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.

Occupancy Restrictions, Parking Changes in Effect for Restaurants, Gyms

By ARLnow.com
1/2

It’s a brave new world, at least temporarily, for any operator of any bricks-and-mortar retail location.

The coronavirus outbreak has ushered in the era of social distancing, and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered all restaurants, gyms and theaters to reduce capacity to 10 or close. Arlington County officials, meanwhile, have urged restaurants to close their dining rooms completely.

At the Gold’s Gym in Ballston today, a line formed — with most people appearing to keep their recommended six-foot distance from one another — as a sign announced a 10-member capacity inside and a 30-minute limit on workouts.

It was the biggest congregation of people ARLnow spotted up and down the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Elsewhere, people were out walking, running or riding bikes, but few could be seen going in or out of stores or restaurants.

Arlington County, meanwhile, has been establishing temporary pick up and drop off zones in restaurant districts, including Clarendon, for customers of restaurants that remain open for takeout and delivery. The zones replace two-hour metered parking zone.

An ARLnow reader tells us parking enforcement officers have been out and about ticketing today.

Reduced volumes of takeout and delivery business are unlikely to sustain local restaurants for very long.

There may be just a bit of relief, however. Virginia ABC has loosened rules on alcohol deliveries, including from restaurants, as noted by the Washington Business Journal’s Alex Koma.

Jay Westcott contributed to this report

Arlington Pet of the Week: Cooper

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Meet this week’s Pet of the Week, Cooper, a 5 month old puppy recently rescued from Moldova.

Here is what Cooper’s owner had to say about his young life so far:

Though only 5 months old, Cooper is already an international world traveler with the passport stamps to prove it! The youngest of a litter of 7 puppies, Cooper and his siblings were born on the streets of Chisinau, Moldova in the middle of winter. Cooper and his siblings were strays, living outdoors in the middle of an extremely cold Eastern European winter. As luck would have it, Cooper and his siblings would be found by an animal lover right outside the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau, who took in all the pups into her home! There they were cleaned, fed, trained, and most importantly loved for the first time ever in their lives. Once Cooper and his siblings were old enough to be vaccinated, they were flown to the United States and all adopted into forever homes on the East Coast.

My boyfriend and I were lucky enough to foster Cooper, but after just a few days with him we knew that he was ours! Even though Cooper is the runt of his litter, he has the biggest heart and the most playful personality. He is super adventurous, and completely fearless. He will explore every nook and cranny of whatever room he is in, and is never afraid to get his nose into things to discover new things! He is loving, and enjoys nothing more than to curl up with us on the couch or his new adopted sister, our 5 year old rescue Black lab, Tally! Cooper’s favorite room is the kitchen- during meal times you can always be sure to find him waiting patiently next to the counter for something to fall. We have yet to find a treat or toy that Cooper dislikes, simply because he loves them all.

Cooper is a one of a kind puppy, and we couldn’t be happier for him to be a part of our home!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of eight consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

NEW: One Additional Coronavirus Case in Arlington, As Trickle of Cars Arrive at Testing Site

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) The number of coronavirus cases in Arlington has risen by one, to 14 cases.

That’s according to the latest figures from the Virginia Dept. of Health, which reported 77 cases statewide but only 1,278 people tested so far.

Arlington is now tied with Fairfax County, which has five times the population, for the most COVID-19 cases of any individual locality (14 each) in Virginia. Yesterday, Arlington was at 13 and Fairfax at 12.

There was a slow trickle of cars arriving at Arlington’s new drive-through coronavirus testing site this morning, after it opened. ARLnow’s staff photographer counted six cars over the site’s first hour in operation, from 9-10 a.m.

At a press conference at 3:30 today, Virginia Hospital Center Chief Nursing Officer Melody Dickerson said that 60 people had been tested and another 22 drive-through tests are scheduled for Thursday. It will take patients, who are being encouraged to self-quarantine, 5-7 days to get the results.

The site is located at 1429 N. Quincy Street, on county-owned property across from Washington-Liberty High School.

Small Business Shoutout: Cook Bros.

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Today we’re continuing a series of articles to highlight the local businesses that advertise with ARLnow.com.

The coronavirus outbreak will bring significant hardship to many local businesses in Arlington, so we wanted to take an opportunity to recognize the advertisers who support us, in hopes that our readers support them.

Today we’re highlighting Cook Bros., Arlington’s No. 1 home remodeling firm and a long-time ARLnow advertiser.

Based in Arlington, on Lee Highway, and specializing in Arlington projects, Cook Bros. brings a wealth of local experience to those seeking to upgrade their homes. And renovating existing homes, when possible, can be a greener alternative to tearing down homes.

If you were thinking of a future remodeling project, now would be a great time to give Cook Bros. a call at 703-536-0900 or email at [email protected] and discuss the options.

Tonight: Arlington Resident to Compete on Jeopardy

By ARLnow.com

If you’re sheltering in place at home and need something to do tonight, you could root on an Arlington resident as she competes on Jeopardy.

