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.
Happy Fourth! You’ll find there are fewer open houses taking place across Arlington this weekend, but you’ve still got some options, especially on Saturday.
First, taking a look at the market as a whole, there have been 234 new listings in the past four weeks with a total of 758 homes for sale, according to Homesnap. That’s up 22 from last week.
Here are a few of the open houses scheduled for this weekend:
3100 N. Nelson Street
6 BD/5 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: .82-acre lot, detached three-car garage, path to Potomac Overlook Regional Park
Listed: $2,300,000
Open: Saturday, 1-4 p.m.
5722 27th Street N.
6 BD/3 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: Legal duplex (upper and lower unit), four finished levels, detached garage
Listed: $1,199,000
Open: Saturday, 1-4 p.m.
5630 8th Road N.
5 BD/4.5 BA single-family home
Noteworthy: Spacious and private, composite deck, fenced yard
Listed: $924,000
Open: Saturday, 12-3 p.m.
3831 9th Road S.
3 BD/3.5 BA townhome
Noteworthy: Newly renovated, finished walk-out basement
Listed: $599,900
Open: Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
Storm clouds to the west, seen from N. Glebe Road around 8:45 p.m. Thursday night (staff photo)
Power Outage Update — As of 8:45 a.m., Dominion reports 3,149 customers in Arlington still without power after last night’s storms, which may have spawned a tornado. [Twitter]
Workers Threatened During Rosslyn Theft — “At approximately 4:54 a.m. on June 30, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect allegedly entered a work site and attempted to steal equipment. When confronted by workers, the suspect produced a large wooden stick and threatened them. Responding officers located the suspect on scene and he was taken into custody.” [ACPD]
New School Board Leaders Chosen — “Today, the Arlington School Board held its annual organizational meeting for the 2021-22 school year and elected Dr. Barbara Kanninen as Chair and Reid Goldstein as Vice Chair. The terms for the new Chair and Vice Chair begin immediately and will continue until June 30, 2022.” [Arlington Public Schools]
APS Appoints First COO — “The School Board appointed Dr. John Mayo as the first Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Arlington Public Schools at its July 1 organizational meeting. Dr. Mayo currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent for Petersburg City Public Schools in Petersburg, VA. The COO is a new position that is part of the Superintendent’s reorganization, designed to strengthen operations and provide schools, students, teachers and staff with the needed supports and resources.” [Arlington Public Schools]
Arlington GOP Gets Post-Trump Boost — “The Arlington County Republican Committee continues to see a resurgence in membership – driven, perhaps counterintuitively, by the results of the 2020 national election. ‘We’re close to 100 members,’ said Matthew Hurtt, communications chairman… It’s a major increase since the start of the year, and ‘a testament to excitement and enthusiasm that is happening here in Arlington,’ Hurtt said.” [Sun Gazette]
No Fireworks Viewing Access from DCA — From Reagan National Airport: “July 4 fireworks viewing… Due to major construction impacting our roadways and sidewalks, there is no pedestrian access to Gravelly Point and the Mount Vernon Trail from the airport.” [Twitter]
GMU Launching Center on Race — “George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government will launch its new Race, Politics, and Policy Center in Fall 2021 under the leadership of Professor Michael Fauntroy. Fauntroy, who taught at Mason for 11 years before joining the faculty at Howard University in 2013, returned to Mason in June.” [George Mason University]
Clarendon Nightlife Reminder — “As the region continues to emerge from the pandemic and more patrons participate in nightlife activities, Arlington County is reminding the public about designated weekend pick-up and drop-off zones in Clarendon.” [Arlington County]
Earlier: The Arlington County Fire Department responded to “multiple calls for service” after a Tornado Warning was issued for parts of the county.
The fire department said shortly after 9 p.m. that it was swamped with calls and was “prioritizing life threatening emergencies.” Among the most serious calls were a man trapped after a tree fell on his house and an overturned vehicle near Columbia Pike.
“Calls for downed trees, stuck elevators and downed power lines are being addressed as units are available,” ACFD said on social media.
The National Weather Service says it will be surveying storm damage in Arlington to determine whether a tornado touched down.
“The National Weather Service will conduct a preliminary, first-look storm survey tonight in Arlington the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County,” NWS said in a statement. “We will perform a preliminary assessment to determine whether wind damage that occurred… was caused by a tornado or straight line winds.”
The final assessment is expected to be released on Friday.
The storm caused widespread damage and power outages in the county, mostly north of Route 50. As of 11:15 p.m., over 11,000 Dominion customers were still without power in Arlington, according to the power company.
