The Arlington County Police Department teamed up with 7-Eleven for “Operation Chill” to reward good behavior. The program allows police to “ticket” Arlington youth spotted doing good deeds — with a coupon for a free small Slurpee good at 7-Eleven stores across the county.
Some of the “offenses” officers might give out a coupon for could be a kid helping another person, wearing a bicycle helmet, picking up trash or participating in other positive community activities.
Emails sent to the MONA (Mothers of North Arlington) listserv describe an older man who has been spotted leering at young children while slowly driving by in a white sedan.
“I was walking with my two children in the Lyon Village area… when a man in an older, what I believe to be a late 90s, white sedan (Nissan Sentra I think) drove by very slowly at approximately 1-2 miles per hour,” said one email, sent last night. “As he drove by, the driver stared at us out of his open window. He was an older man (60s) with white hair and looking to be a bit overweight from what I could tell. He drove past us for a block and then did a U-turn and drove very slowly past us again staring at us in a very creepy way.”
Restaurant Talk is an occasional feature written by Nick Freshman, a native Arlingtonian and co-owner of Spider Kelly’s and Eventide Restaurant in Clarendon.
I enter on all sides of the conversation here: I’m an operator who deals with families all the time, I’m a Dad who loves to eat out with my daughter, and I’m a diner who often likes eating out with just grown-ups. A lot of you fall into the latter two categories, so you can surely appreciate how nuanced the topic is.
Batman dropped by the Arlington YMCA (3422 13th Street N.) on Friday to warn kids about the danger of poison and toxic household items.
The Caped Crusader, also known as Maryland millionaire Lenny B. Robinson, arrived in style in his 1966 replica Batmobile. He was also spotted cruising the streets of Arlington and hanging out in Clarendon after the event.
The Caped Crusader will be at the ‘Y’ from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 22, hosting an event called “Be a Superhero in Your Home.” The event, which is sponsored by the YMCA, the Alliance for Consumer Education and the American Association of Poison Control Centers, will teach kids “to be a superhero in their home by reading labels, asking permission before using an unknown product, and other poison prevention tips.”
Robinson made international news last year when his $250,000 Lamborghini Batmobile was pulled over by Montgomery County Police. The dashcam video of the traffic stop went viral and Robinson became a minor celebrity in his own right.
Arlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation is offering winter indoor tennis lessons starting on January 22 and running through the first week of March. Lessons for children ages 3-13 will take place at the Fairlington Community Center (3308 S. Stafford Street).
Registration is also open for early spring tennis classes for both children and adults. Those classes will begin the second week in March and run through the second week in April.
North Rosslyn Profiled — The neighborhood of North Rosslyn has been profiled by the Washington Post. The neighborhood is a bastion of “tranquil residential life” in the shadows of Rosslyn’s high rise office buildings, the Post’s Eliza McGraw wrote. [Washington Post]
Children Participate in AHC ‘Olympics’ — About a hundred children who live in affordable housing managed by AHC Inc. participated in their own version of the Olympic Games last week. The competition included both academic contests like “word weightlifting” and “math distance medley,” as well at athletic events like wiffle ball, soccer, jump roping and the 100 yard dash. [Sun Gazette]
Many residents spent this past Saturday taking part in the various Neighborhood Day events throughout Arlington.
The weather cooperated, providing warmth and sun for the outdoor activities. From yard sales to cook outs to petting zoos, residents came out to connect with their neighbors and partake in the festivities. As you can see, kids’ activities took center stage at most of the events.
Registration is now open for Saturday Morning Footy, which kicks off on June 16 in Bluemont Park. The free program runs for six weeks, and is open to boys and girls ages 5-15. Kids will be divided up for different activities based on age.
The sessions will teach basic rules of the game and work on honing skills. Younger kids will participate in non-contact footy games and older kids will play tag games. Parents are also able to participate in many of the activities.
The goal of the annual event is to get people out into their communities to have some fun and connect with their neighbors. Events are planned throughout the county, some aimed at local communities and others for all Arlington residents.
A full list of activities can be found on the Neighborhood Day website, which is updated as new entries come in. Here are a few of the events:
The daily specials started yesterday and include deals like $4 1800 fresh fruit margaritas (Wednesday) and $5 Dos Equis Grandes (Friday).
In addition to the drink deals, there are also food specials and chances to win free dinners. On Saturday, May 5, there will be games and dancing for the big Cinco de Mayo bash. The fiesta ends on Sunday with a “Kids’ Cinco” featuring balloons and face painting.
Volunteers are needed for a number of children’s activities taking place around Arlington this spring and summer. More information about these opportunities and others can be found on the Volunteer Arlington website.
