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.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 4, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 4, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

🌦️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect partly sunny skies with a high around 48 and a northwest wind at 3 to 7 mph. Tuesday night will bring scattered rain showers after 10 pm, mixing with snow after 4 am, and a mostly cloudy sky with a low around 36. A calm wind will shift to the north around 6 mph after midnight, and there is a 40% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”
– Walt Whitman

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

BREAKING: Large house explosion in Bluemont amid police incident

By ARLnow.com
1/10

Update on 12/5/23: The suspect, now officially identified as James Yoo, is presumed dead following the explosion, police say.

(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) A large explosion, heard throughout Arlington, has rocked the Bluemont neighborhood after a police standoff.

A duplex, where a suspect was involved in an ongoing incident with police, exploded in a massive fireball as police, including a SWAT armored vehicle, moved in. It followed the suspect repeatedly firing a flare gun over nearby Fields Park.

Residents in the area were being instructed to shelter in place, while others were evacuated by police.

Arlington County police said the person inside the house fired shots as officers tried to enter the home, just before the explosion. A video, below, shows the explosion (the video contains strong language and disturbing imagery.)

“As officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the residence, the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home,” said ACPD. “Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion.”

“I think it blew up the entire duplex,” one neighbor told ARLnow in the immediate aftermath. “I’m sure the family next door was evacuated before it blew up but they lost their home.”

Firefighters were still working to extinguish small residual fires from the resulting blaze as of 11:30 p.m., three hours after the explosion. Investigators — including from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — are on scene.

Paramedics were initially told to expect “multiple burn patients” after the explosion, but police said around 9:30 p.m. that officers on scene only “reported minor injuries with no one transported to the hospital.”

Numerous residents described the shock of the huge blast to ARLnow.

One said the explosion “literally shook my bed” and described an “acrid stench” afterward.

Another said he was in the shower at the time.

“It shook my entire house and I didn’t know what it was at first,” said Dave Tran. “So I ran outside and I saw… the entire house was just leveled.”

Alex Wilson, the neighbor who took the video seen above — and shared worldwide on social media tonight — told ARLnow that the resident of the home was firing a rifle at police as they used the SWAT vehicle to try to get inside.

“When they rammed the front door he started firing an AR back at them,” he said. Wilson said he saw at least one officer injured following the explosion.

“He was able to walk but he was like holding his head,” said Wilson.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
“About 10 families gathered to rake leaves at Arlington Church of the Brethren, just as the leaf truck arrived on Saturday morning 12/2” (photo courtesy anonymous)

Pike Blocked By Water Main Break — From Takis Karantonis: “Since early this [Saturday] morning #ColumbiaPike is closed on both directions from S Scott to S Rolfe for an emergency repair. Cars detour / bus-service experiences delays @ArlingtonDES⁩ and ⁦@ArlingtonVaPD⁩ are out in full force (thank you!)” [Twitter, Twitter]

Pike Disables Bus — From Dave Statter: “A Metrobus is stuck in a depression or hole after making the turn from southbound George Mason onto westbound Columbia Pike. @ArlingtonVaPD officers have fashioned one lane to get around the bus.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Obit: Richard Barton — “Richard Alan Barton passed away peacefully on November 25, 2023, at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He was 85… In addition to his work on Capitol Hill, Richard enjoyed an active life in Arlington affairs, chairing numerous civic committees, serving on the Arlington School Board, and as Chair of the Arlington Democratic Committee.” [Legacy]

Local Man Spreading Joy — “As we motor through a daily sea of work, chores and other obligations, it’s the littlest things we leave in our wake that make the greatest contributions. That’s the philosophy of one of Arlington’s newer residents, Gary Shulman. He’s been making waves in the community ever since he arrived just 18 short months ago with his efforts to bring neighbors together, provide help and generally spread joy and compassion through something he calls ‘little legacies.'” [Arlington Magazine]

Maizal Open in Pentagon City — “It took almost three years, but Maizal is now open for business along S. Hayes Street at [the Pentagon City mall.]” [Twitter]

It’s Monday — Expect a partly sunny day with a high temperature of around 52 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. As evening approaches, the skies will be partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 36 degrees, with the northwest wind continuing at 7 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]

Thick fog may make driving hazardous overnight

By ARLnow.com
Fog seen on a traffic camera in Pentagon City

After a foggy morning, Saturday night and Sunday morning might be even foggier.

Dense fog has formed in Arlington and around the D.C. area, making driving increasingly hazardous as the fog gets thicker.

More, below, from the National Weather Service.

…LOCALLY DENSE FOG DEVELOPING EAST OF BLUE RIDGE…

Locally dense fog is now developing in many areas between the Blue Ridge and the Interstate 95 corridor, as a steady light to moderate rain begins to overspread the area. This is reducing visibility to one mile or less. As the fog expands and thickens tonight, expect Dense Fog Advisories to be issued. Dense fog is hazardous if driving at high speeds. Be prepared for rapidly changing visibility. Slow down, increase following distance, and use low beam headlights when encountering dense fog.

