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TheThe HomeHome LifeStyleLifeLifeStyleStyle ArlinArlingtongton Page 17 ConnectionConnection Fashion From Sports 15 A model shows a pleated ❖ fuchsia dress from Goodwill Goodwill at The Art of Fashion Show. Classified, page 13 Classified, ❖ News, Page 3 Orange Line Connection, page 12 ❖ Entertainment, page 10 Negative Campaign News, Page 3 Circle of Stars News, Page 6 Bishop O’Connell Girls’ Soccer Blanks Seton Sports, Page 15 Photo by Steve Hibbard/The Connection online at www.connectionnewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.comOctober 9-15, 2013 Arlington Connection ❖ October 9-15, 2013 ❖ 1 News Mapping GIS Bureau County.” In cooperation with the Clerk of Location is key. the Circuit Court, recorded documents in- By Michael McMorrow volving real estate (such as deeds and sub- The Connection division plats) are transformed into a se- ries of large-scale maps placed between red small staff in the county office covers for the use of county staff and the building knows where to find ev- general public. Reference copies in the Cen- erything in Arlington, down to tral Library and in the County Court House A are available to anyone for the asking. Each the square foot. Twenty-odd years ago, county govern- piece of land is assigned a mapping num- ment offices stored “location information” ber (the “Real Property Code,” or “RPC”). on paper in file cabinets. Data related to Anyone can trace the history of a single par- the functions of the particular office rarely cel and other county offices, such as the tax were shared, and even more rarely coordi- assessors, can avoid errors and perform nated with information from other offices. their duties more effectively. As the usefulness of computers was estab- “It is really nice to be responsive — lished, a decision was made to gather the quickly,” said Uri Arkin, Real Estate Bureau dispersed data in digital format. The GIS chief. His context was the daily inquiries Mapping Center Bureau was born. regarding a specific property received in his “GIS” stands for “geographical informa- office from other parts of county govern- tion system.” It is a blend of mapmaking, ment, as well as from developers, utility statistical analysis and database technology. companies and others. The end product is “a map” displaying the After referring to the many databases cre- position of whatever information interests ated by the GIS Mapping Center, Arkin notes the requester. Take fire call response time, that the bureau’s highly professional work for example. Arlington Fire Department can be expanded. To illustrate, easements wished to determine how far, in four min- and rights-of-ways on individual pieces of utes and other minute increments, its roll- real estate never were gathered in one ing equipment at each fire station could re- place. Many such limited rights to access spond to an emergency call. Page after page and to use of of text would provide the answers, depend- a given par- By ing on routes driven and points reached in cel of land Michael McMorrow the given time. Answers now can be seen are found in with a glance at marks drawn on a one-sheet papers scat- county map or on a computer screen. Bet- tered across ter decisions then could be made on where county to build new fire stations to enhance public records. The safety. Real Estate Bureau and “Much data considered by county officials /The Connection and staff are related to ‘location.’ My hope the GIS is that Arlington County decision-makers in- Mapping crease use of the large body of information Bureau have we have available,” said Mary Beth Fletcher, discussed bureau chief of the GIS Mapping Center. creating a “Google does a great job for quick refer- record of all ence,” said Fletcher. She adds that informa- known ease- Mary Beth Fletcher, tion provided for its vast range of territory ments and Bureau Chief is not 100 per cent accurate due to the rights-of- company’s business model, but it performs way county-wide, one capable of being re- a most useful service to the ordinary user. trieved in map form. The benefits from this “However,” Fletcher said, “our standard of project would be substantial. Electric and GIS accuracy for Arlington is 100 per cent” gas companies and county departments because vital decisions are made that af- dealing with emergencies often need to fect everyone living and working in the know immediately where they have the county. right to dig and the right to enter upon pri- “The GIS unit has a way of representing vate property. “Today,” said Arkin, “such in- complicated ideas so that anyone can un- formation is not readily at hand. We have derstand them,” said John C. Snyder, man- to say ‘We do not know.’ This results in de- agement analyst for the fire department. In lay that can affect public safety and public terms of graphic excel- convenience.” lence, he continues, In terms of “unfin- “they are underesti- Find One’s Own Map ished business,” Fletcher cites the ease- mated. Some staffs in Arlington’s GIS products can be accessed county government do through http://gis.arlingtonva.us ments/right-of-way not know the capabili- project, but remains ties of the unit; consequently, they miss out hopeful that resources on can be made available, one day, to pursue valuable and available assistance.” this project. She also foresees many new The Real Estate Bureau is one county of- applications of on-line GIS data in the build- fice that appreciates GIS Mapping Center’s ing permit system. work. One of the most basic and important Asked to identify accomplishments of her publications of the county is the “red book.” Its official title is “Plat Book of Arlington See GIS Bureau, Page 7 2 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ October 9-15, 2013 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Arlington Connection Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Negative Campaign Candidates appear at minority business forum, on the attack. By Michael Lee Pope been criticizing Democrat Terry The Connection McAuliffe for threatening to shut down Virginia government unless ocal and statewide can the General Assembly agreed to didates for office ap- expand Medicaid. McAuliffe at- Photos by Photos Lpeared at an unprec- tempted to beat back that argu- edented forum in North- ment during the Fairfax Chamber ern Virginia last weekend, a col- of Commerce debate, pledging that Steve Hibbard Steve laboration of minority business he would not force a shutdown. groups of blacks, Hispanics and Meanwhile, the Democrat is now Asians. But as candidates arrived criticizing the Republican for ap- at the Annandale campus of the pearing at a fundraiser with Texas Northern Virginia Community Col- Sen. Ted Cruz, whom Democrats /The Connection lege for a Sunday afternoon forum, say is the architect of the govern- voters realized that the tone of the ment shutdown. campaign would remain unrelent- “Ken Cuccinelli was apparently ingly negative. more concerned about his reputa- “All three of the Republican can- tion with the Tea Party than with didates are Tea Party right wing ending the government shutdown extremists,” said Del. Ken Plum (D- that is undermining Virginia’s Models at The Fashion of Goodwill Runway Show and Gala at The Artisphere. 36), who is running unopposed. economy,” said McAulifffe. “It’s the “Look at their records and their obligation of Virginians to send a stands on the issues.” message to Washington. A govern- Plum attacked Cuccinelli’s law- ment shutdown should never be a Goodwill Fashion Show at Artisphere suit against the Affordable Care Act bargaining chip.” as well as his investigation into a University of Virginia professor WITH ELECTION DAY only four Designer Tu-Anh Nguyen selects studying climate change. The long- weeks away, candidates and their time delegate also said the Repub- advisors are preparing for the most used clothing from Goodwill stores. lican attorney general candidate intense and high-stakes portion of Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-25) has a the race. Both of the major-party By Steve Hibbard similar record, including a bill that candidates are responding to that The Connection would have required women to re- dynamic by trying to frame their port abortions to police. Together opposition in the most negative rlington’s Artisphere with the candidate for lieutenant way possible. That leaves Libertar- A featured the Fashion of governor, Plum said, the ticket is Tea ian candidate Robert Sarvis rising Goodwill Runway Party from top to bottom. in the polls as his opponents take Show and Gala on Tuesday, “For some reason, some folks in shots at each other. After McAuliffe Sept. 24, which raised about the Democratic Party think that the and Cuccinnelli finished Sunday $155,000 for the cause. With label Tea Party is going to stimu- evening, Sarvis offered a critical the theme “The Art of Fashion,” late some kind of negative feelings,” review. Vietnamese designer Tu-Anh Fashion designer Tu-Anh said Jay McConville, chairman of “A lot of negative attacks. Not a Nguyen of Fairfax created the Nguyen hand-selected the Fairfax County Republican Com- whole lot of substance,” said Sarvis, show from hand-selected items clothing from Goodwill mittee. “But I think those people are who is polling at about 10 percent found at Goodwill of Greater stores. great patriots, and they are support- support. “And if you want to see Washington’s 15 retail stores. Model Jen Corey, 26, of ing the candidates they think are dysfunction of voting out of fear for The show featured 20 mod- Crystal City is a former runway while DJ Heather Femia best for the commonwealth.” the lesser of two evils, look at the els sporting 150 vintage and Miss D.C.