Local Wages Hit a Record in New Data
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INSIDE: Hospital officials tout maternity success • See Page 4 ELITE PIANO ACADEMY 8 17 REGION’S WAKEFIELD HOUSING QUARTERBACK VALUES POYTHRESS RISING REMEMBERED Sun Gazette ARLINGTON’S SOURCE FOR HOMETOWN NEWS SINCE 1935 VOLUME 85 NO. 37 AUG 27-SEPT 2, 2020 Local Wages Hit a Record in New Data Feds: Arlington Workers Now Top $2,000 a Week Average weekly wages for employees in Arling- ton tiptoed above the $2,000 mark to stand among the highest in the nation in new federal data, but the rate of growth was less than the national average. For the rst quarter of 2020, the county’s aver- age wage of $2,018 per week rose 2.5 percent from a year before, according to data reported Aug. 19 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures represent where a person works, regard- less of where he or she lives. Arlington is one of a very few counties in the nation with an average wage above $2,000. For the rst quarter, there were six localities in that raried A GARDENING TRADITION company: New York County (Manhattan), N.Y., at $3,270; San Mateo, Calif., at $2,913; Santa Clara, IS STILL CULTIVATING SUCCESS! Calif., at $2,896; San Francisco, at $2,772; Somerset, It was in 1997 that the Northern Virginia Sun spotlighted (black- N.J., at $2,172; and Arlington and-white photo at right) the green thumbs of 5-year-old twins Nationally, the rst-quarter average wage was Alyssa and Ian McGowan, who had grown giant zucchini along with $1,222, up 3.3 percent. other vegetables in the family garden in Arlington. Among the 357 largest counties, 335 posted over- the-year increases in average weekly wages, accord- A few years ago, the Sun Gazette caught up with the twins (color ing to the new data, with McLean (Ill.) rising the photo at right), who continued to grow produce. most, up 13.3 percent due to a whopping increase in In 2020, the tradition continues – Ian McGowan’s garden this sum- the nancial sector. mer yielded 60 pounds of zucchini, 30 pounds of heirloom toma- Peoria (Ill.) had the largest year-over-year de- toes, 30 pounds of cucumbers and six pounds of eggplant so far cline, falling 29.2 percent due to a drop in the manu- this summer, which has been used to create ratatouille, gazpacho facturing sector. and salads galore while leaving enough left over to provide to Arlington’s rate of growth placed it 224th among friends and family. the 357 communities. (The federal data look at coun- ties with more than 75,000 workers. In Virginia, in- On the horizon this autumn will be a crop of pumpkins. Continued on Page 12 ONLINE https://sungazette.news l On Facebook: sungazettenews l On Twitter: @sungazettenews @sungazettespts Local Postal Customer Postal Local 2406 N Ottawa St | $1,050,000 Open Sunday, August 30th, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Updated 5-bedroom, 2.5-bath home nestled on a cul-de-sac lot in the Nottingham, Williamsburg, Yorktown school district. Move right into this pristine home. PERMIT NO. 605 605 NO. PERMIT Frederick, MD Frederick, PAID For more information contact Betsy Twigg U.S. POSTAGE U.S. 703.967.4391 | [email protected] | BetsyTwigg.com ECRWSS EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY PRSRT STD PRSRT 4720 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207 | Tel. 703.525.1900 | McEnearney.com Historic Body Pleased With Preservation Element in Shirlington Redevelopment SCOTT McCAFFREY Woodruff said the County Board hadn’t Sta Writer spent much time on historic-preservation issues during its discussion of the plan, The Arlington County government’s but suggested there are good omens. historic-preservation advisory body seems “There seemed to be really strong generally satised that retention of his- sentiment [during the process] that the toric features will be seen as an important buildings along Campbell Avenue depict component of the redevelopment of the the essence of the Village at Shirlington,” Village at Shirlington. Woodruff said. In particular, the low-slung storefronts On the other hand, Woodruff said along Campbell Avenue are expected to be it was “a little disappointing” that an protected from the wrecking ball, even as amendment to the document, offered by taller and more dense development likely County Board member Christian Dorsey, will be allowed immediately behind them. left the door open for building heights ad- “There seemed to be really strong sen- jacent to the storefronts to be higher than timent [during County Board discussions] the four stories proposed in the plan. that the buildings along Campbell Avenue “We’ll see what happens,” Woodruff Incredible Potential as a Winery, Bed & Breakfast, sort of depict the essence of the Village said. Exclusive Inn, Equestrian or Cattle Property! at Shirlington … there seemed to be an (Ultimately, it