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.

Police Searching for Man Who Chased Woman Down the Street in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com

A man allegedly chased a woman down the street and slapped her backside Saturday afternoon in Virginia Square.

The incident happened around 4 p.m., near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Pollard Street. The man fled the scene and is now being sought on potential charges of sexual battery.

More from an ACPD crime report:

SEXUAL BATTERY, 2020-08080135, Wilson Boulevard at N. Pollard Street. At approximately 3:59 p.m. on August 8, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that approximately 10-15 minutes prior, the victim was walking in the area when the male suspect approached her from behind. The victim began walking in the opposite direction, at which point the suspect began to chase her. The suspect then moved towards the victim and smacked her buttocks, then fled on foot prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a Black male in his mid 30’s, with a slim build, approximately 5’8″, clean shaven, with an almost buzzed haircut, wearing a brown t-shirt and eyeglasses. The investigation is ongoing.

File photo

Arlington Coronavirus Cases Reach New Summer Peak, Hospitalizations Remain Low

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:15 p.m.) There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic in Arlington.

The bad news is that the rate of new cases reached a fresh two-month high over the weekend. On Saturday, the seven-day trailing total of new cases reached 156, the highest point since June 2, as the county came down from the peak of its epidemic.

As of this morning, that seven-day total has dropped to 146, with 14 new cases reported overnight, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Also over the weekend, the state as a whole hit a new peak in cases, with 1,307 new cases reported throughout Virginia on Saturday

In Alexandria, Arlington’s neighbor to the south, there are concerns about a virus resurgence.

The president of Inova Alexandria Hospital told our sister site ALXnow that hospital teams are “exhausted” and “burned out” from treating COVID-19 patients.

In Arlington, however, hospitalizations remain low. In fact, there has only been one new reported COVID-related hospitalization in the county over the past week. The cumulative total of hospitalizations — currently 437 — has risen by only 41 over the past two months.

In his latest weekly Facebook post, Virginia Hospital Center emergency room chief Mike Silverman said the hospital is not seeing the level of seriously ill patients it once did.

“Our data continues to look good. Our percent positive rate within the hospital remains low and the number of patients we’re evaluating who require our ‘COVID isolation’ status dropped to the lowest number this past week that we’ve seen in months,” he wrote. “We are caring for COVID patients every day, but I’m not seeing any indication this past week that makes me think next week will be a lot worse. Something to watch.”

There are concerns, however, that the seeds of a fall epidemic are being planted by young restaurant- and bar-goers.

Last week DCist reported that contact tracing in the District has revealed an “increasing number” of coronavirus patients had dined at restaurants. Ten percent had also recently traveled.

In Arlington over the weekend, social media was abuzz with images from Clarendon, where large crowds lined sidewalks waiting for entry into popular nightlife venues, like the outdoor beer garden The Lot, flouting a recently-passed emergency ordinance requiring more distance between those queuing up.

Despite worries about the crowds, many experts say outdoor activities in general are considerably safer than indoor activities, including dining.

“We have very little evidence of outdoor transmission. It’s not zero — there are definitely cases reported — but it’s much, much lower than inside,” Gretchen Snoeyenbos Newman, an infectious-disease physician at the University of Washington, told the Washington Post in June.

https://twitter.com/SunniAndTheCity/status/1292291142571220992

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Evictions Halted in Virginia — “Governor Ralph Northam today announced a temporary statewide moratorium on eviction proceedings in Virginia. The moratorium, which will begin on Monday, August 10 and remain in effect through Monday, September 7, halts all eviction proceedings related to failure to pay rent.” [Commonwealth of Virginia]

Amazon Rents More Space in Crystal City — “Amazon.com Inc. is adding more Arlington office space to its portfolio even during a pandemic that has forced most of the company’s corporate employees to work remotely… The [newly-leased] 18,700-square-foot space is part of the 272,000-square-foot 2100 Crystal Drive that Amazon agreed in December to eventually lease in full.” [Washington Business Journal]

Erroneous Library Card Renewal Email — Per Arlington Public Library spokesman Henrik Sundqvist: “About 4,000 patrons were mistakenly notified to renew their library card in person. This is not required. We are working on communicating with any affected patrons to clarify and will do so today [Friday].”

