| ARLnow.com - Part 3

Arlington Pet of the Week: Edie

Published January 6, 2016 at 11:55AM

This week’s Pet of the Week is Edie, a seven-year-old rescue cat. Originally from the midwest, Edie has spent the last five years living with her adoptive parents in Arlington.

Some of Edie’s favorite things include sleeping and keeping a watchful eye on her home. She also loves to play and has a vibrant personality. Here’s what Edie’s mom had to say about the sweet kitty:

Edie — better know as “Kitty,” “Miss Kitty Cat,” or simply, “Miss” — is a seven-year-old rescue cat from Akron, Ohio. The kind people at Paws and Prayers pet rescue took her in as a pregnant stray when she was one year old. I originally planned to adopt one of Edie’s kittens, but when I saw how sweet and scared she was, I decided to adopt her instead.

When I moved to Arlington in 2011 to be with my now-husband, Edie was my navigator for the six-hour trek. At first, she wasn’t too sure about sharing her domain with a big, loud guy. However, she quickly discovered that he was far superior to me in lap space and brushing skills, and they are now best buddies.

Edie’s hobbies include sleeping on soft things — especially laundry and my t-shirt quilt — surveying her kitty kingdom from our apartment windows, and yowling at my husband for deli turkey while he packs his lunch. She loves belly rubs and pouncing on her many “mousies” but has a mortal fear of plastic bags and cardboard boxes. She is bossy, affectionate, and constantly makes us laugh with her antics, especially when she’s on a catnip trip.

No kitten, no matter how adorable, can compare to our Miss.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

#Pet of the Week

Courthouse Plaza Construction to Wrap Up This Spring

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 5, 2016 at 3:35PM

The seemingly endless construction at Courthouse Plaza — the privately-owned, open-air shopping center near the Courthouse Metro station — is finally nearing an end.

The final phase of construction at Courthouse Plaza is underway, we’re told, completing a series of improvement projects to the property that has extended over the course of the last several years.

The project currently under construction will make streetscape improvements along Clarendon Boulevard to “create a new pedestrian experience.” These improvements include installing new pavers — the stone along pedestrian walkways — and updating the entry into the plaza itself.

Once complete, the plaza will have a new, outdoor gathering space with seating. The area will also have contemporary landscaping features.

These outdoor improvements mark the end of the last phase of capital improvement projects for the building, according to Mara Olguin, spokeswoman for the property’s owner, Vornado. She said plans to make these improvements began more than three years ago and have involved multiple projects.

Some of these include the lease renewal and renovations to the AMC movie theater and improvements to the parking garages at 2200 and 2300 Clarendon Blvd. Before that, Vornado also oversaw the installation of new brickwork in the plaza.

Olguin added all the projects mentioned are consistent with the new Courthouse Sector Plan and Retail Action Plan, which the County Board approved last summer.

Construction work on the plaza’s outdoor area will continue through the winter and early spring. All work is expected to be completed by this April.

Photo via Vornado

Ballston Resident Helps Disabled Man Lost on the Metro Get Home

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 5, 2016 at 1:30PM

Yesterday’s evening commute for Ballston resident Andrea Gagliardi was following the normal routine, until she found herself helping a disabled man find his way home.

The man — who Gagliardi described as approximately 50 years old, mute and mentally disabled — was being helped by another woman when she arrived at the Courthouse Metro station. That woman was visibly upset, saying someone had dropped him off at the station, leaving him to figure out how to get to an address written on the back of a business card.

“I couldn’t believe someone had just left him,” Gagliardi told ARLnow.com this morning. “The other woman was truly an angel for finding him and initiating the help because I might not have noticed him if she hadn’t called me over.”

The woman asked Gagliardi if she recognized the address. Though she didn’t, she thought she recognized the ZIP code and confirmed it was also in Ballston.

“I offered to take him on the train since I was going that direction, hoping there would be police at my station,” she said. “I wasn’t going to try and take him to the address. It could’ve been any place that wasn’t safe for him or me to be.”

“I didn’t feel threatened by the man at all,” Gagliardi added. “He was pleasant and friendly throughout the trip. I just think he was embarrassed, so I kept ensuring him we would figure it out together.”

Gagliardi was surprised to find a lack of police presence at the Ballston station and decided to get the attention of the station manager, who at first thought the man couldn’t speak English. Once he realized the man couldn’t speak at all, that’s when Gagliardi said he understood the gravity of the situation and Metro officials took over.

