<b>Wolffe Announces School Board Run</b>
<bt>The election season got an early start this year, as Arlington attorney Beth Wolffe announced her candidacy for a seat on Arlington School Board last week, running under the slogan "Every Child Counts."
Wolffe, a 48-year-old attorney and a 15-year Arlington resident, could face current School Board Chair Mary Hynes, who will be up for re-election this year. Hynes has not yet said whether she will seek re-election.
"The earlier I could start, the better," Wolffe said. She said she would focus on fiscal issues, and board responsibility.
School board candidates do not run under any party affiliation, but Wolffe said she would be seeking the endorsement of the Arlington Republican Committee.
<b>$150,000 At Large</b>
<bt>Officials from the Virginia Lottery said Monday they are still looking for the owner of a Big Game ticket worth $150,000 that was sold in Arlington last summer.
The ticket, with the winning numbers 05-28-31-35-47 and 19, was sold at the 7-Eleven at 3150 Wilson Blvd. for the Aug. 7, 2001, drawing, when the number came up for a $150,000 prize.
According to Big Game rules, winning tickets expire after 180 days. That period ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4. The owner of the winning ticket must report to the lottery’s regional office at 14550 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge to claim the prize
Unclaimed awards from the Virginia Lottery and Big Game go to the state Literary Fund, funding school construction.
"Last year, we had $7.5 million dollars unclaimed for the year," said John Hagerty, public affairs manager for the lottery. The last large prize left unclaimed was a $150,000 ticket for Sept. 10, sold at a 7-11 in Springfield.
<b>Board Allots $1 Million for Traffic</b>
<bt>At its Jan. 26 meeting, the Arlington County Board awarded $1.2 million in traffic-calming projects in eight neighborhoods around Arlington, approving recommendations from the county’s Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee.
With one vote, the board awarded $150,000 to Williamsburg Civic Association, $263,500 to the Leeway Overlee Civic Association, $121,100 to Old Glebe Civic Association, $141,100 to Columbia Heights West Civic Association, $173,000 to Barcroft School and Civic League and $25,000 to the Douglas Park Civic Association.
Proposed traffic calming measures included speed humps, speed cushions, traffic circles, enlarged medians, islands and crosswalks.
In a separate action, the board approved $354,000 in county funding for a Neighborhood Traffic Calming plan developed by the East Falls Church Traffic Working Group.
The plan included crosswalks, flashing school zone lights, speed cushions and speed humps, spread across North 26th, 28th and 29th streets between North Trinidad and North Westmoreland streets.
<b>Board OKs Sept. 11 Memorial Group</b>
<bt>County board members voted unanimously in favor of a task force to design a memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and the rescuers at the Pentagon. Its first activity will come on Sept. 11 of this year, the one-year anniversary.
The board will approve members for the task force at its Feb. 9 meeting, and the task force will provide a final recommendation for a memorial on May 11.
Members for the task force will include representatives from the planning commission, parks and recreation commission, commission on the arts, Arlington Civic Federation, the Chamber of Commerce, the US Armed Services, county employees, the historic affairs and landmark review board, and three at-large members from the community.
Board Chair Chris Zimmerman said it seemed appropriate for Arlington to begin work on the memorial, as the county is home to both the Pentagon, and the first rescuers on the scene, the county fire and police departments.