Power outages in Arlington as of 10 p.m. (via Dominion)
Among the reported incidents first responders were dispatched to tonight were a tree down on a house with a man trapped on 16th Street N., several blocks from Washington-Liberty High School; an overturned vehicle on Washington Blvd north of Columbia Pike; and a tree on a car on Route 50 and N. Fillmore Street.
The person pinned in the house by the fallen tree has been rescued and brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the fire department said. Two other people were reportedly in the house at the time but made it out okay, according to scanner traffic.
Two people were reported to have suffered significant injuries in the crash involving an overturned vehicle on Washington Blvd, near the Columbia Pike exit ramp. The crash happened around the same time as the storm struck. The two injured people were transported via ambulance to a local trauma center.
There were numerous other reports of trees, light poles and utility lines down, including at:
N. Kirkwood Road and 13th Street N.
Washington Blvd and Route 50
N. George Mason Drive and 22nd Street N.
N. Utah Street and 20th Street N.
N. Buchanan Street and 22nd Road N.
N. Upton Street and 20th Road N.
Columbia Pike and S. Adams Street
McKinley Road and 9th Road N.
N. Illinois Street and 22nd Street S.
N. Highland Street and Key Blvd
21st Street N. and N. Nottingham Street
Spout Run Parkway at Lorcom Lane
1500 block of S. Clark Street
The likely tornado path, based on weather radar and damage reports, would have taken it east from the Falls Church area, to the Waverly Hills neighborhood and the area around Washington-Liberty High School, and finally over into central portions of the District including the National Mall and Nationals Park.
Tornado Warned storm left rotation track right through the middle of Washington, D.C. around 9:10 PM! Trees down in Falls Church, winds gusted >50 southeast of DC! #DCwxpic.twitter.com/l83k7kiia6
Residents are being encouraged to stay home or take “extreme caution” if out tonight due to the storm damage.
If you are in Arlington, DC, or nearby in the greater metro area: use extreme caution if out and about tonight. There are likely lots of hanging branches and leaning trees from earlier storms which may fall overnight. Avoid wooded areas, downed wires, and flooded or closed roads.
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 2, 2021
The urgent alerts for the Tornado Warning sounded just before 9 p.m. as a line of strong storms approached. Arlington was also currently under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and a Flash Flood Warning.
The original warning, from the National Weather Service:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING…
* UNTIL 930 PM EDT.
* AT 858 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER BALLSTON, OR OVER ARLINGTON, MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
HAZARD…TORNADO.
SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.
IMPACT…FOR THOSE IN THE DIRECT PATH OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN, FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT SHELTER. DAMAGE TO ROOFS, SIDING, AND WINDOWS MAY OCCUR. MOBILE HOMES MAY BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY.
* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR… CRYSTAL CITY AROUND 905 PM EDT. NATIONALS PARK, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, ANACOSTIA AND US CAPITOL AROUND 910 PM EDT.
Video footage from around the time of the warning shows dark clouds bearing down on the county as very strong winds whip up, and the shadowy outline of what looks somewhat like a funnel cloud.
Hope you don’t mind my cropping. It might just be shadows playing tricks… But lowering (and twist?) from dark area in middle of frame sure looks suspicious. Good correlation to radar velo (by my estimate). Hope Twitter video compression doesn’t kill. pic.twitter.com/bkNRRbSX1s
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Update at 4:15 p.m. — The earlier severe thunderstorm watch and warning have both been cancelled.
Update at 3:40 p.m. — Just over 1,400 Dominion customers in Arlington are without power, according to preliminary numbers from the power company’s website.
Update at 3:30 p.m. — A 58 mph wind gust was recorded at Reagan National Airport, according to the National Weather Service. Some downed trees and power outages are being reported around Arlington as the storm dies down.
Update at 3:20 p.m. — A Flash Flood Warning has been issued amid ongoing heavy rains. From NWS:
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
314 PM EDT THU JUL 1 2021
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR… DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… EAST CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
* UNTIL 615 PM EDT.
* AT 314 PM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1 INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA. FLASH FLOODING IS ONGOING OR EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.
IMPACT…LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS, URBAN AREAS, HIGHWAYS, STREETS AND UNDERPASSES.
Update at 2:55 p.m. — Arlington is now under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. Take cover!
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA, Alexandria VA until 3:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/GRiN0pbcVV
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 1, 2021
Update at 12:45 p.m. — A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has now been issued for the region.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of DE, DC, MD, NJ, PA, VA until 8 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/sOkYmuP7Kr
— NWS Severe Tstorm (@NWSSevereTstorm) July 1, 2021
Earlier: It’s dry now, but expect rain and storms later this afternoon and evening.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Arlington and other parts of the region, starting at 2 p.m. and running through Friday morning. Forecasters are also warning that storms may pack damaging winds in addition to downpours.
