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 least expensive condo, single-family home or townhouse sale over the past seven days was $140,000 while the most expensive was $2,800,000.
Over the past month, meanwhile, a total of 11 townhouses were sold. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive townhouses sold over the past month.
“There are currently 383 homes for sale, of those homes 217 are condos, 138 are detached homes, and 28 are townhomes,” according to Homesnap. “The median sales price is $630,000 and the median list price is $749,875.”
This month’s Mike Mount cartoon is a holiday special.
Santa may be coming to town, but he better not park his sled in a privately-owned lot that’s contracted with a certain prolific trespass towing company.
See of Mike Mount’s local ‘toons in the ARLnow Press Club weekend edition newsletter.
A box of Kleenex next to a small Christmas tree (staff photo)
We’re three days away from Christmas and in the midst of Hanukkah — and holiday travel is in full swing, storm and all.
While the winter storm is causing travel havoc, illnesses are also disrupting holiday plans. Covid is on an upswing locally while, at the same time, numerous other viruses — including but not limited to flu and RSV — are circulating.
“This year what you’re seeing is a true rebound of flu-like illnesses,” said Manoj Gandhi, senior medical director at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “It’s certainly bad.”
While much has been made of the so-called tripledemic of flu, RSV and COVID, but there’s actually more of a “septo-demic,” said Peter
Hotez, dean at the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, in an interview posted last week with the American Medical Association.
That counts para influenza, rhinovirus, metapneumovirus and pneumococcus as part of the mix, he said.
“They’re working in different combinations and causing a lot of kids to be admitted to the hospital, as well as seniors. This is accounting for a big surge in hospitalizations,” Hotez said.
As of Wednesday, Arlington County was still within CDC’s “low” Covid level, but a flip to “medium” could be imminent. The number of weekly reported cases per 100,000 people is 170, below the “medium” threshold of 200. Weekly Covid hospital admissions per 100,000 people, meanwhile, are at 9.2, just shy of the threshold of 10.
The average daily case rate in Arlington, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data, rose to 63 yesterday amid 110 new reported cases.
Covid cases in Arlington as of 12/21/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)
Anecdotally, that case rate — which is based on positive cases reported to VDH and excludes at-home testing not otherwise reported to health authorities — feels low. Talk to Arlington residents, especially those with kids in school or daycare, and close Covid contacts abound.
Likewise, many seem to be in the middle of or getting over a cold, a case of the flu, a sinus infection or another ailment. Even among the nominally healthy there are coughs and runny noses.
So today we’re wondering: how many of you are currently sick? And have your holiday plans been disrupted due to illness?
A wet and gray morning in Shirlington, with the Christmas tree up (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police Recruits Graduate — “The Arlington County Police Department is committed to recruiting individuals from all backgrounds who possess the necessary qualifications to serve our diverse and inclusive community. Session 147 reflects this commitment and consists of nine men and five women. They hail from six different states, Costa Rica, Nepal and England. Thirteen of the officers hold higher education degrees, including two with advanced degrees. Two officers are military veterans, having served in the United States Army. Session 147 includes officers fluent in Spanish, Nepali and American Sign Language.” [ACPD]
Vacuum Leaf Collection Ends — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Crews have wrapped up scheduled leaf vacuuming across Arlington. Still raking? Use the green cart (also for food scraps) and paper bags for year-round weekly curbside pick-up. Plastic bags can’t be composted/collected.” [Twitter]
Large Water Main Break — Also from DES: “Emergency Water Main Repairs: Crew working on 12-inch main at 1301 South Arlington Ridge Road. Some 300 customers could be affected. Estimated time for completion: 12/22/2022 12:30 AM. Traffic diverted around work site.” [Twitter]
County Releases Annual Report — “Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz today announced the publication of the 2022 Annual Report. This report highlights the accomplishments of the County, and its personnel, throughout the year in support of our key initiatives including COVID-19 response, equity in Arlington, housing and more.” [Arlington County]
Refinancing for Local Apartments — ‘Eastern Union, one of the country’s largest commercial real estate finance companies, has arranged the $39,723,000 refinancing of Washington & Lee Apartments, a 369-unit multifamily complex in Arlington, VA… Washington & Lee Apartments comprise 61 three-story, garden-style apartment buildings representing 313,578 rentable square feet. Built in 1948, it is located at 2200 North 2nd Street.” [Yahoo]
It’s Wednesday — Rain throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 35. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 4:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
Meet Zara, an intelligent girl who lives to please her people. Her name means “radiance” or “blossoming flower,” and it fits her perfectly. She is a beautiful flower ready to bloom under your care.
