Sun Gazette Arlington March 26, 2015

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Inclusive-theater company highlights murder mystery – Page 13

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‘BLUE GOOSE’ SOON TO BE A MEMORY IN BALLSTON

SUPERSTARS OF LOCAL HOSPITALITY WORLD LAUDED

POLICE SAY COUNTY CRIME RATE LOWEST SINCE 1961

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Highs & Lows Letters 55+ News Real Estate Schools/Military Crossword Local History

“A Tradition of Exceptional Service and Success” Bret Brock, NVAR Liftetime Top Producer

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SunGazette

VOLUME 80 NO. 18

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ARLINGTON’S SOURCE FOR HOMETOWN NEWS SINCE 1935

MARCH 26, 2015

County to Take Another Look at Aquatics Center

Staff, Community Task Force Asked to Find Ways to Bring Facility’s Costs Into Line With Available Funds SCOTT McCAFFREY Staff Writer

With $64 million in cash to work with, Arlington officials on March 17 restarted planning efforts for the next phase of Long Bridge

Park following a 15-month time-out. “It would be irresponsible not to give it one more shot,” said County Manager Barbara Donnellan, who asked for and received County Board approval to move forward on a project that she put on hold in January 2014,

when cost estimates for the proposed aquatics/ fitness facility proved to be a budget-buster. Arlington officials then cast their lot with those hoping to land the D.C. region as site of the 2024 Summer Olympics, hoping to leverage that possibility to build the pool facility.

But the local area didn’t even make the cut as the U.S. finalist, a role that was won by Boston. As a result, county officials now plan to reContinued on Page 14

Streetcar Fallout: On County Board, Animosity Lingers

YORKTOWN BOYS FALL SHORT IN SOCCER OPENER

Sniping Breaks Out as Staff Tries to Detail Forward-Looking Plans SCOTT McCAFFREY Staff Writer

Yorktown’s Keith Witherall challenges for the ball with Langley’s Cameron Basco during the season opener for both soccer teams last week in Arlington. Yorktown fell, 1-0. See full coverage of the start of the spring season in Sports. PHOTO BY DEB KOLT

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Hurt feelings and recriminations over last fall’s decision to scrap the Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar projects continue to plague Arlington County Board discourse and, potentially, its decision-making. What was supposed to be a forward-looking staff briefing on transit initiatives in the two corridors at the March 17 County Board meeting disintegrated into a rehash of issues that have been gone over, at length, before. The squabbling, County Board member Jay Fisette said, was “disappointing,” and left board colleague

John Vihstadt tired of “refighting old battles” – with each pointing a finger of blame at Vice Chairman Walter Tejada, the lone County Board member still supportive of the streetcar project and one who has been vocal in his displeasure at the turn of events. Tejada counterpunched, saying at the meeting he would continue to call out the other four board members – particularly Vihstadt and Libby Garvey – if they made statements he felt were not backed up by the facts. The bickering had the effect of prolonging, and perhaps undermining, a staff presentation aimed at


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