More from the National Weather Service:
The Flash Flood Watch continues…
* From 2 PM EDT this afternoon through Friday morning.
* Several rounds of thunderstorms are expected this afternoon through early Friday morning with localized rainfall rates of up to 1-2 inches per hour possible. Total rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches, with locally higher amounts up to 4 inches are possible.
* Heavy rain in short periods of time will cause the potential for streams and creeks to quickly rise out of their banks as well as the potential for flash flooding in urban areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
A Flash Flood Watch has been issued from Thursday Afternoon through Friday morning for counties east of the Blue Ridge. Showers and thunderstorms can produce heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding. #MDwx#VAwx#DCwx#WVwxpic.twitter.com/iVbjd7JMgD
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 30, 2021
An active weather day across this region with multiple rounds of showers/thunderstorms expected. Portions of the area are in a Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms, while others are in a Flash Flood Watch. Stay weather ready and be prepared to take shelter if a storm approaches. pic.twitter.com/wkhbMWRKo9
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 1, 2021
A Slight risk of severe storms is forecast for late this morning into the afternoon in portions of the Mid-Atlantic. Damaging winds will be the primary hazard. More details and forecast updates: https://t.co/QMmU4tkoeTpic.twitter.com/eHAUTtbLZP
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) July 1, 2021
As of today, marijuana is legal for adults 21 and older to possess, consume and grow in Virginia. But unless a doctor has signed off on a prescription, there’s no legal way to buy it.
Lawmakers have set a 2024 target to begin retail sales to recreational users, a runway the legislation’s authors say is necessary to establish the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, which will regulate the new market.
But some legalization advocates are hoping the General Assembly will agree to speed up that time frame.
“Our priority in the 2022 legislative session is to expedite retail access for adult consumers, both through already operational medical dispensaries and by moving up the date VCCA can begin issuing new licenses,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML.
More than 80% of respondents to an ARLnow poll earlier this year said they support the legalization of marijuana. And more than half of respondents to a subsequent poll said they “definitely” or “maybe” will partake in legal weed.
But we’re wondering whether the enactment of the new law today changes anything for anybody. Will legalization actually result in you doing something you didn’t do before?
It’s July — Today is the first day in the month of July, named after Julius Caesar around the time of his assassination in 44 BC. Prior to that, the month was called Quintilis. In addition to today being the start of July, it’s also the start of the second half of the year. Expect the month to be especially hot and rainy. [Capital Weather Gang]
New Va. Bike Law Now In Effect — “A new state law requires motorists to change lanes when passing a bicyclist, if the lane of travel is not wide enough to accommodate 3 feet in distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle. Existing law had allowed, but did not require, a motorist to move into the other lane when passing a bicyclist in order to ensure at least 3 feet of distance.” [Sun Gazette]
ACFD CPR Battle — “Recruit Class 80 was certified in CPR yesterday. Recruits went head to head in partner CPR races. The top recruit team took on the FTA Cadre in a final race. Watch to find out who won! Our manikins give live feedback on the quality of compressions and ventilations.” [Instagram]
ACPD’s LGBTQ+ Outreach — “The unit provides educational outreach to the LGBTQ community on issues of concern to that community, including the types of crime that some LGBTQ people become victims of. Among those issues, he said, are same-sex domestic violence and online dating scams in which criminals pose as a potential dating partner to gain access to a gay person’s home, where they rob and sometime assault the unsuspecting victim. Penn said he was unaware of any anti-LGBTQ hate crimes that have occurred in Arlington in recent years.” [Washington Blade]
CPRO Gets Amazon Donation — “The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Amazon. To kick off this partnership, CPRO has received a generous $25,000 donation from Amazon this month to support three of its upcoming events: the recent Columbia Pike Blues Weekend, the upcoming Columbia Pike Drive-In Movie Nights, and CPRO’s 35th Anniversary Celebration in October.” [Press Release]
Throughout June, we highlighted dozens of recently sold properties in Arlington, ranging from “budget buys” to homes sold for well over asking price.
Taking a look back, 234 new listings hit the market in the past four weeks, according to Homesnap. In total, there are more than 750 homes on the market — 497 condos, 213 detached homes and 48 townhomes.
Now, let’s take a look at a few of the most expensive homes sold this past month:
A man grabbed an girl’s buttocks while she was walking near Arlington County government headquarters, a block from police headquarters.
