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.

Average Rate of New Cases in Arlington Holds Relatively Steady Over Weekend

By ARLnow.com

As of Friday, Arlington County had a trailing seven-day average of just under 25 new coronavirus cases per day. As of Monday morning, it’s just above 25.

The average has fluctuated but remained between 20 and 27 cases per day since Oct. 10. While elevated compared to the rate of new local cases throughout September, past couple of weeks have not seen the kind of grown in new cases found elsewhere in the U.S. and Europe.

In fact, Arlington’s test positivity rate has dipped in recent days, and currently stands at a relatively low 3.3%. Over the past three days, one new COVID-related death and only two new hospitalizations have been reported, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Experts, however, are sounding the alarm that cases — followed by hospitalizations and deaths — are likely to continue rising in the months ahead nationwide.

“We’re likely to see a very dense epidemic,” former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC this morning. “We’re right now on the cusp of what’s going to be exponential spread in parts of the country.”

In the U.S., the average daily rate of new COVID-19 cases is at an all-time high, which helped to send the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 900 points earlier today.

“More than 20 states reported record-high numbers of average daily new cases, and cases are rising by 5% or more in 40 states, according to CNBC’s analysis,” the network reported.

In Virginia, the state is seeing growth in new cases, driven in part by a surge in Southwest Virginia.

The weather may be playing a role. Other coronaviruses are seasonal — worse in the winter than the summer — and early research suggests that COVID-19 may indeed be more severe in colder weather. Anecdotally, colder weather has seemingly corresponded to a rise in cases in Alaska and elsewhere.

Arlington saw a stretch of seasonally warm weather end on Sunday. Over the next 10 days the weather forecast calls for daily highs in the low-50s to mid-60s.

Portion of I-395 Closed Sunday Morning After Pedestrian Struck

By ARLnow.com

Southbound I-395 was blocked early Sunday morning after a serious crash involving a pedestrian.

Police and firefighters were dispatched to I-395 near Shirlington Circle just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday after a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.

Initially a medevac helicopter was to be flown in to transport the patient, but they ended up being rushed to George Washington University Hospital via ambulance instead.

“The patient was transported to a local trauma center by ground ambulance,” the Arlington County Fire Department spokesperson Taylor Blunt tells ARLnow. “The medevac was called off.”

Blunt was unable to provide an update on the patient’s condition.

The highway was diverted at S. Glebe Road for several hours after the crash as police investigated the crash. Arlington County police assisted Virginia State Police with with traffic control during the closure.

https://twitter.com/WTOPtraffic/status/1320303925904482304

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Arlington County Discouraging Halloween Partying and Large Crowds

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) Arlington County is asking those planning on partying or gathering in large crowds on Halloween to reconsider their plans.

“With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, many partygoers may be looking to celebrate in popular nightlife destinations around Arlington, but events that involve large gatherings of individuals can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission and are not recommended,” the county said in a press release on Friday.

“Partygoers are encouraged to seek alternatives ways to celebrate a physically distanced Halloween or sit this year out.”

Although there have been reports about a “sold out” Halloween bar crawl in Arlington, the county says it “has not approved any pub crawls or large events for Halloween weekend.”

The refusal to approve permits for large Halloween events is “part of the County’s effort to mitigate the evening crowds for this traditionally busy holiday and to protect the health and well-being of our community,” the press release said.

There will, however, be extra police patrols in Clarendon and Crystal City on Saturday night.

“The Arlington Police Department will have a dedicated nightlife detail of officers assigned to Clarendon and 23rd Street in Crystal City on Halloween night to ensure the safety of businesses and patrons,” the county said.

Family-friendly activities may be curtailed this year, as well. Last month Arlington’s health director cautioned against in-person trick-or-treating, though the county does not plan to regulate any such activity. Nearly half of respondents to a recent ARLnow poll said they do not plan to offer candy to trick-or-treaters this year.

The press release offered more coronavirus safety tips for Halloween revelers, as well as a reminder of safety requirements for restaurants:

To protect against COVID-19, everyone should avoid close contact with people who do not live in their household, wear a mask (cloth face covering), and practice social distancing and frequent and proper hand washing. We implore all Arlingtonians to continue to abide by this public health guidance. In general, the more closely people interact with each other and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread.

