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.

UPDATED: Trump thanks Arlington, says ‘see you soon’ in statement

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Update at 10:45 a.m. — “At this time, ACPD is not aware of any large events in Arlington being planned between now and next Tuesday,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said Thursday morning, in response to an inquiry from ARLnow.

Earlier: President Biden reportedly repeated Donald Trump’s name 24 times during his gubernatorial campaign stop in Arlington last night, and it might have summoned the former president to come back for a visit.

Trump, apparently pleased by chants of “We love Trump” during the Biden event, released a somewhat cryptic statement this afternoon.

“Chanting, ‘We love Trump’ in Arlington, Va. Thank you, Arlington, see you soon!” the former president wrote.

It’s unclear whether Trump actually intends to come to Arlington in the near future. His last known appearance here was on Election Day last year, when he visited his re-election campaign headquarters in Rosslyn.

The statement today was greeted with surprise on social media, with many wondering whether Trump will counter Biden’s campaign stop for Democratic candidate for governor Terry McAuliffe with an event for GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin. That would be unexpected, given Trump’s relative unpopularity here and the fact that McAuliffe has staked his campaign on linking Youngkin to Trump.

McAuliffe said in a tweet that Trump is, in fact, planning to campaign for Youngkin in Virginia.

There were other theories as well.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), meanwhile, said Trump “should be prepared to hear from Arlingtonians” about the Jan. 6 pro-Trump violence at the Capitol should he visit.

Trump’s vice president, Mike Pence, established an official office in Arlington earlier this year, after Biden took office.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Whitlow

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Say hello to Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week, Whitlow. This 4-month-old Bernese Mountain puppy loves exploring. If you see Whitlow exploring around town, be sure to say hi — just make sure he sits first.

Here’s what Whitlow had to say about himself:

Hello Arlington! I’m Whitlow. Yes, named after Whitlow’s on Wilson where my mom and dad met on mug night. I’m sad I never went to Whitlow’s before it closed, but I’m still falling in love with Arlington as my new home.

I came home August 28 at 10 weeks old. I was 20 pounds back then. Everyone I meet in Arlington has been so nice to me, and they all tell me I’m going to be a big boy.

I love going to Charles Stewart Park to play with my neighborhood dog friends and watch the kids play soccer. I get very excited for my meals. My mom and dad spoil me with homemade liver treats and bites of steak. I’m a carnivore just like my papa bear.

I like to lay by the freezer after my walks to cool off. I can’t wait for winter! I’m not allowed on the couch yet, but I still try everyday. I’m a little unsure about car rides because I don’t know where I’m going. I’m excited to explore more places in Arlington and try new restaurants with my parents.

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!

Here’s when Halloween trick-or-treating is happening in Arlington this year

By ARLnow.com
Elementary schoolers trick-or-treat in Courthouse
Local kids trick-or-treating in Courthouse in 2013 (staff photo)

If you’re a long-time local with kids, you know the drill. But for others, a refresher on Arlington’s Halloween habits may be in order.

Unlike some local jurisdictions in other parts of the country, Arlington does not designate a day and time for trick-or-treating. Instead, the annual, costumed candy-gathering spree traditionally takes place on Halloween (Oct. 31), starting just before sunset (around 6 p.m.).

The door knocking typically ends around 8 p.m., though some stragglers will remain out later.

This year, Halloween is taking place on a Sunday, so trick-or-treaters will be unencumbered by evening rush hour traffic. But Arlington County is still urging caution for anyone out that night.

Here are some general tips for planning your Halloween evening, from past years:

  • Children should be accompanied by an adult.
  • Choose a neighborhood or street you’re familiar with or is known for getting in the spirit.
  • Houses with the outside lights are the ones expecting and ready for trick-or-treaters.
  • Expect the older, non-costumed crowds later in the evening.
  • If you’re passing out treats, turn the outside lights off when you run out.

Additionally, the Arlington County Police Department recommends that parents check the candy gathered by their kids, and offered the following safety tips.

  • See and be seen! Select bright costumes, add reflective tape and/or carry flashlights and glow sticks.
  • Plan your trick-or-treat route in advance. Stick to familiar neighborhoods and well-lit streets.
  • Never send children out alone. Younger children should be with a trusted adult. Ensure older children take friends and stay together.
  • Walk on sidewalks and cross at corners, using traffic signals and/or crosswalks.
  • Motorists are encouraged to slow down, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn on your headlights earlier in the evening to spot children from greater distances.

