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.
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Small fire at Wilson Hardware in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 2 p.m.) Wilson Blvd is blocked at N. Fillmore Street due to a reported fire in a commercial building in Clarendon.
Initial reports suggest a small fire broke out on or just below the roof of one of the businesses — reportedly nightlife venue Wilson Hardware — along the 2900 block of Wilson Blvd. Firefighters are on the scene, with ladders stretched to the roof of the building, and have reportedly extinguished the flames.
No injuries or significant damage has been reported, though some smoke has been reported in the business. Firefighters are working to make sure the fire hasn’t spread elsewhere.
Most fire department units are now clearing the scene and Wilson Blvd should be reopening shortly.
Happy Friday Arlington! We have a hot weekend ahead and a new list of open houses across Arlington to stay cool in.
According to Homesnap, there are 599 homes for sale. Of those for sale, 342 are condos, 208 are detached homes and 49 are townhomes. The median sales price is $730,000 and the median list price is $715,000.
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, hot tub, fenced rear yard Listed: $3,295,000 Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m. (Richard Dale – Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc)
3120 N. Thomas Street
4 BR/3 BA Single-family home Noteworthy: Hardwood floors, new water heater, enclosed garage Listed: $1,350,000 Open: Friday, 4-6 p.m. (Eric Tone – TTR Sotheby’s International Realty)
1141 S. Monroe Street
4 BR/4.5 BA Townhouse Noteworthy: Walkout lower level, rooftop deck, rear patio Listed: $1,019,000 Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Pennye Green – Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc)
324 S. Abingdon Street
4 BR/2.5 BA Townhouse Noteworthy: New roof, tiered back deck, wood burning fireplace Listed: $949,000 Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Susan Tull O’Reilly – McEnearney Associates)
808 S. Quincy Street
4 BR/2.5 BA Single-family home Noteworthy: Brick home, three finished levels, attached garage Listed: $859,900 Open: Saturday, 12-2 p.m. (Carlton Hill – Keller Williams Capital Properties)
851 N. Glebe Road #1520
2 BR/2 BA Condo Noteworthy: Split floor plan, hardwood floors, garage parking space Listed: $730,000 Open: Saturday, 12-2 p.m. (Cynthia LoPresti – Century 21 Redwood Realty)
Sunny and wet Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Interest Rates Could Slow Development — “Arlington County leaders are preparing for a difficult economic environment for multifamily development, even as they say they’re optimistic about the region’s future… [I]f the Federal Reserve pushes the federal funds rate to 3.5% by year-end as it has targeted, that could have serious repercussions, said Shooshan Co. Chairman John Shooshan, speaking at Bisnow’s Future of Arlington County event on Thursday.” [Bisnow]
Talent Driving Local Tech Strength — “Northern Virginia has become a magnet for the industry, with the Dulles Technology Corridor continuing its growth along the Silver Line and Amazon HQ2 going up in Arlington… Taylor said the upcoming Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria and George Mason’s Fuse at Mason Square in Arlington are two projects that will be pivotal to ‘churning out more talent.'” [Axios]
Funding for DCA Runway Reconstruction — “Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $5,958,173 in federal funding for two Virginia airports… [including] $1,750,000 for Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport in Arlington, VA for the reconstruction of a runway.” [Press Release]
Business Is Booming at Airport — “Concession sales are booming at Reagan National and Dulles International airports as travel continues to rebound from the early days of the Covid pandemic. Since the start of 2022, concessions sales have grown 241% at National and 143% at Dulles.” [Washington Business Journal]
‘CraigPokesU’ Manager Profiled — “Blake Williams has 14 dragon tattoos and 12 piercings. Some of his body art you can see — like the ‘third eye’ on his forehead, the ring in his nose and the letters that spell out ‘kindness’ on his knuckles — while others fall into the ‘that’s private’ category, he says. Williams, 47, is the head piercer and shop manager at CraigPokesU on Langston Boulevard, just up the street from Cowboy Cafe.” [Arlington Magazine]
Arlingtonian Helped to Shape Region — “Chuck Bean has spent 10 years leading the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments… Bean, who lives in Arlington, is unknown to many D.C.-area residents, but as liaison between COG’s 125 staffers and public officials representing 24 counties and cities, he has played a lead role in coordinating regional planning to improve transportation, combat climate change and encourage more housing construction.” [Washington Post]
Street Project Funded in F.C. –“he Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) approved a $22.5 million project funding request from the City on Thursday for transportation improvements on North Washington Street. The North Washington Street Multimodal Improvements Project includes sidewalk widening, improved intersection geometry, signal improvements, crosswalks, utility undergrounding, lighting, and landscaping, between Great Falls Street and Gresham Place.” [City of Falls Church]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day and hot. High of 92 and low of 75. Sunrise at 6:02 am and sunset at 8:30 pm. [Weather.gov]
Covid cases in Arlington as of 7/21/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)
The news this morning brought a good reminder that Covid is very much still circulating.
