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.

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

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Chico

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Say hello to Chico, the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week!

This little guy is currently in foster through the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

Here is what his friends had to say about him:

Chico is a very special boy with special needs. He has a wobble in his walk and would do best without too many stairs, but he will climb his way onto a couch if given the chance.

He was previously only fed people food, but we are working on getting him to enjoy a more balanced doggie diet. He gets along well with dogs, kids and even a parrot and will pick his favorite and find it difficult to let them go.

He voices his opinions in typical chihuahua fashion but doesn’t seem to get offended when you disagree.

Chico loves to harness up and go for walks and really gets the zoomies in the yard. He also will try to zoom out the door if his chosen person tries to leave.

Chico would probably do best in a stand alone house as he has a proclivity for long winded chihuahua speeches, particularly when out of bed in a room not with his people.

Is Chico the match you’ve been looking for? Read his entire profile to learn more about this guy and the adoption process.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.

One Arlington restaurant made the Washington Post’s Fall Dining Guide

By ARLnow.com
1/3

The prestigious Washington Post Fall Dining Guide is out and Arlington avoided the shut out of past years.

As is usually the case, the vast majority of the 40 restaurants on critic Tom Sietsema’s list are located in D.C. But one Arlington eatery made it: Ruthie’s All-Day (3411 5th Street S.).

Chef Matt Hill’s spot for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner was praised by Sietsema for its tasty Southern cuisine and for being both kid- and dog-friendly.

From the Post:

Restaurateurs can plan all they want, but not until after a business is born do they know how customers will use it. Take this all-American hot spot in Arlington, going on three years. Co-owner Todd Salvadore says he and chef Matt Hill envisioned Ruthie’s as “a parents’ date night place.” Instead, it became a magnet for young households. “We’re watching all the kids grow up!” says Salvadore.

There’s no children’s menu, but the regular list includes a roll call of dishes (chicken tenders, mac and cheese) that appeal to little ones and their minders. Want a one-patty burger or a single pancake at brunch? The kitchen can honor both requests. Ruthie’s, named for Hill’s grandmother, also stocks a score of high-chairs and a patio that welcomes four-legged companions and accepts reservations.

Ease in with some songs of the South: pink folds of rich Surryano ham arranged with craggy buttermilk biscuits, pimento cheese and red onion jam on what looks like a slice of tree trunk. The bestseller is brisket, smoked overnight and seasoned with paprika, garlic and onion powder, what the kitchen knows as TCB, or Taking Care of Business. The meaty delight comes with tender milk bread, house-made pickles and a choice of two or three sides. Make sure one of them is dirty rice tossed with charred kimchi.

Arlington has seen some banner years for its food scene in the Fall Dining Guide, such as in 2019 when Thai Square on Columbia Pike, Sfoglina in Rosslyn and Buena Vida in Clarendon all made the cut.

Notable Arlington-adjacent restaurants on the 2023 list are the Bethesda outpost of The Salt Line, which also has a Ballston location, and Rice Paper, located in the Eden Center, just across the county line in Falls Church.

Despite Arlington’s meager showing this year, it could have been worse: no restaurants from Alexandria made Sietsema’s latest list.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Soldiers from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall work out underneath the Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Emergency Alert Test Today — From FEMA: “On Wednesday, Oct. 4th at 2:20 p.m. ET, there will be a nationwide emergency alert test on cell phones, wireless devices, radios, and TVs. This is a standard test that occurs at least once every three years. No action is needed.” [Twitter, CBS News]

Walk and Roll School Day — From ACPD: “[Today] is International Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day! Each and every day, help keep our students safe during their commute to and from school by slowing down, avoiding distractions and obeying posted traffic signals.” [Twitter]

Fare Evasion Down in Courthouse — “Upgrades to faregates are having their intended impact at Metro stations where they have been incorporated, including now at the Court House Metro station. The percentage of fare-evaders has dropped from 4 percent to 1 percent since the new gates were installed at the station on Sept. 1.” [Gazette Leader]

Arlingtonian Wins Photo Contest — “Jennie Hommel from Arlington Virginia was the 2024 Annual Pass Photo winner with her stunning photograph of this kingfisher taken on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.” [Shore Daily News]

Va. Ped Crashes Killing More 30-Somethings — “An increasing number of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes are those in their 30s living in urban areas, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is trying to raise awareness while urging both those on foot and behind the wheel to remain vigilant.” [Gazette Leader]

Va. Mulling Reduction in Ped Projects — “Planning officials… fear proposals to change Virginia’s transportation funding system could significantly reduce state funding for smaller transportation projects for cyclists and pedestrians. The Commonwealth Transportation Board has been reviewing the state’s transportation funding process, SMART SCALE, which has been in place for the past seven years.” [Virginia Mercury]

It’s Wednesday — Patchy fog clearing before 10am, followed by sunny skies with a high around 84 and calm winds shifting to southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night, watch for patchy fog returning after 4am, while the rest of the evening remains mostly clear with a low around 58. [Weather.gov]

Listing of the Day: 830 21st Street S.