“The manager led him away from the crowds, so I left the station looking for a police officer, but no such luck,” she said. “I knew I had done the right thing, but I started feeling guilty thinking I should’ve stayed and made sure he was okay. If I could do it again, I would’ve stayed.”

The incident Monday was the third time in a little over the year Gagliardi has come to the assistance of someone in need at an Arlington Metro station. The first was an intoxicated man who almost fell onto the tracks, and last month a woman was stuck on an elevator.

“At first I thought why does this always happen to me,” she said. “But in each of the three scenarios I’ve been involved in, there have been other people also helping.”

(more…)

D.C. Political Comedy Troupe to Perform at Yorktown for Fundraiser

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 5, 2016 at 12:00PM | Updated January 5, 2016 at 1:28PM

A D.C.-based comedy troupe known for “putting the mock in democracy” is coming to an Arlington high school this month to support local theater.

The Capitol Steps will perform at Yorktown High School on Sunday, Jan. 31 from 7-9 p.m. The ensemble was formed by a group of Senate Staffers and has been performing their comedy — which combines both musical and political elements — for more than 30 years.

The troupe will perform songs from their latest album entitled Mock the Vote at the show. Together, the performers in the group have worked in 18 Congressional offices and have a combined 62 years of experience in the Senate and House.

General admission tickets are $35 per person. There will also be a pre-show cafe from 6-6:50 p.m. that requires separate tickets for $10 apiece. Both are available for purchase online.

A portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales will support the Yorktown Theatre Arts Program.

Photo via Yorktown High School Theatre Arts

Kickboxing Gym Now Open with Limited Hours on Columbia Pike

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 5, 2016 at 11:00AM

Rapidly-expanding kickboxing gym company 9Round opened a new location along Columbia Pike over the weekend.

For now, the fitness club’s location at 2501 9th Road S., at Penrose Square, is in a “soft opening” period, announcing hours of operation on a week-by-week basis. It will be open from 4-9 p.m. through this Thursday and 4-8 p.m. on Friday.

According to 9Round partner Michael Agrillo, the location is offering specials for the opening and will host a grand opening party soon.

This is the second 9Round location to open in Arlington in the last three months. The other opened in November on N. Quincy Street in Ballston.

When the company first announced the new Arlington gyms in September, Agrillo said the company may look at a new space in Pentagon City or Crystal City.

That brings the total number of 9Rounds in the county up to three with considerations for a fourth, including the first Arlington location in Courthouse at 2250 Clarendon Blvd.

The Penrose Square gym is also the first of two 9Round gyms that opened in northern Virginia this week. A location in Falls Church at 6649 Arlington Blvd opened yesterday. It will be open this week during the same hours as the Penrose Square location.

Ebbin Trying Again to Codify LGBTQ Rights In Virginia Law

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 5, 2016 at 10:00AM

State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D) is trying again to codify some basic LGBTQ rights in Virginia.

Ebbin has proposed three bills to the General Assembly regarding same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights — bills very similar to the three that were rejected during last year’s legislative session. They were all defeated in their respective committees.

One bill would repeal the amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that defines valid or recognized marriages as “only a union between a man and a woman.” It also prohibits the creation or recognition of other legal relationship statuses — including partnerships and unions — that are assigned the same rights and benefits as marriages. This amendment was approved by voters during the November 2006 election, but declared unconstitutional by a federal judge in 2014.

Another Ebbin bill would repeal two pieces of state law that prohibit same-sex marriages and civil unions. The statute prohibiting marriage between individuals of the same sex and considering such marriages conducted in another state void was first enacted in 1975. The statute that does the same for civil unions was passed in 2004.

The final bill would amend the Virginia Human Rights Act by prohibiting public employers from discriminating against potential employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Furthermore, this bill would ensure pregnancy, childbirth/related medical conditions, marital status and status as a veteran are also included under the anti-discrimination section of the law. Race, color, religion, political affiliation, age, disability and national origin are already protected under this law.

These bill proposals were reintroduced to the state legislature approximately six months after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in all 50 states. Various Arlington officials spoke out after the ruling, supporting the decision.

Ebbin — who became the first openly gay state legislator elected in Virginia in 2003 — could not be reached for comment on his proposals. All three are currently in committee for consideration.

Virginia’s 2016 General Assembly legislative session is scheduled to last for 60 days, beginning on Jan. 13 and ending on March 12.

