Author: Katie Pyzyk

Air Force Cycling Classic to Roll into Arlington

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) Thousands of spectators will line the streets of Arlington this weekend, as bicyclists roll through for The Air Force Cycling Classic.

This Saturday, June 9, the event kicks off with the Clarendon Cup, near the Clarendon Metro. There will be a number of races throughout the day for men and women of various abilities. There will also be a children’s event. On Sunday, June 10, the action moves to Crystal Drive in Crystal City.

Registration can be found online, and the schedule is as follows:

Saturday, June 9

  • 8:00 a.m. — Men’s Masters Amateur Race
  • 8:55 a.m. — Men’s Elite Amateur Race
  • 9:55 a.m. — Women’s Elite Race:
  • 11:35 a.m. — Kids’ Race
  • 12:00 p.m. — Men’s Pro Race

Sunday, June 10

  • 7:30 a.m. — Crystal Ride
  • 11:15 a.m. — Kids’ Race
  • 11:30 a.m. — Men’s Pro Race
  • 1:25 p.m. — Women’s Elite Race
  • 2:30 p.m. — Men’s Elite Amateur Race (Category 3 racing license)
  • 3:25 p.m. — Men’s Elite Amateur Race (Category 4 racing license)

A number of roads will be closed for the races, and the Arlington County Police will be helping to direct traffic. Parking may be restricted in the affected areas, so residents should look for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. The closures are below:

Saturday, June 9, from 4:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

  • Wilson Blvd from N. Fillmore Street to Washington Blvd
  • Clarendon Blvd from Washington Blvd to N. Fillmore Street
  • Washington Blvd from Wilson Blvd to N. Highland Street
  • Highland Street from Wilson Blvd to Washington Blvd
  • Garfield Street and Fillmore Street from Wilson Blvd to Washington Blvd
Sunday, June 10, from 5:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
  • Joyce Street from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike
  • Columbia Pike from Oak Street to Pentagon South Parking (access to Pentagon, Eads and Fern Street)
  • South Gate Road, no access to Columbia Pike
  • Eastbound Washington Blvd at I-395
  • Westbound Washington Blvd from Memorial Bridge
  • Boundary Channel Drive
  • Crystal Drive from 23rd Street to Army Navy Drive- no vehicle traffic permitted northbound or southbound on Crystal Drive Access (will be granted to Clark Street from 12th Street)
  • 15th Street and Jefferson Davis Highway – no traffic permitted east of Jefferson Davis Highway. All traffic that comes east of Eads Street must use Route 1.
  • 18th and Clark Street – no vehicle traffic permitted eastbound towards Crystal Drive unless parking. All traffic will be detoured southbound on Bell Street.
  • 20th and Jefferson Davis Highway – no traffic permitted from Jefferson Davis Highway to 20th Street or to the access road that parallels Jefferson Davis Highway to the east.
  • 23rd and Jefferson Davis Highway – All traffic coming from or across Jefferson Davis Highway will be sent south on Clark Street. The normal lanes of traffic on 23rd Street coming from Crystal Drive will be used for the race route. Traffic coming from Crystal Drive on 23rd Street will be using the eastbound lanes.
  • Southbound Route 110 ramp to northbound I-395 will be closed until noon.
  • Southbound Route 110 from Rosslyn to S. 15th Street will be closed until noon.

Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Viewing Events on Tuesday for Rare Solar Occurrence

By Katie Pyzyk

A rare solar event is taking place on Tuesday, June 5. The Transit of Venus will be visible throughout Arlington around the time of the evening rush hour tomorrow.

During the event, Venus passes between Earth and the sun, making the planet look like a dark dot on the sun. It’s one of the rarest predictable astronomical phenomena. The passing should last for about six hours, but will be visible at different times around the world. According to the Transit of Venus website, Arlington residents should be able to see the transit starting at 6:04 p.m.

Friends of Arlington’s Planetarium will hold a viewing at the top of the Kettler Iceplex (627 N. Glebe Road, #800), starting at 5:45 p.m. Displays, telescopes and safety glasses for viewing the transit will be available at the free event.

The National Science Foundation is also sponsoring a free Transit of Venus event. A lecture by Dr. Larry Marschall, Professor of Physics at Gettysburg College, will take place from 4:00-5:00 p.m. in the National Science Foundation (4201 Wilson Blvd) atrium. He will use pictures, movies and stories to describe the significance of the event. There will also be a telescope set up outside the north entrance to observe the transit, around 6:15 p.m.

