Author: Katie Pyzyk

Traffic Alert: Road Closure in Clarendon

By Katie Pyzyk

A street that’s been closed in Clarendon for hours will remain that way through the evening rush.

Drivers are advised to find alternate routes instead of using N. Fillmore Street, which is shut down between Wilson Blvd and Clarendon Blvd.

Dominion is installing a new 150,000 volt underground transformer at the site. It powers numerous businesses on the block.

Several of the businesses, including Palm Beach Tan and Cheesecake Factory, have posted signs on their windows apologizing to customers for having to temporarily close down.

There’s no definite time for the work to be finished, but the block is not expected to reopen any earlier than about 7:00 p.m.

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Taxi Customers Asked to Fill Out Online Survey

By Katie Pyzyk

If you ride around Arlington in taxi cabs, the county wants to hear from you.

An online taxi survey has been set up to gather information about experiences with the cabs throughout Arlington. Residents, visitors and businesses are all encouraged to fill out the survey.

According to Richard Viola, the supervisor for the transportation planning section with Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services, the county is in the midst of re-evaluating how many taxi certificates to issue. It’s a process that takes place every other year, and cab drivers must have a certificate to operate in the county.

Viola says the survey will help to determine how well the current system is working, and whether the public is interested in expanding the number of taxis available throughout the county. It will also help to point out areas in need of more cabs, or certain times when more would be beneficial.

“We want to make sure the right number of cabs are on the street,” Viola said. “Putting too many on the street could be detrimental. You’ll see them waiting, circling and creating more traffic. It also hurts the cab drivers because they don’t have enough business and can’t make a living.”

There are currently 765 taxis throughout Arlington. So far, there has never been a decrease in the number of certificates issued; most years the number holds fairly steady.

The survey will be available through the middle of June. Soon after that, a summary with the results will be released.

Bomb Squad Investigates Suspicious Device

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) The Arlington County bomb squad has packed up and left the scene near Cherry Hill Park in Falls Church, where earlier they were investigating a potentially explosive device.

Crews had been assisting police and fire units from Falls Church, after a resident called about a suspicious device this morning. According to City of Falls Church Communications Director Susan Finarelli, the resident had been digging in his yard in the 200 block of N. Virginia Ave., when he found a potentially hazardous device. Arlington’s bomb squad was called in to assist.

The item in question was found to be an antique military device, and was deemed safe. The military will dispose of the item.

“Nobody was hurt, and now with the bomb squad here, nobody should be hurt,” Finarelli said earlier.

The park and streets around Cherry Hill Park were closed down for more than two hours during the investigation, and several homes were also evacuated. Everything in the area has been re-opened.

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County Holds Ceremony to Honor Volunteers

By Katie Pyzyk

National Volunteer Week began yesterday, and Arlington County kicked it off by recognizing some of its top volunteers.

The county held its annual Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony yesterday. Six individuals and two teams were chosen as outstanding volunteer service. They include Jeffrey Altice, Mary Brasler, Vince Henneburg, Jane Larsen, Allie Pinson, Mary Van Dyke, Arlington Spellbinders and Women Artisans of Harvey Hall. The Arlington Department of Human Services also gave a special recognition award to Arlington County 100 Homes Campaign volunteers for service during registry week, and for supporting Arlington’s 10 year plan to end homelessness.

County Board Chair Mary Hynes extended thanks to all volunteers, saying they play a vital part in keeping the community running smoothly.

“Arlington County Government volunteers serve the community in many ways,” Hynes said. “The bottom line is that volunteers help to enhance our services and help us serve Arlington residents in ways that otherwise would not be possible.”

More than 5,000 people volunteer each year in Arlington County programs, accruing nearly 400,000 hours of service. The county estimates that to be worth about $7.5 million annually.

Full write-ups about the volunteers and their service can be found on the county’s website.

Shuttle Discovery to Fly Over Arlington on Tuesday

By Katie Pyzyk

Eyes will be on the skies tomorrow, when the space shuttle Discovery flies to its new home at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles International Airport. There are actually some spots in Arlington that are being touted as great places to watch the flight.

