ALL AROUND ARLINGTON HAS MOVED

Please visit my new self-hosted site AllAroundArlington.com.  Please bookmark that page for future posts.  In addition, more area events can be found on 365 Things To Do in Arlington and 365 Things to Do in Northern Virginia on Facebook.

Arlington County Fair August 18-22nd, 2010

Come to Thomas Jefferson Community Center August 18th-22nd for the Arlington County Fair.  There will be rides, competitive exhibits, food vendors, racing piglets, a monster mural for kids to draw on, and Bixby’s Rainforest Rescue featuring animals from the rainforest.  For more information, click the website here.

For information about other events in and around Arlington, visit 365 Things to Do in Arlington and 365 Things to Do in Northern Virginia.

Perseids Meteor Shower August 12-13

 

Image via Wikipedia

The Perseids Meteor Shower, one of the most consistent performers and considered by many as 2010’s best shower peaks tonight August 12th and tomorrow night August 13th. The meteors they produce are among the brightest of all meteor showers, and can produce up to 50 meteors per hour during the peak activity.  It is best viewed after midnight and with the crescent moon setting early there should be dark skies through most of the night.  For tips on how to get the best views, visit this site. 

Power Outage in Arlington Following Storm

According to Arlington Alert, power is likely to be out in the Fairlington area until Sunday; crews are working to restore power to four separate transformers in the area. Temperatures are likely to be in the mid 80’s on Saturday and 90’s on Sunday. An optional cooling shelter will be the Central Library; other options are Pentagon City Mall, Ballston Mall, and the Crystal City underground.

Central Library’s hours of operation this weekend are.
Friday 10 a.m. – 5 pm
Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 pm
Sunday 1 p.m. – 9 pm

The County offers these tips for beating the heat.
http://www.arlingtonva.us/portals/topics/TopicsWeatherHeat.aspx

For updates, sign up for a text or e-mail from arlingtonalert.com.

The County has also offered these tips to keep food safe during a power outage:

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service, meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be refrigerated at 40° F and frozen food at or below 0° F, which may be difficult with a prolonged power outage.

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. A refrigerator will only keep food safely cold for about four hours if it is unopened.
• A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
• Obtain dry ice or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if there is a prolonged power outage. Residents should check with local retailers for ice supplies.
• Digital, dial or instant-read thermometers and appliance thermometers will help determine if the food is at safe temperatures. The refrigerator temperature should be at 40°F or below; the freezer, 0°or lower.
• To be sure a particular food is cold enough; take its temperature with a food thermometer.
• Never taste food to determine its safety!
• Food may be safely refrozen if the food still contains ice crystal or is at 40°F or below. Evaluate each food item separately. Be sure to discard any items in either the freezer or the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices.
• Food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheeses, butter and leftover cooked meats, casseroles and pizza should be thrown out if they have been held above 40° F for over two hours.

For a complete chart and when to save and when to throw out certain foods, please visit the USDA’s food safety website at

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/emergency-preparedness/keeping-food-safe-during-an-emergency/CT_Index

As always please remember to wash your hands with soap and water especially before and after preparing food.

(Information courtesy of Arlington Alert).

Arlington County Public Schools 2010-2011 Calendar

Arlington County Public Schools will begin the day after Labor Day, September 7th, for all grades except Pre-K Special Education and VPI which begin September 8th.  The last day of school is scheduled for June 22nd for high school, June 23rd for middle school and June 24th for elementary school students.  Spring Break comes late this year, from April 18th-22nd.  Elementary School Students will get a five day weekend for the Columbus Day Holiday, October 11th with additional days off the Thursday and Friday prior for Parent Teacher Conferences.  Middle School students have Friday the 8th off in addition to the Monday holiday.  All grades will also get a long weekend for Martin Luther King’s Birthday on January 17th with the 18th off for a teacher work day.

For the complete school year calendar, click here.

Arlington Resources for Foreclosure Prevention

The Arlington County website suggests three steps to help prevent foreclosure.  First, find free counseling.  There are several organizations and agencies who will help you.  Second, call today.   Third, pass it on.  If you share this information with others you may be able to keep someone else from losing their homes.

For contact information for the organizations which may be able to help and for other additional resources, visit their website here.

Two Day Book Sale at Arlington Public Library

Arlington County Public Library will be holding a two day book sale July 23rd and 24th from 10am – 5 pm at the Central Library Branch.  For more details click here.

East Falls Church Metro Development

The Arlington County Board has set policy determinations for development of the area around the East Falls Church Metro. The final plan is to be adopted within six months with emphasis on neighborhood-oriented businesses including a grocery store, public gathering space, a western entrance to the Metro Station, and better pedestrian and bicycle access. The Board pledges to preserve single-family homes, protect historic sites, and limit building heights to four to six stories where buildings meet streets. There is still concern from the neighboring residents, however, about the feasibility of the Board’s plan to reduce traffic congestion in the area by reducing parking at the Metro Station. To read the complete press release, click here.

Capitals Development Camp

Stay cool and inside this week while you watch top hockey prospects and recent draft picks on the ice for drills and scrimmages during the Capitals Development Camp July 12-17. All sessions are at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex and are free and open to the public. http://ht.ly/2akhe

Free Family Movies at Ballston

Regal Entertainment Group is presenting a Free Family Movie Festival Tuesday and Wednesday mornings now through August at Ballston and other area theatres.  See the complete schedule here.  Movies begin at 10:00 with tickets available at 9:15.  All shows are first come, first serve.

For more events in Arlington, visit 365 Things to Do in Arlington.