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.

Obituary: Margaret Johnson Wilson (1932-2022)

By ARLnow.com
Margaret J. Wilson (submitted photo)

Margaret Johnson Wilson (Age 90)

1932-2022

Margaret J. (Dorothy) Wilson, a lifelong fighter for minority youth in Arlington, died at The View Alexandria November 26, 2022. Educated in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, she received a BA from University of Pittsburgh. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She also earned a master’s and doctorate in clinical psychology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio with an internship at the University of Illinois Research and Educations Hospitals of Chicago, Illinois. She was a member of the Council of Representatives, the superior legislative body responsible for the oversight of the American Psychological Association. She joined Howard University as graduate faculty in the Urban Affairs and Research Institute. She reopened clinical services for the D.C. Mental Health Center and then began work at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital until retirement in 2007. In 1980 she began her civic life as the chair of the Education Committee of the Arlington NAACP. From this vantage point she began a decades-long involvement with Arlington Public Schools and Arlington County on behalf of African Americans. Dr. Wilson served on countless boards and committees for the school system and the County in a variety of civic enterprises for the benefit of Arlington citizens. She was a life member of the NAACP and the Urban League and served on the latter’s board. She was the recipient of the James L. Hunter Human Rights Award, a prior NAACP award for achievement, an Arlington Public School award for Outstanding Service and a Minority Achievement Office award for selfless dedication in saluting academic excellence in the community. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Leon. She is survived by a host of cousins and devoted friends.

The following memorial event is planned.

Celebration of Life
Saturday, January 28, 2:00 p.m. (previously posted as Jan 27)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
4444 Arlington Blvd
Arlington, Virginia 22204

Submitted by Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 9, 2022

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Today we published 6 articles that were read a total of 7935 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Dec 9, 2022.

  1. JUST IN: President Biden is coming to Arlington on Monday
  2. Police on lookout for airsoft gun drive-by shooter
  3. Pedestrian bridge over Route 50 closed due to ‘deterioration’ concerns

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

  1. Ballston Macy’s redevelopment project includes the most hotly debated left turn in a decade (11950 views)
  2. Clarendon Silver Diner set to close this week, ahead of Ballston location’s opening (9438 views)
  3. Residential investors are especially interested in these five areas of Arlington (8339 views)
  4. Most and least expensive condos sold in Arlington (Nov-Dec 2022) (4146 views)
  5. JUST IN: Woman groped, pulled to ground in Lyon Park (3742 views)
  6. JUST IN: Man accused of breaking into apartment, sexually assaulting resident (3732 views)
  7. We asked an AI to write some Arlington fanfiction. Here’s what it came up with. (3570 views)
  8. County says Days Inn developer needs to play up hotel’s mid-century modern origins (3450 views)
  9. Two rescued after SUV nearly plunges into creek at Long Branch Nature Center (3385 views)
  10. ACPD: Would-be robber punched in Buckingham, shots fired along Columbia Pike (2257 views)
  11. County says YMCA needs more community benefits to justify 374-unit apartment building (2159 views)
  12. Mormon-owned apartment and church in Potomac Yard adds dental office (2103 views)
  13. JUST IN: President Biden is coming to Arlington on Monday (2131 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

And here are the events planned for Sunday:

⛅ Saturday’s forecast

Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 46 and low of 40. Sunrise at 7:18 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

“Though the clouds may hide the sun, a light still remains in all of us.” – Unknown

🌅 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. 👋

JUST IN: President Biden is coming to Arlington on Monday

By ARLnow.com
Then-Vice President Biden visits Liberty Tavern in 2013

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to cross the river into Arlington next week.

“On Monday, December 12, as part of the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative, the President and the First Lady will travel to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia to participate in a United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots sorting event, in celebration of Toys for Tots’ 75th Anniversary,” the White House announced Friday afternoon.

A time for the event was not given.

That the presidential visit is taking place at the military base should limit traffic impacts for local residents, but the presidential motorcade could still result in rolling closures on certain roads and bridges.

