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.
The former Citizens Bank branch in Ballston (staff photo)
The former Citizens Bank branch in Ballston (staff photo)
A bank has moved its branch from one side of Ballston to the other.
Citizens Bank vacated its branch at 4075 Wilson Blvd just before the new year, after opening a new branch at 800 N. Glebe Road, on the western side of Glebe.
It’s unclear what might replace the branch’s former location, in a storefront that’s catty-corner from Ballston Quarter mall, on the same block as Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken.
Ballston is home to a number of bank and credit union branches, including PNC, Chase, Capital One, Navy Federal, Wells Fargo, Truist, Bank of America, Sandy Spring and Citibank. A First National Bank branch is expected to open soon near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Stuart Street.
Washington Blvd and the W&OD Trail along the Pete Beers Memorial Bridge (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Garvey Likely to Be Chair — “Presume nothing until the final votes have been cast the evening of Jan. 2, of course, but odds certainly favor Libby Garvey being elected by her colleagues to what would be her third one-year stint chairing the Arlington County Board over a dozen years in office.” [Gazette Leader]
F.C. Tops Va. Wealth Generation List — “A new study from the Smart Asset financial advisory firm released today shows that the City of Falls Church ranks Number One among all jurisdictions in Virginia in ‘experiencing the most wealth generation over the last 10 years.’ The study measured increases in median income, investment income and home values.” Arlington is No. 6 on the list. [Falls Church News-Press]
History Museum Seeks County Funds — “Those working on a multi-pronged renovation of the Arlington Historical Museum will have to wait a few more weeks to see if the county government opts to join the effort by financially supporting it. If not, advocates may have to spread out to County Board members to make their case.” [Gazette Leader]
Payphone Hangs on in Arlington — “Answer to yesterday’s #WhereIsItWednesday This payphone with the amusing sign can be found in the Arlington County Courthouse.” [Twitter]
It’s 2024 — Expect sunny skies and a high near 44 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind ranging from 8 to 11 mph. As night approaches, clouds will increase, and the temperature will drop to around 30 degrees, with a steady northwest wind at about 6 mph. [Weather.gov]
Here is what’s going on Saturday and Sunday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
☀️ Saturday’s forecast
The weather will be mostly sunny, featuring a high temperature of around 47 degrees and west winds of 6 to 10 mph. During Saturday night, expect mostly clear skies and a low temperature of approximately 33 degrees, accompanied by west winds of 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.” – Niccolo Machiavelli
🌅 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. 👋
Crash involving police vehicle in Clarendon (photo courtesy anonymous)
Crash involving police vehicle in Clarendon (photo courtesy anonymous)
Crash involving police vehicle in Clarendon (photo courtesy anonymous)
(Updated at 7 p.m.) A two-vehicle crash in Clarendon damaged an Arlington County police cruiser this afternoon.
The crash happened shortly before 3 p.m. at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Danville Street. The second vehicle involved, a red hatchback, came to rest on the sidewalk, steps away from the entrance to the Beyond/Hello cannabis dispensary.
Officers were responding to an incident in the Ballston area at the time of the crash.
“At approximately 2:45 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person with a knife in the area of N. Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard,” said ACPD spokeswoman Alli Shorb. “An officer responding to the scene was travelling westbound on Wilson Boulevard when a vehicle travelling northbound on N. Danville Street collided with them. The driver of the vehicle was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”
“The preliminary investigation into the suspicious person determined the victim was stopped in her vehicle on Fairfax Drive when the male suspect approached and displayed a knife,” Shorb said late Friday afternoon, of the Ballston incident. “The victim fled the area in her vehicle and called police. Responding officers located the suspect in the area and took him into custody. Charges are pending for the suspect and officers remain on scene investigating.”
Watch: Fuzzy & distant video shows a collision between an @ArlingtonVaPD officer and another driver at Wilson Blvd. & N. Danville just before 3 p.m. The officer was responding to a call. No details on injuries. Traffic-cam via @SafetyVid. @ARLnowDOTcom@matthewyoung31… pic.twitter.com/0Y78YKPSlu
Noodle is a one of a kind cat. He is long and skinny, hence the name Noodle.
He is a purring machine! He loves ear rubs and will lovingly head butt you until he receives them. He’s very vocal with his needs, especially when he is craving attention. He loves playing with strings and other small toys.
He’s very loving and affectionate, but shy at first. He will need to initiate contact at first, but once he warms up he will be your best friend! Noodle can be a little skittish from time to time, but he is a great kitty to have for companionship.
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.
