election

Republicans Endorse Vihstadt for County Board

By Ethan Rothstein

John VihstadtThe Arlington County Republican Committee (ACRC) has endorsed John Vihstadt to fill the County Board seat Chris Zimmerman plans to vacate this month.

Vihstadt is running as an independent against Democratic nominee Alan Howze and libertarian Evan Bernick. Perennial Independent Green candidate Janet Murphy and Stephen Holbrook, a retired FBI agent who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for the County Board last year, have also filed paperwork indicating that they are running.

Vihstadt now has the endorsement of Arlington Republicans, the Arlington Green Party and several high-profile local Democrats, including County Board member Libby Garvey, Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos and former Arlington County Democratic Committee Chair (and ARLnow.com opinion columnist) Peter Rousselot.

Vihstadt opposes the Columbia Pike Streetcar and the planned Long Bridge Aquatics Center, now on hold after constructed bids came in above the allotted budget. Vihstadt said he’s a Republican when he announced his campaign in December, but chose to run as an independent with the hopes of securing the Republicans’ endorsement.

The endorsement signifies the second consecutive County Board election the Republicans have not run an official candidate. There was no Republican challenger when now-Board Chair Jay Fisette ran for re-election in 2013.

Arlington County Democratic Committee President Kip Malinosky issued a statement after Vihstadt secured the endorsement.

“Mr. Vihstadt has shown us his true Republican colors,” Malinosky said. “He has a long history of supporting conservative candidates and now he has the Republican Party’s endorsement. Voters now have a clear choice: Alan Howze is a real progressive leader who will move Arlington forward, while Mr. Vihstadt will be another Republican obstructionist.”

The special election to replace Zimmerman is expected to be held on April 8. The date is expected to be officially set on Tuesday, Feb. 11, a day after Zimmerman formally resigns.

Update at 1:15 p.m. — This afternoon, ACRC issued the following press release about their Vihstadt endorsement.

Yesterday, the Arlington County Republican Committee voted to endorse the Independent candidacy of John Vihstadt for the upcoming Arlington County Board special election.

At the special meeting of the Arlington GOP, Vihstadt spoke to attendees on a large number of topics, including Arlington’s fiscal health, school capacity issues, and needed improvements to the County’s economic development efforts.

Vihstadt discussed the need for fresh thinking on the County Board. The central theme of Vihstadt’s speech was that the County needs to reassess its current spending priorities, saying, “the proposed $310,000,000 Columbia Pike streetcar and $1,000,000 bus stops are imprudent expenditures that ought to be replaced with more effective and less costly alternatives.” Vihstadt continued, “In addition, the $80,000,000 Long Bridge Park Aquatics Center needs to be scaled back. In a time of economic uncertainty, surging school enrollment, and rising household taxes on working families and seniors, the County Board needs to rethink its priorities.”

Vihstadt asserted that his campaign will continue to highlight the importance of a new perspective, stating that “we need a recalibration of Arlington’s spending priorities to stress core services like public education, public safety, and infrastructure maintenance.”

While not shying away from his Republican background, Vihstadt explained to attendees that his independent candidacy allows a broad spectrum of voters an opportunity to support a candidate willing to put the needs of Arlingtonians before partisan politics.

Chairman Ian Meyeroff added after the meeting that “John’s work for Arlington Republicans is only a tiny fraction of who he is.” Meyeroff noted the Arlington GOP’s 2008 selection of Vihstadt for its Delyannis-Finta Award for Distinguished Community Involvement, attributed to Vihstadt’s decades of civic engagement in the public schools, in the neighborhoods, and across the County on various boards and commissions.

In addition to the Republican Party endorsement, Vihstadt has also been endorsed by the Arlington Green Party and prominent Arlington Democrats including County Board member Libby Garvey and Commonwealth Attorney Theo Stamos. The County Board special election is expected to be held on April 8, 2014.

Alan Howze Captures Democratic Nod for County Board

By ARLnow.com

Alan Howze at an Arlington County Democratic Committee debate Alan Howze has captured the Democratic nomination for the upcoming Arlington County Board special election.

Howze received 52 percent of the vote during the two day Democratic nomination caucus, which concluded Saturday night. The other two candidates, Cord Thomas and Peter Fallon, received 30 and 18 percent of the vote respectively.

“Tonight I am honored to earn the confidence of Arlington Democrats and win the Democratic nomination for the Arlington County Board,” Howze said in a statement.

Howze will now face independent candidate John Vihstadt and libertarian Evan Bernick in the special election, which is being held to replace the retiring Chris Zimmerman. The date for the election has not yet been set, but it is expected to take place in early April.

