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: Thousands Lose Power After Strong Storm Rips Through Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Update at 8:55 p.m. — About 900 Dominion customers are still without power after the earlier storm, which toppled trees across the county.

https://twitter.com/chad_clay/status/1431010231199408138

Update at 4:25 p.m. — “Multiple trees” are reported to be down near the intersection of 14th Street S. and S. Pollard Street in Douglas Park, and along I-66 near the Lee Highway/Route 29 exit, according to the National Weather Service.

Update at 4:10 p.m. — Thousands are without power in Arlington as a result of the storm. Nearly 3,500 homes and businesses are in the dark, according to a Dominion outage map.

Damage is being reported as a result of the storm’s strong winds. On 22nd Street N. at Military Road firefighters are on scene of a large tree that fell, took down power lines and caused a reported transformer explosion. On the 3900 block of Vacation Lane, a tree reportedly fell into a house.

The outages are causing problems, meanwhile, like a reported stuck elevator with people in it at the Costco in Pentagon City.

Local residents have been reporting hail, booming thunder, and standing water in roadways throughout the county. The Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been extended until 4:45 p.m. and northern Arlington is under a new warning.

https://twitter.com/norabelle414/status/1430980246338215936

Update at 3:50 p.m. — The storm appears to be expanding on radar. In Ballston, very strong winds have knocked down furniture in sidewalk cafes.

The National Weather Service, meanwhile, just issued a Flood Warning for Arlington.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DC-ARLINGTON VA-
345 PM EDT THU AUG 26 2021

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WARNING FOR… WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…

* UNTIL 645 PM EDT.

* AT 345 PM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS. FLOODING IS ONGOING OR EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY IN THE WARNED AREA. BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1 INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… ARLINGTON… ALEXANDRIA… ROSSLYN… CRYSTAL CITY… REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT… NATIONALS PARK… GEORGETOWN… BALLSTON… ROCK CREEK… THE WHITE HOUSE… CHERRYDALE… BARCROFT… THE MALL…

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

Earlier: Most of Arlington is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.

The warning was issued after a strong storm popped up over Arlington and Alexandria, with heavy rain and frequent lightning.

More from the National Weather Service:

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
331 PM EDT THU AUG 26 2021

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… WEST CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… EAST CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…

* UNTIL 415 PM EDT.

* AT 331 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER ARLINGTON, MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, ANNANDALE, HUNTINGTON, CORAL HILLS, BLADENSBURG, NATIONAL HARBOR, NATIONALS PARK, FEDEX FIELD, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, FORT TOTTEN, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, ROSSLYN, CRYSTAL CITY, RFK STADIUM, LANDOVER, LINCOLNIA, HYATTSVILLE AND TAKOMA PARK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING.

Five Arrested in D.C. After Armed Robbery in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Five people were arrested after an armed robbery outside the Harris Teeter store in Pentagon City.

The robbery happened around 4 p.m. Wednesday, in a parking lot near the grocery store. Five people, including at least one who was armed with a handgun, assaulted and stole cash from victims with whom they had arranged a sale of sneakers, according to police.

“At approximately 4:11 p.m., police were dispatched to the 900 block of Army Navy Drive for the report of an armed robbery,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspects and victims met at this location for the pre-arranged sale of sneakers. During the encounter, the suspects brandished a firearm, assaulted the victims, stole an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene in a vehicle prior to the arrival of officers.”

The vehicle, a dark-colored Jeep, was soon located by police heading into D.C. on I-395. It was followed by officers until U.S. Park Police stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Street NW in the District.

Five people, all ages 19 and 20, were taken into custody and charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, Savage said. They’re currently being held in D.C.

One of the victims suffered a reported head wound during the robbery and was treated by medics on the scene.

 

Rosslyn-Based Politico Sold for $1 Billion

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn-based media company Politico is being acquired by the German publishing conglomerate Axel Springer.

The deal is worth around $1 billion, according to initial reports as the news broke this morning.

Politico was founded in 2007 in Rosslyn, in the same office tower at 1000 Wilson Blvd as its former sister outlet, local ABC station WJLA. The station was sold in 2013.