File photo

New Shirlington Brewery to Open This Saturday

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 4, 2016 at 3:50PM

After first announcing its plans to open late last summer, a new brewery near Shirlington is ready to open its doors this weekend.

New District Brewing Co. (2709 S. Oakland Street) is scheduled to open to the public this Saturday, Jan. 9 at noon, according to co-owner Steve Katrivanos. The 5,200 square foot space is off S. Four Mile Run Drive near the Shirlington dog park and the W&OD Trail.

Though Katrivanos and his brother Mike — who built the brewery’s brewhouse system — had hoped to open before the end of 2015, inspection processes delayed the opening.

This Saturday’s grand opening will feature nine beers on tap, accompanied by food trucks to be on location all afternoon. There will also be t-shirts and hoodies for sale and growlers available for purchase.

After it opens, New District Brewing Co. will boast the title of the first production brewery to open in Arlington in nearly 100 years.

New District will have full brewing operations on site and will distribute its beer to restaurants and bars. The brewery also has its own bar, with up to a dozen beers on tap at once, a tasting room with tables and a small retail space.

According to Katrivanos, more details about Saturday’s opening will be announced later this week via the company’s Facebook page.

Checking In: More Progress for Arlington Startups

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 4, 2016 at 1:45PM

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Last week, we took a step back to check in with previously featured Arlington startups that have experienced growth over the last year, including OnYou, GoGlove and Cards Against Urbanity, the game brainchild of the founders of fellow startup GreaterPlaces.

But these companies aren’t the only ones in Arlington that are thriving and deserve a head nod in a year-end check-in, starting in the world of mobile technology.

A little more than a year ago, EdgeTechLabs founder Shaun Masavage resigned from his job at the Office of Naval Research to work full-time on DrinkMate. Though the smartphone breathalyzer originally only worked for Android phones, the iPhone compatible version of the product will be available this month.

Masavage said much of 2015 was “quite the year of development” and is planning to roll out other new products in 2016. In the near future, the company is also planning to move into the Crystal City WeWork space from its existing office near Clarendon.

Another mobile application-based startup was still in development when it was first featured, but Notify AnyWhere recently launched its application for Android and web platforms.

“The primary focus of Notify AnyWhere was to be able to provide a single platform to reach millions of people irrespective of their access to Internet or other networks,” founder and CEO Ajay Maheshwari said in an e-mail update.

He added this purpose hasn’t changed, and the app consolidates all means of communication — social media, e-mail, text messaging, and automated voice calls — to notify users via a single platform to reach these masses of people. It’s still free to download, and paid packages are available for users who plan to share messages via the app.

In addition to the United States, Notify AnyWhere now has subscribers in Canada, South America, the United Kingdom, China, India, and other parts of Europe and Asia. Some of these include paying subscribers who have utilized the app for everything from election campaigns to weather and other emergency alerts.

The Notify AnyWhere team has grown significantly, and Maheshwari said so have opportunities for the app, including interest from FEMA and the U.S. Department of Justice.

“With the exponential growth we have seen in 2015, we are more focused and determined to achieve our goals,” he said. “Giving back to the community in whatever way we can is our mantra and that keeps us motivated and energized.”

Technology-based job search company Snagajob also has exponential growth to report for 2015, more specifically in the last six months.

The employment website and application has attracted more than 65 million job seekers, 15,000 employers and features more than one million job opportunities, according to company spokeswoman Lauren Dyke. Snagajob has also made in-house improvements, hiring 100 of its own job-seekers — also known as “snaggers” — and launching two new updates to its mobile app for Android and Apple.

“I am proud and humbled by how much we have grown in such a short amount of time,” CEO Peter Harrison said. “I am confident this incredible momentum will only continue into 2016 as we accelerate our development of innovative products, expand our workforce, and increase our strategic alliances.”

With such growth, the company has quickly filled its Arlington office and has spread its 300 total employees between Arlington and Richmond as it celebrates 16 years since first launching.

Some things, however, you can’t totally rely on technology for. Moving is one of those things, and Rosslyn-based startup ValueCrates wanted to make that process as painless as possible when it first launched in the summer of 2014.

(more…)

#Startup Monday

Arlington Pet of the Week: Orso

Published December 30, 2015 at 12:30PM

This week’s Pet of the Week is Orso, a young miniature dachshund mix who has spent most of his life in Arlington.

