Arlington Home Sales: February, 2016
In February, 2016, 137 Arlington homes sold between $2,550,000-$30,000.
Arlington Home Sales: February, 2016
Arlington: Wakefield Boys’ Basketball Loses in State Semifinals
Sophomore Cooper shows promise in playoff defeat.
The Wakefield boys' basketball team lost to L.C. Bird in the state semifinals.
Arlington Snapshot: Donating 500 Books
The women of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women partnered with The Reading Connection and the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing to host a celebration in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and present The Reading Connection with 500 books donated from Pi Beta Phi. On Feb. 29, the children at the Columbia Grove apartments enjoyed being read to by members of Pi Beta Phi as well as receiving temporary tattoos, stickers, and a certificate of participation. At the end of the party, a cake was served to all who attended and each child went home with a new book for their own home library. The Reading Connection will distribute the remaining books donated from Pi Beta Phi at other literacy events they hold regularly at 13 read aloud sites throughout the metro D.C. area.
Arlington: Concert at Culpepper Garden
The Arlington Philharmonic’s Youth Chamber Music program, Crescendo, arrived on March 6 to play a concert of Tango, Pop and Jazz music in the Culpepper Garden Senior Center.
Arlington: Volunteers Assist REEP’s Mission To Educate
Organization helps immigrants to assimilate.
Arlington County’s English language program for immigrants and refugees will mark its 40th anniversary on April 29 with an all-American celebration — complete with cotton candy, balloon animals and a cake walk.
Arlington: Wakefield High School Welcomes French Lycée Teacher
Parlez-vous ... Arlington?
Encouraging Language Study When Katy Wheelock began teaching at Wakefield, there were seven sections of French. By the time she received the Exemplary French Program award, there were nine. Wakefield also began offering two additional higher level classes, French 5 (a pre-AP class) and Advanced Studies of French (a post-AP class which APS is hoping to offer as a dually-enrolled class in the future). Under her leadership, Wakefield: * had an active chapter of the French Honor Society the “SHF”, or Societe’ Honoraire de Francais, and took part in the Grand Concours. * had two candidates who were wait-listed for Virginia’s Summer Governor’s Academy program, * students entered the Creative Writing Contest sponsored by SHF and wrote original poetry, in French, which they read aloud for World Languages Week at a countywide public event. * has gotten involved with Sister City Arlington-Reims committee for exchange opportunities (outbound to Reims 2013, inbound 2012, 2014); * had numerous guest speakers: David Biette, director, Canada Institute, Wilson Center (Jan 2015) and Idriss Fall, reporter, Voice of America (focus on Senegal, Africa) (Feb 2015) * established pen-pals for individuals; * Skyped with a Peace Corps volunteer about her life, usage of French etc. * welcomed five French high school students into their homes; * has set up a French Club; * students travelled to Reims for Spring Break 2014; * held a Declamation Contest, a juried contest in front of nearly 600 students. Miss Virginia International, Kristyn Admire, a linguist herself, came to encourage students to continue their foreign language studies in the future. * took part in a contest sponsored by the French Embassy in Washington D.C. called “Dis-moi dix mots qui te racontent” * allowed Wheelock to go on a French Embassy sponsored “Stage Pédagogique de Courte Durée” (short term teaching course) where she was one of 10 U.S. teachers in the country selected for an teacher immersion at CAVILAM in Vichy, France. Wheelock said she hopes to be able to visit middle school French teachers and students in level 1, at least once per year, to encourage more students to continue to level 2. She would like to see more students go on to language in high school and would like to see world languages become a core subject, as it is all throughout Europe. Wheelock also hopes to establish a stronger “college link” to show students the college opportunities for language study, how successful completion of advanced classes can earn college credits, how language can lead to studying abroad, internships, and and eventually, job opportunities.
Rosslyn Overhaul
Largest redevelopment on-record approved for Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood.
With five phases of development spread across 25 years, the newly approved Rosslyn Plaza will be the single largest redevelopment in the Rosslyn neighborhood. At the March 12 County Board meeting, the board unanimously approved five new buildings along the Rosslyn waterfront. The new project, proposed by Vornado/Charles E. Smith and Gould Property Company, will include 2.5 million square feet in office, residential, retail, and hotel space. However, while the County Board approved the project, some local residents were not as enthusiastic.
Arlington Column: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
... of the 2016 General Assembly session.
The Virginia General Assembly finished its work for the 2016 legislative session a day early and adjourned a “long” 60-day session where we made progress on many issues but fought bitterly on several others. Because the improving economy has led to increased revenue collections, we were able to invest in critical areas and make a sizable deposit to our Rainy Day Fund without increasing taxes.
Arlington County Board To Consider Rosslyn Redevelopment Plan
Rezoning and phased development to be reviewed.
The aging Rosslyn Plaza Park could be undergoing a massive overhaul after the upcoming March 12 County Board meeting.
Arlington: High-Occupancy Discussion
Arlingtonians share concerns about upcoming I-66 expansion.
After a year of meetings and hearings, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is beginning to move into the final phase of outreach for the I-66 transformation projects. At a regional level, most of the criticism was centered around the new tolling and extended High Occupancy Vehicle restrictions. For Arlington, the concerns are a little different.
Arlington Freedom Rider Remembers the Struggle
“If you’re going to die, make it worthwhile.”
Joan Mulholland says she was born in the South but she began to recognize in the 1950s about the divide between the races and wonder how she could change things.
Arlington Snapshot: At Gala
Five singers set the stage for Opera Nova’s production of “Treemonisha” in the fall with a gala fund-raising brunch on March 5 at the Washington Golf & Country Club in Arlington. The abbreviated Scott Joplin opera will be performed for as many as 3,500 school children in the fall at Thomas Jefferson Community Theater.
Arlington Snapshot: Protecting Personal Security and the Environment
Arlington’s Solid Waste Bureau offers “free paper document shredding” every month. Watch old medical records, credit card receipts, tax returns, and the like being turned into harmless confetti. It is enough to make an identity thief cry. Scraps are recycled, so some trees are also saved. The shredding takes place on the first Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the county yard, 4300 29th Street, South (near Shirlington, off South Arlington Mill Road). Next event is April 2.
Arlington Snapshot: ‘The True Adventures of Pinocchio’ To Open Thursday
“The True Adventures of Pinocchio,” the Yorktown spring production, will be staged March 10, 11, and 12 at 7 p.m., with an additional matinee at 2 p.m. on March 12. Tickets are $10 at the door and are available at yhstheatre.org/pinocchio. Premium tickets with reserved seating are $50 each, and there is a 6 p.m. pre-show dinner cafe for $10. On Saturday, March 12, there will be an ice cream social with the cast immediately following the matinee, at a cost of $3.
Arlington Thrive Board Appoints Schneider as Executive Director
Arlington resident grew up here steeped in a tradition of community involvement.
Andrew Schneider said he grew up in a home in Arlington which was already very community oriented. His mother worked for Habitat for Humanity.