Axel Springer says the addition of Politico to its U.S. digital media holdings, including Insider (formerly Business Insider) and Morning Brew, will add to its growing reach.

Politico started out as primarily a Capitol Hill newspaper, competing with the likes of The Hill (which also recently sold) and Roll Call — complete with newspaper boxes offering free copies around Arlington and D.C. Metro stations — but has since grown a large, mainstream audience for its online political coverage. It also generates substantial revenue from a high-end subscription service called Politico Pro.

Arlington is home to a number of other media companies, including Washington Business Journal, Graham Holdings, Salem Radio Network, Washington Free Beacon and Townhall Media, all in Rosslyn.

Politico co-founder Jim VandeHei, along with colleagues Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz, broke with owner Robert Allbritton in 2016 and founded a competing publication, Axios, which is based in Clarendon. PBS has its headquarters in Crystal City, while local public broadcasting station WETA, along with the PBS Newshour, which it produces, are based in Shirlington. ARLnow and its sister sites ALXnow, Tysons Reporter and Reston Now are based in Ballston.

Axios, meanwhile, has previously been discussed as a possible acquisition target for Axel Springer.

https://twitter.com/abeaujon/status/1430885266319892480

More on the sale of Politico, below, from a press release.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lebanese Taverna Helping to Feed Refugees — From World Central Kitchen: “Today’s scene at Dulles Airport outside DC To support families landing from Afghanistan, the WCK team is here to provide fresh, hot meals upon arrival. People have not eaten in hours — or days — by the time they land. Today’s plates came from @lebanesetaverna.” [Twitter]

Air Quality Alert Today — “The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments… has issued a Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert Thursday for the DC metro area. A Code Orange Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children, people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases and the elderly.” [National Weather Service]

Missing Senior Found — From Virginia State Police: “Virginia Senior Alert CANCELLED: Per @ArlingtonVaPD, Mr. Charilaos Dimopoulos, 92, has been SAFELY LOCATED.” [Twitter]

Committee of 100 Stays Remote — “It will be the start of 2022 at the earliest before the Arlington Committee of 100 returns to in-person meetings. ‘Our board has decided to continue providing our programs ‘virtually’ through December,’ the organization said in a recent e-mail to participants. ‘Our hope is eventually to provide hybrid programs, where you can connect with fellow members in person or watch them from the comfort of your home.'” [Sun Gazette]

Girls Flag Football Coach Profiled — “Rivera remains here in Arlington, coaching… year-round in both flag and girls’ basketball under the banner of the Hurricanes organization, which he founded… Rivera has taken Virginia Hurricanes select flag teams to the NFL nationals — the championships for the official NFL flag football league — seven times. They’ve won the national championship three times–twice for the 14-and-under (14U) age group, and once for the 12U age group. The 10U and 12U teams qualified for the upcoming nationals in Nevada in January 2022, and the 14U team will compete to qualify in November.” [Arlington Magazine]

Reminder on a Hot Day — From AAA Mid-Atlantic: “We’re looking at another hot and humid day in VA, it’s time to focus on protecting children & pets from the heat: Never leave them in a vehicle unattended. Always look in the back seat every time you exit. Always lock the car and put keys out of reach.” [Twitter]

What $750,000 Can Get You in Northern Virginia Real Estate

By ARLnow.com
4621 6th Street S., Arlington (via Google Maps)

Last month, we asked the question: What will $1 million get you in real estate?

The results varied from three-bedroom homes in Arlington and Alexandria to multi-story six-bedroom homes in Reston and Ashburn.

This month, we’re lowering the price point. We’re taking a look at single-family homes in Northern Virginia that recently sold for around $750,000.

Let’s start here in Arlington.

Arlington

4621 6th Street S.

