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.

UPDATED: Arlington Under Winter Weather Advisory as Officials Warn of Tough Evening Commute

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:15 p.m. — See the latest snow updates and photos here.

Update at 12:55 p.m. — Arlington County government offices and facilities are remaining open for the time being, but parks department programs in school and park facilities are cancelled after 2 p.m., the county says.

Update at 11:35 a.m. — Arlington Public Schools is dismissing two hours early tonight, as the onset of snow may be earlier than originally expected. From APS:

All APS schools and offices will close two hours early today. All essential employees should work their usual shifts. The Extended Day Program will stay open until 4 p.m.  Extracurricular activities, games, team practices, field trips, adult education classes, and programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled.

Update at 11 a.m. — Arlington County says it’s salting bridges and hills in anticipation of the snow. The Office of Personnel Management, meanwhile, says federal offices will have an early dismissal by 1 p.m. today.

Earlier: A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from noon to 7 p.m. today, as the D.C. region braces for the first significant snowfall of the season.

The snow is expected to start falling this afternoon and to impact the evening rush hour. Fairfax County and other school systems have announced early dismissals today, though as of 9:45 a.m. Arlington had not made any such announcement.

Some 1-2 inches of snow is expected locally.

More from the National Weather Service:

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING… * WHAT…WET SNOW EXPECTED. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AN INCH OR TWO. * WHERE…IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA. * WHEN…FROM NOON TO 7 PM EST TUESDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 6 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY TUESDAY EVENING. * IMPACTS…SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY ROADS ARE EXPECTED, ESPECIALLY NORTHWEST OF INTERSTATE 95 INTO THE EVENING COMMUTE. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS…SNOW RATES COULD EXCEED ONE INCH PER HOUR WITH VISIBILITY AROUND ONE-HALF MILE AT TIMES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING. WHEN VENTURING OUTSIDE, WATCH YOUR FIRST FEW STEPS TAKEN ON STEPS, SIDEWALKS, AND DRIVEWAYS, WHICH COULD BE ICY AND SLIPPERY, INCREASING YOUR RISK OF A FALL AND INJURY. &&

VDOT says it is pretreating local roads and highways. The transportation agency is advising drivers to be careful on the roads tonight and to consider leaving work early.

VDOT Asks Drivers To:

Continue to closely monitor weather, as forecasts can improve or worsen quickly. Stay tuned to local media for the real-time status of weather bands before traveling, due to the likelihood for limited visibility.

If road conditions become hazardous, delay travel for your safety and to give trucks time to treat roads. Leave earlier or delay trips to avoid driving during the height of the storm.

Before traveling, check road conditions along your route at www.511virginia.org, on the free app for Apple and Android, or call 511 from any phone in Virginia.

Be aware of the potential for slick spots on areas prone to freezing such as bridges, ramps and overpasses.

Allow extra time for trips, brake lightly and allow plenty of following distance. Ensure enough gas and plenty of wiper fluid, proper tires, medication, an emergency car kit, and always use your headlights.

Give trucks plenty of room to work, because they are large, heavy and slow.

More via social media:

UPDATED: Power Outage Leaves Large Portion of Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor in the Dark

By ARLnow.com

Update at 5:15 p.m. — Power has been restored to the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, but another, separate outage has been reported near Wakefield High School.

Earlier: Nearly 9,000 Dominion customers in Arlington are without power this morning.

A widespread outage is affecting portions of Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Virginia Square, Ballston and neighborhoods to the north, including Cherrydale and Donaldson Run.

As of 8:45 a.m. Dominion’s power outage map lists 8,844 customers without power and an estimated restoration time of 11 a.m.-2 p.m. There’s so far no word on what caused the outage.

Police are working to control traffic as some intersections with dark traffic signals, according to scanner traffic.

