holiday

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Roads ‘Looking Good’ After Light Snow — Per Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: snow removal crews are “reviewing school routes, especially bridges and County sidewalks, with @APSVirginia on a 2-hour delayed opening. Roadways looking good, treated as needed, but go slow and remove snow from vehicles before pulling out.” [Twitter]

Gov’t Closures Today and Monday — “Arlington County Government offices, courts, libraries & facilities will be closed on Jan. 21, 2019 for Martin Luther King, Jr.,’s birthday. NOTE: Commonwealth of Virginia offices (including Courts & DMVs)  will be closed Friday Jan. 18, 2019 for Lee-Jackson Day.” [Arlington County]

Amazon Incentives Clear First Richmond Hurdle — “A powerful General Assembly committee has passed and forwarded to the full state Senate legislation that would grant Amazon up to $750 million in financial incentives for locating a secondary headquarters in Arlington and Alexandria.” [InsideNova]

Who Said This? — A “big D.C. developer” reportedly called Crystal City “Ballston with lipstick,” which is more flattering than what an executive for Crystal City’s biggest property owner said about the community earlier this week. For its part, Crystal City is continuing to bask in the afterglow of its big Amazon win and this week’s announcement that PBS will be keeping its headquarters in the neighborhood. [Twitter]

Famers Market Offers Shutdown Discounts — The Westover Farmers Market, held on Sundays at the corner of Washington Blvd and N. McKinley Road, is offering discounts of 10-25 percent for furloughed federal employees and contractors until the government shutdown ends.

Arlington Family’s Furlough Story — An Arlington couple who both work for the federal government and are missing paychecks during the shutdown is more fortunate than many, given that they have savings with which to keep paying the bills. But it has meant cutting back on discretionary spending and things like child care and retirement contributions. [MarketWatch]

Arlington Man Arrested for ‘Ruckus’ in Ohio — “A man from Arlington, Virginia is facing charges in Youngstown after police say he created a ruckus at the downtown DoubleTree and threatened police… officers say he kept threatening them saying, ‘You guys are going to be sorry, and you’re going to regret this. I will find you when I get out.'” [WKBN]

Holiday Market to Pop Up in Ballston Apartment Building Tomorrow

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Local retailers will set up shop for a holiday market pop-up tomorrow (Saturday) in The View at Liberty Center at 4000 Wilson Blvd.

Gifts from the clothing boutique Mission Edit, Wine Time Crafts, stationary shop Creations by Sasha and other local businesses will be available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Shoppers can also munch on holiday cookies with a cup of hot chocolate.

The first 300 people outside The View on the corner of N. Quincy Street and Wilson Blvd will get to take home a wreath from Merrifield Garden Center, which is located in Falls Church.

The View is encouraging visitors to bring new, unwrapped toys to support local Toys for Tots efforts by the U.S. Marine Corps. The apartment building also plans to raffle off holiday pies from D.C.-based bakery Whisked! to benefit Toys for Tots.

Celebrate the Holidays with The View at Liberty Center

‘Tis the season of giving and The View is spreading the joy.

You’re invited to our first Holiday Pop-up Shop this Saturday, December 15 from 10-2 p.m.

Join us in the lobby and browse through festively curated pop-ups, like Mission Edit clothing boutique, Wine Time Crafts, Creations by Sasha and more featuring exclusive deals for the holidays. Enjoy holiday cookies, hot chocolate and a complimentary holiday wreath.

During the event, help The View team in donating to the Toys for Tots fundraiser, hosted by the United States Marine Corps.

We’re celebrating the community and the season of giving, so grab a friend and join in on the fun. Click here to learn more!

Sheriff’s Office to Host Holiday Events for Imprisoned Parents

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Incarcerated mothers and fathers can celebrate the holidays with their children next week as part of events hosted by the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office.

Incarcerated parents must meet certain requirements for the opportunity to have dinner with their children and make themed crafts.

