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.

ACPD: Theft suspect throws fake gun at officers in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A 47-year-old Richmond man is facing charges after police say he robbed a store and then threw a fake gun at responding officers.

The incident happened Friday afternoon after 3 p.m., in the Courthouse area.

More, below, from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-09080157, 2000 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 3:19 p.m. on September 8, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business and allegedly concealed merchandise before attempting to exit the store without payment. A store employee confronted the suspect during which he lifted his shirt exposing what appeared to be a firearm before fleeing the scene on foot. Responding officers canvassed the area, located the suspect and gave him commands to stop. The suspect disregarded their commands and continued to walk away before stopping, lifting his shirt and throwing the firearm in the direction of the officers. The officers then took the suspect into custody and recovered the firearm which was determined to be a replica. [The suspect], 47, of Richmond Va. was arrested and charged with Robbery and Assault on Police (x2).

Also in today’s crime report were a number of weekend incidents involving guns, including a shots fired call in Glencarlyn, a gun brandishing in Clarendon, and an armed robbery of jewelry along Columbia Pike.

From ACPD:

SHOTS FIRED, 2023-09100027, 300 block of S. Harrison Street. At approximately 1:44 a.m. on September 10, police were dispatched to the report of shots heard. Upon arrival, officers recovered evidence confirming several shots had been fired. Witnesses reported observing several unknown individuals running from the area after the shots were discharged. No victims or property damage were located. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

BRANDISHING, 2023-09100028, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 1:49 a.m. on September 10, the victim approached an officer to report disorderly conduct. The preliminary investigation indicates that following a dispute earlier in the evening where the suspect was allegedly acting disorderly inside a business, he approached an employee of the business and lifted his shirt to display a firearm. The suspect then fled the scene on foot. Officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results.

ROBBERY, 2023-09090226, 1800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 8:10 p.m. on September 9, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim met with the suspect, an acquittance, for the prearranged sale of jewelry. During the incident, the suspect grabbed the jewelry and ran to his vehicle. The victim ran after him and upon arriving at the suspect’s vehicle, observed the passenger brandishing a firearm. The suspects then fled the scene in the vehicle with the stolen jewelry. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Wet walk along the W&OD Trail (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

W-L and YHS Still Undefeated — “With blowout road victories the night of Sept. 8, the Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots improved to 3-0, setting up a big showdown between the Arlington and Liberty District high-school football rivals this coming week… Washington-Liberty routed the Lewis Lancers, 49-7, and Yorktown downed the Wakefield Warriors, 34-9, in another 1-0 district mark.” [Gazette Leader]

Another Metro Service Boost — “With ridership trending higher during the morning and evening commuting hours, Metro will boost peak service on the Red, Blue, Silver, Green, and Yellow lines to meet demand and ridership growth as more customers return to the office and other activities. Trains on those lines will run more frequently from approximately 7 a.m. – 9 a.m., and from approximately 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Exact times of peak service will vary by station.” [WMATA]

Commission Wants More Accessibility — “The Arlington Housing Commission may – emphasis on ‘may’ – ask County Board members in turn to ask the General Assembly to require a larger number of units in multi-unit developments that are at least moderately accessible to those with disabilities. The commission, at an Aug. 31 meeting, also appeared ready to ask elected officials to be more aggressive in dealing with landlords that do not keep properties in habitable condition or retaliate against tenants exercising their rights under the law.” [Gazette Leader]

Green Valley Event Approaches — “The Green Valley Community Day will be held from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 16, 2023. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. to accommodate the event.” [ACPD]

Chamber to Celebrate 100th — “The Arlington Chamber of Commerce has announced plans for its 100th-anniversary gala, to be held Jan. 27 at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City. The event will feature dinner, dancing, networking and a silent auction.” [Gazette Leader]

APS Superintendent Interviewed — “The Politics Hour is returning to class as we check in with several local school officials as the new year begins. As enrollment at Arlington public schools continues to increase, there’s pressure to build more schools in the county. Superintendent Francisco Durán joins the show to discuss how he’s managing that.” [WAMU]

It’s Monday — There is a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am and after 2pm today, with patchy fog in the morning. Expect partly sunny conditions and a high near 85°F. Tonight, patchy fog may develop after 2am, and it will be partly cloudy with a low of around 67°F. [Weather.gov]

UPDATED: Flood and Severe Thunderstorm watches issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Lightning bolt from Friday night thunderstorm (photo courtesy James Mahony)

Update at 4:30 p.m. — Arlington is now also under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 11 p.m.

Earlier: As storms move in, Arlington is now under a Flood Watch until midnight tonight.

The watch was issued around 2:45 p.m. for the county and much of the D.C. area. Forecasters say several rounds of slow-moving storms may cause flooding in low-lying areas and near creeks and streams.

The Rosslyn Jazz Festival, meanwhile, has been paused while this round of storms moves through.

More from the National Weather Service:

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
243 PM EDT Sat Sep 9 2023…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT…

* WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.

