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.

Dispute over fast food leads to robbery charges

By ARLnow.com
File photo

An irate fast food restaurant customer is facing charges after police say he hopped the counter, stole food and threatened an employee.

The incident happened Monday afternoon on the 4600 block of King Street in Arlington. That block includes a Taco Bell, a Popeyes and a Wendy’s.

“At approximately 3:16 p.m. on March 6, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined that following a verbal dispute with an employee regarding a food order, the suspect went behind the counter and allegedly began taking food items.”

“When an employee approached the suspect, he displayed pepper spray and exited the business with the items,” the crime report continued. “Responding officers located the suspect in the area and took him into custody without incident. No injuries were reported.”

A 29-year-old Alexandria resident was arrested, charged with robbery, and held without bond, according to ACPD.

Also in the crime report, a man is accused of assaulting three police officers after breaking things in a Crystal City office building.

That incident happened Monday morning on the 200 block of 12th Street S.

“At approximately 6:17 a.m. on March 6, police were dispatched to the report of disorderly conduct,” the crime report said. “Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect was inside an office building allegedly acting disorderly and had damaged the building’s call box.”

“Responding officers located the suspect in the lobby and took him into custody, during which the suspect resisted arrest and assaulted three officers by biting, kicking and spitting on them,” said ACPD. “The suspect was transported to an area hospital for evaluation.”

The 56-year-old man, whose address is “unknown,” was arrested and charged with destruction of property and three counts of assaulting police.

Morning Poll: After last night’s Colbert segment, pick a position on pickleball

By ARLnow.com
Pickleball under the lights at Lubber Run (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Ahh pickleball, the hottest thing going with senior citizens, Tom Brady’s retirement sport of choice, and an unlikely candidate for the second-most controversial story of the decade in Arlington.

As ARLnow was first to report last year, many neighbors of Arlington’s recently-established pickleball courts have come to vehemently oppose it, owing to the loud “pop” the ball makes when it hits a paddle. The percussive sound can be heard within nearby houses, at all hours of the day and — in the case of lighted courts — into the night.

It’s so infuriating to some neighbors, that there have been organized efforts against the pickleball courts, including threats of lawsuits, in at least two Arlington neighborhoods.

That culminated last month in a campaign of dueling pro- and anti-pickleball flyers and posters distributed around Penrose and the Walter Reed Community Center, where the county is planning to build a sizable cluster of dedicated pickleball courts.

From ARLnow’s Feb. 13 story:

In a flyer that’s now being disseminated around the neighborhood, opponents are leveling accusations of “bullying of our children by pickleball players,” “public urination on playground and sensory garden,” and causing “excessive continuous noise from dawn to 10 p.m. every day.”

If more pickleball courts are added, it will even be more of a “public nuisance” the flyer says. It does not go into greater detail about the accusations.

“Arlington County is giving away our rights to Walter Reed Community Center (WRCC) to build a dedicated Pickleball Cluster,” it reads. “Current issues will get worse with conversion of 3 tennis to 9 pickleball courts.”

The fracas was noted a few days ago by Axios, which led to a lampooning last night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (See 0:52)

Arlington is not alone in stirring up a full-blown pickleball controversy.

In the Boston ‘burb of Wellesley, Mass., news crews descended last week as townsfolk near pickleball courts rattled their sabres against the infernal pop, a matter of civic concern for at least a few months. Pitched pickleball opposition over in Cape Cod prompted the hiring of noise-control consultants and a Wall Street Journal article last summer.

Pickleball players, of course, are inclined to defend their sport, which is rocketing in popularity as a recreational activity and attracting the attention of celebrities, pro athletes and large companies. There are hopes that pickleball paddles and balls will evolve and become quieter. But that’s not going to stop people from playing and there’s an argument to be made that the noise isn’t that bad all the way across the street from a court.

For the time being, though, it’s undeniable that outdoor pickleball can be loud and annoying to at least some neighbors. Which side of the proverbial net are you on?

Hat tip to Flood Czar

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
New construction on the site of the former Rouse house on Wilson Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

APS Might Let Students Carry Narcan — “Would it be wise, or even legal, for Arlington Public Schools students be able to carry medication with them that helps blunt the impact of opioid overdoses in schools? Getting a final answer appears to be a work in progress. ‘We are continuing to explore the question,’ Superintendent Francisco Durán said at the March 2 School Board meeting.” [Gazette Leader, Fox 5]

Award for Lubber Run Community Center — “The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is recognizing 16 projects with its 2023 Architecture Awards. The 2023 Architecture Award program celebrates the best contemporary architecture… [including] Lubber Run Community Center, Arlington, Virginia | VMDO Architects.” [American Institute of Architects]