With Covid still haunting us, the county also suggested some alternatives to trick-or-treating for those worried about their health. Barring that, “the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk and keep your family and friends safer is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible,” the county said.

This year’s Covid-related recommendations were a bit less stringent than last year.

“If you’re planning to hand out candy this year, it is recommended that you stand at least 6 feet away from the candy bowl, consider wearing a mask (especially if you are unvaccinated), and encourage kids to choose sweets one at a time,” said a county press release. “When trick-or-treating, [the Virginia Dept. of Health] encourages staying outside, bringing hand sanitizer, and for unvaccinated children to wear a mask (or have one with them in case they visit crowded locations).”

Arlington is offering a few kid-friendly, pre-Halloween activities this year, including a “ghosts campfire” at Fort C.F. Smith Park (2411 24th Street N.) set for Friday evening and a “fear factor” event at Long Branch Nature Center (625 S. Carlin Springs Road) Sunday at noon.

Arlington offering more booster shots as local Covid cases tick down

By ARLnow.com
Arlington Covid cases as of Oct. 26, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Arlington County is now offering booster shots of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The county’s public health division, which was already offering Pfizer booster shots, made the announcement yesterday (Tuesday). The booster shots are available for adults who received their last jab more than six months ago and who are older than 65, in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions, or who work certain high-risk jobs.

The announcement comes as the average rate of new Covid cases in the county has dropped below 25 per day for the first time since early August, down from a peak of about 48 daily cases.

The downward trajectory of cases in Arlington following the delta variant wave has been slow and uneven compared to that of Virginia as a whole, which has an average daily case rate — 1,500 cases per day — well below half of the state’s delta peak.

Virginia Covid cases as of Oct. 26, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

The rate of serious illness and death from the coronavirus in Arlington, meanwhile, remains relatively low. Twenty Covid-related hospitalizations and six deaths have been reported in the county since the start of October, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

The full county press release about the vaccine booster shots is below.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Another APS Sexual Harassment Incident — “The most recent case of sexual harassment being discussed on social media happened at Swanson Middle School. Students told their parents two weeks ago cheerleaders were being called sexual names and having their body parts touched inappropriately during the school day. The Swanson Middle School principal sent out a letter alerting families… Some say that was only revealed after the community caught wind of the incident which makes them now question — how many situations are not brought to light?” [Fox 5]

Two Libraries Reopening on Sundays — “The slow resumption of Arlington library hours continues on Oct. 31, when Central Library and the Columbia Pike branch will resume Sunday service for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. Those two libraries will be open 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.” [Sun Gazette]

Tree Falls Near Wakefield HS — “First tree down across a road that we’ve heard during [Tuesday’s] windy weather… This is reportedly at 25th Street S. and S. Dinwiddie Street, a couple of blocks from Wakefield High School.” [Twitter]

Activists Decry Tree Loss from New Homes — “Arlington County Board members say they will take under advisement concerns that a quirk – critics call it a loophole – in the local zoning ordinance encourages developers to clear-cut certain lots to maximize the footprint of new construction out of proportion to surrounding homes. The matter was raised by activist Anne Bodine at the Oct. 16 County Board meeting.” [Sun Gazette]

More Trees to Be Removed from Water Park — “The board voted 5-0 on Oct. 19 to approve modifications to the plan for the waterpark (located at 1601 Crystal Drive and now being rebranded as National Landing Water Park) that will see seven additional trees removed from the site, while one tree that previously had been slated for removal will be retained… Removing these trees ‘is not ideal,’ acknowledged Olivia Sontag of the county government’s Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development, but staff concluded it represents a fair tradeoff for a package that includes the planting of 11 additional buffer trees.” [Sun Gazette]

Chamber to Help Teach Financial Skills — ” The Arlington Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the launch of a new program to support early childhood education providers in partnership with 20 Degrees. The Early Childhood Financial Resiliency Accelerator focuses on teaching child care providers the business and financial technical skills necessary to maintain and to grow their businesses and on building a community of practice among child care providers. The program will be available at no cost to the participants thanks to support from Presenting Sponsor Amazon as well as the PNC Foundation.” [Arlington Chamber of Commerce]

