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Do you enjoy the annual neigh-borhood picnic? Well, it can't happenwithout volunteers. Neighbors arethe reason these events happen yearafter year, and this is your chance tobe part of the action.
The picnic is scheduled for Sat-urday, June 13, on the Patrick HenryElementary School grounds. Here'swhat we need:
• Two adults with big cars tobuy items from an AHCA list atCostco (Costco Members Preferred)
• Two adults to help set-up 11a.m. - noon
• Two adults to grill food fromnoon to 1 pm
• Two adults to grill food from 1-2 pm
• Two adults to help clean up 2 -3 pm
• Two adults to watch the foodtable, run messages, let griller knowneed food, and keep tabs on things.
• Two adults to develop and or-ganize some fun games for all.
Anyone who would like to bringitems for the picnic (napkins, plates,food, etc.), please contact [email protected] for a list ofitems we need.
AHCA only works becauseneighbors like you contribute to itssuccess. Please consider volunteer-ing as the AHCA’s Social Chair tocoordinate these events.
If we do not have sufficient vol-unteers, the picnic will be cancelled.
Over the FenceNews for Neighbors from the Arlington Heights Civic Association
Spring 2015
AHCA PICNIC: IT'S IN YOUR HANDS
Please attend the quarterly meeting of the Arlington Heights Civic Association Tuesday, May 12, 2015, 7-9 pm
at the Patrick Henry Elementary School Library
Arlington County officials are starting to puttogether a plan for Metrobus and Arlington Transit(ART) service over the next 10 years, and they needyour help.
This year the County is starting work on itsnext major Transit Development Plan update. It willresult in a new, longer-term 10-year plan for serviceand capital improvements. The Transit DevelopmentPlan will:
• Identify transit goals• Prioritize improvements• Include recommendations for new transit service onthe Columbia Pike and Crystal City-Pentagon Citycorridors
The first step includes an analysis of transitservice in Arlington and a review of travel and rider-ship trends. The County is seeking community input
DO YOU RIDE THE BUS? ARLINGTON COUNTYWANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
continued on page 2
Neighborhood resident Annalee Pecquet enjoys the baseball field atPatrick Henry; photo by ChristineSuh
Arlington Heights Civic Association PO Box 40311 Arlington, VA 22204
President Stephen [email protected] 540-467-0817
First Vice President Jeanne Haggerty [email protected] 703-585-4158
Second Vice President Jay Moore [email protected] 703-249-9029
Secretary Maureen Critchley [email protected]
Treasurer Scott Winn [email protected] 703-407-4751
NCAC Representative Ron [email protected]
NCAC Alternate Sara Snow [email protected] 703-979-3487
Civic Federation DelegatesJason Murphy
[email protected] 202-507-9294Janet Presswood
[email protected] 571-723-6568Stacey Whyte
[email protected] 703-271-2681Loren Wilee
[email protected] 757-323-9172Civic Federation AlternateEileen Janas
[email protected] 703-521-9171
Social Chair - OPEN
Newsletter Content and AdvertisingJulian Pecquet
[email protected] 202-417-1932Newsletter LayoutRebecca Mashaw
[email protected] 703-892-3793Newsletter DistributionRon Peterson
[email protected] Webmaster and Neighborhood Email ListJay Wind
[email protected] 703-920-5193
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through a survey that asks for feedback on:• Where and when you want to travel?• What type of service improvements would you liketo see?• What would make it easier for you to take transit?
The survey is available at http://www.survey-monkey.com/s/TDP15. The link to the survey is alsoavailable on the County website – visitarlingtonva.us and search "transit developmentplan."
The survey, available in English and Spanish,will be open until May 15.
¿UTILIZA USTED ELAUTOBÚS? ¡DESEAMOSCONOCER SUOPINIÓN!
El Condado de Arlington está elaborando suPlan de Desarrollo de Transporte Público para losaños fiscales 2017-2026.
