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.
Heavy rain along the Potomac River, with Rosslyn in the background (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole are heading our way, meaning a soggy and stormy Veterans Day is on tap.
The rain will start falling early Friday morning. Downpours and gusty winds are expected to follow as the day goes on, before the skies clear Saturday.
Officials are encouraging local residents to get ready now, clearing leaves from storm drains and gutters.
The storm will make for some large, soggy leaf piles on the side of the road. Arlington County does not start its vacuum leaf collection process until next week.
So far, no watches or warnings have been issued for the county. Nicole is packing a threat of localized flooding and isolated tornadoes, but Arlington is outside of the zones where those threats are most likely.
More via Twitter:
Tropical Storm #Nicole will bring heavy rain, storms and flooding this weekend. Prepare now: 📱 Follow + subscribe to @ArlingtonAlert 🍂 Clear debris from storm drains + gutters 🔋 Charge electronics 👪 Review your family communications plan
With remnants of Nicole arriving for the long weekend, now's a good time to clear gutters and downspouts. And if you see leaves covering a nearby storm drain, maybe sink your claws into that too? A grateful County thanks you. https://t.co/WXgcXEaV2Jpic.twitter.com/XJyOdqSKhs
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 10, 2022
Increasing clouds today w/ showers arriving from the south tonight. Widespread rain overnight-Fri. AM w/ a lull midday. Additional showers & isolated severe storms Fri. aft-eve. Potential Hazards: damaging winds, an isolated tornado, & localized flooding. #VAwx#MDwx#WVwx#DCwxpic.twitter.com/bOVc28gKXD
10 AM EST November 10 Key Messages for #Nicole: Tropical storm conditions, a dangerous storm surge and damaging waves, and heavy rainfall continue over a large area. See https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ for more details. pic.twitter.com/kqLluAYH85
Say hello to the newest Arlington Pet of the Week, Oliver! This 6-year-old is a gentleman cat won’t say no to a meal or snack.
Here’s what his owner had to say about Oliver:
Meet Oliver!
Oliver is a six-year-old domestic shorthair cat and a connoisseur of the finer things in life. He soaks up the day napping in a sunbeam or in one of his favorite spots in the Madison Manor neighborhood of Arlington.
He also enjoys taunting his two brother dogs, Sparky the Schnoodle and Napoleon the Chihuahua. One of his favorite activities is eating, and he frequently checks his food bowl for snacks.
Adopted from the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, Oliver is a cancer survivor who had one front leg amputated in June. Despite these changes, Oliver is still able to accomplish many of his hobbies with sass to spare.
Although he was a mischievous kitten who earned the nickname Ruckus for his destructive tendencies, he has grown into a true Gentleman Cat who enjoys having his white belly scratched and patted on the daily.
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!
Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol does not plan to run for reelection in 2023.
Cristol confirmed her decision to ARLnow last night, after it was mentioned near the bottom of a Washington Post article about Tuesday’s election.
She released the following statement about her decision.
I plan to conclude my service on the Board after two terms for a number of reasons. Among the most important is the same reason I decided to run in the first place: Arlington is stronger when the full community is represented, and it’s time to make room for new perspectives.
In 2015, I argued that representation of the County’s growing plurality — under 35, renter (or in my case then, very recent renter and new homeowner), resident of our urban corridors — would benefit everyone. I believe that many of our accomplishments over the past eight years have borne that out. Young professional talent has been a key asset in Arlington’s major economic development achievements like landing Amazon’s HQ2, for instance. Major expansions in our supply of childcare for families have significantly improved our whole community’s resiliency. Having transit riders represent Arlington on, and chair, regional bodies as we achieved landmark infrastructure investments (in VRE, in the Long Bridge expansion, in the historic Metro capital funding agreement) has helped knit our whole region closer together and has elevated the County’s role in that region.
Eight years on, there’s a new generation that deserves its own chance to be heard. I’ve also had many conversations with community members over the past two years about race, equity and power in Arlington. For me, that’s highlighted that “stage of life” isn’t the only demographic experience that makes residents feel under- or unrepresented in decision-making in the County.
It’s of course up to the voters to determine who will serve next. But in the same way that Arlington voters took a chance and gave me an opportunity in 2015, I want to make space for a new perspective on the County Board now. I really do believe we’ll all benefit when we’re all represented.