The Arlington County Democratic Committee issued the press release about the caucus results.

Alan Howze, long-time community leader with experience in government and business, has been nominated as the Democratic candidate for the April Special Election to fill the Arlington County Board seat vacated by the resignation of Chris Zimmerman.

Alan Howze won with 52% of 3,585 votes cast during the two caucuses held Thursday January 30 and Saturday February 1 by the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC). Cord Thomas received 30%, and Peter Fallon received 18%.

For the first time, ACDC used “instant run-off voting” to ensure that the winning candidate was the preference of a majority of voters. Instead of voting for a single candidate, voters were given the opportunity to rank candidates in order of preference. However, IRV was not needed as Mr. Howze received a majority of the first preference votes. The vast majority of caucus voters used the IRV system and voted for more than one candidate.

Alan Howze was born in Arlington, and he and his wife Pam and three young children live in the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls neighborhood. He has a strong history of civic work in Arlington, and currently serves as the President of the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls Civic Association, Vice-Chair of the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission (FAAC), and a Board Member of the Alliance for Housing Solutions. A graduate of James Madison University with an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, Alan is a management consultant at IBM where he has worked with federal, state and local government leaders on a variety of strategy and transformation initiatives to reduce costs and improve the delivery of government services. For more information: http://www.alanhowze.com

Democratic Nominee Alan Howze stated: “Tonight I am honored to earn the confidence of Arlington Democrats and win the Democratic nomination for the Arlington County Board.” Howze added, “I want to thank Peter Fallon and Cord Thomas for running campaigns that highlighted important issues in our community. Peter has a long record of public service in Arlington. Cord has developed businesses in our community and can play a meaningful role in our Party. I look forward to working closely with Peter and Cord and their supporters, both to win the special election in April and to govern effectively as a Board member.”

Arlington County Democratic Committee Chairman [Kip Malinosky] stated: “Arlington Democrats are thrilled to rally around Alan Howze. He has an outstanding record of service to our community and a vision for a greater Arlington. We know how important it is to have our Democratic values represented at all levels of our government.

The date of the Special Election will be set by the Circuit Court; most likely it will be on Tuesday, April 8, 2014.

Adam Ebbin Announces Run for Congress

By ARLnow.com

State Sen. Adam Ebbin (left) and Del. Patrick Hope (right) with Del. Alfonso LopezUpdate at 2:50 p.m. — Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille also announced today that he’s running for Rep. Moran’s seat in Congress, according to the Washington Post.

State Sen. Adam Ebbin says he intends to run for the congressional seat of the retiring Rep. Jim Moran.

Ebbin, who represents parts of Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax, joins an increasingly crowded field of candidates for the Democratic nomination. Announced candidates for the June primary include state Democratic party chair Charniele Herring, Del. Patrick Hope, Del. Mark Sickles, former Lieutenant Gov. Don Beyer and Bruce Shuttleworth. More are expected to enter the race soon.

Ebbin’s campaign issued the following press release this afternoon.

State Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) announced today that he would seek election to the U.S. House seat of retiring Congressman Jim Moran (D-8). Ebbin has filed the paperwork needed to launch his campaign committee for the June 10 Democratic Primary.

“For twenty-three years, Jim Moran has stood for the progressive values of the people of Northern Virginia. I am proud to have been represented by him in Congress, and to have represented him in Richmond,” Ebbin said.

Since 2004, Ebbin has represented voters from Alexandria, Arlington County, and Fairfax County in the Virginia General Assembly, first as a member of the House of Delegates, and since 2012 as State Senator. Ebbin is the only openly gay member of the Virginia General Assembly.

“Today, I am excited to announce that I will be running to succeed Congressman Moran,” said Senator Ebbin. “For over a decade in Richmond, I’ve been a strong voice for progressive values who’s gotten results. I’ve fought to end human trafficking, to strengthen protections for seniors and the disabled, to ensure LGBT equality and to expand Medicaid in Virginia.”

During his time in Richmond, Ebbin has been recognized as a proven progressive leader by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, Equality Virginia, the Virginia AFL-CIO, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, and other key progressive organizations. In 2011, Ebbin authored a bill to reign in the abuses of then-Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

“Now, more than ever, we need effective leaders in Congress who know how to reach across the aisle to accomplish important goals while never abandoning our shared progressive values. In Congress, I will work with President Obama to protect the Affordable Care Act and ensure access to quality health care. I will protect federal workers from mean-spirited attacks. I will work alongside representatives from every state and political party to raise the minimum wage, fight climate change, and ensure that we never abandon the promise of Social Security and Medicare,” Ebbin said.

Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Ebbin served as Governor Mark Warner’s Chief Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry. He has lived in Alexandria for more than 20 years, and served on the 8th District Democratic Committee and the Virginia Democratic Party’s State Steering Committee.

Ebbin has launched a campaign website at www.AdamEbbin.com.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Mallards in Sparrow Pond near Four Mile Run (Flickr pool photo by Mrs. Gemstone)

County Board Approves Glencarlyn Park Playground — The Arlington County Board on Tuesday approved a $485,000 construction contract for a new playground at Glencarlyn Park. The playground is intended for 5-12 year olds and includes a swing set and a “treehouse” log play structure. [Arlington County]

Demand Rises at AFAC — The Arlington Food Assistance Center “has seen a 20 percent surge in families visiting the food pantry in need of groceries over the past six months.” The director of AFAC says cuts in food stamp (SNAP) benefits has increased need in the community. Those cuts are expected to deepen if Congress passes a new compromise farm bill that includes $800 million in annual food stamp reductions. [Patch]

Grant Accepted for Innovation Initiative — Arlington County has accepted a $350,000 from the state to help fund “an innovative public-private initiative that will connect fast growth technology product companies with national security agencies headquartered in Arlington and the Commonwealth of Virginia.” Arlington will contribute a $175,000 matching grant to the project. [Arlington County]

Dem Caucus Is ‘Basically About the Streetcar’ — On its Twitter account, the blog Greater Greater Washington opines that this week’s Democratic Arlington County Board caucus is “basically about the streetcar.” Alan Howze and Peter Fallon, who GGW recommends voting for, generally support the Columbia Pike streetcar project while Cord Thomas has spoken out against it. [Twitter, Greater Greater Washington]

New African American Book Club — Arlington Public Library has launched a new African American Book Club. The club will “discuss the novels of both new and well-known authors, thought provoking non-fiction about the African American experience.” [Arlington Public Library]

Pageview Problem on ARLnow.com — We are currently trying to resolve a problem that is causing the pageview counter on each article to significantly undercount the actual number of views. The problem is impacting articles published within the past 24-48 hours.

Flickr pool photo by Mrs. Gemstone

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Columbia Island marina on the frozen Potomac River (Flickr pool photo by J. Sonder)

Graham Holdings Coming to Rosslyn — Graham Holdings, the firm once known as the Washington Post Company, is moving to Rosslyn. Now without the namesake newspaper, Graham Holdings includes education firm Kaplan, a cable television business, Slate.com, Foreign Policy magazine, and social marketing firm SocialCode. The company is moving to a 34,000 square foot space in Arlington Tower, at 1300 17th Street N. The move will help Rosslyn — home to WJLA, NewsChannel 8, Politico and the Washington Business Journal — brand itself as an emerging “media hub.” [Washington Post]

Sickles Enters Congressional Race — Del. Mark Sickles, who represents Fairfax County in the Virginia House of Delegates, is now the fifth Democrat to enter the race to replace Rep. Jim Moran (D) in Congress. [Roll Call]

TJ Prospects May Get Testing Do-Over — Students from Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties who took the entrance exam for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a magnet school, may get a do-over. Technical difficulties prevented some students from saving the essay portion of the computer exam. [Reston Now]

Arlington Group Helps Undocumented Students — The Dream Project, an Arlington-based organization, is helping undocumented students apply and pay for college. The group was co-founded four years ago by Arlington School Board member Emma ­Violand-Sanchez. [Washington Post]

Pike Road Closures Tonight — VDOT will be removing an overhead sign across Columbia Pike at S. Queen Street tonight. Drivers should expect road closures of “up to 20 minutes at a time,” according to Arlington County. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by J. Sonder

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

A snowy Four Mile Run (Flickr pool photo by Ddimick)

‘The Springs’ Affordable Apartment Complex Approved — The Arlington County Board on Saturday approved “The Springs,” a 104-unit affordable apartment complex in the Buckingham neighborhood. The $38 million project was partially funded with a $7.82 million loan from the county’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund. [Arlington County]

Don Beyer to Run for Moran’s Seat — Former Virginia lieutenant governor Don Beyer, co-owner of the local car dealership chain, says he will enter the race for the Congressional seat of the retiring Rep. Jim Moran (D). Beyer, a Democrat, recently served as a U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. [Washington Post]

