contest

Vote: Summer Photo Contest

It was tough work but we’ve narrowed down the dozens of entries to our Summer Photo Contest to ten finalists who successfully captured a unique, visually-appealing summer scene in Arlington.

Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse (2350 Clarendon Blvd) is sponsoring the contest in celebration of their new outdoor canopy, which will help keep patio diners cooler when the sun’s beating down, warmer on cool evenings, and dry during summer downpours.

You can vote below for up to three of your favorite entries.

Voting will take place through 2:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, May 24). The finalist who receives the most votes will receive a $100 gift card to Fire Works Pizza along with an ARLnow.com tote bag. Second and third place will receive a $50 and $25 Fire Works gift card respectively.

Call For Entries: Summer Photo Contest

Memorial Day is just around the corner. That means it’s time to break out the swimsuits, sandals, sunscreen — and the cameras.

In celebration of their new outdoor canopy — which will help keep patio diners cooler when the sun’s beating down, warmer (thanks to built-in heaters) on cool evenings, and dry during summer downpours — Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse (2350 Clarendon Blvd) is sponsoring a summer-themed photo conest.

We’re looking for your best summer snap from around Arlington. Maybe it’s your friends celebrating a patriotic holiday, neighbors out at a street festival, lightning from a summer thunderstorm, your pet trying to keep cool during the dog days of summer — anything that just screams “summer in Arlington.” (Since it’s not officially summer yet, it’s okay if the photo was taken in previous years.)

Email one photo in JPG format to [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23. Please include your name (which may be published) along with the best email address at which to contact you (which will not be published). ARLnow.com will pick 10 finalists and will let readers vote on their favorites this coming Thursday, May 24.

The finalist that receives the most votes will receive a $100 gift card to Fire Works along with an ARLnow.com tote bag. Second and third place will receive a $50 and $25 Fire Works gift card respectively.

The contest is open to U.S. residents 18 years of age and older. By submitting a photo to the contest you affirm that you took the photo, own the rights to the photo, and agree that ARLnow.com can use the photo for any and all contest-related purposes. Limit one entry per person.

Good luck!

‘Roommate of the Year’ Proposes to Roommate

By ARLnow.com

Remember Columbia Pike resident Jesse McLaughlin, the government security analyst who was named the 2011 Apartments.com Roommate of the Year?

Well, it seems that McLaughlin’s good luck in the roommate department didn’t end there. He recently proposed to his roommate — his girlfriend, Lisa — and the pair are now engaged.

McLaughlin said he spent the prize money ($10,000 plus free rent for a year) on an engagement ring.

“I was able to spring for a ring with the money I saved by winning the grand prize and not having to pay rent this past year,” McLaughlin said in a press release. “If there had been any question before, now I am definitely Roommate of the Year, at least in my fiancee’s eyes!”

Apartments.com is now seeking entries for its 2012 Roommate of the Year contest.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Valor Awards Held — The Arlington Chamber of Commerce held its annual Valor Awards presentation yesterday. More than a dozen personnel from the Arlington County Fire Department, Police Department, Sheriff’s Office and Office of Emergency Management received awards. The event was emceed by ABC7 morning news anchor Steve Chenevey. [Arlington Chamber of Commerce]

Sixteen Interested in School Board Seat — A total of 16 people have filed statements of interest for the School Board seat vacated by now-County Board member Libby Garvey. Among those seeking the nine month appointment are former state Senate candidate Jaime Areizaga-Soto. [Sun Gazette]

Yorktown Student Wins Optimist Essay Contest — Alina Kramer, a senior at Yorktown High School, has won the Capital/Virginia District Optimist Essay contest. Kramer will receive a $2,500 scholarship for her essay, which was based on the theme of “How My Positive Outlook Benefits the Community.” It was the first time in more than 10 years that a student from the Arlington Optimist Club won the essay contest.

New Car-Free Diet Show Episode — The fourth installment of Arlington County’s Car-Free Diet Show has been released. The episode features an interview with Chris Eatough, program manager for Bike Arlington and former professional mountain bike racer, as well as safety tips for avoiding being hit with car doors. [YouTube]

Rosslyn Condo Up for HGTV ‘Doory Award’

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn might not quite be Manhattan on the Potomac, but a loft-style condo that’s up for an award from HGTV does have a certain SoHo vibe to it.

A penthouse condo at Rosslyn’s Wooster and Mercer Lofts condo building (1600 Clarendon Blvd) is one of eight finalists for an HGTV “Doory Award” under the “Urban Homes” category. The two story, 1,111 square foot, 1 bedroom/1 bathroom condo features Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, 25 foot ceilings, a kitchen island, private roof deck, two walk-in closets and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances like a Wolf gas range and a Sub Zero refrigerator. The building was built in 2007 and the condo is priced at $791,000.

The condo’s competition in the HGTV contest includes units from other trendy multifamily properties in big cities like San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Seattle — and New York City itself.

You can vote for Arlington’s hometown entry in the contest on the Doory Awards website.

Disclosure: John Eric, an ARLnow.com advertiser, is the listing agent for the condo.

