Friday, February 26
Arlington: Wakefield Headed to Third Region Final in Four Years
Warriors defeat Potomac Falls, will face Potomac in 5A North final.
The Wakefield boys' basketball team defeats Potomac Falls in 5A North region semifinals.
Thursday, February 25
Art of Driving Scholarship Expands Eligibility Outside Fairfax County
After the first few years being open only to Lake Braddock Secondary School Students, the Art of Driving college scholarship in honor of Lake Braddock student Ashley Thompson expanded to all Fairfax County High Schools.
Editorial: Bad Bills
General Assembly has potential to do lots of damage in a short period.
From pressing for use of a barbaric form of execution, the electric chair, to codifying discrimination, to stripping localities of the major tool for ensuring infrastructure is in place for new development, to hiding more and more critical public information from the public, the Virginia General Assembly is poised to do harm to the Commonwealth.
Wednesday, February 24
Classified Advertising February 24, 2016
Read the lastest ads here!
Arlington: Thirty-one Rescued Birds Survive Oil Spill
Survivors to be returned to site.
The Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research’s Oil Spill Response Team was activated by the Coast Guard on Thursday, Feb. 4 to respond to birds covered with oil from the newly-discovered Potomac River spill.
Arlington: Saying Goodbye to Kai
Making that final decision.
Kai‘s fancy “kennel” name was Sojourner, Summer of Storms. He was born in 2006, a summer full of rain and thunder. But “Kai” suited him best.
Arlington Snapshot: Blessed
Boone joined our family in June 2015 after being picked up as a stray and ultimately connected with Lab Rescue.
Monday, February 22
Arlington: Protecting Pets Helps Their Owners Too
Local animal shelters offer help to families in distress.
When her husband locked the family cat in a cage, submerged it in a bathtub filled with water and tried to drown it, a Fairfax County mother jumped in to save her beloved feline.
Arlington: Palette 22 Combines Working Art with International Flavors
Diners can watch art in progress.
Palette 22 at 4053 Campbell Ave. in Shirlington combines international street food with work stations for local artists where diners can watch art work in progress.
Thursday, February 18
Arlington: Cool-Headed Hays Helps Yorktown Win Region Title
Freshman places first in all-around, beam, floor.
The Yorktown gymnastics team won the 6A North region championship.
Arlington Home Sales: January, 2016
In January, 2016, 146 Arlington homes sold between $1,688,270-$124,900.
Arlington Home Sales: January, 2016
Wednesday, February 17
Arlington Column: General Assembly Reaches Crossover
Commentary
The Virginia General Assembly has finally reached “Crossover,” the halfway point by which each chamber must complete work on its own bills and begin considering legislation passed by the other body. Over 870 bills have passed the House of Delegates and over 700 made it through the Senate. We will be working diligently over the coming weeks to consider the remaining legislation, including 13 of my bills that have passed the Senate and await consideration by the House.
Oil Spill Reaches Roaches Run, Potomac
Dominion Power working on remediation.
The unraveling of the oil sheen mystery on the Potomac River took Federal, state and Arlington County officials, the Coast Guard, multiple lab tests and days of speculation.
Arlington Letter: Public Input Encouraged
Letter to the Editor
Your recent article [“Completing the Street,” Arlington Connection, p. 2] on the county's new Neighborhood Complete Streets (NCS) Program misrepresents the program.
Arlington Snapshot: Healthy School Award
The Marine Corps Marathon presented the Healthy School Award and a $1,000 check on Feb. 5 to Claremont Immersion Elementary School from MCM partner Sodexo.
Arlington: ‘Helping Paws’ Entertains Seniors
A treat for the audience and treats for the performer.
When Charles and Patty Toftoy visit Arlington Mill Community Center with Zoe in their arms, the smiles and laughter begin almost the moment they enter the door.
Hula Girl Brings Taste of Hawaii to Shirlington
What started as a food truck has blossomed into a full-fledged restaurant giving Hawaiians – and Hawaiian food fans – a taste of home.
