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.
Arlington Pet of the Week Honey (courtesy of Molly)
Arlington Pet of the Week Honey (courtesy of Molly)
Arlington Pet of the Week Honey (courtesy of Molly)
Arlington Pet of the Week Honey (courtesy of Molly)
Arlington Pet of the Week Honey (courtesy of Molly)
Say hi to Arlington’s latest Pet of the Week, Honey. This springer spaniel pup is quite an adventurer. She loves swimming at Donaldson Run and hiking in Rock Creek.
Honey’s mom shared more details about her life here in Arlington.
This is Honey, a 5-month-old springer spaniel who lives in the Courthouse region of Arlington. While originally born on a farm in Pennsylvania, she is loving her urban life here in Arlington and all of her doggie friends in the neighborhood.
She loves swimming at the nearby trail at Donaldson Run and playing in the Glencarlyn Dog Park on Sundays. She loves riding in the car, long hikes through Rock Creek and snacking on Greenies with a spoonful of peanut butter. If other Arlington fur friends see her around she’d love to have a few sniffs and say hi!
Honey is more subdued in the morning and then has the zoomies by 7 p.m. — just in time for dinner! She just recently lost her last puppy tooth and is growing up too quickly.
Honey left ARLnow two paws up!
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!
Man Found Unconscious in Jail Cell — “A 58-year-old adult male has been transported to an area hospital for medical treatment after being found unconscious in his cell in the Arlington County Detention Facility. At approximately 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2021, the individual was found unconscious in his cell in the medical unit. Deputies and medical staff began immediate resuscitation efforts until the arrival of Arlington [County Fire Department] units. He was transported to Virginia Hospital Center for additional treatment and is in stable condition.” [Arlington County]
Expect More Pedestrians Near Schools — “On Wednesday, Oct. 6, Arlington Public Schools is taking part in Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day, an annual international celebration that encourages students to walk, bike or roll to school while teaching the health, environmental and community-building benefits of active transportation and safe routes to school.” [Arlington County]
New DCA Checkpoints Opening Soon — “Reagan National Airport’s new security checkpoints are set to open in about a month, in time for holiday travel. This will dramatically reshape the airport, putting most of what is now open space (Ben’s Chili Bowl) in the B/C terminals BEHIND security.” [NBC Washington, Twitter]
Honors for Fmr. W-L Volleyball Player — “Kate Sheire ’24 led the Bears offense, scoring 21 kills and blocking three shots to help bolster their defense… Sheire, who leads the Bears roster with 136.5 points over 11 games, added to her already-stellar rookie campaign with the performance against Yale. The Ivy League announced Monday that Sheire — whose 21 kills led all scorers in the first week of conference play – was selected as both the Ivy League Rookie of the Week and Ivy League Player of the Week Monday.” [Brown Daily Herald]
Historical Society Talk Planned — “In another sign of a rebound in the COVID era, the Arlington Historical Society is resuming in-person meetings. First up: An Oct. 14 gathering focused on the Syphax family. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Reinsch Library on the main campus of Marymount University… Historian and genealogist Steve Hammond will discuss the Syphax family, starting with those who were enslaved on the Arlington House plantation, continuing with the post-Civil War era and running through the modern day.” [Sun Gazette]
Football Trophy Returns to Yorktown — “After years of being elsewhere, a championship football trophy has returned to where it originated – in possession of the Yorktown High School football team. Back in 1976, when David Gebhardt was Yorktown’s first-year head football coach, the Patriots won the Great Falls District title. When Gebhardt moved to Jamestown, N.C., years later, that trophy unintentionally was taken along.” [Sun Gazette]
Another category is upon us for the fall 2021 Arlies, ARLnow’s community awards.
Last week, we asked readers about their favorite handyman. Unfortunately, no one person received sufficient votes to qualify.
Moving on to this week’s category, do you have a favorite apartment building you always recommend? A certain place that is in a great location, affordable, quiet and pet friendly? Or maybe a place that’s spacious, luxurious and near all the go-to spots? Let us know below or by clicking this link.
Voting is open until next Tuesday, when we announce the winners and vote on a new category.
Construction is getting underway for a new eatery at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Construction is getting underway for a new eatery at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Construction is getting underway for a new eatery at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Construction is getting underway for a new eatery at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Construction is getting underway for a new eatery at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Construction is getting underway for a new eatery at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Clarendon is getting a new café and bar with an emphasis on outdoor drinking and dining.
Construction permits were approved earlier this summer for a new restaurant at 3303 Wilson Blvd, with expansive outdoor seating and a 120 square foot outdoor kiosk. The new establishment will be called “Bar Ivy” and will also feature a nearly 3,000 square foot indoor space on the ground floor, permit applications suggest.
Last October the County Board considered a request from the owner of the office building to allow an outdoor café and kiosk in an existing, sparsely-used plaza area along Wilson Blvd, near the intersection with N. Highland Street and catty-corner from the Clarendon Metro station.
From our reporting at the time:
The proposed café would have 125 seats outside and 59 seats inside, according to a county staff report.