Investigation Reveals ‘Historic’ Shed Built in 1974 — “A homeowner living in the Maywood Historic District of Arlington will be able to tear down a no-longer-considered-historic shed. The 10-foot-by-12-foot wooden structure at the back of a home in the 3600 block of 21st Avenue North long had been considered a ‘contributing’ part of the local historic district, a designation that likely would have prevented its demolition as sought by the current owners. But as it turns out, the shed doesn’t come from Maywood’s historic period, defined as 1906 to 1941.” [InsideNova]

Arlington’s Former ‘Lost Cause’ Textbooks  — “A series of textbooks written for the fourth, seventh and 11th grades taught a generation of Virginians our state’s history. Chapter 29 of the seventh-grade edition, titled ‘How the Negroes Lived Under Slavery,’ included these sentences: ‘A feeling of strong affection existed between masters and slaves in a majority of Virginia homes.’ The masters ‘knew the best way to control their slaves was to win their confidence and affection.'” [Washington Post, Washington Post]

War Memorial Interpretive Project Honored — “Arlington’s Historic Preservation Program staff and Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) will be honored with a Commission Excellence Award in the category of Best Practices: Public Outreach/Advocacy from the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) during its virtual conference on Aug. 7. The award recognizes the work of County staff and the HALRB on the Clarendon War Memorial Interpretive Project.” [Arlington County]

Former YHS Star Goes to Cleveland — “The Cleveland Browns have claimed CB M.J. Stewart off waivers on Saturday. Released by Tampa Bay, Stewart was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2018 draft (53rd overall).” [Browns Nation]

Flickr pool photo by Vincent

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

We’ve weathered a tropical storm and an otherwise slow local news cycle this week, now it’s time to kick back and enjoy what should be a decent weekend.

Without further ado, here are the most-read articles of the week:

  1. Here’s How Much You Need to Make to Be in the Top 20% of Arlington Households
  2. Neighborhood Spotlight: The 3 Best Pizza Places in Arlington
  3. County Board Passes Emergency Ordinance Against Sidewalk Crowding
  4. Two Dead of Suspected Overdoses as Arlington Battles Opioid Addiction
  5. Arlington GOP Chair Kicked Out of Local COVID Facebook Group
  6. Fashion Centre at Pentagon City Remains a Ghost Town Months After Reopening
  7. Smoke Shop Owner Goes Back on TV to Denounce Burglar Going Free
  8. Elevated Living: Brand New J Sol Ballston Luxury High-Rise
  9. JUST IN: Arlington Under Tropical Storm Warning Through Tuesday
  10. Small Demonstration at Arlington Intersection Yields Loud Response
  11. Just Reduced Properties in Arlington
  12. Arlington Nears 3,000 Coronavirus Cases

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

ACPD: Man Arrested After Violent Outbursts in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

An Alexandria man is in custody after police say he punched a random person walking by in Ballston, and then headbutted and spat on a police officer.

The incident happened around 6 p.m. last night, along N. Randolph and Stuart streets, as well as Wilson Blvd, according to police and witnesses.

“Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was walking in the area when the suspect allegedly began yelling at him and approached him,” says an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The victim moved away from the suspect, who then allegedly struck him in the side of the head. The suspect then continued walking away, before arriving officers made contact with him.”

“The suspect was acting disorderly and actively resisted officers while being placed in handcuffs,” the crime report continues. At that point officers on scene called for backup, sending numerous other officers speeding to help, according to scanner traffic at the time.

“As medics attempted to evaluate the suspect, he spit on an officer,” the crime report alleges. “While conducting a search incident to arrest, the suspect struck an officer with his head, causing minor injuries. At booking, the suspect continued to act disorderly and spit on a deputy.”

The 29-year-old man is now facing two counts of Assault and Battery on Law Enforcement and one count of Assault and Battery.

One witness told ARLnow there were actually multiple victims, including himself. The incident, the witness said, started at the Dunkin Donuts on N. Stuart Street.

“He then walked east on Wilson Blvd assaulting random people, yelling racial and homophobic slurs, knocking down trash cans then throwing bottles at cars in the street,” said the witness, who captured a video (below) showing the suspect screaming as police tried to restrain him.

https://twitter.com/EricInFC/status/1291762545473142786

Photo (top) courtesy Stephen Repetski

Election Mailer is ‘OK to Use’ Despite Fairfax Problems, Arlington Says

By ARLnow.com

Earlier this week, thousands of Arlington residents received a mailing from the “Center for Voter Information” with a prepaid “vote from home ballot request form” enclosed.

