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.

Most-read Arlington stories of the week: Oct. 3-7

By ARLnow.com
Arlington painted in the style of Vincent van Gogh, generated by AI (via DALL-E 2)

After a two-day glimpse of gorgeous weather that followed a longer stretch of terrible weather, a sunny-if-cool fall weekend is upon us.

As you firm up your weekend plans, be sure to check out our event calendar or, for those who prefer the executive summary, the week’s event highlights.

Now, here are the most-read local articles of the past week:

  1. Shots fired as Arlington officers chase suspect into Fairfax County
  2. Cars keep crashing and flipping in the “usual spot” on the GW Parkway in Arlington
  3. Incident at Ballston Gold’s Gym leads to assault charge against D.C. deputy mayor
  4. New Laotian restaurant opens in Cherrydale, replacing a Japanese eatery
  5. Just Reduced Properties in Arlington
  6. More catalytic converters stolen in Arlington amid ongoing rash of thefts
  7. Hate crime charge dropped in Crystal City “dine and dash” assault case
  8. Police investigating two ‘mob’ attacks along Langston Blvd
  9. Capriotti’s in Rosslyn seems to have made its last sandwich
  10. Proposed bicycle-pedestrian bridge over Potomac receives $20 million in federal funding
  11. County seeks feedback on updated concept for Crystal City-DCA bridge
  12. Police searching for man with gun who said he needed help but then drove off

Feel free to discuss those stories or anything else of local interest (like whether the AI-generated art above actually shows any recognizable portion of Arlington) in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Army Ten-Miler to prompt road closures near Rosslyn and Pentagon City this weekend

By ARLnow.com
Runners in the 2014 Army Ten-Miler Race in Arlington (Photo via Flickr Pool/Rob Cannon)

The annual Army Ten-Miler race will prompt numerous road closures in Arlington this weekend.

Runners will zip through parts of Rosslyn, D.C. and Pentagon City, starting and finishing the race near the Pentagon.

“The 38th annual Army Ten-Miler race will occur on Sunday, October 9,” Arlington County police noted last week in a press release. “The race begins at 7:50 a.m. on Route 110, crosses the Key Bridge into the District of Columbia, returns to Virginia via the 14th Street Bridge in the northbound I-395 HOV, and ends in the Pentagon reservation.”

“The Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police, United States Park Police, Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency will conduct road closures to accommodate the race,” ACPD said.

Planned road closures include parts of Army Navy Drive, S. Eads Street, Route 110, northbound I-395, and N. Lynn Street and Long Bridge Drive.

Metro plans to operate on a normal Sunday schedule while opening the Pentagon station after the start of the race, directing participants to use the Pentagon City station instead.

The planned Arlington road closures, from the ACPD press release, are below.

(more…)

Open houses in Arlington this weekend

By ARLnow.com

We have a sunny and very fall weekend ahead, with plenty of open houses to visit!

There are currently 537 homes for sale. Of those for sale, 322 are condos, 175 are detached homes and 40 are townhomes. There have been 191 sales and 172 new listings in the last 4 weeks according to Homesnap.

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

  • 3166 18th Street N.
    5 BR/4.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Wood floors, floored attic, fenced rear yard
    Listed: $2,999,900
    Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Richard Dale – Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc)
  • 916 N. Cleveland Street
    6 BR/5.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Gas fireplace, deck, fully fenced yard
    Listed: $1,999,500
    Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Kenneth Silvester – RE/MAX Gateway, LLC)
  • 1700 Clarendon Boulevard #131
    2 BR/2.5 BA Condo
    Noteworthy: Two levels, front and rear patio, hardwood flooring
    Listed: $1,299,900
    Open: Saturday, 2-4 p.m. (Jennifer Young – Keller Williams Chantilly Ventures, LLC)
  • 2318 N. Upton Street
    4 BR/2.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Finished walkout, fireplace, refinished hardwood floors
    Listed: $998,000
    Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (David Lloyd – Weichert Realtors)
  • 1005 N. Daniel Street #A
    3 BR/3.5 BA Townhouse
    Noteworthy: End unit, rear patio, wood burning fireplace
    Listed: $849,999
    Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m. (Sheena Saydam – Keller Williams Capital Properties)
  • 504 S. George Mason Drive
    4 BR/2.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Brick fireplace, detached garage, sunroom
    Listed: $775,000
    Open: Saturday, 3:30-5:30 p.m. (Kristy Moore – Local Expert Realty)

See all Arlington open house listings here.