“The outdoor café will occupy the majority of the existing plaza and be enclosed by moveable planters,” the staff report notes. “Although all existing trees will be maintained, the existing raised planter walls will be redesigned to accommodate the outdoor seating.”
The kiosk will serve “grab-and-go beverages” to both passersby as well as those dining at the outdoor café. It’s being considered by the County Board separately from the café.
“The kiosk will operate the same hours as the restaurant and outdoor café and will be located on private property at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and North Highland Street,” the staff report says.
According to a county staff report, the approval was granted on the condition that it applies to just one restaurant operator: a company called Meowlington LLC.
The LLC was formed in March 2020 by Greg Algie, records show. Algie was a business partner in the former Fado Irish Pub in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood and is the founder of Blagden Hospitality Group, the company behind a number of trendy D.C. restaurants including Tiger Fork, Calico, The Fainting Goat and Primrose.
Construction permits for the new restaurant were issued to Hospitality Construction Services, which counts Tiger Fork among its former projects. The company’s past projects also include the Ballston Quarter food hall and The Italian Store.
Outside 3033 Wilson Blvd today, fencing was up around the plaza and some excavation activity could be seen. Adjacent to the plaza, doors to an under-construction ground floor space were propped open.
There’s no word on when how long construction might take nor when the new restaurant may open, though such projects usually take a few months at a minimum.
A PR rep for Blagden Hospitality Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
For hours yesterday, Facebook-owned services, including the Instagram, WhatsApp, and original blue Facebook app, were knocked off the internet.
It was a throwback to the growing pains of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking services more than 10 years ago, when major technical snafus like this were more common.
The timing was also conspicuous, given that the outage came one day after a bombshell 60 Minutes episode in which a former employee levied a number of accusations, including that the company incentivizes “angry, polarizing, divisive content” in order to boost user engagement.
Here at ARLnow HQ, the primary effect of the outage was to disrupt our ability to post stories to our Facebook page and photos to our Instagram account. Also our readership dipped a bit, though not as much as one might imagine given how much traffic Facebook drives.
Elsewhere, though, one would think the widespread use of Facebook and Instagram as a time-filling utility — a quick break from work, a boredom reliever, etc. — actually resulted in some people being more productive during the workday while it was down. Does that include you?
Fundraiser for Former Restaurant Employee — “My name is Dante. I’m the general manager at the Green Pig Bistro in Arlington. Recently we had a tragedy in our green pig family. One of our former employees, Myra died in child birth. Her husband, Rolando, is also a former employee. We are… [raising] money to help this single father out.” [GoFundMe]
First for Tomb of the Unknown Soldier — “A historic first happened at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Friday. The Tomb at Arlington National Cemetery has been guarded continuously for the past 84 years… On October 1, for the first time ever, there was an all-woman shift change.” [WUSA 9]
Designers Weigh in on New County Logo — “I think if you think of it as a logo, it has some pretty obvious shortcomings in that it doesn’t say much about Arlington except as part of the larger region. It’s more of a reasonable mark for the DMV than it is for Arlington itself. It would be nice if they could’ve had something about Arlington to feature there. On the other hand, Arlington being part of the DMV might be what’s most interesting about it.” [Washingtonian]
Rent Keeps Rising in Arlington — “Median apartment-rental rates across Arlington continue their post-COVID rebound and are the highest in the Washington region, but the rate of growth over the past month was slightly below the national average. With a median cost of $2,061 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,495 for a two-bedroom unit, the median price for Arlington rentals over the preceding month was up 1.9 percent.” [Sun Gazette]
Arlington Jobless Rate Dropping — “Arlington’s jobless rate in August dropped to 3 percent, according to new data, as the county and region continue to wriggle free of the economic grip of COVID… The August data… showed 145,095 Arlington residents employed in the civilian workforce and 4,549 looking for jobs. The resulting 3-percent rate was down from 3.4 percent in July, and a healthy drop from the 5.2-percent rate recorded in August 2020.” [Sun Gazette]
Seeking Police Oversight Board Members — “The Arlington County Board is now seeking applications from residents interested in serving as part of the County’s new Community Oversight Board (COB) that will have independent oversight and help to increase transparency and collaboration with the Arlington County Police Department. This volunteer COB will work directly with an accompanying Independent Policing Auditor, who will be hired at a later date.” [Arlington County]
A reported two-vehicle crash that left one vehicle on its roof is causing significant delays on southbound I-395 near Pentagon City.
The flipped vehicle is located on the right-hand side of the roadway. Initial reports suggest that one person was trapped inside and that fellow motorists were trying to help get them out.
Firefighters and police are now on scene and the person who was stuck inside the overturned vehicle is now out, according to scanner traffic.
Just one lane of traffic is currently squeezing by the crash scene, causing significant delays. No word yet on any injuries.