NASA listed of some of the top places to see the shuttle in the DC metro area. Long Bridge Park and Gravelly Point in Arlington both received mentions. The Memorial Bridge, which covers ground in both Arlington and DC, is also on the list.

The shuttle is expected to pass near a number of landmarks in the area, including Reagan National Airport. Although not on the official list, some places like the Air Force Memorial and Mount Vernon Trail might also make decent viewing locations.

The shuttle will depart from the Kennedy Space Station in Florida around 7:30 a.m., and is expected to fly over Arlington between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., before landing at Dulles. The exact route and timing of the flight will be weather dependent.

Discovery will be mounted on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, which is a modified Boeing 747, during its journey. On Thursday, the shuttle is scheduled to be moved from Dulles to the Udvar-Hazy Center for permanent public display.

Discovery was retired after completing its 39th mission in March 2011. NASA’s final space shuttle mission ended with Atlantis on July 21, 2011.

The Air and Space Museum will be updating its website regularly to list the shuttle’s locations. Those who don’t have internet access can receive updates via a phone hotline. Information about receiving updates can be found on the museum’s website.

Wine Shop to Replace Shoefly in Clarendon

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 11:25 a.m.) A new tenant has emerged to take the place of Shoefly (2727 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon. Soon, a wine shop will be moving into the space.

Screwtop Wine Bar (1025 N. Fillmore St) informed its customers over the weekend that it will open a retail wine bar in the old Shoefly spot. A Facebook page has been set up for the store, which will be called Grateful Red. Its website just became active today.

The store is expected to open sometime this summer. Screwtop Wine Bar owner Wendy Buckley said she hopes Grateful Red will be able to open its doors by July 4.

Buckley and her staff will aim to provide a mix of wines, ranging from “fancy” to less than $10 per bottle. Buckley said she’s grateful to be able to run a business in an area she loves.

Shoefly had been in business for 10 years, but the owners reportedly decided not to renew the lease.

Last Chance to See Tulips at the Netherlands Carillon

By Katie Pyzyk

Your chances to see the tulips at the Netherlands Carillon near Rosslyn are running out.

Although many of the flowers are still in top form, some have already lost their petals. There likely won’t be many more days to see the full display before only stems remain.

The colorful tulips bloom every year in front of the carillon, which was a gift from the Dutch in appreciation for the sacrifices the United States made during World War II.

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Mixed-Income Apartment Complex Opens in Clarendon

By Katie Pyzyk

A new apartment complex celebrated its grand opening in Clarendon yesterday. Formerly known as the Views at Clarendon, the vPoint apartment building is being touted as an eco-friendly residence that’s bringing additional subsidized affordable housing to the Clarendon area.

The eight-story complex, developed with financial assistance from Arlington County and the Virginia Housing Development Authority, sits above the Church at Clarendon, which recently celebrated its re-opening. An adjoining building houses the county’s largest daycare center.

The development contains 46 market rate apartments, and 70 affordable housing units. The units, which the developer calls “boutique apartments,” range from studios to three bedrooms. According to the complex’s website, prices run from $2,125 per month to $3,170 per month, with affordable units going for 60 percent of the cost to those who qualify.

Environmentally conscious features such as a carpool drop off area, Energy Star appliances, dual flush toilets and Green Label Plus carpet are expected to earn the building a LEED Silver certification.

A grand opening celebration yesterday included remarks from state Senator Barbara Favola and Arlington County Board Vice-Chair Walter Tejada.

Candidate Withdraws from School Board Race

By Katie Pyzyk

A little more than two months after announcing he was running, a candidate for Arlington School Board is dropping out. Larry Fishtahler has withdrawn from the race.

In February, Fishtahler announced his interest in receiving an endorsement from the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC). Now that Fishtahler has dropped out, candidate Noah Simon and incumbent Emma Violand-Sanchez are the presumptive Democratic endorsees for the two open positions in November’s election.