Specs:

  • Built: 1940
  • 3 BD/1.5 BA single-family home
  • 0.24 acres; 2,025 square feet
  • Features: Detached two-story garage, hardwood floors, large rec room, deep backyard

Sold: $750,000

Alexandria

16 N. Donelson Street

16 N. Donelson Street (via Google Maps)

Specs:

  • Built: 1940
  • 4 BD/3 BA single-family home
  • 0.23 acres; 2,452 square feet
  • Features: Remodeled kitchen, large patio with natural gas fire pit

Sold: $755,000

Reston

11716 Blue Smoke Trail

11716 Blue Smoke Trail (via Google Maps)

Specs:

  • Built: 1970
  • 4 BD/2.5 BA single-family home
  • 0.6 acres; 2,292 square feet
  • Features: Tw0-car garage, community pool

Sold: $750,000

Vienna

413 Orleans Circle SW

413 Orleans Circle SW (via Google Maps)

Specs:

  • Built: 1959
  • 3 BD/2 BA single-family home
  • 0.29 acres; 1,058 square feet
  • Features: Quiet cul-de-sac, fenced backyard, no HOA

Sold: $750,000

Ashburn

43059 Weatherwood Drive

43059 Weatherwood Drive (via Google Maps)

Specs:

  • Built: 1995
  • 5 BD/3.5 BA single-family home
  • 0.2 acres; 3,169 square feet
  • Features: Upgraded wood floors, large back deck, large rec room

Sold: $750,000

Fairfax

10225 Raider Lane

10225 Raider Lane (via Google Maps)

Specs:

  • Built: 1963
  • 4 BD/3 BA single-family home
  • 0.27 acres; 2,480 square feet
  • Features: Property backs to woods, large deck, remodeled bathrooms

Sold: $750,000

Want to see more in Arlington real estate? Check out Just Listed and Just Reduced properties.

Press Club: Early Morning Notes for Thursday, Aug. 26

By ARLnow.com

Good morning, Arlington. Jo here. It’s Thursday, August 26: National Women’s Equality Day and NBA star James Harden’s 32nd birthday.

This post is exclusively for ARLNow Press Club members. Not a member? Join here.

Members can sign in here.

JUST IN: Knife-Wielding Man Tased Outside Arlington Police HQ

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A man armed with a pair of knives threatened officers outside Arlington police headquarters Wednesday evening, police said.

The incident happened just before 5 p.m., outside the entrance to the police department on 14th Street N. in Courthouse.

“The suspect approached officers outside the police department, brandished two knives, pointed them towards the officers in a threatening manner, advanced towards them and made a statement about the officers killing him,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage, who noted that the information is preliminary.

“An officer deployed a Taser which did not incapacitate the suspect. The suspect did not comply with the officer’s commands and continued to brandish the knives in a threatening manner,” Savage continued. “The officers created distance and deployed a second Taser which incapacitated the suspect and he was taken into custody. He was treated on scene by medics and charges are pending.”

Police vehicles could be seen speeding towards the scene as the incident unfolded. Police and sheriff’s deputies blocked 14th Street N. to traffic while the suspect was treated and detectives documented the scene.

Savage said officers demonstrated restraint in using non-lethal force while facing down a potentially deadly threat.

“Based on the information we have at this time, our officers showed great restraint in safely resolving a dangerous encounter with an armed suspect to protect the safety of the community, officers and the involved individual,” she told ARLnow.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Kitten Rescued from Van — ” Caroline Elpers, a deputy animal control officer with Arlington County, responded to a call from a woman on Aug. 15. The woman said she was walking her dog and she’d heard the mewing of a cat coming from the inside of a van parked on the street. ‘Initially, the call stated that the cat was in the van,’ Elpers said, who arrived on the scene around 10 a.m. ‘Once I got there, it was apparent that the cat was underneath the van, running under and into the engine.'” [Patch]

Pandemic Doesn’t Stop Tax Collection — “Over the past year, staff of the Arlington treasurer’s office has been tasked with collecting $997 million in taxes due on real estate and personal property (both vehicles and business property). To date, more than $995 million of it is in hand. Treasurer Carla de la Pava on Aug. 16 confirmed to the Sun Gazette that the county’s tax-delinquency rate for the past year stood at 0.18 percent, a near-record.” [Sun Gazette]