Biden previously traveled to Arlington for this year’s 9/11 remembrance at the Pentagon. Prior to that he campaigned for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe in Pentagon City in October 2021.

Arlington home hunt highlights for Dec 9, 2022

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Welcome to the second weekend in December!

We have a new list of open houses to check out across Arlington this weekend. With Christmas two weeks away, there are plenty of open houses to view. According to Homesnap, there have been 164 new listings in the last 4 weeks.

Here’s a look at some of the open houses taking place this weekend:

  • 1407 N. Inglewood Street, Tara Wynnewood *
    2 BR, 2 BA (+1 half) single-family detached
    Noteworthy: Walk to Cardinal ES, Swanson ES, Westover Village, bikepath, parks
    Listed: $850,000
    Open: Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. (Betsy Twigg – McEnearney Associates)
  • 3308 N. George Mason Drive
    5 BR, 5.5 BA single-family detached
    Noteworthy: Covered front porch, elevator, gas fireplace
    Listed: $3,279,000
    Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Martha Marquez – William G. Buck & Associates, Inc.)
  • 3898 30th Street N.
    4 BR, 3 BA single-family detached
    Noteworthy: Deck and tree house, elevator
    Listed: $1,900,000
    Open: Sunday, 12-3 p.m. (Carole Schweitzer – Weichert Realtors)
  • 2001 N. Brandywine Street
    4 BR, 3.5 BA townhome
    Noteworthy: End unit, fireplace, fenced backyard
    Listed: $900,000
    Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Michael Putnam – RE/MAX Executives)
  • 2705 1st Road S.
    3 BR, 2 BA single-family detached
    Noteworthy: Sunporch, hardwood floors, paved driveway
    Listed: $825,000
    Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Erich Cabe – Compass)

See all Arlington open house listings here.

Here are some other options to consider if you’re in the market to rent or buy:

  • 1713 13th Road S.
    3 BR, 3.5 BA townhome
    Noteworthy: Double sided fireplace, rooftop terrace
    Listed: $4,500/mo
    (Jason Curry – KW Metro Center)
  • 1531 Patrick Henry Drive
    3 BR, 2 BA single-family detached
    Noteworthy: All brick, fully fenced backyard, deck
    Listed: $3,550/mo
    (MaryAnn Burstein – Coldwell Banker Realty)
  • 1211 S. Eads Street #1005
    1 BR, 1.5 BA condo
    Noteworthy: Renovated, balcony, freshly painted
    Listed: $484,900
    (April Hessenius Myers – RLAH Properties)

Want your listing to appear here or as the Listing of the Day? You can now submit sponsored listings.

* Denotes sponsored listing

3898 30th Street N. image via Google Maps

Police on lookout for airsoft gun drive-by shooter

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

Four people suffered minor injuries Wednesday night during a pellet gun drive-by shooting.

The incident happened on the 3200 block of Columbia Pike, just east of S. Glebe Road, around 6 p.m. It involved 3-4 male suspects in a white SUV, including the shooter of the airsoft gun, who is believed to be in his 20s.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

ASSAULT AND BATTERY (Significant), 2022-12070175, 3200 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 6:11 p.m. on December 7, police were dispatched to the report of shots heard. Upon arrival, it was determined unknown male suspect(s) discharged an airsoft gun from a vehicle, striking four victims with pellets. The victims reported minor injuries which did not require medical treatment. Responding officers canvassed the area yielding negative results. The suspect vehicle is described as a white SUV with three or four male occupants. Suspect One is described as a White male in his 20s with short dark hair and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. There are no other descriptions for the vehicle’s occupants. The investigation is ongoing.

Back in March police responded to a series of drive-by paintball and pellet gun shootings that might have been inspired by a viral video trend. Few, if any, such shootings have been reported since in Arlington, until Wednesday’s incident.

