This Week in Arlington
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This Week in Arlington

<sh>Arlington Man Killed Trying to Cross Street

<bt>A 66-year-old Arlington man died on Monday after being hit by a car while attempting to cross Arlington Boulevard in Fairfax County, said Fairfax County Police.

At 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 18, Kim Phung was struck by a car as he tried to cross Southbound on Patrick Henry Drive at Arlington Boulevard.

Phung was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where died from his injuries on Monday.

The driver of the car, a 45-year-old from Chesapeake Beach, Md., was not injured in the collision. No charges are pending against the driver at this time, authorities said.

<sh>Feds Fund Transportation

<bt>The U.S. House of Representatives approved about $70 million in funding for projects across the region in the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill (H.R. 5576). The bill will now be taken up by the Senate.

According to press releases from Reps. Frank Wolf (R-10) and Jim Moran (D-8) that area will see $5 million for the rail to Dulles project and $2 million to widen westbound I-66 inside the Beltway. The bill also directs an analysis of extending the third southbound lane of the George Washington Parkway from the Key Bridge to the Roosevelt Bridge.

Some local projects include:

* 2 million for improvements to the 14th Street Bridge that will help mitigate rush-hour traffic.

* $250,000 for the Four Mile Run project to fund the pedestrian and trail improvements in Arlington.

* $200,000 to support the Georgetown-Rosslyn Connector.

* $150,000 to the Arlington Housing Corporation (AHC) for the construction of a new preschool at Berkeley Apartments in Arlington.

<tgl>— Ari Cetron

<sh>Verizon Receives Go Ahead

<bt>The County Board voted last week to grant Verizon Virginia Inc., an operating franchise that allows the company to begin offering cable service in the coming weeks.

Verizon will join Comcast, which received a franchise in 2000, as the only cable providers in the county.

Verizon has already begun laying down fiber across the county, and the company expects more than three-quarters of Arlington households will be able to purchase Verizon cable within three years.

County officials hope that having a second cable provider will improve service and potentially lower prices.

<tgl> —Seth Rosen

<sh>ATS Nabs Parent Involvement Award

<bt>Arlington Traditional School has earned the National Parent Teacher Association’s "Parent Involvement School of Excellence." The National PTA certification recognizes schools that uphold the highest standards in parent involvement and seek input from parents, teachers, students, administrators and the community.

ATS has a strong commitment to helping children succeed through the ABCs of success — Academics, Behavior and Character — which frame this school’s philosophy, Principal Holly Hawthorne said in a release.

"This award brings recognition and pride to ATS and its community," she added. "We have a strong global commitment to the ABCs of Success. In 2004 we received a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Award and we continue to support our sister school, Arlington Academy of Hope, in Uganda. Winning the Parent Involvement School of Excellence award further demonstrates our commitment to the ABCs of Success."

<sh>Korean Exchange Student Needs Host

<bt>The Forte International Exchange Association is currently looking for a family in the Arlington area to host a Korean girl who will be attending Bishop O'Connell High School. Families are paid $500 monthly stipends to cover the cost of an extra person. The basic requirements are: To provide students with their own bed and to share family meals and activities; students are responsible for all other costs. If you are interested or would like to find out more, visit www.orgsites.com/dc/forte or call or 202-628-8180.