365 - HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes 

Beautification Commission Seeks Nominations

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 



For Immediate Release: March 17, 2012

Alexandria Beautification Commission Seeks Nominations for the 2012 Alexandria Beautification Awards

News Highlights:

• Awards recognize City residents, organizations, and businesses for their efforts in contributing to the beautification of City neighborhoods and public vistas with landscaping and aesthetic design.
• The nomination deadline is Sunday, May 13.

More Information:

• http://alexandriava.gov/Beautification

The City of Alexandria’s Beautification Commission is accepting nominations for the 2012 Alexandria Beautification Awards. The awards program recognizes City residents, organizations, and businesses for their efforts in contributing to the beautification of City neighborhoods and public vistas with landscaping and aesthetic design.
Nominations must be received by Friday, May 11.  Nomination forms are available athttp://alexandriava.gov/Beautification.
Nomination forms may be returned by e-mail to AlexandriaBeautification@gmail.com or by postal mail to:

Alexandria Beautification Commission
6300 Stevenson Ave. #908
Alexandria, VA 22304

Beautification Awards are presented in four categories: Residential, Commercial, Public, and Service. Nominations are judged on the use of texture, color, plant material, neighborhood context, marked improvements, and overall appearance. Nominated properties must be visible from the public right-of-way. Award winners will be recognized at the Beautification Awards Ceremony this September.

The Alexandria Beautification Commission is a 12-member volunteer board with members nominated and approved by the City Council for two-year terms. The Commission represents residents' values in City beautification matters and coordinates projects to encourage and achieve beautification.
For more information about the Awards and the Commission, call Jennifer Pugh, Chair, Alexandria Beautification Commission, at 703.919.1480 or e-mail at jenniferspugh@gmail.com.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City’s Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Judy Lo, at 703.746.5490 or e-mail judy.lo@alexandriava.gov.
For more information, contact Jennifer Harris at 703.746.3961 or e-mail jennifer.harris@alexandriava.gov.

365 - Getting ready for St. Patrick's Day

(St. Brigid's Cross) 

ACPS New Safety System

FROM ACPS: 

ACPS IMPLEMENTS NEW SAFETY SYSTEM Next week, ACPS will implement a new visitor sign-in system to help ensure student safety. KeepnTrack is an upgrade to the current sign-in system in our schools. KeepnTrack will screen all visitors, including parents, PTA members, community members and vendors. Here are the procedures: 1. All visitors must sign in using their first and last names and birthdates. 2. Every visitor is screened against the National Sex Offender Registry. If a match is found, entry will be denied and the visitor will be asked to see the designated building administrator, who will follow Alexandria City School Board Policy KNA. 3. Each approved visitor will receive a visitor’s badge. 4. KeepnTrack also screens volunteers. Procedures for volunteers can be found at http://www.acps.k12.va.us/getinvolved/volunteer/ . For more information, contact Coleen Mann at cmann@acps.k12.va.us, or 703-824-6676. Read the information en Español:http://www.acps.k12.va.us/getinvolved/volunteer/procedures-sp.pdf .

St. Patrick's Day Food

get ready for St. Patrick's Day ---

breakfast -
scrambled eggs with green food coloring added
orange juice with green food coloring added
toast cut into the shape of a shamrock (use a small heart cookie cutter)



Dinner -
Corned beef and cabbage of course!

dessert --
pistachio ice cream or pudding

365 - Lucky

Only once a year do I buy Lucky Charms.  (they're magically delicious!) 

365 - Mulch

apparently someone didn't remove their Christmas tree lights before recycling it for mulch.  

Annual Watershed Clean Up

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 

Please note the correct date for the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup is Saturday, April 14. 

City of Alexandria Seeks Volunteers
24th Annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup
Saturday, April 14, 9:00 a.m. - Noon

The City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), Office of Environmental Quality and Solid Waste Division, and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, in conjunction with the Alice Ferguson Foundation, are currently seeking volunteers to join us and others across the region to clean up local streams in the Potomac River Watershed.  The City is hosting three sites:

• 3700 Commonwealth Avenue in Four Mile Run Park
• Four Mile Run at Mt. Vernon Ave
• Eaton Square Clubhouse at 801 Four Mile Rd

Trash and litter have many negative impacts on our quality of life.  It is harmful to wildlife and the environment, and it is an eyesore that impairs the beauty of neighborhoods and decreases property value.  Please RSVP Jesse Maines at jesse.maines@alexandriava.gov to join us at one of the locations or visit the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup for more sites in the City. 