Northern Virginia is home to innumerable cuisines. Salvadoran, Korean, Vietnamese, Southern barbecue, Ethiopian … the list goes on and on. But there’s been a dearth of Hawaiian cuisine in the region — until Hula Girl’s grand opening in Shirlington changed that.
Arlington Budget Season Blooms
Looking at the basics of the 2016 Arlington budget.
The birds will be singing, the snow will be melting, and throughout spring, Arlington County staff and board members will spend most of their afternoons haggling over finances. On Feb. 23, the County Board will vote on County Manager Mark Schwartz’s proposed FY 2017 budget, and 2016’s budget session will officially kick off.
Tuesday, February 16
Editorial: Freedom of Information on Life Support in General Assembly?
Last week, the Assembly passed SB 202, which undid a major push eight years ago to ensure that all of our public spending was ‘online’ and searchable by ordinary citizens. This, of course, meant disclosing the salaries of public employees over a certain income level.
Uncovering the Roots of Slavery
Local student creates slave index to help descendants trace family history.
A local college student is spending much of her senior year scouring the last wills and testaments of residents of Northern Virginia.
ServiceSource Helps People with Disabilities
Nonprofit ServiceSource helps people with disabilities.
In one section of the ServiceSource Chantilly Center, music therapist Myra Goodrich leads a group of budding musicians playing a cheerful song.
Touching Many Hearts
Minecraft for a Mission – Touching Heart and their “Kids on a Mission” raise funds for children in foster care.
They say that charity begins at home. Helen Yi and Taylor, the mother and daughter co-founders of Touching Heart, a nonprofit aimed at educating and inspiring children to empathize with the needs of others and to take action to assist them, have no argument with that statement.
‘Star Wars’ Fans Flock to Local Classes
Movie's popularity leaves fans wanting to feel "The Force."
Beams of neon light flash around a dark room. Young Star Wars fans from a galaxy not so far away wield light sabers and move with carefully choreographed steps.
Time To Plan for Kids’ Summer Camp Adventures
Local camp fair offers sampling of summer programs.
Under a blanket of February frost, summer might seem light years away, but it’s closer than one might think.
Arlington: Screening of 'Princess Bride' Draws Full House
Annual “Princess Bride” Valentine’s Day screening at Arlington Drafthouse.
Love. Revenge. A clever hero. A beautiful princess. Sword fights. “The Princess Bride” has everything anyone could want in a Valentine’s Day movie, which is how the classic film became an annual tradition at the Arlington Drafthouse, which shows the movie, along with a magic show or stand up, every Feb. 14.
Wednesday, February 10
Arlington: Breaking Through
Yorktown gymnastics wins Conference 6 championship.
Yorktown won the Conference 6 gymnastics championship.
Classified Advertising February 10, 2016
Read the latest ads here!
Arlington 2015 Home Sales
In 2015, 1520 Arlington homes sold between $3,700,000-$30,000.
Arlington 2015 Home Sales
Tuesday, February 9
Virginia Cigarette Tax Remains Lowest in Nation
Opportunity for increase in cigarette tax blows up in smoke.
Dale Stein and the McLean Citizens Association couldn’t even raise a match before legislators in Richmond extinguished a possible increase in the cigarette tax for Fairfax County.
Stylish Valentine’s Day Table Settings
Flowers and candles create romantic designs.
Fresh flowers and candles are an easy way to add elegance and romance to a Valentine’s Day table. From dramatic to understated, local tastemakers offer suggestions for setting the mood for a memorable dinner.
Bringing Order to Household Chaos
Clever design solutions for hiding clutter.
Wires, cable boxes, soccer cleats, pet bowls and other items are life’s necessities, but they can be unsightly and disrupt the aesthetic of an elegant living space.
Arlington: Completing the Street
Public feedback potentially left on the roadside.