The Arlington Public Health Division will continue to educate and strictly enforce Virginia’s Phase 3 Guidelines for restaurant and beverage services. Restaurants and dining establishments must comply with the Governor’s guidelines, including:

  • Post signage at the entrance and at points of sale stating that patrons must wear a cloth face covering, except while eating and drinking, in accordance with Executive Order 63.
  • Tables at which dining parties are seated must be positioned six feet apart from other tables.
  • Employees working in customer-facing areas must wear face coverings over their nose and mouth at all times.
  • Bar seats and congregating areas of restaurants must be closed to patrons except for through-traffic, per Executive Order 67.
  • If live musicians are performing at an establishment, they must remain at least ten feet from patrons and staff. Karaoke must remain closed.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Possible Microwave Attack in Arlington — “Shortly after Thanksgiving 2019, according to three sources familiar with the incident, a White House staffer was hit while walking her dog in Arlington, Virginia… the staffer passed a parked van. A man got out and walked past her. Her dog started seizing up. Then she felt it too: a high-pitched ringing in her ears, an intense headache, and a tingling on the side of her face.” [GQ]

Arrest in Arlington Mill Shooting — “Charges have been sought against a juvenile suspect related to the shooting that occurred on October 21, 2020. The suspect has been charged with Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.” [Arlington County]

‘Headlines’ Mobile Art Project in Arlington Today — Updated at 10:30 a.m. — Per a press release: “The exhibit is called #HeadlinesAreFrontlines, a multimedia show deployed on mobile trucks featuring 12-foot screens of 1,460 daily news headlines, in order, about Donald Trump. The traveling exhibit moves through the streets of DC and Arlington on October 26th at 9am. Look for the multimedia truck in Rosslyn and Crystal City.” [Instagram, BYT]

Locals Recognized for Good Works — Two Arlington residents were recently featured on ABC 7’s local news broadcasts: 26-year-old Dominique Cross, an abuse survivor writes song to uplift victims of domestic violence, and 15-year-old Chip Nordlinger, who spends his free time helping homeless veterans.

Boy Gets Award for Saving Ailing Mom — “On October 13, 2020, tragedy struck one of our own. While playing outside, Aiden, son of Firefighter Josh Wise, noticed that his mom began suffering from a serious medical emergency. He recognized the situation and courageously called 911, providing his address and full details… Aiden was awarded an honorary Lifesaving Award, one of the department’s highest honors, for his efforts in saving his mother’s life.” [Facebook]

Thousands Without Power in Parts of South Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Update at 9:10 p.m. — Power was briefly restored but is back off, according to a Dominion spokeswoman.

Earlier: About 3,700 Dominion customers are without power in Arlington as of 8 p.m. Friday night.

A massive outage is mostly affecting customers in Alexandria, but thousands in Arlington’s Crystal City, Aurora Highlands, Arlington Ridge and Fairlington neighborhoods are also in the dark.

Some have reported the power flickering.

Power restoration is currently estimated between 10 p.m.-1 a.m., according to Dominion’s website. The cause of the outage is a malfunctioning circuit at a substation, according to a company spokeswoman.

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Another week is in the books, and it’s now 11 days and counting until Election Day.

The days are getting shorter and the weather turning cooler this weekend. Enjoy the late afternoon daylight and the warmth while you can!

Here are the most-read stories of the past week on ARLnow:

  1. Large Police Presence North of Ballston Due to Drug Investigation
  2. The Spirits of ’76 Is Closing in Clarendon
  3. ‘Bachelorette’ Contestant from Arlington Gets Rose on First Night (Oct. 14)
  4. Arlington County’s Website Is Still Down
  5. APS Presents Return to School Plan Based on Student Need
  6. Student Petition to Lighten Homework Load Grabs Attention of APS
  7. ACPD Investigating Shooting in Arlington Mill Neighborhood
  8. APS Distance Learning Closed Due to Network Problems
  9. Vigilant Locals Help Nab Lost Dog
  10. Postal Inspector Seen Checking Mailboxes Amid Ongoing Complaints About Local Post Office (Oct. 15)
  11. TitleMax Closes on Lee Highway, Future of Building in Question
  12. APS Likely to Add Four New Holidays Next School Year
  13. Arlington Question Stumps Jeopardy Contestants
  14. Condo Board Objects to Decorative Cemetery for ‘Hate’ and ‘Racism’

