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.
Ballstonian’s Isa Seyran holding an ARL t-shirt (staff photo)
You’ve seen the new arrivals at the ARLnow Shop. What you don’t see are the rejected designs.
We had high hopes for certain designs — the Flipped Car Postcard, for instance — but after trying it on we realized it didn’t quite work. Likewise, for some items we are selling, the first version needed some tweaks, from design placement to sizing to colors.
But we need to do something with those extra sample t-shirts, which were just sitting around the office. So we’re giving them away for free.
Run, don’t walk, to the Ballstonian coffee cart on the 4000 block of Wilson Blvd and ask proprietor Isa Seyran — seen above, elated to be taking part in this promotion — if he has any reject ARLnow shirts left. If so, one will be yours.
Note that most of the shirts are size XL. Good luck and say hello to Isa for us.
ACPD officer gives out citation for expired tags during November 2023 Street Smart campaign in Courthouse (staff photo by James Jarvis)
It’s Thanksgiving week, one of the busiest and most dangerous times to drive.
As people head out of town for family gatherings — and gather locally for libations with friends — police in Arlington and throughout Virginia will be on the lookout for traffic and safety violations.
Through next Thursday, Nov. 30, Arlington County police are participating in the annual Click It or Ticket seatbelt campaign.
More from an ACPD press release:
This Thanksgiving holiday, the Arlington County Police Department is again partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the high-visibility Click It or Ticket seat belt awareness campaign. From November 19 to November 30, the law enforcement community will be working together to reduce the number of fatalities that occur when vehicle passengers fail to buckle up. Everyone wants you to reach your destination safely, so it is critical to practice safe driving habits, like buckling your seat belt, on each and every ride.
According to NHTSA, there were 361 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2021 (6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24, to 5:59 a.m. on Monday, November 29). Half (50%) were unrestrained. Not wearing a seat belt proved to be deadly at any time of the day during the holiday weekend: 52% of those killed in nighttime crashes were unbuckled, and 46% of those killed in daytime crashes also were unbuckled. Wearing a seat belt is one of the most effective things anyone can do to prevent injury or death in a vehicle collision. The Click It or Ticket campaign combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with increased enforcement for unbuckled motorists.
Virginia law requires those under the age of 18 to be properly secured in a safety belt or child safety seat, no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle, and the driver is responsible for making sure this happens. In addition, Virginia law requires those in the front seat of vehicles to be properly restrained, regardless of age, and those 18 and older can be ticketed.
To learn more about the NHTSA Click It or Ticket campaign, visit their website.
Virginia State Police, meanwhile, will be conducting extra enforcement during peak holiday travel times.
Expect more state troopers out on Virginia highways between Wednesday and Sunday, enforcing speed limits and looking for drunk drivers.
There were 19 traffic fatalities across the Commonwealth during the five-day Thanksgiving travel period last year, up from five in 2021, according to state police.
Leaves on the ground along Washington Blvd in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Reported Hit-and-Run Injures Biker — From Alan Henney: “MOTORCYCLIST STRUCK BY HIT-N-RUN DRIVER— on Washington Blvd just past the exit for w/b Arlington Blvd in Arlington. The victim was taken to hospital with a shattered hip and cuts to his face. Unknown on the description of the suspect vehicle.” [Twitter]
Arlington’s Rising Office Vacancy — “Arlington County, Virginia, has been the single most affected jurisdiction throughout the greater Washington, D.C., region when it comes to office vacancy increases over the past four years.” [CoStar]
Amazon Highlights Art at Met Park — ” We’ve compiled the 18 intriguing installations from more than 25 artists. The commissioned art pieces span a range of genres, styles, and cultural influence. From mathematics-inspired spatial depictions of the Dupont Circle chess scene and abstract depictions of the Potomac River fauna to celebrating the beloved national cherry blossoms, these meaningful works of art further intertwine Amazon and the community.” [Amazon]
Big Storm to Bring Rain This Week — “Periods of moderate to heavy rain — in and around major cities including Atlanta, Boston, Little Rock, Nashville, New York and Washington — could slow down a significant portion of the estimated 49 million Americans expected to travel by car next week.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Monday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 50 with a gentle north wind around 7 mph. Moving into Monday night, expect a mostly cloudy sky and a low temperature around 37. [Weather.gov]
Expect partly sunny skies that will gradually clear up, reaching a high of around 58 degrees. A northwest wind will blow at 8 to 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph. Saturday night will be clear with a low near 37 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” – Aristotle
🌅 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. 👋
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)
(Updated at 10:30 p.m.) Police responded to a bomb threat at an Arlington synagogue tonight.