Necesitamos conocer su opinión sobre loscambios deseados para el servicio de Arlington Tran-sit (ART) y Metrobus dentro del Condado.
El Plan de Desarrollo de Transporte Público:• Identificará objetivos de transporte público;• Priorizará mejoras;• Incluirá recomendaciones de nuevo servicio detransporte público en los corredores Columbia Pike yCrystal City-Pentagon City.
Visite www.surveymonkey.com/s/TDP15 pararealizar la encuesta breve.
Do You Ride the Bus? from page 1
If you've been pining for a second Farmers'Market on Columbia Pike, don't despair. The goodfolks at the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization(CPRO) assure Over The Fence that the missed open-ing date for the Arlington Mill market in April was dueto resource shortages, not any lack of demand fromshoppers or vendors.
The CPRO now says it hopes that the weekdaymarket will open in May. The Arlington County Boardapproved the operation back last June.
Location: 909 S. Dinwiddie St.Time: Wednesdays, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Dates: April - OctoberMeanwhile, opening day of the new Fairling-
ton Farmers Market on Sunday, April 19 was a bigsuccess. The market, located on the back patio of theFairlington Community Center at 3308 S. StaffordStreet, is slated to operate every Sunday from 9 a.m. to1 p.m., now through November. Find out more here:http://www.fairlingtonfarmersmarket.org/
The two new markets will bring to nine thetotal number of farmers' markets currently operating inArlington, which also include:
Columbia Pike Farmers' MarketLocation: Pike Park @ Columbia Pike and WalterReed DriveTime: Sundays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.Dates: Year-roundWeb site: http://www.columbia-pike.org/fm/
Arlington Farmers' MarketLocation: Near Arlington County Courthouse parkinglot, N. Courthouse Rd. & N. 14th St.Time: Saturdays, 8 a.m. - noon. Dates: Year-round (9 a.m. - noon, January -March)Web site: http://www.arlingtonparks.us/farmersmar-ket/
Ballston Farmers' MarketLocation: Welburn Square (901 North Taylor Street)Time: Thursdays, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.Dates: May 7 – Oct. 29Web site:
http://www.freshfarmmarkets.org/farmers_markets/markets/ballston.php
Clarendon Farmers' MarketLocation: Clarendon Central Park, 3000 ClarendonBlvd.Time: Wednesdays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.Dates: April - DecemberWeb site: http://clarendon.org/farmersmarket/
Crystal City Farmers' MarketLocation: Crystal Drive, between 18th St. and 20th St.Time: Tuesdays, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.Dates: April 7 - Nov. 24Web site:http://www.freshfarmmarkets.org/farmers_markets/markets/crystal_city.php
Rosslyn Farmers' MarketLocation: Wilson Boulevard & N. Oak StreetTime: Thursdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.Dates: May - October
Westover Farmers' MarketLocation: Washington Blvd. & N. McKinley Rd.Time: Sundays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.Dates: Year-round (9 a.m. - 1 p.m., December throughApril)Web site: http://westoverfarmersmarket.org
3
What’s Next for the New Columbia PikeFarmers’ Market?
4
The April meeting of the Neighborhood Con-servation Advisory Committee (NCAC) was focusedon a county presentation of the Affordable HousingStudy. The third draft of the study, which is currentlyout for community review, will be considered by theCounty Board at its July 18 meeting. Adoption is adistinct possibility, as the two-year timeline for thestudy ends in July.
The study includes three areas of concern toyour neighborhood representative. First, in discussionwith the presenter, NCAC attendees learned that mostaffordable housing will continue to be focused on Co-lumbia Pike and not spread equally around the county.
