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.

Red Paint Coming to County Streets for Bus Only Lanes

By ARLnow.com

If you see some fresh red paint on the pavement in Arlington, that’s a lane that has been designated for use by buses only.

County crews could be seen painting the new lane markers in Courthouse last week.

The new “bus only priority lanes and stops” are intended “to help improve transit safety, service and reliability,” Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Kathryn O’Brien tells ARLnow.

Seven red-painted portions of roadway are planned throughout the county, O’Brien said, including:

  • 27th Street S. and Potomac Avenue in Crystal City
  • 33rd Street S. and Crystal Drive in Crystal City
    S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S. in Pentagon City
  • Crystal Drive and 26th Street S. in Crystal City
  • 15th Street N. and N. Uhle Street in Courthouse
  • Clarendon Blvd and N. Uhle Street in Courthouse
  • Wilson Blvd and N. Uhle Street in Courthouse

“They should all be completed within the next week,” O’Brien said of the painting effort.

Photo courtesy Lisa C.

Arlington Meets Vaccination Goal As Cases Hit Another 2021 Low

By ARLnow.com

More than 60% of eligible Arlington residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose, exceeding an initial goal set by the county.

Arlington County says it met the goal over the weekend. Of those eligible for the vaccine — anyone 16 years of age and up — about 40% have been fully vaccinated, 20% have been partially vaccinated, and another 40% have not yet received any vaccination.

In terms of the entire Arlington population, more than 50% of the population has received at least one dose and just over 35% are fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

To keep up the vaccination momentum, this week the county is offering walk-in jabs at several sites, including the Walter Reed Community Center (Monday-Friday), Kenmore Middle School (Monday), Montessori Public School (Wednesday) and Gunston Middle School (Thursday). Appointments are also available.

As of this morning, nearly 2,400 vaccine doses are being administered per day in Arlington, on average, down from around 3,400 daily doses two weeks ago.

Coronavirus cases, meanwhile, continue to steadily decline.

Only three new cases were reported in Arlington overnight, bringing the county’s seven-day trailing case total to 101. That’s the lowest seven-day case total so far this year.

There are reminders, however, that COVID-19 remains a deadly and debilitating disease.

One new Covid-related death and three new hospitalizations have been reported in Arlington over the past week, even with the declining number of cases, per VDH.

On Friday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam revealed that he “still can’t smell or taste anything” seven months after contracting the disease.

Herndon Man Arrested After Stabbing Near Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

A man was stabbed early Saturday morning in the Lyon Village neighborhood near Clarendon.

Police were called to the 3100 block of Key Blvd, a quiet residential area about 3-4 blocks from the Clarendon nightlife spots along Wilson Blvd, around 1:30 a.m.

“Upon arrival, officers located the male victim suffering from stab wounds and immediately rendered first aid until the arrival of medics,” an Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman said. “He was transported to an area hospital in stable condition.”

A neighborhood witness tells ARLnow the group had recently left a local bar.

“There were two men and two women involved at the intersection of Key and Hartford,” the witness said. “One woman was screaming hysterically that her boyfriend was dying and the police arrested one of the guys.”

Police say the stabbing started as a dispute between two men who knew each other.

“The investigation determined that the victim and known suspect became involved in a verbal dispute which escalated into a physical altercation, during which the suspect allegedly produced a knife and stabbed the victim,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The suspect remained on scene and was taken into custody without incident by responding officers.”

A 25-year-old Herndon resident, Michael Hill, was arrested and held without bond, Savage said. He has been charged with Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Drunk in Public.

File photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

ACFD Vaxed to the Max — “Of the public safety departments surveyed by the I-Team, the Arlington County Fire Department has the most vaccinated, with 82 percent of its roughly 360 employees receiving the shot. Alexandria’s fire department, Frederick County, Maryland’s fire department and Montgomery County police are close behind, reporting about 70 percent of their members vaccinated.” [NBC 4]

Law Enforcement Memorial Day — Today starting at 8 a.m. “[t]he Arlington County Police Department and the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office will host a virtual Observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor and pay tribute to the memory of Arlington’s seven fallen law enforcement officers.” [ACPD]

Covid Testing for APS Athletes — “Beginning the week of May 10, APS will begin providing daily free COVID-19 testing for student athletes. The testing is optional and will be conducted at the three comprehensive high schools with written parent/guardian consent. These efforts are put in place to prevent and mitigate transmission of COVID-19 among athletes.” [Arlington Public Schools]

DJO Grad to Kick for UNC — “Bishop O’Connell High School graduate and Great Falls resident Ethan Torres played four years of college football for Bucknell University as a place-kicker, and now will play a fifth season this coming fall for University of North Carolina at Charlotte as a graduate transfer student.” [Sun Gazette]