Cristol and Board Vice-Chair Christian Dorsey will be finishing up their second term next year. There have been rumors for months that neither are running again.
Dorsey did not tip his hand when reached for comment.
“I have no announcement to make at this time,” he told ARLnow.
Rosslyn surrounded by fall foliage, as seen from Waterfront Park in Georgetown (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington on Veterans Day — “Arlington County Government offices and services are operating on modified schedules for the Veterans Day holiday, Fri., Nov. 11, 2022. Arlington County will host a Veterans Day Commemoration and Concert, featuring the U.S. Army Brass Quintet, to honor all who proudly serve and defend our nation. Everyone is invited to join us in person at Bozman Government Center Plaza (2100 Clarendon Blvd.) tomorrow Thursday, November 10, at 11:30 a.m.” [Arlington County]
Veep Coming to Arlington Friday — From the White House: “At 11:00 AM ET, the First Lady will join Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff at Arlington National Cemetery for the National Veterans Day Observance to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
Lunar Eclipse Photo — “Here’s my lunar eclipse sequence shot at the US Marine Corps War Memorial. The sequence spans about 40 minutes, from 5:51 to 6:30 am.” [Twitter]
APS Considering Employee Bonus — “Superintendent Francisco Duran is recommending that the board approve a plan to give school system workers a one-time bonus of up to $500 on Nov. 18. Staff hired on or before Nov. 1 would be eligible, and temporary or hourly staff would receive a $250 bonus as long as they worked at least 245 hours between Aug. 18 and Nov. 1.” [WTOP]
New Doc Office in Pentagon City — “Just walked by the former A-Deli space on South Joyce Street at @PentagonRow (Westpost) and they’ve started construction of a @NOVAPatientCare.” [Twitter]
Seminary Coming to Rosslyn — From Saturday’s County Board agenda: “The Washington Theological Seminary (the “College”) proposes to operate a college for a maximum enrollment of 30 students within the existing building located at 1911 Fort Myer Drive. The College proposes to occupy 2,108 square feet in Suite 108 on the building’s ground floor. The proposed hours for academic classes are Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.” [Arlington County]
Seeking Thanksgiving Donations, Volunteers — From the local Knights of Columbus: “With your help, we feed more than 2,500 people in need each Thanksgiving. The effort takes manpower and money. We take over duties for Meals on Wheels, homeless communities, group homes, assisted living buildings, shelters and individual neighbors… We urgently need help to raise $20,000 to fully fund this yearly effort.” [Facebook]
It’s Thursday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 65 and low of 47. Sunrise at 6:47 am and sunset at 5:00 pm. [Weather.gov]
An Amazon delivery van driver struck a pedestrian, causing minor injuries, on arguably the most prominent street corner in Arlington.
The collision happened shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Highland Street, across from the Clarendon Metro entrance.
“At approximately 3:50 p.m. police were dispatched… for the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian,” Arlington County police spokesperson Alli Shorb told ARLnow. “The pedestrian sustained minor injuries and did not require transport to the hospital. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene. Police remain on scene investigating.”
A traffic camera showed the stopped van blocking the intersection’s northern and eastern crosswalks.
Blown up Little Free Library in Arlington Forest (photo courtesy Michael Thomas)
A Little Free Library was blown up in the Arlington Forest neighborhood overnight.
The explosion happened shortly after midnight on the 100 block of N. Columbus Street, near the intersection with the Arlington Blvd service road.
“When crews arrived, they found a small outside fire as well as a damaged privately owned outdoor book collection box,” Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Nate Hiner. “A Fire Marshal was requested to the scene to investigate.”
The suspect or suspects remain at large.
“The incident remains an open investigation and anyone with information pertaining to this incident is encouraged to reach out by emailing [email protected] or calling the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180,” Hiner said.
A resident tells ARLnow that at least one person who lived nearby ran to help control the fire.
“A neighbor went out with a fire extinguisher to control the resulting fire,” said Michael Thomas. “The Fire Department arrived shortly after to take over and ensure that the fire did not spread to [Lubber Run Park], which could have easily happened with the forest bed and understudy being so dry.”
“The explosion was followed by several others nearby,” including one that blew up another wooden fixture near the Lubber Run amphitheater, Thomas said.