City of Alexandria Launches Mobile Website

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 

The City of Alexandria has launched a new mobile-friendly design that makes it easier to browse the City's website on your smartphone. Approximately 20 percent of all visitors to the City's website now access the web from a mobile device, and that percentage is expected to rise as more people access online data on the go.

The new mobile website has been streamlined for speed, ease of use, and readability on smaller screens, while retaining all of the content and functionality of the traditional full site. In addition, there are no separate URLs to remember, or duplicate pages for mobile versions of content.  Visiting alexandriava.gov will seamlessly display the format that works best for the user’s device, and will offer the ability to set and remember a preference for mobile vs. desktop view.

The mobile design makes popular elements of the City’s website easy to find and interact with, including the homepage news features, Citywide events calendar, social media connections, online services, site search, emergency news, and more.

To access the City’s new mobile website, visit alexandriava.gov on your smartphone or mobile device.

365 - Gorgeous Weather

summer school PE

fROM TC BAND BOOSTERS NEWSLETTER:

Did You Know?
(NEW) Did you know PE in summer school is available for rising 9th and 10th graders to meet the PE requirement and still have an elective slot free during the year (oh, say, for band class)? It was added just a few weeks ago. So, if you have a rising 10th grader that couldn't fit everything in their schedule, maybe summer school at "Camp TC" is an option. And, if you know any rising 9th graders, please let them know this is a great way to get your PE credit completed and leave room in your fall schedule for electives like band.

365 - Loofah!

Info on Eco Alexandria

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 

Nomination Deadline for Ellen Pickering Environmental Award
Alexandria Green Ideas Challenge
Volunteer for Potomac River Watershed Cleanup
EPA Encourages Americans to Save Water During Fix a Leak Week

Nomination Deadline for Ellen Pickering Environmental Award Deadline is Friday, March 30, 5 p.m.

The City of Alexandria, Environmental Policy Commission, and the Alexandria Sanitation Authority(ASA) seek nominees to the Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award to recognize those who help keep the City green. The Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award is named in honor of Mrs. Pickering, who was dedicated to preservation and conservation in the City throughout her life. To qualify for the award, nominees must be residents of the City of Alexandria. Groups, clubs, organizations and corporations must operate within the City of Alexandria.

You may submit your nomination via the Online Nomination Form. Written submissions are also accepted and should be addressed to the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission at the following address:

Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
T&ES, Office of Environmental Quality
Alexandria City Hall
301 King Street, Room 3000
Alexandria, VA 22314

Submissions must include:

• The nominee’s name, address, and telephone number, or the key individual to contact if a nominee is not an individual.
• The name, address, and telephone number of the person nominating the candidate must be included.
• A brief description (not to exceed one page) of the nominee’s accomplishments and qualifications for the Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award.

For more information, visit Alexandria Earth Day 2012 to learn more.

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Alexandria Green Ideas Challenge Deadline March 30

As part of the Eco-City Alexandria initiative, the City has partnered with the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission, and ACTion Alexandria to launch the Alexandria Green Ideas Challenge.  By March 30, share your ideas for creating a greener, more sustainable community, and the winner will receive $500 in cash prizes and a chance for a $2,000 grant to turn your Green Idea into a reality.

Prizes will be awarded by the Alexandria Green Ideas Challenge panel of judges based upon the number of votes received on ACTion Alexandria and how relevant and actionable an idea is. Winners will be announced on April 18 and also recognized at the City’s Earth Day event on Saturday, April 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Drive.

For more information, visit ACTion Alexandria Green Ideas Challenge.

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City of Alexandria Seeks Volunteers 24th Annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup
Saturday, April 4, 9:00 a.m. -Noon

The City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), Office of Environmental Quality and Solid Waste Division, in conjunction with the Alice Ferguson Foundation, are currently seeking volunteers to join us and others across the region to clean up local streams in the Potomac River Watershed.  The City is hosting three sites:

• 3700 Commonwealth Avenue in Four Mile Run Park
• Four Mile Run at Mt. Vernon Ave
• Eaton Square Clubhouse at 801 Four Mile Rd

Trash and litter have many negative impacts on our quality of life.  It is harmful to wildlife and the environment, and it is an eyesore that impairs the beauty of neighborhoods and decreases property value.  Please RSVP Jesse Maines at jesse.maines@alexandriava.gov to join us at one of the locations or visit the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup for more sites in the City. 