President Biden has tested positive for the virus and is receiving antiviral treatment and has “very mild” symptoms, the White House said. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) was among those wishing the president well.
Best wishes to @POTUS for a swift and full recovery. I appreciate that he is setting a good example by following the science and the public health advice to avoid putting others at risk. Covid is still here, and modeling responsible behavior is a key function of leadership.
In Arlington, meanwhile, the average number of daily Covid infections has remained remarkably steady over the past month, in contrast to the ups and downs of the past 2+ years.
As of today the county is seeing a seven-day moving average of 124 cases per day. Weekly Covid-related hospital admissions are up slightly from earlier this month, from 5.9 to 6.3 weekly admissions per 100,000 residents, according to CDC data.
Arlington’s test positivity rate is still above 20% — it’s 20.7% as of this morning — amid continued low rates of PCR-based testing, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.
Covid test positivity rate in Arlington as of 7/21/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)
Covid might not be going away any time soon, but Arlington County’s Local Emergency Declaration, made in response to the pandemic, is.
The declaration is being sunsetted as of Aug. 15, County Manager Mark Schwartz announced at Tuesday’s County Board meeting. That will mean a return to more in-person county commission meetings and a need for County Board action to allow expanded outdoor restaurant seating areas past February 2023.
Schwartz declared a local emergency on March 13, 2020. It was approved by the Board the next day.
County Manager Mark Schwartz announced the end of the Local Emergency Declaration on Aug. 15, 2022. The declaration was established to assist in the response and recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration allowed the County to shift to virtual operations, including online permitting, appointments, remote inspections, County Board and Commission meetings, as well as public comment.
A few highlights as the County moves beyond the local emergency declaration:
Virtual and Hybrid Commission and Advisory Board Meetings
A new Virginia Electronics Meeting Policy goes into effect September 1, 2022, that will offer additional flexibility for hosting virtual and hybrid meetings. This new policy offers most of our Commission and Advisory Boards the option to conduct an all-virtual meeting two times (or 25 percent of all meetings) annually and allows for remote participation for the public and individual Commission Members on exception.
Temporary Outdoor Seating Areas (TOSAs) for Outdoor Dining
During the pandemic, the County stood up TOSAs as an emergency response to indoor dining restrictions and to provide an expedited process for new or expanded outdoor seating at restaurants. Many people have enjoyed outdoor dining with family, friends, and colleagues and these provisions have been critical to restaurant owners for business operations during this time.
Even with the ending of the state of emergency, the TOSA permissions continue under the Continuity of Government Ordinance for another six months through February 2023. Over the next six months, the County will be working to create longer-term solutions that apply the lessons learned from TOSAs to permanent zoning regulations for outdoor seating. The County Manager will provide an update to the County Board in November.
Lt. Gen. Frederick McCorkle (Image via Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame/YouTube)
A retired Marine Corps lieutenant general is facing a misdemeanor charge in Arlington after police say he drew a gun on someone having a dispute with his wife.
Lt. Gen. Frederick McCorkle (ret.), currently a resident of Tennessee, retired from the Marine Corps in October 2001 after serving as the Deputy Commandant for Aviation.
The alleged incident happened just before 9 p.m. last night (Wednesday). McCorkle was on the 900 block of S. Orme Street, near the Sheraton Pentagon City hotel and the entrance to Marine Corps headquarters at Henderson Hall, when police say there was a dispute between his wife and another woman.
According to Arlington County police, the 77-year-old McCorkle “became involved” in the dispute and “allegedly brandished a firearm.” He was stopped by officers and charged with brandishing, a misdemeanor in Virginia.
BRANDISHING, 2022-07200223, 900 block of S. Orme Street. At approximately 8:50 p.m. on July 20, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim and a female subject became involved in a verbal dispute during which the subject’s husband became involved and allegedly brandished a firearm. The female subject and male suspect left the area prior to police arrival. Responding officers met with the victim and located the suspect. Frederick McCorkle, 77, of Gray, TN was charged with Brandishing.
So far, there are no court records connected to the case.
The hotel, in Arlington’s Foxcroft Heights neighborhood, often hosts military-related events.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Departures from Reagan National Airport are delayed as a result of a ground stop caused by an unauthorized drone in the area.
The ground stop went into effect around 1 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration website, though as of 1:45 p.m. it appears to have been lifted.
Departure delays were averaging 30 minutes as of 1:45 p.m. per the FAA.