Want your open house to appear here? You can now submit sponsored listings.

504 S. George Mason Drive

* Denotes sponsored listing

504 S. George Mason Drive image via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
AI-generated image of a gondola over the Potomac near Rosslyn (via DALL-E 2)

Missing Man’s Car Found — “Mr. Surur’s vehicle was located in the Shenandoah Valley on August 16, 2022. The missing persons investigation remains open and this time, there has been no evidence to indicate foul play. We continue to ask anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact Detective R. Ortiz at 703-228-7402 or [email protected].” [ACPD]

Local Woman Found Dead in Utah Park — “A body discovered Saturday in Arches National Park in Utah has been identified as Ekaterina Yaroslavna Ksenjek, 33, of Arlington, Va. A release from the National Park Service on Wednesday said Ksenjek’s body was found in the Devils Garden area of the park.” [WJLA, Gephardt Daily]

Teen on Bike Struck by Car — “Bicyclist struck by driver/vehicle on Clarendon Blvd at N. Adams Street in Courthouse. Initial report is that… the victim was a teen girl. She has relatively minor injuries and is being transported to a local hospital, per scanner.” [Twitter]

D.C. Deputy Mayor’s F.C. Home — “D.C.’s Deputy Mayor Chris Geldart allegedly has an apartment in Southeast, but he is living in his Falls Church, Virginia home. FOX 5’s Sierra Fox saw him there Wednesday night with his family as she tried to give him the opportunity to speak on the assault and battery charge he is facing.” [Fox 5]

Bar Ivy Now Serving Brunch — “Bar Ivy is thrilled to debut its first-ever brunch service, beginning Sunday, October 2. The new brunch service will run all day on Sundays from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays from 11am to 3pm, featuring creative West Coast-inspired, hyper-seasonal dishes and drinks enjoyed on its expansive garden plaza and airy plant-filled interior.” [Press Release]

Yume Sushi Expanding to D.C. — “YUME Hospitality Group, the team behind Arlington’s acclaimed YUME Sushi, will expand its footprint into D.C. with KYOJIN by YUME, an innovative sushi concept coming to Georgetown’s iconic Cady’s Alley at 3315 Cady’s Alley NW Suite B in early 2023. KYOJIN will feature a broader menu of executive chef and co-owner Chef Saran ‘Peter’ Kannasute’s boundary-pushing sushi and omakase.” [PoPville]

Arlington Still a Va. Tourism Force — “Though still down from pre-pandemic levels and having fallen behind Loudoun County to the No. 2 position statewide, tourism spending in Arlington rebounded in 2021 and continues to help fill county-government coffers, according to new state data. Arlington garnered $2.835 billion in tourism revenue in 2021, according to figures reported Oct. 4 by the Virginia Tourism Corp., representing 11.2 percent of all statewide domestic-tourism spending for the year.” [Sun Gazette]

The Freeway That Never Was — “Here’s an interesting proposal for the Southside Freeway in Arlington, which never came to be. This graphic is from The Washington Post printed on October 7th, 1960.” [Ghosts of DC, Twitter]

About That Image — Today’s Morning Notes post features the first AI-generated image used by ARLnow. It was generated using DALL-E 2. While there is no gondola connecting Rosslyn and Georgetown (yet), DALL-E 2 was able to imagine what one might look like.

It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 73 and low of 55. Sunrise at 7:11 am and sunset at 6:43 pm. [Weather.gov]

BREAKING: Shots fired as Arlington officers chase suspect into Fairfax County

By ARLnow.com
1/9

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) A suspect fired gunshots at police in Arlington, sparking a high-speed chase down Route 50 that ended in the West Falls Church area of Fairfax County.

The incident started around 7:45 p.m. when Arlington County police were notified that a suspect that had fled from Prince George’s County police was entering the county, per scanner traffic.

The suspect was said to be driving a Honda Civic, similar to that involved in a gun brandishing incident with sheriff’s deputies in Courthouse this morning. During that incident, a man stopped in a crosswalk near police headquarters and flagged down deputies, before fleeing when the deputies saw a gun in his lap.

Around 8:10 p.m. an officer radioed that shots were being fired at police, reportedly on the 600 or 700 block of S. Wakefield Street in the Barcroft neighborhood, north of Columbia Pike. The suspect then drove down 4th Street S. and up George Mason Drive near the National Guard Bureau before getting on Route 50 and fleeing towards Fairfax County at high speeds, with a large contingent of Arlington police and Virginia State Police in pursuit, according to scanner traffic.

