election | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published May 24, 2019 at 7:30AM

Landmark Trees Felled During Storm — A well-known, historic oak tree near the Reevesland farmhouse, one of seventeen designated specimen trees on private property in Arlington, was among the trees that fell during yesterday’s storm. Trees were also downed in Arlington National Cemetery; one tree crushed a car. [Twitter, Twitter]

May 23 Storm vs. 2012 Derecho — “The ~36,000 Dominion customers without power in Arlington at the post-storm peak today is just over half the ~68,000 after the 2012 derecho.” [Twitter]

Around Town

The Votes Are In and Arlington Has a New ‘I Voted’ Sticker

By Michael O'Connell

Published May 21, 2019 at 4:55PM

Voters got to choose from five "I voted" sticker designs. (Image via Arlington County)

Arlington County’s Election Board asked residents to vote on a new design for its 2019 “I Voted” sticker and they responded, picking the winner by a slim, two-vote margin.

Election officials, in partnership with the Arlington Artists Alliance and Arlington Public Library, solicited votes on the county website earlier this month. Voters cast their votes for five different designs over four rounds of voting.

Opinion

The Right Note: No Choice, Yet?

By Mark Kelly

Published May 21, 2019 at 2:30PM

Republicans have yet to field a candidate for any countywide office in Arlington this year. Unfortunately, fielding no candidates lets the Democrats sitting in office completely off the hook.

There would be no accountability for the tax increase that is putting the squeeze on homeowners and businesses alike. The two Board Members up for re-election would not have to answer for the 6.3% spending increase. They would not have to explain how that spending falls in line with their rhetoric that this was a “tough budget year.” The $2 million slush fund given to the County Manager gets the voters’ stamp of approval by default.

Opinion

Progressive Voice: Democratic House Candidates Describe What They’ll Fight for in General Assembly

By Progressive Voice

Published May 20, 2019 at 2:30PM

Del. Alfonso Lopez and JD Spain

Progressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

To inform voters, Progressive Voice asked each candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary for the State House of Delegates to respond to this question: “If elected, on which progressive initiative will you lead that you believe would be beneficial to the constituents of the 49th District?”

News

Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidates Disagree Over Role PACs Play in Campaigns

By Airey

Published May 16, 2019 at 3:00PM

Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, left, is challenging Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos

The race to see who will be the next Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington and Falls Church has generated its share of fireworks, but the issue of campaign finance may ignite even more.

Incumbent Theo Stamos and challenger Parisa Dehghani-Tafti have already clashed over Tafti’s criticism of Stamos’ handling of cash bail and prosecution for some first-time marijuana-related offenses. Tafti also drew heat from county public-safety groups and her opponent for a campaign mailer they said mislabeled a fatal, officer-involved shooting as “police brutality.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 15, 2019 at 7:30AM

Post-Amazon Real Estate Boom in N. Va. — “After an anemic first quarter, Northern Virginia’s home-sales market blossomed last month, with prices on the rise and sales at their highest April mark since the pre-recession boom of more than a decade ago.” [InsideNova]

Northbound GW Parkway Partially Reopens — “One of two northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway reopened Tuesday after a 10-foot-deep sinkhole appeared in the road Friday. But officials warned that future lane closures are planned on both sides of the parkway as long-term repairs continue.” [Washington Post]

News

Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidates at Odds Over Police Reform

By Airey

Published May 10, 2019 at 11:30AM | Updated May 13, 2019 at 10:43AM

Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate Parisa Dehghani-Tafti

(Updated on 05/13/19) The debate in the Commonwealth’s Attorney race over police brutality has grown into a larger discussion over police accountability.

“My opponent’s reckless use of language seeks to sow distrust in a community that registers some of the highest levels of confidence in law enforcement,” said Theo Stamos, the incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington and Falls Church in statement today (Friday.)

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 8, 2019 at 8:30AM | Updated May 8, 2019 at 10:11AM

Ride Hailing ‘Strike’ Today — “Getting an Uber or a Lyft may be impossible — or take longer and cost more — Wednesday when drivers for both companies plan to strike in major U.S. cities to protest what they say are unfair wages and poor working conditions.” [Washington Post]

APS Poaching Fairfax Teachers — From a candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors: “Today I met a veteran teacher who is leaving FCPS because Arlington County will pay her $12,000 more annually. Meanwhile, all I hear about is how we are fully funding our schools. We still have some catching up to do Fairfax County.” [Twitter]

News

UPDATED: Police Association Demands Apology for Candidate’s ‘Police Brutality’ Claim

By Airey

Published May 7, 2019 at 10:05AM | Updated May 7, 2019 at 1:12PM

(Updated at 1 p.m.) Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate Parisa Dehghani-Tafti is facing calls for an apology after two groups representing police in Arlington County say she “falsely alleged” an incident of police brutality.

The Arlington County Police Department itself is now saying Tafti’s claim in a recent campaign mailer is “inconsistent with the facts.”

News

Favola Drops Advanced Towing as State Senate Race Continues

By Airey

Published May 6, 2019 at 4:30PM

State Sen. Barbara Favola (left) is being challenged by candidate Nicole Merlene (right)

Candidates running for the Virginia State Senate this year have raised hundreds of thousands along the campaign trail — but not from Arlington’s Advanced Towing.

None of the four candidates running for Richmond accepted money from the controversial towing company, according to the most recent campaign finance filings detailing fundraising between January 1 and March 31 as shared by the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP).

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 3, 2019 at 8:00AM

Merlene Accuses Favola of Sexism — “Normally, Democratic debates in deep-blue Arlington are wonky, congenial, staid, even boring affairs, where the candidates at least pretend to be cordial to each other. And tonight’s 31st State Senate district Democratic debate, between incumbent Sen. Barbara Favola and challenger Nicole Merlene, largely held to that model for the entire debate… until the closing statements, when basically all hell broke loose.” [Blue Virginia, PDF]

Metro Closure This Weekend — “[On] May 4 and 5, Metro will be closed south of Reagan National Airport– six stations in all. Trains will be replaced by free shuttle buses at Braddock Road, King St-Old Town, Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield.” [WUSA 9]

Around Town

County Asks Residents to Vote on ‘I Voted’ Sticker Design

By Airey

Published May 1, 2019 at 10:00AM | Updated May 8, 2019 at 9:34AM

Voters got to choose from five "I voted" sticker designs. (Image via Arlington County)

Arlington wants residents to pick the new “I Voted” sticker design for the 2019 elections.

The Arlington County Office of Elections posted on its website five colorful designs vying for your favor, which range from the modern to historically-minded.