* WHERE…Portions of DC, including the following , District of Columbia. Portions of Maryland, including the following areas, Anne Arundel, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Northern Baltimore, Northwest Howard, Northwest Montgomery, Prince Georges and Southern Baltimore. Portions of northern Virginia, including the following areas, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Eastern Loudoun, Fairfax and Northwest Prince William.

* WHEN…Until Midnight EDT tonight.

* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Several rounds of slow moving showers and thunderstorms are possible through this evening. Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches in an hour may lead to flash flooding, especially in poor drainage and urban areas.
– Please visit www.weather.gov/safety/flood for flood safety and preparedness information.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Sep 8, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday 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 — Sep 8, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. NOW: Manhunt for escaped D.C. murder suspect underway just across from Arlington (24867 views)
  2. NEW: Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Arlington (15524 views)
  3. Stick shift foils attempted carjacking in Ballston (14082 views)
  4. Some neighbors fought a duplex, and won, as county approves more Missing Middle homes (9951 views)
  5. NEW: Ireland’s Four Courts is planning to reopen this week (8726 views)
  6. NEW: Woman cited after car towed with kids inside (7753 views)
  7. Arlington has spent $150,000 on fencing at local parks to help quiet the pickleball pop (4747 views)
  8. Under construction Centurion Lounge at DCA shows new signs of progress (3988 views)
  9. Ireland’s Four Courts reopening to the public today after honoring victims and first responders (2838 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌦️ Saturday’s forecast

There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, with the possibility of showers continuing until 11am followed by showers and thunderstorms later in the day. The weather will be mostly cloudy with a high of 87°F and a light variable wind from the south. On Saturday night, expect a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low temperature of around 70°F and a southeast wind at 5 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
– John F. Kennedy

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

NEW: Worker rescued after construction site accident on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A worker fell into a hard-to-access area at a construction site along Columbia Pike this afternoon, prompting a rescue operation.

Firefighters were dispatched to the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Oak Street just before 4 p.m. for a report of someone who fell into a concrete box and needed to be hoisted via a rescue basket.

Columbia Pike was closed in both directions near the Sheraton hotel while firefighters worked to bring the person to safety. The victim was then reportedly taken via ambulance to Virginia Hospital Center for possible broken bones.

“At 3:51 p.m. the ACFD was dispatched to the area of Columbia Pike and S. Oak St. for a female patient that fell into a concrete utility box,” fire department spokesman Capt. Nate Hiner tells ARLnow. “Crews made quick access to the patient and removed her utilizing a Stokes basket. The patient was transported to an area hospital with non life threatening injuries.”

Construction in the area includes the realignment of Columbia Pike and the expansion of Arlington National Cemetery. It was not immediately clear at which construction site the person was injured.

Another Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com
A window washer works as storm clouds loom over Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Yesterday’s Severe Thunderstorm Watch resulted in nary a raindrop for Arlington — but Friday evening might be different.

Another Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the county, for D.C., and for much of the region. It’s in effect until 11 p.m. tonight.

“[The] main hazards for these storms will be heavy rain, damaging winds and large hail,” the National Weather Service says. “Additionally, isolated instances of flooding rainfall are
possible, mainly in urban areas.”

The scattered storms are expected to arrive locally at or after dinnertime and, like yesterday, could miss Arlington entirely.

More from social media:

Arlington Pet of the Week: Princess Kona!

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Announcing the Princess Kona!, the newest Arlington Pet of the Week.

This royal is living it up in her penthouse in Clarendon. She even has her own website that her loyal subjects can follow!

Her owner had this to say about the princess:

Princess Kona! is lovable and enjoys playing, sitting on the balcony chirping at the crows, and advocating for adoption at AWLA.

She was adopted just 10 months ago from AWLA and has made her home in Clarendon. She celebrated her 2nd birthday in May with family from New York. Being a princess, she enjoys going out in Clarendon in her backpack and sightseeing all that Arlington has to offer.

Her favorite toys are a red sparkly ball and a nice mouse to share with you.

She loves face rubs and back rubs. Most of all, while she likes chirping at birds, her food of choice is salmon and tuna. That includes not only her food; also her treats.

Her other fun thing to do is to sight-see while she is in her litter, after all, there is so much to see.

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.

UPDATED: Arlington National Cemetery closed due to bomb threat

By ARLnow.com
(Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Arlington National Cemetery was closed for most of the day today due to a bomb threat.

The cemetery said on social media Friday morning that the threat is being investigated.

“The cemetery’s response teams and local law enforcement partners are on site investigating the threat,” ANC said. “The public is requested to avoid the area and wait for updates posted to our social media platforms.”

An Arlington County police K-9 unit was dispatched to the cemetery around 8:40 a.m. for what was described as a threat received via email.

Officials said shortly after 3 p.m. that no threat was found but the cemetery remains closed except for funerals.

