Author: Katie Pyzyk

Residents Fight County on Construction Project

By Katie Pyzyk

Some South Arlington residents are trying to fight the county on an upcoming construction project.

The county has been planning to redesign parts of Arlington Ridge Road from 23rd Street to South Meade Street. Some of the improvements include work on curbs, gutters, sidewalks and bike lanes. The county cites pedestrian safety as the reason for the revamping.

Some neighbors launched a campaign called “Save Our Streets” to oppose the approximately $200,000 project. Group members say they’re upset because of wasteful spending, the county isn’t listening to them and there’s a lack of transparency.

The group hopes to encourage other residents to write letters to the county requesting a suspension of the project, which has a construction start date set for August 8.  They want more time to give resident input and have it incorporated into the design.

County Manager Barbara Donnellan sent a memo to board members last month saying citizens’ concerns had been evaluated and the plan was adjusted accordingly. The memo concluded that “this project is ready and will move forward with construction.”

The start date was set for August 8 in order to avoid disrupting school children who walk in the area. Once work gets underway, the project is scheduled to take about four weeks.

Power Record Set During Extreme Heat

By Katie Pyzyk

Dominion Virginia Power set an all-time record for peak demand for electricity on Friday.

The company’s 2.4 million customers used 20,061 megawatts of electricity between 3 and 4pm on Friday.  That broke the previous record of 19,688 megawatts set on August 8, 2007.  One megawatt provides enough electricity for about 250 homes.

Although the blistering heat and oppressive humidity from last week has died down, the continued warm weather means high electricity use.  Dominion has the following tips for keeping energy costs down and keeping homes comfortable:

  • Postpone activities requiring hot water to early morning or late evening to prevent heat and humidity from building up in the home.
  • If you are comfortable, raise the thermostat to 78 degrees.
  • Close drapes during the hottest points of the day.
  • Turn off unnecessary lights, which add heat to a home.  Consider switching to cooler, energy efficient CFL bulbs.
  • Make sure window air conditioners are sized correctly. Those that are too small will run constantly, but will not cool the room. Those that are too large use more energy than necessary.
  • Clean filters to window air conditioning units and clean or replace filters to central air conditioning systems. Clogged filters cause air conditioners to use more energy than necessary to keep a home cool.
  • Clear attic vents. If the home has an attic fan, make sure it is functioning properly.

Proposed Ban on Kids in Dog Parks Goes Bust

By Katie Pyzyk

The controversial proposal to ban children from Arlington dog parks will not come to fruition after all.  As Gwyn Donohue of the blog Two Dog Tales first reported, the county has decided to keep the existing rules in place.

Officials have been taking in feedback and holding listening sessions since the proposal was brought up earlier this year.  The idea was to ban children under the age of 8, and to require parental supervision for children aged 8 through 14.

In a letter to Community Canine Area sponsors and users, Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director Dinesh Tiwari said the existing rules and regulations are adequate.  However, the county will take some additional steps to make sure dog park users comply with rules.  One measure is to install signs advising parents “to pay close attention to their children to ensure that they remain under direct supervision at all times.”

The county will continue to take feedback on how the beefed up rules and regulations are working.

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Xe Services to Move–Xe Services, the company formerly known as Blackwater, is moving its corporate headquarters to Arlington. [CBS MoneyWatch]

Metro Songs CD for Sale— Jason Mendelson, the budding songwriter who was inspired to write a series of songs about Metro, is releasing his first CD. The $5 CD includes such songs as “Pizza Party at Virginia Square” and “Crawling Out of Crystal City.” [Washington Post]

Remy to the Rescue–Not to be outdone, another local artist has released a new YouTube video.  Remy has a message for politicians with his “Raise the Debt Ceiling Rap.” [YouTube]

Free Movie Tickets–Stop by the 7-Eleven store at 201 S. Glebe Road from 3-5pm to win free tickets to the premiere of “Cowboys and Aliens.”  There will also be samples of pizza and wings, 11 cent beverages and a chance to win a $50 shopping spree.

Crime Solvers Receives $2,000 Grant

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington County Crime Solvers has received a grant from a place some people might think unusual–a Crime Solvers program in another state.

Prince George’s County Crime Solvers gave the $2,000 grant to foster cooperation between the two counties. The money will go directly toward rewarding anonymous tipsters for reporting crimes.

Arlington County Crime Solvers President Andres Tobar says because some people who witness a crime don’t feel comfortable talking to police, they may not report the information at all. Crime Solvers allows these people to call in anonymously, and receive a reward for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction.

Tobar emphasizes that criminals often commit crimes in a variety of neighborhoods, so jurisdictions need to work together to catch the offenders.  He says it’s in the best interest of all jurisdictions to make sure that people from neighboring communities can call in tips.

Tobar also says that there has been much turnover on Arlington’s Crime Solvers board, and they are actively recruiting. He notes that Prince George’s County has a strong board, and this grant helps show the commitment to improving Arlington’s board.

“This is a very nice shot in the arm for us,” Tobar said.  “It’s also a gesture of faith on the part of Prince George’s County that we will use this to move our organization forward. We will not disappoint them.”

Any members of the business community who want to get involved or join the Arlington Crime Solvers board should contact Andres Tobar at 202-841-7998, or [email protected]. Citizens who have tips to anonymously report can call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Breaking: Accident Causes I-395 Delays

By Katie Pyzyk

Updated at 2:43 All lanes of I-395 have been reopened at Arlington Ridge Road. Police had shut down the three southbound right lanes for a multiple car accident requiring the extrication of a victim.  At least one person was transported to the hospital.

Traffic had been backed up to the Pentagon, but delays are starting to dissipate.

