Arlington Police Facilitate 'Drive Kids to School Day'

Hi Yupette,

Received the County's 'Car Free Diet' brochure in the mail on Saturday. Just in time for the Arlington Public School System's 'Drive Your Kid to School Day' today. This year facilitated by not one but two Arlington police officers at our elementary school. Oh, no one dared to ride a bicycle to school because of the traffic.

Why do APS and County Government waste our time and money with these charades? The traffic to and from our schools is worse than ever. Only difference is.the arrival times are spread out and the cops are on the scene to keep the traffic moving.

No Howze am I going to vote for another Democrat for County Board or School Board. Every year we pay more for less because of the Democrats' Stupid Growth.

Thanks for your blog.

Karen, 22206

Scrap the Streetcar - Use the State's $65 Million for ART Bus Service Everywhere in the County

Hey Yupette,

I just received the County's 'Car Free Diet' brochure in the mail. Produced by DES Staff who don't live in the County and commute to 2100 one-per-vehicle from their bicycle-free outer suburbs.

Like tens of thousands of Arlington residents I am never going to ride a bicycle again. For one thing, the streets and even the sidewalks in my neighborhood (Ballston) are too dangerous. Who wants to ride a bicycle in the Winter?

The Pike streetcar is a complete waste of meney, and the tracks would be dangerous to several thousand who would ride bicycles on the Pike.

Instead of spending any more for the stupid Pike streetcar, I want the $65 million the State would provide for a dozen Pike streetcars spent to extend ART Bus service everywhere in the County.

I'm sick and tired of having to cater to the wants of a bunch of Elitist Democrats and their wealthy corporate and non-profit cronies, aided and abetted by a bloated bureaucracy most of whom wouldn't live in Arlington if you gave them a million dollar home or condo here.

Thanks for your blog.

Mark, Ballston

Arlington Democrat 'Super Nimbys' Facilitating Open Space 'Repurposing' for School Infrastructure

Hey Yupette,

Latest from the Arlington County Democratic Committee is Democratic 'Super Nimbys' like Jay Fisette have begun a campaign to categorize anyone who opposes in-fill of County and APS property with school infrastructure as 'Neighborhood Nuisances'.

That includes residents who live adjacent or near Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Abingdon Elementary School. Latest about Abingdon is not only will the open space adjacent to the school be converted to a lighted synthetic surface soccer field, but many, or most, of the native species hardwoods on the wooded slope between Abingdon School and the Trades Center will be cut down to 'facilitate'; Abingdon School's expansion. Of course, Jay has excepted his own Ashton Heights neighborhood from 'New Urbanism'.. So look for the usual gang of Arlington Democratic Committee 'Super Nimby' facilitators to be coordinating APS's school expansion projects.

Fed Up Dem

Sullivan Should Disclose Why He Isn't Accepting Contributions from Dominion

Hello Yupette,

I did a comprehensive Web search on Dominion Resources, Richard C. 'Rip" Sullivan, and his law firm, Reed Smith. Dominion Resources is huge and so is Reed Smith. Dominion is constantly engaged in litigation and in legal matters that require Federal, state and local administrative review and Federal, state and local permits. It's difficult to determine Reed Smith's current legal relationship with Dominion and what legal services Mr. Sullivan has provided and is currently providing to Dominion Resources.

One major project where Dominion is heavily involved is collecting the 'wet' natural gas obtained from fracking shale in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, etc, and separating the liquid hydrocarbons from the natural gas and shipping the natural gas through Virginia via Dominion's gas transmission pipelines. Dominion is building a large natural gas liquification facility at Cove Point Maryland where liquified natural gas will be loaded onto ships and exported. Dominion's natural gas pipeline (once the hydrocarbons have been separated) that connects the collection pipelines from fracking wells to Cove Point runs through Fairfax County. The Sierra Club has had a running legal battle for several years with Dominion over Cove Point.

So, given that Mr. Sullivan has stated that he has no personal animosity towards Dominion, what are the reason or reasons he isn't accepting contributions from Dominion's PAC? Voters in the 48th District deserve to know.

Patricia  22207

Abingdon Will Be The Next Ashlawn

Hey Yupette,

I belong to the Abingdon School PTA and actually live in the immediate neighborhood of Abingdon School. Yes, Abingdon will be the next Ashlawn. Wooded wildlife area between Abingdon School and the Trades Center will be cut down and the open space that's now used as an informal playing field will become a synthetic field dedicated to field sports (soccer). Soccer Moms and Dads want it lighted. Parking lot will be enlarged. Architecture of the school building may or may not resemble Fairlington's colonial architecture. At least half the space in the renovated and expanded school will have nothing to do with education

As of now, nearby residents will not be involved in decision-making for Abingdon School at all. Community representatives will be appointed to the Building Level Advisory Committee by the PTA and civic association. They will do as they are told by APS.

My child will be in middle school after this year, maybe in another school system, so none of this will affect her. However, our neighborhood is going to be 'Ashlawned' for sure. For sure I'm voting for Audrey Clement for School Board. Undecided if I'm going to vote for the school bonds.

Thanks for this blog.

M.H.

Toronto Voters Fed Up With Streetcars

Hello, Yupette,

Just returned from a vacation in Toronto. In the event you aren't aware, there 's a mayoral election in the offing in Toronto, on October 27th. Three candidates are virtually tied in the polls. They are current Mayor, Rob Ford, and Olivia Chow and John Tory.

One campaign issue that unites all three candidates is the deep and growing dissatisfaction with Toronto's streetcars. Major complaint is streetcars are too slow and too often stuck in traffic. Same reasons streetcars were replaced by buses 50 years ago in DC. Same complaints that are heard about the new H. Street streetcars in DC now.

Anyway, you can do a Web search yourself for election news. Here's a photo of what we can expect if Arlington is so foolish as to construct a streetcar line on Columbia Pike.

Mark, 22204

Parents Incensed by Capital Bikeshare Riders

Hi, Yupette,

What is it about Capital Bikeshare? Indeed, it's corporate motto should be "Safety Last".

Was pushing my kid's stroller down the sidewalk last week and was brushed aside by not one but three people on Capital Bikeshare bicycles. If they had been going a little faster I would not have had time to get the stroller out of their way. Of course they were not wearing helmets, I've only seen a few people riding Bikeshare bicycles who do.

What is the attraction of riding bicycles on sidewalks when there are trails and marked lanes parallel to the sidewalks, e.g., on Walter Reed Drive? Who is telling bicyclists to stay 3 feet from pedestrians? No one!

Some Bikeshare Bozo hits me when I'm walking on a sidewalk I'm suing Capital Bikeshare. BTW, I see it didn't take long for moped owners to clean up their act now that mopeds have to be licensed. Time to license bicycles, starting with Capital Bikeshare.

Julie, 22206