bonds

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Drops of water on leaves by CG Liacouras

Man Shot By Arlington Sheriff Worked for TV Show — Julian Dawkins, the 22-year-old man shot and killed by an off-duty Arlington deputy sheriff in Alexandria early Wednesday, worked as a shuttle bus driver for the PBS Newshour in Shirlington. He was also the cousin of  Washington Mystics player Tierra Ruffin-Pratt. [NBC Washington]

Chamber’s ‘Best Business’ Awards — The Arlington Chamber of Commerce has handed out its 2013 Arlington’s Best Business awards. The winners were: John Marshall Bank (Business of the Year), Dante Consulting (Business of the Year), InfoLock Technologies (Technology Small Business of the Year), Minuteman Press Crystal City (Service Small Business of the Year), House of Steep (Retail Small Business of the Year), AHC Inc. (Non-Profit Small Business of the Year), BbG Fitness (Home-Based Business of the Year Award). [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Sells $77 Million in Bonds — Arlington County issued $77 million worth of bonds at an average interest rate of 3.6 percent on Tuesday. The bonds will help fund the acquisition of the office building at 2020 14th Street N, for use as a year-round homeless shelter and for county offices, and for the affordable housing redevelopment of Buckingham Village 3. [Arlington County]

Photo courtesy CG Liacouras

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Tulip sunrise by Wolfkann

WJLA and NewsChannel 8 for Sale — Rosslyn-based TV station WJLA (ABC 7) has been offered for sale by Allbritton Communications. The company is seeking to sell WJLA and its companion cable channel NewsChannel 8 in order to continue investing in new media, like its Politico website and newspaper. Disney, owner of the ABC television network, is thought to be a likely buyer. [WBJ, Washington Post, Politico]

Brink, Lopez Announce Reelection Bids — Dels. Bob Brink and Alfonso Lopez announced their bids for reelection to the Virginia House of Delegates at last night’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. As part of his speech, Lopez made fun of a Republican effort in the state legislature to study the creation of a Virginia-based currency. Lopez joked that he wanted his face on the Virginia $5 bill and Brink’s on the $10 bill, so that “in Virginia it would cost a Brink and a Lopez to buy a pizza.” [Blue Virginia]

‘Over the Edge’ Fundraiser in Crystal City — Today, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., people will be rappelling 15 stories down the Hilton Crystal City at 2399 Jefferson Davis Highway as part of a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Among those scheduled to go “over the edge” today is Washington Nationals mascot Screech. The fundraiser will also run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. tomorrow (Friday). [Event Calendar, Special Olympics Virginia]

County Sells $206 Million in Bonds — Arlington County sold $206 million in bonds on Tuesday. The bonds were sold at a low 2.5 percent interest rate. The refunding of older bonds under the low rate will save the county about $5 million. [Arlington County]

Police Looking for Wallet Thief — Arlington police are looking for a man who allegedly stole a victim’s wallet in the Clarendon area last month. [ACPD]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Tulips by the Netherlands Carillon (photo by Wolfkann)

Bomb Squad to Receive Protective Vest Donation — The Arlington County Fire Department’s bomb squad will receive a donation of two tactical protective vests next Tuesday. The vests will protect bomb squad personnel in explosive-related situations. Worth nearly $20,000, the vests are being donated by Firehouse Subs.

Lander Defends His Record — School Board member James Lander, who’s running for re-election and facing a challenge for the Democratic endorsement, is defending his record when it comes to school redistricting, student transportation and his support of Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy. Lander says he “will continue to press for ways to improve student achievement and address the needs of a growing school population without breaking the bank.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Garners Third AAA Rating — Ratings agency Fitch has reaffirmed its AAA rating for Arlington’s debt. All three bond rating agencies have now given Arlington their top ratings for the year. [Arlington County]

‘Two Wheel Tuesday’ Event Tonight — The county’s BikeArlington program is holding its fourth “Two Wheel Tuesday” educational event of the year. Tonight’s event is “Savvy Cycling Tips,” which lets interested riders “learn the best tips on safe biking so you can ride in traffic comfortably.” The event will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Westover Library (1644 North McKinley Road). [BikeArlington]

Photo by Wolfkann

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Dark Star Park in Rosslyn

Arlington House Rededicated — Arlington House, the family home of Robert E. Lee and an iconic symbol of Arlington County, has been rededicated by the National Park Service following a six year restoration effort. The ceremony was held on Saturday, on the 152nd anniversary of Lee’s decision to lead the rebellion in the Civil War. [Sun Gazette]

County’s Bond Ratings Reaffirmed — Arlington County has had its top Aaa/AAA debt ratings reaffirmed by rating agencies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. The ratings will allow Arlington to borrow money at a lower interest rate. “The Aaa rating reflects the county’s strong long-term credit characteristics including a sizeable and affluent tax base, stable and carefully-managed financial operations with sound reserves, and moderate debt position with manageable future borrowing needs,” Moody’s wrote of Arlington. [Arlington County]

Garvey: Streetcars Fail Cost/Benefit Analysis — In an op-ed in the Washington Post, County Board member Libby Garvey says streetcars on Columbia Pike “are not a good investment for anyone.” Streetcars would not solve transportation challenges on the Pike, and would instead “siphon resources away from other important needs,” Garvey wrote. [Washington Post]

Arlington to Help Train Vets in IT — Arlington County has accepted a $150,000 state grant that will help train military veterans for high-demand Information Technology (IT) jobs. The grant will go to a joint Arlington/Alexandria job training program, which is expected to serve more than 50 veterans over an 18-month period. [Arlington County]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

A seagull and a view of Rosslyn (photo courtesy Scott Shelbo)

Lane Markings Repainted Near Pentagon — The lane markings on Route 110 near the Pentagon were repainted this week after NBC4 alerted VDOT to “awkward lane markings” left there by construction work. Before the repainting, “motorists drove along seemingly in one lane, only to have that lane disappear right under them,” NBC4’s Adam Tuss said. [NBC Washington]

Va. Anti-Sodomy Law Overturned — A U.S. appeals court panel has ruled that Virginia’s anti-sodomy law is unconstitutional. The case involved a man accused of soliciting sodomy with a 17-year-old girl. One of the judges said that “Virginia can and should punish adults who have sexual relations with minors, but the state cannot use an unconstitutional law to do so.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Arlington Plans to Sell $264 Million in Bonds — Arlington County is planning to sell up to $264 million in municipal bonds next month. The sale would include $94 million in new bonds and $170 million in refinanced existing bonds. The debt service on the new bonds will add about $8.7 million per year to the county’s budget. [Sun Gazette]

Moran Calls for Action on Climate Change — Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) took to the House floor on Tuesday to call for Congress to take action to “prevent further damage from climate change by developing a long-term strategy to address the issue.” [YouTube]

Photo courtesy Scott Shelbo

Renderings of Future Long Bridge Aquatics Center

By ARLnow.com

(Updated on 11/19/12) With partial bond funding for the planned Long Bridge Park Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility approved by Arlington voters, the county is continuing to move forward with the design — and ultimately the construction — of the center.

Located north of Crystal City, just off of I-395, the facility will feature a 50 meter by 25 yard fitness and competition pool, a family leisure pool, a hot water therapy pool, a “teaching pool,” and a “free-form water play area that will… have a lazy river, slides, play features, and a zero-depth ‘beach’ entry.” There will also be an indoor cardiovascular and weight training fitness center, a community use space, child care, locker rooms and, in a planned second phase of construction, an “indoor track, large multi-activity center and various court spaces.”

Renderings, above and below, show the current designs for the facility, which will have its own surface parking lot, accessible via Long Bridge Drive.

The design of the Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility is expected to be completed in April 2013, according to Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation planner Erik Beach. The county will then put the project out for bid, with the goal of beginning construction in the early fall of 2013.

All told, the design and construction of the first phase of the center is expected to cost around $80 million, based on figures in the latest Capital Improvement Plan. There is no cost estimate for the second phase of the center, Beach said. Earlier, Beach erroneously quoted a figure of $115.6 million for the design and construction of both phases of the aquatics center, but said on Nov. 19 that his quote included the cost of building Long Bridge Park itself instead of the the second phase of the aquatics center.

Funding for the aquatics center is expected to come from public and private sources, including $42.5 million from this year’s park bond and $20 million from anticipated developer contributions.

1/9

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Greens Vote ‘No’ on Park Bond — The Arlington Green Party has joined the Arlington County Republican Committee in opposing the $50.5 million park bond that’s on the Nov. 6 ballot. The bond would largely help fund a new Long Bridge Park aquatics center. The Greens said the aquatics center is “wasteful” and a “vanity project.” The Greens stayed neutral on the $42.6 million school bond, with some members criticizing the plan to build two new elementary schools because it is “too costly and eliminates green space and recreation fields.” [Arlington Mercury]

APS Enrollment on the Rise — Enrollment at Arlington Public Schools is up 3.7 percent versus one year ago. The growth — mostly at the elementary school level and mostly in North Arlington — is in line with school administrators’ projections. There are now 22,657 pre-K to 12th grade students enrolled at Arlington’s public schools. [Sun Gazette]

Artisphere Still Facing Challenges — Artisphere, which launched on 10/10/10, is turning two years old tomorrow. The money-losing cultural center is still facing challenges, however. Private rentals at the facility, touted as Artisphere’s financial savior, are below expectations, according to the Washington City Paper. And music bookings through the end of the year appear to be light. [Washington City Paper]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Civic Federation Endorses All Bonds — The Arlington County Civic Federation has voted to endorse all four bonds on the Nov. 6 ballot. The Civic Federation voted by a narrow 26-22 margin to support the $50.5 million parks and recreation bond, which includes more than $40 million for a new aquatics center at Long Brige Park. [Sun Gazette]

Boxing Match Coming to Ft. Myer — A boxing match will be held at the Smith Gymnasium on Joint Base Myer/Henderson Hall on Saturday. The match will feature a number of local boxers, including heavyweight Duane Mobley and lightweight Terron “The Kid” Grant. Tickets are $30 and doors open at 6:00 p.m. [Boxing Along the Beltway, JBMHH]

Library Sets New Summer Reading Record — Arlington Public Library’s summer reading program set another participation record this year. According to the library, 7,415 kids registered for the program and some 30,000 books throughout the course of the summer.