Second, the resulting impact on schools insouth Arlington did not seem to receive serious con-sideration. Third, in order to provide more options formiddle-class families, the study proposes that neigh-borhoods like ours that border main transportation ar-teries be rezoned, from single-family to multi-family.This would allow the building of townhouses, du-plexes, English basements, in-law apartments, etc. Theimpact on parking is not addressed.These changes, if implemented, could have a profoundlong-term effect on the character of our neighborhood,property values, etc. And so, although we have just
been through a bruising battle over the proposed ele-mentary school at TJ, it is critically important for us,as residents of Arlington Heights, to take some time tobecome familiar with the study's contents and let ouropinions be known as soon as possible. Full information, including current draftsof the study and implementation framework, may befound at http://housing.arlingtonva.us/affordable-hous-ing-study/.
Ron Jacobus, AHCA representative to theNeighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: TIME TO SPEAK UP IS NOW
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Spring cleaning season is upon us, which canonly mean one thing: Yard sales! After much back-and-forth on our community listserve – [email protected] – we've concluded that it'sjust not possible to find a date that will make every-body happy for an Arlington Heights-wide event.
So, here's the next best thing: A map of some ofthe biggest multi-yard sales in May. So grab your wal-let and go meet your neighbors as you look for thatperfect item that you never realized you were missing.
SPRING = SPRING CLEANING = SPRING YARD SALES
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Community Calendar: Neighborhood Happenings
SPRING MUSICAL: Wakefield High school isputting on their Spring musical “Anything Goes” onFridays May 1 and 8 and Saturdays May 2nd and 9th.Curtain goes up at 8 p.m. For details and tickets, [email protected].
BIKE TO WORK: On Friday, May 15,BikeArlington invites you to join thousands of areacommuters for a celebration of bicycling as a clean,fun and healthy way to get to work. Meet up with yourneighbors at one of more than 70 regional pit stops,ride to work with an experienced commuter convoyand wear your FREE Bike to Work Day t-shirt at workwith pride. Help the Washington region become a bet-ter place to ride. Bike to Work Day is a FREE eventand open to all area commuters. Register at Bike-ToWorkMetroDC.org.
Details for Columbia Pike – Penrose Square pitstop:
• Address: 2503 Columbia Pike• Pit Stop Time: 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.• Contact: BikeArlington, 703-247-9299 /
WALK/BIKE TO SCHOOL: Speaking of cy-cling, Patrick Henry Elementary School hosts its an-nual Walk/Bike to School on Wednesday, May 6.Students can get test-fitted for helmets and get a newone if they need it. Find out more in this issue's HenryHighlights column.
BLUES FESTIVAL: Ready to get your Rock on?Columbia Pike's very own Blues Festival is right
around the corner, on Saturday, June 20. As always,the great music will be supplemented with crafts, facepainting - and food! - from noon to 8:30 p.m. at S.Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike. Best of all, it'sfree.
This year's headliner is Louisiana slide masterSonny Landreth, who should start playing around 6:30p.m. Visit www.columbia-pike.org/ for more on thelineup as we get closer to the concert date.
BOTANICALLY CHALLENGED? Do youwant to turn your weed patch into a blooming wonder?The Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Garden-ers are now available through the Fall to get you allthe help you need.
Volunteers staffing the clinics can answer gen-eral gardening questions as well as questions aboutplant pests and diseases. They can also identify plantsand provide soil test kits on request.
You can find them at: • Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St.,
every Thursday through November from 6:45 to 8:45p.m.
• Arlington Farmers Market, 14th St. and N.Courthouse Rd., every Saturday through September.
DIZZYING FEET: The 6th annual Grant-PierceIndoor Marathon and 50K will be held on Sunday,June 28, at the Thomas Jefferson Community Centertrack starting at 9 a.m. Watch AHCA web master andneighborhood email list guru Jay Jacob Wind and 49other athletes run 211laps to complete a fullmarathon (250 laps forthe 50K). The event isfree for spectators.Volunteers are needed.Write [email protected](subject: IndoorMarathon) or call 703-505-3567.