 

 

Heated Senate Battle Escalates

By Katie Pyzyk

Barbara Favola’s campaign has turned up the heat on fellow Democrat Jaime Areizaga-Soto in an already contentious senate race.

Today the Favola campaign launched a website attacking Areizaga-Soto, claiming he had involvement with oil companies.  The site also states that one of Areizaga-Soto’s “main clients”, Petrobras, was responsible for 11 oil spills.

Areizaga-Soto’s campaign manager has responded to the allegations on the website by stating, “It is a sign of desperation that the Favola campaign has decided to attack Jaime using an exaggerated six degrees of separation attack. While Jaime serves our country in uniform, Favola is partnering with Ken Cuccinelli’s allies to fund her Senate campaign, breaking the Arlington County Code of Ethics and giving herself a 60% pay-raise while doing it.”

The Areizaga-Soto campaign launched its own website going after Favola.  It’s largely devoted to questioning Favola’s acceptance of campaign donations.

Moran Pushes for Shuttle to Ease BRAC Traffic Burden

By Katie Pyzyk

Residents concerned about the influx of 1,200 government workers into the Barcroft neighborhood could see the addition of a shuttle to ease traffic congestion, if Rep. Jim Moran gets his way.

The Army National Guard had put in a request for shuttle service to the Pentagon Transit Center from Arlington Hall Station, but so far the additional service has not been granted.  Moran has now asked the Director of the Washington Headquarter Service to expedite the request.

The Arlington Hall Station shuttle already provides service from nearby Metro train stops to the National Guard facility. However, it currently doesn’t have access to the Pentagon Transit Center, despite a request for service in June 2009. Moran says that adding service between the Arlington Hall Station and the Pentagon will “undoubtedly reduce the use of single occupancy vehicles commuting to and parking near the bureau facility.”

There’s been an effort to come up with additional public transportation around Arlington Hall as 1,200 workers pour in due to the Base Realignment and Closure Act.  A parking structure was built to accommodate the added workers, but there is only one parking space for every four employees.

Residents have been petitioning for help to prevent commuters from Arlington Hall from spilling over into residential neighborhoods.  Also of concern is the potentially dangerous congestion on George Mason Drive near the complex.

BRAC coordinators are encouraging the new workers to use public transportation instead of driving, and are working with WMATA to increase the frequency of 22A buses in the area.  The addition of a shuttle from Arlington Hall Station to the Pentagon Transit Center would provide another transportation option for commuters, particularly those who use Metro trains.

Commuters who use WMATA’s 22A buses to Arlington Hall will pay the regular public bus fare. However, if the request for a shuttle to the Pentagon Transit Center goes through, Moran’s office says that service would be free to riders because it is provided by the Department of Defense.

 

Police Seeking Bilingual Volunteers

By Katie Pyzyk

If you can fluently speak a language in addition to English, you may be able to put your skills to good use while helping the Arlington County Police Department.

The department is revitalizing its “Bilingual Ride-a-Long Program”, and wants volunteers to assist officers on patrol around Arlington County. Anyone who lives or works in Arlington is eligible to participate in the program.

Although linguists are needed for a variety of languages, of particular interest are people who speak Spanish, African dialects, French, Mongolian, and Arabic. These are the languages shown to be prevalent in Arlington based on the most recent census figures.

Volunteers would be asked to commit to about 10 hours a month, with flexible times. Although the typical duty would be to ride along with a patrol officer assigned to a specific neighborhood, volunteers may be asked to assist with translation and investigations throughout the county.

If you are interested this opportunity, contact Sergeant Pilco at 703-228-7482 (office) 571-340-2304 (cell) or via email at [email protected] for more information.

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Favola Gets Endorsement — The Washington Post announces its picks for three Northern Virginia primaries. WaPo is endorsing Barbara Favola, saying she’s “clearly the stronger and more substantive choice” over Jaime Areizaga-Soto. [Link]

Urban Dairy Dilemma — Arlington County leaders are trying to figure out exactly what to do with the area’s last working dairy farm.  The historic property has sat untouched since the county purchased it a decade ago.  [Link]

Neighborhood Improvement — Curry’s Auto Service is getting recognized for hiring an artist to reflect the spirit and diversity of Arlington in a colorful mural. [Link]

BRAC Traffic Prompts Concerns for Barcroft Residents

By Katie Pyzyk

Barcroft residents are carefully watching the influx of some 1,200 government workers into their neighborhood as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act. Some neighbors are calling for action to mitigate what they claim are dangerous and disruptive traffic conditions.

The personnel are being added to the Army National Guard Readiness Center, in the Arlington Hall complex, at George Mason Drive and Route 50. Many of them are coming from Crystal City offices, but only a couple hundred have made the move so far. The bulk of staff members are expected to arrive mid-July. This flood of workers has some residents in surrounding neighborhoods worried about an increase in parking and traffic issues.

Although a new parking structure was built to accommodate the additional workers, per the National Capital Planning Commission’s specifications there is only one parking spot for every four workers. That’s creating concern about where all the new employees will park. There are already reports of more cars parked in neighboring residential areas, and residents would like to see that stop.

BRAC Project Coordinator Andrea Morris says she understands the parking issues. She is working with District 3 to increase patrols in the area to ticket anyone parked illegally on residential streets. The problem, according to Morris, is that most of the Barcroft neighborhood does not have zone parking restrictions, so there’s nothing to stop workers from using the vacant spots.

“It’s not a popular answer, it’s not one that is going to get a lot of rave reviews, but unfortunately, it happens to be a fact,” Morris said. “It’s a very, very hard statement for me to make because I hear their concerns.”

Morris says BRAC has partnered with WMATA to increase the frequency of the 22A buses, starting in August. That line should alleviate some of the parking headaches, because it is planned to work as a shuttle for the government workers and not to stop at every point along the bus line.

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