LOCATION: I-395 S Exit 8A INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: I-395 southbound in the area of exit 8A is currently closed down to one lane. Seek a different route and avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/aI20MmBFpV
Inner Ear Records Its Last Track — “For the neighbors who first pushed for an arts district, it’s a cruel consequence of their idea — particularly because they wanted to complement, not end, Zientara’s longtime presence on South Oakland Street… ‘Losing a small, yet significant, arts-related business is antithetical to this vision,’ Robin Stombler, acting president of the Green Valley Civic Association, wrote in a letter about Inner Ear to county lawmakers earlier this year.” [Washington Post]
ACFD Rescues Worker in Ballston — “Our Technical Rescue Team responded for an injured individual located several stories below street level. Utilizing a crane on-site for access, the team packaged the individual into a stokes basket to bring topside to an ambulance for transport to an area hospital.” [Twitter]
APS Hires New Head of HR — “The Arlington School Board has appointed Dr. Dashan Turner as the new Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Dr. Turner is currently the Superintendent of Colonial Beach Public Schools (CBPS). Dr. Turner brings 20 years of experience in education to Arlington Public Schools.” [Arlington Public Schools]
Route 29 Gets Its Own Print ‘Zine’ — “Arlington Arts and the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development are pleased to announce the release of a zine that brings the history, stories, and character of Langston Boulevard to life through illustrations by artist Liz Nugent. Created as part of Plan Langston Boulevard, the zine also celebrates the corridor’s new name after John M. Langston.” [Arlington County]
Covid Cases Falling in Va. — “The surge of the Delta variant of COVID-19 is noticeably waning in Northern Virginia and the rest of the state, according to new data from the Virginia Department of Health. Average new daily cases reported in Northern Virginia are down about 12% in the past week, to a seven-day average of 413, although that is still more than double the average on Oct. 1, 2020, before any vaccine was available. Statewide, the seven-day average of new daily cases has fallen 14% in the past week.” [InsideNova]
Nearby: Seven Corners Ring Road? — There are few more self-evident testaments in Fairfax County to the shortsighted follies of 20th century land-use planning than Seven Corners… As part of a larger package of funding requests, the Board of Supervisors voted on Sept. 14 to authorize transportation staff to seek $94.8 million from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for the first phase of a “ring” road that will eventually connect the west side of Route 7 to Wilson Boulevard.” [Tysons Reporter]
We’ve got nice weather ahead this weekend, making it the perfect time to explore open houses in Arlington.
As of Friday morning, there will be 125 open houses in the area, according to Homesnap. These range from a 6 BD/5.5 BA modern farmhouse listed for $2.3 million to a luxury 1 BD/1 BA centrally located condo for $699,000.
Let’s take a look at a few open houses you can find this weekend:
3845 N. Chesterbrook Road
6 BD/5.5 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: High-end custom finishes, wine room, oversized two-car garage
Listed: $2,250,000
Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m.
1312 N. Evergreen Street
6 BD/5.5 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: Covered porch with gas fireplace, library, finished lower level, two-car garage with loft for storage
Listed: $1,645,000
Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m.
3572 Military Road
4 BD/3 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: $375,000 in upgrades, fully finished lower level with rec room and wet bar, large deck, fenced herb garden
Listed: $1,079,900
Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. and Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
1245 N. Pierce Street #9
3 BD/2 BA condo
Noteworthy: Covered parking, hardwood floors, large deck, covered parking
Listed: $919,000
Open: Sunday, 12-2 p.m.
943 N. Liberty Street
3 BD/3 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: Lots of recent upgrades, conservatory with views of backyard, refinished hardwood floors
Listed: $890,000
Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m.
1600 Clarendon Blvd #W203
1 BD/1 BA condo
Noteworthy: Wall-to-wall windows, 2-minute walk to Rosslyn Metro, parking spot and private storage included
Listed: $699,000
Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
The series was announced last month by Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl, known for telling wild tales that later turn out to be false, often holding press conferences outside Burkman’s Rosslyn townhouse as part of their publicity campaigns.
(Burkman’s local notoriety includes being banned from holding press conferences at a Rosslyn hotel, having police called on one of his townhouse press conferences after protesters and hecklers showed up, allegedly staging a fake FBI raid at his house, and getting shot in a Rosslyn parking garage.)
In videos posted to YouTube, the duo purport to lure government officials to a home in order to engage in sexual activity a woman posing as a teen girl. Parts of the series appear to be filmed in Rosslyn.
The flyer, shown above, highlights one person who was featured in the pilot episode, said to be a former Trump campaign field director who later received a political appointment to a federal agency.
The flyer claims there is an “ongoing investigation by Arlington PD into his solicitations for sex with decoy posing as an underaged teen girl.” ARLnow is not naming the individual because there is no indication that he is accused of a crime by an actual law enforcement agency.
“This is not a flyer created or supported by ACPD,” said police department spokeswoman Ashley Savage, asked whether such an investigation was underway.
“As always, we would encourage anyone with information regarding possible criminal activity in Arlington to report information to ACPD for investigation by calling the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency,” she added.
There’s a reason why Wohl and Burkman may be resorting to low-tech ways — like duct taping a flyer to a bus stop — to promote their online video series. Both men have been banned from Twitter for violating rules against misinformation.