Confederate ‘Gray Ghost’ Lived in Arlington — In a bit of local Civil War lore, columnist Charlie Clark and Arlington historian Kathryn Holt Springston recount how the legendary Confederate raider John S. Mosby lived in Arlington later in life. [Falls Church News-Press]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

County Board to Vote on Bond Referenda

By Katie Pyzyk

At its meeting on Saturday, July 21, the County Board will vote on approving the bond referenda that voters will see on the November 6 ballot.

The referenda would approve funding for a variety of projects in the county’s $2.4 billion FY 2013-2022 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). During the CIP process, the county asked for public input, including at a public hearing last month. The adopted CIP will be published later this summer.

County staff recommends the Board approves four referenda to go to a public vote. Each asks voters if they believe the county should take on a debt and issue bonds for the specified amount in each category, in order to fund county projects. The breakdown of the three county government referenda and one school referendum is as follows:

  • Metro and Transportation — $31,946,000
  • Local Parks and Recreation — $50,553,000
  • Community Infrastructure — $28,306,000
  • Arlington Public Schools — $42,620,000

The Metro and Transportation referendum includes funding various road, pedestrian and transit projects across the county. Portions will also fund the WALKArlington, BikeArlington and Neighborhood Traffic Calming programs. The largest amount, however, would go toward WMATA projects, in the amount of $14.6 million.

The Local Parks and Recreation referendum will fund improvements at county parks and land acquisition. The largest portion of funding — $42.5 million — would go toward the design and construction of the Long Bridge Park Aquatics Center. The proposal also includes maintenance on playgrounds, courts and other park infrastructure.

Street improvements including curbs, gutters, sidewalks and paving are covered under the Community Infrastructure referenda. There will be money allocated for traffic management, street lighting, landscaping and pedestrian safety enhancements. This proposal will also provide funding for the county’s information technology and public safety needs through the installation of a public safety network. The Community Infrastructure bond includes funding for Arlington’s Neighborhood Conservation program.

Funding for the Arlington Public Schools referenda covers the school system’s Capital Improvement Plan, which includes maintenance and building additional classroom space. A significant portion would make funds available for the APS plan to build new elementary schools.

If the bond referenda are approved by the voters, the county is legally prohibited from reallocating funding from one category to another. The County Board may make changes, however, to specific projects within each category, due to factors such as changes in construction pricing. The Board also has the option of issuing a lesser amount of bonds than approved by voters.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Public Streetcar Meeting Tonight — A public meeting will be held tonight to gather resident input on an alternatives analysis and environmental assessment conducted for the planned Columbia Pike streetcar project. The meeting is being held at Patrick Henry Elementary School’s gymnasium (701 S. Highland Street) from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. [Pike Transit Initiative]

Op-Ed: Streetcar Will Spur Development — While the Columbia Pike streetcar has many vocal critics, at least one resident has penned an op-ed supporting the project. Real estate developer David DeCamp says the streetcar will spur development and attract ridership in a way that the alternatives — including an articulated bus system — cannot. [Sun Gazette]

Car Break-Ins Near Ballston — Overnight, between Monday, June 4, and Tuesday, June 5, four Honda sedans were broken into on the 5000 block of N. 10th Street, in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood near Ballston. The windows were smashed and airbags in each of the vehicles were stolen. GPS devices were also stolen from two vehicles. All of the vehicles were parked in an area away from residences, with little street lighting, according to police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

County Gets Low Rate on Bonds — Arlington County sold $108 million in bonds yesterday, June 5, and received what it’s calling “one of the lowest overall rates Arlington has seen.” The General Obligation Public Improvement Bonds sold to investors at an average interest rate of 2.77 percent. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by MrFochs

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Support for the Pike Streetcar — A Greater Greater Washington writer opines that “Columbia Pike’s proposed streetcar line will help revitalize one of Arlington county’s busiest corridor.” Ryan Arnold writes: “[The streetcar is] the latest chapter in the decades-long story of Arlington’s coordination of land-use and transit planning to develop successful communities.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Arlington Unemployment Rate Dips — Arlington County’s unemployment rate is now 3.1 percent, down from 3.5 percent a month prior. Arlington’s rate is the lowest in Virginia and compares to the state’s overall unemployment rate of 5.4 percent. [Sun Gazette]

Bond Rating Reaffirmed — Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Arlington’s AAA bond rating, the highest rating possible. “Arlington recognizes the importance of the AAA rating, and our financial policies help ensure that it will be maintained,” County Manager Barbara Donnellan said in a statement. “Having the highest possible rating allows us to continue making critical capital investments at the lowest possible cost to residents and businesses.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Damiec

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