Nevertheless, Fisette says Arlington is primed to promote healthy bodies, being chock-full of walking and biking opportunities -- certainly more, he says, than communities that may look pastoral but lack opportunities for people to use their feet instead of a car.
Arlington walkers mean business. Just log on to www.walkarlington.com, where the first message that greets you reads: "Please turn off your computer and go for a walk."
"Everyone thinks a neighborhood with cul-de-sacs and subdivisions is green and healthy," Fisette said. "The reality is the design of that neighborhood is not conducive to your personal health in most instances. . . . Many of those communities don't even have sidewalks."
Take that, Fairfax County.
Political Treats Promised
As if Northern Virginia's dogs -- who already have their own happy hours and lobbying group -- didn't have enough help already, along comes Laura Mandala, a Democratic candidate for the General Assembly who recently unveiled her platform for "dog owners rights" at a campaign rally.
Mandala -- one of six Democrats in a crowded primary field vying for the seat from which Del. Marian Van Landingham is stepping down -- believes there are "serious issues confronting dog owners that are rarely addressed," according to one recent press release.
(Apparently Mandala wasn't paying attention when a squadron of Arlington County's finest was mobilized to find an alleged dog-poisoner who had left hot dogs tainted with antifreeze at a local dog park. Or when the Health Department's crackdown on alfresco doggie dining in Alexandria last spring resulted in a protest march attended by more than 150.)
In addition to tax relief and women's rights, Mandala wants to "champion" this neglected and downtrodden minority by campaigning to allow dogs greater access to Virginia beaches, hotels and outdoor restaurants.
"Having broadened access for dogs in hotels will give thousands of Virginians the opportunity to be with their pets when they travel and save our dogs from being put in the equivalent of prison cells for extend [sic] periods while their masters are out of town."
The news release continues: "Mandala is a serious candidate who has championed women's and business issues for years."
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