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 830 21st Street S.
Neighborhood: Addison Heights
Type: 5 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 5,005 sq. ft.
Listed: $2,169,000

Noteworthy: New Addison Heights Home by National Landing Attractions!

Welcome Home to Addison Heights! This new build by Classic Cottages is conveniently located to all the attractions National Landing has to offer. This 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home has an open floor plan, including an expansive main level living space.

A well-appointed kitchen with JennAir appliances includes a breakfast bar and kitchen table space making room for everyone to enjoy a meal. The butler’s pantry with beverage center leads to a formal dining room. A home office with an abundance of natural light makes your Zoom calls bright! The Primary Suite includes a large walk-in closet, luxurious bath with dual vanities, soaking tub and shower. Three secondary bedrooms and a laundry room round out the upstairs.

In the basement, an entertainers delight with wet bar, recreation room and fitness room. Enjoy a 16 minute stroll to nearby Metropolitan Park and Whole Foods.

Listed by:
Michelle Lynch — Urban Living Real Estate, LLC
[email protected]
(571) 366-3324

BREAKING: Two charged after more overdoses at Wakefield HS

By ARLnow.com
Wakefield High School entrance in February 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A 19-year-old man and a teen boy are facing charges after two girls overdosed at Wakefield High School last week.

Police and medics responded to the school just before 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27 for a report of a critical overdose. A student in the school clinic was going in and out of consciousness and Narcan was administered ahead of the arrival of first responders, according to scanner traffic.

Arlington County police said today that the overdose patient was a teen girl, who was transported to a local hospital along with a second overdose patient, also a teen girl. Both “have since recovered,” ACPD said in a press release.

An investigation into the overdose led police to arrest Walter Zelaya Padilla, a 19-year-old Fairfax resident, and a teen boy who lives in Arlington. They’re facing a battery of charges, with police saying that Padilla supplied fentanyl to the teen, who then gave or sold it to the victims.

The drug distribution happened within a school zone, APCD said.

The arrests come as Arlington County tries to combat a crisis of teen opioid abuse. While overdoses in general are trending down this year in Arlington, incidents of teen overdoses have prompted calls to action by parents and local officials.

In January, 14-year-old Sergio Flores died after overdosing in a Wakefield High School bathroom. In March, several Washington-Liberty High School students overdosed in the Ballston mall parking garage. Last month, another Wakefield student was found dead at an apartment building in what one elected official and a local advocacy group described as an overdose, though an official cause of death has yet to be determined.

If the student’s death last month is confirmed as an overdose, it would be at least the 11th reported juvenile overdose in Arlington County — fatal and non-fatal — so far this year, factoring the two last week and official numbers provided to ARLnow by the county earlier in September.

More on the drug arrests, below, via an ACPD press release.

(more…)

Morning Poll: How extensive are your Halloween decorations?

By ARLnow.com
Houses decorated for Halloween along N. Jackson Street in October 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

It’s October and thus officially spooky season — and the Halloween decorations are out in Arlington.

Just walk through a local grocery store or down a residential street and there are ghosts and goblins galore.

But not everyone is into decorating, or into Halloween for that matter. So today we’re asking: how extra are you when it comes to Halloween decor?

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Oct 2, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Monday 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 2, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

The forecast predicts a sunny day with a high temperature around 83°F and calm winds turning east at 6 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures reaching a low of 59°F, and southeast winds at 5 mph calming down in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”
– John F. Kennedy

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

NOW: ACFD battling house fire in Arlington Forest

By ARLnow.com
1/16

Firefighters from Arlington and surrounding jurisdictions are on scene of a house fire in the Arlington Forest neighborhood.

The blaze broke out shortly before noon, reportedly in the front porch area of a home at the corner of Route 50 and S. Park Drive.

It was quickly brought under control and no people were inside when firefighters arrived, but according to scanner traffic a dog was removed from the home by firefighters. The dog’s condition could not immediately be learned.

Firefighters are currently looking for any remaining hotspots.

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