Update at 9:10 a.m. — The number of customers without power is down to around 3,800, with the outage now running from Virginia Square to Rosslyn, north of Clarendon Blvd, according to Dominion’s map.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Robbery at Lyon Park 7-Eleven — “At approximately 2:30 a.m. on January 3, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that two suspects entered a business and forced two employees behind the counter. Suspect One displayed an object that appeared to be a knife, pushed an employee towards the cash register and forced him to open it, then stole an undisclosed amount of cash and other merchandise.” [Arlington County]

Basketball Refs Still Haven’t Been Paid — “Having been rapped for a lethargic response, Arlington government leaders appear to be ramping up efforts to resolve a lingering dispute over missing payments to referees in the county’s youth-basketball leagues. ‘We will get this done ASAP – by Feb. 1 at the latest,’ said County Board member Matt de Ferranti, who in recent months has been involved in the effort to sort out the situation and get the referees paid.” [InsideNova]

Firefighters Watch ‘Bachelor’ Premiere — “What do firefighters do when it’s late and there’s a break between calls? They have a @BachelorABC viewing party, of course! And in case of any ‘turbulence,’ we are always ready to respond!” [Twitter]

Tracking Bachelor Reaction in Clarendon — Former Bachelorette contestant Chris Bukowski, writing from his Clarendon bar: “At @BracketRoomVA for a viewing party and Hannah B easily got the biggest ovation when she came out of the limo. #TheBachelor” [Twitter]

BREAKING: Police Investigating Crash Involving Scooter, School Bus

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Arlington County Police and medics are on scene of a crash involving an Arlington County school bus and an electric scooter.

The crash happened around 3:45 p.m. at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Oak Street in Rosslyn. Initial reports suggest the scooter rider has serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Students were on board at the time but no injuries were reported on the bus, according to scanner traffic. The students were loaded onto another bus to continue their journey home.

N. Oak Street and at least one lane of Wilson Blvd was blocked at the crash scene as of 4:15 p.m., as police investigate the crash.

Vernon Miles contributed to this report

ACPD Investigating Vehicle Break-ins at Ballston Mall Garage

By ARLnow.com

Someone broke into about 19 vehicles in the county-owned parking garage next to Ballston Quarter mall early Friday morning.

The break-ins were reported around 1 a.m. Police say windows were smashed and items of value were stolen.

Police did not provide additional details about the investigation.

More from an Arlington County Police crime report:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (series), 2020-01030014, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:01 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown suspect(s) smashed the windows to approximately 19 vehicles and stole items of value. The investigation is ongoing.

Cosi Closes Two Additional Locations in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Two more Cosi locations have closed in Arlington.

The Cosi restaurants in Crystal City (2011 Crystal Drive) and Virginia Square (3503 Fairfax Drive) appear to have closed.

The closures follow the shuttering of the chain’s Ballston location late last month. Additional Cosi closures have been reported in D.C.

As of today (Monday) the Cosi in Rosslyn was still open.

Arlington Agenda: Jan. 6-12

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Monday, January 6

Trek Bicycles Arlington Clarendon: Yoga for Cyclists
Trek Bicycle Clarendon (2731 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Join a rotating list of local yoga instructors on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 as we work through poses to help our bodies build flexibility and strength for spring riding and racing. Non-cyclists also welcome — this practice is for anyone wanting to tend to their calves, glutes, backs and core in a supportive and inclusive atmosphere.

Tuesday, January 7

Women in Politics
Westover Library (1644 N. McKinley Rd.)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

Danielle Higgins, doctoral student in Political Science at American University’s School of Public Affairs, will discuss attitudes towards women in U.S. politics and how they’ve changed over time.

Wednesday, January 8

Joint Arlington Tenant-Landlord Commission & Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board Meeting*
Gunston Community Center (2700 S. Lang Street)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

Members of the public are invited to attend this meeting to provide public comment and hear about 2019 accomplishments, 2020 plans, and how the two commissions will collaborate to address rental affordability, housing discrimination, and other critical areas for Arlington and Alexandria residents.

The Harvard Krokodiloes at Mount Olivet Church
Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

The Kroks are Harvard University’s oldest a cappella singing group, founded back in 1946. They are coming to DC as part of their 2020 Winter Tour in January.