Wooden fixture destroyed at the Lubber Run amphitheater (photo courtesy Michael Thomas)
Hiner said the fire department was not aware of additional explosions.
A message sent to a neighborhood listserv suggested that the Little Free Library explosion might have been caused by “a modified firework or mortar.”
Update at 4 p.m. — Fire Marshals and Virginia State Police are now on the scene of the apparent explosion at Lubber Run amphitheater, according to Thomas.
Update on 11/10/22 — The FBI and the ATF is also assisting with the investigation, the Arlington County Fire Department said in a press release.
Investigators on scene at the Lubber Run amphitheater (photo courtesy Michael Thomas)
ACPD traffic enforcement in Virginia Square in 2019 (via ACPD)
Arlington County police are set to conduct high-visibility traffic enforcement tomorrow as part of its “Street Smart” road safety campaign.
The enforcement will take place Thursday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Arlington View neighborhood, just south of Columbia Pike, at the intersection of 12th Street S. and S. Rolfe Street.
A second enforcement campaign is planned for Thursday, Dec. 1 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in front of Nottingham Elementary School, in the Williamsburg neighborhood. That’s near the scenes of three fatal pedestrian crashes that have occurred since 2014, including one last month.
“The Street Smart campaign aims to identify and change unsafe behavior patterns amongst motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, with the goal of reducing the number of traffic related collisions and injuries on our roadways,” police said in a press release.
The full ACPD press release is below.
Fall brings cooler temperatures and less daylight hours, meaning reduced visibility during peak commuting times for all road users. As we adjust to the end of Daylight Saving Time, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is sharing important transportation safety tips to ensure all travelers can reach their destinations safely. ACPD and law enforcement agencies throughout the region will take part in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Fall Street Smart Campaign from November 7 – December 4. The Street Smart campaign aims to identify and change unsafe behavior patterns amongst motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, with the goal of reducing the number of traffic related collisions and injuries on our roadways.
Street Smart Enforcement Activations
As part of the Street Smart campaign, officers will conduct high-visibility traffic enforcement at the following locations:
Thursday, November 10, 2022, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – 12th Street S. at S. Rolfe Street
Thursday, December 1, 2022, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – 5900 block of Little Falls Road […]
Transportation Safety Tips
No matter how you travel, remember to always be a P.A.L. – predicable, alert and lawful.
Drivers are reminded to:
Slow down, drive the speed limit and obey all posted traffic signs and signals.
Remain alert for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Use caution when passing buses or stopped vehicles.
Yield to people walking or biking when turning.
Allow for at least 3 feet when passing bicyclists.
Avoid using your cell phone and never text while driving. Holding a hand-held communication device while driving is illegal in Virginia.
Pedestrians are reminded to:
Cross the street at the corner and use marked crosswalks when they are available.
Use pushbuttons when available and wait for the walk signal to cross the street.
Look both ways before crossing.
Remain visible, especially after dark and in bad weather, by wearing light colored or reflective clothing.
Watch for blind spots around trucks and buses.
Avoid using devices that distract you, such as cell phones, while crossing the street.
Bicyclists and shared mobility device operators are reminded to:
Ride in the same direction as traffic, using bike lanes when possible.
Use hand signals to communicate your intentions with other travelers.
Wear a helmet, which is required for all bicycle riders 14 years of age and younger and recommended for all other riders. (Arlington County Code 14.2-64.)
Keep your eyes on the road and avoid the use of devices that may distract you.
Remain visible, especially after dark and in bad weather, by wearing light colored or reflective clothing.
Use headlights and taillights, especially when riding between sunset and sunrise.
A person receiving a vaccine from Arlington County’s clinic in early 2021 (Image via Arlington County/YouTube)
In another sign that we’ve reached the later stages of the pandemic, Arlington County is permanently closing its public vaccine clinic next month.
The announcement was made this morning.
“Demand has significantly decreased at the County’s clinic, with COVID-19 vaccines now widely available in the community through pharmacies, urgent care centers, and medical providers,” the county said in a press release. “As such, the final day of operations for the clinic at Sequoia Plaza (2100 Washington Blvd.) will be Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022.”
The clinic first opened nearly two years ago and saw long lines for the original vaccine after it was made available. In addition to its closing, the county announced that all but one of its Covid testing booths are closing.