The recently released holiday movie “The Grinch” served as the inspiration for this year’s theme.

“The events aim to foster positive relationships between parents and children and lessen the effects of separation,” a county press release said.

The events will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Arlington County Detention Facility (1435 N. Courthouse Road). The fathers-only event takes place on Monday (Dec. 10), followed by the mothers-only event on Tuesday (Dec. 11).

The Sheriff’s Office plans to host similar events when summer comes along, according to the press release.

APS Weighs Giving Staff Columbus Day Off Next Year, Adding Vacation Day for Students

By Alex Koma

Arlington school officials are weighing a new proposal to give all staff Columbus Day off next year, a move that would end up giving students another day home from school in the process.

The county school system is currently accepting feedback on two options for the 2019-2020 year. One would maintain Columbus Day, which will fall on Oct. 14 next year, as a holiday for students and a “professional learning day” for all year-round employees, with those same workers getting Dec. 26 as a day off.

The other would make Columbus Day a holiday for students and staff alike, and Arlington Public Schools will set aside Oct. 7 for staff training instead. That would mean that students also get that day off, while 12-month staffers would need to report to work on Dec. 26.

The change would result in students having 27 weekdays off from school next year, compared to 26 under the first plan. It would not, however, impact the last day of school for students at any level, or affect the dates of any holiday breaks.

The school system is unique in the county in observing Columbus Day in the first place, as most other county government offices and facilities remain open for the controversial holiday.

School officials are still accepting feedback on those two options, and the final decision rests with the School Board, which has yet to review the new school calendar.

An online APS survey on the matter — asking responders to rate each of the two calendar options — will close by the end of the day today (Monday).

File photo

‘Winter Festival of Lights’ Comes to Lee Highway Saturday

By Catherine Douglas Moran

The Winter Festival of Lights is set to brighten up various spots along Lee Highway with 10,000 lights on Saturday (Dec. 1).

From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., locals can check out the free festival’s four different venues, which will have holiday music, shopping, performances, art, food and photos with Santa.

The first stop at the Lee Arts Center (5722 Lee Highway) includes a kid-friendly crafting area in the artists’ studios where families can make buttons, watch local artists make ceramic bowls for the AFAC Empty Bowls fundraiser and learn how to make a holiday card with the printing press.

Kids can sing holiday favorites with “Sing Books with Emily” from noon to 2 p.m. Pizza from Joe’s Place Pizza & Pasta and a tasting by LaMoo Creamery will be available.

The second spot along the corridor, next to the Petco at 5400 Lee Highway, features magic and puppies. Attendees can meet Marymount University’s Pattern Makers and Fashion Club, chat with Arlington County library staff and learn from Arlington planners about the upcoming Lee Highway Planning Study while munching on food from Peter Chang and Harris Teeter.

The schedule includes:

  • Christmas trees and wreaths available at the All Seasons Farm Market
  • Performance by magician Steve Kish from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Performance by Jack Russell terriers Mario and Bella, who will show off a variety of tricks during the Jacks are Wild Dog Show
  • A donation box for pet food from the Arlington Animal Welfare League
  • How-to workshop for “cloved oranges” and Mt. Vernon-style natural wreaths with Melanie Welles Creamer from Mt. Vernon’s Greenhouse

Holiday enthusiasts can also head to the Langston-Brown Community Center (2121 N. Culpeper Street) to learn about local history and take photos with Santa and firefighters. Food from the Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe and Joe’s Place Pizza & Pasta will be available.

Other activities there include:

  • Face-painting
  • Compete for prizes in the Amazing Passport Race
  • Book signing by local author Wilma Jones for “My Halls Hill Family, More Than a Neighborhood”
  • Exhibition from the winners of a biennial program that recognizes excellence in architecture, historic preservation, landscape architecture and public art
  • Toy charitable dropbox from the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH)
  • Music from the Celestial Voices, The Arlington Chorale and Clarinestique Clarinet Choir

Finally, the “Shop Like a Local Holiday Market” at the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire House (3900 Lee Highway) tops off the festivities.

