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.
Kira is the literal definition of ‘heart-meltingly cute’! Whenever someone comes to greet her, she starts to wag her long tail very fast. Once she is comfortable with you, she likes to lean into you.
Kira is a very sweet dog who is very perceptive and wants to please. She is super smart and responds to commands including sit, stay, up, down, paw (shake), wait and off. In the house, Kira is mostly a couch potato. She loves to curl up on a sofa, bed or a dog bed and chill with you. She is very self-sufficient and does well staying alone, including in a crate. She is also housebroken. She loves going for walks — she walks well on a leash and used to go hiking or running with her previous dog guardian.
Kira was rescued from Qatar and brought to the US as a puppy. She spent most of her life in a home where she was trained and well-loved and cared for. The last few months have been filled with many changes, so she has been a bit stressed. Kira’s sensitive personality means that she is looking for some specific things in her new home.
Kira seems to prefer feminine-presenting people and can be nervous around young children, men and some dogs. Kira is looking for a single person or a family who will be committed and patient with her as she takes time to settle into her new home. She has spent time with dogs who are older and mostly ignore her but may be overwhelmed by younger or more exuberant dogs. Our team would love to talk to you more about Kira and how she might fit into your family
Are you and Kira a match? Read her complete profile to learn more and how to start the adoption process!
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!
Empty room at Virginia Hospital Center (photo courtesy Virginia Hospital Center)
The rate of reported Covid cases in Arlington has not changed much in the past two weeks, while there are new worries about kids getting sick with other diseases.
Across the country childhood respiratory illnesses are surging, putting a strain on hospitals.
Here in Arlington, Virginia Hospital Center is seeing RSV and flu cases among kids, in addition to Covid, according to emergency department chief Mike Silverman.
From Silverman’s weekly public Facebook post on Friday.
During my last shift, I had kids infected with COVID, influenza, and RSV. By far, the sickest of the three was the one with RSV. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a fairly common virus that causes something called bronchiolitis. This is a respiratory tract infection that can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and a low oxygen level. It impacts kids less than 2 much harder than the kids who are older. It is also possible to get as an adult though we typically stop testing for long before a child is a teenager. We’re seeing a lot more cases of RSV then we typically see this time of year. While only a fraction of kids who have RSV require hospitalization, we are already seeing pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in the area reach critical occupancy levels.
Unfortunately, this means that some kids who would normally be placed in a PICU may spend additional time in the emergency department waiting for a bed to become available. Additionally, there may be additional time a patient spends in another hospital’s ER waiting to be transferred to one of the handful of hospitals in the DMV that have PICU beds, from whichever emergency department the patient was initially seen in. It also means that some patients who are borderline and might often get a PICU bed versus a hospital floor bed, may not get the PICU bed because beds are prioritized to sicker patients. (We saw all of this with COVID during our big surges, just in the adult population). […]
Of course, there is a trickle-down effect to this as well. Anytime we have patients boarding in the emergency department, (boarders are broadly defined as patients who require hospitalization but the hospital doesn’t have space for them at the moment so they stay in the ER and get their care), we then have beds that are not available to be used for the new patients that are arriving to the emergency department.
Covid and flu are continuing to infect kids and adults in Arlington, though not at surge-level rates.
Covid cases in Arlington as of 10/25/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)
The county is seeing a seven-day moving average of about 32 reported Covid cases per day, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health, a figure that hasn’t fluctuated much over the past couple of weeks.
VDH this week stopped reporting Covid test positivity rates, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website puts Arlington’s current positivity rate at 7.5% and falling. Arlington is still well within the CDC’s “low” Covid level guidelines, with fewer than 100 weekly cases per 100,000 in population (the “medium” level threshold is 200 weekly cases per 100,000 people).
Covid test positivity rate in Arlington as of 10/25/22 (via CDC)
Arlington County’s health department last week announced that the new, bivalent Covid booster shots are now available from the county for kids ages 5 and up.
A group of 5-6 suspects, three of whom were armed, robbed a teen of his bag Thursday afternoon.
The incident happened just before 5 p.m. on the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street, the same block as the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall.
“Upon arrival, it was determined a group of approximately 5-6 suspects allegedly approached juvenile Victim One, demanded his bag and displayed a firearm,” Arlington County police said in a crime report. “The victim refused and left the scene on foot. A short time later, the suspects reapproached and stole the bag. Juvenile Victim Two, who was part of the same group as Victim One, then attempted to confront the suspects, during which three of the suspects displayed firearms.”