Feel free to discuss any of those articles, or anything else for that matter — within reason — in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Police Seeking Public’s Help in Identifying Note-Passing Robber

By ARLnow.com

A man who robbed and tried to rob businesses in Clarendon and Rosslyn earlier this week also struck in Ballston last month, Arlington County police say.

ACPD just released surveillance images of the man, whose face is obscured by a mask in one photo and a hard hat in another.

In all three incidents, the man passed a note to a store employee demanding money. He was given cash in two of the incidents, but an employee declined his demands in one of the incidents this week.

“This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to the suspect’s identity or these incidents is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or ACPDTipline@ arlingtonva.us,” police said in a press release, below.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s assistance identifying a suspect involved in a series of three robbery incidents in Arlington County. The series includes two cases from October 19, 2020 and one case from September 23, 2020. During each of the incidents, the suspect entered a business, approached an employee, and passed them a note requesting money. Based upon witness interviews, evidence collected, and case information, detectives are investigating these incidents as a series involving the same suspect.

  • At approximately 4:21 p.m. on September 23, police were dispatched to the 4200 block of Fairfax Drive for the report of a robbery just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect entered a business, approached the front counter, and passed the employee a note demanding money and threatening them if they didn’t comply. The victim complied, and the suspect stole an undisclosed amount of cash, then fled on foot prior to police arrival.
  • At approximately 4:17 p.m. on October 19, police were dispatched to the 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard for the report of an attempted robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect entered a business, approached the front counter, and passed a note to the cashier demanding money and threatening her. The victim declined and sought the assistance from another employee, at which point the suspect stepped in front of her and attempted to grab the note back unsuccessfully. The suspect then fled prior to police arrival.
  • At approximately 4:44 p.m. on October 19, police were dispatched to the 3100 block of Wilson Boulevard for the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 4:39 p.m., the suspect entered a business, approached the front counter and passed a note to the cashier demanding money and threatening her. The victim provided an undisclosed amount of cash to the suspect, who then fled prior to police arrival.

The suspect is described as a Black male, 25-35 years old, approximately 5’6″-5’9″, with a slim build, and black hair. During the September 23 incident he was wearing a construction vest and during the incidents on October 19, he was wearing a construction helmet.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to the suspect’s identity or these incidents is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or ACPDTipline@ arlingtonva.us. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Arlington Question Stumps Jeopardy Contestants

By ARLnow.com
1/3

(Updated at 8:50 p.m.) None of the three contestants on Jeopardy last night knew that Arlington is, in fact, a county.

The bottom-row, $1,000 clue under “American Superlatives” contained the following answer: “At 26 square miles, Arlington is the smallest self-governing this in the United States.” The quiz show contestants remained silent until host Alex Trebek revealed the correct response: “it’s a county.”

The trio otherwise got most of the questions right during the round.

While Arlington is a county, its compact geography and dense urban corridors confuse many outsiders into thinking it is a city. There are some, like former County Board member Jay Fisette, who say that Arlington should take the leap of changing its form of government and becoming a city under Virginia law.

This post previously included a short video clip from the show, but it was taken down by YouTube after a copyright claim by Jeopardy producer Sony Pictures Television.

Arlington Coronavirus Cases: Elevated But Not Accelerating

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County has, for the past couple of weeks, seen a higher level of new coronavirus cases — but there’s been a ceiling on the case growth.

Since Oct. 10 the seven-day trailing average of new daily cases has remained in a range from the low- to mid-20s. That number was largely in the teens throughout September.

The trailing average peaked on Wednesday, at 26.7 daily cases — the highest point since June 2. As of today, it stands at 24.3.

