planetarium

Planetarium Supporters Prepare for Vote

By ARLnow.com

The endgame for the Arlington County Planetarium is near. Arlington Public Schools superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy and planetarium supporters have exchanged offers, counteroffers, and responses to counteroffers. Now, the school board is preparing to vote on the planetarium’s fate.

On Thursday, the board will vote on the school system’s FY2011 budget, which would include any planetarium funding or lack thereof. Leaders of the “Friends of the Planetarium” group, who are actively representing more than 3,200 Facebook “fans” and 900 petition signers, say they are not sure which way the board will vote.

At this point, it’s also not clear which of three possible “scenarios” the board would be voting on. The scenarios range from retaining one full-time planetarium teacher for K-5 students and hiring hourly staff as needed on weekends, to using the planetarium as classroom space during the week and only hiring for weekend shows (while also funding K-2 field trips to the Einstein Planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum).

Each scenario presumes the planetarium would remain functional for 12-18 months while the Friends raise funds for necessary upgrades.

The Friends are pushing for the planetarium to remain staffed full-time for educational use.

If the board votes “no” on planetarium funding, it’s assumed that it will meet the fate proposed under Dr. Murphy’s original budget, which called for the planetarium to be closed and used as a classroom for Washington-Lee High School.

Afternoon Notes: Armed Robbery Arrest, Animal Cruelty Bill

By ARLnow.com

Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested — A man who’s suspected in three armed robberies in Arlington, and at least 15 throughout Northern Virginia, has been apprehended. Eugene Athony Thomas, 24, was arrested in Fairfax County on Monday after a joint investigation by Fairfax and Arlington County police. More from the Falls Church News-Press.

Parks Dept. Creating “Arlingtonopoly” Game — The county’s parks and recreation department is creating a “Monopoly” knock-off called “Arlingtonopoly.” Local landmarks and businesses (who fork over several hundred dollars) will substitute for Boardwalk, Park Place and rest of the original board game’s familiar properties. More from the Sun Gazette.

FBR Reports Lower-Than-Expected Loss — Rosslyn-based investment bank FBR Capital Markets reported a loss of $8.3 million, or 13 cents per share, for the first quarter of 2010. Analysts expected a 28 cent loss, according to Reuters.

Moran Co-Sponsors Animal Cruelty Bill Following SCOTUS Ruling — Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) introduced a bill today to bar the sale of videos which graphically depict the abuse and killing of animals. The quick action follows yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling that deemed a previous law too broad. “I refuse to stand by while people profit from the mutilation and torture of helpless puppies, kittens and other animals,” Moran said in a statement.

Arlington Native Named VT Undergrad Rep — Arlington native Shane McCarty has been named the undergraduate student representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. He’ll hold the prestigious position for the 2010-2011 academic year. McCarty, a junior majoring in marketing, is also vice president of the university’s Student Government Association.

Arlington Prevails in First HOT Lanes Ruling — Arlington has scored a small victory in its lawsuit against the federal government and the Commonwealth of Virginia over the HOT lanes project. A federal judge denied VDOT’s motion to dismiss the case.

Save the Planetarium Rally Tomorrow — Supporters of the David M. Brown Planetarium plan to hold a rally at tomorrow night’s school board meeting, a week before the board’s planned vote on its FY2011 budget. The Save the Planetarium group has amassed more than 3,150 fans on Facebook and has collected more than 880 signatures for a petition.

Good News for Brainiacs, Jocks at School Board Meeting

By ARLnow.com

Planetarium supporters were out in force at Thursday night’s school board meeting.

About two dozen sign-holding, banner-unfurling and speech-making residents came to ask the board to keep the David M. Brown Planetarium open.

During his budget presentation, superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy acknowledged the “Save the Planetarium” movement, which has attracted nearly 3,000 fans on Facebook.

“There seems to be strong support for retaining this program,” Dr. Murphy said.

One proposal that Dr. Murphy suggested he was open to was a private endowment, to be created by planetarium supporters.

“The door is open and the collaboration is ongoing,” Dr. Murphy said, hinting at the possibility that the planetarium could remain open for another 12 to 18 months to “see if there is a community groundswell with a commitment of resources.” In other words, supporters would have up to a year and a half to raise sufficient funds for a planetarium endowment.

If that was encouraging news for the planetarium brainiacs, Dr. Murphy also delivered good news for the jocks (we use both terms in jest, of course). A proposed sports participation fee, which would have charged student athletes $50 per high school sport or $25 per middle school sport, has been withdrawn from consideration.

Dr. Murphy said the school system has identified a substantial source of “one-time money” that will allow the board to roll back certain proposed cuts.

