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.
The newest Pet of the Week is Max Goforth, a 3-year-old mini goldendoodle named after Max Scherzer. (Go Nats!)
Here’s what Max had to say about his life in Virginia Square:
My name is Max Goforth. I am a 3-year-old mini goldendoodle (F1). I am originally from North Dakota. I now reside in Virginia Square, but you can find me on all of the streets of Arlington because I love walking! I also love treats and any attention I can get.
Fun fact about me is that I am named after Max Scherzer. GO NATS! One time, I actually attended Pups in the Park, and I SWEAR Max made eye contact with me. I didn’t get famous, but BOY did I get a lot of pets!
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!
We are also looking for local pets who look like their owners or like celebrities. Email us photos of your pet and their doppelgänger, explaining the resemblance and whether it has been noticed in your neighborhood.
Weck is a community engagement manager for D.C. nonprofit HER Resiliency Center and a 2020 graduate of American University, according to an online biography and LinkedIn profile. She also volunteers as an English as a Second Language teacher with Catholic Charities and has a black belt in Judo.
The guest host for this week’s episodes is sportscaster Joe Buck. Longtime host Alex Trebek died in November after a battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Amazon Makes $1 Million Donation — “Amazon today announced it will continue its commitment to the Right Now Needs Fund in Northern Virginia for the upcoming academic year with an additional $1 million investment to support students attending Arlington Public Schools, Alexandria City Public Schools, and Fairfax County Public Schools. The Fund, in partnership with Communities In Schools NOVA, helps remove barriers to learning and works to meet the basic needs of thousands of schoolchildren from underserved communities.” [BusinessWire]
New Portion of DCA Has WeWork Vibes — “There’s a cool WeWork feel to @Reagan_Airport’s new section of Terminal C. Prefer these or old school airport seating? Smart marketing on bottom of departure screens, too.” [Twitter]
Some Home Prices Are Dropping — “Prices are dropping for a higher percentage of home listings in the latest sign the Covid-19-fueled housing market may have peaked. About 4.7% of listings for the four weeks ending Aug. 1 had price drops, according to real estate firm Redfin, compared to 3.7% during the same period last year. It is also near the prepandemic level of 4.9% during the same period in 2019 in the latest sign the housing market may be cooling off after a period of rapid price appreciation.” [Washington Business Journal]
Emergency Alert Test Today — From FEMA: “We’ll be conducting a national test in coordination with @FCC of the Emergency Alert System at 2:20 PM ET on Aug 11. The test will go to televisions & radios, while specially configured cell phones will receive an emergency alert test code message.” [Twitter, MoCo Show]
Editor’s Note: We’re testing publishing our ARLnow Early Morning Notes email on the homepage for members to read and comment on. Let us know what you think.
This post is exclusively for ARLNow Press Club members. Not a member? Join here.
Power outages in Arlington at 6:20 p.m. (via Dominion)
Update at 11:15 p.m. — The number of outages in Arlington is now down to 2,655, according to Dominion.
Update at 9:35 p.m. — About 4,000 Dominion customers are still in the dark in Arlington. Power was restored to more than 1,000 homes and businesses over the past three hours.
Powerful storm left lots of damage w/ 72,000 @DominionEnergy outages in NoVa. ➡️Stay away from downed lines! ➡️If you have an outage or wires down call 866-DOM-HELP/866-366-4367 Our crews are working quickly & safely to get everyone’s power back ASAP! Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/0ZltoDiWBV
Update at 6:20 p.m. — Dominion is reporting 5,015 homes and businesses without power in Arlington, the wake of a strong storm that moved through the area and downed trees and utility lines. Most of the outages are concentrated along Arlington’s northwestern border. There are also extensive outages in the City of Falls Church, according to an outage map.
Please only call 9-1-1 for a life-threatening emergency. Call the non-emergency line at 703-558-2222 for all else. https://t.co/SfVz3iwo78
Earlier: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Arlington.
A strong storm packing damaging winds is heading east in the direction of Arlington, forecasters say. Anyone outside should seek cover.
More from the National Weather Service:
BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
512 PM EDT TUE AUG 10 2021
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE CITY OF FAIRFAX IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… NORTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
* UNTIL 600 PM EDT.
