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.

ARLnow, Sister Sites Set New Traffic Records

By ARLnow.com

Maybe it’s the lousy weather keeping everyone glued to their phones and computers. Maybe it’s people tiring of the endless stream of national political news. Or maybe there’s just been a lot going on locally.

Whatever the explanation, ARLnow has officially set a new 30-day web traffic record.

From Jan. 14-Feb. 12, a timeframe that includes a federal holiday, ARLnow recorded 1.453 million pageviews, breaking the old record of 1.43 million pageviews, set in 2016. While not a record, ARLnow also served just over 400,000 unique visitors over the past 30 days.

ARLnow’s sister sites also posted strong numbers during that time frame, according to Google Analytics:

  • ALXnow, which launched this past fall, exceeded 150,000 pageviews and 55,000 unique visitors for the first time
  • Reston Now exceeded 250,000 pageviews and 100,000 unique visitors
  • Tysons Reporter exceeded 225,000 pageviews and 100,000 unique visitors
  • In total, our owned-and-operated sites served 2.1 million pageviews and 660,000 unique visitors

Our partner site PoPville, meanwhile, recorded 2.26 million pageviews and more than 375,000 unique visitors. ARLnow’s parent company hosts and provides business services to both PoPville and RunWashington.com.

Network-wide, Local News Now sites served 4.4 million pageviews and — for the first time — just over 1 million unique visitors.

ARLnow and our sister and partner sites provide original journalism and other local content to the community thanks to the support of our local advertisers. For more information about growing your business via ARLnow — or our other sites — see our advertising information page.

Arrest Made After Woman Attacked By Man With Knife Near Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

A 25-year-old man is in custody after police say he attacked a woman in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood near Pentagon City.

The alleged attack happened around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of 18th Street S. and S. Ives Street.

Police say the man wielded a knife as he knocked the victim to the ground, with the intent of sexually molesting her. The woman fought back and the suspect was ultimately scared off by a witness. Officers located a man matching the suspect description nearby and took him into custody.

More from an ACPD crime report:

ABDUCTION WITH THE INTENT TO DEFILE, 2020-02110202, 18th Street S. at S. Ives. At approximately 7:23 p.m. on February 11, police were dispatched to the report of an assault that just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was walking in the area when she heard someone behind her. The victim turned and confronted the suspect who allegedly knocked her to the ground, brandished a knife and assaulted the victim. A witness yelled at the suspect, causing him to flee the scene on foot. Responding officers located an individual matching the suspect description and he was later positively identified. The victim suffered minor injuries. William Peoples, 25, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Abduction with the Intent to Defile and Carrying a Concealed Weapon. He was held without bail.

Abduction with the Intent to Defile is a serious, infrequently charged crime that, if convicted, is punishable by 20 years to life in prison.

This was the fourth notable criminal incident in the Pentagon City area since Sunday.

Map via Google Maps

APS Bars Students Who Recently Visited China

By ARLnow.com

Amid ongoing fears about the coronavirus outbreak, Arlington Public Schools is barring recent visitors to China from schools.

The action is in line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. In a letter to parents last night, APS said any student who has returned from mainland China since Feb. 2 will need to wait at least 14 days before returning to school.

“APS will provide support to any student who is unable to attend school by providing take-home educational materials,” the school system said. “Please contact your child’s school to receive these materials by mail.”

One parent who contacted ARLnow questioned why parents were only being notified of the policy now, saying APS should have implemented the CDC-recommended, 14-day quarantine earlier.

Currently there are no known cases of coronavirus in Virginia, D.C. or Maryland.

The full letter is below.

Dear APS Staff and Families:

We have received inquiries from families about our procedures for students who may be returning to the United States from China.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers returning from Mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) to the US after 5 pm on February 2, 2020, should remain at home for 14 days after their return date to the US. Therefore, APS students returning from Mainland China after the date above will not be allowed to attend school for 14 days. This will help us reduce the possible risk of coronavirus spread in our schools.

