Washington Post | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published November 7, 2011 at 8:34AM

Mailer Blasts GOP State Senate Candidate — A mysterious last-minute political mailer has been sent to voters in the 32nd state Senate District. The mailer attacks GOP state Senate candidate Patrick Forrest for being “openly homosexual,” supporting “illegal immigration reform” and for supposedly working for President Obama’s transition team. Forrest’s opponent, incumbent state Sen. Janet Howell, spoke out against the mailers, calling them “disgusting and despicable.” The mailing’s return address comes back to a parking lot, and the organization it purports to come from does not exist. [Blue Virginia]

Arlington Man Charged With Murder — A 27-year-old Arlington man has been charged with second degree murder in Hawaii. Christopher Deedy, a special agent with the State Department, allegedly shot a man during a late-night argument at a McDonald’s in Waikiki. [KHON 2]

News

Favola Wins Endorsement of WaPo, Sun Gazette

By ARLnow.com

Published October 19, 2011 at 12:00PM

The Washington Post and the Arlington Sun Gazette both endorsed Favola yesterday, passing over her opponent, Republican Caren Merrick.

“Our inclination at the beginning of the race was to favor Merrick,” wrote the Sun Gazette. “But as the campaign progressed, we’ve been left wondering exactly what her core political philosophy is, and how she will put it into action, if elected, in Richmond.”

Around Town

Arlington Missing from WaPo Dining Guide

By ARLnow.com

Published October 17, 2011 at 9:36AM

The only Arlington connections on the annual list of 40 restaurants are mini-chains Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza and Jaleo, which have Clarendon and Crystal City locations respectively — though one wouldn’t know it since the dining guide lists the location of each as “Washington, DC.”

In contrast to Arlington’s goose egg, neighboring jurisdictions Alexandria and Fall Church have three restaurants apiece in this year’s dining guide.

Opinion

Two Views on Artisphere

By ARLnow.com

Published October 11, 2011 at 4:04PM

Depends who you ask.

Artisphere turned one year old yesterday, but the young venue has yet to become a consistent draw or even a household name. Instead, scenes of young people having fun at an Artisphere birthday bash over the weekend contrast with the cold, hard numbers from a recent Washington Post article: attendance 70 percent below expectations, operating expenses more than 25 percent over budget. Although Arlington County taxpayers helped front Artisphere’s $6.7 million build-out cost, only 28 percent of visitors are actually from Arlington.

News

Local Coverage Shake-Up at the Washington Post?

By ARLnow.com

Published September 1, 2011 at 3:03PM | Updated September 1, 2011 at 10:40PM

That news comes as Washington Post employees reported on Twitter that the Post is shuttering all of its Virginia and Maryland local bureaus, with the exception of Richmond and Annapolis. The Post currently has local bureaus in Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and elsewhere.

The Poynter Institute’s Jim Romenesko has a memo from the Washington Post Guild’s Facebook page confirming the closures. “The closure of the physical buildings does not mean that the Post will reduce its local coverage,” according to the memo.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 26, 2011 at 8:30AM

Storm Shopping Clears Shelves — Residents are taking the advice of emergency officials and shopping for essential items in advance of Hurricane Irene. At the Potomac Yard Target store last night, shopping carts were at a premium, milk was running low and bottled water was completely sold out.

Two Candidates Challenge Brink — Del. Bob Brink will have to work a bit harder to keep his 48th District House of Delegates seat. Brink is facing general election challenges from Independent Green candidate Janet Murphy and from McLean resident Kathleen Gillette Mallard, who has ties to the Tea Party. [Sun Gazette]

Around Town

WaPo Covers Arlington’s ‘Karaoke Cab’

By ARLnow.com

Published August 9, 2011 at 10:39AM

Have you ever hopped in a Red Top Cab at night and realized that it wasn’t just a taxi, it was a karaoke parlor on wheels?

If so, you’ve probably met Joel Orbina Laguidao, the subject of an amusing Washington Post Style section feature this week.

Opinion

Morning Poll: Schools Instead of Streetcars?

By ARLnow.com

Published August 1, 2011 at 9:28AM

In an editorial, the Washington Post suggests that now would be the “wrong time” to start building a proposed streetcar line along Columbia Pike.

After all, the Post opines, the federal funds that the county hopes to receive for the $140-million-plus project may become difficult to obtain now that the federal government is on the verge of approving spending cuts. Arlington’s leaders, the Post editorial board says, would be better off spending the county’s share of the 4.7-mile streetcar line’s big price tag “elsewhere” — perhaps on additional capacity for the burgeoning Arlington Public School system.

Around Town

In Arlington, Danger is Underfoot

By ARLnow.com

Published May 3, 2011 at 4:00PM

The Post reports that podiatrists are treating a rash of flip flop-related injuries in the D.C. area, including one District-based foot doctor who treats at least one flip flop injury per day during the warm-weather months.

The health dangers of flip flops include stress fractures of the metatarsals, plantar fasciitis, cuts, bruises and sunburn, according to the article. But the scientific evidence is a bit thin.

Opinion

Morning Poll: Did You Watch The Royal Wedding?

By ARLnow.com

Published April 29, 2011 at 9:02AM

Yes, it seems that the much-ballyhooed royal wedding is local news. After all, that and a weather item regarding today’s slight risk of showers makes up the entirety of the “above the fold” portion of the Washington Post’s local news page.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 11, 2011 at 8:33AM | Updated February 11, 2011 at 8:49AM

Congressman Dated Pentagon City Mall Employee — Disgraced former Congressman Christopher Lee (R-NY) had “a relationship” with a young woman who “worked at an upscale Pentagon City department store,” according to the New York Post. GOP leadership reportedly ordered Lee to “curtail his randy DC antics” after word got out he was dating the “young salesclerk.” There is a Macy’s and a Nordstrom department store at Pentagon City mall. [New York Post]

Post Editorial Slams Arlington, Again — Three days after declaring that Arlington Public Schools should investigate the explosive claims of a former middle school teacher, the Washington Post’s editorial board is on Arlington’s case again. The Post says Arlington won “a battle over HOT lanes but may lose a war.” By effectively killing the I-395 HOT lanes project and blocking the widening of I-66, Arlington’s “NIMBYism” is “frustrating the county’s populous and fast-growing neighbors” while “undercut[ting] its own economic interests.” [Washington Post]