With an Italian name and an open mind to adventure, Orso enjoys playing and spending his days alongside his favorite human. Here’s what Orso’s mom had to say about the loving little pup:

Hello! My name is Orso, Orsolino affectionately. My mom tells me it means little bear. I am a five month old mini doxie/terrier mix who made my way to Arlington from North Carolina. She adopted me when I was just 8 weeks old!

Some of my favorite things include eating, learning new tricks, puppy playtime, snuggling, and PEANUT BUTTER. I love going on walks, but I mostly lay in the grass and roll over at the feet of other humans and dogs. I know I’m cute and I want everyone to play with me!

I am an adventurer as well, in my short life I have already mastered road trips, kayaking, hiking, and happy hour — just water for me. Although I keep active, there is no better way to end my day then snuggled up in bed with my favorite stuffed animal and my mom.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

#Pet of the Week

Ebbin Bill Would Keep New Payday Loan Offices 20 Miles Away from Casinos

By Jennifer Currier

Published December 30, 2015 at 11:25AM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:31PM

State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D) has proposed a bill that would prevent the State Corporation Commission (SCC) from approving licenses for payday lending and motor vehicle title lending offices within 20 miles of a casino facility.

Payday lending offices give unsecured, small loans in the form of cash advances, and title lenders give secured loans for which the borrowers can use their car as collateral.

If passed, applicants looking to establish either kind of office would have to prove that their proposed location is not within 20 miles of a casino in any state. That 20 mile limit would start at a casino’s front door and be measured in a straight line.

The bill specifies that any payday or title lender that opens before July 1, 2016, will not have its license revoked even if it’s within 20 miles of a casino, and any such lender that opens after that date will not have its license revoked if a casino later opens within 20 miles.

Though reports earlier this fall suggested a recently-recognized Pamunkey Indian tribe wanted to open one outside Richmond, there are no casinos in the Commonwealth.

The bill would effectively ban new payday and title lenders in Arlington County after the planned MGM National Harbor casino opens. That opening is currently set for the second half of 2016.

Ebbin — who represents parts of Arlington County, Alexandria and Fairfax County — could not be reached for comment.

The bill is currently in committee and must pass there before being considered by the Virginia General Assembly. It faces steep odds in the Republican-controlled, business-friendly state legislature. The 2016 legislative session begins in two weeks and is scheduled to last 60 days.

File photo

Checking In: Arlington Startups See Growth, New Opportunities in 2015

By Jennifer Currier

Published December 28, 2015 at 3:45PM | Updated January 24, 2016 at 2:11PM

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Success in business isn’t always easily defined as it varies from company to company, industry to industry, market to market. This is especially true for startups, as success often relies on using trends and feedback to grow and explore new opportunities, even if they’re different than the ones that inspired the company in the first place.

ARLnow has profiled several startups who have done this. After first being profiled a year ago, some of them experienced positive growth in 2015 and have plans to continue to grow in 2016.

One of these is OnYou, a company that created a magnetic armband phone case specifically designed for runners, bicyclists and other fitness buffs. While the magnets in the armband are strong enough to keep smartphones safe and in place during such activities, the phone can easily be detached from the armband and used, for example, to change the music or answer a text message.

This summer, OnYou co-counder Scott Bauer — who started the company while he was still in grad school at George Mason University — reported that after running a successful Kickstarter campaign. the company won a business competition in April 2015. By July, OnYou was selling products from its own website and shipping products directly to customers.

According to their Facebook page, OnYou has upgraded its armband design and will be unveiling new products after the new year.

In another sector of the wearable cellular technology world, GoGlove has also moved from the pre-sales of a successful Kickstarter and is selling the product from its own website and on Amazon. The Bluetooth gloves allow wearers to answer their cell phones, change music or control apps without taking a phone out of their pocket.

“Feedback from initial sales have been great,” GoGlove co-founder Michael Conti said. “A lot of buyers have e-mailed us saying that it was a huge hit as a Christmas gift.”

Since the company was first featured about a year ago, they’ve developed other Bluetooth products. Bluz — a Bluetooth development kit that operates via the cloud — now has its own Kickstarter and is available for pre-sale. Conti added they’ve also been contacted by other companies interested in integrating the wireless technology into their own products.

Another startup that’s realized new opportunities in their segment this year is Cards Against Urbanity, a parody card game that has now proved as the most effective means of connecting planning firms and the people with the most concerns — the residents.

(more…)

#Startup Monday