Photo via Lee Highway Alliance

‘Miracle on 23rd Street’ — Melwood is Keeping the Tradition Alive and Better Than Ever

The time-honored Arlington holiday tradition, Miracle on 23rd Street, continues this year with its festive community tree lighting, arrival of Santa Claus and seasonal celebration to benefit those in need to kick off the holiday season.

Melwood, the leading nonprofit employer of people of differing abilities and wounded veterans in the Greater Washington D.C. metro area, is hosting this year’s event after recently acquiring Linden Resources, an Arlington organization of a similar mission, which previously hosted the event for more than 50 years.

“Melwood is proud to keep the tradition alive as we set up our new campus in Crystal City and make friends with our new neighbors,” said Cari DeSantis, president and CEO of Melwood. “We are excited about becoming part of this vibrant community, and we hope to make this longstanding traditional event better than ever.”

The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 30, at 750 23rd Street South in Crystal City. Admission is free and you can register at this site.

The celebration begins with the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree and the much-anticipated arrival of Santa, escorted by representatives of Arlington’s Police and Fire Departments. Photo opportunities with Saint Nick, face painting and free cookies are included in the festivities. New this year is a “virtual reality sleigh ride,” compliments of electronics pioneer, Samsung.

Melwood is one of the largest employers of people of differing abilities in the country, employing more than 1,600 workers — nearly 1,000 of whom are of differing abilities.

For 55 years, Melwood has offered job placement, job training, life skills for independence, and support services to more than 2,500 people each year in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Its merger with Linden Resources last year, allowed for an expansion of job opportunities, partnerships and services in a larger geographical area.

Local Christmas Tree Sales Start Next Week

By Catherine Douglas Moran

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, holiday season preparations are right around the corner. Arlington residents in search of a Christmas tree can head to these spots to pick out the perfect pine.

The Optimist Club of Arlington will start its annual tree sale next at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 23 in the Wells Fargo Bank lot along Lee Highway (2213 N. Glebe Road). The sales will end around Dec. 21 depending on availability, according to a press release.

Its hours are:

  • Monday to Thursday, 2 to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, noon to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The lot will also have wreaths, garland and White House Christmas ornaments available for purchase. All of the proceeds go to the club’s youth programs, which provide support and scholarships to local children.

For the first time this year, the Optimist Club will also be selling trees at a second location.

From Dec. 5-7, the club and the Ballston BID will operate a “pop-up lot” in the Ballston Gold’s Gym parking lot on Wilson Blvd. The lot is scheduled to be open from 3-7 p.m. and will offer smaller trees than the main Wells Fargo lot. A food truck is also set to serve food for tree shoppers.

The Arlington South Lions Club will begin its annual Christmas tree sale next Friday, Nov. 23, as well.

The sale will take place at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Four Mile Run Drive from noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends until Dec. 24. Also planned is a Christmas Tree 5K on the W&OD Trail on Saturday, Dec. 1.

“Benefits from the Christmas Tree 5K and Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale will provide resources for sight preservation, disaster relief, Arlington Youth activities, the Arlington Free Clinic and the Arlington Food Assistance Center,” according to the Lions Club. “The Club will be providing Christmas trees to low-income families as well to provide joy during holiday celebrations.”

The Clarendon United Methodist Church (606 N. Irving Street), meanwhile, begins its tree sale on Saturday, Nov. 24 and runs until the lot sold out. Proceeds will go toward Rise Against Hunger, Wings of Caring and Arlington Thrive.

The schedule is:

  • Monday to Friday, 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Other usual Christmas tree sale locations to check out include Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (830 23rd Street S.) in Aurora Highlands, Whole Foods stores and local farmers markets. Spots outside of Arlington include the Middleburg Christmas Tree Farm and Almost Heavenly Christmas Trees, which has a location in North Ridge and another in Landmark.

