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.

The Arlies: Vote for Your Favorite Ice Cream Shop

By ARLnow.com

The Arlies continue with a sweet category, but first, the results of last week’s voting.

Your favorite dog park is the Shirlington Dog Park, followed by Ethan Allen Dog Park at the Madison Community Center and the new Gateway Park dog park in Rosslyn. See the county’s list of Arlington dog parks here.

Arlington’s favorite veterinarian is Clarendon Animal Care, followed by Cherrydale Veterinary Clinic and Caring Hands Animal Hospital.

Now, let’s vote on this week’s category. Is there a favorite ice cream shop you like to treat yourself to, especially on a hot day like today? A go-to spot with the best flavors and toppings? 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.

Morning Poll: What Are Your Fireworks Plans This Year?

By ARLnow.com
July 4 fireworks as seen from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

It’s hard to believe, but the Fourth of July is just around the corner.

Fireworks viewing on the National Mall is a go this year. Like last year, there’s no formal viewing event in Arlington, but expect crowds to congregate at the usual spots, like the Iwo Jima memorial, Key Bridge, the Air Force Memorial, Rosslyn Gateway Park  and Long Bridge Park.

After more than a year of a pandemic, however, some folks may be more apt to stay closer to home.

What are your fireworks viewing plans?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

YHS Lax, Other Teams Cap off Stellar Seasons — “The spring sports season was a busy and successful time, maybe the most accomplished ever, for high-school varsity teams and individuals in Arlington County, with many winning various championships. That spring campaign ended this weekend with some Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship games. One contest included the undefeated Yorktown Patriots in the boys lacrosse title match, which they won.” [Sun Gazette, Washington Post]

Neighborhood Leaders Don’t Like Route 1 Plan — “A coalition of civic associations representing surrounding neighborhoods suggests that a pending Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) report on improvements in the Route 1 corridor could turn out to be an ‘epic fail’ that does not address key issues. As a result, leaders of the organizations are urging the Arlington County Board to ask VDOT to go back to the drawing board and consider their concerns.” [Sun Gazette]

 A Bro Ode to Whitlow’s — “It’s the final few nights for Whitlow’s on Wilson, the venerable Clarendon bar where, for 26 years, 20-somethings have come to drink cheap beer and try to get lucky. This is concentrated Clarendon. Pure, unadulterated, un-adult Clarendon, a teeming room of recent grads absolutely wilding out after a year of epidemiological confinement.” [Washington Post, YouTube]

Long-Time Whitlow’s Patrons Bid Farewell — “As the days dwindled to hours before the closure of Whitlow’s on Wilson, some of those who had been patrons and boosters of the iconic Clarendon restaurant and watering hole gathered June 25 for one last hurrah.” [Sun Gazette]

ACFD Now Publishing Response Stats — “Check in each Monday to see our #Weekly Incident Summary, highlighting the total emergency incidents #ACFD responded to overall as well as by category. Last week our members handled over 600 calls for service!” [Twitter]

Amazon Funds Synetic Theater Initiative — “This spring, Isaac’s school gave students art kits through an Amazon.com Inc.-funded program called smARTies Art-in-a-Box, designed to jump the digital access gap. The box included a flat piece of cardboard student artists could fold to make a stage and blank puppet characters for decoration. The idea came from Synetic Theater, an arts and theater organization based in Crystal City.” [Washington Business Journal]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Local Man Awaits Word on Family’s Fate — “An Arlington, Virginia, man is one of many family members waiting for answers on the whereabouts of loved ones after a condo building collapsed in Surfside, Florida. ‘I would say yesterday was just a shock day. Today, a lot of us woke up hoping it was a bad dream,’ Alex Rodriguez told News4… His mom, Elena Blasser, and his grandmother, Elena Chavez were inside.” [NBC 4]

Chase Ends Near 14th Street Bridge — “A person is in custody after leading multiple police departments on a high-speed chase that spanned several county and state lines. It all started in Prince George’s County, Maryland, when a suspected carjacker fled police around 7:30 p.m. Friday… The driver evaded police several times, weaving into the City of Alexandria, until finally being stopped and arrested in Arlington County.” [WTOP, Twitter]

New Faregates at Clarendon Station — “Metro today began public testing at six rail stations of new, modernized faregates that will replace Metro’s aging faregate technology. The new faregates will include enhanced safety features, larger displays, and faster processing… As part of a month-long pilot project, test faregates have been installed at Clarendon, Dunn Loring, Gallery Place, Glenmont, Waterfront and West Falls Church.” [WMATA]

Hot Start to the Week — From the National Weather Service: “With an extended period of hot and humid conditions on Mon-Wed, here are some helpful reminders about car safety when it comes to heat. Also, take a look at the high/low temp forecast across the region. Shower and t’storm chances increase by mid-week.” [Twitter]

Demand for Food Help Falling — “AFAC’s count of participating families, which had spiked 49 percent at the height of the COVID crisis last fall, is down to being nearly on par with pre-COVID levels. One reason: Jobs that had been lost early in the pandemic are now coming back, which is good news all the way around.” [Sun Gazette]

