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.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Westover at dusk (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Military Flyover Today — From AlertDC: “The US Military will conduct a fly over at Arlington National Cemetery on October 10, 2023 at 1:00PM.”

Police Holding ‘Essentials Drive’ — “The Arlington County Police Department is hosting an Essentials Drive to benefit unsheltered individuals in our community. Officers will be present at the following locations and times to collect new toiletries and cold weather items as well as engage with community members.” [ACPD]

County Bomb Squad on TV — “Storm Team4 meteorologist (and science teacher) Ryan Miller gets some hands-on education with the Arlington County bomb squad.” [NBC 4]

Another Win for W-L — “The Washington-Liberty Generals (6-1, 2-1) were the lone Arlington football team to win in Friday night, Oct. 6 action. The Generals bounced back from a double-overtime loss the week before with a 52-26 blowout road victory over the Marshall Statesmen in a Liberty District high-school contest.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. West wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Tonight expect mostly clear conditions, with a low around 48. [Weather.gov]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
As seen at the construction of “The Grove at Dominion Hills” on the former Rouse estate (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Funeral for Arlington Marine — “Alexia Collart’s eyes filled with tears as she accepted the flag that had been draped over her son Marine Cpl. Spencer R. Collart’s casket. Her daughter Gweneth, sitting beside her, openly wept. Bart Collart, Cpl. Collart’s father, held back tears. The family’s grief spread to the crowd of more than 100 family and friends, who either dabbed their eyes or let the tears roll down their cheeks.” [Arlington National Cemetery]

HQ2 ‘Is At a Crossroads’ — “Amazon HQ2, the corporate site selection project, was a symbol of the tech industry’s economic muscle. Now it stands as a palace built for a former dynasty… From door desk to gourmet coffee bars onsite, HQ2 was one of the last grand gestures of the Bezos era. It falls to his successor, Andy Jassy, to decide whether to resume the project as designed or opt for a more frugal alternative.” [Bloomberg]

Dog Lost After Crash — From the Arlington County Police Department: “Have you seen Dutch? He was inside a vehicle that crashed last night in the 2000 block of 21st Street N. He was uninjured but panicked and ran. Officers last saw him in the area of Langston Blvd and N. Veitch St. Anyone who sees him is asked to call dispatch 703-558-2222.” [Twitter]

Boy Wounded, Police Investigating — “At approximately 7:44 p.m. on October 5, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. Upon arrival, officers located the juvenile male victim suffering from a laceration and immediately rendered aid. Medics transported the victim to an area hospital with injuries considered non-life threatening. Limited details were provided regarding the events that preceded the call for service and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.” [ACPD]

Preservation Funding for Barcroft — “The Barcoft School and Civic League will use grant funding from the Arlington County government to support urgent maintenance needs on the historic Barcroft Community House. The civic association received $23,000 in historic-preservation funds from the county, which will be matched by dollars it raises.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Columbus Day — At least, that is, to a majority of our readers. Last year an unscientific ARLnow poll found that 54.5% of readers call today’s federal holiday “Columbus Day” to 32.75% for “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” Another 12.75% said they haven’t used either in years. [ARLnow]

Metro Service Plan Today — “On Monday, Oct. 9, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day, Metrorail service will operate weekend service levels and Metrobus will run Saturday Supplemental Service. Pre-scheduled subscription trips will be canceled on MetroAccess, but customers may still make a separate reservation to travel on the holiday.” [WMATA]

It’s Monday — Mostly sunny, then isolated showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Oct 6, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Oct 6, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. BREAKING: Two charged after more overdoses at Wakefield HS (23581 views)
  2. One Arlington restaurant made the Washington Post’s Fall Dining Guide (20979 views)
  3. New European-inspired bakery and cafe ‘coming soon’ to Ballston (8901 views)
  4. Anonymous commenting on new APS feedback platform divides some Arlington School Board members (6596 views)
  5. Man charged with DUI after rollover crash in Arlington Forest (6583 views)
  6. NOW: ACFD battling house fire in Arlington Forest (5938 views)
  7. Arlington Restaurant Week kicks off this month with nearly 50 participating eateries (5826 views)
  8. Celtic House plans to open new whiskey and bourbon bar later this fall (5357 views)
  9. Florida woman faces litany of charges after reported break-in and standoff (5296 views)
  10. Langston Blvd plan criticized for last-minute edits and smaller-than-hoped affordable housing commitments (5025 views)
  11. Free rush-hour ART bus fares in peak directions start today (3951 views)
  12. An Arlington-based startup accelerator has moved into new digs in Rosslyn, with room to grow (3201 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌧️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect scattered showers primarily before 1pm, followed by cloudy skies clearing gradually during the day, with a high temperature near 66°F. Strong northwest winds of 15-17 mph are anticipated, along with gusts up to 25 mph. There is a 50% chance of precipitation. For Saturday night, the sky will be clear with a low temperature of around 47°F accompanied by northwest winds of 11-14 mph and gusts up to 22 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
– Albert Einstein

