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.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Pastel colors in the skies over the National Mall during peak bloom weekend, as seen from Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Traffic Restricted on Deteriorating Bridge — “As a result of a bridge inspection today, Friday, March 25, engineers closed the existing southbound lane of the West Glebe Bridge between Arlington and Alexandria due to further degradation of structural beams.  The northbound lane of the bridge over South Four Mile Run will remain open, making the bridge one-way to traffic and requiring a detour for southbound automobiles. The bridge’s maximum load rating of 5 tons will remain in place with a critical need for heavier vehicles – primarily buses and dump trucks — to comply for public safety.” [Arlington County]

Graupel Covers Fields, Prompts Tweets — An ice pellet downpour covered the ground in parts of Arlington on Saturday afternoon: “Well that was wild… heavy downpour rain and graupel swept through near Clarendon.” [Twitter, Twitter]

The Story Behind the Pentagon Chicken — “The Pentagon Building Operations Command Center initially considered using on-staff pest control to capture the chicken. But the pest control staff wasn’t scheduled to come on duty for another hour. The Building Operations Command Center, or BOCC, then came up with the idea to contact the emergency number at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.” [Patch]

Bullying Incident at Middle School — “After a bullying incident involving her 6th grade son with autism, an Arlington mother asked the school board Thursday night to do more to create an environment where such incidents don’t happen to any child. On Friday both mother Kathleen Clark and her son Colton described what happened to 7 News, and Kathleen talked about changes she hopes Arlington Public Schools makes to help children better know how to relate to others who are different from them in some way.” [WJLA]

Seventh Grade Hoops Team Goes Undefeated — “An Arlington Travel Basketball girls teams capped an undefeated 16-0 season in the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League with victories in postseason tournament-championship games. The seventh-grade girls squad, coached by John Lomas, won the Division I championship game, 51-42, over Lee-Mount Vernon.” [Sun Gazette]

Lease Above Courthouse Metro Extended — “Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc. (CNI) extends federal services division office lease in Arlington, VA. Represented by Edward Saa and Timothy Jacobs, CNI Federal experienced explosive growth in the 2020-2021 government fiscal year in awarded contracts necessitating a 10,000-SF office presence to service customers.” [Press Release]

More Afternoon ART Buses — “More of a good thing: Midday frequency gets a boost for ART 52 and 75 bus weekday routes starting Monday.” [Twitter]

Nearby: Stabbing in Seven Corners — “Fairfax County police officers arrested and charged a 21-year-old Falls Church man after two men were stabbed just before 2 p.m. yesterday (Thursday). Police were called to Seven Corners at Arlington Boulevard and Patrick Henry Drive for an assault and determined a man was involved in two separate assaults that escalated when he stabbed both men, police said.” [FFXnow]

It’s Monday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 37 and low of 28. Sunrise at 7:00 am and sunset at 7:29 pm. [Weather.gov]

NEW: Asian food chain Wagamama coming to former Oz space in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A British restaurant chain serving “Asian food inspired by the flavors of Japan” is coming to Arlington.

Wagamama is expected to open in Clarendon this summer, the company announced. It will be located in a 5,100 square foot space at 2950 Clarendon Blvd — formerly home to Oz Restaurant and the short-lived La Tagliatella — and will be the first D.C. area location for the company.

Wagamama has over 200 locations in 27 countries, including several in New York City, and is in the midst of an expansion.

“The Clarendon location of the vibrant full-service restaurant, known for its social and experiential eating-environment, will offer diners that same Wagamama experience, featuring beloved noodle dishes, signature ramens, and shareable plates inspired by Japanese, Chinese and Korean food,” said a press release. “Fresh juices, craft cocktails and an extensive sake, beer and wine list will also be prominent, making this a great destination for social occasions (including happy hour).”

Wagamama will be open for lunch and dinner and will feature an “expansive patio” in addition to the large indoor dining space.

The full press release is below.

Leading international restaurant brand Wagamama will expand its U.S. presence with a Summer 2022 opening in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood. The 5,100 square foot restaurant, located at 2950 Clarendon Boulevard, will be the company’s first location in the Washington, D.C. region and will serve an array of fresh, cooked-to-order Asian-inspired bowls, curries, and creative craft cocktails during lunch and dinner services.