More from a press release:

Arlington National Cemetery officials and Joint Base Myer Henderson-Hall emergency services responded to a bomb threat early this morning. The cemetery closed to the public and funeral services scheduled this morning were postponed. The cemetery’s response teams and local law enforcement partners spent the morning on site investigating the threat. Nothing suspicious was found, and law enforcement safely cleared all areas.

The cemetery will remain closed for the remainder of the day to visitors and family pass holders. We are focusing our efforts now on working with families to ensure that funerals scheduled earlier this morning and this afternoon will be conducted later today.

Arlington National Cemetery’s commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for our visitors, families and employees guided our actions this morning.

“Every threat to Arlington National Cemetery is taken seriously. I want to thank our visitors and family members for their patience and understanding, and an extensive team of our law enforcement partners across the National Capital Region for their swift and thorough response. We will spend the remainder of the day focused on our mission of laying our service members and their loved ones to rest,” said Army National Military Cemeteries and Office of Army Cemeteries Executive Director Karen Durham-Aguilera.

For additional information please contact: 703-614-0024 and follow Arlington National
Cemetery on our social media platforms @ArlingtonNatl and this website.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Storm clouds on the move over Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Rent Keeps Rising — “Arlington saw the third highest month-over-month increase in apartment rents nationally in August, and now stands as the eighth priciest locality among 100 urban areas monitored by Apartment List. The median rent for an apartment in Arlington stood at $2,318 in the new data, reported Aug. 30. That was up 0.9 percent from a month before, and represents an increase of 9.6 percent since a trough at the start of the year.” [Gazette Leader]

Garvey Mulling Reelection — “Will it be a last hurrah, or serve as the precursor to a re-election bid? Libby Garvey hasn’t made up her mind, but says that either way, she aims to make her (expected) coming year as chair of the Arlington County Board in 2024 an effective one.” [Gazette Leader]

FCPD Chase Through Arlington — “Fairfax County PD chased the pickup truck seen below through Arlington on I-66. Crossed the bridge into D.C. just before 12:45 p.m. ACPD monitored the chase but did not pursue into the District.” [Twitter]

Reminder: Weekend Events — “Roads in Pentagon City and Rosslyn will be temporarily closed this Saturday for the Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K and 2023 Rosslyn Jazz Fest… The festival will take place from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and feature several jazz acts… The race, which kicks off at 6 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m., will start and end at the DoubleTree Hotel.” [ARLnow]

More Road Closures — “The following roads along the National Mall and Memorial Parks and George Washington Memorial Parkway will be closed from approximately 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2023: Arlington Memorial Bridge, Arlington Memorial Circle…” [National Park Service]

Crash-Prone Local Intersections — “Arlington saw 2,052 total crashes in 2022. That’s about 15% higher than in 2021, but still 18% lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, when there were more cars on roads… Here are the intersections with the highest number of crashes in 2022—and what Vision Zero is doing in the way of safety improvements at each location.” [Arlington Magazine]

Feds Planning Big Raise — “Two million federal employees just got one step closer to an average 5.2% pay raise next year. President Joe Biden wrote a letter to leaders of the House and Senate on Thursday formally declaring the boost for all federal civilian employees, thereby setting his intent to give employees the largest base pay increase in nearly four decades.” [Federal Times, Twitter]

It’s Friday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. On Friday night, anticipate a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low of 70. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Sep 7, 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 — Sep 7, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌦️ Friday’s forecast

There’s a 50% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms with areas of fog clearing by 8am. Apart from this, expect mostly sunny skies, a high of 92°F, and calm winds 5-9 mph from the south. Friday night, the chance of precipitation increases to 60%, with showers and potential thunderstorms starting before 8pm and carrying on, with new rainfall amounts ranging from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, except in thunderstorms. Temperatures will drop to a low of about 70°F as winds decrease after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
– Nelson Mandela

🌅 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 (August 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 (August 2023).

Most expensive single-family homes sold

  1. 4A N Ridgeview Rd — Dover Crystal — $3,608,356 (5 beds | 6.5 baths | 6,404 sq. ft.)
  2. 3133 N Piedmont St — Bellevue Forest — $2,850,000 (5 beds | 8 baths | 9,004 sq. ft.)
  3. 135 N Edgewood St — Lyon Park — $2,800,000 (5 beds | 7 baths | 5,544 sq. ft.)
  4. 4101 N Richmond St — Old Glebe — $2,725,000 (5 beds | 5.5 baths | 6,279 sq. ft.)
  5. 5407 36th St N — Williamsburg — $2,695,000 (7 beds | 7.5 baths | 6,580 sq. ft.)

Least expensive single-family homes sold*

  1. 2714 S Troy St — Long Branch Creek — $683,000 (3 beds | 2 baths | 1,653 sq. ft.)
  2. 3519 17th St S — Douglas Park — $685,000 (2 beds | 1 baths | 990 sq. ft.)
  3. 1955 S Kenmore St — Green Valley — $690,000 (4 beds | 2 baths | 1,864 sq. ft.)

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

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