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.

BREAKING: Arlington County Now Reporting Most Coronavirus Infections in Virginia

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 12:20 p.m.) As Arlington officials take measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 in the county has again gone up.

As of noon today, the Virginia Dept. of Health reported 13 coronavirus cases in Arlington. That’s the highest count of any individual jurisdiction in the state — up from 9 cases in Arlington yesterday.

By contrast, there are currently 12 reported cases in Fairfax County, with about 5 times the population of Arlington, and still only 2 positive coronavirus tests in Alexandria.

Statewide, 1,028 people have been tested and 67 people have tested positive across the Commonwealth, up from only 489 people tested and 51 cases yesterday.

Given the relative lack of testing so far, and the continued spread of a highly-infectious disease that doesn’t present symptoms for a few days, it’s a near-certainty that cases will continue rising, perhaps dramatically. And it’s not clear to what extent more proactive testing or reporting may be playing a role in Arlington’s higher numbers relative to other jurisdictions.

To slow the spread, officials from the national to the local level have been urging people to frequently wash hands, avoid touching one’s face, and to practice social distancing — maintaining six feet of separation from others when out in public. Last night Arlington County’s top officials released a statement urging restaurants to close their dining rooms, even though Virginia has not followed the lead of other states in mandating such closures yet.

Many restaurants across Arlington have announced temporary closures or takeout– and delivery-only options over the past 24 hours. A few others, however, remain open to dine-in customers.

Police Dept. Asks Public to Report Many Non-Emergency Incidents Online

By ARLnow.com

Fraud, theft, vandalism and harassing phone calls — those are a few of the things that Arlington County Police say should only be reported online, for now.

ACPD is trying to keep its officers healthy and on the beat during the coronavirus outbreak, but responding to too many non-emergency calls increases the risk of infection. As a result, the police department is asking members of the public to file reports for a number of non-emergency incidents online.

Going forward, police officers may also be seen wearing protective gear like “gloves, masks or eye protection to help reduce exposure,” the department said.

More from ACPD:

All police operations remain fully functional. Public access points including the police front counter and the property unit remain open during normal business hours.

The Arlington County Police Department will divert some non-emergency incidents to the online reporting system. This will help reduce cross contamination within our community while ensuring department maintains a healthy workforce to address emergency calls for service and in-progress crimes. Officers will continue to respond to in-progress crimes and emergency calls for service where there is an immediate threat to life, health or property. Details

The following non-emergency crimes should be reported online:

  • Credit card fraud
  • Fraud/false pretenses
  • Harassing phone call or email
  • Identity theft
  • Larceny/theft
  • Theft from motor vehicle
  • Suspicious circumstances
  • Vandalism
  • Vehicle tampering

Arlington County Police Officers are adhering to the advice of the CDC and, whenever possible, practicing social distancing. Reporting parties and witnesses of emergency calls for service may be asked to step outside to speak to responding officers. The public may also observe officers wearing protective gear such as gloves, masks or eye protection to help reduce exposure.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Mass Cancelled at Catholic Churches — “On Monday, March 16, 2020, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Diocese of Arlington… announced that the public celebration of all Masses in the Diocese is suspended until further notice.” [Press Release]

Food Donations Needed — “We have already seen a sharp decrease in food donations from our local grocery stores. AFAC has begun to purchase more food to offset the drop of food available on our shelves. Please think about making a donation to AFAC to help us keep our warehouse full for our families in need.” [Arlington Food Assistance Center]

Regional Park Facilities Closed — “While park and facilities are open for individual use, programs organized by NOVA Parks are canceled. All NOVA Parks facilities and buildings will be closed beginning at the close of business on March 16 and remaining closed for at least two weeks. Many parks will remain open for passive use – trails, general visitation, etc.” [NOVA Parks]

Community Centers Closed — The following Arlington rec centers are closed: Aurora Hills Community Center, Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center, Carver Community Center, Charles Drew Community Center, Gulf Branch Nature Center, Gunston Community Center, Hendry House, Lee Community Center, Long Branch Nature Center and Madison Community Center. The Fairlington, Walter Reed, Arlington Mill, Thomas Jefferson and Langston-Brown community centers remain open with modified hours. [Arlington County]

Pentagon City Mall: Before and After — Photos of the Pentagon City mall food court before and after the coronavirus outbreak shows a stark difference: bustling before vs. nearly deserted after. [Twitter]

White House: Avoid Gatherings of 10+ — “The White House’s coronavirus task force announced tougher guidelines on Monday to help slow the spread of the disease, including limiting social gatherings of more than 10 people.” [Axios]

It’s St. Patrick’s Day — Enjoy a Guinness at home because most places to celebrate are closed, or at least should be. [Old Farmer’s Almanac]

Arlington Urging Restaurants to Close Dining Rooms

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 9 p.m.) More than 80% of respondents to our poll this morning think Arlington restaurants should close for everything other than takeout or delivery.

Arlington County’s top officials agree.

