Arlington Science Teacher Wins Presidential Award  — A beloved H-B Woodlawn High School biology teacher has won a prestigious honor from the White House. Dat Le is among the 103 recipients of the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Teachers from Huntingtown, Md. and Bristow, Va. are also among the recipients, although Le is the only inside-the-Beltway award-winner. He will receive a $10,000 prize from the National Science Foundation and a seat of honor at an awards ceremony later this year.

Republicans Voters to Choose Congressional Nominee Today — Voters in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District are heading to the polls to choose which GOP nominee will face incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D) in the fall. The Associated Press wins the award for the most concise, cynical take on the race:

In the 8th District, little-known candidates Matthew Berry of Arlington and Alexandria’s Patrick Murray, vie for the right to challenge 10-term Democratic Rep. Jim Moran in the heavily Democratic inner suburbs of Washington, D.C.

Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. today. Click here for a list of polling place.

Maggie Moo’s Closes in Shirlington, Yogiberry Moving In — Via Shirlington Village Blog, we learn that the Maggie Moo’s ice cream shop in Shirlington has closed. A Yogiberry frozen yogurt store will be moving in. Sign of the times?


Despite Arlington’s burgeoning culinary scene, the local restaurants nominated for the 2010 RAMMY awards were shut out at tonight’s ceremony. The annual awards dinner, organized by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, was held at the Marriott Wardman Park in Northwest D.C.

The Arlington nominees who went home empty-handed were:

  • EatBar (Neighborhood Gathering Place of the Year)
  • Eventide (New Restaurant of the Year)
  • Liam LaCivita — The Liberty Tavern (Rising Culinary Star of the Year)
  • Josh Short — EatBar/Tallula/Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Pastry Chef of the Year)

Our Northern Virginia neighbors fared better at the ceremony, however.

2941 Restaurant of Falls Church won for Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year and its pastry chef, Anthony Chavez, won for Pastry Chef of the Year. Alexandria’s Vermilion Restaurant was named Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year.

The winners in the remaining categories all hailed from the District.


Obey’s Retirement Will Boost Moran’s Influence — Wisconsin congressman David Obey’s retirement will move fellow Democrat Rep. Jim Moran higher up in the powerful House Appropriations Committee’s pecking order. Moran said of Obey’s decision not to seek re-election today: “Chairman Obey is one of the most consequential figures to chair Appropriations. With unparalleled institutional knowledge, he has skillfully guided the Committee through some of the most difficult terrain in its history. He will be sorely missed.” More from the Washington Post.

Elevator Fire at Navy Annex Ties Up Traffic — A small fire in an elevator mechanical room at the Navy Annex on Columbia Pike tied up traffic this morning. Firefighters and police responded to the scene, shutting down Columbia Pike between South Joyce Street and South Oak Street around 10:15 p.m. ART and Metro buses were delayed as a result.

Arlington Students Win Latin Awards — Twelve Arlington Public School students won the first place “gold summa cum laude” medal for excellence on the National Latin Exam. The exam tests Latin students at various grade levels in the areas of grammar, reading comprehension, Roman culture, history, geography and mythology and etymology. Another 114 Arlington students received second, third and fourth place honors.


Six finalists have been selected for the county’s 2010 Women of Vision Award.They are: Lillibeth Boruchow, Angela Fox, Judy Hadden, Kathleen Sibert, Linda Dunphy and Andrea Maresca.

The awards dinner will be held on Wednesday, March 31, at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (4301 Wilson Boulevard). ABC7 anchor Maureen Bunyan will host the event. The public is welcome, but a $10 donation is suggested.

RSVP with the Arlington Commission on the Status of Women (cswarlington [at] gmail.com) by March 24.