If you want to watch the transit but can’t make it to one of the viewing events, be sure to take measures to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. The Transit of Venus website lists some safe ways to view the passing, and specifically says looking at the sun through common sunglasses is not safe enough. Slooh, an online space camera, will also provide a live feed of the event that is safe to watch, starting at 6:00 p.m.

This will likely be your only chance to see the Transit of Venus, because the next one doesn’t happen until December 2117. The last one occurred on June 8, 2004. The events take place in a paired pattern, with transits eight years apart, then more than 100 years apart.

Photo via Wikipedia

Fiber Optic Lines to Improve County Operations

By Katie Pyzyk

The first phase of the county’s project to install fiber optic lines — an effort to upgrade outdated copper lines installed nearly 30 years ago — is nearly complete.

So far, about one-third of what will be 60 miles of line has been installed in sections stretching from Clarendon to Glebe Road in Ballston, down Glebe Road to Columbia Pike, and east to the Air Force Memorial. The project, which has been dubbed ConnectArlington, will eventually link over 90 individual sites around the county.

The new network will allow for more communication capacity thanks to increased bandwith compared with the old copper lines. In addition to connecting government buildings and structures, officials say it’s designed to improve communications with residents as well.

With the new network, residents will experience improved service for calls to 911. Up until now, the county’s towers for emergency radio communications worked via microwave. Factors like overgrown foliage and bad weather can interfere with microwave signals, but shouldn’t affect the new fiber optic system. The lines also allow for command centers throughout the county that can be activated in case of emergencies.

“Everybody wants to be able to communicate more and more,” said Jack Belcher with the county’s Department of Technology Services. “So the more we can put into this network the better, as far as residents communicating with us.”

The system is also expected to improve traffic management and public transportation with an intelligent transportation system. Such a system should allow for automatic adjustments of signal timing when traffic patterns suddenly change, like during an accident.

Another benefit of the fiber optics is a redundant network. That means a break in one line should still allow information to transfer via another route along the network. Belcher said that will prevent entire buildings from experiencing outages, which sometimes happens under the current system.

Currently, the focus is on wiring what’s considered the infrastructure “backbone” of the system, including nearly 60 traffic signals and 11 public safety ports. The ultimate goal is to add 32 county buildings and 18 Arlington Public Schools buildings to the network. The first stage of that process is slated to begin in fall of 2013.

“The easy part is building the core network, like traffic signals and radio tower,” said Belcher. “The challenge will be expanding to the schools and the county buildings down the road.”

Construction on the first phase is wrapping up, and the next phase, which will include work in Shirlington and Fairlington, is expected to be completed in the spring or summer of next year. The third phase involves various traffic signals north of Route 50. Work on that is expected sometime between 2013 and 2015, pending funding approval.

Photo courtesy Arlington County

Congressional Candidates Receive Endorsements as Primary Approaches

By Katie Pyzyk

 

Arlington’s two Democratic congressional candidates — incumbent Jim Moran and challenger Bruce Shuttleworth — are racking up some endorsements ahead of the primaries on June 12.

This week, Shuttleworth received an endorsement from civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis.

“I’ve been involved in Civil Rights and the Democratic Party for over 50 years in Virginia and across America. Today, we need a Progressive Democrat like Bruce Shuttleworth to be in the Congress,” Chavis said.

“Moran has precipitated a contentious relationship with the African American community and has failed to show adequate leadership in representing the 99% over the 1% big business interests that have massively contributed to his campaign,” Chavis added. “I am wholly convinced that Bruce Shuttleworth will never compromise his values – and that is why I am supporting him. Bruce Shuttleworth is a proven ethical leader.”

Last week, Moran received an endorsement from the LGBT Democrats of America PAC.

“Congressman Moran has a long history as a champion for our cause and devoted friend of our community,” said Tiffany M. Joslyn, PAC President. “His positions on issues important to LGBT Virginians, combined with his actual record of sponsorship on and votes for legislation supporting LGBT equality, make him the clear choice for our community.”

“The fact that both candidates in this primary sought the endorsement of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia PAC is a very positive sign for both the Democratic Party and Virginia,” said Joel McDonald, PAC President-Elect. “While both Moran and Shuttleworth agreed with our positions on the issues, Moran’s longtime dedication to, and record of, fighting against discrimination was the deciding factor.”