APS will provide support to any student who is unable to attend school by providing take-home educational materials. Please contact your child’s school to receive these materials by mail.

Based on Arlington County Public Health Division guidance, APS continues to take the following effective steps to prevent students and staff from becoming ill in schools:

Cleaning and disinfecting touched objects and surfaces frequently with materials that meet the criteria recommended by the CDC and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for control of coronavirus.
Reinforcing the following effective behaviors in schools with students and employees:Wash 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 eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible.
Cover mouth and hands with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
Stay home when sick – and only return to school when children and staff are symptom free for 24 hours.
Keep their distance from people who are sick – and encourage sick people they encounter to go home and seek care as needed.
Avoid non-essential travel.
To further protect all our students, our employees, and our community, we need your help to reinforce the messages above. Have your student(s) practice these behaviors at home – it will make it easier to follow these same recommendations in school.

APS will continue to work with Arlington County Public Health Division and the School Health Bureau as the situation evolves. This is a rapidly developing situation, and we will publish updated guidance as warranted.

For up-to-date information about the coronavirus, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/ 2019-ncov/about/index.html.

Cintia Johnson
Interim Superintendent
Arlington Public Schools

Reuben K. Varghese, MD, MPH
Health Director and Arlington County Public Health Division Chief

Photo via CDC

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lots of New State Laws May Be Coming — “In the 35 days since the 2020 legislative session began, Democratic lawmakers in Virginia advanced laws to restrict access to guns, raise the minimum wage, decriminalize marijuana and ease restrictions on abortion. They sprinted to pass hundreds of bills before a deadline: February 11th, ‘crossover day,’ when all bills must be passed by at least one chamber or be scrapped.” [WAMU]

Plastic Bag Tax Among Bills Under Consideration — “The Senate passed a version of the bag fee bill shortly before midnight that would impose the five cent tax in Northern Virginia but allow localities elsewhere in the state to decide for themselves whether to have the fee… The House also voted to ban foam takeout containers starting in a few years.” [WTOP]

Tomorrow: Winter Bike to Work Day — “It’s cold outside but that doesn’t mean you have to give up riding your bike. In fact, we want to encourage you to warm up to cold- weather biking on International Winter Bike to Work Day. This year we will have our pit stop at Gravelly Point on the Mount Vernon Trail.” [Eventbrite]

Per-Square-Foot Home Prices — “The city of Falls Church zoomed past the District of Columbia to be the local jurisdiction where home-buyers spent more, per square foot, than anywhere else in January. The median per-square-foot cost of $453 for Falls Church property for the month was up 13 percent from a year before, while the $449 recorded in Washington was down 7.2 percent… Arlington placed third, up 9 percent to $399 per square foot.” [InsideNova]

Arlington Pet of the Week: Confetti

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is Confetti, a 2 year old rescue cat who loves to sleep in the bathroom sink.

Here’s what Confetti’s owner told ARLnow about how the feline feels about life here in Arlington:

I was born outside in a barn without good food or water. Luckily, a nice Arlington cat rescuer named Lily helped me out. She took me to a foster home with other cats who had trouble. There was one, grey cat that scared me. Soon after, Lily took me and some of the other cats to a pet a shop to meet potential families to help us find our forever homes. The grey cat came along and I was scared. One little girl looked at me and saw that I was shaking. She put her hand inside the cage and pet me. It made me purr. She felt my motor and I knew that she loved me. The family took me home that very day.

When I got to my forever home, I was really scared but after a few days I was more comfortable. My belly hurt because of the bad barn water and the vet said I had giardia. My new family gave me medicine and healthy food and nursed me back to health. The name I was given is Confetti because I have lots of little spots. My new family calls me lots of new names too, like: Marbles, French Fry, Fuzz Face, FetFet and Caramel Toes. I love all my names! My favorite toy is the one that my little girl owner makes for me out of pipe cleaners. I like to play fetch up and down the stairs with her. Sometimes I like to sleep in the cool bathroom sink because it feels really good. I also like to drink glasses of water that my family leaves out, but they don’t like that so much.

