Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Sep 14, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Sep 14, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☀️ Friday’s forecast

The forecast for the day is sunny conditions with a high temperature near 76 degrees and a north wind blowing at 9 to 11 mph. The night will remain clear, with temperatures dropping to around 55 degrees and the north wind slightly decreasing to 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Around Town

Most and least expensive condos sold in Arlington (August 2023)

By ARLnow.com

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive condos sold last month (August 2023).

Most expensive condos sold

  1. 1781 N Pierce St Unit 2601 — Rosslyn — $3,800,000 (3 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,564 sq. ft.)
  2. 1615 N Queen St Unit M502 — Rosslyn — $1,200,000 (2 beds | 2 baths | 1,691 sq. ft.)
  3. 1418 N Rhodes St Unit 128 — Clarendon/Courthouse — $925,000 (2 beds | 2.5 baths | 1,832 sq. ft.)
  4. 1201 N Garfield St Unit 609 — Clarendon/Courthouse — $835,000 (2 beds | 2.5 baths | 1,487 sq. ft.)
  5. 1805 Crystal Dr Unit 606S — — $765,000 (3 beds | 2 baths | 1,515 sq. ft.)

Least expensive condos sold*

  1. 4501 Arlington Blvd Unit 615 — Buckingham — $215,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 533 sq. ft.)
  2. 1200 N Nash St Unit 508 — Rosslyn — $215,000 (– beds | 1 baths | 485 sq. ft.)
  3. 4306 N Pershing Dr Unit 3 — Buckingham — $220,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 699 sq. ft.)

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

Sponsored

Arts Focus: Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington

By Sponsor

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Enjoy an unforgettable evening of celebration and culture at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington on Saturday, Nov. 1, with an outdoor picnic in honor of Día de los Muertos. Set against the backdrop of crisp fall weather in Virginia Square, this family-friendly event promises art, music, delicious food and performances for all ages.

Spread out your blanket and partake in activities like interactive art projects, live performances and games of lotería (lottery). Savor the flavors of tacos and craft espresso drinks from local food trucks such as TNT Mexican Grill, Taco Cinco De Mayo and Rossana Coffee. Additional vendors include Ana Schwar, Otterly Artistic Designs and David Amoroso. Festive lighting will be provided by AVLD Events .

A cherished Arlington tradition, the event is co-sponsored by the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington and Arlington Arts, celebrating the Mexican holiday dedicated to remembering loved ones with joy and festivity. National Geographic notes, Día de los Muertos blends ancient Aztec rituals with Spanish customs brought to Mexico in the early 1500s, honoring the dead through colorful and lively celebrations.

Arlington-based artist David Amoroso is once again creating a large-scale ofrenda (altar) on the museum’s front portico. Attendees are invited to bring a photo of a deceased loved one to include in the ofrenda, making the altar a collective tribute. Participants will be able to decorate their own Calavera masks. Amoroso is also working with Johnerick Lawson on a kinetic element to showcase their creations!

The evening will be filled with music and dance, including a performance by Mariachi Imperio by Blanca Chucuan. The DC-based, woman-led ensemble is carrying on this venerable musical tradition in the DMV, having performed everywhere from the Smithsonian Institution to popular area restaurants and family Quinceanera’s. Dance enthusiasts will also be captivated by the folkloric Mexican dance group Los Quetzales, known for their vibrant performances over the past 26 years.

While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to take a selfie with the popular Reclining Liberty sculpture by Zaq Landsberg. This striking, 25-foot installation juxtaposes the Statue of Liberty with a traditional Buddhist reclining pose, encouraging reflection on the ideals the iconic statue represents. Installed in 2023 co-sponsored by Arlington Public Art and MoCA Arlington, the sculpture was recently granted permanent status at the venue.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington has been a key collaborator with Arlington County Government for decades. Housed in the historic Clarendon School building, the museum is part of Arlington’s cultural legacy, operating under a long-term lease with the County. The building, designed in 1910 and renovated in 2004, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mark your calendar for this vibrant celebration! The Día de los Muertos event will take place from 5:00 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, 3550 Wilson Boulevard. Click here for event details. Visit the Arlington Cultural Affairs website for more details and to explore Arlington’s exciting public art and cultural programs.

Don’t miss out — join us to honor tradition, celebrate culture and experience the arts in Arlington!

News

Schools were in the hot seat during County Board candidates forum this week

By Jo DeVoe
Arlington County Board candidates at the Committee of 100 forum on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 (via Arlington Committee of 100/Facebook)

Arlington County Board candidates say they would like more coordination and transparency from the School Board when it comes to annual budgets and long-term plans.

The discussion arose last night (Wednesday) during an Arlington Committee of 100 candidate forum.

Candidates were asked if they support increasing the share of tax revenue the county transfers to Arlington Public Schools to, among other reasons, further tackle Covid-era learning loss. They were also asked how they would promote sustainable growth in Arlington County with an eye toward how that impacts the school system.

In their responses, Democratic candidates Maureen Coffey and Susan Cunningham hinted at closer scrutiny of the budget but pointed to a different issue they would to address: county-school coordination. Independent Audrey Clement and Republican Juan Carlos Fierro, meanwhile, said it may be time to revisit how much money the schools receive.

Every year, the county transfers money to APS, which it uses to fund most — around 75-79% — of its annual budget. The percent of revenue shared has remained fairly constant in the last two decades.