Wagamama first opened in London in 1992 and quickly hooked diners on its “bowl to soul” dining philosophy, which has spurred the company’s continuous expansion to over 200 locations in 27 countries. The Clarendon location of the vibrant full-service restaurant, known for its social and experiential eating-environment, will offer diners that same Wagamama experience, featuring beloved noodle dishes, signature ramens, and shareable plates inspired by Japanese, Chinese and Korean food. Fresh juices, craft cocktails and an extensive sake, beer and wine list will also be prominent, making this a great destination for social occasions (including happy hour).

“We couldn’t be more excited to open our first location in Northern Virginia and introduce Wagamama to Clarendon and the entire Washington, D.C. region,” said Richard Flaherty, co-CEO of Wagamama USA. “Our modern, pan-Asian cuisine will fit right in with the dynamic international community of the DC area,” he continued. “We look forward to bringing the elevated, high energy Wagamama experience to the Clarendon neighborhood this summer.”

The restaurant, which hosts a multi-featured dining area and an expansive patio, will open for lunch and dinner daily. Final menus, operating hours, and design details will be made available closer to opening.

Elementary school locks down iPads after ‘inappropriate use’

By ARLnow.com
A woman holding an Apple iPad (file photo)

(Updated at 4 p.m.) Oakridge Elementary students are no longer allowed to take their school-issued iPads home due to reports of “inappropriate use.”

The policy will be in place “for the foreseeable future,” Principal Lynn Wright told families in a School Talk email, after “teachers, students and families have shared that iPads are being used inappropriately outside of school hours.”

“Please remind your children that the iPad is a learning tool specific to school assignments,” Wright wrote.

Word of the email comes a day after Arlington County police were dispatched to the school for a report of “pornography” on a student’s iPad. ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage said no one was arrested or charged following the report.

“At approximately 10:39 a.m. on March 24, police were dispatched to the 1400 block of 24th Street S. for the report of a juvenile incident,” she told ARLnow. “The investigation determined no crime had occurred.”

Separate from Thursday’s police dispatch, APS spokesman Frank Bellavia said that a rumor about “several incidents of Oakridge students using their iPads to view hard-core porn” was “not true.”

In 2017, a group circulated an online petition calling for APS to “discontinue immediately the current 1:1 iPad program within APS elementary schools for grades K-5,” which supplies each student with an APS-purchased device. The petition garnered just under 400 signers.

The iPad email comes amid a rise of violent incidents and other misbehavior in and outside of schools, as we reported yesterday.

The full email to Oakridge families is below.

Greetings Oakridge Families.

Students’ iPads will remain at school for the foreseeable future. This is a result of an increase of technology misuse and breach of the APS Acceptable Use Policy that students and families acknowledged at the start of the year. Teachers, students and families have shared that iPads are being used inappropriately outside of school hours. Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to: nudity, inappropriate Google searches, messaging via Google docs, video downloading, recording other students without their consent, and gaming. Additionally, students have become heavily reliant on the use of their iPads for Non-APS related activities. We are going to re-establish the expectations specific to this technology. Please remind your children that the iPad is a learning tool specific to school assignments.

We are currently checking all iPads to ensure that they are being used appropriately. If we discover inappropriate content on your child’s iPad, you will be notified immediately.

To ensure that children have access to the technology during the school day, we ask that you return all charging equipment. This will help create more consistent and clearly defined iPad usage routines. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. We want your children to remain safely engaged in their learning. Please contact either Mr. Sean Jones (ITC) or myself if you have any questions or concerns.

Take care,

Lynne Wright

Open houses in Arlington this weekend

By ARLnow.com
3100 N. Oxford Street

Happy Friday and welcome to another round of open houses as we enter the last weekend in March.

In the last 4 weeks there have been 177 new listings and 239 sales, according to Homesnap. Currently, there are 413 homes for sale with 292 of those being condos. The median sales price is $620,000 and the median list price is $552,900.

