holiday

Some DMV Services Unavailable This Weekend

By Katie Pyzyk

Using the long weekend to catch up on errands at the DMV doesn’t look like it will be an option for everyone. In addition to being closed in observance of Columbus Day on Monday, certain services will not be offered on Saturday.

Because the DMV’s Social Security Verification system will be unavailable tomorrow, services like applying for a first-time Virginia driver’s license will not be offered. A small number of renewals will be affected as well.

The system maintenance will affect branches across the country, including the one in Arlington at 4150 South Four Mile Run Drive. The branch will still be open from 8 a.m. to noon for other services.

Here’s more information from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles:

RICHMOND – Certain services provided by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), including applying for a first-time Virginia driver’s license, will be unavailable on Saturday, October 8, 2011.

Due to system maintenance by the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), social security number verification will not be available in DMV customer service centers (CSC) on October 8. DMV verifies social security numbers when processing new driver’s license transactions and some driver’s license renewal transactions.

Customers who need first-time or renewed driver’s licenses are encouraged to visit DMV before October 8; all DMV offices will be closed on Monday, October 10 in observance of the Commonwealth’s Columbus Day holiday.

Customers who are unable to obtain a new or updated driver’s license on October 8 will receive a letter during their visit to the DMV customer service center. Customers may return to any CSC during the week of October 11 through 14 and present the letter at the information desk for expedited service.

If a customer’s driver’s license expires, Virginia law requires the customer to show proof of legal presence to renew at DMV, even if legal presence has been proven in the past. Legal presence means that a person is either a U.S. citizen or is legally authorized to be in the United States. Examples of documents used to prove legal presence include a government-issued birth certificate or a U.S. passport. For more information on acceptable documents, see DMV’s Guide to Obtaining a Driver’s License or Identification Card.

Columbus Day Closures

By ARLnow.com

Columbus Day is one week from today, and many government offices and services will be closed to mark the holiday.

Closures for Monday, Oct. 10 include Arlington County courts, Virginia DMV offices, Arlington Public Libraries, Arlington Public Schools and Arlington’s Department of Human Services.

County parks will be open, but administrative offices will be closed. Parks and recreation classes, meanwhile, will not be offered. The Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but all other Arlington community centers will be closed. Arlington’s three high school pools will be open under modified schedules.

Metro and ART will be operating under holiday schedules. Parking meters will not be enforced.

Normal trash and recycling pickup will take place as usual.

Arlington County Labor Day Closures

By ARLnow.com

Most county facilities and services will be closed next Monday for Labor Day.

Courts, libraries, schools and the Department of Human Services will be closed. All community centers will be closed, except for the Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center, which will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

ART buses will operate on a holiday schedule. Parking meters will not be enforced. Trash and recycling pickup will take place as scheduled.

Cinco de Mayo at Lunchtime

By ARLnow.com

It’s hard to say whether it was a normal lunchtime crowd or if people were feeling a bit more festive today for Cinco de Mayo, but the Chipotle in Rosslyn was packed to the gills today. A line snaked around three walls of the restaurant as office workers and residents waited patiently for their burrito fix.

Elsewhere along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, a healthy crowd sat outside Mexicali Blues in Clarendon, sipping Coronas in the cool sunshine. Santa Fe in Rosslyn, meanwhile, was still doing steady business at 1:15 p.m.

Here CafeBar in Rosslyn’s Artisphere had men in sombreros flashing signs to passersby on Wilson Boulevard, but had a smaller crowd at 1:00 p.m. Just over a dozen patrons were dining in Artisphere’s large WiFi-enabled space. Perhaps the menu — which lists burgers and pizza, but not burritos or quesadillas — was partially to blame.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Holiday Closures — Most federal and Arlington County government offices are closed in observance of Washington’s Birthday — better known as President’s Day. ART is operating on a holiday schedule and Metro is operating on a modified schedule with on-going closures on the Blue and Orange Lines.

Real Estate Prices Up — Arlington real estate continues its upward trend. The median sales price in Arlington rose by 7.5 percent, according to Arlington Real Estate News.

Restaurant Coming to Siena Park? — Taqueria Poblano is in talks to open a location on the ground floor of the Siena Park apartment building on Columbia Pike. [Pike Wire]

Book Club Devoted to Intellectual Adventures — A group of students and their parents have formed a book club devoted to topics from space to the classics, with expert speakers for each book selection. [Washington Post]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pothole Problem May Persist — County Manager Barbara Donnellan says the county is waiting for the beginning of spring to fix most of the potholes on local roads. Donnellan, speaking at Saturday’s county board meeting, said “it’s better” to fix the roads after the winter. Board member Walter Tejada acknowledged one resident’s complaints about potholes on his street, adding that Wilson Boulevard and Columbia Pike also have some particularly rough patches. [Sun Gazette]

Remy to be Guest Bartender at Fundraiser — Arlington rapper Remy will be the guest bartender tomorrow at a fundraiser for the Arlington Free Clinic. The fundraiser is being held at Velocity Five (2300 Clarendon Blvd) from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Remy’s sister, Lena, will help select the evening’s door prize winners. [Gregs List DC]

Myerton Apartments Becoming Condos — In 2007, developer JBG decided to scrap plans to market a new renovation project in Penrose as condominiums. Instead, with the economy on the ropes, it leased out the property as the Myerton Apartments. Now, the project’s 74 apartments are once again slated to be sold as condos. Two bedrooms will be priced just below $300,000. [Urban Turf]

President’s Day Schedule Set — Most county offices will be closed on Monday in observance of President’s Day. [Arlington County]

Arlington Fire Marshals Confiscate Fireworks At Eden Center

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire marshals have filled a 44 gallon trash can with fireworks confiscated at today’s rowdy Chinese New Year celebration at Eden Center.