Intended to make it easier for local residents to vote by mail during the pandemic, the mailing has instead led to mass confusion.

Much of the confusion locally can be traced to an error with the absentee ballot applications sent to 450,000 Fairfax County residents. The return mailing address for the application is, erroneously, that of the City of Fairfax, not Fairfax County.

There have also apparently been problems with mailings sent to other localities by the same get-out-the-vote nonprofit, leading the Virginia Dept. of Elections to issue a press release about it yesterday.

“The Center for Voter Information recently mailed absentee ballot applications to Virginia residents,” the department said, noting that it has no affiliation with the organization. “We are aware that voters in multiple localities that received an absentee ballot application were given pre-paid return envelopes addressed to the incorrect registrar’s office.”

Despite that, the press release notes that “any applications that arrive in the wrong locality’s office will be forwarded immediately to the correct office for processing.” The Center for Voter Information, for its part, says it’s working to fix the problems.

But with heightened concerns about funny business around the 2020 election, some who received the mailings are now under the false impression that they’re “fraudulent.”

“Have you guys come across the letters from the ‘Center for Voter Information?'” wrote one of numerous tipsters that have reached out to ARLnow. “There’s a vote by mail application form within, and they require a SS# to vote by mail (I’m already registered) and a return envelope to the Arlington County Registrar. Sketchy to say the least.”

“My wife received the same scam mail as shown in the article below,” another tipster said, linking to a Fairfax County press release. “I thought it may be of interest.”

Arlington County, meanwhile, issued its own press release Thursday (below), clarifying that the mailing sent to Arlington residents is not a scam and appears to contain correct information.

This week, many voters received pre-filled mail ballot applications from the Center for Voter Information. This is an independent organization not affiliated with the Arlington County Office of Voter Registration & Elections.

The form is the correct Virginia Vote by Mail Application for Arlington and can be used by voters to request a ballot for the Nov. 3 General Election. Voters can fold the application and return it in the provided envelope. It will be delivered directly to the Arlington County Office of Voter Registration & Elections for processing.

While there are reports of inaccurate information in other Virginia localities the ones provided to Arlington voters appear correct. The Center for Voter Information uses publicly available data sources.

Voters are encouraged to check their voter registration record online at vote.elections.virginia.gov. Voters who have submitted a request for a mail ballot in November do not need to submit another request. Ballots will be sent the week of Sept. 18.

Go to vote.arlingtonva.us to learn more about voting options for the November election.

If you have any questions, contact the Office of Voter Registration & Elections at [email protected] or by phone at 703-228-3456.

To be extra safe, voters should verify the pre-filled information in the Center for Voter Information mailer before sending it in, or should simply apply for an absentee ballot directly on the state website.

Pupatella Is Staying Put in Bluemont

By ARLnow.com

After asking customers for suggestions of places to move, Pupatella says it will be staying in Bluemont after all.

The Neapolitan pizzeria said today via social media that its landlord has agreed to not raise the rent — after initially trying to hike it by 40% — and Pupatella will thus be staying put at its original 5104 Wilson Blvd location.

The June 9 Facebook post asking customers to “help us to spread the word and find a new perfect spot” received 350 comments, suggesting a variety of new locations and tactics for negotiating rent. Pupatella today credited the community for helping convince the landlord to keep the rent steady.

Pupatella has been expanding: a second Arlington location opened on S. Walter Reed Drive in December and more outposts are coming to Reston, the Mosaic District and Dupont Circle in D.C.

Morning Poll: What Should Be Done About This Dangerous Intersection?

By ARLnow.com
1/8

There was another crash at the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Little Falls Road yesterday afternoon.

No one was seriously injured in the wreck, which temporarily closed the eastbound lanes of Old Dominion Drive in the Rock Spring neighborhood. But it’s just the latest in a long string of crashes.

The crash-prone intersection has been the subject of local discussion for years. It was the scene of 27 crashes over a two-year period between mid-2017 and mid-2019, according to Arlington County police.