Monday night, the county sent out a statement acknowledging that while it does not have the legal authority to force closures, it is urging restaurants to “take responsible action and switch from dine-in service to only offering carryout and delivery.”

The full statement is below.

States across the Country, including DC and Maryland have ordered all bars and restaurants to close for dine-in service as of 10:00 P.M.tonight (March 16). Arlington County does not have the legal authority to order the same.  However, we ask that Arlington bars and restaurants take responsible action and switch from dine-in service to only offering carryout and delivery. We have seen some restaurants get very creative with how to do carryout with social distancing. Encouraging carryout service is a good way to help these small businesses and their staffs make it through this challenging time.

We thank all those that have already done so, but we plead with all our bars and restaurants that have NOT yet closed their dining rooms; to do so as of 10:00 PM tonight (March 16) and not reopen until we can all work out safe ways for patrons to be served in person. Otherwise, we will likely be overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases and the health of everyone in Arlington will be in jeopardy.

We appreciate your partnership in keeping our community safe.

Libby Garvey. Arlington Board Chair
Mark Schwartz. Arlington County Manager

Among the restaurants in Arlington to close completely or offer takeout and delivery only are Ireland’s Four Courts, Jaleo, and — just announced tonight — The Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall, and Northside Social.

It’s unclear how long local restaurants will be able to survive on takeout and delivery alone. Delivery apps take a large percentage of sales, while alcohol sales to dine-in customers make up a sizable portion of a restaurant’s profit margin.

Some are predicting an apocalyptic outcome.

“Many of the restaurants that close during the pandemic will not reopen their doors,” predicted an Eater article today. “Diners should also brace for a restaurant landscape that will be entirely different by the time — however near or far off it may be — they can be safely encouraged to enjoy a crowded night out again.”

Man Arrested After Numerous Cars Vandalized Near Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A 33-year-old D.C. man was arrested after police say he vandalized about 17 cars in the Courthouse area.

The vandalism was reported to police around 12:45 a.m. Saturday, near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Rhodes Street, which is roughly halfway between the Courthouse and Rosslyn Metro stations.

The suspect has been charged with both Destruction of Property and Public Intoxication, according to police.

More from an ACPD crime report:

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (Series), 2020-03140010, N. Rhodes Street at Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 12:45 a.m. on March 14, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, officers located a subject matching the description provided by witnesses and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined that approximately 17 vehicles had been damaged to include removal of rear windshield wipers, broken rear windshields and a damaged side mirror. Zachary Fithian, 33, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged with Public Intoxication and Destruction of Property. He was released on bond.

Photos: Empty Streets, Metro Stations and Businesses Around Arlington on Monday

By ARLnow.com
1/13

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, much of the usually bustling places around Arlington seemed like a ghost town this morning.

The Clarendon Metro station and Reagan National Airport were eerily empty at times. Only a handful of people could be wandering Ballston Quarter mall and eating at local restaurants. Other than grocery stores, drug stores and Costco, many stores were quiet.

At Bearded Goat barber shop in Ballston, barbers were serving their last clients before closing for at least the next two weeks.

On I-395 and other heavily-traveled highways, traffic volumes that could be mistaken for Christmas morning could be seen.

Ultimately, it’s a good sign: only social distancing and staying at home will slow the spread of the virus. But it may be a new normal that stretches into the summer.

Jay Westcott contributed to this report

Arrest Made in Pentagon City Carjacking Cases

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police today announced an arrest related to the recent series of carjackings in Pentagon City.

“The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is providing an update into the investigation of armed robbery incidents in Pentagon City garages,” police said in a press release Monday afternoon. “A person of interest has been arrested in Maryland and future charges related to criminal incidents in Arlington are anticipated.”

The last reported carjacking from a Pentagon City garage was on Friday, Feb. 21. It’s unclear whether the person who was arrested is suspected in all or only some of the previous incidents.

More on the arrest from ACPD:

This remains an open and active criminal investigation with Arlington County detectives continuing to work with our regional law enforcement partners from Prince George’s County Police, Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Members of the public are encouraged to continue to following safety tips and crime prevention measures while reporting suspicious activity in the area to law enforcement for investigation. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective S. King of the Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4243 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at ‪1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Making Room: Invest in Arlington’s Affordability

By ARLnow.com

Making Room is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of joining the board of the Alliance for Housing Solutions (AHS).

The Alliance advocates for affordable housing in Arlington that meet the needs of all income levels and stages of life. This includes both committed affordable housing developments that are income restricted for low-income residents and market-oriented solutions such as ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) that will provide unsubsidized lower-cost housing.

This year, Arlington is at a cross-roads that will determine our commitment to affordable housing. I hope you’ll join me and other AHS supporters to call on the County Board to grow our stock of committed affordable housing with a strategic investment of $25 million in the Affordable Housing Investment Fund.

The Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF or “A-Hif”) is a low-interest loan program that helps developers build and preserve committed affordable housing in Arlington County. It is a revolving fund that receives money from private developers (like $20 million from Amazon for the first phase of HQ2), federal grants, and County contributions.