Pedestrian bridge over Route 50 closed due to ‘deterioration’ concerns

By ARLnow.com
Closed pedestrian bridge over Route 50 (via Arlington County)

A pedestrian bridge in the Rosslyn area is closed after inspectors founds something worrisome.

The bridge over Route 50, connecting N. Fairfax Drive and Fort Myer Drive in the Radnor-Fort Myer Heights neighborhood, was found to have deteriorating concrete in sections, according to Arlington County. The span is closed while crews work on repairs.

More from a county press release:

Engineers are closing the pedestrian bridge connecting North Fairfax Drive to Fort Myer Drive over Arlington Boulevard, effective immediately, as a result of a bridge inspection today, Thursday, December 8, out of an abundance of caution.

Pedestrian access over Arlington Boulevard will be maintained on the Rhodes Street bridge to the west and North Meade Street to the east.

The restrictions will stay in place until further notice. The Arlington Boulevard multi-use trail will remain open on the north side of the bridge.

Crews had been conducting maintenance work on the bridge’s surface. An inspection revealed deterioration of the concrete in some sections of the bridge. The bridge will be temporarily closed while crews work on these repairs.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Christmas lights and the moon in the fog on Dec. 7, 2022 (staff photo)

County Preps for Winter Weather — “Area meteorologists have predicted a somewhat below average total for seasonal snow accumulation in the region. That would be the sixth time in the past seven winters. Did we mention the historical chance for a white Christmas is at 7%? Regardless, Arlington County continues with almost year-round planning and training for the possibility of a sudden bad blast of winter. County crews are ready once again to hit the roads with a fleet of almost 50 trucks as well as contractors on call.” [Arlington County]

Large Water Main Break in Courthouse — From last night: “Emergency Water Main Repairs: Crew working on 12-inch main at 2410 North 14th Street. Some 200 customers could be affected. Estimated time for completion: 12/9/2022 4:00 AM. Traffic diverted around work site.” [Twitter]

Beyer Lauds Same-Sex Marriage Bill — “Passage of the Respect For Marriage Act is a victory for freedom, civil rights, and love… The General Assembly and Governor Youngkin must protect marriage equality in the Commonwealth by repealing Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban. Virginians overwhelmingly value equality and freedom, and they deserve this basic measure of respect from their leaders.” [Press Release]

Local GOP Focuses on Election Security — “Until the pandemic, Republicans frequently were absent from Arlington Electoral Board meeting (excepting of course Electoral Board members themselves). Over the past two years, the GOP’s election-integrity team has been vocal at meetings, in particular pushing for a reduction in the number of voting dropboxes in the community. Republicans contend that having a significant number of dropboxes – there currently are nine – is costly and invited the potential of fraud.” [Sun Gazette]

Tech Co. Opens New Rosslyn Office — “Shift5, the onboard operational technology (OT) data and cybersecurity company for planes, trains, and tanks, today officially opened the doors to its new office space in Rosslyn, Virginia, expanding its office footprint by 67% as the company closes out a year featuring 54% growth in headcount.” [GlobeNewswire]

Green Valley Park Artist Speaks — “Artist and landscape architect Walter Hood shares what drew him to the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square project and how his conversations with the Green Valley community shaped his vision for the landscape and inspired the creation of the FREED sculpture.” [YouTube]

It’s Friday — Mostly clear throughout the day. High of 49 and low of 38. Sunrise at 7:17 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]

Listing of the Day: 1407 N. Inglewood Street (Arlington)

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Address: 1407 N. Inglewood Street
Neighborhood: Tara Wynnewood
Type: 2 BR, 2 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 1748 sq. ft.
Listed: $850,000

Noteworthy: Walk to Cardinal ES, Swanson MS, Westover Village, bikepath, parks

Well-loved 1940s brick colonial with good bones and character

  • Deep driveway that leads to kitchen door — so convenient to drop off groceries and packages — and then to detached one car garage
  • Large rooms, living room fireplace, main level den with full bathroom
  • Sunporch overlooks the level 7,100 square foot lot with expansion potential
  • Two big bedrooms upstairs and classic bathroom
  • Lower level rec room with half bath, laundry, and oodles of storage
  • Located on a winding street in Wynnewood, graced by tall trees and mature landscaping
  • Easy commute to Washington, Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, Pentagon, Crystal and Pentagon Cities, Fort Myer/Henderson Hall, Army Readiness Center and FSI
  • Take breaks while working from home with strolls along the bike path or to coffee at the Village

A sweet home in an ever better location.

