Members of Arlington’s Teen Network Board joined with volunteers from Rebuilding Together to make much-need repairs to Borromeo Housing’s home for teen mothers. For 25 years, The mission of Borromeo Housing, Inc. (BHI) is to empower young single mothers to create a self-sustaining future through education, counseling and support, while they reside in our safe home. BHI closely monitors the infants of our young mothers to ensure the children are parented responsibly, receive appropriate medical care, and meet individual developmental benchmarks. In this way, BHI is determined to present two generations of at-risk youth with alternatives to the perils of neglect, poor education, and inter-generational poverty.

The Teen Network Board is comprised of youths form Arlington High Schools, that engage community outreach and promote the teen voice in Arlington. They participate in numerous events each year ranging from Alcohol prevention to helping with organizations like Rebuilding Together in order to help out within their community.

The men and women of Arlington’s Special Operations Section come together to provide an escort for the President of the United States, negotiate with hostage takers, and help children cross the street to get to school.  In this segment of ‘upclose’, we find out why this diverse group are in one section, and what motivates Arlington County Police Officers to volunteer for these special jobs.

Ever wonder what the role of the magistrate in Arlington county is? Magistrates are independent judicial officers who work directly for the Supreme Court of Virginia. The principal function of the magistrate is to provide an independent, unbiased review of complaints of criminal conduct brought to the office by law enforcement or the general public.

A Magistrate’s duties can include:
Issues arrest warrants, summonses, bonds, search warrants, and medical detention orders.
Conducts bail hearings in instances in which an individual is arrested on a warrant charging him or her with a criminal offense.

Magistrates provide services 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. All complaints filed with the Magistrate’s office must be done so in person and in writing.

For more information about the Office of the Magistrate, visit the county’s webpage

Five years after its keel was laid down the USS Arlington finally sailed into its home port of Norfolk Virginia where it was commissioned into active service in the United States Navy. It was a memorable and moving beginning to what Arlington officials hope is a long relationship.

In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US Navy requisitioned three ships that would commemorate the events, pay honor to the Americans who died, and tribute to the efforts of the first responders who were America’s first line of defense on that day.  The USS Arlington is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship. This is the third USS Arlington, the previous two having served between WWII and Vietnam. It’s a history that highlights the unique relationship between Arlington County and the military.

Because of that unique relationship, Arlington wanted to give the USS Arlington a homecoming unlike any the Navy had ever seen before: a salute from the emergency officials who responded to the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11. It was an emotional homecoming for the crew which had spent two years in Mississippi preparing the ship for active duty and the first responders salute only added to the powerful feelings of this day. The homecoming event highlighted the growing relationship between the two Arlingtons: county and ship.

That legacy is going to be preserved in a planned Tribute Room onboard the USS Arlington, which will pay honor to both the victims and the heroes of the attack on the Pentagon. A living legacy of Arlington’s response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the tribute room will be an important ambassador for our county, as it hosts events and dignitaries all around the world.

As the USS Arlington was commissioned into active duty, the men and women who serve on it bore with them the hopes of a nation, and the special hopes of our community that the relationship we’ve started will continue to grow over time.

The USS Arlington Commission is still looking for contributions to help build the Tribute Room. So if you’d like to donate, or to find out more about the ship, go to

www.USSArlingtonLPD24.org.

Thousands of individuals volunteer with Arlington County programs. Our volunteers’ contributions are enormous: they strengthen our community and enable the County to be more responsive to our residents. Each year, the Arlington County Board honors the individuals/teams for their outstanding volunteer service to the County.

If you want to volunteer and help with your community, visit the Volunteer Arlington page.

Arlington is a safe community, but criminal activity does occur, especially in warm weather, when unlocked doors and open windows can prove tempting.
Here are some safety tips from the Arlington County Police Department.

• Do NOT leave windows open when no one is home.
• If you leave windows open while Sleeping, do not leave any first floor windows open.
• Ask a neighbor to watch your home when you are away.
• Do not leave valuables in places visible from the street.
• Always lock your doors.
• Do not hide keys on your property. Instead, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to hold onto an extra set of your keys.
• Alert your neighbors to suspicious people or activity.

And remember: Never hesitate to call the police if you think you spot suspicious activity.
Call 911 for emergencies. And for non-emergencies, call 703-558-2222.
And for more safety tips, go to arlingtonva.us/police.

Arlington has safe and beautiful trails for biking, running, and walking. As the days get longer, people of all ages spend more time outside – and this includes criminals, too.
Here are some safety tips if you are using the trails in our area.

• Try to use populated areas in the daylight hours.
• Wear light, reflective clothing.
• Try to go out with a friend.
• Make sure you bring a cell phone.
• Familiarize yourself with your trails and avoid areas you don’t know.
• If you listen to music, make sure you leave one ear open.
• Tell someone where you will be going before you leave.

And remember: Never hesitate to call the police if you think you spot suspicious activity.
• Call 911 for emergencies
• For non-emergencies, call 703-558-2222

For more safety tips, visit arlingtonva.us/police

Each year many of us have stuff in our homes that we don’t need any more but don’t know what to do with.  You can’t throw that old hulking tubeTV or PC out with the trash… and what about those flammable products like Solvents, or poisonous pesticides. Well Arlington’s Dept., Environmental Services have a solution, it’s called E-CARE.

Visit the Arlington County E-CARE page to find out when e-care events are happening, and for more information on hazardous waste disposal.

Tyler Cowen, author of “An Economist Gets Lunch: New Rules for Everyday Foodies” and owner of the blog, Tyler Cowen’s Ethnic Dining Guide, speaks at the Arlington Public Library on Weds. April 3 2013. The program was presented by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.