Young Democrats

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn skyline (Flickr pool photo by Brian Allen)

Graffiti Closes Powhatan Skatepark — Powhatan Springs Skatepark is temporarily closed after “graffiti containing vulgar language” was found. The park will be temporarily closed until park staff can remove the graffiti. No word yet on a reopening date.

Tejada: Three Dems on County Board — At the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner over the weekend, Walter Tejada said pointedly that he is “one of three Democratic county board members,” presumably excluding Libby Garvey. Garvey was also not listed as an “Arlington Democratic Elected Official” in the program. [Blue Virginia]

Dominion Planning New Underground Power Line — Dominion Virginia Power is planning on building an underground power transmission line from Arlington to Alexandria. The $160 million project is intended to address “a local reliability load issue… that could potentially impact neighbors by 2018.” Alexandria officials are expressing objections to the project. [Washington Post]

AYDs Eye South Arlington — Arlington Young Democrats are trying to increase their outreach to women, minorities and to residents of south Arlington. The organization has appointed a new “outreach chair and communications director” who will be in charge of recruiting individuals in targeted groups and “mak[ing] them feel welcome.” [InsideNova]

We, The Pizza Finally Open — It appears that We, The Pizza in Crystal City (2100 Crystal Drive) finally opened over the weekend. [Twitter]

Flickr pool by Brian Allen

Local Young Dem Elected to Nationwide Presidency

By Ethan Rothstein

Atima Omara-AlwalaArlington Young Democrat Atima Omara-Alwala has been elected president of the Young Democrats of America, becoming the first Virginian and the first African-American to hold that role.

The election was held this past Sunday. Omara-Alwala had been the YDA vice president since 2011, and her “progress” party swept the election at the YDA annual convention in San Antonio.

Omara-Alwala is a Richmond native, a 2003 graduate of the University of Virginia with a Master’s in public policy from George Mason. She worked for Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) when he was governor, and currently works as a consultant and nonprofit manager.

She was elected on a platform of training young Democrats for campaigns or political office, re-establishing a “National YDA Lobbying Day” and “collaborating with targeted Democratic campaigns to increase outreach to major constituencies including women, Latinos, African Americans and labor-affiliated voters.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Long-Haul Service at DCA — JetBlue, Southwest, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines are adding new long haul service from Reagan National Airport to four cities, respectively: San Juan, Puerto Rico; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; and Porland, Ore. [CBS News]

Meeting Tonight About Ballston Park — Planners from the county parks department will be meeting with residents tonight to discuss options for the small triangular piece of land next to the Ballston public parking garage at the corner of N. Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street. At one point a mini golf course was proposed for the tiny park. [Arlington Mercury]

Bond Sale Expected Next Month — Arlington County is expected to issue up to $110 million in new bonds next month. The bonds will help pay for school projects, parks and recreation projects, and Metro improvements. [Sun Gazette]

Recap: Entrepreneurship Event at Artisphere — An tech-oriented entrepreneurship event at Artisphere over the weekend is being called a success after attracting more than 400 attendees for panel discussions and networking. [Bisnow]

Young Dems Date Auction Tonight — The annual Arlington Young Democrats date auction kicks off at 7:00 tonight at Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street). Disclosure: AYD is a current ARLnow.com advertiser.

Dunk Tank Nixed at Dems Labor Day Chili Cookoff

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Democrats held their annual Labor Day chili cookoff yesterday evening, but one ingredient was conspicuously missing: the dunk tank.

The plan was for elected officials and other Democratic notables to get dunked while raising money for the Arlington County Democratic Committee. Alas, Mother Nature had other plans. With storms in the forecast, organizers reluctantly canceled the first annual Democratic dunking. Instead, as heavy rains descended on the area, attendees had to make due with the usual formula of chili, music and conversation as they huddled inside the hot and humid Lyon Park Community Center.

Among the brave dunk tank volunteers who stayed dry last night were County Board member Mary Hynes, Del. David Englin, School Board member Sally Baird, former 31st District state Senate candidate Jaime Areizaga-Soto. Also on the dunk list were blogger and consultant Ben Tribbett, ACDC Chair Mike Lieberman, ACDC Finance Chair Bree Raum, Arlington Joint Campaign Co-Chair Lauren Hall, former School Board candidate Terron Sims and ACDC precinct operations chair Kip Malinosky.