Open House this Sunday, December 11 from 1-4 p.m.

A sweet home in an ever better location.

Listed by:
Betsy Twigg – McEnearney Associates
[email protected]
(703) 967-4391

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 8, 2022

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Today we published 6 articles that were read a total of 7916 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Dec 8, 2022.

  1. JUST IN: Woman groped, pulled to ground in Lyon Park
  2. Most and least expensive condos sold in Arlington (Nov-Dec 2022)
  3. Two announce candidacy in upcoming races as Ingrid Morroy announces retirement

📅 Upcoming events

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

☔ Friday’s forecast

Clear throughout the day. High of 49 and low of 33. Sunrise at 7:17 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

Trust your intuition, but remember that data-driven decision making can often lead to better outcomes.

🌅 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 (Nov-Dec 2022)

By ARLnow.com

This past week saw 37 homes sold in Arlington.

The least expensive condo, single-family home or townhouse sale over the past seven days was $175,000 while the most expensive was $2,882,580.

Over the past month, meanwhile, a total of 94 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. 1781 N. Pierce Street #1101 — 3 BD/2.5 BA — $2,374,500
  2. 2801 Langston Boulevard #303 — 3 BD/2.0 BA — $1,290,000
  3. 1700 Clarendon Boulevard #131 — 2 BD/2.5 BA — $1,250,000
  4. 2109 N. Rolfe Street #D — 4 BD/2.5 BA — $769,900
  5. 1300 Crystal Drive #PH13S — 2 BD/2.5 BA — $750,000

Least expensive condos sold

  1. 4600 S. Four Mile Run Drive #1029 — 1 BD/1.0 BA — $145,000
  2. 750 S. Dickerson Street #413 — 1 BD/1.0 BA — $165,000
  3. 1011 Arlington Boulevard #629 — 1 BD/1.0 BA — $175,000

The local market generally has more condos for sale compared to other housing types. There are currently 328 condos for sale, according to Homesnap.

JUST IN: Woman groped, pulled to ground in Lyon Park

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A woman was groped, followed and pulled to the ground by an unknown suspect in the Lyon Park area, police say.

The incident happened last night (Wednesday) around 5:30 p.m.

The suspect initially grabbed the victim’s buttocks as she was walking along the Arlington Blvd trail at 10th Street N., not far from Courthouse, according to Arlington County police.

He then re-approached on the 2500 block of N. Pershing Drive and pulled her to the ground by the shoulders, but ran off when she screamed, police said.

From an ACPD crime report today:

SEXUAL BATTERY (Late), 2022-12070193, Arlington Boulevard trail at 10th Street N. exit ramp. At approximately 7:32 p.m. on December 7, police were dispatched to the late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined approximately two hours prior, the victim was waiting at a crosswalk when the unknown male suspect approached her from behind and touched her buttocks before fleeing the area on foot. The victim continued traveling and was in the 2500 block of N. Pershing Drive when the suspect reapproached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, causing her to fall to the ground. The victim yelled and the suspect fled the area on foot. The victim sustained minor injuries and did not require medical attention. Responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 20-30 years old, 5’8-5’10, medium build, wearing a black hoodie and black pants. The investigation is ongoing.

The suspect description is a bit different than that of a man who groped a woman in Courthouse last week, though the victim in that case wrote that she “didn’t get a good look at the guy.” Both suspects were reported to have been wearing a black hoodie and black pants, according to police.

“Both incidents remain under investigation and detectives will work to determine if they are linked,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

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