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

Obituary: Madelin Jones Barratt (1954-2023)

By ARLnow.com

Madelin Jones Barratt (Age 69)
Memorial service info

Madelin Jones Barratt, 69, of Falls Church, Va., passed away peacefully at home on September 29, 2023 of mesothelioma.

Madelin was born in 1954 in Houston, Texas to C.M.C. Jones, Jr. and Jacquelin Jones. Her father was a Marine Corps officer and the Jones family was stationed in several locations around the United States during Madelin’s childhood, including Annapolis, Md., Quantico, Va., Pearl Harbor, and Camp Lejeune, N.C. After graduating from Lejeune High School, where she was a captain of the cheerleading squad, Madelin attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va., where she received a bachelor’s degree in music in 1976.

Not long into her career as an elementary school music teacher in Loudoun County, Va., Madelin’s mother introduced her to Henry D. Barratt, Jr. Madelin and Henry were married in June 1978. They raised three children and enjoyed 45 years of marriage. With visible delight Madelin unified her family and guests with song, artfully playing the piano or strumming the ukulele in lively accompaniment.

Madelin was an active member of The Falls Church Anglican in Falls Church, Va., where she served as a volunteer with the women’s ministry, as a Sunday school teacher, and with the children’s choir. She also volunteered her time as a music teacher at Rivendell School in Arlington, Va., for almost 20 years. Madelin was known as a welcoming presence in her neighborhood and at church. She was an accomplished seamstress who made and mended clothes for herself and her family. Madelin loved chocolate and covered the cabinets of the kitchen in her college residence with empty M&Ms bags.

After being diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2019, Madelin faced her illness with courage founded on her faith in Jesus Christ. She was grateful for the compassionate treatment she received at Georgetown University Hospital and at the National Institutes of Health, where she participated in a clinical trial that extended her life on this earth and provided encouraging results for further research into new treatments.

Madelin was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Henry; her son, William and his wife Susanna; daughter Ellen Schooley and her husband Andrew; daughter Anna Barratt and her husband Abel Ferreira Mendes; sisters Martha and Molly Jones; and grandchildren Constance and Virginia Barratt, and Timothy, Margaret, Evelyn, and Isaac Schooley.

A memorial service will be held on Oct. 10, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at The Falls Church Anglican, 6565 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va., 22042.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Madelin’s memory may be made to Comunidad, a charity serving children and adults in the Falls Church area through education and leadership training (https://www.comunidadva.org/donate).

>> Donation link

The following memorial event is planned.

Memorial Service
10/10/2023 02:00 PM to 03:30 PM
The Falls Church Anglican
6565 Arlington Blvd
Falls Church, Virginia 22042

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Spooky season has started in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Another Crash Near Lubber Run CC — The crash-prone intersection of N. George Mason Drive and N. Park Drive, near the Lubber Run Community Center, has logged at least the third wreck in a week. [Twitter]

Wanted: Lanternfly Samples — “Virginia Cooperative Extension and Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia have a plea for local residents when it comes to invasive spotted lanternflies. ‘We need your help: Many Arlington and Alexandria residents are reporting the presence of these insects, but no one has yet submitted an actual sample,’ said Kirsten Conrad of Virginia Cooperative Extension.” [Gazette Leader]

New Baseball Coach for YHS — “Yorktown High School hired one of its own as the new head coach of the varsity baseball team. Josh Cook, a 2013 graduate of the school, will be the new skipper when the 2024 spring season begins.   Cook comes to Yorktown having spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Oakton High School varsity team.” [Gazette Leader]

Columbus Day Coming Up — Monday is Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. While it’s a federal holiday and an off day for Arlington Public Schools students, Arlington County government and facilities will remain open.

Comm. Urges Shooter Drills and Tech — “Virginia localities should be required to conduct active shooter drills, ensure that police have easy access to their municipal buildings and invest in technology that would allow officials to detect weapons and track the whereabouts of a shooter, a state commission convened after the 2019 Virginia Beach shooting has recommended.” [Washington Post]

It’s Friday — Patchy fog is expected before 9am followed by mostly cloudy skies and a high near 77 with a south wind at 3-6 mph. Friday night brings a 60% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms, a low of 61, and southeast winds around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts will generally be under a tenth of an inch, with higher amounts in thunderstorms. [Weather.gov]

Listing of the Day: 3077 N. Quincy Street

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Address: 3077 N Quincy Street
Neighborhood: Bellevue Forest
Type: 5 BR, 6 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 4,500 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,900,000

Noteworthy: Grand home perfect for all types of entertaining.