The suspect reportedly drove the wrong way down Route 50 while trying to avoid traffic and caused a crash at Route 50 and Annandale Road in Fairfax County, before getting out of the car and beginning a foot chase, during which more shots were fired at police, near a Shell gas station at the intersection of Route 50 and Graham Road, according to scanner traffic.

The suspect is now in custody and a gun with an extended magazine was found by officers, Fairfax County police confirmed. There are no reports of officers injured.

“Tonight, an individual who recklessly discharged a firearm at police officers on more than one occasion and in the vicinity of community members is in custody due to the courageous and professional efforts of members of the Arlington County Police Department, the Fairfax County Police Department, and the Virginia State Police,” Arlington police chief Andy Penn said at a press conference in Fairfax County, near where the chase ended.

Penn confirmed that police believe tonight’s suspect was the same that deputies encountered this morning. Arlington police obtained warrants for the suspect — on charges of eluding, brandishing and hit and run — after the morning incident, Penn said.

(more…)

Police respond to rumble in Rocky Run Park, shots fired in Arlington Mill

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A fight among teen girls in Rocky Run Park, near Courthouse, prompted a police response yesterday (Wednesday) evening.

Arlington County police say three girls attacked another after a verbal dispute became physical. The suspects were later stopped by police and are expected to face charges.

From an ACPD crime report:

ASSAULT BY MOB, 2022-10050169, 1100 block of N. Barton Street. At approximately 5:30 p.m. on October 5, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that juveniles had met in a park when a verbal dispute ensued between the parties. The dispute escalated into a physical altercation resulting in the female victim allegedly being assaulted by the three juvenile female suspects. The suspects then fled the scene on foot and were located by responding officers in the 2300 block of 11th Street N. Petitions for the juveniles are pending.

Early this morning, meanwhile, gunshots rang out in the Arlington Mill neighborhood, north of Arlington’s western end of Columbia Pike.

No one was hurt but the gunfire damaged at least one home.

From ACPD:

SHOTS FIRED, 2022-10060030, 800 block of S. Harrison Street. At approximately 4:21 a.m. on October 6, police were dispatched to the report of shots heard. During the course of the investigation, officers recovered evidence confirming shots had been fired in the area and located property damage to a residence. Officers canvassed the area with negative results. Witnesses reported seeing a blue SUV fleeing the area after the shooting. No injuries were reported. The is no suspect(s) description at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

NEW: Police searching for man with gun who said he needed help but then drove off

By ARLnow.com
Police activity outside of the Arlington County courthouse and police headquarters in Courthouse (file photo)

Police are searching for an armed man who told law enforcement he needed help but then drove off.

The incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. in front of the Arlington County courthouse, near police headquarters, in the Courthouse neighborhood.

“A subject in a vehicle stopped in the crosswalk in the 1400 block of N. Courthouse Road and flagged down sheriff’s deputies for assistance,” Arlington police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “When they approached, they observed the subject to be in possession of a firearm.”

“The subject then drove away from the area and the deputies entered their vehicle and followed to investigate,” Savage continued. “The driver stopped at N. Veitch Street and 14th Street N. and the deputies again attempted to make contact with the subject who had stated he was in need of help.”

At that point, the man suddenly took off in the direction of Route 50.

“The subject then drove off, struck a parked vehicle in the 1200 block of N. Courthouse Road and fled the area,” Savage said. “Police remain on scene investigating the incident.”

The suspect’s vehicle was described as a silver Honda Civic, according to police radio traffic.

Update at 12:25 a.m. — The suspect in this incident has been arrested after he allegedly fired shots at Arlington County police and led them on a chase into Fairfax County.

Construction kicks off on I-66 Rosslyn tunnel project

By ARLnow.com
I-66 Rosslyn tunnel (photo courtesy VDOT)

VDOT has kicked off work on its I-66 Rosslyn Tunnel Rehabilitation project.

The nearly $38 million project is expected to stretch well into 2025, retrofitting the tunnel under Rosslyn’s Gateway Park that was built some 40 years ago.

The construction will prompt some lane closures on I-66, but mostly during overnight hours.

More from a VDOT press release:

Construction is underway on the rehabilitation and improvements to the Rosslyn Tunnel that carries I-66 under North Nash Street, Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street and Gateway Park, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project’s purpose is to improve safety and extend the overall life of the tunnel.