Take a look at a few open houses across Arlington:

  • 5218 Little Falls Road
    5 BD/5 BA single-family home
    Noteworthy: Oversized two car garage, walk out basement, fenced backyard
    Listed: $2,050,000
    Open: Saturday, 12-3 p.m.
  • 3100 N. Oxford Street
    4 BD/3 BA single-family home
    Noteworthy: Wood burning fireplace, fully finished basement, attic
    Listed: $1,350,000
    Open: Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • 2008 N. Brandywine Street
    4 BD/3.5 BA townhome
    Noteworthy: Two fireplaces, patio, deck
    Listed: $999,900
    Open: Saturday, 12-2 p.m.
  • 890 N. Jackson Street
    3 BD/3 BA townhome
    Noteworthy: Private reserved parking, end brick unit
    Listed: $895,000
    Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
  • 3800 Lee Highway #306
    2 BD/2.5 BA condo
    Noteworthy: Two level, two balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows
    Listed: $783,380
    Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.
  • 2220 Fairfax Drive #603
    2 BD/2 BA condo
    Noteworthy: New wood floors, in-unit laundry, freshly painted
    Listed: $635,000
    Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m.

Homeowner and agents: want your open house to appear here? You can now submit sponsored open house listings.

Image via Google Images

BREAKING: U.S. Marshal Service, ACPD on scene of fatal leap from building

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) A person is dead after leaping from an upper floor of an apartment building on Columbia Pike, amid a federal law enforcement presence at the complex.

Arlington police and medics were dispatched to the Infinity Apartments at 955 S. Columbus Street shortly after 10 a.m. for a person who jumped from the building and was in cardiac arrest. Responders were told to expect plain clothed U.S. Marshals Service personnel on scene.

Initial reports suggest that the person jumped from the fifth floor of the building, was impaled on a fence, and is deceased. Police requested that a tarp be brought to the scene.

ACPD set up a command post and officers appeared to be taking equipment to and from the pool area of the complex. Personnel with “U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force” ballistic vests and a battering ram can be seen in the parking lot of the complex, which is located just south of Columbia Pike and the Arlington Mill Community Center.

In a press release about the incident Friday afternoon, Arlington police said that the person who died was a suspect in a robbery in Loudoun County. The Marshals Service and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office “were attempting to serve an arrest warrant at the residence” when the person “attempted to exit the residence through a window and fell.”

The full press release is below.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is conducting a death investigation in the Columbia Forest neighborhood.

At approximately 10:02 a.m. on March 25, Arlington County Police and Fire were dispatched to the 900 block of S. Columbus Street for the report of cardiac arrest. Upon arrival, an adult male was located unresponsive outside of a residential building. Medics pronounced him deceased on scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death.

The preliminary investigation indicates the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, consisting of members from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service, were attempting to serve an arrest warrant at the residence related to a robbery that occurred in Loudoun County, Virginia. Upon knocking and announcing themselves, the subject allegedly attempted to exit the residence through a window and fell.

The circumstances of the fall remain under investigation. Anyone with information 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).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Cherry blossoms and Amazon’s HQ2 construction in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County Prepping New Tree Study — “Arlington leaders may take their next crack at guesstimating the number of trees in the county – a topic not without political as well as environmental ramifications – early in 2023, if all goes according to plan… estimating the cost at $100,000 to $150,000.” [Sun Gazette]

New Name for GMU Arlington Campus — “George Mason University announced today that its Arlington Campus will be renamed Mason Square as the new centerpiece of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor for multi-disciplinary talent and business development, as well as a civic and cultural destination. Also being announced is Fuse at Mason Square, the name of the new technology-forward building that is the heart of Mason’s commitment to growing Northern Virginia’s next-generation workforce. A groundbreaking ceremony for Fuse at Mason Square will take place April 6.” [Press Release]

FBI Warns of ‘Sextortion’ of Boys — “The FBI Washington Field Office is warning parents and caregivers about an increase in incidents involving sextortion of young children. The FBI is receiving an increasing number of reports of adults posing as young girls coercing young boys through social media to produce sexual images and videos and then extorting money from them.” [FBI]