Emmy Crawford, a program officer from Arlington, will appear as a contestant on “America’s Favorite Quiz Show” tonight. She’ll compete against a research compliance manager from Silver Spring, Maryland and — the winner of Tuesday night’s episode — an adjunct professor from New York City.

The show is taped in advance, which explains how it is still airing new episodes after yesterday’s announcement that it was suspending production. Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek has continued to host the show despite his battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Jeopardy airs locally at 7:30 p.m. on WJLA (ABC 7).

Amazon Donates $1 Million to Arlington, D.C. Area Foundations

By ARLnow.com

Amazon, Arlington’s new neighbor, has donated $1 million in “emergency COVID-19 response funds” to four large D.C. area community foundations.

Among those to benefit are the Arlington Community Foundation.

“The donation will be used to provide resources to organizations working with communities disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of the outbreak — including hourly workers, people experiencing homelessness, and the elderly,” the company said on its blog.

Amazon “is also providing additional cash and in-kind support to five food service providers in the Washington D.C. region,” including the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

“The Washington, D.C. area is our new home, and we must rally together to support our neighbors during this difficult time,” said Amazon PR and policy chief Jay Carney. “In addition to making sure our Amazon customers can get the essentials they need, we will support our community partners who are doing life-saving work. Amazon’s $1 million donation to these four community groups will provide fast, flexible support to those who need it most and encourage a wave of additional community donations during this unprecedented time.”

“We know that we are stronger together and hope this gift will inspire others to jump in and do what they can to improve outcomes for our neighbors in need,” Jennifer Owens, president and CEO of the Arlington Community Foundation said in a statement.

“We hope this is the first of many donations by Amazon and our other corporate citizens who recognize the need to partner with County government, and Arlington non-profits during this public health crisis,” said Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey.

Aside from Arlington, the funds will also be used in Alexandria; D.C.; Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland; plus Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William counties and the cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.

ACFD Battles House Fire in Maywood

By ARLnow.com

The front porch and attic of a home in Arlington’s historic Maywood neighborhood caught fire early this morning.

The fire broke out around 4 a.m. on the 3200 block of 23rd Street N.

“Crews were able to extinguish the fire with very little interior damage,” the Arlington County Fire Department said via Twitter. “All 4 occupants and a hamster escaped without injury.”

Photo courtesy Arlington County Fire Department

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Don’t Ride Metro Unless You Must, Says Metro — “Effective… Wednesday, March 18 — and continuing until further notice — Metro service will operate as follows: Rail system hours and service levels are further reduced to support essential travel only. DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Follow guidance from your state and local authorities. New hours: Weekdays 5AM-11PM, Sat/Sun 8AM-11PM. Trains will run every 15 minutes on each line at all times.” [WMATA, Twitter]

Utility Disconnections, Evictions Suspended — Arlington County has suspended water disconnections, Dominion has suspended power disconnections, and courts in Virginia has suspended evictions, giving those who are unable to pay their bills during the coronavirus outbreak a chance to stay in their homes. [Twitter, Dominion, Press Release, Twitter]

Police Can Now Enforce State Crowd Ban — “I just issued an emergency order with @VDHCommissioner to enforce Virginia’s statewide ban of more than 10 patrons in restaurants, theaters, and fitness centers. Please use common sense. If you were considering ignoring this limit — don’t.” [Twitter, Gov. Ralph Northam]

Compass Coffee Lays Off Most Employees — “”Compass Coffee, a DC based company just laid off 180 of their 200 employees abruptly.” [PoPville]

Vintage Restaurant Group Shutters Locations — The operator of iconic local restaurants Ragtime, Rhodeside Grill and William Jeffrey’s Tavern is closing its locations until further notice. [Twitter]

Four Courts Donates Extra Food to AFAC — “We just dropped off fresh produce @AFACfeeds… their need is still great.” [Twitter]

Marymount Extends Online-Only Classes — “In order to continue ensuring the health and safety of the campus community, Marymount University will extend its online-only class period to Tuesday, April 14 (previously March 30), as the greater Washington region sees increased cases of COVID-19.” [Press Release]

Macy’s Closes Stores Nationwide — “Macy’s is closing all of its stores nationwide, effective at the end of business Tuesday through March 31, to try to help curb the spread of COVID-19.” [CNBC]

JUST IN: Arlington Opening Drive-Through Coronavirus Testing Site

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Arlington County and Virginia Hospital Center are partnering to set up a drive-through coronavirus testing site.

The temporary site is set to open Wednesday at a county-owned property across from Washington-Liberty High School. The county says to expect additional traffic on N. Quincy Street north of Washington Blvd as a result.

Arlington residents, county and school system employees and Virginia Hospital Center patients, who are experiencing symptoms consistent with coronavirus and have a written order from a healthcare provider, will be eligible for testing. Samples collected will then be sent to a lab; it should take 5-7 days for test results to be available.