TV Station Broadcasts from Outdoor Lab — “The Phoebe Hall Knipling Outdoor Laboratory is a 225-acre facility in Fauquier County that provides a natural classroom for Arlington Public School students. The Arlington Outdoor Lab is designed to give Arlington students an opportunity to learn science, outdoor skills, arts, and humanities in a natural setting. Brian van de Graaf takes us to Broad Run, VA for a look.” [WJLA]

It’s Wednesday — 🍃 Today will be breezy, but less so than yesterday. It will start mostly cloudy, then gradually become sunny, with a high near 67. Northwest wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Sunrise at 7:30 a.m. and sunset at 6:13 p.m. Tomorrow, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 63.

Get the Morning Notes four hours early on most days (and get text alerts for urgent stories) by joining the ARLnow Press Club.

Get ARLnow Headlines in Your Email Inbox

By ARLnow.com

You’re a busy person and don’t always have time to check to see what’s going on locally, we get it.

Maybe you rely on social media to bring you your local news, in which case you’re probably seeing more baby photos and fewer headlines these days. Or you use one of those “smart” news apps that seem to have local stories from everywhere except Arlington.

Either way, if you want to stay in the know here in Arlington, the easiest way to do so is to sign up for ARLnow’s Afternoon Update. Like clockwork, at 4 p.m. each day (when we publish) the headlines will arrive in your inbox.

No need to wade through lots of emojis or first-person writing. Just local news headlines, thumbnail photos and links. Get it by for free by signing up here.

As has remained true for the past 11 years, only ARLnow will ever email — we will not share your email address with a third party.

Vacuum leaf collection starts in two weeks in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at noon) Today’s strong winds are likely to bring down lots of leaves across the area, but Arlington County is not set to start its vacuum leaf collection rounds for another two weeks.

The county’s first pass is scheduled to kick off on Monday, Nov. 8 and will likely run through late November. The second pass will likely run through Friday, Dec. 17, according to a new fall leaf collection brochure.

The county website has a full leaf collection schedule sorted by neighborhood, but has not yet been updated for 2021, a spokesman told ARLnow after initial publication of this article.

“The Solid Waste Bureau is still fine-tuning this year’s based on forecasts, temperatures and zones,” said Dept. of Environmental Services spokesman Peter Golkin.

Even then, the schedule is a bit fluid based on weather and other factors, the county’s website notes, adding that “you may see additional leaf vacuum trucks in your neighborhood between passes for clean up activities.”

Neighboring Falls Church, by comparison, is staring its leaf collection service this week, making 3-4 passes around city neighborhoods through early January.

The good news for Arlington is that with peak fall foliage delayed this year in the immediate D.C. area due to warmer-than-average weather, many trees still have plenty of green leaves. That should result in smaller curbside leaf piles before vacuum collection starts.

For residents those who have leaves that need to be collected now, and which don’t fit in the green organics bin, Arlington County started offering free paper leaf bags for the season as of Monday, Golkin said.

Arlington and region under Wind Advisory today

By ARLnow.com

Arlington and much of the D.C. region is under a Wind Advisory from noon until midnight today.

Gusty winds will whip up in the afternoon, becoming progressively stronger later in the day and evening, forecasters say. Gusts of up to 50 mph are expected.

Falling trees and tree branches will pose a danger during the wind event, and power outages are likely.

More from the National Weather Service:

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT…

* WHAT…NORTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH EXPECTED.

* WHERE…PORTIONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, CENTRAL, NORTH CENTRAL, NORTHERN, SOUTHERN AND WESTERN MARYLAND, CENTRAL, NORTHERN, NORTHWEST AND WESTERN VIRGINIA AND EASTERN AND PANHANDLE WEST VIRGINIA.

* WHEN…FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS…GUSTY WINDS COULD BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS. TREE LIMBS COULD BE BLOWN DOWN AND A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY IF OPERATING A HIGH PROFILE VEHICLE. SECURE OUTDOOR OBJECTS.

File photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rainy morning in Courthouse (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Candidate Questioned About Age — “Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement, who previously told news outlets that she is in her early 50s, appears to be two decades older, according to government records. When asked about the discrepancy, Clement, a perennial candidate who largely has self-funded her independent campaigns for local office, said that asking for her age amounted to discrimination and violated her right to privacy.” [Washington Post]

Road Closures for Biden Event — “On Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, President Joe Biden will attend a special event at Virginia Highlands Park, located at 1600 S. Hayes Street in Arlington. The event will take place from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The public can anticipate large crowds and increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the area related to the event… All road closures are anticipated to be lifted by 10 p.m.” [ACPD]

DARPA Building Sold — “The home of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is under new ownership. An affiliate of Cleveland-based Boyd Watterson Asset Management has acquired the 13-story, 355,000-square-foot building at 675 N. Randolph St. in Ballston for $196.5 million, according to public records. An affiliate of the Shooshan Cos., which developed the building a decade ago, was the seller.” [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Name Change Celebration — “It’s now been 101 years, but that’s not going to stop the Arlington County government from celebrating the 100th anniversary of its current name. County officials expect to hold a celebration of the switch from ‘Alexandria County’ to ‘Arlington County’ on Friday, Nov. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lubber Run Community Center.” [Sun Gazette]

Marymount to Promote ‘Racial Healing’ — “In the latest example of Marymount University’s commitment to raising awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion issues, the institution has been selected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to host a new Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center.” [Marymount University]

County Seeking Design Award Nominees — “Arlington County’s biennial design awards program, DESIGNArlington, is accepting submissions for great design in architectural, historic preservation, landscape and public art projects through December 6, 2021.” [Arlington County]

It’s Tuesday — It’s going to be a windy day. A slight chance of showers between 8am and noon today. Partly sunny, with a high near 65 and a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph into the evening hours. Sunrise at 7:29 a.m. and sunset at 6:14 p.m. Tomorrow it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 68 and more gusty winds.

Get the Morning Notes four hours early on most days (and get text alerts for urgent stories) by joining the ARLnow Press Club

UPDATED: Flood Warning issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Flash Flood Watch and radar as of 6 p.m. (via NWS)

Update at 10:15 p.m. — Arlington is under a Flood Warning as heavy rain continues to fall. Some flooding is being reported in parts of the area, including along I-66 in Arlington.

Earlier: A rainy night, and possible flooding, is on tap after a line of storms packing gusty winds and downpours blew through Arlington during the evening commute.

More rain is expected to fall on already-saturated ground tonight, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Flash Flood Watch.

More from NWS:

URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
550 PM EDT MON OCT 25 2021

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR 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, PRINCE GEORGES AND SOUTHERN BALTIMORE. IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA AND FAIRFAX.

* UNTIL 2 AM EDT TUESDAY.

* SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH THIS EVENING, WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS OF UP TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE. HEAVY RAIN IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME MAY RESULT IN RAPID RISES OF WATER ON SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS AND IN URBAN AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Dark clouds move across the region, seen from the Shirlington pedestrian bridge over I-395 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Reduced Metro Service Continues — “Metro continues working to finalize plans in cooperation with safety officials to return the 7000-series railcars to passenger service and fully restore its rail system. As a result, Metrorail service will remain at the current reduced service levels through at least October 31, 2021. During this time, trains will operate basic service every 15-20 minutes on the Red Line and every 30-40 minutes on all other lines.” [WMATA]

APS Online Learning Update — “Arlington Public Schools leaders say they have triaged some of the most pressing fallout from a rocky rollout of the new online-learning initiative, but still have steps to take to ensure the program meets its promises to students and their families. ‘We have had a lot of regretful growing pains – that has been bad,’ frustrated School Board member Cristina Diaz-Torres said after an Oct. 14 update on the situation.” [Sun Gazette]

Charges Dismissed in Police Shooting — “A federal judge in Alexandria on Friday dismissed all criminal charges against two U.S. Park Police officers who fatally shot unarmed motorist Bijan Ghaisar in 2017, saying that they reasonably feared that one of the officers was in danger and that their actions following a pursuit of Ghaisar were ‘necessary and proper.’ Prosecutors for the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and the Fairfax County commonwealth’s attorney said they would appeal the ruling.” [Washington Post]

It’s Monday — ⛈ A chance of showers between 2-5 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms — some potentially strong, with heavy rain — in the evening. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. South wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Sunrise at 7:27 a.m. and sunset at 6:15 p.m. Tomorrow, it will be mostly cloudy and breezy, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high near 65.

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