Nature Center Staffing Slowly Returning — “Don’t expect hours of operation at Arlington’s two county-government natures centers to return to pre-pandemic levels in the coming year, or maybe ever, but local leaders say that doesn’t mean nature programs won’t have priority in coming years… [the] hope for the coming year was to use funding for temporary workers to increase hours at the nature center, including perhaps evening hours.” [Sun Gazette]

Church Wins Climate Award — “Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ’s commitment to fighting climate change over the past 15 years landed it a top award in the 2022 Cool Congregations Challenge. Rock Spring, on Little Falls Road in Arlington, was named the 2022 winner of the Energy Saver category in the challenge, sponsored by Interfaith Power & Light, a nonprofit group that seeks to motivate people of faith to take steps to address climate change.” [Patch]

Alexandria Schools Propose SRO Extension — “Alexandria City Public Schools is requesting an extension of its controversial school resource officer (SRO) program through the end of the 2022-2023 school year. School Board Chair Meagan Alderton says that the extension is part of the reimagining of the $800,000 program.” [ALXnow]

It’s Friday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 58 and low of 47. Sunrise at 7:05 am and sunset at 7:26 pm. [Weather.gov]

JUST IN: Fire reported in parking garage of Columbia Pike apartment building

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 1:05 p.m.) Firefighters are investigating the source of dark smoke seen billowing out of a Columbia Pike apartment building’s parking garage.

The smoke was seen coming out of the garage entrance at the rear of the Pike 3400 building, at the southwest corner of the busy intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road. A large fire department response was dispatched to the scene around 12:30 p.m., though the smoke has since largely abated.

Initial reports suggest that a boom was heard in the area and that it appears that an electrical transformer on the second level of the garage may have exploded and caught on fire, before the flames were extinguished by a sprinkler system.

In the past, fires that destroyed the electrical transformers of large buildings like this one have caused extended power outlets for residents.

The westbound lanes of Columbia Pike are currently blocked by emergency activity between S. Monroe Street and S. Glebe Road.

“Seek alternate routes,” advised an Arlington Alert.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Heavy rain along the Potomac River, with Rosslyn in the background (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Mysterious Bug Bites Reported — Arlington residents are against dealing with red and intensely itchy bug bites, the cause of which is so far unclear. One theory is that last year’s scourge of oak mites are back. [Facebook, WUSA 9]

Catalytic Converter Thefts in Fairlington — “A resident has reported that the catalytic converter on their Toyota Prius was stolen during the night March 21, 2022. The converter was physically cut away from the vehicle. There have been 7 similar thefts of catalytic converters reported from the Fairlington neighborhoods.” [Twitter]

Man Pistol Whipped By Intruder — “2000 block of S. Kenmore Street. At approximately 2:15 p.m. on March 22, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was inside his residence when the three known suspects forced entry inside and struck him with a firearm. The victim then deployed pepper spray and the suspects fled the scene. The victim sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. Warrants were obtained for one suspect.” [ACPD]

Gym in Crystal City Unionizes — From Washingtonian’s Andrew Beaujon: “Movement Crystal City is the US’s first unionized climbing gym. We wrote about this place when it was called Earth Treks.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Help for Arlington’s Ukrainian Sister City — “That partnership, which came to fruition after years of advocacy by Sonevytsky, has mostly focused on cultural and professional exchanges. But the unprovoked Russian attack on Ukraine last month changed all that. Now, the Arlington Sister City Association and the volunteer group that runs the Ivano-Frankivsk relationship are focused on a new mission: helping send humanitarian aid to their partner city and educating Arlington residents about their community’s ties to a place now in a war zone.” [WAMU]

Reminder: Free Observation Deck in Rosslyn — “If you’re looking for views of the blossoms at the Tidal Basin and beyond, head to The View of DC, located at 1201 Wilson Boulevard! This 360-degree observation deck is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with evening hours until 9 p.m. on Mondays!) and admission is free with a valid government ID.” [Rosslyn BID]

Injunction Against Va. Mask-Optional Law — “Preliminary injunction granted by the federal court preventing defendants from enforcing EO 2 and SB 739 (the mask-optional law) in schools where the plaintiffs & their children are enrolled.” [Twitter, Washington Post, WJLA]

