The Hope for our Veterans benefit starts 7 a.m. at the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. There, a group of veterans will do 22 pushups to signify the fact that, statistically, 22 veterans commit suicide each day.
The poker run portion of the charity event starts at 10 a.m. at the Iwo Jima memorial. During the poker run, teams drive or ride to five locations across Northern Virginia to draw one poker card.
Arlington House Rededicated — Arlington House, the family home of Robert E. Lee and an iconic symbol of Arlington County, has been rededicated by the National Park Service following a six year restoration effort. The ceremony was held on Saturday, on the 152nd anniversary of Lee’s decision to lead the rebellion in the Civil War. [Sun Gazette]
County’s Bond Ratings Reaffirmed — Arlington County has had its top Aaa/AAA debt ratings reaffirmed by rating agencies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. The ratings will allow Arlington to borrow money at a lower interest rate. “The Aaa rating reflects the county’s strong long-term credit characteristics including a sizeable and affluent tax base, stable and carefully-managed financial operations with sound reserves, and moderate debt position with manageable future borrowing needs,” Moody’s wrote of Arlington. [Arlington County]
Veterans Day Ceremony in Clarendon — Local VFW and American Legion posts jointly organized a Veterans Day ceremony at the Clarendon War Memorial on Sunday. At the annual remembrance ceremony a wreath was laid for Lance Cpl. Niall Coti-Sears, who was killed in Afghanistan this year. [MyFoxDC]
Reeves Farmhouse May Be Sold — The Arlington County Board is expected to decide whether to sell the historic Reeves farmhouse, at auction, for residential use. The county had been looking for ways to save the farmhouse for public use, but rejected a proposal to use it as a learning center, apparently due to the proposal not adequately providing for the high cost of needed repairs and renovations to the house. [WAMU]
All Arlington County courts, libraries, public schools, and administrative offices will be closed on Monday, Nov. 12.
The county’s three indoor swimming pools will be open under holiday hours. Metro and ART will be operating under a holiday schedule. Trash and leaf collection will proceed as normal.
Paul Hurley is working to make CasaNova Brewing & Sound, LLC a reality, along with business partner Mike DiBella, who has worked with other start-ups such as Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church. Initially, the plan is to brew four signature beers — an IPA, a black IPA, a hefeweizen and a chocolate stout.
“Every endeavor we make will be our sincerest effort to represent the NoVa community through quality, innovation and art,” Hurley said. “CasaNoVa will source the freshest ingredients from local farmers and suppliers while supporting local businesses whenever possible.”
The charity Segs4Vets arranged to give the vehicles to the wounded warriors, many of whom are amputees. Some of the Segways are specially outfitted to accommodate individual disabilities, such as having a built-in seat for when the user becomes too tired to stand.
Jerry Kerr started the organization in September 2005. He had broken his neck in 1998 and was paralyzed from the neck down. Although he has some movement now, he was told he would never be able to walk again. That prompted him to devote time to investigating what technologies were available to allow him to become more mobile.
Around 11:30 a.m. the President arrived at the fire station via motorcade and took the stage to announce his new $1 billion initiative, which he highlighted during the State of the Union address last month. The program particularly targets veterans who have served since 9/11 — a group whose unemployment rate is currently hovering around 13 percent.
“Our veterans are some of the most highly trained, highly educated, highly skilled workers that we’ve got,” said the President. “These are Americans that every business should be competing to attract.”
It’s 11-11-11 — Today’s Veterans Day holiday falls on a uniquely symmetrical date: 11-11-11. In addition to ties to doomsday myths, the 11-11-11 date has produced some actual trends, including increased sales of lottery tickets and a crush of wedding ceremonies.
Bikeshare Expands in Courthouse, Clarendon — A new Capital Bikeshare station was installed near the Courthouse Metro at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and N. Uhle Street yesterday. Another station is expected to be installed at Wilson Boulevard and N. Edgewood Street in Clarendon by the end of the day today. [Bike Arlington]
Arlington National Cemetery will hold its annual National Veterans Day Ceremony starting promptly at 11:00 tomorrow morning. The event begins with a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, then continues inside the adjacent Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors and remarks from dignitaries. President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are expected to attend and participate in the ceremony.
Elsewhere in Arlington County, most government offices will be closed for the holiday. County administrative offices, public libraries, courts, schools and nature centers are among the facilities scheduled to be closed. Parking meters will not be enforced.
The Clarendon watering hole is holding a fundraiser for IAVA tomorrow from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m., complete with food and drink specials and a mechanical bull. There’s no cover for the event, but bull rides are $10. Proceeds will benefit IAVA.
See the event’s Facebook page for more information.
The event, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Jefferson Davis Highway), will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. It will serve to educate returning veterans, active duty service personnel and their family members about the VA’s benefits and health care service, through on-site enrollment services, health screenings and benefits counseling.
There will also be a job fair for Iraq and Afghanistan vets, as well as family-friendly entertainment, music and a free lunch.