While about half the audience at the board meeting consisted of planetarium supporters, another vocal group made up most of the other half. At least a half dozen people, many of them students, made speeches urging the board not to trim instructional time at the Arlington Mill High School Continuation Program. The program lets working students in their late teens and early twenties — especially immigrants — complete their high school education on a flexible schedule.

“Save the Planetarium” Petition Reaches 700 Signatures

By ARLnow.com

The “Save the David M. Brown Planetarium” online petition has tallied its 700th signature. The petition received 100 signatures yesterday, including that of former planetarium director Steve Smith, according to petition organizer Raphael Perrino.

Meanwhile, the Save the Planetarium Facebook page now has more than 2,900 fans.

On Monday, Perrino presented the petition to school board member Dr. Emma Violand-Sanchez. “The meeting went very well,” Perrino said.

The fate of the planetarium is expected to be discussed at tomorrow’s 7:30 p.m. school board meeting. Perrino hopes to have between 20 and 40 people on hand for a rally.

Not everybody wants to see the planetarium remain open, however. In the budget recommendations it approved yesterday, the Arlington County Civic Federation voted in favor of shuttering the planetarium, as superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy has proposed.

New “Save the Planetarium” Flyer

By ARLnow.com

Friends of the Planetarium members Carolyn Lange and Raphael Perrino have created a new flyer for the Save the Planetarium campaign. The flyer is being distributed in local grocery stores, libraries and other locations in Arlington.

The flyer states that the planetarium is visited by more than 20,000 people per year. It prompts supporters to sign an online petition.

Meanwhile, the Save the Arlington VA Planetarium Facebook page has reached 2,640 members.

New Hope for the Arlington Planetarium

By ARLnow.com

Acknowledging the “loud voice” of thousands of concerned community members, Arlington Public Schools superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy said the school system is looking at “partnerships” as a possible way to keep the David M. Brown Planetarium open.

Dr. Murphy made the comments at Thursday night’s school board meeting. He did not elaborate on what sort of partnerships might be possible.

“I think that a lot of the noise we’ve been making online has helped to do this,” said an elated Raphael Perrino, who has been helping to lead the charge with comments on the popular “Save the Arlington VA Planetarium” Facebook page and with an online petition that has garnered more than 220 signatures.

One of the signatures on the petition is purportedly from Mike Leinbach, NASA’s space shuttle launch director and a colleague of David M. Brown, who perished in the 2003 Columbia disaster.

“Dave’s commitment to exploration and education was unsurpassed by anyone, and naming the planetarium for him is a perfect tribute,” Leinbach wrote. “I sincerely hope the county decides to keep the planetarium open.”

Among the speakers at the board meeting was Alice Monet, Arlington parent and astronomer at the Naval Observatory.

“It would be a really sad waste of a very valuable educational resource,” Monet said of the proposed closing.

A final decision of the planetarium’s fate will likely be made by April 24, the date set for the final adoption of the school system budget.

Thousands Rally on Facebook to Save Planetarium

By ARLnow.com

The David M. Brown Planetarium on North Quincy Street has hosted countless school children and at least one wedding over its 40 years.

Since Arlington Public Schools announced its plan to permanently close the planetarium one month ago, the family of the late Columbia astronaut David Brown, for whom the planetarium is now named, has spoken out against the closure.

And now a “Save the Arlington VA Planetarium” Facebook page has amassed nearly 2,500 fans.

Planetarium fans are expected to make their voices heard at a school board meeting scheduled for 7:30 tonight. It’s being held at the board room of the Arlington Education Center at 1426 North Quincy Street.

Astronaut’s Family Opposes Arlington Planetarium Closure

By ARLnow.com

The family of the late astronaut David Brown, for whom the David M. Brown Planetarium is named, has written a letter opposing Arlington Public Schools’ plan to close the 40-year-old facility, according to the Washington Post.

Brown was killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Brown’s brother, Douglas Brown, asked school officials why it’s necessary to close the only public planetarium in the country’s 10th-richest county.

Facing with a multi-million dollar budget deficit, APS says it cannot afford the nearly half million dollars worth of mechanical upgrades needed to keep the planetarium open.

Arlington School Planetarium to Close

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Public Schools will close the David M. Brown Planetarium under superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy’s proposed fiscal year 2011 budget.

Dr. Murphy says the school system, facing a $12.8 million budget deficit, cannot afford the nearly half million dollars worth of mechanical upgrades needed to keep the 40-year-old planetarium open.

The planetarium is named after David Brown, a Yorktown High School graduate who perished in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Dr. Murphy says the science wing at Yorktown High will be named in Mr. Brown’s honor after the planetarium closes.

The space now used by the planetarium will likely be converted into another educational-use facility. APS needs to use all the space at its disposal given its burgeoning student body, Dr. Murphy said.