NEW: Police investigating gunshots heard in Green Valley neighborhood

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Update on 12/20/23 — Two arrests have been made, ACPD announced.

Earlier: Gunshots were fired near where a group of children were playing this afternoon in the Green Valley neighborhood.

Multiple 911 callers reported the sound of gunshots shortly before 3:30 p.m. Saturday. One caller heard seven shots, near the 2200 block of Shirlington Road. Others reported seeing a group of men arguing and then running away after the shots.

Arlington County police said around 4:15 p.m. that they’ve found no evidence of injuries or property damage as a result of the gunfire. Officers remain on scene investigating,

A group called Green Valley Matters was holding a children’s soccer game in a park near where the shots were fired. The group was founded to advocate for public safety and community improvement in the neighborhood.

ACPD issued the following press release about the incident on Sunday.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is investigating a shots fired incident which occurred in the Green Valley neighborhood on the afternoon of December 2, 2023.

At approximately 3:25 p.m., police were dispatched to S. Kenmore Street and 23rd Street S. for multiple reports of shots fired. Responding officers canvassed the area and located evidence confirming several shots had been fired. The preliminary investigation indicates approximately six male suspects were walking in the area when they approached a vehicle exiting the parking lot. The vehicle stopped briefly during which at least one suspect discharged a firearm at the vehicle before it fled the scene at a high rate of speed. The suspects ran from the area immediately following the incident and were not located.

The suspect who allegedly discharged the firearm is described as a Black male wearing a black puffy jacket and gray pants. The vehicle involved in the incident is described as a silver Nissan sedan.

No injuries related to the incident were reported and minor damage to a nearby building was located.

This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information or home surveillance that may assist with the investigation is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Green Valley has seen a number of shots fired calls over the past few years, including in June 2021, July 2021, August 2022, October 2022, January 2023 and June 2023.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 1, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 1, 2023.

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

  1. Long-time local restaurant owner Essy Saedi has died (26939 views)
  2. UPDATED: More than 3,000 were without power due to large Arlington outage (19097 views)
  3. Cartoon: “The one thing that unites most of north and south Arlington.” (15681 views)
  4. Arlington ranks as No. 6 destination for Millennials (12097 views)
  5. NOW: Police searching for suspect after man with gun robs two people (10421 views)
  6. Pickleball has come to the Arlington County jail (8900 views)
  7. Pamplona in Clarendon set to close next month (8329 views)
  8. NEW: Former Arlington Aquatic Club board president faces trial for child pornography charges (6898 views)
  9. Two announce Democratic bids for Libby Garvey’s Arlington County Board seat (6637 views)
  10. Smoke shop employee beaten during overnight robbery in Courthouse (6286 views)
  11. New Latin restaurant Surreal set to open Friday in Crystal City (5539 views)
  12. Portion of S. Glebe Road blocked due to crash with overturned vehicle (4834 views)
  13. Goodwill redevelopment plans receive largely positive feedback, mixed with some concerns (4397 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌧️ Saturday’s forecast

Rain may occur after 1pm with patchy fog clearing by 11am, followed by a cloudy day and a high around 60. Winds will be calm in the morning. On Saturday night, expect rain mainly after 1am, with patchy fog returning after 9pm and low temperatures near 53. Winds will shift to the east around 5 mph after midnight. There is a 30% chance of precipitation during the day, increasing to 60% at night with possible amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”
– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

🌅 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. 👋

Bar Ivy in Clarendon appears to have closed

By ARLnow.com
1/7

(Updated at 3 p.m.) There’s no official word on its website, but it looks like Bar Ivy in Clarendon may have closed permanently.

The “West Coast-inspired” restaurant at 3033 Wilson Blvd, noted for its expansive and verdant outdoor patio, opened in the summer of 2022. Earlier this fall it introduced a breakfast and coffee menu, in addition to existing lunch and dinner service.

Bar Ivy was the first Virginia venture of Blagden Hospitality Group, which is behind Tiger Fork, Hi-Lawn and Calico in D.C. A promised second Bar Ivy location in Bethesda was last reported in May to be opening in early 2024.

A PR rep for Bar Ivy did not respond to a request for confirmation, sent earlier this week, that the restaurant was closing. But the evidence is mounting.

“A friend was to have their holiday party at Bar Ivy, but were informed… the restaurant is permanently closed,” one tipster told ARLnow. Another tipster pointed out that Bar Ivy’s Facebook page says it is “permanently closed,” in an update made on Tuesday.

No one answered the phone at the restaurant today, during what should be business hours. And Bar Ivy’s online reservation page lists no available future dates.

A sign outside, however, says it is “closed this week for private events.”

Blagden Hospitality closed gastropub Fainting Goat, on U Street NW in the District, this past May, Washingtonian reported.

Podcast: Audrey Clement on her campaigns for County Board

By ARLnow.com
County Board candidate Audrey Clement in November 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

There’s persistence, and then there is Audrey Clement and her decade-plus effort to get elected to local office in Arlington.

