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Trailer Classrooms Arrive at Washington-Lee

By ARLnow.com

Five large relocatable classroom trailers received a police escort up Washington Boulevard this morning, en route to Washington-Lee High School.

The trailers are being installed in a parking lot behind the Arlington Public Schools administration building. They will be used as classrooms for Washington-Lee students, starting this fall.

Crews removed trees from the parking lot yesterday in preparation for the arrival of the classrooms. School spokesman Frank Bellavia said he the trees will be replanted elsewhere, with the assistance of the Arlington County arborist.

Washington-Lee’s current building, which first opened in 2008, has a capacity of 1,854 students. Enrollment was projected to reach 1,913 in 2011, with the student population burgeoning to 2,585 by 2016.

Hat tips to J.P. and @reidjoshua

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Chain Bridge Road to Close Today

By ARLnow.com

Update at 1:00 p.m. — Chain Bridge Road has reopened.

Update at 10:30 a.m. –VDOT has issued a correction, saying that the 400 block of Chain Bridge Road, not the bridge itself, will be closed.

Chain Bridge The 400 block of Chain Bridge Road will be closed for part of the day today.

Tree work will force the bridge road to close from about 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., DDOT said on its Twitter account this morning. A VDOT official confirmed the closure.

“Our crews need to remove a tree that is in danger of falling into the roadway,” said VDOT spokeswoman Joan Morris. “The closure is from 9:30 a.m. till 2:30 p.m. We hope to reopen the road sooner than that if the removal goes well.”

The work brings back memories of last year’s bridge rehabilitation project, which forced the closure of the bridge on several occasions.

Morris says signs warning about today’s closure have been up for five days. A detour is posted, she said.

High Pollen Levels Leave Cars Covered

By ARLnow.com
A car covered with pollen (file photo)

As The Weather Channel and anyone with seasonal allergies can tell you, the pollen level in the D.C. area right now is very high.

It’s something of an annual spring rite of passage — tree pollen levels rise as temperatures get warmer, allergy sufferers start suffering, and everything gets covered with a fine, lime green layer of a tree’s reproductive cells.

In particular, cars — especially cars parked under trees — are prone to becoming covered. Perhaps that’s why, at 2:30 p.m., there are long lines at the Mr. Wash car wash at 101 N. Glebe Road.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Last American WWI Vet Buried in Arlington — Army Cpl. Frank Buckles, the last surviving U.S. World War I veteran, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday. Earlier in the day, President Obama and Vice President Biden stopped by to pay their respects as Buckles lay in repose in a cemetery chapel. [American Forces Press Service]

Underground Explosion Rocks Pike Townhouse Complex — An underground explosion caused a manhole cover to fly across the backyard of a townhouse complex near Columbia Pike yesterday morning. Firefighters are still trying to determine what caused the blast, but a strong gasoline-like odor could be smelled in the area. The gas also apparently caused fires to start near water heaters inside the townhouses. The complex is across the street from an auto repair shop and next to Four Mile Run. [ABC 7]

County Offers Tree Grants to Neighborhood Groups — Arlington is offering grants to local groups that want to plant trees on private property in the county. Grant applications are due in July, but groups must file a notice of intent next month. [Sun Gazette]

Pike Apartment Community May Be Redeveloped — Renovations or an out-and-out redevelopment may be in the works for the Greenbrier Apartments at 4975 Columbia Pike. The garden-style apartments were built in 1949 and are considered market-rate affordable. Arlington recently revised its affordable housing goals. [Pike Wire]

Nottingham PTA 5K This Weekend — The Nottingham Elementary PTA 5K Run/Walk is being held this weekend, with a course that will wind through part of North Arlington. Registration for the race ends tomorrow morning. [Active.com]

Work Underway on Apartment Building, But What About the Trees?

By ARLnow.com

Construction is underway on the Garfield Park at Clarendon Village luxury apartment complex, at the corner of 10th Street and Washington Boulevard in Lyon Park.

Workers in heavy equipment have been busy laying large metal beams while clearing debris from the site, which used to house a CVS Pharmacy. But at least one neighbor is upset about one type of “debris” that’s awaiting removal.

Here’s an email we received this afternoon:

bozutto construction just bulldozed out trees on the property. how green is arlington, this is happening everywhere there is development and re-development. got news for arlington, you CAN’T be green without trees. you watch and see how many dead squirrels, raccoons and possums will be on the nearby streets today and tomorrow because of removing the trees.

Arlington Christmas Tree Collection Schedule

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County has released its Christmas tree collection schedule.

Trees will be picked up for recycling between Monday, Jan. 3 and Friday, Jan. 14. The county is asking residents to remove all ornaments, lights and stands, and to place the tree outside by 6:00 a.m. on their regular trash collection day. Do not place the tree in a plastic bag, say county officials.

Apartment, condo and townhouse dwellers who don’t have curbside garbage pickup can drop off the trees for recycling at the county’s Solid Waste Bureau (4300 South 29th Street) provided they show proof of Arlington residency.

Trees collected by the county will be ground down into wood mulch. Find out more information about tree collection here.

The Snow Begins

By ARLnow.com

Enjoy it while it lasts. The snow is expected to end around 7:00 tonight.

Two inches of accumulation is expected.

Update at 11:45 a.m. — Be careful out there. We’ve counted at least 10 accidents on Arlington roads and highways since the snow started falling, including one involving a Metrobus (no injuries reported).

Update at 11:50 a.m. — North Veitch Street has been shut down at Lee Highway due to slippery conditions on the hill, which led to a minor accident.

Update at 12:15 p.m. — Seventh Road South has been shut down at South Dinwiddie Street.

Shirlington Tree Lighting Rescheduled

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:00 a.m.) Due to the rain and wind predicted for tonight, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Shirlington Village has been rescheduled.

The lighting will now take place Thursday at 6:30 p.m. It will be followed by horse and carriage rides, photos with Santa, Victorian carolers and free giveaways. Shirlington stores and restaurants will also have free samples, activities and special deals.

See the Shirlington Village web site for more information, and the unofficial Shirlington Village Blog for a photo of the tree.

Christmas Trees Prepped for Sale in North Arlington

By ARLnow.com

With just two days until Thanksgiving, the Optimist Club of Arlington is getting ready for its annual Christmas tree sale.

The sale will begin on Saturday, at the Wachovia Bank parking lot near the corner of North Glebe Road and Lee Highway. Prices we saw posted ranged from $30 to $210.

The Optimist Club has been selling Fraser firs, Scotch pines and other tree varieties in Arlington since 1950, according to the Sun Gazette. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the club’s youth programs.

If you celebrate the holiday, where do you go to buy your Christmas trees?

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