County Board member Walter Tejada, who’s up for re-election, captured this year’s “best chili” crown for his “inclusive” selection of meat, mild veggie and spicy veggie chilis.

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Arlington Young Dems Prep for Charity Date Auction

By ARLnow.com



The Arlington Young Democrats are preparing for their biggest night of the year, not counting election night.

The Young Dems will be holding their 10th annual charity date auction Wednesday from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street). More than 100 people have RSVPed for the event, which will feature “over twenty of Arlington’s sexiest bachelors and bachelorettes,” as well as celebrity auctionees Rep. Jim Moran, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former Rep. Tom Perriello and former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe.

AYD has released YouTube videos featuring two of its non-celebrity auctionees. Kat, above, is a personal trainer who says she can squat 175 pounds, enough to (probably) lift her date. Be forewarned, gents: you don’t want to pay for her meal with a Groupon. Chris, seen here, will take a lucky lady on a Potomac River sailboat ride with wine and cheese. He expects to fetch at least $10 to $15 at auction.

The auction will benefit the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network. Attendees are encouraged to bring a new pair of men’s boxer shorts — in large, XL or XXL sizes — to donate at the door for a raffle ticket.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Virginia Dems Seek to Clarify Lobbyist Rule — The Democratic Party of Virginia is seeking an independent legal opinion on whether state law bans federal lobbyists from serving as party chairman. The move comes after Brian Moran, brother of Rep. Jim Moran and a top lobbyist for for-profit colleges, decided to seek the state Democratic chairmanship. Former Arlington County Democratic Committee chair Peter Rousselot is also running for the position. More from the Washington Post.

Giant Wall Projections in Rosslyn — From 6:00 to 11:00 p.m., every night through this coming Saturday, large images will be projected onto the side of an office building in Rosslyn.  The photo and video projections are part of FotoWeek DC. More from the Ode Street Tribune.

Shirlington’s New Irish Bar Asks for Sign Change — Shirlington Village Blog has an image of the bright orange flyers posted around Shirlington, advertising a proposed site plan change for the future Samuel Beckett’s Gastro Irish Pub. The change would allow Beckett’s to have more signs identifying itself to the outside world. The issue will be heard by the county board this weekend; county staff is recommending that the requested change be granted.

Flickr pool photo by Team Rank

Young Democrats Beer Giveaway May Have Been Illegal

By ARLnow.com

Politico is reporting that an Arlington Young Democrats-sponsored “absentee voting happy hour” last week may have broken federal election laws.

The event, at Velocity Five in Courthouse, promised free beer for anyone who showed up with a sticker proving that they voted absentee.

“In elections in which federal candidates are on the ballot, no one can offer any kind of benefit or reward for voting,” an election law professor told Politico.

AYD President Gordon Simonett said “zero people” showed up to take advantage of the group’s offer.

Date Auction Brings in $8,000 For Young Dems

By ARLnow.com

Forget the recession, there’s apparently a bull market for eligible Democrats. The Arlington Young Democrats raised nearly $8,000 at their ninth annual date auction last night.

The event at Clarendon Grill featured dates of all flavors: two dozen men and women; straight, gay, and bisexual. Even “pairs looking for a double date” were auctioned off.

A few other auction items brought in big bucks. The top money-getter was a lunch with former Democratic National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe, which went for $650.

Over 300 people attended the event, according to organizers. In addition to the 100 pounds of canned and non-perishable food collected at the door, half of the money raised, about $4,000, will go to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, which delivers groceries to those in need.

Photos courtesy Hadley Hunter Hawks.

To Do Tonight: Young Democrats Date Auction

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington Young Democrats are holding their 9th annual date auction tonight at the 7:00 p.m. at Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street).

Attendees (185 have RSVPed on Facebook) are asked to donate $5 and a canned or non-perishable food item at the door. The auction benefits the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

In addition to the 30 bachelors and bachelorettes being auctioned off, raffle drawings will be held for the following prizes:

  • Lunch with Congressman Jim Moran
  • Lunch with Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic National Committee chair and former Virginia gubernatorial candidate
  • Tasting for four at Boccato Gelato
  • Wine tasting for 20 at Best Cellars
  • Weekend getaway to Shenandoah River vacation home