Plan to spend the holidays in this beautiful 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath home with approximately 4500 square feet of living space. It is located on one of the prettiest streets in the Bellevue Forest neighborhood of Arlington.

Step into the grand, two-story foyer leading to the light-filled living room and dining room, perfect for all types of entertaining. Continue on to the gourmet kitchen, which features warm wooden cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island and desk area, and eat-in dining space. The kitchen opens to a cozy family room with a wood-burning fireplace. French doors lead to an office/den beyond, with an attached full bath. There is also a powder room on the main level for your guests’ convenience. Step out from the kitchen to a large patio.

Upstairs, you will find the spacious primary bedroom with a 10ft tray ceiling, two walk-in closets, a private balcony, and a large bathroom with double vanities. Three more bedrooms on this level all have their own en-suite bathrooms. Head down to the lower level, featuring a spacious rec room with outside access. A full bath connects to the rec room and a lovely airy fifth bedroom, perfectly private for your guests. You’ll find a bonus room on this level as well. Natural wood garage doors add a special touch to the exterior.

This part of North Quincy is not a through street. You will love the peaceful location!

Listed by:
Anne Cronin — McEnearney Associates
[email protected]
(703) 597-3082

Is a Rosslyn office opening behind tonight’s mysterious, elaborate fireworks display?

By ARLnow.com
Fireworks over the Potomac Thursday night (photo via @StefJohnson21/Twitter)

A lengthy fireworks display took D.C. and Arlington residents by surprise tonight — leaving locals guessing as to who was behind it.

The fireworks went off around 7:30 p.m., launched from a barge on the Potomac River between the Kennedy Center and Roosevelt Island, near Rosslyn. The nearly 15 minute display was on the scale one might expect for the Fourth of July.

The display, however, was not publicized in advance.

Even D.C.’s city council took to social media to express surprise, while digging up an entry in the Federal Register for a Coast Guard safety zone for the fireworks.

Following the fireworks, an ARLnow reader floated a theory of who was behind the display.

“I don’t have inside knowledge to confirm it, but I’d be willing to bet the source of the fireworks was Genetec opening their new ‘DCXC: Genetec Experience Center’ on 1000 Wilson Blvd,” the reader, who asked to remain anonymous, told ARLnow.

Genetec is a Montreal-based security and technology company. The Washington Business Journal reported in August that it had signed a lease for a new “flagship” showroom on the 25th floor of the Rosslyn twin towers building — and planning an October opening.

Someone who attended the event took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say that the fireworks were, in fact, for Genetec’s grand opening.

“The view from the new office on the rooftop was amazing,” the person wrote.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Oct 5, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Oct 5, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

🌧️ Friday’s forecast

There’s a slight chance of afternoon showers today, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 77°F. A 20% chance of precipitation, accompanied by a light south wind. For Friday night, expect a chance of showers before 11pm, followed by possible showers and thunderstorms between 11pm-2am, and likely showers with the potential for a thunderstorm after 2am. The temperature will drop to a low of around 60°F with a 60% chance of precipitation, and new rainfall amounts may be less than a tenth of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depends on simplicity.”
– Plato

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Most and least expensive homes sold in Arlington (September 2023)

By ARLnow.com

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive single-family homes sold last month (September 2023).

Most expensive single-family homes sold

  1. 5231 32nd St N — Rock Spring — $2,700,000 (7 beds | 7.5 baths | 6,255 sq. ft.)
  2. 5402 31st St N — Rock Spring — $2,696,000 (7 beds | 7.5 baths | 6,739 sq. ft.)
  3. 3523 N Valley St — Old Glebe — $2,650,000 (5 beds | 7 baths | 5,773 sq. ft.)
  4. 1038 26th St S — Arlington Ridge — $2,475,000 (6 beds | 8 baths | 6,230 sq. ft.)
  5. 5615 26th St N — Leeway — $2,350,000 (6 beds | 6.5 baths | 4,857 sq. ft.)

Least expensive single-family homes sold*

  1. 3720 Kemper Rd — Green Valley — $475,000 (2 beds | 1.5 baths | 884 sq. ft.)
  2. 2111 27th St S — Long Branch Creek — $586,000 (2 beds | 2 baths | 1,310 sq. ft.)
  3. 2022 S Nelson St — Green Valley — $595,000 (3 beds | 1 baths | 1,154 sq. ft.)