(One of the open positions is the School Board seat formerly held by now-County Board member Libby Garvey.)

In a press release, Fishtahler said, “From the time I began I knew that to be successful a number of conditions should be met by the end of March. Over the spring break I determined that a necessary condition had not been achieved. I have been honored by the support I have received during this campaign, and look forward to continuing to work with Emma Violand-Sanchez, Noah Simon, and others to make Arlington’s schools even better than they already are.”

Fishtahler had been the Democratic candidate in the 2003 race, but lost to incumbent Dave Foster, a Republican.

ACDC had planned on holding a caucus on May 9 and 12 to determine which two of the three candidates would receive endorsements. Because only two candidates remain for the open spots, the caucus has been canceled. Instead, there will be a vote at the party’s next general membership meeting, on May 2, to confirm the two endorsements.

Both of the remaining candidates issued statements of their own following Fishtahler’s withdrawal.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to run for School Board with the endorsement of the Arlington Democrats and look forward to closely working with Emma during the remainder of the campaign,” Simon said. “I thank the Arlington Democrats and also commend Larry Fishtahler for his tireless work in support of Arlington’s students.”

Simon is a father of two APS elementary students. He says he’s committed to addressing overcrowding problems at Arlington Public Schools, closing achievement disparities, recruiting and retaining high quality staff, promoting health, fitness and nutrition education, and supplementing instruction with technology.

Violand-Sanchez said, “For the last three years, I have been honored to serve as an Arlington School Board Member, and I am excited to be able to run again with the Democrats’ endorsement to work for Arlington’s students. Though we have our challenges, Arlington’s schools remain one of our greatest community assets. I want to thank Larry Fishtahler for his contributions to our schools and thank the Arlington Democrats and all my supporters for their strong support.”

Voting for the Arlington School Board takes place on November 6, during the general election. Those who wish to run must qualify by June 12.

Obama Headquarters to Open on Columbia Pike

By Katie Pyzyk

Big changes are in store for the old Giant pharmacy in Columbia Heights. The location (2408 Columbia Pike) is being turned into a campaign headquarters for President Obama.

According to a recently created Facebook page and the Arlington Democrats website, the grand opening of the Obama for America office is taking place from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to attend the event to meet staff and other supporters, as well as learning about neighborhood teams throughout the county.

In addition to asking for monetary support for the campaign, the Arlington Democrats are looking for volunteers and donations of supplies for the headquarters.

ART Bus Service Changes Begin Monday

By Katie Pyzyk

Four ART bus routes will begin using different schedules or routes as of Monday.

Generally speaking, the changes to ART 42, 52, 75 and 77 will be to add additional hours of service or to tweak existing schedules by a few minutes. However, one stop is being removed in Clarendon for two of the routes.

For more information and for full ART bus schedules, log on to the Arlington Transit website. Details for the changes starting on Monday are as follows:

  • ART 42 — Additional times are added on weekdays so buses run more frequently during the morning and evening rush hours. Saturday schedules do not change. Buses will no longer travel down N. Highland St in Clarendon, but will instead use N. Garfield St. The stop at N. Highland St and Clarendon Blvd will no longer be in service.
  • ART 52 — Slight time adjustments will be made to help the buses run more efficiently. The schedule will help buses better coincide with the Yorktown High School bell schedule. Students should be able to use the bus to get to and from school more easily.
  • ART 75 — Additional midday and evening service will be added. Buses will now run weekdays until after 10:00 p.m. The changes will also help buses better coincide with the Wakefield High School bell schedule.
  • ART 77 — Saturday service will be added, starting at 7:00 a.m. and going until 11:54 p.m. The change should make it more convenient for riders to visit Shirlington on the weekends. Slight changes will also be made to the weekday schedule to make buses run more efficiently.  Buses will no longer travel down N. Highland St in Clarendon, but will instead use N. Garfield St. The stop at N. Highland St and Clarendon Blvd will no longer be in service.
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