“The victim was able to safely leave the area and no injuries were reported,” the crime report continues. “Responding officers searched the area, located the adult male suspect and the juvenile male suspect and took them into custody without incident. During the course of the investigation, the juvenile suspect provided false identifying information, however officers were subsequently able to properly identify him.”
The adult suspect, an 18-year-old Maryland resident, was charged with “Robbery, Attempted Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony (x2), and Trespassing,” according to ACPD.
“The investigation into the identities of the additional suspects is ongoing,” the police department said.
Also in the crime report late last week was an alleged assault of a girl by two other girls. That incident happened around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, near Wakefield High School.
From ACPD:
ASSAULT BY MOB (Late), 2022-10200086, 1300 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 10:30 a.m. on October 20, police were dispatched to the late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined at approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 19, the female juvenile victim was walking in the area with another individual when she observed the two known juvenile female suspects. The two suspects allegedly struck the victim multiple times and made threatening statements before fleeing the scene. The victim sustained minor injuries and declined the treatment of medics. The investigation is ongoing.
Glowing colors in Ballston Quarter (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Clement Hoping for Anti-MM Boost — “In what is shaping up potentially to be her most successful run for elected office over many, many tries, Audrey Clement is attempting to cast this year’s Arlington County Board race as a simple up-or-down vote on the county government’s proposed Missing Middle housing-cum-zoning changes. ‘Sources I’ve heard within the Democratic Party are concerned about Democrat Matt de Ferranti’s chances of re-election, because of a groundswell of opposition to Missing Middle,” Clement said in a recent statement.” [Sun Gazette]
Drug Takeback Day Approaches — “The Drug Enforcement Administration’s fall National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will be held on Saturday, October 29. The Arlington County Police Department is encouraging community members to take this opportunity to clear their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs and safely dispose of them in one of Arlington’s four permanent drug take-back boxes. This disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.” [Arlington County]
Graphic Novel Workshop This Week — “For this 4-part workshop series, we invite local artists to share their knowledge on the creative process when creating comics. The first session will be hosted by Evan Keeling who will discuss his comic work and provide a hands on workshop for participants who want to write and storyboard their own sequential stories. This workshop is part of a 4-part graphic novel series. Each event builds on the previous events but can be attended as a stand-alone event as well.” [Arlington Public Library]
Local Man Pleads to Election Crime — “Two right-wing conspiracy theorists who placed thousands of robocalls with false information to largely minority and Democratic voters in Cleveland in the months before the November 2020 election pleaded guilty on Monday to a felony charge. Jacob Wohl, 24, of Irvine, California, and Jack Burkman, 56, of Arlington, Virginia, face a maximum of a year in prison after they pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree felony charge of telecommunications fraud.” [Cleveland.com]
A fight inside a hotel led to gunfire and a police investigation early this morning in Pentagon City.
The incident reportedly happened at the DoubleTree hotel at 300 Army Navy Drive around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
“Upon arrival, it was determined a group of four male subjects had been involved in a fight inside a hotel,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The subjects left the scene prior to the arrival of officers. Responding officers canvassed the area and recovered evidence confirming a shot had been fired outside the building and located damage to the exterior ceiling. No injuries were reported.”
A resident of an apartment building next door said that the commotion woke people up in the middle of the night.
“There was something crazy going on near Lenox Club apartment complex,” an anonymous tipster told ARLnow this morning. “Woke us and people up all over the building and at the DoubleTree… Sounded like screaming and maybe gunshots or someone taking a baseball
bat to the walls.”
Marine Corps Marathon runners in the Rosslyn area in 2012 (photo by Kevin Wolf)
The Marine Corps Marathon — along with its extensive road closures — is back this weekend.
The marathon, which is in-person for the first time since the start of the pandemic, is being held on Sunday, Oct. 30.
It will again start between the Pentagon and Rosslyn, winding its way through Rosslyn and into D.C. before crossing the 14th Street Bridge, rounding the Pentagon, and finishing in Rosslyn.
This year the runners village gateway, which runners go through on their way to the starting line, has been moved to Pentagon City. The finish festival remains in Rosslyn, near the Marine Corps War Memorial.