Zara loves connecting with people, soft toys, back scratches and belly rolls. She can fetch, but is still working on returning it close to you. She has mastered commands to come, sit, stay, paw, let’s go (start walking again), and drop it. She is an eager student, smart and highly treat-motivated.
Zara is very friendly to all adults she meets, both on and off leash, and bonds quickly to her new friends. She is best suited for a home that provides consistency and reinforces her training. Ideally her new family consists of adults and/or older children. She needs a slow introduction to resident dogs.
Zara is looking for a home where she can shine and be the best good dog she knows she can be. She has been patiently waiting for her forever home. Will you be her best friend?
Are you and Zara a match? Check out her complete profile to learn more!
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!
VDOT snow plow spreading salt on N. Glebe Read in 2021 (staff photo)
(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) A major storm affecting most of the eastern U.S. and midwest is set to ramp up tomorrow, making for hazardous holiday travel.
Ahead of the storm, the Virginia Dept. of Transportation sent a clear message this afternoon: start your trip now, if you can.
The storm will mostly bring the D.C. area copious amounts of rain starting Thursday morning, along with gusty winds and bitter cold temperatures on Friday. Frozen precipitation beyond some possible snow flurries is not expected in Arlington, but points west and north will likely see snow, sleet and freezing rain.
Along I-81 and the Blue Ridge, the storm is expected to be a high-impact event, and travel on Thursday is “not advised,” VDOT says.
More from a VDOT press release, below.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is advising motorists traveling in and through Virginia to adjust their holiday travel ahead of winter weather expected in parts of the Commonwealth beginning Wednesday night and continuing through Friday.
Travelers are advised to shift holiday travel to Wednesday if possible. Travel on Thursday is not advised, especially through the western regions of Virginia along the Interstate 81 corridor, to avoid potentially hazardous conditions created by forecasted winter weather.
According to current forecasts, wintry precipitation is expected to arrive as soon as 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21 in the southwestern regions of the state, and move northward through the western third of the state, and into portions of northern Virginia through Thursday. Periods of heavy snow are expected along the northern sections of I-81 and the mountain passes including Interstate 64 over Afton Mountain and Rt. 33 between Standardsville and Harrisonburg early Thursday. Temperatures are expected to drop rapidly through the day on Friday leading to the potential for refreeze in areas where the pavement remains wet.
VDOT crews are pretreating roadways and interstates today in anticipation of the weather event.
With extreme low temperatures expected to move in Friday, motorists, if traveling, should pack an emergency kit and blankets, and have mobile devices fully charged in the event of a breakdown or emergency.
“Please continue to monitor forecasts closely as forecasts can improve or worsen quickly,” VDOT said in a separate advisory. “Drivers should expect roads to be impacted Thursday and Friday… Treat anything that looks wet as if it could be icy, especially bridges, ramps, overpasses, and elevated surfaces. If there is snow or ice on roadways, travel is hazardous.”
The transportation agency is currently pretreating roads and “will begin deploying trucks early Thursday morning to treat roads as needed.”
“Adjust travel plans and avoid all nonessential travel during the height of the storm,” VDOT said “This helps to avoid deteriorating conditions and to allow crews room to work.”
A Flood Watch, meanwhile, has been issued for the D.C. area ahead of the rain.
322 PM EST Wed Dec 21 2022
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT…
* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE…DC and portions of Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Cecil, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Prince Georges, Southeast Harford and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park.
* WHEN…From Thursday morning through late Thursday night.
* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Moderate rainfall is expected Thursday into Thursday evening, with rainfall totals of one to two inches. This may lead to isolated instances of flooding, especially in urban and poor drainage areas.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
VDOT released the following timeline of expected conditions in Northern Virginia and western zones through Christmas.
Cherry blossoms near the Memorial Bridge and the Rosslyn skyline in March 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington is the second-happiest place in the U.S., according to a new study.
The website SmartAsset ranked Arlington No. 2 on its new list of “Where Americans Are Happiest.” The county is second only to the Bay Area city of Sunnyvale, California, and ranks just ahead of Bellevue, Washington, which also happens to have a major Amazon office presence.
Arlington received high marks for its affluence, health and general quality of live.
