Author: ARLnow.com

Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. Started by a Pentagon City resident who has spent the past several years working in local TV news, ARLnow.com seeks to distinguish itself with original, enterprising, up-to-the-minute local coverage.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Mar 10, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 8256 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Mar 10, 2023.

  1. Gunston Middle School locked down due to “written threat”
  2. Morning Notes
  3. NEW: Police investigating carjacking in Pentagon City
  4. Firefighters rescue person struck by a Metro train in Crystal City

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Scoop: Courthouse Taco Bell Cantina to open next week (12048 views)
  2. Arlington Planning Commission gives thumbs up to ‘Missing Middle’ zoning changes (9467 views)
  3. Serving since 1988, El Pollo Rico continues to please (8063 views)
  4. Morning Poll: After last night’s Colbert segment, pick a position on pickleball (6413 views)
  5. NEW: State police investigating fatal crash in Arlington (5930 views)
  6. JUST IN: Smoke at Clarendon Metro station prompts large emergency response (5418 views)
  7. Ballston area pet store appears to be closing later this year (4903 views)
  8. Plans for RiverHouse come into focus as residents call for more infrastructure upgrades (4314 views)
  9. Demolition day nears for RCA building in Rosslyn (3367 views)
  10. ACPD: Person shot in Pentagon City after neighbor’s gun cleaning accident (3196 views)
  11. EXCLUSIVE: Some builders and business owners say Arlington’s new permit system is lagging (3138 views)
  12. BREAKING: Firefighters battling house fire in Bluemont (3047 views)
  13. Langston Blvd McDonald’s makes a second pass at adding another drive-thru lane (3011 views)
  14. JUST IN: Teen girl sexually assaulted along Columbia Pike (2941 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

⛅ Saturday’s forecast

Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 46 and low of 33. Sunrise at 6:27 am and sunset at 6:12 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

Gunston Middle School locked down due to “written threat”

By ARLnow.com
Gunston Middle School (file photo)

(Updated at 8:40 p.m.) Gunston Middle School was locked down this afternoon due to a threat.

Arlington County police said the discovery of a “written threat” prompted the lockdown and investigation. The exact nature of the threat was not given.

The school at 2700 S. Lang Street had a “controlled dismissal,” assisted by police, according to ACPD.

The department issued the following press release about the incident Friday evening.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a written threat at Gunston Middle School, located at 2700 S. Lang Street.

At approximately 1:07 p.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a threat after school administration located a message written inside a restroom stall referencing gun violence. Prior to police arrival, the school was placed on lockdown. The investigation did not reveal an active threat to the safety of students or staff. Police assisted with a controlled dismissal of students and the lockdown was lifted. No injuries were reported during the incident.

This remains an active investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

NEW: Police investigating carjacking in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Arlington police are investigating a carjacking that happened last night near the Riverhouse apartment complex in Pentagon City.

The suspects were armed and reportedly stole a BMW.

This is at least the eighth reported carjacking in Arlington this year and the fourth involving a BMW in the Pentagon City and Crystal City area.

More from an ACPD crime report:

CARJACKING, 2023-03090228, 1100 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 10:34 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were exiting their parked car when three to four unknown suspects approached, brandished firearms and demanded the keys to the vehicle and a cell phone. The suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle and were followed by a suspect driving a dark-colored sedan. The victims’ vehicle was later located unoccupied in Washington D.C.

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Sherry

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Meet the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week, Sherry!

Her friends at Animal Welfare League of Arlington had this to say about her:

When Sherry isn’t finding the coziest hiding spaces to nap in, she is asking for head and butt scratches.

Sherry has some of the softest fur you will ever feel, and she loves staring at you with her big beautiful eyes when you’re petting her. She loves to bay around her catnip banana and she likes to wiggle on carpeted floor.

Sherry is definitely a nocturnal cat and likes to sleep most of the day. You can find her curled up in the warmest spots tucked away. At night, she will request cuddles before posting up at the window to engage in her night watching.

Is Sherry the companion for you? Learn more about Sherry by checking out her complete profile.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos — they don’t fit in our photo gallery!