“All County Curative COVID-19 testing kiosks will close on Nov. 30, 2022, except for the Arlington Mill Community Center location,” the press release said. “The closure of kiosks aligns with a significant decline in kiosk testing demand across the County (an 80% decline since Nov. 2021) and the widespread availability of at-home and pharmacy-based tests.”
Covid case rates in Arlington have held relatively steady over the past month and currently stand at a seven-day moving average of 30 cases per day, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. That’s about the middle of the range for what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a “low” Covid level.
Meanwhile, some of the public health attention has shifted to rising levels of flu and the childhood illness RSV.
“The emergency department is pretty much as busy as we have ever seen it,” Virginia Hospital Center emergency department chair Mike Silverman wrote Friday in his weekly public Facebook post. “Our volume this week (and actually last week) is 20+% higher than our typical volume. We are definitely seeing this with the flu and RSV numbers. We’re also seeing this in the increased number of pediatric patients coming to the ER.”
The full Arlington County press release about the clinic and testing booth closures is below.
Late afternoon light in Virginia Square (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Roosevelt Bridge Work Still Going On — “It looks like motorists will have to wait a bit longer for the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to be reopened fully to traffic, after emergency work was ordered on the bridge between D.C. and Arlington. Everett Lott, director of D.C.’s Department of Transportation, said several things led to the work not meeting its targeted September completion.” [WTOP]
Smoke at Courthouse Station — “On 11/7 at 8:04pm the ACFD was dispatched for a report of smoke in the tunnel at Courthouse Metro. Crews arrived & found a light haze of smoke that was quickly dissipating. ACFD was unable to locate a source and the smoke was gone from the tunnel so units cleared the scene.” [Twitter, Twitter]
D.C. Residents Coming to Va. to Bet — “While mobile sports gambling is legal in the District, many D.C. players find themselves drawn to Virginia and its far more robust options, mostly because of frustration with the D.C. operation. They pull their cars to the side of Virginia roads, schedule visits to suburban friends, study college football lines before a trip to the airport — all for what they consider an easier and more enjoyable gambling experience.” [Washington Post]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 56 and low of 40. Sunrise at 6:46 am and sunset at 5:01 pm. [Weather.gov]
Matt de Ferranti at the Arlington Democrats election watch party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Matt de Ferranti and crowd at the Arlington Democrats election watch party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern on Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Matt de Ferranti at the Arlington Democrats election watch party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Rep. Don Beyer and people watching the election results at the Arlington Democrats party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern on Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Matt de Ferranti at the Arlington Democrats election watch party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington Democrats watch party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern on Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Election Day 2022 in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Election Day 2022 in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Election Day 2022 in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Election Day 2022 in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Clement sign outside of The Jefferson senior living center in Ballston (staff photo)
De Ferranti sign slong Wilson Blvd in Ballston (staff photo)
(Updated at 9:30 p.m.) What many believed would be the most competitive Arlington County Board race in four years has turned out to be another convincing Democratic victory.
Clement strongly opposes the proposal to allow smaller-scale multifamily housing in neighborhoods currently zoned only for single-family homes, while Theo supports it. De Ferranti, meanwhile, staked out a middle ground, expressing opposition to the higher 8-unit end of the potential range of allowed housing types.
With 55 out of 57 precincts reporting, de Ferranti has 60% of the vote to 28% for Clement and 10% for Theo.
Both Clement and Theo ran for County Board last year, before Missing Middle came to the fore as a hot-button local issue. In the 2021 race, Democrat Takis Karantonis carried about 60% of the vote to 18% for Clement, 6% for Theo and 14% for Mike Cantwell, another independent candidate..
The Missing Middle proposal has attracted the ire of many homeowners, while a coalition of groups — from affordable housing boosters to the local chapter of the NAACP — support it.
An early look at precinct-by-precinct results shows support for Clement in Arlington’s northern, single-family home neighborhoods. The Madison district in far northern Arlington, for instance, has voted 58% for Clement to 36% for de Ferranti and 4% for Theo. She also claimed the Thrifton (Woodmont), Rock Spring, and Yorktown districts — all also in far northern Arlington.
That compares to the more renter-heavy Met Park district, in the Pentagon City neighborhood, which voted 64% for de Ferranti and 20% for Clement and 15% for Theo. A more “in between” district — Fairlington, with its mix of townhouses and smaller condo buildings — voted 66% for de Ferranti, 23% for Clement and 9% for Theo.