New Faregates Coming to Local Metro Stations — “Work is also underway to replace the faregates at 13 additional stations, with new faregates being phased in as they are completed and ready for service. Eastern Market and Forest Glen are expected to be completed within the next week. That will be followed by the completion of Friendship Heights, Crystal City, Capitol South, the north entrance of Union Station, Arlington Cemetery, National Airport, and Addison Road in the coming weeks.” [WMATA]

New Pro-People Coalition Launches — “The National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) partnered with local stakeholders today to launch the ‘People Before Cars’ Coalition to unite area organizations around shared priorities to create a safer and more accessible transportation network in National Landing.” [Press Release]

N. Va. Gov’ts Welcome Afghan Refugees — “The Northern Virginia Regional Commission… issued a statement regarding regional refugee resettlement on Tuesday. ‘Citizens of Northern Virginia are following with great concern and compassion the evacuation of Afghan refugees by the brave men and women of our Armed Forces and civilian agencies,’ the statement read. ‘We welcome our new neighbors and wish them much success as they transition to a new life here in the region and across the United States.'” [Prince William Times, Twitter]

N. Va. School System Goes Virtual Only — “Rappahannock County Public Schools on Monday announced that the schools will switch to virtual learning for the remainder of the week while officials work to create a new system to mitigate spread of COVID-19 as the virus has created a flurry of cases within the schools since the academic year began… Officials said a high number of flu cases reported in the schools was also taken into account when deciding the closure.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler

Press Club: Early Morning Notes for Wednesday, Aug. 25

By ARLnow.com

Good morning, Arlington. Dana here. It’s Wednesday, August 25: National Park Service Founders Day and Tim Burton’s 63rd birthday.

This post is exclusively for ARLNow Press Club members. Not a member? Join here.

Members can sign in here.

The Arlies: Vote for Your Favorite Urgent Care

By ARLnow.com

The Arlies are back again with a new category. First, the results from last week’s voting.

Arlington’s favorite lawn care service is Andy’s Lawn and Landscape, followed by Better Lawn Service, Inc. and The Lawn Barbers.

Now, let’s vote on this week’s category. When you’re feeling sick do you have a go-to urgent care? A favorite clinic that will see you quickly and diagnose you accurately? 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.

Silver Alert Issued for Missing Arlington County Man

By ARLnow.com

Update on 8/26/21 — The man has been found, police say.

Earlier: An elderly Arlington man is missing and Virginia State Police have issued a statewide alert to try to find him.

Arlington County police say the 92-year-old man went missing from the Cherrydale neighborhood Monday afternoon. He’s believed to be in danger due to a health issue.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or ACPD at 703-558-2222.

State police issued the following Silver Alert for the missing man this morning.

THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE HAS ISSUED A SENIOR ALERT ON BEHALF OF ARLINGTON COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT ON AUGUST 24, 2021 AT 0825 HOURS.

THE ARLINGTON COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FOR CHARILAOS DIMOPOULOS, RACE: WHITE, SEX: MALE, AGE 92 YEARS OLD, HEIGHT 5 FOOT 8 INCHES, WEIGHT 110 LBS., WITH HAZEL EYES, AND GRAY HAIR.

HE WAS LAST SEEN ON AUGUST 23, AT 1530 HOURS AT 2021 NORTH NELSON STREET, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.  HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A BLUE SHIRT, GRAY PANTS AND POSSIBLY A BLACK JACKET.  HE HAS REPORTEDLY LEFT ON FOOT BUT POSSIBLY HAS TAKEN THE METRO OR A CAB IN AN UNKNOWN DIRECTION OF TRAVEL.

THE MISSING SENIOR SUFFERS FROM A COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, AND THE DISAPPEARANCE POSES A CREDIBLE THREAT TO HIS HEALTH AND SAFETY AS DETERMINED BY THE INVESTIGATING AGENCY.

PLEASE CONTACT THE ARLINGTON COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT [24/7 DISPATCH] WITH ANY INFORMATION REGARDING HIS WHEREABOUTS AT (703) 558-2222, OR YOU MAY FIND COMPLETE INFORMATION AT Twitter.com/VSPalerts

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