The table below shows the percentage of local tax revenue that allocated to the County and APS since 2008 (by ARLnow)

The dollar amount transferred, however, has risen steadily in the last three budgets after more modest upticks between 2017 and 2020.

The amount Arlington County transfers to Arlington Public Schools annually for its budget since the 2017 fiscal year (via Arlington Public Schools)

Given the recent increases, Fierro says it is time to study the county’s revenue share to APS, which currently sits at 46.8%.

“That, plus the allowance we have to give to Metro, is a lot for Arlington County,” he said. “We have to find a way to study how we can try to lower that amount, but of course, the quality has to be the same.”

Fierro contrasted the rising contributions to APS with the county’s budget surplus, suggesting residents may be over-taxed. At the close of each fiscal year, the county puts surplus, or “closeout funds,” toward a variety of expenses, a practice that has its critics, who say it should instead help stave off tax increases.

“It’s a lot of money,” he said. “One of my radical ideas is that this money goes back to taxpayers. We’re living in challenging times.”

Clement said she agreed.

“We are really imposing a huge tax burden on our residents,” she said. “I believe it is unsustainable because it’s over twice the rate of inflation and I think we ought to look at ways to streamline our budget, not ways to increase it.”

Clement further argued against increasing the budget for APS, citing falling enrollment projections over the next decade.

“I understand that the greatest problem facing our schools is the achievement gap, which grew significantly during Covid,” she said. “I don’t think throwing more money at that particular problem is going to solve it.”

Coffey and Cunningham were modest in their suggestions to review county transfers to APS but said they were open to that conversation.

Like Clement, they said the main issue county leaders need to address regarding the school system is poor coordination. They argued this can lead to redundant spending and service gaps.

(more…)

Announcement

Reading, Writing and Math Tutoring!

By mPowered Virtual Learning & Education Support, LLC

Support your child’s learning needs this school year with reading, writing and math tutoring! Strengthen phonemic awareness through one-to-one personalized instruction via the Orton-Gillingham approach; a direct, explicit, and multi-sensory way to teach literacy to individuals that struggle with developing the relationship between letters and sounds.

Build long-term planning, organizing, and prioritizing skills with executive function coaching! For more information, please contact Mary Doherty at mary@mpowerededucation.

Go to Reading, Writing and Math Tutoring! Read more
Around Town

Local food bank avoids canned food shortage with donation from local Bloomberg office

By James Jarvis
1/2

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) says it avoided a canned goods shortfall with a timely donation from Bloomberg Industry Group.

Over Labor Day weekend, the local food bank said it received more than 3,600 canned goods from the Arlington-based affiliate of Bloomberg, which provides legal, tax and business reporting and services.

In a press release, AFAC says it was facing a week-long shortage of canned food donations, which “threatened to disrupt the lifeline they provide to thousands of Arlington families.”

The donation comes as the food pantry, which serves around 3,300 Arlington families a week, is seeing an uptick in clients. It attributes the uptick to inflation and rollbacks in Covid-era federal food assistance and child tax credits.

“As demands for food assistance exponentially increase due to economic setbacks like inflation and cuts in government assistance, AFAC’s mission to provide essential resources to vulnerable families has never been more crucial,” the nonprofit said in a press release.

That need is particularly acute in South Arlington, according to a recent study, which found the area has one of the highest concentrations of families in the nation who cannot afford basic necessities and childcare.

Overall, Bloomberg Industry Group — which has hosted food drives and helped bag food for AFAC before — collected 14,290 pounds of food for distribution.

“It was our privilege to lend a helping hand to AFAC in their time of need,” says Josh Eastright, CEO of the company, which has offices in Crystal City. “We’re proud to support the great work they do serving our local community, and I want to thank our team for their generosity supporting this effort.”

Last Saturday, employees of another company with a significant local presence volunteered with a food distribution event.

Amazon employees teamed up with nonprofit Food for Neighbors, which combats child hunger in the region, to collect nearly 20,000 pounds of food and toiletries, according to a press release.

After the collection, dubbed a “Red Bag” event, the items were distributed to more than 5,800 students across 42 secondary schools across Northern Virginia, including Arlington Community High School, Gunston Middle School, Kenmore Middle School and Wakefield High School.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Amazon as a Food For Neighbors Community Champion and sponsor of our first Red Bag food and toiletry collection event of the new school year,” Karen Joseph, founder and executive director of Food For Neighbors, said in the release.

The event was part of Amazon’s Global Month of Volunteering, “when tens of thousands of Amazon employees around the world will go out in their communities and do good together,” Melissa Robinson, principal program manager of Volunteering at Amazon, said in a statement.

Amazon previously helped feed Arlington Public Schools families last fall via a $155,000 donation to Food For Neighbors from Amazon Fresh, Joseph noted.

Photo (1) via AFAC/Facebook

Announcement

Shoot Some Hoops This Fall With Parks & Rec!

By Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation

Grab a few friends and register for the fall Arlington County Parks & Recreation 3v3 adult basketball league! New this year!

Choose from two divisions: I (competitive level) and II (rec level). Games begin September 1 and will be held on Wednesday nights at Lyon Village Park (1800 N Highland Street) and Virginia Highlands Park (1600 S Hayes Street). Cost is $260 per team. Learn more and register here by August 15.

Go to Shoot Some Hoops This Fall With Parks & Rec! Read more
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