County Board | ARLnow.com

Board to Approve New Playground for Ft. Myer Heights Park

Published December 4, 2012 at 11:45AM

The Arlington County Board on Saturday is expected to approve a contract for improvements to Ft. Myer Heights Park (1400 Ft. Myer Drive).

The planned improvements to the 0.48 acre park include new nature-themed playground equipment, new fencing, an accessible path to the playground from Ft. Myer Drive, concrete retaining walls, enhanced plantings and improved site drainage. The construction contract, in the amount of $475,920.53 plus a $47,592.04 contingency, will be awarded to Avon Corporation.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 4, 2012 at 8:35AM

Arlington Mill Goes Over Budget — The Arlington Mill Community Center on Columbia Pike has gone $600,000 over its $31.6 million budget. The County Board is expected to approve additional funding for the project at its meeting this coming Saturday. [Sun Gazette]

New Coworking Space in Clarendon — A new coworking space has opened at 3140 N. Washington Street in Clarendon, on the second floor of the Wells Fargo bank building. Link Locale will house startup companies, entrepreneurs, freelancers and teleworkers. It’s the second coworking space to open along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor this year. [Patch]

News

Taxi Drivers Accuse County of Racism

By Katie Pyzyk

Published November 28, 2012 at 2:55PM | Updated November 29, 2012 at 8:34AM

Members of Arlington United Taxi Operators (AUTO) and Tenants and Workers United (TWU) took part in the protest, which was staged to highlight claims of unfair labor practices by Arlington cab companies and to show that drivers’ human rights had been violated based on their national origin.

ARLnow.com requested details regarding examples of human rights violations, but did not receive information about specific incidents. Instead, a TWU representative said the basics included “ad hoc firings, arbitrary changing of working conditions, and the fact that drivers are being bound to a single company.”

News

County Board to Consider Private-Public Streetcar Partnership

By ARLnow.com

Published November 28, 2012 at 9:35AM | Updated November 29, 2012 at 8:33AM

Original Columbia Pike streetcar rendering

Earlier this month, the Board held a work session with officials from other North American transit agencies who spoke of their experience with public-private partnerships for light rail systems. By and large, said Board member and leading streetcar supporter Chris Zimmerman, those experiences were positive.

A public-private partnership “can save time and money,” he told ARLnow.com. “We’re very seriously looking at the options.”

News

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Published November 28, 2012 at 8:45AM

Human Rights Award Winners Announced — The Arlington Human Rights Commission has announced the winners for the 2012 James B. Hunter Human Rights Award. Two community groups — Wakefield High School’s Project Upstanders and Washington-Lee High School’s Best Buddies Club — received the honor, along with two individuals — recent Wakefield graduate Sara Heisey and Santa Fe Cafe owner John “Kip” Laramie. Awards will be presented at a ceremony on December 13. [Arlington County]

Red Top Toys for Tots Drive — From now through Monday, December 17, all Red Top Cabs will serve as Toys for Tots collection sites. Customers can bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate when riding in one of the cabs. Red Top will deliver the toys to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation for distribution to local needy children. Arlington Yellow Cab is also participating in the program.

Around Town

2012 ABBIE Award Winners Announced

By ARLnow.com

Published November 27, 2012 at 3:45PM | Updated November 27, 2012 at 8:34PM

The contest organizer, Arlington Economic Development, said residents cast more than 5,000 online votes for their favorite local businesses. The nominees in each of the 17 categories can be found here.

The big winner today was Mark Fedorchak, co-owner of Liberty Tavern and Northside Social, who walked away with three awards. ARLnow.com also won an award.

News

Board Members Offer Legislative Priorities, Express Funding Concerns

By Katie Pyzyk

Published November 20, 2012 at 3:59PM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:45PM

On Saturday (November 17), the County Board took time at its meeting to discuss Arlington’s legislative priorities for the 2013 General Assembly session. During that discussion it quickly became clear the Board members fear significant cuts in the amount of funding the county receives from the state.

Board members are preparing to take a hit, although it’s unclear how serious the situation will be until legislators at the federal and state levels figure out their own financial issues.

News

Board Defers Restaurant’s Karaoke Request, Citing Crime Concerns

By Katie Pyzyk

Published November 20, 2012 at 11:45AM | Updated November 21, 2012 at 1:26AM

Restaurante El Salvador (4805 Columbia Pike) had asked for a live entertainment permit, but at its Saturday meeting the Board voted unanimously to defer the request six months until its May 2013 meeting.

The local civic association, the Barcroft School and Civic League (BSCL), opposed the granting of the permit, which would allow karaoke until 2:00 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday nights.

News

County Budget Cuts, Tax Hikes Looming

By Katie Pyzyk

Published November 19, 2012 at 4:50PM

At its Saturday meeting, the Board approved a set of budget guidelines intended to assist Donnellan in putting together her proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2014. Despite two years of rising real estate assessments and tax rates, the projected 1-2 percent increase in county property values this year is not expected to be enough to keep up with increased spending.

(The real estate tax accounts for just over 55 percent of all county revenue.)

Around Town

Board Approves Purchase of Property for Homeless Shelter

By Katie Pyzyk

Published November 19, 2012 at 10:40AM | Updated November 19, 2012 at 11:24AM

The shelter, which will occupy two of the building’s seven floors, will be open year-round and will replace the current emergency winter shelter, located about two blocks away. Like the winter shelter, it will be operated by the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN).

“Arlington is making good on its declaration that in this county, every person is important” said County Manager Barbara Donnellan. “It’s not enough to merely provide beds in an inadequate emergency winter shelter during the coldest months of the year. It is not enough just to keep the homeless alive. We want to give them an opportunity to rebuild their lives.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 19, 2012 at 9:15AM

FCVFD Donating Ambulance to Sandy-Stricken Community — The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department is donating its reserve ambulance to the community of Island Park, New York, which was hard-hit by Hurricane Sandy. Today, volunteer firefighters will be driving the 2002 Freightliner ambulance up to Island Park, where it will replace an ambulance lost by the Island Park Volunteer Fire Department during the storm.

County Kicks Off Rosslyn Planning Process — Arlington County has begun an effort to create a comprehensive new long-range plan for Rosslyn. Dubbed “Realize Rosslyn,” the plan will seek to “transform this 1960s car-centric area to one of our region’s great urban centers.” Through a civic engagement process, the county will create “an enhanced urban design framework,” refine and improve transportation options, recommend a new “building heights strategy” and develop “a more cohesive, functional parks and open space network.” [Arlington County]

News

County Board Holding Transit Work Session Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Published November 15, 2012 at 3:50PM | Updated February 13, 2024 at 11:30AM

As Arlington moves forward with its Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar projects, the County Board has called in some experts for a bit of advice.

Tonight (Thursday) at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street), from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., the Board will hold a work session with representatives from various transit North American transit projects, who have experience implementing light rail systems in different communities. The work session will take place in the library’s auditorium and is open to the public.