will be up to the county’s OWN A PART OF HISTORY - Woodside Farms, also known as Court Manor, understanding that preserving that was Planning Commission and its subsidiary has long been considered one of the nest estates in the Shenandoah Valley. important,” said Richard Woodruff, who bodies to hash out the details of proposed Originally part of a large land grant from King George III, this prestigious chairs the Historical Affairs and Land- redevelopment, before sending it to the farm is truly one of a kind. mark Review Board (HALRB). County Board for nal action. Any future AUCTION LOCATION: New Market Fire and Rescue Community Room. His remarks came a month after Coun- action largely depends on the timetable of 9771 S Congress St, New Market, VA 22844 ty Board members approved in principle the developer.) the “GLUP [General Land Use Plan] The Village at Shirlington is neither a Plus” study of the Village at Shirlington, local historic district (which would pro- a joint effort of government staff and vide the HALRB with statutory authority 800.829.8747 • hallandhall.com Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), to regulate exterior architectural changes) which is the dominant landowner in the nor listed on the National Register of Shirlington retail/commercial area. Historic Places or Virginia Landmarks Lorin Farris, a planner on the county- Registry (each largely honoric in na- Arlington Optimist Club government staff, said that incorporating ture). Should FRIT desire, those designa- historic preservation into the GLUP Plus tions could be sought. plan is an important step. Even if the real-estate trust does not CONGRATULATES “This is going to be a way that we can take that route, Farris suggested having protect the Village at Shirlington, allow historic preservation part of the GLUP its 2020 Oratorical Winners - Great Job! for it to adapt, allow for it to be a thriving Plus study would keep it front and center commercial district,” she said. going forward. Ainsley Meck, First Place Leo Fall, First Runner-up The GLUP Plus plan sets out the “For now, I see this as a win, I think framework for FRIT’s efforts to redevel- staff sees this as a win,” she said. “Shir- op the Village at Shirlington, which traces lington will be able to change and grow its roots to a mid-1940s retail strip and sensitively.” saw, in subsequent decades, additional The retail strip of the Village at Shirl- commercial and residential development ington is listed on the county government’s grow up around it. The Campbell Avenue 2011 Historic Resources Inventory as an retail area is bookended by two of those “Important” parcel, one step below the more recent arrivals: public-broadcaster highest (“Essential”) in the ranking. Only WETA on one end and Signature Theatre two county shopping centers – Arlington and the Shirlington branch library on the Village on Columbia Pike and Colonial other. Village on Wilson Boulevard, both dating At the Aug. 19 HALRB meeting, to the 1930s – are designated “Essential.” 1ST MOW 1/2 PRICE! WE CAN BEAT ALL COMPETITORS’ PRICES – AND ALSO OFFER EDGING, TRIMMING, PRUNING, PAINTING, CLEANUP Ananya Sinha, Audrey Shiplett Abby Welker ... AND MORE! Second Runner-up Third Runner-up Fourth Runner-up CALL DAVE AT ... VERY GOOD WORK AT www.optimistclubofarlingtonva.org 571-269-4537 VERY GOOD PRICES! UPCOMING EVENTS J2uly 1August: The luncheon 27, 2020 has been cancelled. sungazette.news July 15: WWI Memorial, by Edwin Fountain. Although the Washington Golf & Country Club is open for us, if too few members indicate they will attend, it will be cancelled. PLEASE RSVP to [email protected] if you are coming. Thank you, Frank O'Leary, for arranging for Edwin to speak to us. July 22: July Meet & Greet: is tentatively scheduled for Texas Jack's BBQ from 5:30 to 7:00 depending on interest. Ample notice will be provided by email. Sharing Library Wins a Retroactive ‘OK’ in Maywood SCOTT McCAFFREY sharing libraries in historic districts, like chairman Richard Woodruff said. He Sta Writer the one in Maywood. credited Angelina Jones and others on HALRB chairman Richard Woodruff the county-government staff for “taking The Arlington Historical Affairs and said he believed his body had the author- time to track down all those old maps and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) in ity to set up requirements, but like Law- photographs” leading up to a nal deter- late July approved – retroactively – the rence and a number of other panel mem- mination placement of a small “sharing library” bers suggested there was no real need for “Really nice job,” Woodruff said. within the Maywood Historic District, a broad regulatory response. According to Franklin Survey Co. but said that in so doing was creating no “You’re not going to wind up with one property maps from 1935 and 1943, there precedent for the future.