Metro Response to Incident Questioned — “When @STATter911 reported @WMATA once again sent passengers towards danger during a November 7 smoke incident at Courthouse & that there was a delayed fire department response, Metro pushed back with this statement… @MetrorailSafety found those decisions weren’t so sound. WMSC confirms the train was sent towards confirmed smoke, contrary to Metro’s own procedures.” [Twitter]

Local Track Athletes Place at States — “A jumper, a thrower and a sprinter from Arlington schools recorded second-place finishes at the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 indoor state track and field championships in Virginia Beach. All three were senior boys, and they had the highest finishes of any participant from an Arlington school in the competition.” [Gazette Leader]

Fire Risk Amid Dry Weather — “Wednesday will be a carbon-copy with lots of sunshine, a brisk north wind and low humidity in the afternoon. This is the prime pattern for an increase in brush fires, though a red flag warning isn’t in effect for Tuesday or Wednesday and the D.C. area isn’t in a drought.” [WTOP]

Tornado Danger Reminder — From VDOT Northern Virginia: “Tornadoes can strike our area nearly any time of year, any time of day. Have a safety plan in place and know where to seek shelter. everal #Tornadoes impacted the #NOVA District in the past several years. In fact, 5 occurred over the past 5 years in 3 of our counties. Just because we’re not in #TornadoAlley, that doesn’t mean we’re safe.” [Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 49 and low of 30. Sunrise at 6:32 am and sunset at 6:09 pm. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Mar 7, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 16807 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Mar 7, 2023.

  1. JUST IN: Smoke at Clarendon Metro station prompts large emergency response
  2. Scoop: Courthouse Taco Bell Cantina to open next week
  3. NEW: State police investigating fatal crash in Arlington
  4. BREAKING: Firefighters battling two-alarm house fire in Bluemont

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤 Wednesday’s forecast

Clear throughout the day. High of 49 and low of 31. Sunrise at 6:32 am and sunset at 6:09 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

“Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

BREAKING: Firefighters battling two-alarm house fire in Bluemont

By ARLnow.com
1/9

(Updated at 3 p.m.) Firefighters battled heavy fire at a house in the Bluemont neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.

The first dispatch went out around 2 p.m., for a fire spotted by a neighbor on the 800 block of N. Kensington Street, north of Wilson Blvd. A second alarm was quickly sounded.

Initial reports suggest that the house was being renovated and that the flames are being fanned in part by today’s gusty winds. Construction personnel could be seen working on the home earlier today, neighbors told ARLnow.

The fire was declared out as of 3 p.m. and most firefighters are now packing up their gear.

The damage to the structure is likely to be significant, but no serious injuries have been reported.

NEW: State police investigating fatal crash in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Virginia State Police vehicle (photo by John Calhoun/JC Photography)

A 26-year-old man from Vienna, Va. has died after crashing his Range Rover on I-66 early Saturday morning.

The crash happened around 3:30 a.m. in the Rosslyn tunnel. Virginia State Police say the driver was not wearing his seat belt and was likely traveling at an excessive speed.

A passenger suffered minor injuries in the rollover crash.

More from a VSP spokesperson, below.

At 3:37 a.m. on Saturday (March 3), Virginia State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on westbound I-66 at the Rosslyn Tunnel.

A 2018 Range Rover was traveling west on I-66 when it ran off the right side of the road and struck a jersey wall just before the tunnel. It then traveled into the tunnel and overturned.

The driver, Talaat B. Hamooh, 26, of Vienna, Va., died during transport. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.

A passenger, Hussain A. Aljahdali, 29, of Arlington, Va., sustained minor injuries in the crash. He was wearing a seatbelt.

Excessive speed is being investigated as a contributing factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.

Oby Lee closes in Clarendon, Vietnamese restaurant expected to take its place

By ARLnow.com
1/2

After more than 10 years in business, Oby Lee Winery and Coffee Shop has closed in Clarendon.

When it opened in 2012, we described the eatery at 3000 Washington Blvd as the “inland version of the small chain of eponymous coffee shops owner Oby Lee once ran along the Delaware Shore.” Its website says it specializes in crepes, wine, coffee and Polish food.

A sign on the door suggests that the business was purchased — it appeared to be for sale this past fall — and that a Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Bistro, will be taking its place.

This will be a bit of a trend reversal from previous decades. Clarendon was once known as Little Saigon for all of the Vietnamese restaurants and businesses that opened after mass migration during the Vietnam war. Many of those eateries and shops closed after Metro opened in 1979 and the neighborhood redeveloped.

Asked about the closure, Oby Lee sent the following statement to ARLnow.