How’s your sidewalk? If you live near a road where there’s no sidewalk on either side of the street, or the sidewalk is incomplete, your street might be be receiving a makeover courtesy of Arlington County. The new Neighborhood Complete Streets Program, approved by the County Board at its Jan. 28 meeting, could have a radical impact on the lives of some Arlingtonians.
Arlington: Mardi Gras Cooking with a Healthy Twist
Onion, green pepper and celery — “The Holy Trinity.”
"What do you think of when I say New Orleans?" Katy Strong, dietitian, nutritionist and Extension agent, asked her Mardi Gras Cooking class the question on the day before Fat Tuesday, the celebration of Mardi Gras before the traditional fasting of Lent begins. One voice says "spicy." Another offers "all those bands."
Arlington Snapshot: Award Winners
Otilia Danalache (left) of Vienna and Atharv Gupta of Arlington, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology freshmen, won a Best Delegate Award at The Ivy League Model United Nations Conference 2016. The conference, which took place Jan. 28-31 in Philadelphia, featured debate, discussion, and the opportunity for the world's future leaders to engage with and solve myriad issues. TJHSST's Model United Nations team won 9 Gavels, 9 Outstandings, 6 Honorables and 4 Verbal Awards, as well as the ILMUNC XXXII Outstanding Large Delegation Award.
Arlington Snapshot: Designer of the Year
Reem Acra’s designs epitomize global glamour, with European style, a sense of luxury and a modern aesthetic. She will be honored as Marymount University’s 2016 Designer of the Year at the school’s annual student fashion show, Portfolio in Motion, on April 28 in the Rose Benté Lee Center on Marymount’s main campus in Arlington, Virginia.
Arlington Snapshot: Healthy School Award
The Marine Corps Marathon presented the Healthy School Award and a $1,000 check on Feb. 4 to Taylor Elementary School from MCM partner Sodexo.
Honoring Black History
Fairfax County’s Cable Network presents programs in celebration of Black History Month.
Fairfax Public Access (FPA) will air a special series of movies and documentaries throughout the month of February in recognition of Black History Month.
Helping Arlington Set a Course
Department of Parks and Recreation asks residents to weigh in.
Arlington residents were given four chances over the past week to weigh in on their parks, recreation, and natural resources. “POPS,” a Plan for Our Spaces, was initiated by the county’s planners and the Parks Department to solicit input from residents. They gathered on Friday, Feb. 5, at the happy hour at Whitlow’s on Wilson Boulevard to drink Dale’s Pale Ale and put green dots on the charts around the room.
Proffers in Danger?
Richmond caught the attention of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week specifically with House Bill 770 (Gilbert) and Senate B 549 (Obenshain), bills Sharon Bulova says will place “significant restrictions” on development, specifically citing “unreasonable proffers.”
Arlington: Consultants Unveil Draft Plan for Lee Highway
Residents indicate approval of direction but concern about unintended consequences.
The concepts of “Complete Streets,” “New Urbanism,” pop up parks, and TDR’s were new to many of the 183 residents gathered at Yorktown High School on Saturday, Feb. 6.
Arlington Brief: Awards Spotlight Architectural and Landscape Designs
Eleven architectural and landscape projects were selected to receive 2015 DESIGNArlington awards.
Wednesday, February 3
Snowzilla Summit Ahead
Board names Fairfax County Animal Shelter for Michael Frey.
“What a difference a week makes,” said County Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), in case anybody had moved on from the 29.3 inches of measured snow at Dulles Airport during last week’s blizzard.
Arlington: Yorktown girls’ swim team wins first Conference 6 title.
Two Yorktown boys' records fall.
The Yorktown girls' swim and dive team wins the Conference 6 title.
Classified Advertising February 3, 2016
Read the latest ads here!
Tuesday, February 2
Arlington: Gondola Project Gets Off the Ground
Board approves feasibility study for Rosslyn-Georgetown Gondola.
It's crazy enough that it just might work.