READY FORFIREWORKS? TheAir Force Memorial is
7a great viewing location and is holding a free Inde-pendence Day concert. Closest Metro stations are Pen-tagon and Pentagon City. Limited parking available onSouthgate Road, or you can park at Pentagon Mall; besure to be parked no later than 7:30 p.m. The USAFBand will be performing from 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.
ROAD UPDATE: Final paving is planned forS. Jackson Street and S. Old Glebe Rd. in late June /July. Micro-sealing is scheduled on S. Walter Reedfrom Columbia Pike to 5th St. in mid-July.
Have an upcoming event you'd like to highlight inthe calendar? E-mail newsletter editor Julian Pecquetat: [email protected]. The next issue of Over theFence will be distributed in late July.
We are thrilled to announce that Mrs. DahliaConstantine, third grade teacher at Patrick Henry, hasbeen named the APS Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Con-stantine has been at Patrick Henry since 2011 and ex-emplifies her colleagues’ dedication and passion forteaching the whole child.
In February, the PTA hosted our Silent Auc-tion. Thanks to the generosity of our community, weare pleased to announce that this was our most suc-cessful event ever! All funds will be used to supportactivities and events for the students such as our up-coming 4th grade overnight trip to Williamsburg, fieldtrips, International Night, the Henry Challenge andother school based activities.
At the end of February, the Patrick Henry the-
ater club put on an amazing performance of What aFine Day! Nearly eighty fourth and fifth grade stu-dents participated in this performance and displayedtheir immense musical, theatrical and technical abili-ties.
At the end of each quarter, the Patrick Henrycommunity celebrates the academic successes of ourstudents. Patrick Henry students who earned all Asand Bs celebrated their achievement at our Honor Rollbreakfast. Students in third through fifth grade whobrought up at least one of their grades while maintain-ing their other grades celebrated at our Bringing UpGrade (B.U.G. Roll) celebration. As a school, we con-tinue to strive to have each student reach his/herfullest academic potential and we enjoy celebrating
HENRY HIGHLIGHTS : Dahlia ConstantineWins APS Teacher of the Year
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their successes along the way.On March 27, Patrick Henry students and staff
celebrated College Pride Day and had a whole schooldance party as a reward for reading over 100,000 min-utes during the Read-a-Thon. A sparkling disco ballset the scene for the many book/reading related songssung by Henry teachers.
Patrick Henry families had the opportunity toparticipate in some very fun events recently. Ourschool wide book swap, ESOL/HILT family literacynight, visit with Megan Hicks “Origami Swami”, andFine Arts Showcase are just a few of the after-schoolevents Patrick Henry families attended.
The PTA is proud to announce that we havebeen awarded a Quick Mini-grant through VDOT’sSafe Routes to Schools program. Funds will be used toensure that children have properly fitting helmets sothat they can safely ride to school. We will be hostinghelmet fittings and swaps and also providing helmetsto those students who do not currently own them, cul-minating in Walk/Bike to School Day on May 6th.
On May 1st we will host International Night –a wonderful opportunity to learn about the differentcultures and countries that make up our Patrick Henrycommunity. This is a very popular event and boastsinformative tables about different countries, entertain-ment and (of course!) delicious food to sample fromaround the world.
Over the past few months we have had the op-portunity to meet many of the incoming Kindergartenfamilies at our orientation sessions. It was a pleasuremeeting these new families and we are excited to wel-come them into the Patrick Henry community. If youhaven’t registered your child yet for Kindergarten,please stop by Henry anytime during the school day orgo to the apsva.us website for more information.
Be our friend! Keep up with all of the goingson at Patrick Henry by visiting our website patrickhen-rypta.org, subscribing to [email protected], and Like us on Facebook – PatrickHenry Elementary Friends & Families.
HENRY HIGHLIGHTS is a recurring col-umn from the Patrick Henry PTA aimed atkeeping the Arlington Heights communityappraised of the goings-on at our local ele-mentary school.
9
Please Join AHCA and Listserv!