The alleged sexual battery happened Monday afternoon on the 2100 block of Clarendon Blvd, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.
“It approximately 2:45 p.m., the juvenile victim was walking in the area when the unknown male suspect walked past her and touched her buttocks,” ACPD said.
The suspect remains at large and the investigation is “ongoing,” said police. A vague suspect description notes that the man was dressed in all black and was carrying a black backpack.
Separately, a man was arrested Monday night after police say he exposed himself to a woman along N. Cameron Street in the Halls Hill neighborhood, near Lee Highway.
“At approximately 11:04 p.m. on June 28, police were dispatched to the report of an exposure,” said the crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was walking in the area when she heard the male suspect behind her and turned around to see him with his genitals exposed and attempting to engage with her.”
“Officers canvassed the area and located a suspect matching the description provided by the victim and took him into custody without incident,” the crime report continued.
A 25-year-old man was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and public masturbation.
The latest Pet of the Week is Spencer Hammedatha — but you can just call him Spence. This ragdoll/suspected Maine Coon mix is currently looking for a job — preferably a wet cat food model.
Here’s what Spence’s mom had to say about his life in Arlington:
Spencer Hammedatha, more commonly known as Spence (also Fluff Nugget or Poopy Turd Muffin), hails from a Lady and the Tramp-esque background: His birth mother, a prestigious purebred, refused to go into heat with other ragdolls but quickly gave it up for the transient mutt who came calling one evening. His dad must have had some Maine Coon in him, as Spence sports a striped tail and impressive stature in addition to his pale blue eyes.
Spence is beautiful, and he knows it — which tends to mean he’s willfully ignorant when being berated for wrongdoing. He’s tired of his mom being on his case for still being a freeloader well into his 30s (5.5 cat years), so Spence is currently looking for work. He thinks his talents could best be put to use modeling cat food, especially for video/photo shoots in which the food must be eaten (so long as it’s not pâté — that mush is for plebs).
Spence was a playful kitten and still retains a lot of that same childish energy. More recently, he has directed it towards hikes with his mom and chasing squirrels. Still, age has calmed him some, and he now enjoys long naps in seemingly uncomfortable positions, belly rubs/pats and chewing on plastic grocery bags. While some of his hobbies may bring his intelligence into question, this gentle giant has figured out how to win the hearts of all who meet him.
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.
Body Found in Metro Tunnel Last Year — “On April 2, 2020, a report said, a person jumped on top of a Yellow Line train at L’Enfant Plaza station. A track inspector found the person’s body three days later between the Pentagon and Pentagon City stations in Arlington, Va.” [Washington Post, WMSC]
Runway Reconstruction for DCA — “Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $13,715,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded to four airports… [the] Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will receive a grant of $1,700,000 to go toward a runway reconstruction at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.” [Press Release]
Theme Announced for County Fair — “We are officially 50 days away from the Arlington County Fair! This year’s theme is… *drum roll please*… NIGHTS, LIGHTS, AND BITES! We are so excited for all the colorful nights, bright lights, and yummy bites at this year’s Fair, and we can’t wait to see you there!” [Twitter]
VHC Gets Grant for Remote OB Appointments — “Virginia Hospital Center (VHC), a community-based hospital providing medical services to the Washington, DC metropolitan area for 75 years, has received a $38,000 grant from the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation (JBLF) for the pilot of the Hospital’s OB Connect program, which provides patients with the flexibility to receive prenatal care from home.” [Press Release]
Robbery at Pentagon City Mall — “At approximately 9:30 p.m. on June 25, police were dispatched to the late report of a larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined that the employee was assisting the suspect when he began to give her commands and directed her to open the display cases and place merchandise into his bag. The suspect then ordered the employee into the back of the store until he left the business.” [ACPD]
Restaurant T0-Go Drink Changes Extended — “During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many restaurants were shuttered, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) created a safe and secure way for restaurants to offer cocktails to go with a meal. The General Assembly has now continued this practice in statute for one year. In addition, restaurants who are delivering wine and beer can continue to do so for another year.” [Zebra]
Outdoor Balloon Launches Banned — “The revised law, sponsored by Del. Nancy Guy (D-Virginia Beach), takes effect on July 1, and will prohibit the intentional releasing, discarding, or causing to be released any balloon outdoors. Violators are liable for a civil penalty of $25 per balloon. The bill provides that if a person under the age of 16 releases a balloon at the instruction of an adult, the adult shall be liable for the civil penalty.” [Sun Gazette]