Another Opportunity to Talk About It
Super Bowl Sunday is Sunday, Feb. 7, and often more about the parties than the game.
Editorial: Economic Development in Virginia
The General Assembly prides itself in providing a pro-business climate, but refuses infusion of more than $3 billion annually.
Hundreds of bills before this year’s General Assembly session focus on “business climate,” providing incentives for businesses to locate and expand here, extending tax exemptions and tax credits, encouraging international trade, reducing regulation and many other approaches perceived as pro-business.
Marking American Heart Month
Month-long observance raises awareness about cardiovascular disease and the role of aerobic exercise in preventing it.
Music is thumping, sweat is dripping and hearts are pounding. In a packed aerobic dance studio, students move in the name of health.
Arlington Snapshot: Heart Pillows for Heart Month
Woman's Club of Arlington is honoring Heart Month by making padded recovery heart pillows to be donated to those who have had recent heart surgery. From left are Sandy Newton, Vicky Gill, Kathleen Harrison and Club President Anne Kauzlarich. The American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 5.
Arlington Enters Final Snow-Clearing Phase
The fallout of the 2016 massive snowstorm is coming to a close for Arlington.
Juggling Grandparenting in Baltimore and Arlington
Making schedules work across the generations.
It is Monday. That means that Mike and Dot Green are caring for their granddaughters Calliope and Thalia Willis in their home on N. 31st Street in Arlington. Dot Green says that Calliope at 3 is very funny and active. She has lots of facial expressions and loves to run … "has to run," Mike Green interjects.
Arlington Snapshot: Starting New Year Off Giving
Andrea Morici, a member of the Woman's Club of Arlington, knitted more than 300 items to donate in 2015: scarves, hats, baby and lap blankets. She delivered 40 hat/scarf sets to A-Span in Arlington recently, just in time for the cold weather. Lamont Coleman appreciates his new, bright set. A-Span staff noted there is an ongoing need for donations of coats for both men and women. See www.a-span.org/.
Arlington: Story of Radium Girls To Glow on Yorktown Stage
One-act drama co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters-Arlington and American Association of University Women-Arlington.
On Thursday, Feb 11, Ginny Mohler will be back at her old high school in Arlington, where she was a theater student 10 years ago. This time, she’ll be there as a prize-winning filmmaker, watching the Yorktown High School actors perform “The Girls Who Glow,” an adaptation of her screenplay. The one-act drama is a sister project of the feature film “Radium Girls” which Mohler co-wrote and is slated to direct this spring.
Arlington: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Visits During Book Tour
Sharing his perspective on life, sports and religion.
“Life is short, but it’s very wide,” said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in response to a question during the recent Conversations with Tyler: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Arlington: TreeStewards Seek Volunters
County staff as well as school officials and staff encouraged to join.
Washington, Virginia, and Maryland have lost roughly 2.5 percent of tree canopy every decade since 1950. According to Casey Trees, only 35 percent of Virginia is tree canopy. Trees need advocates, and the TreeStewards, together with Casey Trees, the Park Service, and county officials, function as local advocates.
Arlington: Braving Slippery Streets to Resolve to Run — or Walk
Thrive posts updated registration and clinic dates due to snow.
Chip Benjamin came to the happy hour at Pete’s Pizza in Clarendon on Jan. 20, because he was thinking of walking the 5K in honor of his friend, Judie Armington, who died of ovarian cancer this past year.
Arlington Column: Nondiscrimination Bills Pass Senate
Commentary
As the snow thawed and the General Assembly went about its business last week, a number of developments occurred involving LGBT rights.
Monday, February 1
Arlington Players Mix Mystery, Plot Reversals and Humor
TAP presents “Deathtrap.”
The Arlington Players (TAP) will perform "Deathtrap," the longest running comedy-thriller ever on Broadway, Feb. 5-7 and 12-13, at the Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre in Arlington. The show is a blend of mystery, plot reversals and humor. Its author, Ira Levin, wrote both "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives."