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.
A woman in her 70s was run over by her own SUV in a store parking lot along Lee Highway this afternoon.
The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store at 4505 Lee Highway. Initial reports suggest that the woman parked and got out of the vehicle, which then started rolling away; her leg was reportedly run over by the SUV as she tried to chase it down.
The injured woman was said to be conscious and alert when medics arrived on scene. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
The vehicle, which had a handicapped placard displayed behind the windshield, came to a stop partially in an eastbound travel lane of Old Dominion Drive.
Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol says she was wrong to suggest that a local beer garden should be shut down over the weekend.
Cristol retweeted a photo posted by Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko on Friday night, which showed a large crowd — none wearing masks — outdoors at The Lot beer garden near Clarendon.
“A bunch of selfish a**holes in Arlington, VA this evening,” Parkhomenko said in his tweet, which went viral and racked up thousands of likes and retweets. Many of those sharing the post decried how such crowding could exacerbate the pandemic.
“Well, this sucks,” Cristol wrote in her response to the tweet. “We’re in this together, and are going to have a hard time continuing to move forward if folks/establishments won’t do the basics of masks & distancing. All: Please help us follow up (and shut this stuff down) by reporting.”
Cristol also shared a link to a “non-compliance of social distancing practices” reporting form created by the county.
In response, however, The Lot said in a social media post on Saturday that it followed “all CDC, state, and local guidelines,” noting that it has “a large patio so naturally there will be more people, attention, and visibility.”
While The Lot posted a sign encouraging mask usage, Virginia’s new mask requirement only requires it for indoor public spaces.
On Sunday, Crisol posted an apology, acknowledging that Arlington police and fire personnel had visited The Lot and verified that it was following all of the requirements. She added, however, that “too many ppl = an administrative problem the County needs to fix.”
The risk of coronavirus transmission outdoors is considered to be low, though extended exposure and close proximity to someone with the virus — particularly if they’re talking and not wearing a mask — can result in infections even outdoors.
If the data is accurate, Arlington has seen a big drop in new coronavirus cases over the past few days, despite a big increase in testing.
As of Monday morning, data from the Virginia Dept. of Health shows only 34 new COVID-19 cases reported in Arlington since Friday. That brings the trailing seven-day total of new cases in the county to 250, the lowest level since April 21.
Likewise, only four new hospitalizations have been reported since Friday, bringing the trailing seven-day total of new hospitalizations to eight, by far the lowest level since VDH started consistently reporting hospitalization data at the end of April.
Five new COVID-related deaths have been reported since Friday.
Testing, meanwhile, is up significantly, in large part to the free testing event last week that administered more than 1,000 tests. According to VDH, there have now been more than 10,000 PCR tests administered in Arlington, and the seven-day test positivity rate has fallen to 11%, near the 10% goal that many health authorities consider to be an indication of adequate testing. The seven-day moving average of daily “testing encounters” in the county now stands at 390.
In all, VDH reports 2,123 cases, 376 cumulative hospitalizations, and 116 deaths in Arlington. Statewide, there have been 45,398 cases, 4,694 hospitalizations and 1,392 deaths.
Arlington and Northern Virginia entered a “Phase 1” reopening of businesses on Friday.
The protest started in front of the Shirlington Branch Library, as participants knelt “for George Floyd and the many other black lives we have lost at the hands of brutal police and others.” The demonstrators then marched to Ballston, holding signs and chanting “Black Lives Matter.” Once they reached Ballston’s Welburn Square, there were more remembrances, speeches and kneeling.
The protest remained nonviolent, in contrast to the peaceful protests that devolved into confrontation and destruction at night, in D.C. and elsewhere. It was supported by the Arlington County Police Department; officers blocked streets and handed out water and snacks to the marches.
“We are happy to share that the Arlington Police Department has reached out to us in full support of today’s protest,” the protest’s event page said. “They made a point of sharing that they do not align themselves with the police brutalities in other regions.”
Dorsey on Death of George Floyd — Arlington County Board member Christian Dorsey posted the following on Facebook Sunday afternoon: “Why is it when we are bird watching, retrieving mail, swimming in a pool, walking down the street, or living in our own homes that you view us as a threat? Why do these routine activities see us being reported to police and losing our lives? It is a question my daughters ask, as do the children of every black person in America. Yet that question needs to be seriously be pondered non-Blacks. We then need you to transform episodic outrage into all-the-time anti-racism.” [Facebook, Blue Virginia]
Apple Store Boarded Up in Clarendon — Workers placed plywood over the entrance to the Apple Store in Clarendon Sunday, as a precaution, after the weekend’s clashes in D.C. [Twitter]
House Fire in Hall’s Hill — “1800 block of N. Cameron St — crews encountered fire in attic. Fire was quickly controlled, 6 occupants escaped without injury and one dog was rescued in good condition. @RedCross called in to assist occupants.” [Twitter]
County Creates Badges for Mask-Requiring Businesses — “In response to Gov. Ralph Northam’s Executive Order that face coverings must be worn inside public places, the County created the ‘We Are Covered’ program. This gives Arlington businesses, multi-family residences, and houses of worship a way to show they have pledged to protect the people who come through their doors.” [Arlington County]
Tables, Tents in CC Sports Pub Parking Lot — “With outdoor seating now permitted as part of Phase One, Finlay and his staff worked to turn the restaurant’s parking lot into a patio. Outdoor tables are all set up six feet apart. ‘We’re lucky and blessed to have a parking lot that’s big enough to accommodate that type of spacing and still have the social distancing and be able to abide by all the rules and regulations we have to go by,’ he said.” [WJLA]
ACPD Releases Photo of Car That Struck Girl, Dog — On Sunday, Arlington County Police released photos of the dark-colored sedan that struck a girl and killed her dog Friday in the Donaldson Run neighborhood. ARLnow also obtained video of the car. [ARLnow]
Bayou Bakery Donates Thousands of Meals — “Back in 2005, [Bayou Bakery owner David] Guas saw first hand how Hurricane Katrina impacted his hometown and the importance of rapid response in rebuilding the community. In March 2020, when COVID-19 closed school doors, he knew he needed to provide the same fast-acting relief to area children and families left underserved.” [Washington Life]
Discussion with AED’s Telly Tucker — “We talked with Telly Tucker, the new head of Arlington Economic Development, about Friday’s reopening, what’s going on with the local economy, the plight of small businesses during the pandemic, and the growth of tech companies in Northern Virginia.” [Facebook, Apple Podcasts]
First up: the partial reopening of local restaurants and businesses. After that, a Marymount University graduation parade down N. Glebe Road.
The photos are above. Here is what Jay wrote about what he saw around the county:
I spent the bulk of my day walking around Clarendon and Ballston with restaurants preparing to open as the county proceeds into Phase One of reopening. There weren’t as many people eating lunch outside as you would normally expect on a balmy late May afternoon, in fact there weren’t many at all. A couple of tables of folks at Northside Social, a few tables at Circa in Clarendon. There still seems to be sense of anxiety in the air about what’s next. It’s palpable.
As I was walking up Wilson Blvd I spotted a bright white cap and gown. I caught up to the young man, Josh Cisneros, and made a picture of him about to cross the street as we got caught at the light. We got to talking and he is graduating today from Wakefield High School. He looked around for a minute, hoping to spot someone familiar to take his picture with his phone, but he found none. Well, I wasn’t about to let that stand. I made a few pictures of Josh in his cap and gown, with his diploma, on his graduation day. Congratulations, young man!
At lunch I made pictures of Marymount University’s Class of 2020 parading in cars with a police escort down Glebe Road. Sirens wailed, horns honked, and lights flashed. Grads cheered out of sunroofs and side windows, some filmed TikToks. Later Friday, I swung by the Village at Shirlington and photographed groups of people on outdoor patios, enjoying a first dinner out since mid-March.
What I saw today was Arlingtonians adapting and going forward. We have to, right? Be safe, be kind. Keep the faith, keep wearing masks, keep washing your hands.
Arlington is reopening, but the reopening is a bit uneven.
The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall, which is starting to reopen, was nearly empty around lunchtime, as seen above. In Clarendon, meanwhile, the outdoor patios of restaurants were busy and The Lot beer garden was especially packed Friday evening.
And now — in lieu of his usual concerts and club gigs — Chester Chandler, better known as Memphis Gold, is performing from his apartment balcony in Ballston every Friday night from 8-9 p.m.
The informal outdoor concerts, near the intersection of N. Randolph Street and 9th Street N., have started attracting dozens of onlookers — socially distanced on the sidewalk, for the most part. From his 8th floor perch, Chandler and his guitar give the neighborhood an hour-long musical respite from the stress of life during the pandemic.
Chandler tells ARLnow that he got the idea from seeing locked-down residents in cities around the world opening their windows at 8 p.m. to bang pots and pans and make noise.
“I saw some people come out on their balcony, I said well this would be a good time to play some music, have a good time, and be happy we’re alive,” he said. One Friday night, with little fanfare and no public announcements, Chandler went outside and started playing. He’s kept it up every Friday night since.
“It turned out to be a good thing,” he said, “now people chant for more.”
Chandler doesn’t do much self-promotion during the concerts, to the point that many don’t even know who’s playing on the starkly lighted, distant balcony. But Chandler’s humility belies his musical resume.
He is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, who grew up on the famous Beale Street blues corridor. He is a Vietnam veteran who has toured internationally, playing blues festivals and concerts for U.S. troops. He also claims to be the first musical act at Whitlow’s, when it moved to Clarendon in 1995.
Chandler’s musical career started after nearly four years of homelessness in the early 90s. While living on the streets of D.C., he visited a pawn shop and saw a guitar on sale for $600. He convinced the shopkeeper to set it aside for him and eventually saved up enough from doing yard work for “little old ladies” to buy it. After that, he was able to support himself through his music.
Chandler, 65, has lived in the Randolph Towers apartment building for nearly two decades, and says there’s no place he’d rather be.
“Arlington has been my home for the last 20 years, and I tell you, I’ve love every minute of it,” he said. “I love my neighbors… I’m centrally located, and I’m an old man in a sea of yuppies around here.”
Chandler said he’ll keep playing on Friday nights until he can resume paying gigs. The loss of income has been tough, he said, but he’s been able to get by on veteran benefits and online donations from fans. And whenever he can, he gives what he can to support first responders and homeless vets.
One welcome side effect of Chandler’s playing and the pandemic? All of those passersby who are getting to hear his soulful guitar playing potentially becoming fans of the genre.
“I like it when the younger kids discover blues music,” he said.
N. Vermont Street and N. Upshur Street (via Google Maps)
(Updated on 5/31/20) Arlington County Police are investigating an apparent hit and run that claimed the life of a dog Friday.
Around 1:45 p.m. police were dispatched to the area of N. Upshur Street and N. Vermont Street, in the Donaldson Run neighborhood, for a report of a girl and a dog struck by a driver.
“Upon arrival, it was determined that the juvenile victim was crossing the street while walking her dog when they were struck by a vehicle,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The juvenile suffered minor injuries and did not require transport to the hospital. The dog died on scene.”
The deceased dog was covered in a white sheet, in the middle of the intersection, while police documented the scene and interviewed the girl, her father, and witnesses.
The driver kept going after the crash and is currently being sought by police, Savage said.
The father of the girl who was struck emailed ARLnow to share the description of the vehicle and ask for the public’s help in locating it and identifying the occupants.
“The car was a black sedan possibly with a green pinstripe, with a male driver and a female passenger, both in their 20s,” he wrote. “It had temporary tags and was in the neighborhood between 1:15 and 2 p.m. We are asking that if you live in Donaldson Run and know of anyone who drives a car with that description to contact the police.”
A video of the car, as seen on a Ring doorbell camera, was sent to ARLnow.
On Sunday, ACPD released several photos of the car via social media.
ACPD continues to investigate a hit and run collision in the Donaldson Run neighborhood which injured a juvenile female and killed a dog. Anyone with information regarding the below pictured vehicle or its occupants is asked to contact police. pic.twitter.com/BwlxcnwHMt
In the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of four since-fired Minneapolis police officers, and the fiery protests that have followed, Arlington’s police chief has released a letter to the community.