* AT 512 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER MERRIFIELD, OR OVER MANTUA, MOVING EAST AT 15 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, SPRINGFIELD, FAIRFAX, VIENNA, GROVETON, FALLS CHURCH, HUNTINGTON, MANTUA, PIMMIT HILLS, NATIONAL HARBOR, AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, MCLEAN, ROSSLYN, CRYSTAL CITY, BURKE, OAKTON AND LINCOLNIA.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING.
Local TikTok star Coco Briscoe, in a video she posted which shows her being served with a protective order (via TikTok)
Update on 9/30/21: Charges against Briscoe were dropped earlier this week.
Earlier: An Arlington woman has been arrested for allegedly ignoring a court order not to talk about a local restaurant employee on her popular social media accounts.
Crystal Briscoe, known to her nearly 25,000 TikTok followers as Coco, was arrested Monday morning at her apartment along Columbia Pike for violating a Emergency Protective Order (EPO) issued just five hours before. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Arlington General District Court tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.
The charge against her is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable in Virginia by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
The arrest follows several days of posts from Briscoe on TikTok and Instagram in which she alleged an elaborate plot to harass her online via social media comments and fake online dating profiles created by employees at two Columbia Pike restaurants: Rebellion on the Pike and The Celtic House Irish Pub & Restaurant.
Briscoe called one particular employee a “stalker” and alleged that the employee was able to obtain the protective order because she is dating an Arlington County police officer.
A 39-year-old Virginia native who moved to Arlington during the pandemic after a time in Southern California, where she worked as a Zumba instructor and a comedy writer, Briscoe gained a following on TikTok for her candid commentary on the D.C. dating scene. She said in a video over the weekend that the harassment started following a bad date at one of the restaurants, after which the employees — who she dubs “the Pikeys” — started to bully her, take videos of her, and “plant” a person to date her.
In another TikTok post she threatened to call the FBI about the alleged harassment and suggested, without evidence, that the restaurants were complicit in their employees’ behavior.
“Call your dogs off, Rebellion and Celtic. Or I will do everything in my power to have your businesses shut down. Everything. I’ve only asked you to leave me alone,” she said. Each TikTok post has garnered tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of views, along with hundreds of supportive comments from Briscoe’s fans, who have also flooded the Yelp pages for Rebellion and Celtic House with negative reviews.
(Both Yelp pages have since been locked to new reviews in response to “unusual activity” and “increased public attention.”)
Yelp reviews for Rebellion on the Pike left by fans of TikTok star Coco Briscoe (via Yelp)
A police spokeswoman said the protective order was issued by a magistrate early Monday morning, ordering Briscoe to stop posting on social media about one particular person, and was quickly violated.
“On Sunday, August 8th, police responded to the Magistrate’s Office for the report of harassment,” said ACPD’s Ashley Savage. “At approximately 2:29 a.m. on August 9th, the Magistrate issued an Emergency Protective Order (EPO) for the petitioner against Ms. Briscoe.”
“At approximately 5:35 a.m., officers… served Ms. Briscoe with the EPO and explained the conditions of the order which included ‘respondent is to keep the peace, not discuss petitioner on social media,'” Savage continued. “Ms. Briscoe subsequently violated the conditions of the EPO and an arrest warrant for violation of Virginia Code § 16.1-253.2. Violation of provisions of protective orders was issued by the Magistrate. At approximately 7:30 a.m., officers responded… and took Ms. Briscoe into custody without incident on the outstanding warrant.”
Briscoe was released on her own recognizance, court records show. A defense attorney was not listed. Briscoe could not be reached for comment.
A new week of voting in the summer Arlies is here. First, the results from last week’s voting.
Arlington’s favorite gym/fitness studio is Gold’s Gym, followed by Arlington Jazzercise and a three-way tie among MADabolic, Earth Treks and Vida Fitness.
Now, let’s vote on this week’s category. Do you have a favorite sports bar where you go to watch the big game? A go-to happy hour spot with plenty of TVs tuned to live sports? 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.
(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) A person trying to sell their car online — reportedly via Craigslist — instead became the victim of a carjacking.