Information about the DCA ground stop from the FAA
The ground stop and delays follow reports of someone flying a drone in the area. Drone flights are generally prohibited in the airspace surrounding D.C. and in a manner that interferes with airport operations.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s helicopter was seen circling over part of Alexandria, south of the airport, apparently in search of the drone and its operator.
In addition to the departure delays, there have also been reports of arriving flights being diverted to Dulles International Airport.
Two flights now have diverted to IAD. Good chance there’s a few more.
As DCA seemingly is returning to normal operations…one thing to note…UAS/drone operators like this bonehead ruin recreational flying for everyone. The more this kind of crap happens, the more restrictive rules will get – even for the law abiding operators out there.
Police on scene of a shots fired report, which turned out to be fireworks, at Washington-Liberty High School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Two juvenile suspects are being charged with fire code violations after police say they set off fireworks at Washington-Liberty High School, prompting an active shooter panic.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday, Arlington’s emergency communications center received multiple 911 calls about shots being fired in the school. W-L was locked down and police responded en masse, conducting an extensive search of the school which only yielded evidence of fireworks.
Arlington police say two people under the age of 18 are now facing misdemeanor charges, including one found to be in possession of fireworks on school grounds.
“This remains an active criminal investigation,” the police department added.
More from an ACPD press release, below.
The Arlington County Police and Fire Departments are conducting a joint investigation after fireworks were located during an incident at Washington-Liberty High School.
At approximately 7:50 a.m. on July 19, police were dispatched to the report of a possible person with a gun at Washington-Liberty High School located at 1301 N. Stafford Street. Initial information reported to the Emergency Communications Center indicated possible shots were heard coming from a bathroom within the school. Responding officers entered the school, began a search of the building and located evidence of discharged fireworks. In the interest of public safety, the school was placed on lockdown as officers completed a thorough search of the building. The search concluded with no evidence of a shooting located and no injuries reported.
During the course of the investigation, officers developed a possible suspect description based on evidence located at the scene and witness interviews. The suspect was located and detained. A second individual was determined to be in possession of fireworks on school grounds. Petitions for both juveniles for misdemeanor violations of the Statewide Fire Prevention Code are pending.
This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Hot weather amid a heat wave in July 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) It will be hot and humid today — so bad that the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Arlington, D.C. and other parts of the area.
The advisory will go into effect later this morning.
Forecasters advise staying inside unless you have to go out, and drinking lots of fluids if you must spend time outside.
From NWS:
…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM EDT THURSDAY…
* WHAT…Heat index values around 102 to 106, with highest values across east-central Virginia.
* WHERE…In District of Columbia, District of Columbia. In Virginia, Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Fairfax, Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties, and Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria.
* WHEN…From 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
As a result of the heat, Arlington Transit is allowing water bottles on board its buses.
“Due to expected extreme high temperatures the next few days, riders are permitted to drink water while riding ART buses,” the transit agency said this morning. “Please use bottles or containers that can be tightly sealed (no open cups), and dispose of any waste in trash or recycling receptacles.”
Storms, some of which may pack damaging winds, are also in the forecast today and expected to reach the area later this afternoon. Most storms are expected to stay south of Arlington, however.
A runner passes a construction site in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Capital Plan, Bond Referenda Approved — “The Arlington County Board has unanimously approved a $3.9 billion ten-year Capital Improvement Plan that focuses on stormwater management and flood response, climate and environmental programs, parks, transportation, and community infrastructure over the next decade… [as well as] bond referenda totaling $510.5 million to be put before Arlington voters on the November ballot.” [Arlington County]
GOP Group Wants Fewer Vote Drops — “A Republican group seeking to have Arlington election officials reduce the number of 24-hour voting dropboxes in the county got something of a cold shoulder at the July 14 Electoral Board meeting… Representatives of a national Republican voter-integrity effort asked that the number of dropboxes be reduced from nine to as few as three, citing both cost and ballot-integrity issues.” [Sun Gazette]
Primary Voting Stats — “About 57 percent of the just over 25,000 voters who cast ballots in the primary did so on Election Day at polling precincts, according to data reported to Arlington Electoral Board members on July 14. About 30 percent cast ballots by mail, and the remaining 13 percent cast ballots in advance at one of three early-voting sites.” [Sun Gazette]
Car Show This Weekend — The Green Valley antique and classic car show is happening this Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at Drew Elementary School. The 8th annual event will also feature a parade. [Twitter]
Family Bike Ride Planned — From Kidical Mass ARL: “Tour de Spraygrounds! This Saturday 7/23 meet at 11am at Mosaic Park in @Ballston (come early to play in the water!) We’ll bike on neighborhood streets down to the sprayground at @PenroseSquare. All are welcome. Tell your friends.” [Twitter]
Car Crash PSA — From Dave Statter: “Video of the crash with 1 hurt this afternoon on I-395N at Boundary Channel provides a good reminder. Before getting out of your vehicle after a collision make sure it’s safe to do so & your vehicle is secure & won’t continue to roll.” [Twitter]
Arlington-Born Gym Expanding — “A boutique gym is bringing its boxing-inspired workouts to Fairfax County. Introduced to Rosslyn in 2018, BASH Boxing will soon extend its reach beyond Arlington County for the first time with a new studio at the Mosaic District in Merrifield.” [FFXnow]
It’s Thursday — Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 92 and low of 78. Sunrise at 6:02 am and sunset at 8:31 pm. [Weather.gov]
An older man may have tried to abduct a boy who was riding his bike in the Ballston area yesterday (Tuesday) evening.