Our Clarendon location is our 7th successful business location of our small chain which commenced in 1989, and like the others, we have been so fortunate to garner a loyal community following over our eleven years at The Reserve At Clarendon Centre.

For as much as we have loved this space, we were approached with an offer that we simply could not refuse, to sell this location!

We wish to thank the wonderful community for welcoming us into their lives. We’re really going to miss seeing everyone each week, or everyday for many! It’s not going to be the same for awhile, without the daily Gluten Free crepes for Michael, the Matt & Ilona signature Latte’, Chai Tea for Lee, seeing John reading his books, enjoying long conversations with Sandy & Douglas, and preparing VeryBerry for Lauren & Ed,  jokes with Gearred and Pietro, Alan never missing a Wednesday Prix Fixe, Brunch with the McCabe family and solving all the worlds problems with Ginny & Ted, in addition to the many, many honored patrons we will always keep close to heart. Over the years we’ve witnessed many of you getting married, sending your kids to college, getting a new puppy, buying a house, or moving across the states. We feel we have become much more than just a restaurant, but a part of the Arlington family. We thank our committed staff, namely our manager Mr. Bo Smulskyi, from Ukraine, who opts to stick with us as forever family to follow his dreams and build his life in the USA.

The next chapter begins…

We don’t say goodbye~ but see you later friends!

The Oby Lee Team

Hat tip to Ray Caputo

Virginia’s annual tornado drill is being held this morning

By ARLnow.com
Trampoline stuck in a tree in Waverly Hills after a tornado in 2021 (staff photo)

Springtime is upon us and that means more frequent severe weather outbreaks.

To prepare residents, the Commonwealth of Virginia is holding its annual statewide tornado drill today at 9:45 a.m. A test alert will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System, but should not trigger mobile phone alerts.

Participating businesses and schools will prepare taking shelter during the drill.

The drill is part of Virginia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week, held from March 6-10 this year.

JUST IN: Smoke at Clarendon Metro station prompts large emergency response

By ARLnow.com
Emergency response to smoke at the Clarendon Metro station

(Updated at 8:45 a.m.) The Clarendon Metro station filled with smoke during this morning’s commute, prompting a large fire department and police response.

The initial dispatch went out around 8:15 a.m., for smoke in the station. The station was evacuated and trains were halted in the area.

Metro described the issue as “a track problem.” As of 8:30 a.m., reports suggest that the smoke is dissipating, no fire has been found so far, and the response is about to be scaled back.

Metro riders were told to expect significant delays in both directions of the Orange and Silver lines. As of 8:45 a.m., nothing hazardous had been found and trains were starting to resume normal operations. It’s still unclear what caused the smoke.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Blossoms in bloom in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Sullivan Redistricted Out of Arlington — “Del. Rip Sullivan has been saying his goodbyes to Arlington for months now, and at the March 1 Arlington County Democratic Committee, said it wasn’t his choice to be departing… Sullivan, who since 2014 has represented the 48th House District that is split between portions of McLean and Arlington, found himself after legislative redistricting/renumbering in the new 6th District, which will be centered on McLean and have no Arlington precincts.” [Gazette Leader]

Culinary Training Cafe Remodeled — “Kitchen of Purpose has remodeled its cafe in Arlington and expanded its menu in time for spring as it seeks to bring in new customers and raise awareness of its culinary programs. The Cafe by Kitchen of Purpose, at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Lincoln Street, serves breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. When the weather gets warmer, the cafe plans to have expanded outdoor seating.” [Patch]

Library Series Focuses on Graphic Novels — “Arlington Public Library’s long-running signature author talk program Arlington Reads turns the page to the next chapter with ‘Get Graphic.’ The year-long series features a diverse lineup of five award-winning and New York Times bestselling graphic novel authors: Alison Bechdel (Mar. 9), Jerry Craft (Apr. 27), Gene Luen Yang (May 4), Art Spiegelman (Sep. 21) and Liana Finck (Oct. 19).” [Arlington County]

It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy and a bit breezy. High of 51 and low of 37. Sunrise at 6:33 am and sunset at 6:08 pm. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Mar 6, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 15667 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Mar 6, 2023.

  1. Serving since 1988, El Pollo Rico continues to please
  2. Ballston area pet store appears to be closing later this year
  3. Langston Blvd McDonald’s makes a second pass at adding another drive-thru lane
  4. Man arrested for pair of buttocks slapping incidents in Courthouse

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛅ Tuesday’s forecast

Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 50 and low of 31. Sunrise at 6:33 am and sunset at 6:08 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

“The mellow sunbeams weave a garner of delight in every partly cloudy day.” – Thomas Moore

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

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