Firefighters initially responded to the Falls Church shopping center this morning for an activated fire alarm. They quickly discovered that the alarm was set off by fireworks being ignited inside the building.

Arlington fire marshals responded and, after determining the problem was more widespread than just one store, Falls Church Police and additional Arlington units were called in. Fire marshals are now conducting a sweep of the shopping center and confiscating illegal fireworks.

They’ve found enough fireworks so far to fill a 44 gallon trash can and a 18×12 box, according to fire department spokesman Lt. Gregg Karl, who noted that police will be stepping up their fireworks enforcement.

“Anybody who is caught lighting fireworks inside the building will be issued summons or arrested,” he said.

Photo courtesy Arlington Fire Department

Eden Center Ringing In Chinese New Year With Illegal Fireworks

By ARLnow.com

Update at 12:30 p.m. — The situation is apparently still not resolved. More firefighters and police officers are on their way to Eden Center.

The Arlington County Fire Marshal’s office is calling for backup at the Eden Center in Fall Church, which is apparently going in a bit overboard in celebrating the Chinese New Year.

“They’re shooting fireworks all around this area,” a fire official radioed to dispatchers a few minutes ago, while requesting that Fall Church Police respond to the shopping center.

Arlington firefighters initially responded to the center for an activated fire alarm. They quickly determined that the fire alarm was set off by fireworks and called in the fire marshal.

Today marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Rabbit is supposed to be quiet and peaceful, but given the ruckus at Eden Center that doesn’t seem to be the case so far.

Eden Center, which is primarily a Vietnamese shopping center, is actually celebrating the Year of the Cat, as the above poster illustrates. The Chinese character for rabbit translates to cat in Vietnamese, according to Wikipedia.

Arlington provides fire department services to Falls Church under contract.

MLK Day Celebrations, Closures

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is gearing up for its tributes to Martin Luther King, Jr.

Arlington is holding its 42nd annual tribute to Dr. King at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center auditorium (3501 Second St. S.). The event will feature keynote speaker Rev. Walter Fauntroy, a local civil rights leader who worked with Dr. King, as well as performance by the World Children’s Choir and the Washington-Lee High School Jazz Band.

ABC 7 reporter Horace Holmes will emcee the event, which is taking place from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 16.

On Monday, Arlington’s AmeriCorps team will hold a Martin Luther King Day of Service. From 10:00 a.m. to noon, volunteers will meet at the Arlington Mill Community Center (4975 Columbia Pike) then go forth to help clean up a section of the Pike and the nearby Four Mile Run stream. Anyone interested in participating is asked to register by emailing volunteer[at]arlingtonenvironment.org.

There will also be a “Save a Tree on MLK Day” event from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road). Volunteers will help save trees by pulling invasive species from the ground. Call 703-228-3403 for more information.

Arlington government offices, schools and libraries will be closed on Monday. The Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center will be open, but every other community center will be closed. Parking won’t be enforced, but trash will be collected.

Metro and ART will be running on a holiday schedule, but Blue and Orange Line work will make commuting into the District tricky.

Volunteer Opp: Work at Arlington’s MLK Day Celebration

By ARLnow.com

Arlington will be holding its 42nd annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. next weekend.

The event is being held at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center Auditorium (3501 Second St. S.) on Sunday, Jan. 16 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. It will feature a keynote address from Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy, a local civil rights leader who worked with Dr. King, as well as musical performances and other entertainment.

The organizers need volunteers to help make the event a success. They’re looking for greeters, green room monitors and an artist to assist with the production. Contact Milada Weaver at 703-228-4730 if you’re interested in volunteering, or see more information about the opportunity here.

Rosslyn Metro Changes for MLK Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Blue and Orange Line service will be split in two between Rosslyn and the District during Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend due to track work. The work, which will also result in the closure of the Foggy Bottom Metro station, will start Friday night and end early Monday.

Free shuttle bus service will be available between the Rosslyn, Foggy Bottom and Farragut West stations during the closures.

See more info from Metro or the press release below.

The Rosslyn area will be impacted by the closure of Metro’s Foggy Bottom – GWU Station on MLK Weekend (January 14-18, 2011).

On the Blue and Orange Lines, there will not be service between the Rosslyn and Farragut West Metrorail stations, and the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail station will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, January 14 until 5 a.m. Tuesday, January 18.

There will be free shuttle bus service between Rosslyn and Farragut West stations with a stop at Foggy Bottom-GWU station approximately every 15 minutes before 9:30 p.m. and every 20 minutes after 9:30 p.m.

  • At Rosslyn Station, the bus stop will be on N. Moore Street near the Station entrance.
  • At Foggy Bottom-GWU Station, the bus stop will be on 23rd Street, south of G Street.
  • At Farragut West station, there will be two bus stops on Eye Street, one between 16th and 17th streets and one at 18th Street.
  • Signs will direct you to the shuttle bus stops.

If you plan to use Metrorail through the work area, please add approximately 40 minutes to your trip time.

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