Runners Enjoy Rainy Crystal City 5K — “They lined up in waves, socially distanced for The Great Inflatable Race: Pacers 5k in National Landing. Only 250 runners instead of the normal 1,500… ‘This is one small step toward normalization,’ says runner Ian Squires.” [WJLA]

Jeopardy Asks Arlington Question — “We made Jeopardy! again. From last Friday. Category was A Whopp’ington’ of a City.” [Twitter]

Nearby: Mosque Knife Incident — “A Falls Church man is under arrest and faces charges after Fairfax County, Virginia, police said he pointed a knife at several people in a Seven Corners mosque.” [WTOP, Annandale Blog]

JUST IN: Police Investigating Alleged Assault, Hate Crime in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

A man allegedly left a local restaurant without paying, shoved a restaurant employee, and used anti-Asian slurs, according to police.

The incident happened shortly before 6 p.m. on Tuesday along Crystal City’s restaurant row, on the 500 block of 23rd Street S.

Restaurant employees told police they confronted the man after he didn’t pay the bill, but he kept walking away. The man also allegedly pushed an employee to the ground while another recorded the encounter on video.

The alleged assault is being investigated by Arlington County police. The employees, who are of Asian descent, told officers that the man used racial slurs, which has been referred by ACPD to Virginia State Police as a possible hate crime.

More from a police press release, below.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is investigating the assault of a restaurant employee and is seeking the public’s assistance identifying the suspect who was captured on cell phone image.

At approximately 5:54 p.m. on May 4, police were dispatched to the 500 block of 23rd Street S. for the report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect left a restaurant without paying his bill. Two employees approached the suspect outside the establishment and requested he return to pay. The suspect continued walking away and when one employee began recording him, he pushed the other employee to the ground and ran off towards Richmond Highway. The victim of the assault did not require medical treatment.

During the course of the follow-up investigation by detectives, it was alleged that the suspect used racial slurs towards the employees, an Asian male and female. In accordance with Virginia law, this incident has been reported to Virginia State Police as a possible hate crime.

The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20’s to early 30’s with dark brown hair, a light brown beard, approximately 5’9″ to 5’11” tall and weighing between 150 to 160 lbs. He was wearing square rimmed glasses, headphones, a black t-shirt, gray and black sweatpants and black sneakers at the time of the incident.

This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident or who can identify the suspect is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Photos via Arlington County Police Department

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Arlington seems stuck in a relatively slow news cycle, with few significant breaking stories to speak of over the past few weeks, but that may change next week.

First, we have a County Board meeting next weekend that should keep us busy with coverage. Second, these slow cycles never last for long and we’re due for a big story or two. Third, you’ll be seeing a new byline here over the next couple of weeks, and more staffing allows us to cover more local stories.

Despite being a bit slow, there were still plenty of interesting local stories this week. Below are the most-read articles of the week.

  1. Police Investigating Bomb Threat in Crystal City
  2. Pupatella Named One of the Best Pizza Places in Virginia
  3. Pierogi Joint in Ballston Cooks Up Star Wars-Themed Specials
  4. Rodents, Mold, Shoddy Maintenance Plague Affordable Apartment Building
  5. Lower Enrollment Could Help Bail APS Out of $11M+ Deficit
  6. Police: Erratic, Armed Driver Arrested
  7. Morning Notes (May 4)
  8. Pedestrian Walkway Coming to Sidewalk-Less Side of Rosslyn Street
  9. Arlington’s Vaccination Rate Now Higher Than N. Va. Neighbors
  10. Coronavirus Cases and Vaccinations Both Down in Arlington

Feel free to discuss those or other topics of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend and, for all the moms out there, happy Mother’s Day!

Crash on GW Parkway Closes Lanes

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3 p.m.) A crash closed lanes and snarled traffic on the GW Parkway this morning.

Initial reports suggest that a male driver crashed head-on into a tree near the first scenic overlook around 11:30 a.m. Arlington County firefighters were able to get him out of the vehicle; the extent of the man’s injuries were not immediately clear.

As a result of the crash and the emergency response, northbound traffic on the GW Parkway was diverted onto Spout Run Parkway. Heavy traffic and one or more lane closures were also reported on the southbound GW Parkway.

By about 2 p.m. all lanes had reopened, according to Arlington County.

https://twitter.com/WTOPtraffic/status/1390691975641370626

Image via Google Maps

ACPD Helps to Escort a Family of Geese Along I-66

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Arlington County police frequently escort VIPs like the president and visiting heads of state as they travel to and through Arlington.

On Thursday morning, ACPD conducted a different sort of escort along a local highway. Rather than driving in limos, these VIPs waddled along the pavement.

The waterfowl family — they turned out to be geese and not ducks — ended up making it safely off the busy highway thanks to the assist from a quick-thinking and animal-loving detective.

