If you want to give back on Thanksgiving, there are a number of ways to do so.
Volunteer Arlington has numerous volunteer opportunities listed on its web site, from spending part of a day with residents at a local nursing home to delivering Thanksgiving food baskets to families affected by HIV/AIDS to helping out with the annual Lyon Park/Ashton Heights Turkey Trot 5K.
That’s a 11 percent increase over least year and the highest number of area residents heading out for Thanksgiving since 2007.
“The Washington metro area has one of the strongest economies in the nation, and as evidence of this, we will likely see a double digit up-tick in the number of area residents traveling 50 miles or more from home for the holiday,” AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson John B. Townsend II said in a statement.
Bayou Bakery Sneak Peak — Eat More Drink More scores the first photos inside Courthouse’s new Bayou Bakery. The elaborately-decorated cafe/restaurant has a distinct New Orleans theme, which extends from the decor to the food. It could be open as soon as Monday, Nov. 15.
County Government Closed for Veterans Day — Most Arlington County offices will be closed on Thursday in honor of Veterans Day. More from the Sun Gazette and Arlington County.
Happy Columbus Day — Normally-clogged commuter routes are clear as government employees and many private sector workers have the day off to celebrate Columbus’ discovery of the New World. Arlington government offices are closed, as are all library branches. It’s expected to be the hottest Oct. 11 on record in the DC area, so if you have the day off, get outside and enjoy it.
Blue and Orange Line Cut in Two, No Major Problems — Commutepocalypse didn’t quite go the way some media outlets expected. More from TBD.
If you’re staying in town for Columbus Day weekend, consider yourself lucky. The forecast calls for perfect warm and sunny weather, and there’s plenty of events around town to keep one busy.
Tonight, we already told you about the Capitals Rock the Red Season Opening Party at The Front Page in Ballston.
Good morning, Arlington. It’s Friday the 13th.
What are you superstitious about?
Virginia’s back-to-school sales tax holiday is in effect this weekend.
Starting today, there will be no sales tax on:
Here’s a look at yesterday’s holiday, through the lens of three of our Flickr poolers.
Photo by Timkelley:
Fake FBI Agent Pleads Guilty — Brenna Marie Reilly, 29, was arrested in Arlington in March and accused of impersonating an FBI agent. Prosecutors say that as part of the elaborate ruse, Reilly went so as to hire an unwitting neighbor as an assistant. Reilly pleaded guilty in federal court today. She faces up to three years in prison.
Arlington Releases Memorial Day Closure List — Unsurprisingly, just about everything county-related will be closed. However, trash collection will continue as normal and the Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center will be open for part of the day.
For the crafty mother: The first day of the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market (in Welburn Square, between N. 9th and N. Stuart Streets) is on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Expect plenty of delightful, handmade gifts that will impress your mother much more than anything YOU could have put together at the last minute.
For the musical mother: The Opera Guild of Northern Virginia is holding a benefit concert for the children of Haiti from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday at the NRECA Building (4301 Wilson Blvd). The music will range from arias to swing and there will also be an art sale — a great opportunity to show that your mother raised a charitable, thoughtful son or daughter.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily a regional holiday with “limited significance nationwide.” Across the United States, however, the fifth of May is recognized as a time to celebrate Mexican heritage by some, and as a good excuse to drink lots of Coronas and margaritas by others.
Here are a few of the planned events and specials happening around Arlington on Wednesday. Let us know if we forgot anything.
Did you know that our first president owned 1,200 acres of land in Northern Virginia, much of it in Arlington? If you don’t believe it, head out on a historical trek to find the George Washington Survey Tree.
Okay, the tree is long gone, but a marker was erected at the site where it once stood. It’s located just off the W&OD trail, near the Glencarlyn and Barcroft sections of Arlington.
