On Fostering a Dog

The local dog rescue organizations - Lost Dog Rescue, Homeward Trails, and the Arlington Welfare League - all need foster volunteers to help with dogs.  Foster dogs not only helps the organizations care for dogs - but it also helps the dog become a wonderful pet - socializing with humans and other pets and learning commands and how to live with a family.  And foster parents who get to know the dog become very good at showing the dog and helping it find a forever home.

Of course... of course there are those times when you fail..... and the "foster" dog never leaves.  We are foster failures.  We adopted our dog after "fostering" him for one week.  Best damn dog in the world.

Get more great info about fostering pets at Pet360.com/foster

Please Dont Dump Your TV's and Electronics on the Curb as Trash

Please dont dump your TV's and other electronics on the curb as trash.  TVs and electronics contain heavy metals and toxic wastes.  They need to be disposed of properly by someone who can properly handle (and hopefully recycle) these materials.  Dumped on the curb, these TVs get washed by rain water, which then washes the toxic chemicals into our streams and then into our river.

Arlington has regular ECARE recycling events at TJ Middle School.  There is a waste treatment facility in South Arlington where you can drop off electronics.  And apparently you can arrange a special pick up for your electronic wastes.



PS: If you are thinking of recycling your bikes, think about donating them to Arlington's own Phoenix Bikes down in Barcroft.

Violent Mugging Reported on Custis Trail @Arlingtonva @apsvirginia @WLHSPrincipal

The Arlington Bike Forum is reporting a violent mugging on the Custis Bike Trail (which goes along 66) near Glebe Road. This report is by a cyclists at 10 pm.

This is the second such report of a violent mugging on the Custis, the other was during the day.

Another Smash down the front door break-in in N Arlington

This is a report from Bellevue Forest.  I have omitted the identifying information.  If you want more information, please contact your civic association.

Lots and lots of people walk their dogs in our neighborhoods - creating sort of a dog-walk-watch.  Keep your eyes open.  Carry a pocket camera or a phone with a camera built in.  If there are trucks are service people in your neighborhood, snap a picture of their license.  Webcams are also very affordable these days.  Mount a webcam, pointed at the street, and record what is happening.

Burglary on Thursday, March 28 - Information Sought  Dear Bellevue Forest Neighbors, Our home was burglarized on Thursday, March 28, some time between 11:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.  The burglar(s) kicked open our front door, busting the deadbolt into the door frame which ripped the door frame off the wall.  A bold move in broad daylight!  The burglar(s) took some small electronics and nearly all of our jewelry, and apparently carried these possessions out of the house in a pale mint green pillowcase taken from our bed.  The Arlington police believe that the burglary is related to the other recent burglaries in our neighborhood. 

First and foremost, we want to remind everyone to secure their homes and possessions as much as possible.  We suspect that unless or until these criminals are caught, unfortunately, the string of burglaries in our neighborhood will continue.   Second, we ask anyone who may have seen any suspicious persons, activities, and/or vehicles at or near our home on Thursday, March 28, to please call the Arlington police at 703-228-3300, ext. 9482.  This is a voice mail number.  In your voice mail, please reference case number 130328-048.  Officer Memenza or another officer on the case will return your voice mail to speak with you about the case.  While the possessions stolen did not have significant financial value, some of the jewelry was unique family jewelry with tremendous sentimental value.  We know that it is a long-shot that we will ever see this jewelry again - but we have a glimmer of hope that, with enough information, the criminal(s) may be caught and we may get back some of our belongings.  Also, if additional information leads to arrest of the burglar(s), hopefully our neighborhood would return to the relatively safe and secure place it once was.
 Finally, going forward, please report any suspicious persons, vehicles, and/or activities to the Arlington police's non-emergency information line at 703-558-2222. The officers investigating our case said that our neighborhood is being targeted by persons carrying clipboards making strange claims that "just don't sound right."  For example, these persons may claim to be selling magazines for an unheard of organization; conducting surveys that just sound fishy; or asking for money for "job training."  In sum, if someone comes to your door and you have any reason to believe that they are misrepresenting themselves, you should immediately call the police's non-emergency information line. 

And @Arlingtonva 's $1 Million Bus / Trolly Stop is Officially a National Joke

Could it be that the era of delusional spending might come to an end?? Stop to wa$steful Pike Trolly!

'My Own Walden' :: a video by @YorktownHS students :: @APSVirginia

a student video by Jeremy Cannon and Joey Cimento, Yorktown High School and Arlington Career Center

My Own Walden from Jeremy Cannon on Vimeo.

Announcement: Save Potomac Overlook Park

NVRPA has proposed significant changes to Potomac Overlook Park.  And its not so clear what input NVRPA sought from, you know, us, the neighbors....   Therefore a group of concerned neighbors has formed in response.

I hike in Potomac Overlook Park almost weekly.  It is a magnificent piece of undeveloped park land, filled with wildlife along the ecologically sensitive Potomac River.  It would be a humongous shame to spoil this land to put in zip lines.

The largest remaining wooded area in Arlington would be significantly affected by a construction plan given initial approval Nov. 15, 2012 without public input by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, and announced Feb. 25, 2013.

 

This nearly 70-acre forest, park, and gardens in north Arlington—just off Military Road and neighboring the Potomac River—was created more than 40 years ago as a nature preserve and low-impact recreation park. The NVRPA has proposed to construct several new fee-charging projects for high-impact recreation, including a treetop shelter; zip line; large-group campground; large-group shelters; and a two-acre urban garden (the park already has a large vegetable garden). NVRPA also wants to more than double the paved parking lot in the natural area and take over the county- owned Marcey Road Park tennis and basketball courts.

A public meeting on this plan will be held Tuesday, March 19, 2013, from 7:00-9:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall, Church of the Covenant, 2666 Military Rd., Arlington VA 22207. This event is being held by the Potomac Overlook Preservation Assn., and is NOT sponsored by the NVRPA.

To learn more about NV RPA’s plans for Potomac Overlook Park, please attend. More information: 

Website:  http://bit.ly/PotoPrez

Facebook: http://bit.ly/PotoPrezFB