Police say the incident happened just before 7 p.m. on the 4100 block of 4th Street N., in the Buckingham neighborhood.
A man in his 50s or 60s struck up a conversation with a boy then tried to grab him, according to Arlington County police. The boy then confronted the suspect, who drove off.
From today’s ACPD crime report:
ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, 2022-07190178, 4100 block of 4th Street N. At approximately 6:50 p.m. on July 19, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted abduction. Upon arrival, it was determined the juvenile male victim was riding his bicycle in the area when the unknown suspect attempted to make contact with him from inside a parked vehicle. The victim initially approached the vehicle believing he knew the suspect, at which time the suspect attempted to reach out towards the victim’s arm. The victim confronted the suspect and he fled the scene in the vehicle. The suspect is described as a white male, 50-60 years old with short white hair wearing a short-sleeve collared shirt and dark sunglasses. There is no description of the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.
Also according to the crime report, a man was robbed of a laptop by a suspect armed with a gun during a “pre-arranged sale.” It happened yesterday afternoon along S. Glebe Road, in the Green Valley neighborhood.
The robbery suspect, like the abduction suspect, is still on the loose.
ROBBERY, 2022-07190142, 1900 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 4:21 p.m. on July 19, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim and suspect met for the prearranged sale of electronics. During the attempted sale, the suspect brandished a firearm, threatened the victim and fled the scene on foot with the stolen laptop. A lookout was broadcast for the suspect and officers canvassed the area which yielded negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, 20-27 years old, approximately 5’8, approximately 170 lbs, wearing a black hoodie and black jeans. The investigation is ongoing.
Peruvian Brothers co-owner Giuseppe Lanzone with alpacas (Photo courtesy of Peruvian Brothers)
Customers enjoy outdoor dining at Good Company Doughnuts & Café (courtesy photo)
Doughnuts for sale at Good Company
A donut shop, a child care center, a facial spa and Peruvian restaurant are coming to HQ2.
Amazon announced the latest small business additions to its forthcoming Pentagon City campus, which are expected to open next year with the completion of the first phase of HQ2 construction. (The second phase was approved earlier this year.)
The new additions include a pair of familiar and well-loved Arlington eateries: Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe in Ballston and Peruvian Brothers, which formerly had a location in Crystal City.
The other two, Celebree School and Glo30, are, respectively, an early childhood education center with a location in Tysons and a membership-based facial spa with locations in D.C. and Bethesda.
Celebree School of National Landing, Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe, Glo30, and Peruvian Brothers are the latest businesses signed on to open in Amazon’s second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
As development continues at Amazon’s second headquarters (HQ2) in Arlington, Virginia, we are looking for retail partners that will enrich this growing community of both our neighbors and employees.
Over the past eight months, we’ve announced several local small businesses that will open their doors next year at Metropolitan Park, the first phase of HQ2, including Conte’s Bike Shop, District Dogs, HUSTLE, RAKO Coffee, Social Burger, and South Block. As we continue to bring more small businesses to the area, we hope that HQ2 can be a destination for all the important areas of life, whether that be work, play, family time, or any of the moments in between.
We’re excited to announce the latest additions coming to Met Park in 2023.
The co-owner of Peruvian Brothers tells ARLnow that the new location at HQ2 will pick up where the former stand at the under-renovation Crystal City Water Park left off.
“We are sticking with our food truck vibe with a fast casual concept but will now include indoor and outdoor seating to eat on site,” said co-owner Giuseppe Lanzone. “Order your food, pick it up at the counter and take a seat with your family to eat our delicious food and enjoy live music surrounded by Peruvian art.”
“We will also debut a full bar dedicated to our Pisco Sour Slushies as well as some new Peruvian cocktails that we would drink back home in La Punta, Peru,” Lanzone added. “We look forward to welcoming back friendly faces from the neighborhood to our new location in National Landing.”
