegations that staff were going to make kids “pick cotton” was a misunderstanding.

“At no time, never, was the school going to have students pick cotton,” said APS spokesman Frank Bellavia.