Pappy Is Back at Virginia ABC — “Good news bourbon lovers: Virginia’s annual Pappy Van Winkle lottery is back — this year with two types of Van Winkles… Anyone 21 and over with a valid Virginia driver’s license (you have to prove it when you show up to purchase) can enter the lotteries on Virginia ABC’s website from Wednesday, March 23 until Sunday, March 27 at 11:59pm.” [Axios]

It’s Thursday — After early morning storms, light rain throughout much the day. High of 66 and low of 58. Sunrise at 7:06 am and sunset at 7:25 pm. [Weather.gov]

JUST IN: Arlington under Flood Watch tonight

By ARLnow.com
Rainy night (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Arlington County is now under a Flood Watch, until 6 a.m. Thursday.

The watch was issued just after 11 p.m. Storms and periods of heavy rain are expected overnight, leading to the possibility of flooding in the area.

From the National Weather Service:

1104 PM EDT Wed Mar 23 2022

…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY…

* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE…Portions of DC, Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: in DC, District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Charles, Northern Baltimore, Northwest Howard, Prince Georges and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Eastern Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Southern Fauquier and Stafford.

* WHEN…Until 6 AM EDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS…Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Rainfall rates of 1-2 inches an hour overnight may result in localized flooding of roadways.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

More via social media:

UPDATED: Investigators on scene of reported trash fire at Wakefield HS

By ARLnow.com
Wakefield High School (file photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) Someone is apparently setting trash cans on fire at Wakefield High School.

Firefighters were on scene at the school this afternoon after a fire in a trash can filled part of the second floor with smoke, according to scanner traffic. It’s the second trash fire in recent days at the school, we’re told.

“This week on two different occasions, someone has set on fire the trash cans in different bathrooms and cause the fire department to be dispatched,” a tipster tells ARLnow. “This is dangerous.”

A video sent to ARLnow earlier this week, below, appears to show the first fire.

Fire marshals were dispatched to the school today to investigate the fire. At least one person was evaluated for smoke inhalation by paramedics.

An Arlington Public Schools spokesman told ARLnow that there were two fire alarms at the school this afternoon, the first of which was mechanical in nature. Wakefield’s principal sent an email to families this afternoon providing additional details about the incidents.

Dear Wakefield Community,

I want to provide an update on today’s fire alarms. As I mentioned in an earlier School Talk message today, students were evacuated because of a fire alarm. This was caused by a mechanical issue. The ACFD gave the all clear 10 minutes after the alarm. As students were reentering the building, the fire alarm went off again. This time, it was caused by a fire set in a bathroom trash can. One student was evaluated by EMS for potential smoke inhalation but was not transported to the hospital. Thankfully the student is fine and is with their parents.

This is the second incident involving a trash can fire this week. This type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. These incidents are being investigated and we will take appropriate disciplinary actions for those involved.

The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. If a student knows anything about these incidents, please have them speak to an administrator.

After school activities that take place inside the building are canceled for today.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris Willmore
Principal

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Peaches

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Give a warm welcome to Peaches, the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week! This 7 month old pup is playful and sweet like her name. She’s looking to become the best pup she can be and a family to call her own.

Her pals at Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation had a few things to say:

Peaches is a gentle, playful puppy, who can happily entertain herself pouncing on a tennis ball in the yard, or chewing on toys while being in a room with you.

This girl treats the window as her TV show, spending hours gazing out at the world. Peaches loves being near her people most of all, snuggling on the couch, showering you with kisses, and following you from room to room.

Peaches is currently living with 4 other dogs of very different temperaments and is adjusting her approach to each of them. She enjoys going for a walk in quiet areas along with a buddy or two, and is learning that the world is not so scary after all. Bonus: She does not mind the rain, snow, or cold to go out to do her business.

Peaches is looking for her own family that has the time to spend with her. She wants to keep learning to become the best pup she can be. Don’t miss out on making this girl a part of your life

Are you ready to make this playful pup a part of your life? Read Peaches’ entire profile to learn more about her and how to adopt!

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 galleries!

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