DCA Is Getting Busier — From Reagan National Airport: “The airport is getting busier & so are our parking facilities! Parking Garages A and B/C may be closed at times, open to customers with advanced reservations only. The Economy Lot is open with plenty of availability. Book online to guarantee a spot.” [Twitter]

More Delays on Glebe Near Chain Bridge — From VDOT: “N Glebe Rd between Military Rd and Rt 123 in Arlington will again have alternating traffic in each direction via flagging, and the Glebe/123 signal will again have flagging Mon 6/28 from 9:30AM-3PM for Pimmit Run bridge project work.” [Twitter]

Reminder: Vote in This Week’s Arlies — Voting in the latest weekly edition of the Arlies closes tomorrow at noon. This week’s categories are favorite dog park and veterinarian. [ARLnow]

JUST IN: Target Coming to Pentagon City, Permit Shows

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A 34,000 square foot Target store appears to be coming to the former Bed Bath and Beyond space in Pentagon City.

The Minneapolis-based retail giant is beginning the process of building out its third Arlington store. A building permit application says the store at 900 Army Navy Drive will “include retail sales of merchandise and groceries” but “no food or beverage preparation.”

It’s unclear when the new store will open.

Bed Bath and Beyond closed its long-time Pentagon Row location last year, after nearly two decades at the shopping center now known as Westpost. It was one of dozens of locations the struggling retail chain closed last year, out of about 200 store closures planned through 2022.

The new Pentagon City Target will join a 23,000 square foot store in Rosslyn that opened in 2015 and a 41,000 square foot store in Ballston that opened last summer. There are also nearby Target locations in Potomac Yard, Skyline, Seven Corners and Falls Church.

Hat tip to Chris Slatt

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

It has been a slow week readership-wise on ARLnow, but we still had plenty to write about.

The big news of the week, of course, is Whitlow’s closing. The long-time Clarendon watering hole will be throwing one last bash on Saturday before locking the doors. We hope they are able to find a new location soon — Arlington is a better place with a place like Whitlow’s than without.

With that bit of editorializing, here are the most-read articles of the past week:

  1. Whitlow’s Is Being Auctioned Off, Piece by Piece
  2. Someone Is Deflating SUV Tires in North Arlington
  3. Whitlow’s Is Closing Next Week and Throwing Itself a Going-Away Party
  4. Video: Car Fire Blocks Part of Columbia Pike
  5. Ballston Church Set for Demolition Auctioning Off Everything from Bibles to an Organ
  6. Pike Businesses Leaving Due to Parking Challenges at County-Financed Garage
  7. Making Room: The Clock Starts Now to Preserve Affordable Housing in Ballston
  8. Commonwealth’s Attorney: Organized Carjackings Require Organized Response
  9. Steadfast Supply in Ballston Closing This Week
  10. ACPD Investigating Car-Buying Fraud

Feel free to discuss those stories or anything else of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend, Arlington!

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com
1131 N. Ivanhoe Street (via Google Maps)

Wanting to buy a home in Arlington? Stop by one of the many open houses taking place throughout the area this weekend.

Looking at the market as a whole, there have been 244 new listings in the past four weeks with a total of 736 homes for sale, according to Homesnap. That includes 195 detached homes, 498 condos and 43 townhomes.

Take a look at a few noteworthy open houses scheduled for this weekend:

  • 1138 N. Ivanhoe Street
    5 BD/5.5 BA single-family home
    Noteworthy: Owned by interior designer, finished basement with gym, backyard koi pond
    Listed: $1,925,000
    Open: Sunday, 12-2 p.m.
  • 4035 8th Street S.
    3 BD/3 BA single-family home
    Noteworthy: Surrounded by Alcova Heights Park, outdoor decks, hot tub
    Listed: $1,255,000
    Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
  • 457 N. George Mason Drive
    4 BD/3.5 BA townhome
    Noteworthy: Rooftop terrace, two-car garage, close to Ballston
    Listed: $1,059,950
    Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
  • 906 N. Montana Street
    4 BD/3 BA single-family home
    Noteworthy: Corner lot, large front porch, rec room with full bar
    Listed: $929,000
    Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
  • 2053 N. Abingdon Street
    3 BD/2.5 BA townhome
    Noteworthy: Cul-de-sac location, central humidifier system, patio garden
    Listed: $844,900
    Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.

Photo via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington is ‘Best City for Road Trips’ in Va. —  “In each state, there are some cities with particularly novel and exciting opportunities to soak up some of the local history and culture without breaking the bank. From underrated smaller communities to large metropolises, these are the cities you want to hit on your road trip this summer in 2021.” [Insurify]

Attempted Art Theft from Garage — “4700 block of 36th Street N. At approximately 10:32 p.m. on June 23, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect on scene and detained him without incident. The investigation revealed the male suspect gained entry into the victim’s garage and attempted to remove paintings.” [ACPD]

W-L Softball Wins Regional Title — “It’s hard to lose if the opponents don’t score much, and that was the successful formula for the Washington-Liberty Generals en route to winning the 6D North Region Tournament championship. The girls high-school softball team (13-5) won the crown with a 4-0 record, defeating the host Langley Saxons, 4-1, in the title game. The region championship was W-L’s first in program history.” [Sun Gazette]