Numerous road closures are planned along the marathon route in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Pentagon City.
“Runners, spectators, and volunteers are strongly encouraged to use Metro, ridesharing or other forms of multimodal transportation,” Arlington County police said in a press release, below. “Motorists should expect significant delays in and around the race course.”
The 47th annual Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), the MCM 50K, and the MCM 10K will take place on Sunday, October 30, 2022. The 50k will begin at 7:15 a.m., followed by the wheelchair/hand cycle division at 7:50 a.m., and the Marathon at 7:55 a.m., all on Route 110 in Arlington County, Virginia. The Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police, United States Park Police, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency will close numerous roadways in Arlington in support of these events. Additionally, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and United States Park Police will close roadways in Washington, D.C., in support of race operations.
Road Closures
The following road closures will take place in Arlington County on race day:
Vehicle window shot out last week (photo courtesy anonymous)
Someone shot out or smashed the windows on two dozen vehicles parked in Arlington during one night last week.
The vandalism spree happened overnight between the evening of Thursday, Oct. 20 and the morning of Friday, Oct. 21.
“An unknown suspect(s) smashed the windows of approximately 24 victim vehicles with an unknown object,” ACPD spokesperson Alli Shorb told ARLnow. “The victim vehicles varied in make and model. There is no suspect description(s) at this time. The investigation is ongoing.”
The locations of damaged vehicles included neighborhoods in and around Crystal City, Rosslyn, Courthouse, Ballston, Waverly Hills and Dominion Hills.
Location of damaged vehicles (courtesy ACPD)
One of the victims, whose vehicle was parked in the North Highland neighborhood near Rosslyn when it was damaged, believes that the vandal or vandals were using BB guns or something similar.
“I believe it was a BB gun or air rifle. I can’t find a round or BB in my car to be sure, however,” he told ARLnow. “My car and another from my block in North Highland are pictured.”
Update on 10/26/22 — Another vehicle vandalism spree has been reported, potentially involving the same suspect or suspects.
Update on 10/27/22 — Yet another vehicle vandalism spree by a BB gun-armed suspect (or suspects) has been reported.
Update on 10/28/22 — A suspect has been arrested, Arlington County police announced.
Vehicle window shot out last week (photo courtesy anonymous)
Development in Courthouse at night (Flickr pool photo by Cyrus Wilson)
Scare After DJO Game — “Officers with the Arlington County Police Department were sent to a local high school Saturday afternoon after several teens alerted police to seeing a man with a gun on the football field… Police say this incident occurred after a varsity football game at the school had ended and most of the people at the game had left. No contact was made between the witnesses and the man allegedly with a gun.” [WUSA 9]
Beavers Stripped from Park Name — “The beavers are gone from Beaver Pond Park. And now their name is, too. Arlington County Board members voted unanimously Oct. 18 to rename the property ‘Ballston Wetland Park,’ in hopes of encouraging the public to visit the natural surroundings.” [Sun Gazette]
Issues with Arlington Traffic Cams — From Dave Statter: “A quick survey of the 49 @arlingtonva traffic cameras east & south of I-395 shows 20 of them, or 40%, don’t work. I’m sure it isn’t any better in the rest of the system. Maybe worse.” [Twitter, Twitter]
Fundraiser for Stranded Family — “The family, which planned the trip to celebrate the mother and youngest daughter’s birthdays, was visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa when someone robbed them. The person stole the family’s luggage, passports, and more than $21,000 in cash. ‘It’s been my sister’s dream to go to Italy, and we tried making her dream come true,’ Stephanie Trujillo of Arlington wrote on a GoFundMe page about her family’s vacation to Italy.” [Patch]
YHS Field Hockey Reigns — “In another convincing performance, the Yorktown Patriots repeated as the Liberty District tournament champion in girls high-school field hockey, as the top seed outscored its two opponents 8-1.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Monday — Overcast throughout the day. High of 64 and low of 55. Sunrise at 7:28 am and sunset at 6:19 pm. [Weather.gov]
Clear throughout the day. High of 67 and low of 49. Sunrise at 7:26 am and sunset at 6:22 pm. See more from Weather.gov.
👂 Audio summary
Get caught up on all of our reporting today with this brief audio summary.
👀 A look around town
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington. Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week — or anything else of local interest — in the comments.
