The Buckingham Herald Tribblog

Police notes will return after the holiday.

I am such a bone-head sometimes. I mentioned in my coverage of Santa at Lubber Run two weeks ago that he would come again for more kids (two weeks ago he visited with Arlington Forest young-uns). Well, he came alright on Friday; I had it on my schedule; my family knew I had that plan. Somewhere between leaving work and heading off for that, I forgot.

Pat “Santa” Hope, the Buckingham Community Civic Association president, said it was a huge turnout, maybe more than ever, and I missed it. My apologies to the people involved. I wanted to be there, and I should have been.

Unfortunately, too, there are no pictures to share, at least not yet.

“The event did have a big turnout and we were so busy with all our delighted guests that we actually forgot to take pictures!” Yvana Cordova, an event organizer, wrote in an email yesterday. She wrote that she hopes some families might share a few. If so, I’ll let everyone know.

I met with Scott McPartlin of the parks department over a cup of coffee last week. We discussed the county’s research on the potential mini-golf site adjacent to the Ballston Common Mall parking garage.

Two weeks ago I wrote piece that said planners weren’t talking about what they were researching. They still aren’t discussing details, but Mr. McPartlin said they have a few ideas that staff is pursuing and that mini-golf is still on the table.

They plan on preparing their ideas for release during the first half of 2009, and they will allow for full public input on these ideas once they are completed.

A priority for the planners is to find ideas that will bring life to the park and that will be economically sustainable. Any decision will reflect the current economic reality, he said.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

For more on mini-golf, click here, and scroll down. Also, Dan Redmond's letter about the mini-golf site has a couple comments worth reading, I think.

HALRB Still Questions Center's Redevelopment

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Baseball Slugger Is a Hit with the Kids

Grant Takes the Fight Out-of-Turn

Labels: lubber run center, mini-golf, Santa

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 10:00 AM 0 comments

Santa Claus arrived on schedule (a guy who can hit billions of homes in a night really must be punctual, no?), at Lubber Run Center, Friday evening, Dec. 5.

Arlington Foresters came out—a couple hundred anyway—on a very wintery night to see the man in red as he swooped into town aboard his red fire engine! Lights and sirens blaring, the jolly 'ol elf waved as his engine roared along N. George Mason Drive, with kids waving and chasing alongside and into the parking lot.

In the warmth inside, the kids waited on line for photos, while parents talked, ate delicious desserts (who made that fudgy, moosey, chocolatey, cheesy cake, anyway? MMMmm-mmm!), and danced with their children to the carols of a jazz trio.

Buckinghamsters are expected to catch sight of the man who makes you laugh in spite of yourself on Friday, Dec. 19, once again at Lubber Run Center.

A few photos from the night, below:

One interesting fact is that Santa, known to live at the North Pole, actually summers right here in Buckingham, moonlighting as an attorney. I don't want to give away his identity, but if you have read carefully, you just might be able to figure it out. --ST