people lining up to vote

Update: At 6:10pm, the waiting line for voting was only a few minutes long.  Hence the picture is now better.  The polls are open until 7pm.  If you haven't yet voted, just do it.

Entrance-to-exit voting time at the Wilson School in Rosslyn at 7:46am this morning was 17 minutes.  About 8am, the wait was a few minutes longer.  Vote!

Providence Smith's snow-covered bridge wins decal vote

Wakefield Senior Providence Smith won the coveted Arlington car decal position with his photo of a snow-covered bridge on the W&OD trail.   You'll enjoy looking at this decal this summer.

In other election news, on-line voting in now ongoing for the color of the RAFOM neighborhood sign.  You must live in the RAFOM neighborhood in order to vote.  

election time -- vote!

Rosslyn residents recognize the importance of voting.  Last year, building upon an influential endorsement from the Ode Street Tribune, Rosslyn's Key Bridge was elected to be placed on the Arlington car decal.  This year's car-decal election features four fine candidates.   Because none of the candidates comes from Rosslyn, the Ode Street Tribune will not officially endorse its favorite, which is the image of cyclists' beloved W&OD Trail.

The election runs through noon on February 21. Vote!

2009 RAFOM/NRCA Candidates' Forum

The Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association (RAFOM) meeting on Oct. 15, 2009 began with approval of the minutes for last month's meeting. With respect to neighborhood signs, the minutes for last month's meeting record:

RAFOM Vice President Patricia Darneille noted that persons are now voting on the two options. There was a discussion whether people should be required to be RAFOM members in order to vote. It was agreed that voting wouldn't be linked to membership, if technologically practicable.

Careful readers of the Ode Street Tribune will recognize that this record of the September meeting is not quite accurate (compare it to this first-hand, contemporary news report). But that's no big deal. The good news is that voting on the neighborhood signs is now open to all neighborhood residents, without additional conditions. Moreover, the period for voting has been extended to Oct. 24. Neighborhood residents can conveniently vote online here.

The meeting discussed airplane noise.  Residents are complaining of noise from airplanes taking off and landing at Reagan National Airport.  RAFOM President Stan Karsen reported that new routing of airplanes over the river is being phased in, and airplane noise is expected to lessen by the beginning of next year.  

RAFOM and the North Rosslyn Civic Association (NRCA) jointly sponsored a candidates' forum for the upcoming general election.  Candidates for seats on the Arlington School Board, the Arlington County Board, and the Virginia House of Delegates gave presentations and answered questions from the audience.  Below are links to video of the candidates' presentations and rebuttal statements, where applicable.

Candidate for Arlington County School Board (unopposed):

• James S. Lander (video of presentation and discussion, focusing on Wilson School in Rosslyn)
  

Candidates for a seat on the Arlington County Board:

• Jay Fisette (opening presentation, rebuttal statement)
  
• John G. Reeder (opening presentation, rebuttal statement)

Candidates for Delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates, 48'th District (includes Rosslyn):

• Robert H. Brink (opening presentation, rebuttal statement)
• Aaron E. Ringel (opening presentation, rebuttal statement)

The election is on November 3. Vote!