Sunset along S. Joyce Street near the US Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
More Candidate Announcements Expected — “Political junkies will be able to get another fix on Jan. 3, as the monthly Arlington County Democratic Committee rings in the new year with more candidate announcements.” [Gazette Leader]
APS Students Off For Primary Day — “Arlington students will get the day off, but teachers will be expected to show up, for Virginia’s dual presidential primary on March 5. Arlington School Board members on Dec. 14 approved without comment a staff proposal to make the day a teacher workday. While that will reduce the total number of instructional days from 180 to 179, the school system still has enough time on the schedule to meet the state-mandated 990 hours of instructional time.” [Gazette Leader]
Award for Animal Control Chief — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “AWLA is proud to announce that our very own Chief Jennifer Toussaint has been named as the 2023 National Animal Care and Control Association Leader of the Year! Congratulations Chief Toussaint on this prestigious award!” [Twitter]
Local Ice Cream Shop Expands — “Mimi’s Handmade is now chilling at the Mosaic District in Merrifield. The ice cream maker quietly opened its newest shop at 2985 District Avenue, Suite 160, about a month ago, owner Rollin Amore told FFXnow yesterday… Started in Pentagon City in December 2021, Mimi’s is named after Amore’s youngest daughter and builds on gelato and sweets recipes passed down by his grandmothers.” [FFXnow]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly cloudy day with a high near 50 and a slight chance of rain, accompanied by a northwest wind at around 7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 20%. On Friday night, rain chances continue through 1 am, with the temperature dropping to around 35. The northwest wind will persist at 6 to 9 mph and the chance of precipitation remains at 20%. [Weather.gov]
Expect a slight chance of rain after 1pm, with partly sunny skies and a high near 50. The northwest wind will blow at around 7 mph. Precipitation odds stand at 20%. For Friday night, the slight chance of rain continues before 1am, accompanied by mostly cloudy conditions and a low around 35. The northwest wind will range between 6 and 9 mph, with the same 20% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“In order to write about life first you must live it.” – Ernest Hemingway
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Police detouring drivers prior to crash on I-66 (staff photo)
Emergency vehicles responding to I-66 crash
(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) A multi-vehicle crash with injuries and at least one person reported to be trapped blocked all westbound lanes of I-66 in Arlington this afternoon.
The crash happened around 2:15 p.m. near the exit to Langston Blvd and Spout Run. The person trapped has since been freed by firefighters, according to scanner traffic.
At least four vehicles, including one that overturned, appear to be involved.
Backups on westbound I-66 extended to Rosslyn, while eastbound traffic was also backed up at the crash scene. Police detoured westbound drivers onto Langston Blvd. At least one eastbound lane remained blocked as of 3 p.m.
Shortly before 4 p.m., VDOT said that all lanes were back open.
New Year gear lying on a Clarendon sidewalk on a rainy day (file photo)
The new year is almost here, and we’ll have a full three-day weekend to enjoy the arrival of 2024.
With a new year comes certain activities and traditions, from meals to visits to sports to resolutions. We’re wondering which ARLnow readers are most looking forward to.
Vote below or let us know in the comments if you have any other traditions in the first day or two of the new year that would have topped your list.
Christmas lights and raindrops (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)
Mob Assault in Pentagon City — “At approximately 9:21 p.m. on December 26, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. Upon arrival, it was determined the group of juvenile victims were in the area when a group of approximately 15 suspects approached them and attempted to steal one victim’s clothing items. The victims attempted to leave the area during which one of the suspects struck another victim. The victims then entered a nearby business when the suspects followed them and a physical altercation ensued inside the store, causing property damage.” [ACPD]
Group Pushing for Performance Space — “An arts-advocacy group begins 2024 as it did 2023 – on the hunt for a location and funding to support a dedicated, community-based performance center in Arlington. ‘Our number-one goal for 2024 is to locate a site for a new performing-arts center, to allow us to move forward on this critical project with a capital campaign,’ said Janet Kopenhaver, president of Embracing Arlington Arts.” [Gazette Leader]
Arlington Library Director Profiled — “Library directors typically aren’t on the front lines of testy national debates, but with the backing of the county board, and a solid-blue constituency, Kresh has given a full-throated voice to fight against book bans. The Arlington native is using a voice honed over decades in professional and personal pursuits that led her through a 30-plus year career at the Library of Congress and through two marriages to men before she finally acknowledged she is gay.” [Washington Post]
VHC Holds Kids Xmas Event — “More than 600 people were on hand Dec. 21 as the VHC Health (Virginia Hospital Center) Pediatrics Center held its annual Coat & Toy Drive Holiday Party. Children attending the event received a collective 400 toys and 450 coats to make for a joyous and warm holiday season.” [Gazette Leader]
WHS Boys Off to Hot Start — “The host Wakefield Warriors start play in the annual three-day, eight-team George Long Holiday Hoops Tournament today playing well with a 6-1 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the Liberty District.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Thursday — Partly sunny skies and a high near 58 with a northwest wind at around 7 mph today. Tonight, expect a low around 43. [Weather.gov]