Also on the ballot today were School Board and congressional races, which were even more lopsided for the Democratic candidates.
For the open Arlington School Board seat vacated by Barbara Kanninen, Arlington County Democratic Committee-endorsed candidate Bethany Sutton has 68% of the vote to 30% for independent James ‘Vell’ Rives IV.
Meanwhile, incumbent Rep. Don Beyer has 77% of the vote in the Virginia 8th District congressional race, to 21% for Republican Karina Lipsman and 1.5% for independent Teddy Fikre.
Arlington Democrats claimed victory on Twitter just after 9 p.m.
Results are in! Congrats to @DonBeyerVA, @Matt4Arlington on their re-elections to Congress and Arlington County Board and to @BethanyZSutton on her election to the Arlington School Board!
De Ferranti tells ARLnow he was impressed by the 85,000 people who voted this election, in which there was no senatorial, gubernatorial or presidential race.
“In Virginia, that doesn’t happen very often,” he said. “There are other elections where there is an even lower turnout. This is a pretty rare election, and to have 85,000 vote in this election is a pretty solid turnout.”
He said addressing climate change, investing in schools and tackling affordable housing and housing affordability — “related but distinct” issues — will be key priorities this term.
“I’m grateful to Arlington residents for the chance to serve them,” he said. “I love doing this job and I’m humbled, grateful, and looking forward to serving over the next four years. I’m going to try and live up to Arlingtonians: that means being smart, thoughtful and compassionate, caring about our community and being forward-looking.”
Clement told ARLnow she was dismayed with the results, though she won four out of 54 districts — including Madison, with her 22-point margin — and came within just over 1% of the vote in another.
“I didn’t perform as well as I thought I would,” she said. “I thought I would push 40% — the sentiment I got on the street indicated a better showing.”
A nationwide search for a new Director of Arlington Economic Development found someone close to home: in Alexandria.
Arlington County announced that Ryan Touhill, Senior Vice President of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, will assume AED’s top job on Monday, Nov. 28.
Touhill, 38, takes the reins after a turbulent few years at the top ranks of the county’s economic development arm.
He succeeds Shannon Flanagan-Watson, AED’s interim director following the departure of Telly Tucker, who served just over two years in the role. Tucker left for a new job this spring, around the same time as AED Deputy Director Cynthia Richmond retired.
Prior to Tucker’s arrival, the leadership team that helped woo Amazon and its HQ2 to Arlington decamped to neighboring counties. Former AED director Victor Hoskins and interim director Alex Iams were both poached by Fairfax County, while Christina Winn left for Prince William County.
In a press release, below, county officials tout Touhill’s “track record of leading local business expansions for new investments in the region” and his ability to foster “innovation and resiliency to advance economic growth and competitiveness.”
Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz announced today the selection of Ryan Touhill as the new Director of Arlington Economic Development (AED) following a nationwide recruitment and search. Mr. Touhill has extensive experience in overseeing day-to day operations of a local economic development agency and a proven track record at implementing local small business grant and economic recovery programs, fostering regional cooperation, and playing key roles in business development attraction and retention in this local and regional market. He will play a pivotal role in building on Arlington’s strong economic competitive position as a regional, national, and international business and visitor location. Mr. Touhill will assume this new leadership role on November 28, 2022.
“Mr. Touhill has a track record of leading local business expansions for new investments in the region,” stated Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol. “My colleagues on the Board and I look forward to working with him to continue building on our success in attracting and growing high-quality businesses, both large and small, in Arlington.”
“I am thrilled to have Ryan at the helm of our Economic Development team, leading our community through an exciting period of commercial growth post-pandemic recovery”, stated County Manager Mark Schwartz. “He will be instrumental in fostering innovation and resiliency to advance economic growth and competitiveness in our community for small businesses and large corporations as well as foster real estate development, tourism, arts and cultural amenities.”
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Touhill served as both the Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff with the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP). In these leadership roles, he has been instrumental in managing the daily activities of AEDP’s Business Development, Small Business, and Economic Recovery departments and was responsible for managing AEDP’s internal business operations. While at AEDP, he also served on the project management team responsible for securing Amazon’s second headquarters in Northern Virginia and Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria. In addition, Mr. Touhill has held positions with the City of Alexandria government in the budget and human resources departments.