Police say they were called to the 2400 block of S. Glebe Road, near the I-395 ramps, just before 4 p.m. yesterday.
“Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim and suspect connected online regarding the sale of a vehicle,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “They agreed to meet to conduct a test drive, during which the suspect pulled into a parking lot. When the victim asked the suspect what he was doing, the suspect allegedly reached into his bag and brandished a firearm. The victim was able to exit before the suspect fled the scene in the vehicle.”
Officers checked I-395 immediately after the carjacking but were unable to locate the vehicle, which was described as a black 2015 Lexus RC with an Arizona license plate.
ACPD continues to investigate the crime, Savage said.
Arlington and the region saw a spate of carjackings last year and early this year, though authorities have been cracking down and fewer have been reported since police started conducting stepped-up patrols.
Arlington County will be under a Heat Advisory on Wednesday afternoon and an Excessive Heat Watch for Thursday afternoon.
The National Weather Service said today that high temperatures and humidity will reach dangerous levels as the week goes on. Heat index values of 105-110 degrees are possible on Thursday.
Friday is expected to be nearly as hot, but no heat advisories have been issued yet for that day. The area will cool to more moderate summer temperatures this weekend.
More on the heat advisory and watch from NWS:
…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT WEDNESDAY…
…EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING…
* WHAT…For the Heat Advisory, heat index values will range from around 100 degrees west of Interstate 95 to around 105 degrees near and east of Interstate 95. For the Excessive Heat Watch, dangerously hot conditions are possible with heat indices possibly ranging from around 105 degrees west of Interstate 95 to around 110 degrees near and east of Interstate 95.
* WHERE…The Washington, Baltimore, and Fredericksburg areas, central and southern Maryland, northern Virginia, and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.
* WHEN…For the Heat Advisory, from noon to 8 PM EDT Wednesday. For the Excessive Heat Watch, from Thursday afternoon through early Thursday evening.
* IMPACTS…Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.
A boy was walking his dog in Cherrydale when a stranger tried to engage him in conversation and then started following him around.
That’s according to Arlington County police, who describe the Saturday afternoon incident near the intersection of N. Monroe Street and 18th Street N. as an attempted abduction.
The suspect fled the scene in a black SUV and remains at large. Police say they are still investigating.
More from an ACPD crime report:
ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, 2021-08070159, N. Monroe Street at 18th Street N. At approximately 3:47 p.m. on August 7, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, it was determined that the juvenile male victim was walking his dog in the area when the unknown male suspect attempted to engage him in conversation. The victim ran from the scene and observed the suspect following after him. As the victim returned to his residence, he observed the suspect turn and run back towards his vehicle. The suspect is described as an unknown race male, approximately 5’9″ to 5’10” tall, 170 – 180 lbs with long black hair. He was wearing a black long sleeve shirt, black ski hat, black pants with a tear on the right leg above the knee, a black mask and gray shoes. The suspect vehicle is described as a black SUV. A canvass of the area by responding officers concluded with negative results. The investigation is ongoing.
ARLnow was the first local news outlet to report on the mysterious, highly itchy bug bites many residents were reporting.
Following our article two weeks ago, the bites — red, relentlessly itchy and lasting up to two weeks — have become the talk of the town. Our reporting has been echoed by TV stations, the Post, national outlets, and our friends at PoPville.
County officials and the expert interviewed by the Post believe the bites are from microscopic bugs known as oak itch mites, or pyemotes, which are thought to feed on cicada eggs. They’re nearly impossible to see on your skin and fall from trees where cicada nymphs have been hatching.
You can’t feel the bites, but after about half a day they produce red bumps that can inflame the skin around it and are seemingly impervious to over-the-counter itch creams. The bumps also form a characteristic pimple-like center.
There’s some bad news for folks who have been suffering from the mite bites: an “oak mite apocalypse” in Kansas City in 2016 persisted well into the fall, until a couple of hard freezes finally brought relief. It’s unclear whether the D.C. area might see the mites scourge end earlier due to their presumed food source — the cicada nymphs — hatching and burrowing into the ground for the next 17 years.
Regardless, today we’re trying to find out the extent of the mite bites so far by asking readers: have you been bitten?