Arlington County police were dispatched to Congregation Etz Hayim, along Route 50 in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, around 5:30 p.m. Initial reports suggest that someone texted a crisis hotline that they had placed a bomb at the synagogue and were also planning to stab people inside.
No bomb was found nor did any acts of violence occur, ACPD told ARLnow.
From a police spokeswoman:
At approximately 5:25 p.m. on November 17, police were dispatched to the 2900 block of Arlington Boulevard for the report of suspicious circumstances. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect contacted a crisis hotline and allegedly made threats to bomb a house of worship. Responding officers made contact with the occupants of the property and searched the area and no evidence of a crime was located. The investigation is ongoing.
The holiday season is here and you’re probably wondering what to get those special Arlingtonians in your life. Lucky for you, the ARLnow Shop has plenty of gift options for savvy locals.
Among the offerings are some new, notable additions since the store launched in August, including:
Swanson Middle School was put in “secure the school” mode this morning (Friday) due to a threat.
Initial reports suggest the school’s office received a shooting threat via email. Police responded to investigate around 10 a.m. and the security status was lifted about an hour and a half later.
This is just the latest in a series of apparent hoax threats at Arlington middle schools.
In March, Gunston was put in lockdown after “a message written inside a restroom stall referencing gun violence” was discovered. In May, a Kenmore student was charged after an implied shooting threat was posted on social media. Threats have also been made at high schools, with police investigating a verbal threat of “shooting up the class” at Washington-Liberty on Monday.
More on the latest threat, below, via Arlington Public Schools.
Safety Notification – @SwansonAdmirals is currently in Secure-the-Building. Staff received an email that included a possible online threat. During this time, all doors are locked and no one can leave or enter the building due to police activity. More to come.
Smoke from wildfires turns the setting sun red near the U.S. Air Force Memorial in September (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Update at 7:35 p.m. — Arlington County’s Chief Fire Marshal has issued a “fire ban” through midnight Sunday due to the wildfire risk, according to a social media post by the fire department.
Based on current and expected weather conditions, no open burning of any type will be allowed. This includes burning of yard debris, the use of permanent or portable outdoor fireplaces and pits, chimenea, open flame cooking devices, etc.
Earlier: The wildfire threat is continuing this weekend.
A dangerous combination of gusty winds, dry vegetation and low humidity on Saturday means that brush fires could quickly spread. As a result, the National Weather Service just issued a Fire Weather Watch for Northern Virginia.
While brush fires are usually extinguished quickly in Arlington, elsewhere in Virginia fire crews have been dealing with a series of large wildfires. Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency last week due to ongoing wildfires, while the latest — the Matts Creek Fire near Lynchburg — is growing and expected to bring smoke to our region this afternoon.
The Matts Creek Fire near Lynchburg, Va. continues to grow & some smoke could reach the DC area later today before a cold front clears us out tonight.
More on the local wildfire threat, from the National Weather Service, below.
1125 AM EST Fri Nov 17 2023
…FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE POTENTIAL OF ENHANCED SPREAD OF WILDFIRES IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
The National Weather Service in Baltimore MD/Washington has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the potential of enhanced spread of wildfires, which is in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday afternoon.
* WINDS…Northwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 27 percent.
* IMPACTS…The combination of dry conditions, low humidity, and strong gusty winds may result in favorable conditions for the rapid spread of fires.
* FUEL MOISTURE…10 to 15 percent for 10 hour fuels.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions may occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warnings.
A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for northern & central VA for Saturday, with NW winds at 10-20 mph gusting up to 30 mph. The combination of wind & low humidity between 20-30% will lead to an increased threat for wildfire spread. An elevated fire threat continues into Sunday. pic.twitter.com/3ACKZQvh6N
Please give a warm welcome to Bruni aka Brunello Harris, the newest Arlington Pet of the Week!
This adorable fluffy guy is living his best life.
His mom had a few things to say about Bruni:
Bruni was born October 20 of 2020 and joined his Mommy as a pandemic puppy that December. Bruni’s full name is Brunello Harris. Brunello, after Mommy’s favorite wine, and Harris, after the first female VP.