Thirty-one new cases were reported in the county overnight, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. One new COVID-related death and seven new hospitalizations were also reported, bringing the cumulative total of both to 153 and 531, respectively.

The current seven-day total of new hospitalizations in Arlington is now 13, the highest point since Sept. 5.

The pandemic is taking a turn for the worse, in terms of case growth, both nationally and internationally. And, in a potentially ominous sign for Arlington Public Schools and its back-to-classrooms plan, the Boston public school system cancelled in-person instruction for high-needs students this week after a jump in cases there.

Regionally, however, it’s a mixed bag.

To the south of Arlington, Alexandria recorded the lowest test positivity rate in Virginia this week, while to the north Montgomery County is considering tougher restrictions amid a rise in cases.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Expensive Bike Parking Spaces — “Metro has spent nearly $20,000 per bike parking space at three bike facilities, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has found. Metro has spent over $5.9 million on the construction of 304 bike spaces at the three facilities… located at the College Park, East Falls Church and Vienna Metro stations.” [NBC 4]

Short Waits to Vote in Arlington — “Eager to avoid waiting in line while casting an early ballot? Try to avoid peak times and you should be fine. ‘Wait times are minimal,’ said county elections chief Gretchen Reinemeyer, with the exception of early morning and occasionally at lunchtime. Other than that, voters have been experiencing waits of 10 minutes or less, and ‘most people are just walking straight in to vote,’ she said.” [InsideNova]

Voters Flocking to Ballot Drop-Boxes — “Arlington has set up nine dropboxes for the secure collection of ballots at points across the county, representing another option for those who neither want to vote in person nor wish to trust the U.S. Postal Service with their ballots. That network has proved ‘very popular,’ Arlington elections chief Gretchen Reinemeyer said.” [InsideNova]

Biden Leads in New Va. Poll — “Former vice president Joe Biden leads President Trump 52 percent to 41 percent among likely Virginia voters, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll — roughly double Hillary Clinton’s margin of victory in the state in 2016. Biden’s advantage cuts across most demographic groups, with regional strength in the Northern Virginia suburbs and the Richmond area.” [Washington Post]

Local Nonprofit Featured on GMA — “Lights, camera, action! We had a wonderful experience filming with the Good Morning America team last week. The piece aired early this morning… We were thrilled by an unexpected and very generous gift from Amazon.com to help our residents weather the pandemic.” [Facebook, Vimeo]

Police Investigation Bill Signed into Law — “Gov. Northam has signed my bill (HB 5072) to empower the Atty Gen to conduct ‘pattern or practice’ investigations of police forces that appear to be violating constitutional rights, such as patterns of excessive force, illegal searches, or racially biased policing.” [@Lopez4VA/Twitter]

Pupatella Now Available for Delivery — “UBER EATS Now available at all locations – DC (Dupont Circle), both the Original Wilson Blvd spot and South Arlington, as well as Richmond too! We’ve partnered up with UberEats to bring you some of the best pizza around.” [@PupatellaPizza/Twitter]

Local Beer Biz Figure Dies — “Ben Tolkan, a popular figure in DC’s beer industry who was the subject of a Washingtonian feature story, died late Saturday night after a five-and-a half-year battle with cancer. He was 37.” Tolkan is survived by his wife, Abby, an Arlington County public school teacher. [Washingtonian]

APS Likely to Add Four New Holidays Next School Year

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Arlington Public Schools is set to add four non-Christian religious holidays to its calendar during the next school year.

The school system is currently surveying families, community members and employees about the draft calendar, which calls for a school year that starts on Aug. 23 and runs through June 17.

The online survey is open through Friday, Oct. 30.

The 2021-2022 calendar includes the following holidays:

  • Rosh Hashanah — September 7, 2021
  • Yom Kippur — September 16, 2021
  • Diwali — November 4, 2021
  • Eid — May 3, 2022

The Arlington School Board is expected to hear a presentation about the calendar on Nov. 17, before a vote on Dec. 3, a school spokesman said.

The Fairfax and Prince William county school systems are also considering adding the same four religious holidays. If approved, it would be the culmination of a long-running effort to have local schools close on major holidays for the Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim faiths.

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