Board Puts Kibosh on School Tree Removal –– The County Board has ordered Arlington Public Schools to halt the removal of trees at Ashlawn Elementary School ahead of a planned addition to the school. The order follows a public outcry about the tree removal, which was initially authorized by county staff but without a public process. “”We cannot let this happen again . we cannot allow trees to be chopped down,” Board member Walter Tejada is quoted as saying. “This is a problem.” [Sun Gazette]

Burst Pipe at Uncle Julio’s — A pipe burst at Uncle Julio’s in Ballston over the weekend, sending water “pouring” from the ceiling. No word on any damage to the restaurant. [Twitter]

Edelman to Talk at Library — Best-selling author and financial adviser Ric Edelman will discuss his book “The Truth About Retirement Plans and IRAs” at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street) in March. The talk will take place from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5. [Arlington Public Library]

Flickr pool photo by Ddimick

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Large snow pile in the parking lot for Virginia Highlands Park

Williamsburg Zumba Studio Featured on ‘GMA’ — FITLoose Health and Fitness in the Williamsburg neighborhood was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America. The segment highlighted the studio’s Zumbini classes — a variation of Zumba for children 0-3 years old and their parents. [Yahoo! News]

Hybrid Tax Repeal Passes — Legislation to repeal Virginia’s $64 annual tax on hybrid vehicles has passed both houses of the General Assembly. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) says he will sign the bill, which was introduced in the state Senate by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D). [Virginian-Pilot]

Herring Announces Run for Moran’s Seat — Virginia Democratic Party Chair Charneile Herring is stepping down to run for the Congressional seat of the retiring Rep. Jim Moran (D). Herring, who has represented Alexandria in the House of Delegates, is considered a party  “rising star,” and was Virginia’s first African-American Democratic party chair. [NBC Washington]

Arlington’s Shopping Scene Profiled — “Shopping in Arlington is always a bit of an adventure,” writes the Washington Post’s Jura Koncius. “As you dodge auto body shops, towering corporate headquarters, tanning parlors and trendy eateries, you’ll discover stores that stock just about everything you need for your home. But you might find yourself lost in the process. Hop over a bridge from the city and you’ll roll through slick shopping centers punctuated by shops nestled in funky farmhouses that represent the disappearing Arlington of old.” [Washington Post]

Eads Street Was a Former Canal — Crystal City residents might not realize it, but most of S. Eads Street, a main thoroughfare, used to be a canal. The street was built above the old Alexandria Canal, which connected Alexandria to Georgetown by way of an aqueduct bridge.

Fisette: Not Interested in Joining ‘Dysfunctional’ Congress

By ARLnow.com

County Board Vice Chair Jay FisetteArlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette says he will not make a run for Congress.

In a statement, Fisette said a major decision point for him was “the contrast between the dysfunctional climate on Capitol Hill and the can-do atmosphere in Arlington.”

So far, those who have said they’ll run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jim Moran (D) are Democrats Bruce Shuttleworth and Del. Patrick Hope, and Republican Micah Edmond.

Fisette’s statement:

Congressman Jim Moran recently announced that he will not seek re-election. He deserves our heartfelt thanks for twenty-four years of strong, principled service to all of us in Northern Virginia. His voice and experience in Congress will be missed.

Many friends and colleagues have asked of my interest in running for this seat and have encouraged me to run. While appreciative of those comments, I have decided that I will not seek this position.

One reason for my decision is the contrast between the dysfunctional climate on Capitol Hill and the can-do atmosphere in Arlington. The state of politics at the national level is disheartening, with the outsized influence of shrill, well-financed forces and the disintegration of sincere efforts to forge compromise, respect one’s colleagues and realize the potential of government to make people’s lives better. The distorted effects of re-districting and the demands of a relatively small band of conservative extremists have hijacked the House in particular for the moment.

Arlington is different. This community continues to take policy deliberations seriously, engage widely and with civility, and put our progressive values into action. As a result, we have achieved amazing things together and are in a strong position to continue moving forward. Here, diverse people with good will and good ideas can and do make a difference. Having just been re-elected by the voters and tapped by my colleagues to lead the County Board this year, I will be staying to continue my work in our wonderful community.