Bruni’s favorite things are greeting people, chasing squirrels, and cuddles when he is tired. He also loves to check out new Arlington parks and trails — new places are so fun!
His favorite toys are Mr. Raccoon, his Easter tennis ball, and anything that makes mommy play too.
He likes tummy rubs, walking across the back of the couch, and watching dogs and people from his balcony.
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.
Construction has started on a project to “repair and rehabilitate” an ’80s-era parking garage over I-66.
The unique parking structure adjacent to Washington-Liberty High School was in need of work “to improve safety and extend the overall life of the garage.”
Virginia Dept. of Transportation crews recently started work on the nearly $4 million project, which is expected to wrap up late next year. Some overnight lane closures on I-66 are expected during that time.
More, below, from a VDOT press release.
Work is underway to repair and rehabilitate the parking garage over I-66 between North Stafford Street and North Quincy Street to improve safety and extend the overall life of the garage, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The three-story concrete garage was built in 1982 and is adjacent to Washington-Liberty High School.
The project includes:
Garage platform and ramp repairs with joint replacement
Repairs to beams and columns
Partial removal of the elastomeric bearing sheets
During construction:
Overnight lane closures may be scheduled on I-66 in the area of the garage
The Custis Trail parallel to the garage will remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians
The project is scheduled for completion in late 2024.
Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.
Foot traffic along the W&OD trail and road traffic along I-66 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Trial Date for Missing Middle Suit — From the anti-Missing Middle group Neighbors for Neighborhoods: “Today, Judge David Schell set the date for a five-day trial, commencing July 8, 2024 trial date in the case against the Arlington County Board seeking to invalidate Missing Middle Housing/Expanded Housing Options (EHO) zoning.” [Press Release]
YHS Playoff Game Tonight — “With one upset already achieved, the seventh-seeded Yorktown Patriots will attempt to continue their Cinderella story in the semifinals of the 6D North Region high-school football tournament. Yorktown (7-4) faces the host and six-seed Westfield Bulldogs (8-3) in that semifinal Friday night, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.” [Gazette Leader]
Gas Station Robbery on the Pike — From Dave Statter: “The Citgo next to Bob and Edith’s on Columbia Pike was just robbed. Car and people are the same description of those involved in a couple of robberies this afternoon in Alexandria.” [Twitter]
Pentagon City Crash on Camera — Also from Dave Statter: “Watch the traffic signal. A little crash an hour ago at S. 12th and Fern in Pentagon City. @ArlingtonVaPD & @ArlingtonVaFD handled.” [Twitter]
ACPD ‘Fill the Cruiser’ Tomorrow — “Brighten the holidays for an Arlington child in need by donating new, unwrapped toys for ages newborn-17 at our first Fill the Cruiser Toy Drive events of the year on 11/18! Westover Baptist Church, 10 AM-12 PM… Lee Harrison Shopping Center, 3-5 PM.” [Twitter]
VHC Collects Food for AFAC — “A food fight for a good cause at VHC Health resulted in thousands of canned food items for Arlington County families in need. Employees at the hospital participated in a friendly competition to see which unit could collect the most canned goods. In less than two months, 6,200 cans were gathered for the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).” [WJLA]
B&E’s Still Expanding — “Bob & Edith’s Diner is Expanding to Manassas, VA! Get ready, Manassas! We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming opening of our 7th diner located in the Manassas Corner Shopping Center, by the end of 2023!” [Potomac Local]
Smoky Smell Explained — “It has been a smoky year in the Mid-Atlantic. First, plumes came from a record-setting fire season in Canada. Now, the source of the smoke is its own backyard. The Matts Creek Fire northwest of Lynchburg, Va., first reported Sunday, rapidly expanded Wednesday into Thursday. Burning in the Jefferson National Forest, the fire is being fanned by gusty breezes and fueled by an intensifying drought.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Friday — Patchy fog will clear up by 9am, followed by partly sunny skies and a high of around 69 degrees. Expect south winds of 5 to 11 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Friday night will bring a slight chance of showers and mostly cloudy conditions, with a low near 52 degrees. South winds will calm to 5 to 7 mph before becoming light and variable, and there will be a 20% chance of precipitation. [Weather.gov]