Please take this opportunity to renew your AHCAmembership. Residential memberships are $20per household; business memberships are $25.
The membership year, just like the calendar year,runs from January through December and all mem-berships are due to be renewed in January no mat-ter when you paid the previous year. While thedollar amount is relatively small, your participation isvital to the continuation of our Civic Association.
Also, we want to thank all the members that haveadded additional contributions to their membershippayments. No matter how small, those additional con-tributions have not gone unnoticed, and collectivelythey can make a difference.
Be sure to join the AHCA listserv, too! You getup-to-date information such as alerts, neighbor andevent information and time-sensitive notifications.List items you want to sell or donate, get recommen-dations on contractors and vendors, and much more
.It’s easy-and free! Send an email to ahca-sub-
2015 AHCA MEMBERSHIP
Individual/Family Memberships are $20.Business Memberships are $25.
With your membership you help to supportthe Arlington Heights Civic Association’sactivities. Members receive voting rights on
issues presented to the association.Memberships should be renewed annually.
Please complete this form and send withyour check made out to AHCA to:
Arlington Heights Civic AssociationP.O. Box 40311
Arlington, VA 22204
Name_______________________________
____________________________________
Address_____________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Home Phone_________________________
Email_______________________________
Yes, I’d like to make an additional contribution to AHCA. $_________
An additional 5% discount to Arlington Heights residents who call Missy and Kate!
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It’s that time of year again and Spring is in fullform. Along with this beautiful weather comes theonset of allergy season for many people. Allergies canalso affect our pets. Most frequently, allergies are no-table during season changes, with the most severecoming in the Spring and Autumn.
Clinical symptoms of al-lergies in dogs and cats includegeneralized itching (pruritis),nasal discharge, sneezing, and irri-tated, red eyes, often with dis-charge. Because the eyes areirritated, you may notice your petpawing at her eyes or rubbing herhead on your pants leg or on thecarpet. It is important to preventyour pet from rubbing her eyes asthis could lead to corneal ulcers.One way to distinguish betweenallergies and infections such asupper respiratory infections is inthe type of discharge. When aller-gies are to blame, the discharge isusually clear. Green or yellow dis-charge is a more common symptom of an infection.This is the same for both eye and nasal discharge.
It is also important to distinguish sneezingfrom coughing. While coughing can bea component of a seasonal allergy, itwill almost always be accompanied bysneezing. Coughing without any of theother symptoms noted in this article ismost likely a sign of another diseaseprocess. In either case, consult yourveterinarian if these symptoms con-tinue for more than a day or are makingyour pet uncomfortable in any way.
There are many potential causesfor seasonal allergies in pets. The mostcommon are trees, grasses / weeds,fungi and mites. There are two com-mon tests to identify potential aller-gens. The first is a blood test that issent to a laboratory for analysis. Thiscan test for food allergies as well as en-
vironmental allergies. The second type of testing isdone by a veterinary dermatologist and involves in-jecting the actual allergen into the dog or cat’s skinand observing for a reaction. This is considered themost precise type of testing, however, the blood test-
ing is a good alternative.If you notice any symptoms that
seem allergy related, schedule anappointment for your pet with yourveterinarian. There are several dif-ferent treatments available, includ-ing over the counter antihistaminesand serum allergy injections thatshould help your pet have a goodSpring!
ANIMAL AFFAIRS is a recurring column from Dr.
Frederick Jones and ourfriends at Arlington AnimalHospital.
ANIMAL AFFAIRS: PET ALLERGIES
OOffffeerriinngg wweeeekkllyy ccaammppss JJuunnee 1155 tthhrroouugghh JJuullyy 3311 ffoorr
aaggeess 1188 mmoonntthhss tthhrroouugghh rriissiinngg kkiinnddeerrggaarrtteenn..
EEaarrllyy BBiirrdd rreeggiissttrraattiioonn cclloosseess MMaayy 1155tthh!!