The County Board distributes AHIF loans to worthy projects, which affordable housing developers use to build or renovate multi-family properties. These developers then repay their AHIF loans, putting the money back in the fund to be used for future projects. This revolving fund is a catalyst for affordable housing developers to get the financing they need to increase our supply of income-restricted units.

In the last twenty years, low-income Arlingtonians have faced increased rent pressure. Because of increased demand and redevelopment, we’ve lost over 16,000 unsubsidized apartments in the open low-rent market that had been affordable to lower-income households. The County is attempting to make up the deficit by investing in committed affordable units. But they’ve only been able to reach half their goal each of the last five years. That means we’re falling further behind, as 28,000 Arlingtonians try to find decent affordable housing on an income of $36,000 per year.

Since adopting the Affordable Housing Master Plan in 2015, the County Board has allocated an average of $14.3 million to AHIF and added only 298 units each year, when their annual goal is 600 units. We now have a 1,500 unit deficit and only 9% of our housing stock is affordable to families making 60% of the Area Median Income or less, which is about half of what we need to accommodate our low-income neighbors. We can’t keep taking the same action and expect better results. This year, the Board needs to take bold action by allocating $25 million to AHIF, an increase of $9 million.

The County Manager released the FY 2021 budget, which includes only $2.7 million more for AHIF. Another $2.3 million could come from Columbia Pike Tax Increment Financing and potentially another $2 million from a future increase in the County’s cigarette tax. If adopted, this could increase AHIF by a maximum of $7 million. The County Board would have to vote for all of these options, and the amount would still be below our goal of $9 million in new funds.

(more…)

JUST IN: Arlington Coronavirus Cases Now Up to Nine

By ARLnow.com

The number of known coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Arlington have risen to nine.

That’s up from five as of Friday afternoon. The figures are being reported by the Virginia Dept. of Health, which as of noon on Monday reported 51 cases statewide, with only 489 people tested.

Arlington was third among Virginia jurisdictions in terms of coronavirus cases, with Fairfax and James City counties each reporting 10 cases.

“VDH is no longer reporting the pending number of tests as testing capacity has expanded to include commercial laboratories,” the health department said. “Commercial laboratories report all results to VDH. Information will be updated daily, Monday-Friday at noon; and will be updated daily on weekends.”

Over the weekend, Arlington County declared a local emergency in response to the ongoing outbreak. The county has been listing changes to county government services and events, along with tips for prevention and testing.

Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash

Small Business Shoutout: Arrowine

By ARLnow.com

This morning we’re kicking off 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.

Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway) is one of ARLnow’s longest-running advertisers. It recently renovated, expanding its cheese selection and adding a deli counter and a growler fill station.

It is considered by some to be the best wine shop in Virginia. It is certainly one of those community-serving businesses that make Arlington a better place.

Social distancing is important to help slow the spread of disease, and we hope that those who want to stock up on wine and beer ahead of an extended stay at home might a) do so now, rather than later, and b) choose to do so at Arrowine rather than a more crowded, chain grocery store.

Arrowine said in a social media post over the weekend that it is “exploring how to best implement [delivery] service.” In the meantime, if you’d like to place a wine order or pickup, or to buy a gift card, you can do so online. Arrowine is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Thank you, Arrowine, for your support of our news coverage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rcy9FhjlO/

Morning Poll: Should Restaurants Be Closed in Arlington?

By ARLnow.com

Over the weekend, in the midst of a pandemic, some local restaurants and bars were surprisingly crowded.

With sports leagues, recreational programs, major events, schools and many other facets of everyday life suspended or cancelled, in an effort to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases, the sight of revelers crowding D.C. area bars and restaurants prompted some outrage on social media.

While Gov. Ralph Northam banned public gatherings of 100 or more people on Sunday, that’s below new guidance from the CDC to nix any gathering of 50 or more people.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the rounds on the Sunday morning talk shows and urged young people to stop flocking to bars.

“Remember that you can also be a vector or a carrier,” he said, according to Axios. “And even though you don’t get seriously ill, you could bring it to a person, who could bring it to a person, that would bring it to your grandfather, your grandmother or your elderly relative. That’s why everybody has to take this seriously, even the young.”

Some states and cities are taking the spread of disease through bars and restaurants seriously.

New York, Los Angeles and the District, along with states like Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Washington, have imposed varying degrees of restaurant and/or nightclub closures. In most cases, takeout and delivery are still allowed.

Elsewhere, Arlington’s pseudo sister city of Hoboken, New Jersey has imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., for all but those required to be at work.

Some Arlington restaurants, including Ireland’s Four Courts and Jaleo, have already closed.

Unfortunately, restaurant closures will have a devastating effect on all but the strongest restaurant businesses — read: mostly chains — at a time when restaurants in the D.C. area, along with their employees, are already hurting. On Saturday, restaurant reservation website OpenTable reported that across Virginia, reservations on its platform were down 39% and continuing to fall.

While Arlington may be limited in what it can do by the Dillon Rule, ideally what do you think the county should do?

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