Update at 4:40 p.m. — A spokesman for the Moran campaign says the congressman has also received endorsements this year from the Sierra Club, the International Association of Firefighters, Sen. Jim Webb, Sen. Mark Warner, Gov. Tim Kaine, and state Sen. Adam Ebbin. The Shuttleworth campaign has a list of endorsements on its website.

Report: Electric Cars Could Save Families Hundreds this Summer

By Katie Pyzyk

As summer travel season ramps up, a lot of money will be put toward filling up the car with gas. But a new report claims the average Virginia family could save $560 at the pump this summer by using more fuel efficient cars.

The Environment Virginia Research & Policy Center, an organization aimed at promoting cleaner energy options, released the report. It highlights President Obama’s proposal to increase fuel efficiency to 54.5 mpg by 2025.

Organization representatives presented the findings today at a press conference at the River House Apartments (1400 S. Joyce Street) in Pentagon City. There, they highlighted the electric car charging station in the parking lot, and urged Arlington residents to consider purchasing an electric car.

The report claims that the improved standards would save the equivalent amount of pollution as taking three coal power plants offline for the summer, on top of the $560 each Virginia family would save.

“Not only could you take that trip to Virginia Beach while burning much less oil along the way, but you could book the family a hotel for a couple of extra days with the money you’re saving,” said John Cross, Federal Transportation Advocate for Environment Virginia.

Congressman Jim Moran (D) backs the proposed standards mentioned in the report.

“From an economic, environmental and national security perspective, we must reduce our dependency on oil,” said Moran in a statement. “This new report from Environment America highlights the importance of moving forward with cleaner, more fuel efficient cars.”

Cross noted that buying an electric car now has a positive environmental impact, even though the standards aren’t yet to the 54.5 mpg mark.

“Drivers do not have to wait until 2025 to reap the benefits of cleaner cars,” Cross said. “A bumper crop of fuel efficient cars have already started coming to the showroom floor.

Rocky Run Park Revamp Includes Area for Skaters

By Katie Pyzyk

A plan to improve Rocky Run Park — located along N. Barton Street in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood — appears close to moving forward.

One notable aspect of the plan features an area specifically designed for skateboarders. The lower portion of the park is the area aimed at skaters, where special “sculptures” will be installed. The “skateable art” is meant to be functional for skateboarding, as well as visually appealing for other visitors.

Two basketball courts will sit in the middle of the park; they will be striped both for basketball and other sports like volleyball and futbol sala. The courts will be lit at night, as will the adjacent revamped field. The current stone dust field will be redone with a synthetic turf surface.

An existing playground for older (5-12 year old) children will be relocated to the upper end of the park along N. Barton Street, to be next to the tot (2-5 year old) playground. Both will receive some new play equipment.

Additional seating and picnic tables will be installed throughout the park, along with new trash cans, recycling containers and bicycle parking. The plans also include increased accessibility with the construction of Americans with Disabilities Act compliant walkways. During the revamp, grading and drainage will be improved, additional landscaping added, and numerous trees will be planted.

County staff started meeting with residents in the area in 2010 to develop the plan. Funding is coming from pay-as-you-go and park bond funds, as well as Neighborhood Conservation Program funding.

A landscape architect with the Department of Parks and Recreation said the construction documents are 90 percent complete and currently under review. Staff members believe the project will go to bid sometime this summer, and construction will begin in the fall.

Crystal City Outdoor Movies Highlight Romance

By Katie Pyzyk

Love will be in the air for Crystal City’s outdoor movie nights, which start next week. This year’s series will feature romantic comedies.

Starting next Monday, June 4, the movies will be shown in the courtyard at 1850 S. Bell Street. They’ll run every Monday through August 27, starting at sundown.

Attendees are encouraged to make the event a date night by bringing a blanket and picnic gear. Short chairs are allowed, but courtesy for other visitors trying to see the movie is requested. Organizers are asking that moviegoers leave their pets at home.

As with Rosslyn’s free outdoor movies, these will be shown rain or shine, unless weather becomes too severe. Should there be a cancellation, information will be posted online, but organizers hope for a continuation of the good weather they’ve generally enjoyed during the event’s six year history.