The project includes removing the existing tunnel ceiling to improve long-term maintenance; upgrading electrical systems; installing a new fireproofing system; repairing steel beams, abutment and pier concrete, and joints; cleaning and repairing bearings; and replacing the tunnel lighting system.

Lane closures on I-66 associated with the project will mainly occur overnights, with at least one lane of I-66 in each direction open at all times.

The tunnel, which opened to traffic in 1983, is nearly a fifth of a mile long and averages 64,000 vehicles a day.

The $37.7 million project is financed with state funding and is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.

For the most recent updates and to learn more, visit the VDOT project webpage.

Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.

You can get real-time traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Birds on power lines along Langston Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Not Guilty Verdict in Murder Case — “An Arlington County jury Tuesday deliberated for only one hour before finding a 60-year-old man not guilty of hiring a violent felon to murder his fiancee, Andrea Cincotta, in her apartment in 1998. Three jurors said afterward that they questioned why Arlington prosecutors brought the case against James Christopher Johnson.” [Washington Post]

More on Local Man’s Murder — “Kent Carter, a prominent racial-justice leader in Northern Virginia, was one of three people killed over the weekend in the Turks and Caicos Islands amid a string of violent attacks that have shaken this British territory in the Caribbean… Carter’s girlfriend survived with minor injuries, according to Cantrell. Officials said they believe one of the attackers was later killed by police. Botting said Monday that the ambush was ‘carried out by armed gang members who act without conscience.'” [Washington Post]

Two Arlington Eateries in Dining Guide — Ruthie’s All-Day in Arlington Heights and Mattie & Eddie’s in Pentagon City are included in Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema’s 2022 Fall Dining Guide. Both received plaudits for having both mass appeal and carefully-crafted cuisine. [Washington Post]

Airbnb Tax Change Coming — “Airbnb proudly supported House Bill 518 which requires all short-term rental platforms to collect and remit tourist taxes on behalf of Hosts starting October 1, 2022. In 2021, Airbnb collected and remitted more than $15 million in sales tax revenue to the Commonwealth.” [Airbnb]

It’s Our 3000th Anniversary — This is ARLnow’s 3000th Morning Notes post. The first was published in May 2010, four months after the site launched.

It’s Thursday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 72 and low of 51. Sunrise at 7:10 am and sunset at 6:45 pm. [Weather.gov]

Most expensive Arlington homes sold in September

By ARLnow.com
485 33rd Road N.

There are homes you can actually afford, and then there are homes that are just fun to look at.

Our list of the most expensive recently-sold homes in Arlington, below, is definitely the latter for all but the most well heeled.

In September there were 172 new listings and 538 homes for sale. September had a median sales price of $562,500 and a median list price of $699,900, according to Homesnap.

In the market? See properties that have been Just Listed and Just Reduced.

Image via Google Maps

Incident at Ballston Gold’s Gym leads to assault charge against D.C. deputy mayor

By ARLnow.com
The Gold’s Gym near Ballston (via Google Maps)

A D.C. deputy mayor is on leave after a reported assault in Arlington.

The incident happened Saturday around 12:30 p.m. but was not reported to police until Monday evening, an Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman said. It took place in the parking lot of the Gold’s Gym near Ballston, on the 3900 block of Wilson Blvd.

“The suspect and male victim became engaged in a verbal dispute after the door of the suspect’s parked vehicle struck the vehicle the victim was entering,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The dispute escalated, during which the suspect allegedly grabbed the victim by the throat.”

“During the course of the investigation, a suspect description was developed and on Tuesday, the victim responded to the Office of the Magistrate, completed a criminal complaint and a warrant for Assault and Battery was issued for Christopher Geldart, 53, of Falls Church,” Savage said. “He was notified by telephone of the warrant, turned himself in and was released on a summons.”

Geldart has served as the District of Columbia’s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice since being appointed in January 2021, according to his biography on the District’s website.

NBC 4 first reported on the incident and that Geldart is now on personal leave pending an investigation, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser. Fox 5 published surveillance video (below) apparently captured by the gym, which shows the parking lot confrontation.

The victim of the alleged assault suggested that this is not the first time Geldart was involved in an incident at a Gold’s location.

“Something should be done. It’s not okay,” Dustin Woodward, who’s identified as a trainer at the gym, told Fox 5. “We’ve been dealing with him a while at Gold’s. Multiple locations actually that’s how we even figured out who he was.”

Photo via Google Maps

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