The letter seeks to reassure residents that Arlington police are well-trained, use force judiciously, and are thoroughly investigated when they do.
“We take our responsibility to protect our diverse and inclusive community willingly and without reservation,” the letter from Chief M. Jay Farr says. “The officers of the Arlington County Police Department are a highly-skilled, trained, and dedicated force who show great restraint daily.”
The letter also notes that while all ACPD cruisers have in-car video cameras, officers have still not been equipped with body cams. “Due to other funding priorities, this program has not been funded,” Farr wrote.
The full letter is below.
Members of the Arlington County Community,
Above all else, the Arlington County Police Department is committed to the principle that all individuals will be treated with dignity and respect. We adhere to the protections afforded by the Constitution to assure everyone’s rights are safeguarded. It is impossible for us to achieve our mission if we lose the trust of our community. When force is used, we must hold ourselves accountable for our actions. We take our responsibility to protect our diverse and inclusive community willingly and without reservation. I wanted to share with you some of the initiatives the Arlington County Police Department has in place to assure that you have confidence that we will provide the level of service that is not only expected but reflected by this community.
The department is committed to providing our officers with exceptional training. New officers each receive approximately 800 hours of formal Academy training followed by 630 hours of field training. A review of training records over five years indicated that sworn staff had attended an average of approximately 55,000 hours of training annually (this number includes new officer training). This training covers topics such as: legal issues/review, cultural diversity, implicit bias, ethics, verbal judo, conflict communications, defensive tactics, firearms, investigations, and other topics related to the daily responsibilities of a police officer. Additionally, the department is committed to our Crisis Intervention Training program. This training is designed to equip officers with the knowledge and skills necessary to deal with a situation involving a person in a mental crisis. However, many of the skills learned are often used to deescalate a variety of situations, regardless of the mental status of parties involved. Currently, approximately 75% of the Patrol Section officers are CIT certified.
All patrol vehicles are equipped with in-car cameras. Body-worn cameras are not currently used by the department. Each year the Police Department meets with the County Manager’s Office to review the body-worn camera program and discuss the agency’s current operational needs. Due to other funding priorities, this program has not been funded.
To maintain community trust, the Arlington County Police Department actively investigates all allegations of officer misconduct to make sure we are holding ourselves accountable to the highest standards of professional law enforcement. There is also a process that identifies when officers have received multiple complaints in a given period, which triggers an automatic inquiry. An analysis of calls for service numbers compared to complaints against our staff shows that we receive complaints in less than one-tenth of a percent of our documented police/citizen encounters. In addition to the regular community contacts initiated by the Community Outreach and Business Outreach Teams, I have an advisory council comprised of County residents and civic leaders who meet regularly to discuss topics of concern in Arlington.
(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) Arlington is starting its gradual reopening today, amid a mixed picture of local coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
The Virginia Dept. of Health reported 50 new COVID-19 cases in Arlington overnight, bringing the total to 2,098. The past seven days have added 326 new cases, the highest seven-day total since May 9.
More tests are now being conducted in Arlington, however. On May 9 the seven-day moving average of daily tests was just over 150. The latest data from VDH puts it at 251 and rising.
Hospitalizations, meanwhile, are at the lowest point in at least four weeks. VDH subtracted one from Arlington’s cumulative hospitalizations overnight, bringing the seven-day total of new hospitalizations to 26.
Disparities within Arlington’s 26 square miles are increasingly evident in the state health department data. Cases among those who are Hispanic or Latino are now 54% of the county’s total, when ethnicity is listed, up from 51% when we first reported on demographic disparities last week. Only 15% of the population is Hispanic or Latino
And Arlington’s 22204 zip code, with a preponderance of lower-income and immigrant residents, now has three times as many cases as the next-closest zip code: 22203, another area with a sizable immigrant population. (The 22204 zip code also has more than twice as many tests reported as the next-highest Arlington zip, 22207, which includes much of residential North Arlington.)
Together 22203 and 22204 also have Arlington’s highest test positivity rates — 25.6% and 27.3% respectively.