Minor safety changes rolled out last year — restricting traffic on Little Falls Road to right turns only during the morning and evening rush hours — have not eliminated the danger. In May, a two-vehicle crash at the intersection sent one car careening into the front yard of a house on the corner.

In 2017, a Williamsburg Middle School student led an effort to convince the county to implement safety changes at the Old Dominion and Little Falls intersection. Ultimately, only the rush hour restrictions were deemed appropriate — county staff said that stop signs for traffic on Old Dominion, an arterial street, would result in too much queuing, while a traffic light was not justified because there was not enough traffic on Little Falls Road. (There are existing stop signs for traffic on Little Falls.)

Given the continued collisions, what, if anything, do you think should be done?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New N. Va. Unemployment Claims Drop — “New claims for unemployment benefits filed by Northern Virginia residents fell last week to their lowest level since pandemic-related business shutdowns began, even as thousands of area residents continue collecting unemployment.” Arlington had 352 new claims and 5,280 continuing claims. [InsideNova]

Developers ‘Double Dip’ PPP Loans — Companies affiliated with major local developers received million in PPP loans, in some cases with multiple loans backing individual properties in Arlington, D.C. and elsewhere. [Washington Business Journal]

Another Flash Flood Watch Today — Updated at 8 a.m. — “More thunderstorms with heavy rain are expected today. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect again this afternoon and tonight for much of our area.” [Twitter]

Citizen’s Police Academy Seeking Participants — “The Arlington County Police Department is now accepting applications for the 24th Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA). The CPA is an educational program designed to create better understanding and communication between police and the community they serve.” [Arlington County]

New Mural in Crystal City — “Last week, the @gensler_design team helped JBG SMITH paint a mural at 2250 Crystal Drive in National Landing to remind our neighbors that ‘even through tough times, the sun will always rise.'” [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Vincent

Flash Flood Warning Issued for Part of Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A portion of southern Arlington County is now under a Flood Warning, as a slow-moving storm drenches areas south of Route 50.

The warning is in effect until 8:45 p.m. An inch or so of rain has fallen and flooding is imminent, the National Weather Service says.

A Flash Flood Watch, meanwhile, remains in effect until 6 a.m.

More from NWS:

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
453 PM EDT THU AUG 6 2020

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WARNING FOR… SOUTHEASTERN ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…

* UNTIL 845 PM EDT.

* AT 452 PM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN WHICH WILL CAUSE FLOODING. UP TO ONE INCH OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO ONE INCH ARE POSSIBLE.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, SPRINGFIELD, FORT WASHINGTON, FORT HUNT, GROVETON, HUNTINGTON, FORT BELVOIR, CRYSTAL CITY, LINCOLNIA, LORTON, FRANCONIA, HYBLA VALLEY, NEWINGTON, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MOUNT VERNON, HAYFIELD AND MASON NECK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS, URBAN AREAS, HIGHWAYS, STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

Here’s How Much You Need to Make to Be in the Top 20% of Arlington Households

By ARLnow.com

Aspiring to be in the top 20% of Arlington households by income? You’ll need to make more than three times what someone in Cleveland earns to crack the same top quintile.

Arlington is No. 4 among the 100 largest cities and Census-Designated Places in the U.S. in terms of income needed to be among the top earners, according to new rankings from the website SmartAsset.

The entry level for the top 20% of working households in Arlington is $216,605 in annual income, SmartAsset reports, based on Census data.

The top 3 on the list, ahead of Arlington, are all in the Bay Area:

  1. San Francisco (>$250,000)
  2. Fremont, Calif. ($243,080)
  3. San Jose, Calif. ($219,023)

Arlington’s fellow Amazon headquarters city, Seattle, was No. 5 at $190,348. By contrast, Detroit had the lowest income level for its 20% ($65,603) and Cleveland has the second-lowest ($70,632).

The rankings also highlight income disparities, even in prosperous cities.

“In 2018, the working households that comprised the top 20% of earners nationwide made at least $125,322 throughout the year,” SmartAsset noted. “In contrast, the working households in the bottom 20% of earners made $25,434 or less. As a ratio, top-earning households made almost five times as much as bottom-earning households.”

Photo by Pepi Stojanovski on Unsplash

View More Stories