Clement talked with ARLnow editor Scott Brodbeck to talk about her latest unsuccessful run for County Board, her allegations of media bias and age discrimination, Missing Middle zoning changes, proposed changes to Arlington County’s governance, and why she keeps running for public office.

Listen below or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rain in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

I-395 Ramp Closure — “Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1, weather permitting, the ramp from southbound I-395 to eastbound Boundary Channel Drive (Exit 9/Clark Street) and the eastbound Boundary Channel Drive ramp to southbound I-395 will close permanently as part of the Boundary Channel Drive at I-395 Interchange Improvements project.” [VDOT]

Tribute to Boundary Channel Ramp — From Dave Statter: “Less than 12 hours left and I’m getting nostalgic and a bit teary-eyed… Countless drivers have convinced themselves it’s perfectly fine to dash almost perpendicularly across four lanes to get from that ramp to the left-side ramp for Route 1. Some made it. Some didn’t.” [Twitter]

Metro Station Closure — “The Virginia Square-GMU station will be closed to customers Sunday, Dec. 3 between system opening and about 2 p.m. as Metro staff and emergency personnel conduct a full-scale safety exercise. Free shuttle buses will replace trains between Ballston and Clarendon during that time.” [WMATA]

New Security Procedures at VHC — “It is our top priority to ensure the safety and security of all individuals within our campus. As a result, we are making several security enhancements, including a new visitor check-in system, as well as changes to the entry points for our staff, physicians and badged contractors starting November 27, 2023.” [VHC Health]

Reminder: Holiday Festival — “The National Landing Business Improvement District is planning a ski-themed holiday festival — dubbed ‘The Lodge’ — at Metropolitan Park in Pentagon City, according to a press release. It’s happening the first weekend in December — Friday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Dec. 3 — at the park (1400 S. Eads Street) next to Amazon’s HQ2.” [ARLnow]

Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “The intersection of Army Navy Drive, S. Hayes Street & the I-395 ramp in Pentagon City is a frequent spot for collisions. This one is from just before 7 this morning.” [Twitter]

Second Leaf Pass Starts Today — “View our leaf vacuum interactive progress map. On the map, neighborhoods will be coded orange (first pass) and blue (second pass) when leaves have been collected.” [Arlington County]

It’s December — Expect rain, with a high near 51 and south winds of 5-13 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Precipitation has an 80% chance, with new amounts under a tenth of an inch. Friday night, rain is likely before 7pm, followed by cloudiness and a low of 46. [Weather.gov]

Listing of the Day: 3362 N. Dickerson Street

By ARLnow.com
1/11

Address: 3362 N. Dickerson Street
Neighborhood: Country Club Manor
Type: 3 BR, 4 BA single-family detached — 2,772 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,249,000

Noteworthy: Fully updated; all bathrooms remodeled; open family room with vaulted ceiling; 1-car garage

This nearly 2,800 sq. ft. 3-4 BR/4 BA expanded and fully updated colonial + 1-car garage in Country Club Manors combines old world charm with practical/open space on a quiet dead-end street. Walk to Jamestown ES/Williamsburg MS — both less than a mile.

Traditional formal living and dining rooms are enhanced on the main level by a huge light-filled family room with beamed vaulted ceiling and skylights plus eat-in/family room addition off of the open kitchen. Full bathroom on main level for guests’ use. Gourmet kitchen features new quartz counters and backsplash, including pull-up bar, all SS appliances and white cabinetry. The kitchen addition offers an eat-in area or bonus family room, leading to expansive wood deck, perfect for entertaining.

Upstairs you’ll find a generous-sized primary bedroom with en-suite fully remodeled bathroom (2020) plus a massive walk-in closet (formerly the 4th bedroom). Second and third bedrooms are both spacious and share an updated full hall bathroom. The lower level was fully remodeled in 2019, including large rec. room and full bathroom and laundry. New paint and refinished hardwoods, new family room carpet. Exterior brick has been freshly painted to current taste and shutters recently replaced. Plantation shutters throughout.

The flat fully fenced backyard is surrounded by nature, ideal for play and enjoying a BBQ with guests. Detached garage includes storage.

Jamestown ES/Williamsburg MS/Yorktown HS. Just over a mile to the revitalized Chesterbrook Shopping Center (Safeway/Starbucks/South Block). Easy access to EFC and Ballston metros, I-66, and a quick shot to Tysons Corner.

Take a virtual tour!

Listed by:
Liz Lord — Compass Real Estate
[email protected]
(571) 331-9213

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Nov 30, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Nov 30, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌧️ Friday’s forecast

Expect rain to begin after 2pm, with highs near 50°F, accompanied by a south wind at 5-9 mph. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation, with less than a tenth of an inch likely. On Friday night, there is a 50% chance of rain mainly before 9pm, followed by patchy fog after 3am. The night will be mostly cloudy, with lows around 46°F and a southwest wind at 5-9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
– Thomas A. Edison

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

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