Arlington’s Modest Manager Reception — About a year ago, Arlington spent $600 to hold a reception for now-former county manager Michael Brown. By comparison to Savannah, Ga. — where Brown had held the position of city manager before jumping ship for Arlington — that reception seems like the pinnacle of modesty. Savannah is holding a reception for Brown’s replacement as city manager tonight. Locals are objecting to the fact that the reception — which includes keepsake wine glasses for guests — is costing the cash-strapped city more than $7,500. [Savannah Morning News]

New Pike Gym Selling Memberships — Xsport Fitness, a new 24-hour gym opening in July on the 2300 block of Columbia Pike, is selling $19.99 per month memberships out of a temporary office in the Siena Park apartment building. Xsport will be the second gym to open on the Pike this year, after World Gym opened in January on the ground floor of the Halstead apartment building. [Pike Wire]

Dels. Brink, Hope Launch Reelection Bids — Delegates Bob Brink and Patrick Hope formally announced their candidacies for reelection at last night’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by LittleNewton787


An who’s who of Arlington civic society showed up at the county government building last night to greet new county manager Michael Brown.

Brown and his wife warmly greeted a long procession of well-wishers. The line was more than 25 deep at one point, snaking all the way back to the tables set up with cheese, crackers and other snacks for the occasion.

Among the people in attendance were county employees, heads of business associations, county board members and other local business leaders and civic-minded folks, including:

Barbara Favola, Walter Tejada and Chris Zimmerman, county board members; Angela Fox, President/CEO of Crystal City BID; Takis Karantonis, Executive Director of Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization; Diana Sun, Arlington County Director of Communications; James Pebley of the Arlington County Civic Federation; developer John G. Shooshan; Rich Doud, President of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce; and Shannon Flanagan-Watston, Assistant County Manager and Brown’s chief-of-staff.

County board chairman Jay Fisette was also in attendance. He delivered a short introduction of Brown later in the reception.