<sh>County Seeks Input on Public Spaces Master Plan
<bt>Arlington county officials are seeking input from the public on the latest draft of its Public Spaces Master Plan through series of public meetings.
According to a county statement, recommendations in the draft plan are organized around four guiding themes: expansion, optimizing use of public spaces, connectivity and accessibility.
An executive summary and the full plan are available online at www.arlingtonva.us.
Forums to answer questions from residents and to gather public input are scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Central Library Auditorium, 1015 N. Quincy St., and Thursday, May 5 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 S. 18th St. A third forum will be held Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Fairlington Community Center, Room 10, 3308 S. Stafford St.
The public is invited to submit comments no later than May 27, either at one of the forums, online at www.arlingtonva.us, by e-mail to prcr@arlingtonva.us or in writing to: PSMP c/o PRCR, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 414, Arlington, VA. 22201.
<sh>Family Fund Established for Students
<bt>A fund has been established by the Hoffman-Boston PTA to cover the students’ expenses that were incurred as a result of the April 18 bus accident. To contribute, send checks payable to “The Hoffman-Boston PTA Family Fund,” in care of BB&T Bank, 1100 S. Walter Reed Drive. Arlington, VA 22204.
<sh>Call for Art Entries
<bt>Arlington Arts Center seeks entries for three upcoming exhibitions. For entry forms and requirements, visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org. For the 2005 M.F.A. Graduates exhibition, the deadline for entries is May 11 at 5 p.m. The Solo Exhibitions 2006 deadline is July 1 at 5 p.m.
<sh>Law License Suspended
<bt>According to the Virginia State Bar, the State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended the law license of Jeffrey Carl Constantz, of the 2000 block of N. Roosevelt St., for 60 days. The action was taken against Constantz, a former bank president, as a result of a civil case in Fairfax County Circuit Court regarding fraud against the bank and breach of fiduciary duties in connection with extensions of credit to a bank customer. Constantz settled the matter with opposing parties while his appeal was pending, according to the Virginia State Bar. "In approving the suspension, the board took into consideration that Mr. Constantz had no prior disciplinary record," according to the press release.
<sh>ART Riding High
<bt>In March, Arlington Transit (ART) saw its highest monthly ridership ever — 76,592 passengers. The ART 41 route carried more than 23,000 passengers, the highest recorded on any ART route. ART supplements Metrobus in Arlington with smaller, neighborhood-friendly, compressed natural gas vehicles that operate as part of a network of buses coordinated with the 18 Metrobus lines serving the County.
<sh>Bar Foundation Grants
<bt>The deadline for applications and proposals by community groups for Bar Foundation grants is Monday, May 2. The Foundation's goals include assisting and supporting pro bono legal services to the poor and making the legal process more accessible to the general public.
The Bar Foundation provides grants annually to non-profit community organizations to fund projects that help further the mission of the Foundation. Applications can be obtained at Arlington County Bar Association offices on the ground floor of the Arlington County Court House, 1425 N. Courthouse Road, or by calling the Bar offices at 703-228-3390.
Applications must be received at the Bar Association office no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, May 2 or must be postmarked by that date. They can be faxed to 703-228-7360.