PPlleeaassee ccaallll oorr vviissiitt oouurr wweebbssiittee ffoorr rreeggiissttrraattiioonn iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn..
www.etzhayim.net/preschool.html 2920 Arlington Boulevard
Tel: (703) 979-4466 E-mail: [email protected]
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With spring now in full bloom, many people are enjoy-ing the warmer weather. The budding trees and flowers can,however, cause allergy sufferers to want to stay indoors.Seasonal allergic rhinitis – commonly referred to as hayfever – is typically caused by pollen. Hay fever flares up inthe spring and fall when pollen counts are higher.
People develop symptoms of allergic rhinitis whentheir own immune system identifies an otherwise harmlesssubstance as an invader. These substances are called aller-gens. The immune system overreacts to the allergen by pro-ducing antibodies (IgE). These antibodies trigger therelease of histamine and other chemicalsubstances that cause an allergic reaction.Hay fever symptoms can range from beingmildly annoying to seriously affectingone's daily life.
Hay fever symptoms are oftentriggered by tree pollen in the early spring.In late spring and early summer grassestend to be the cause of hay fever symp-toms. Weeds are most often the cause oflate summer and fall hay fever symptoms.
Common symptoms of season al-lergic rhinitis (hay fever) include:
• Itching in the nose, roof of the mouth, throat andeyes;
• Sneezing;• Stuffy nose (congestion);• Runny nose;• Tearing eyes; and• Dark circles under the eyes.
Treatment for seasonal allergic rhinitis is multifac-eted. The best way to cope with hay fever is to avoid the al-lergens that cause it.
Avoidance measures for pollen include:• Limiting outdoor activities during
times with high pollen counts;• Monitoring pollen counts so that
you limit exposure on days the counts arehigh (accurate information on local pollencounts can be found at The National Al-lergy Bureau);
• Keeping windows closed in homesand cars and using air conditioning;
• Showering to wash off pollen frombody and hair soon after coming inside; and
• Clearing the nose from allergens byusing nasal saline preparation.
Medication is also a mainstay in treating seasonalallergic rhinitis. The majority of allergy medications forhay fever work best when started before you first come incontact with the spring allergens. Starting medication priorto coming in contact with the allergen will prevent the re-lease of histamines that results in allergy symptoms.
Common medications for treating hay fever in-clude:
• Saline nasal sprays;• Oral antihistamines;• Decongestants (oral or nasal);
• Nasal corticosteroids sprays;• Nasal antihistamine sprays; and• Antihistamine eye drops
Another treatment option involvesimmunotherapy (allergy shots). Additionally,sublingual immunotherapy allergy tablets(SLIT) were recently approved for use in theUnited States.
For additional information, visitthe American Academy of Family Physicians(www.familydoctor.org) and the AmericanAcademy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunol-ogy (www.aaaai.org).
Nandini Koka, MDDr. Koka is a board-certified family physician
and the lead physician at Inova Urgent Care Centers,which acquired Simplicity Urgent Care earlier thisyear.
HEALTHY HABITS is a quarterly column onstaying well.
HEALTHY HABITS: COPING WITH HAY FEVER
Pre-K (Age 4 by Sept.30) through 8th grade
Affordable TuitionBefore and After School Program
Small Class SizesMany Extracurricular Activities
825 South Taylor StreetArlington, VA 22204
703-892-4846w w w. O S VA . O R G
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Advertise with us!
Want your business ad delivered to more than 1,000 households in the neighborhood? Then consideradvertising in Over the Fence!
You'll reach plenty of potential new customers, and help support your neighborhood all at the sametime.
Ad size 1 issue 4 issues (one year)Business card $40 $130 Quarter page $75 $245 Half page $130 $425 Full page $245 $825
Please make checks payable to Arlington Heights Civic Association and mail to: AHCA, P.O. Box 40311Arlington, VA 22204
Questions? Contact newsletter editor Julian Pecquet at [email protected]