 

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Older ‘Quota’ Memos Released — Arlington County Police Chief M. Douglas Scott continues to insist that the police department does not and never did have a quota system, despite new memos being unearthed which set “goals,” “expectations,” or “levels of production” for arrests and tickets. [WUSA 9, Washington Post]

Documentary About Arlington Freedom Rider — A documentary is being made about Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, an long-time Arlington resident and one of the original Freedom Riders who fought against racial segregation in the South. [YouTube]

Contest Sends APS Teacher to Volcano — Gunston Middle School teacher John Stewart will be taking an all-expenses-paid educational trip to Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii after winning a contest sponsored by Wonder bread. While in Hawaii, at the country’s most active volcano, Stewart will “provide an interactive educational experience to his 8th grade students at Gunston Middle School, which will also receive 25 free tablet computers for the remote lesson,” according to a press release. [7Wonders of the USA Teacher Tour]

Flickr pool photo by Alex

Arlington to Host Adult Singing Competition

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) Last year Arlington Public Schools hosted an “Arlington Idol” singing competition for high school students. This year, adults are getting a chance to compete in their own contest.

As part of its adult education program, APS is hosting the “2012 Arlington Sing-Off Competition” for those 18 and over.

Auditions for the contest are taking place on Friday, May 11 and Thursday, May 17 at 7:00 p.m. The May 11 audition is being held at Washington-Lee High School, while the May 17 audition is being held at Kenmore Middle School. There is a $10 registration fee for all participants.

Entrants must sing as a soloist — no groups are allowed — and they must do so acapella, at least during the audition phase. Songs must be memorized, and profanity is not allowed.

Three judges will help narrow down the field. The judges are Bolormaa Judgersuren, an opera singer originally from Mongolia; Dawn Frederick, a professional singer and vocal coach; and Adelaide Ruble, a recording artist and vocalist for a local swing dance band.

After the auditions, a semi-final competition will be held at Jefferson Middle School on May 21. The finalists will compete at Jefferson Middle School on June 5.

Anyone interested in competing can register online or call 703-228-7200. The grand prize for the competition is a $100 gift card and an opportunity to perform at Arlington’s first annual “Night of Concert Music,” which is being held on June 15 at Jefferson Middle School.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Major Redevelopment Proposed for Rosslyn — A developer has proposed tearing down four office buildings and two residential towers between N. Kent Street and Arlington Ridge Road in Rosslyn, and replacing them with four new buildings, including 2.5 million square feet of offices, residences, hotel rooms and retail space. If all goes well, the project might even attract a Ritz Carlton hotel and a Harris Teeter grocery store. [Washington Business Journal]

Nuclear Attack Would Be Survivable for Arlington — Most of Arlington would survive a terrorist nuclear bomb attack on downtown D.C., according to a federal report released earlier this month. The biggest danger to Arlington wouldn’t be the initial blast, but would be the nuclear fallout afterward. One scenario suggests the Columbia Pike corridor would be vulnerable to fallout given a specific set of wind conditions. [Sun Gazette]

Arlington ‘Peeps Show’ Contestants — Arlingtonians are a crafty bunch. A number of semifinalists of the annual Washington Post “Peeps Show” diorama contest are listed as Arlington residents. Among them are the creators of “Faster Than the Peep of Light?,” “GOPeep Primary Debate,” “A Peeps Eye View into an Apeepment on M St.,” and “Marine Corps Marathon: The Peep-les Marathon.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Va. Budget Standoff — There’s a standoff in Richmond as the 20 Republicans and 20 Democrats in the state Senate remain evenly divided over the state’s two-year budget. Democrats say their opposition stems from the budget’s inadequate funding for public education, transportation and health care. Republicans, meanwhile, are accusing Democrats of obstructionism and “Washingtonian behavior.” The budget needs at least 21 votes to pass. The last vote was 20-19. [Washington Post, Washington Times]

High School Graduation Date Moved — The graduation date for Arlington public high schools is now Wednesday, June 20. The date was switched from the 21st because the graduation venue, DAR Constitution Hall, was not available that day. The last day of school was also moved back a day, to Tuesday, June 19. [Arlington Public Schools]

Arlington Au Pair Recognized — An au pair from Arlington has been named the winner of the national ‘Ultimate Au Pair’ contest. AuPairCare, an agency that places international au pairs with host families in the U.S., says they selected Mariana Moujan, of Buenos Aires, as the Ultimate Au Pair “for her compassion and dedication to the Edwards family in Arlington, Virginia.”

Local Couple in the Running for Bridal Contest

By ARLnow.com

A local couple is in the running for a Facebook contest organized by the national bridal store chain David’s Bridal.

Samantha Sissman and Clyde Wentling, who first met as students at Arlington’s H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program, are getting married this summer. They’re hoping to win the $2,500 “Share Your Love” contest to help offset the expense of flying the mother of the groom-to-be in from her home in West Africa.

Sissman and Wentling both grew up in Arlington. Though they attended high school together, they only started dating in 2008 after meeting again years later through friends. Sissman, whose family still lives in South Arlington, has worked as an aide in the Arlington County Board office for nearly four years.

To vote for Samantha and Clyde, go to their contest entry page and click on the red ‘vote’ button. Additional information about the contest can be found here.

Photo via Facebook

Winner of County Vehicle Decal Contest Announced

By ARLnow.com

The new 2012-2013 Arlington County vehicle decal has been revealed.

The winner of this year’s vehicle decal design contest was announced at this afternoon’s County Board meeting. Out of a group of four design finalists, a decal with a photo of the Pentagon memorial received the most votes.

The decal, entitled “Silent Memories,” was designed by Jeppe Callander, an exchange student from Norway who’s attending Wakefield High School. Callander said he originally took the photo of the memorial to show his mother.

Arlington residents cast nearly 2,000 votes cast in the annual contest. About 155,000 decals will be mailed to vehicle owners this summer.

View More Stories