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rain in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Person Struck By Train in Crystal City — Updated at 8 a.m. — “Blue Line Metro train service was temporarily suspended between National Airport and Pentagon City Thursday night after a person was struck by a train at Crystal City, officials said. One person was removed from the platform and transported to an area hospital, Arlington Fire and EMS said, adding that the person is in critical condition.” [WJLA]

Marymount Opening Store With Amazon Tech — “Today, Marymount University becomes the first higher education institution in the U.S. to have an on-campus convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology. Located in the lobby of Gerard Phelan Hall on Marymount’s main campus in Arlington, the new convenience shop – Saints 24 – opens to the University community for the first time today. The implementation of Amazon’s cutting-edge Just Walk Out technology is designed to eliminate checkout lines.” [Press Release]

MU Prez Pushes Back on Coverage — “After several weeks of getting pummeled as a heartless executioner of humanities programs, Marymount University president Irma Becerra on March 8 went on offense. In a recorded video message to alumni and friends of the university that lasted seven minutes, the president said the issue had been blown completely out of proportion by media reporting that was ‘misleading at best and pointedly incorrect at worst.'” [Gazette Leader]

Next Week is Flood Awareness Week — “As we head into the typical spring and summer rainy season, Arlington, Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria are teaming up for Virginia Flood Awareness Week to share key messages of being informed and prepared. Virginia Flood Awareness Week, March 12-18, 2023, stresses personal safety with the ‘Turn Around Don’t Drown’ campaign. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than half of all flood-related drownings occur when motorists attempt to drive through flood water.” [Arlington County]

Shippin’ Up to Ballston — “This realtor literally made a Dropkick Murphys parody song to help sell one of his listings. Genius.” [Twitter]

More on Lubber Run Architecture Award — “‘Completed on time despite the emergence of the pandemic, Lubber Run Community Center solves a uniquely urban problem: preserving access to open space in the wake of unceasing development,’ the seven-member jury noted. ‘Fully integrated into the environment, the project is both a building and a park, a work of architecture truly rooted in its sense of place.'” [Gazette Leader]

Daylight Saving Time Reminder — From NBC 4: “Clocks ‘spring forward’ on Sunday — but losing that hour of sleep doesn’t have to ruin next week!⁠ Swipe for some tips from an expert on adjusting to daylight saving time.⁠” [Instagram]

It’s Friday — A cold rain starts in the morning and will continue for most of the day. High of 47 and low of 38. Sunrise at 6:30 am and sunset at 6:11 pm. [Weather.gov]

Listing of the Day: 880 N. Pollard Street #503

By ARLnow.com

Address: 880 N. Pollard Street #503
Neighborhood: Ballston
Type: 2 BR, 1 BA condo — 880 sq. ft.
Listed: $489,900

Noteworthy: I’m Shipping Up To Ballston!

Unit 503 at Ballston 880 is a rare 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom corner unit featuring a balcony with wide open Arlington views and north eastern exposure.

The kitchen has gorgeous granite counters, stainless steel appliances, natural wood cabinets and opens to the dining and living area. With hardwood floors throughout the unit, and wall to wall glass balcony doors, your living areas are modern and filled with an abundance of natural light. The Owner’s Suite is spacious, with large windows and a walk-in closet with a built-in closet system.

The second bedroom/home office has custom paint and is located just outside of the owner’s suite. The updated bathroom has a granite counter vanity painted green to match the ceiling! One garage parking space #314 conveys.

Ballston 880 has amazing amenities including an outdoor pool, a community room with a bar, a fitness center, a theater, a business center and a conference room. Being in the heart of Ballston, you have a premier location for convenience and accessibility, just steps away from shopping, entertainment, dining and everything Arlington has to offer.

Listed by:
Shawn Battle — The Battle Group
[email protected]
(703) 999-8108

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Mar 9, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 9911 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Mar 9, 2023.

  1. Arlington Planning Commission gives thumbs up to ‘Missing Middle’ zoning changes
  2. ACPD: Person shot in Pentagon City after neighbor’s gun cleaning accident
  3. Demolition day nears for RCA building in Rosslyn
  4. Morning Notes

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☔ Friday’s forecast

Light rain until evening. High of 47 and low of 34. Sunrise at 6:29 am and sunset at 6:11 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

The universe is so vast and complex that it’s impossible to comprehend the depth and breadth of its infinite possibilities. No matter what we do in life, no matter how much we learn, we will never uncover all the mysteries of being alive and living in this grand universe.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Most and least expensive condos sold in Arlington (Feb-Mar 2023)

By ARLnow.com

This past week saw 27 homes sold in Arlington.