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

Florida woman faces litany of charges after reported break-in and standoff

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

(Updated at 4 p.m.) A Florida resident is facing 19 separate charges after police responded to a residential break-in yesterday.

Police were first dispatched to a home on N. Powhatan Street, in the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls neighborhood, around 4 p.m. for a reported burglary in progress. It’s unclear how that incident ended, but officers responded back to the same block just over three hours later and a standoff ensued.

“At approximately 7:23 p.m., police were dispatched to the 2300 block of N. Powhatan Street for the report of suspicious circumstances,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, the incident was determined to be a burglary in progress. Responding officers gave the female suspect commands to exit the residence which she refused to comply with and remained inside.”

Neighbors took note of the activity, with someone posting on the Ring Neighbors website that “ACPD currently has about 5 squad cars and 5+ officers standing outside a residence holding the door at gunpoint.”

“Officers continued to provide commands and subsequently took the suspect into custody,” Savage said. “She was taken into custody at approximately 8:49 p.m.”

Officers were subsequently dispatched to the home for evidence collection and scene security.

The suspect, Vivian Vann, is being held at the Arlington County jail on an array of charges, with alleged crimes in Arlington starting on Sept. 18.

“During a search of her property, police recovered identifications, credit cards and other documents related to fraudulent activity,” an ACPD crime report released Thursday afternoon added. “The investigation also determined the suspect had allegedly entered a residence in the 1400 block of S. Quincy Street.”

According to court and jail records, the charges against Vann include:

  • Grand larceny auto (x2)
  • Forging public records (x4)
  • Obtaining money or property >=$1,000 by false pretenses
  • Impersonating a law enforcement officer
  • Identity theft (x3)
  • Identity theft with over $1,000 in losses and 5+ victims, resulting in the arrest of a victim
  • Unlawful entry
  • Burglary
  • Credit card forgery
  • Procuring a vehicle with intent to defraud
  • Manufacturing, selling and/or possessing fake identification (x2)
  • Financially exploiting a mentally incapacitated person

Vann — listed as a resident of Dania Beach, Florida — is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 18, after an arraignment today.

News articles and court records show that she has faced a variety of theft, identity theft and fraud charges in Florida and elsewhere dating back to 2003 and as recently as 2022.

Hat tip to Matthew Young

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A view of Columbia Pike from the roof of Siena Park Apartments (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New W-L Basketball Coach — “During the period she was sidelined with stress fractures in both legs as a player for the Marymount University women’s basketball team is when Maddy DeCou got the coaching bug… ‘I saw and heard the game in a different way, and that’s what got me interested in someday being a coach,’ said DeCou, who recently was hired as the new girls head varsity basketball coach at Washington-Liberty High School.” [Gazette Leader]

Big Turnout for Narcan Training — “The Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative hosted their monthly in-person and virtual Narcan, a brand of naloxone, training Wednesday night. Close to 70 people participated in the in-person training, according to Emily Siqveland, the opioids program manager for Arlington County.” [WUSA 9]

‘Coming Out Party’ Next Week — “Equality Arlington, a new nonprofit group, will be celebrating National Coming Out Day with a Coming Out Party at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington on Oct. 11. The event will feature state Sen. Adam Ebbin as the featured speaker, coming out stories from Arlingtonians, a raffle, and updates on Equality Arlington’s advocacy work.” [Patch]

Pet Calendar Photo Competition — “The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) has opened its 2024 calendar contest, which will run through October with a goal of raising $40,000 to support shelter operations. ‘Now is your chance to give your pet the ultimate spotlight with their photo on the cover of our 2024 calendar,’ AWLA officials said.” [Gazette Leader]

Review: Synetic’s Tell-Tale Heart — “‘Mercilessly disturbing’ is how the prerecorded announcement, purporting to be a cheeky voice from beyond the grave, describes Synetic Theater’s The Tell-Tale Heart. In truth, this adaptation of the short story by Edgar Allan Poe… doesn’t really traffic in the chilling frights the ghostly voice alludes to. Instead, the creators deftly deploy the company’s expertise in physical theater to slowly, agonizingly, sometimes perplexingly dial up the creepiness.” [Washington City Paper]

It’s Thursday — Partly sunny with a high temperature near 78°F and calm wind picking up to southeast 5-9 mph in the morning. Thursday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low temperature around 63°F and southeast wind around 6 mph. [Weather.gov]

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