Pike Library Renovation Celebration — “The public is invited to attend the grand opening and community celebration of the newly renovated Columbia Pike Library on Thursday, July 8, 4-6 p.m. Join members of the County Board and Library Director Diane Kresh in the ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by family-friendly events, music and ice cream, and a tour of the transformed Library Branch.” [Arlington Public Library]

F.C. Cemetery Full of Arlington History — “An array of Arlington’s historic notables are buried across our southern border in Falls Church City. I received a tour of the open-to-the-public Oakwood Cemetery just off Roosevelt Blvd. behind Eden Center… Don’t miss the marker for Amanda Febrey, who died in 1913 of tuberculosis at age 14, and whose ghost is said to have haunted the clubhouse at Overlee swim club.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Metro Is Electrifying Its Bus Fleet — “Today, Metro’s Board of Directors.. took a major step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving local air quality with the approval of a new Metrobus fleet strategy that would create a 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2045, with a full transition to electric or other zero-emission bus purchases by 2030.” [WMATA]

Ballston Church Set for Demolition Auctioning Off Everything from Bibles to an Organ

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Central United Methodist Church in Ballston is auctioning off hymnals, furniture and various equipment ahead of a planned redevelopment.

The online auction kicked off this week, after the final service in the church’s current building was held last month. Services are now being held virtually as the property at 4201 Fairfax Drive, across from the Ballston Metro station, is torn down and rebuilt as an affordable housing complex.

The new “Ballston Station” development will feature 144 committed affordable housing units, a childcare facility for up to 100 children, and a church space for up to 200 people. Demolition is set to happen this fall and construction is expected to wrap up in the winter of 2023-24.

The developer — the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing — plans to take possession of the building on July 31, according to a church newsletter, and will begin hazardous materials work to remove asbestos. Auction items, meanwhile, will begin to close on July 13 so that things like bibles, tables, air conditioning units and even an organ keyboard can be removed by then.

Parishioners and other churches were given a chance to request items before they were put up for auction, according to the newsletter. The church also posted a farewell video, below, as a tribute to the “much-loved” building.

Arlington’s Covid Rate Remains Low Despite Gradual Return to Normality

By ARLnow.com

Anecdotally, at least, fewer people seem to be wearing masks out in public in Arlington.

While some remain cautious — or, perhaps, they are not yet fully vaccinated and are following health guidelines — locals seem increasingly comfortable patronizing local businesses sans mask.

And the lack of masks doesn’t appear to be noticeably impacting Arlington’s Covid infection rate, which fell as vaccinations ramped up in the spring.

As of this morning, Arlington’s test positivity rate was still a mere 0.6%, and the rate of net new cases over the past two weeks is less than one per day.

Only one new Covid-related hospitalization has been reported over the past two weeks. Total coronavirus cases in Arlington, net of suspected cases that later tested negative being removed from the Virginia Dept. of Health data, has ticked up by only four since the start of the month.

The county’s total case count currently stands at 15,296.

Vaccinations, meanwhile, have slowed, but Virginia celebrated a significant milestone earlier this week, with 70% of adults having received at least one vaccine dose.

Arlington is working on creative ways to encourage more vaccinations, including having shots available at local events and distributing coasters with QR codes to local bars.

As of today, 60.0% of adults in the county are fully vaccinated, excluding those who received vaccinations from the military or federal government agencies.

Video: Fox Steals Newspaper in Rock Spring

By ARLnow.com

First SUV tire deflations by environmental activists, now newspaper thefts by omnivorous mammals.

The northern Arlington neighborhood of Rock Spring was the scene of the vulpine larceny over the weekend. As seen in video surveillance footage, a furtive fox dashes down the driveway, with a stolen Sunday edition of the Washington Post firmly secured in his or her snout.

The homeowner, Lynn Pollock, tells ARLnow that the pilfered paper was later found nearby.

“The fox took our paper to a neighbor’s yard behind our house on the other side of a stream and left it in their yard,” she said, noting that such wildlife thievery is new to her but apparently not uncommon in the area.

“We had a [fox] family with kits who grew up under our front porch for five years until we renovated last year. We never saw this activity then,” she said. “However, from responses to my [Nextdoor] post it is clear that newspapers, shoes, baseball mitts as well as dog toys are taken by foxes in the area quite often.”

On the social networking site, neighbors weighed in on the incident.

“The only piece of fox news I have enjoyed is this post,” quipped one local resident.

“Swiper, no swiping!” wrote another, referencing the sneaky antagonist on Dora the Explorer.

Jokes aside, another resident tried to provide a possible explanation for the behavior.

“In all seriousness, that newspaper has only one purpose for that fox and its kit(s),” the resident wrote, before word that the paper was found and recovered. “She will take it to the den and shred it, and it will make amazing, warm bedding material with great absorption, much like dried leaves. She’s done it before, and she knows what works. She was probably taught to do it by her mother. There’s a reason for the expression, ‘sly as a fox!'”

Video courtesy Lynn Pollock

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