“We’ve had great weather karma,” said Crystal City Business Improvement District President Angela Fox. “Even one year when we started getting a deluge, we were able to cover the equipment and show the movie after.”

The schedule is as follows:

  • Sex and the City — June 4
  • The Wedding Singer — June 11
  • Sweet Home Alabama — June 18
  • Hitch — June 25
  • My Big Fat Greek Wedding — July 2
  • Sleepless in Seattle — July 9
  • Bridget Jones’s Diary — July 16
  • The Proposal — July 23
  • You’ve Got Mail — July 30
  • How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days —  August 6
  • Pretty Woman — August 13
  • Love Actually — August 20
  • When Harry Met Sally — August 27

Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Mediterranean Restaurant Coming to Shirlington

By Katie Pyzyk

A new Mediterranean restaurant is in the works in Shirlington. Medi is going in at 4037 Campbell Avenue.

According to the Village at Shirlington website, Medi says it “offers the vibrant tastes of Mediterranean food, with uniquely blended flavors, healthy ingredients, and great value.”

It also says, “At Medi, we want you to Meet, Eat, Drink, and Indulge – That’s our motto!”

Although no menu is formally listed yet, the restaurant’s description includes references to grilled meats and vegetables, Mediterranean sauces and dips and imported beverages. It mentions sandwiches, salads and rice bowls as entree options.

A sign in the window says the restaurant is looking to hire “freakin’ awesome people.” Medi’s Facebook page shows June as the targeted time for opening.

California Tortilla to Open Crystal City Location

By Katie Pyzyk

Work is underway at the site of a new California Tortilla restaurant coming to Crystal City.

The eatery is going in on the 2400 block of Crystal Drive, right next to Buffalo Wild Wings. The Mexican restaurant will compete with a Chipotle right down the street, at 2231 Crystal Drive.

This will be the Bethesda chain’s third Arlington location, joining the ones in Courthouse (2057 Wilson Blvd) and Reagan National Airport.

A sign in the window says the company is currently hiring for this location. We’re told the restaurant is expected to open in the late summer or early fall.

County Spraygrounds Now Open

By Katie Pyzyk

Just in time for the arrival of hot weather, the county’s spraygrounds have opened.

The three parks — Drew Playground (3514 22nd Street S.), Hayes Park (1516 N. Lincoln Street) and Lyon Village Park (1800 N. Highland Street) — opened over the weekend and will remain in service until Labor Day weekend. Hours of operation can be found online.

A fourth sprayground was originally supposed to have opened already at Virginia Highlands Park, but now isn’t expected to be ready until next year.

Volunteers to Distribute Roses for Memorial Day

By Katie Pyzyk

A group of volunteers is working to to bring floral beauty to graves at Arlington National Cemetery this Memorial Day.

This Monday, May 28, more than 100 volunteers from Memorial Day Flowers will hand out more than 50,000 roses at the cemetery. Visitors are given two roses, one to place on a grave, and one to take home in remembrance.

All of the flowers are donated by farmers throughout Ecuador. The idea was initiated by Ramiro Peñaherrera of Flowers for Kids. He’s part Ecuadorean and has family members buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Being that Ecuador is one of the largest rose producers in the world, he set out to get farmers there to donate roses for the cause.

“Hopefully in the future we will cover every grave site in Arlington, which I think is about 250,000,” said Nicholas Richwine, who does marketing for Memorial Day Flowers.

In addition to the roses, more than 1,000 bouquets from California will be given to American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., an organization of mothers who lost sons or daughters who were serving their country. Once volunteers place the bouquets on the individual graves, a photo is sent to each mother.

This year, the flower program expanded to other areas of the country, although Arlington is still considered the cornerstone location. More than 90 florists in 26 states have asked to participate in the commemorative program. They receive 400 roses to distribute, along with information about the program, at their local cemeteries or Memorial Day events.

Volunteers will hand out roses at Arlington National Cemetery from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Monday. The two main stations are in front of the visitors center and in section 60, which is the burial ground for those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Richwine adds that although the rose stations will be obvious, visitors will not see banners or other sources identifying Memorial Day Flowers. He said the goal of being at the ceremony is not to draw attention to the organization itself.

“These roses have been donated just to remember those who have fallen,” said Richwine.

Anyone interested in donating or volunteering should contact Memorial Day Flowers through its website.

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