“At approximately 10 a.m., a detective traveling on EB I-66 prior to Spout Run Parkway came upon a family of geese walking in the lane of travel,” recounted Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “He activated his emergency lights and helped escort them down the ramp, where they exited the roadway.”

No word on where the family of two adults and five little ones ended up.

Photos courtesy ACPD

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Va. May Lift Most Restrictions Next Month — “Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday the state could lift most of its COVID-19 pandemic restrictions by mid-June, about 14 months after the state initially put those measures in place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Northam said the state is planning to do away with social distancing requirements and restrictions on gathering sizes on June 15, provided coronavirus cases continue to drop and the pace of vaccinations does not let up.” [DCist, InsideNova]

Allegations of Hazing at ACFD Academy — “Over a year ago, firefighter EMT recruit Brett Ahern alleged extreme bullying and hazing at the hands of one firefighter who was an instructor with the Arlington County Fire Department’s Training Academy… there were other victims. Witnesses are speaking out on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.” [WDVM]

Mask Mandate for APS Athletes Questioned — From Sun Gazette Editor Scott McCaffrey’s blog: “Based on feedback we’ve been getting from our sources in the high-school-sports world, Arlington Public Schools has become something of a punching-bag of ridicule for its ongoing policy of requiring student-athletes to wear masks even in situations where it not only serves no good.” [Sun Gazette]

Woman Flees Knife-Wielding Robbers — “The female victim was outside her parked vehicle when she was approached by two male suspects. Suspect One brandished a knife and demanded her cell phone and money. The victim then ran to and entered her vehicle without providing any of her belongings. The suspects fled the scene when a witness approached the vehicle.” [ACPD]

Internal Pick for County Planning Director — “Arlington County has selected Anthony Fusarelli, Jr. to be the County’s new Planning Director after a nationwide search…. Fusarelli has worked in the County’s Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development for 15 years and most recently served as Assistant Director. In this role he was responsible for development agreements and land deals, strategic initiatives, and demographic and development data research and analysis.” [Arlington County]

Warning About Rabid Cat in Falls Church — “The City of Falls Church Police and the Fairfax County Health Department are urging anyone who may have been bitten or scratched by a cat in the last fourteen days that matches the below description to please contact either agency immediately.” [City of Falls Church]

Bob & Edith’s Opening in Alexandria — “Bob & Edith’s Diner will open on King Street later this year, the company confirmed on Wednesday. The diner will take the place of Ernie’s Original Crab House, which closed in April, at 1743 King St. just a few hundred feet from the King Street Metro station.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]

Another Rescue for ACFD: A Prized Bird

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 9:55 p.m.) The Arlington County Fire Department doesn’t just untangle flags from national monuments. It also rescues parakeets that have flown the coop.

Yesterday evening the fire department received a “public service” call for a prized sun parakeet that was stuck in a tree. The bird’s owner was out on a walk with her avian companion when “the bird was spooked by a dog and flew into a tree and did not come down,” ACFD spokesman Taylor Blunt tells ARLnow. She called the fire department after running out of options for getting the bird down.

The crew of Truck 106 responded and used the fire engine’s ladder to gently grab the bird from its perch above a house, bringing it back to its grateful owner.

“As firefighters, we never know what our day will be like!” the fire department said on social media this morning. “Happy to help.”

“This was an interesting run for us,” Blunt added.

The bird rescue happened around the same time as other ACFD crews were battling an apartment fire on the 1300 block of N. Pierce Street in the Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood, near Rosslyn. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Photo courtesy ACFD

Pedestrian Walkway Coming to Sidewalk-Less Side of Rosslyn Street

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A lot happens on N. Oak Street between Clarendon Blvd and 17th Street N. in Rosslyn.

To the east is an office building where the internet was invented. It now serves as an annex for the State Department. To the west is a very busy, standalone Starbucks.

What the block lacks, at least on the west side, is a sidewalk.

A new project set to kick off next week aims to rectify the lack of a pedestrian walkway, with a makeshift path along the road. More from an Arlington County transportation update:

During the week of May 10, weather permitting, the County will create a pedestrian pathway along the west side of North Oak Street between Clarendon Boulevard and 17th Street North.

Currently, there is no sidewalk on the west side of Oak Street. After receiving a request from the community, County staff conducted a traffic investigation for this location and determined that adding a pedestrian treatment would help improve safety and access.

The pedestrian pathway will be installed by adding a barrier between the travel lane and the curb. This will slightly narrow the southbound lane, but access for vehicles, including the driveway to the coffee shop, will be retained.

What to expect during this work:

  • Once installation begins on the pathway, we anticipate completion within 1 week.
  • The installation will be done during work hours, generally 8 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday.
  • During installation, there may be some impacts to the southbound travel lane on North Oak Street.

Photos (1) via Arlington County, (2) via Google Maps

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