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Celebrate This Holiday Season with The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City will offer festive holiday activities to celebrate the coziest time of the year with friends, family and loved ones. The hotel greets the upcoming season with spirited brunches, delightful holiday teas and an engaging workshop to create lasting memories. Festivities include:

  • Thanksgiving Day Brunch — Thursday, November 22
  • Holiday Tea — Starting Thursday, November 29
  • Breakfast with Santa — Saturday, December 1
  • Gingerbread House Workshop — Sunday, December 9
  • Christmas Day Brunch — Tuesday, December 25

Enjoy these one-of-a-kind offerings, and more, this holiday season at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City!

Here’s What’s Closed for Columbus Day Around Arlington

By Alex Koma

Columbus Day might make for a long weekend for federal government employees and a whole host of others, but don’t expect to see many county services on hold to mark the occasion.

Monday (Oct. 8) is the lone federal holiday where Arlington County offices and facilities remain open, with a few exceptions.

County schools will be closed Monday, as will the county’s courts and DMV locations. The county also won’t enforce parking meters on Columbus Day.

Arlington Transit will still operate, albeit with a Saturday schedule for routes 41, 42, 43, 45, 51, 55, 77 and 87. Other routes won’t run, and the ART call center will be closed.

Metro will also offer reduced service on its train and bus routes.

Trains will run on a Saturday schedule, running every 12 minutes during the day, and the service will be open from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Buses will run on a Saturday supplemental schedule, with full details available here. Planned night track work will continue as normal, which could further slow some trains.

File photo

Be on the Lookout for These July 4 Road Closures

By Alex Koma

The Fourth of July is nearly upon us, and that means a slew of office and road closings are on the way tomorrow (Wednesday).

All county government offices, courts, libraries and other facilities will be closed for Independence Day, and the county won’t enforce parking meter limits.

Arlington Transit will run buses along a few of its routes on Sunday schedules, but otherwise, bus service won’t be available around the county.

County police are also gearing up to close a variety of roads around Arlington to cope with crowds and Fourth of July events, and they also plan to restrict parking at popular fireworks viewing spots including the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, Long Bridge Park and the Air Force Memorial.

Full details on the road closures, from a county press release:

6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

  • Memorial Bridge/Memorial Circle

1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

  • Marshall Drive from Route 110 to N. Meade Street
  • N. Meade St. from 14th St. N. to Marshall Dr.

3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

  • Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Route 50 (access to the Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood will be from the Rhodes Street bridge)
  • Exit ramp from westbound Route 50 to N. Lynn Street (Rosslyn exit)
  • Exit ramp from eastbound Route 50 to N. Meade Street (Rosslyn exit)
  • Long Bridge Drive from Boundary Channel Drive to 10th Street S.

8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

  • Eastbound Route 50 at Washington Blvd. All traffic diverted from Rt. 50 on ramps to East and West Washington Blvd.
  • Eastbound N. 10th ramp to eastbound Rt. 50 will be closed, all traffic diverted to westbound Rt. 50
  • Courthouse Road ramp to eastbound Rt. 50 will be closed, all traffic diverted to westbound Rt. 50 or 10th Street N.
  • Pershing Drive at Rt. 50 will only be allowed westbound
  • Eastbound N. Fairfax Drive from N. Pierce Street to N. Fort Myer Drive
  • Columbia Pike between S. Orme Street and S. Joyce St.
  • Joyce Street between Army Navy Drive and Columbia Pike

Arlington parks will remain open for the holiday, though the county won’t be holding its annual Fourth of July celebration at Long Bridge Park this year due to budget constraints. Pools at Arlington Public Schools will also be open as usual, as will county spraygrounds, for anyone looking to cool off.

Trash and recycling collection will also proceed as normal.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Dimick

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