Jurisdictions and healthcare providers across the U.S. are rushing to open drive-through testing sites, to cut down on coronavirus exposures at hospitals and doctor’s offices.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Arlington County had 13 reported coronavirus cases, the highest count of any individual locality in Virginia.

More from an Arlington County press release:

Virginia Hospital Center (VHC), a community-based hospital providing medical services to the Washington, DC metropolitan area for 75 years, has partnered with the Arlington County Public Health Department, the Arlington County Police Department, the Arlington County Fire Department, the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Environmental Services to open a temporary drive-through COVID-19 sample collection site at 1429 N. Quincy Street.

“Arlington County is appreciative of our partnership with Virginia Hospital Center to facilitate sample collection for our community at this drive-through center,” Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said. “This is an important collaborative effort at a critical time.”

  • Samples will be collected from Arlington residents, Arlington County Government employees and Arlington Public Schools employees, and patients of VHC Medical Staff.
  • This site is for sample collection from symptomatic patients (fevers, chills, cough, or shortness of breath) who have received a written order for COVID-19 testing from a licensed healthcare provider. This is not meant for asymptomatic patients, even those who have had a close contact with a known COVID patient.
  • Physicians with symptomatic patients can send orders to the Virginia Hospital Center outpatient lab electronically in EPIC or via fax to 703.558.2448.
  • Once they have received a physician’s order, patients should call the VHC COVID-19 Scheduling Line at 703.558.5766 between the hours of 8:30 am and 3:00 pm. Patients must schedule an appointment before visiting the collection site.
  • Individuals arriving at the drive-through site will be asked to remain in their cars.
  • The sample collection center will officially open Wednesday, March 18 at 9:00 am and will remain open on weekdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
  • Individuals who visit the collection site are encouraged to follow the instructions of their health care provider and self-quarantine while they await their results. Test results will be available to the patient within five to seven business days.

“The opening of this temporary facility allows us to meet the urgent needs of our community while our Emergency Department continues to serve those who require immediate medical attention,” said James B. Cole, President & CEO of Virginia Hospital Center. “We are grateful to our staff as well as our colleagues at public health, police and fire for their exhaustive efforts to make this sample collection site possible.”

To protect patient privacy, media access to the site will be restricted. Photos for use by media outlets are available here and media will be updated regularly as new information becomes available. Information about scheduled media briefings and a media staging area will be provided in a second advisory.

Traffic Advisory

  • Expect additional traffic on N. Quincy between Washington Boulevard and N. 15th Street
  • Expect delays if traveling in the area and/or seek alternate routes if not visiting the collection site
  • Posted signboards in the area will direct those driving to the collection site

All Community Centers to Close After Tonight

By ARLnow.com

The last remaining open Arlington community centers will close indefinitely after 8 p.m. tonight.

The Fairlington, Walter Reed, Arlington Mill, Thomas Jefferson and Langston-Brown community centers had remained open this week, with modified hours, while others were closed. All will now be shuttered until further notice.

Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation (DPR) made the announcement this afternoon, but noted that dog parks, fields, trails and athletic courts will remain open.

Earlier today Arlington Public Library also announced that the two libraries still open would close after tonight, as the coronavirus outbreak gets worse.

More via DPR

Arlington County is committed to the health and safety of our employees and our community. While we are making changes to some programs and services, we will continue to operate essential government services for our residents and businesses.

In an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), all Parks & Recreation programs, centers, services and activities are closed or canceled. Parks, fields, dog parks, courts and trails remain OPEN. Fields, dog parks, outdoor courts and fields and the Powhatan Springs Skate Park are not being lit for evening. All outdoor Parks & Recreation facilities will follow the same hours, open sunrise to sunset.

We ask all patrons to practice social distancing and wash their hands or use a hand sanitizer to protect themselves and others. And remember these general safety guidelines:

  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Stay a social distance of six feet whenever possible.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Get a flu shot if you haven’t already. You don’t want to be vulnerable to getting sick with both flu and COVID-19.
  • Avoid contact with sick people as much as possible.
  • Follow the CDC travel policy.

We recognize the burden these closures may cause. The health and safety of the Arlington community is our highest priority and we are grateful for your cooperation.

NEW: Remaining Library Locations to Close

By ARLnow.com

The remaining open Arlington Public Library locations will close at the end of the day amid the worsening coronavirus outbreak.

Arlington Central Library and the Columbia Pike branch library remained open yesterday and today, after the other library branches closed. The two libraries continued to offer wi-fi and computer use, as well as self-service access to non-children’s materials.

The library system announced the closures, effective as of 9 p.m., this afternoon.

“In an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), Arlington Public Library is closing all locations,” said the library website. “We made this decision to support the overall health and wellness of our community and for the safety of our patrons and staff.”

All fines and due dates for physical materials are suspended until further notice, and book drops are closed.

“Please keep library items at home until we can resume library operations,” Arlington Public Library said.

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