While Arlington, Virginia ranks in the top seven across all three categories measured (personal finances, well-being and quality of life), the city ranks highest in the former. Specifically, roughly 48% of Arlington’s residents earn $100,000 or more (No. 5). Additionally, living costs make up less than 35% of the median household income (No. 6). The county in which Arlington is located also has the lowest amount of personal bankruptcy filings.
SmartAsset notes that the county stands out from other places in the top 10 in one notable way.
“Residents who’ve said ‘I do’ make up the majority of the population in all but one city: Arlington, Virginia, where the marriage rate is 44.0%,” the financial site wrote. “Frisco, Texas, which ranks No. 5 overall, has the highest marriage rate study-wide (62.6%).”
The top 10 happiest places in the country, according to SmartAsset, are listed below.
Sunnyvale, CA
Arlington, VA
Bellevue, WA
Fremont, CA
Frisco, TX
Plano, TX
Roseville, CA
San Jose, CA
Santa Clarita, CA
Irvine, CA
Location of happiest U.S. cities, according to new rankings (image via SmartAsset)
Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington County Board vice-chair Christian Dorsey says he will not seek reelection next year.
He released the following statement to ARLnow this morning.
Now that the County Board has concluded its meetings for 2022, I am ready to turn my attention to 2023 and have decided that I will not seek re-election to the County Board.
It has been my distinct honor to have represented and served this community as a Board Member since 2016. Together, we have navigated tough times and advanced key priorities and initiatives that have made Arlington stronger, and I look forward to continuing that work in the year ahead while welcoming new leaders for 2024 and beyond.
Dorsey, the Board’s lone Black member, declined to answer additional questions about his decision “at this time.”
“We can wait a bit on the reflections,” he said. “Much work still to do.”
His official county biography lists some of his accomplishments during his time on the Board.
During his tenure as Chair, Mr. Dorsey guided the Board’s adoption of: the Vision Zero transportation safety plan, the update to the Public Spaces Master Plan, the update to the Community Energy Plan, the renaming of Route 1 to Richmond Highway, the economic performance agreement and land use entitlements for Amazon’s headquarters in Arlington, principles of collaboration with the City of Alexandria on joint efforts to ensure inclusive growth with expected economic development, and an Equity Resolution that detailed the scope of work in Arlington’s mission to realize racial and social equity.
Christian is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), where he has represented Arlington since 2016. Previously, Mr. Dorsey served as Arlington’s Member on the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) in 2019 and 2021. Additionally, Christian served as a Principal Member of the Board of Directors for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, aka Metro, and as a Commissioner on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission from 2016-2020.
In 2022, Christian is serving as the County Board liaison to the Civilian Oversight Board, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Human Rights Commission, the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission, the Sports Commission and Aquatics Committee, the Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission, the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, the Clarendon Alliance, the Arlington County Fair Board, and the Rosslyn BID. Christian is also Co-Chair of the County Board’s Audit Committee.
Outside of public service, Mr. Dorsey engages as a policy and communications consultant supporting progressive organizations in realizing their missions. Prior to joining the Board, Christian was a senior leader at the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank that promotes economic policies that foster broadly shared prosperity.
Dorsey’s decision sets up a Democratic primary in June for two open Board seats. The primary will, for the first time in an Arlington County-run election, feature ranked choice voting.
A colorful, holiday-themed wiener dog along Columbia Pike (photo courtesy John Antonelli)
Long Bridge Pool Closed — “Due to an unanticipated maintenance issue and, out of an abundance of caution, Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation has temporarily closed the 50-meter competition pool at Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we work to re-open the 50-meter pool as soon as possible. The leisure pool and all other amenities at the center are available.” [Arlington County]
New Historic Preservation Fund — “It’s full steam ahead for the Arlington County government’s efforts to establish a new funding pot for community-based historic-preservation projects. County Board members on Dec. 17 formalized guidelines and other paperwork related to the new Historic Preservation Fund, which was created last spring with a $150,000 infusion of taxpayer cash.” [Sun Gazette]
Ranked Choice Approved — “The Arlington County Board has officially approved a trial run of ranked choice voting in a local primary election next year, becoming the first locality in Virginia to adopt the voting method… The Board approved the measure unanimously on Saturday, following a public hearing in November where members indicated that they would endorse the plan.” [DCist]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 41 and low of 28. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 4:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