The least expensive condo, single-family home or townhouse sale over the past seven days was $167,000 while the most expensive was $2,100,000.

Over the past month, meanwhile, a total of 86 condos were sold. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive condos sold over the past month.

Most expensive condos sold

  1. 1111 19th Street N #2501 — $2,625,000 (3 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 2,165 SQ FT)
  2. 1701 16th Street N #347 — $1,650,000 (2 Beds | 2.5 Baths | 1,922 SQ FT)
  3. 1101 S Arlington Ridge Road #402 — $930,000 (3 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 2,485 SQ FT)
  4. 3625 10th Street N #803 — $910,000 (3 Beds | 2.5 Baths | 1,539 SQ FT)
  5. 1600 N Oak Street #514 — $908,000 (3 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,000 SQ FT)

Least expensive condos sold

  1. 4600 S Four Mile Run Drive #1131 — $167,000 (Studio | 1 Bath | 546 SQ FT)
  2. 2030 N Adams Street #1010 — $190,000 (Studio | 1 Bath | 480 SQ FT)
  3. 4600 S Four Mile Run Drive #514 — $197,000 (1 Bed | 1 Bath | 828 SQ FT)

ACPD: Person shot in Pentagon City after neighbor’s gun cleaning accident

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A Pentagon City resident has been charged after accidentally shooting a neighbor.

The incident happened last night on the 1300 block of S. Joyce Street, in the apartments near Pentagon Row.

“At approximately 10:30 p.m. on March 8, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with a weapon,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “The investigation indicates the male suspect was allegedly cleaning his firearm inside his residence when it discharged and the round entered an adjacent unit and struck the victim.”

“The victim was transported to an area hospital in stable condition for treatment of injuries considered non-life threatening,” the crime report continues. “The suspect remained on scene and the firearm was recovered. [The suspect], 47, of Arlington, Va. was charged with Reckless Handling of a Firearm.”

Initial reports suggest that the victim was struck in the leg.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Mist on the Potomac near the landing path for Reagan National Airport (Flickr pool photo by Emma K Alexandra)

Planning Comm. Hears ‘MM’ Feedback — “In testimony before the Arlington County Planning Commission, David Gerk, an Arlington resident who was speaking on behalf of Arlingtonians for Upzoning Transparency, a group that opposes the Missing Middle housing proposal, argued that single-family zoning is not preventing teachers or firefighters or people of color from owning homes in Arlington. Gerk, an attorney and an engineer, emphasized that it’s the cost of housing that is preventing many of these people from owning homes in the county.” [Patch]

School Board Candidate Withdraws — “Due to family health issues and the need to be present for my family, I have come to the difficult decision to withdraw from the race for the Democratic nomination for the Arlington County School Board.” [Erin Freas-Smith for Arlington School Board]

No Michelin Stars for Arlington Eateries — “The little red book’s anonymous inspectors have selected eight new restaurants in today’s DC drop, spanning from Peruvian tasting menu spot Causa to breakfast taco hotspot La Tejana.” All of the Michelin-recognized additions are in D.C. [Washingtonian, Twitter]

Local Attorney Arrested for Theft — “An Arlington defense attorney has been arrested and charged with allegedly stealing credit cards from an Alexandria office building multiple times last year. The attorney is charged with credit card theft and credit card fraud, both as felonies, and another credit card fraud misdemeanor charge.” [ALXnow]

New Book About Pike Restaurants — “Registration is now open for the April 14 release of ‘Columbia Pike Recipes for Recovery,’ a book featuring stories of the resilience of Columbia Pike restaurants during the pandemic… The book was commissioned from Arlington artist Sushmita Mazumdar, who gathered stories from the 22204 ZIP code to create a collection of unique and diverse experiences.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 32. Sunrise at 6:31 am and sunset at 6:10 pm. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Emma K Alexandra

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Mar 8, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 10079 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Mar 8, 2023.

  1. Morning Poll: After last night’s Colbert segment, pick a position on pickleball
  2. Dispute over fast food leads to robbery charges
  3. Plans for RiverHouse come into focus as residents call for more infrastructure upgrades
  4. Parent committee urges APS to require student cell phones to be off and away for the day

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

🌤 Thursday’s forecast

Clear throughout the day. High of 53 and low of 36. Sunrise at 6:30 am and sunset at 6:10 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

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