I know that I am loved and cared for and I feel so lucky that there are people out there like Lily to help cats like me that need a second chance. I am only two but I feel like I’ve been with my forever family… forever!

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

 

Pentagon City Draws More Police Activity

By ARLnow.com

It’s been another busy few days for police in Pentagon City.

The neighborhood has been the scene of at least three armed carjackings in local parking garages over the past month, in addition to armed robberies and the usual steady flow of thefts from stores at the Pentagon City mall and other local shopping centers.

The criminal activity continued Sunday afternoon, when police arrested a man they say was breaking into parked cars in or near the Pentagon Row shopping center. More from Arlington County Police:

GRAND LARCENY (Significant), 2020-02090157, 900 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 3:40 p.m. on February 9, an officer on patrol observed a suspicious suspect looking into parked vehicles. The suspect allegedly attempted to enter a vehicle by pulling on the door’s handles before breaking the rear driver’s side door window and stealing a backpack in plain view. The suspect fled the scene on foot and was located by a responding officer inside the metro station. The suspect refused to comply with the officer’s lawful commands and attempted to flee the scene on foot. Upon arrival of additional units, the suspect was taken into custody without incident. Harvey Jones, 24, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged with Possession of Burglarous Tools, Grand Larceny: Theft from Motor Vehicle, and Destruction of Property. He was also determined to be wanted out of North Carolina. He was held on no bond.

On Monday evening, meanwhile, also in the area of Pentagon Row, a woman was assaulted and robbed of her phone by a pair of young, female suspects. More from ACPD:

ROBBERY, 2020-02100201, 1300 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 5:42 p.m. on February 10, police were dispatched to the report of suspicious circumstances. Upon arrival, it was determined that as the victim exited a business, she passed the two female suspects, who began shouting at her. The victim continued walking, however the suspects began chasing her. The suspects assaulted the victim and stole her phone, then fled prior to police arrival. Suspect one is described as a juvenile or young adult female, approximately 14-18 years old, short, thin, with curly shoulder-length hair, wearing black pants, a black jacket and white and black shoes. Suspect Two is described as as a juvenile or young adult female, approximately 14-18 years old, approximately 5’4″-5’8″, with a chubby build, wearing jeans, a white shirt and a black and orange jacket. The investigation is ongoing.

Last night (Tuesday), an incident at the intersection of S. Joyce Street and 15th Street S., near one of the entrances to the mall’s parking garage, drew another large police response. Police said only that an “assault occurred following a dispute” and the activity was unrelated to the carjackings.

As of last week ABC 7 reported that there had been five armed robberies in the Pentagon City area so far this year, compared to 7 last year and 5 in 2018.

Furry Convention Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
1/3

First Amazon. Now furries.

The Mid-Atlantic region’s “premier anthropomorphic convention” is moving from Tysons to Crystal City this year. Hundreds of fuzzy, costumed animal characters will touch down in the National Landing area in March for the 8th annual event.

The furry convention, dubbed Fur the More, will be held from March 6-8 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City (2799 Richmond Highway), organizers announced. Tickets range from $55 to hundreds of dollars for a VIP “Raven God” pass.

More from the announcement:

The Mid-Atlantic Anthropomorphic Association’s (M.A.A.A., a 501c3 non-profit) premiere event, Fur The More (FTM), has been this connection point in the Maryland, D.C., and Virginia area since 2013.

The annual event is designed to provide educational programing, fandom specific wares/events, and socialization within the furry community and beyond. We invite a new Guest of Honor from within the community each year along with showcasing artists from all over the world. In efforts to aid what our community loves most, animals, each year we sponsor another 501(c)3 charity and raise money/donations to help animal rescues within the local community. So far our event has raised over $55k in charity donations, in addition to bringing awareness to the charity itself.

Crystal City, with its collection of hotels and easy access to the airport and the District, is a popular destination for conventions ranging from dry, industry conferences to more colorful gatherings like Blerdcon, the Anime USA convention, the Nation’s Tattoo Expo, the CatalystCon East sex convention.

Morning Poll: What Do You Think of This Mild, Damp Winter?

By ARLnow.com

This winter in Arlington has been an anomaly.

It’s the only winter since 1932 in which the temperature has failed to drop below 22 degrees. And it’s generally been cloudy, rainy and — well — pretty gloomy.

Snow has been (and, at least for the next week or two, will remain) hard to come by, and students have yet to have a full snow day. That’s bad for snow lovers, though parents and road crews no doubt appreciate the relief.

Meanwhile, the rain will return tonight, ahead of some cold, dry, snowless weather.

How would you rate the weather so far this winter?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lopez’s Dream Act Passes House — “In a landmark session, the Virginia House of Delegates today voted for the first time to approve HB 1547, a bill which would expand in-state tuition eligibility to undocumented students at Virginia’s public colleges and universities. The bill, also known as the Virginia Dream Act, was introduced by Delegate Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington) and passed after many years of advocacy and hard work.” [Press Release]

One-Time Arlington Startup Founder Convicted — “A jury convicted CommuniClique founder and former CEO Andy Powers of six out of eight counts Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The jury found Powers guilty on three counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud, according to court documents… Powers was based for years in Reston and Arlington before moving to Los Angeles in August 2018 as the head of what he billed as a communications and tech platform.” [Washington Business Journal]

New Funding for Local Startup — “The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) today announced that CIT GAP Funds has invested in Arlington, VA-based HyperQube, a cyber range as a service offering that enables enterprises to quickly and easily build an exact copy of any IT infrastructure.” [Globe Newswire via Potomac Tech Wire]

FYI Tipsters: We Can’t Open Nextdoor Links — Here at ARLnow, we appreciate everyone who emails us or sends us anonymous tips about possible stories. Recently, tipsters have started frequently sending us anonymous tips that link to a post on Nextdoor. The problem is: Nextdoor is a private, neighborhood-based social network and we can’t open the links. Please send us screenshots of posts instead.

Nearby: Falls Church Fire Cause — “Yesterday’s house fire at 400 S. Oak Street was accidental. ‘It’s not confirmed, but the cause could be a space heater plugged into an electrical power strip,’ said [fire official Henry] Lane. ‘If so, this is part of a bad national trend. Power strips cannot handle the demands of a space heater. People should plug them directly into an outlet.’ The damage to the property is valued at $150,000.” [City of Falls Church]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Truck Smashes Sidewalk Bench, Sign on Old Dominion Drive

By ARLnow.com

A rental box truck ran off the side of Old Dominion Drive this afternoon, damaging a bench, a sign and a fence.

The crash happened shortly after 4 p.m., just west of the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Williamsburg Blvd, in the Rock Spring neighborhood.

Traffic camera images show a yellow Penske rental truck on the sidewalk and a Metro bus stop sign on the ground. A black metal bench was also reportedly smashed, along with a fence and a tree in the yard adjacent to the sidewalk.

It’s not clear how the crash happened, nor whether any other vehicles were involved. No injuries have been reported. Police are on scene.

JUST IN: Elizabeth Warren Holding Campaign Event in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Just two days removed from today’s New Hampshire primary, Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren will be holding a town hall event in Arlington.

The town hall is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, at Wakefield High School (1325 S. Dinwiddie Street), the campaign announced today. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP.

More via the campaign website:

Elizabeth Warren is coming to Virginia!

Join Elizabeth Warren and Team Virginia at a Town Hall on Thursday, February 13th in Arlington, VA.

Elizabeth knows that to create real change–to rebuild the middle class and save our democracy–we need to dream big and fight hard. That’s why she’s in this fight: to have a real conversation about how to level the playing field for working families, and who is best to lead that fight.

Doors open for the event at 6:00 p.m. and the event will begin at 7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, so feel free to bring your friends and family along too! Tickets aren’t required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Admission will be first come, first served.

Virginia’s “Super Tuesday” primary will be held on March 3.

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