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EPA Encourages Americans to Save Water During Fix a Leak Week - March 12-18

American households waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water each year due to leaky pipes, toilets, showerheads and other fixtures, but fixing leaks can be easy and inexpensive. During the 4th annual Fix a Leak Week, March 12-18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program is educating Americans about the importance of fixing leaks around the home, which will save water and nearly 10 percent on utility bills.

• Finding and fixing leaks around the home is as easy as: check, twist and replace!
  Check for leaks. Toilet leaks can be found by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to also check irrigation systems and spigots.
• Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save even more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead.
• Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for the WaterSense label when replacing plumbing fixtures, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.

More information about finding and fixing leaks: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak

More information on WaterSense or to find a retailer in your area that carries WaterSense-labeled products: http://www.epa.gov/watersense

Things that have bugged me lately

In another installment of things that have bugged me lately.......

-boys that forget refuse to put down the toilet seat! It's not that hard to do, really!

-People that block the box at intersections.  I know, every once in awhile it can't be helped but every time at almost every intersection is just crazy!

-my husband who changes the position of the shower head every day.  Really, why can't he just like it the same way as me??

-why do we have 9 teaspoons and 18 knives and forks.  Where did they all go and why can't I find a spoon when I need one?

-neighbors who have a bazillion (ok, 5-6) cars in their driveway/in front of their house and they only have 2 or 3 drivers.  How many cars do you really need?  I'm really waiting for them to be on cinder blocks in the yard soon.

Commission on Aging Seeks Nominations

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:

Commission on Aging Seeks Excellence in Aging Award Nominations

Deadline for Nominations is March 27

The Alexandria Commission on Aging, which advocates for the needs of Alexandria seniors, is seeking nominations for its Annual Excellence in Aging Awards.  These awards honor individuals, regardless of age, who have provided service to older Alexandrians or demonstrated superior contributions in advancing issues and projects that favorably affect older Alexandrians. 

The Annie B. Rose Lifetime Award will be given to an individual resident who has served seniors for at least 10 years.  A second award, in honor of Lois Van Valkenburgh, will be given to an individual resident with at least one year of service to seniors.  The final award, the Excellence in Aging Award for an Organization, will be awarded to an organization that has made an outstanding contribution to Alexandria seniors.

Award winners will be recognized at a reception to be held in May at City Hall.  For more information or to obtain a nomination packet, contact Debbie Ludington at the Department of Community and Human Services, Office on Aging and Adult Services at 703.746.5694 or via email at Debbie.ludington@alexandriava.gov, or visit www.alexandriava.gov/aging

Simpson Park Construction - Dog Park Closing for a few days

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:

Potomac Yard Development Schedules Construction Work at Simpson Park

Potomac Yard Park was approved by City Council in 2008. As part of the construction of Potomac Yard Park, Potomac Yard Development LLC (PYD), will rebuild the restroom and storage building at Simpson Park, 426 E Monroe Avenue. No City funds are being expended for the work. PYD’s General Contractor, KT Enterprises, will demolish the existing building in March. The new building will be the same footprint and location as the existing building. At completion, the new facility will provide the public with modern restroom facilities as well as additional functionality for City Maintenance Crews.

Demolition is scheduled for March 19, 20 and 21. Due to the activities associated with demolition, the Simpson Dog Park will be temporarily closed March 19, 20 and 21. When the dog park reopens on March 22, the unleashing entrance will be in a temporary new location for the duration of construction.

During construction Potomac Yard Development and the Department of Recreation Parks and Cultural Activities will be providing temporary facilities for restrooms to the park users. There will be a construction staging area in the gravel lot immediately north of the existing building. During construction the dog park and the fields will remain open as scheduled and access will be maintained to the Simpson facilities. As with any construction process there may be temporary interruptions to services and access; however we expect those to be minimal. Residents will see equipment in use and crews at work during the daytime. For your safety please use extra caution in moving around the site as it will be an active construction zone.

For additional information or questions about the work, call Zachary Lette, with LPDA, Inc., Project Liaison at 703.437.7907. 

365 - Chicks