There are many qualified Democrats who could represent the Eighth District very capably. I will work with our party’s nominee to secure a victory in the November election and keep the Eighth District in the progressive ranks.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sunset over Metro 29 Diner on Lee Highway (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

County Gets $500k for Beaver Pond Project — Arlington County has received a $500,000 state grant for a project to improve the Ballston beaver pond. “The $2.7 million improvement project, paid for mostly from stormwater funds, includes changing the flow pattern to keep water in the pond longer, allowing wetland plants to remove nutrients and other pollutants before it flows out,” the county said in a press release. “Construction is expected to begin in the summer 2014.” [Arlington County]

Fisette’s Disclosure Doesn’t Include Husband — County Board Chairman Jay Fisette’s annual financial disclosure did not include the finances of his husband. Fisette was married in D.C. this past September, but Fisette says he’s not required to include his spouse in the disclosure since their marriage is not recognized under Virginia law. [Washington Post]

Howze Tops Fundraising Battle — Democratic County Board hopeful Alan Howze has raised the most money of any County Board candidate, with $16,245. Fellow Democrat Cord Thomas appears to be completely self-funding his campaign, while independent candidate John Vihstadt’s donors include a number of local Republicans. [Blue Virginia]

Congressional Primary Date Set — A date has been set for the crowded Democratic primary in the race to succeed the retiring Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.). The primary will be held on June 10. [Twitter]

APS Budget Forum Dates Set — Arlington Public Schools will hold three community forums on the upcoming FY 2015 budget. The forums will be held on Jan. 22, Jan. 29 and Feb. 3. [Arlington Public Schools]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

View of Washington, D.C. from the side of the GW Parkway at night

Doughnut Truck Comes to Arlington — A new food truck devoted to doughnuts has hit the streets of Arlington. The truck, from the Penn Quarter eatery Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, is so far only selling doughnuts and coffee. It plans to stop in Rosslyn, Clarendon and Ballston. [Washingtonian]

Fundraising for Hot Car Mom — A local couple is trying to raise $50,000 for the legal defense of Zoraida Magali Conde Hernandez, the mother accused of accidentally leaving her 8-month-old son in a car for 6 hours on a hot day, leading to his death. The couple says they were “heartbroken” for Hernandez, who is facing a charge of felony child neglect. [Patch]

Flashback: Arlington’s Last Chicken Debate — It turns out this is not the first time that there has been a strong debate in Arlington about urban hen raising. Late in 1945, after the end of World War II, Arlington was preparing to reinstitute an urban chicken ban that had been dropped during the war. The renewed restrictions “drew public debate and strong views on both sides.” [Sun Gazette]

Republican Running for Moran’s Seat — Republican Micah Edmond says he’s planning to run for the Congressional seat of the retiring Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.). Edmond has previously worked in banking, defense policy and as a Marine Corps officer. [National Review]

Pyzyk Poached by Arlington County — ARLnow.com freelance reporter Katie Pyzyk has accepted a full-time position with Arlington County. Pyzyk, who joined us in 2011 and who holds the crown for our most-viewed story of all time, will be a spokeswoman for the Dept. of Community Planning, Housing and Development. We wish Katie the all best in her new position.

Bruce Shuttleworth Tosses Hat in Ring for Moran’s Seat

By ARLnow.com

Democratic congressional candidate Bruce Shuttleworth with wife Divonne SmoyerNorth Arlington resident Bruce Shuttleworth is again running for Congress.

Shuttleworth, who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) in the 2012 Democratic primary, announced tonight that he’s running in this year’s sure-to-be crowded Democratic primary. The announcement follows the news Wednesday morning that the 12-term Congressman is not running for reelection.

Shuttleworth, a 48-year-old Navy veteran, has declared himself a “diversity candidate” and said in a statement that he is “a fighter pilot and a feminist.”

“I don’t think that women have been treated equally throughout history,” he told ARLnow.com. “I think we’d be in much better position if we did treat women more equally and if more women were in positions of power.”

“I’m completely for equal rights in all things, no one is more pro-choice than I am,” he said, adding that he would fight for equal pay for women if elected to Congress.

On issues like sexual assault in the military, Shuttleworth said “it’s going to be the men who have to take a decisive, bold leadership role in making sure people know it’s not okay to mistreat any minority, most especially women.”

“I will be the loudest voice in the land for equal rights for all minorities to include our transgender brothers and sisters,” he said in the statement. “I cannot be more committed to being anti-bullying.”

Shuttleworth said he himself was bullied while a student leader at the Naval Academy. The bullying stemmed from a time at when he reported classmates having a drinking party in a room next door, a serious offense at the school. After that, Shuttleworth said, he was “threatened with bodily harm,” broken light bulbs were placed in his bed and his car was vandalized. The bullying  followed him “for years,” even while in naval service, but Shuttleworth said he would do it all over again because it was the right thing to do.

“[I] take ethics and integrity incredibly seriously, and that’s the same kind of integrity i’m going to bring to the United States Congress,” he said, later calling Congress “an institution that has failed America.”

The full statement from Shuttleworth, after the jump.

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