Friday, January 10

10th Annual DC Tattoo Expo*
Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Richmond Highway)
Time: 1-7 p.m.

This expo in Crystal City, which runs through Sunday, will feature more than 400 tattoo artists, including stars of Ink Master and Tattoo Nightmares. It will also have live entertainment, contests and, as always, a nonstop party.

Art & Pizza Night for Kids (5-10 years)
Art House 7 (5537 Lee Highway)
Time: 6-9 p.m.

Drop your child off for a night of fun at our recently expanded Art House 7 studio. Then go have some fun of your own! Kids will do an art project led by 2 teenagers, have pizza and watch a video. There will be an adult to supervise.

Saturday, January 11

Level Up Comedy Fight Night
UFC Gym Arlington (1200 N. Herndon Street)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

Join Level Up Comedy for the inaugural Comedy Fight Night – we will transform UFC Arlington into a comedy club where nationally touring comedians join the most talented local comedians to Level Up together on stage.

Sunday, January 12

Jewish Multiracial Network
Congregation Etz Hayim (2920 Arlington Boulevard)
Time: 10:15-11:45 a.m.

A representative of JMN will talk about the organization’s efforts and share ways to welcome all Jews into our communal spaces.

Photo (bottom) by Joe Pregadio on Unsplash

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

JUST IN: Suspicious Package Investigation Shuts Down Roads in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Roads are closed near the Pentagon City mall due to a suspicious package investigation.

The investigation is taking place at the intersection of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S., which is also close to the Metro station entrance and the headquarters of the Transportation Security Administration.

Portions of Hayes Street and 12th Street are closed while the bomb squad investigates the suspicious object, according to scanner traffic, though as of 9:55 a.m. the “all clear” had been given and the package deemed non-hazardous. Roads are expected to reopen shortly.

The investigation comes amid heightened security at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere in the wake of the U.S. drone strike that killed an Iranian general.

Map via Google Maps

ACFD Battles Early Morning House Fire in Westover

By ARLnow.com

Firefighters battled a basement fire at a house in the Westover neighborhood over the weekend.

The fire broke out early Saturday morning on the 5900 block of Washington Blvd, a block from Westover’s main business district.

The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported. County Fire Marshals are now investigating the cause.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Security Measures at ANC — “Arlington National Cemetery is implementing heightened security measures after a U.S. airstrike killed a top Iranian general. The extra security will create longer lines at security checkpoints and delays… All visitors over the age of 16 will be required to show a valid state or government photo ID to enter by foot or car, Arlington National Cemetery says. Visitors aged 16 or 17 can show a school-issued ID.” [NBC 4, Twitter]

Office Building Above Rosslyn Safeway Sold — “An affiliate of The Meridian Group has paid $113.15 million for 1525 Wilson Blvd., a Rosslyn office building featuring the colorful sculpture of a dancing couple, after selling another building in the Arlington County office market last summer.” [Washington Business Journal]

Lee Highway Planning Update — “To mark the end of a year collecting ideas for the road’s ‘reimagining‘ by the nonprofit Lee Highway Alliance, its executive director, Ginger Brown, gave an update predicting that phase two — development of land-use and zoning ideas — could be ‘the most contentious.’ […] ‘Lee Highway is stuck in 1950s strip-mall zoning,’ Brown told a Dec. 19 breakfast group.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Local Shop Has Best Cheese Selection in the U.S.? — Arrowine, a long-time ARLnow sponsor, has the best wine selection in the D.C. area and possibly the best cheese selection in the country after its recent renovation, according to local restaurant reviewer Don Rockwell. [DCDining.com]

Pike Lane Closures Are Hurting Local Business — “An employee at Cinthia’s Bakery II on Columbia Pike said the restaurant is seeing a significant drop off in the number of customers and an increase in empty tables all due to the construction.” [WJLA]

Yorktown Boys Improve to 11-0 — “This is the new Yorktown basketball: Take the first available shot, press nonstop on defense, substitute in a whole new lineup every 90 seconds. It’s a strategy some other area schools have tried — Lake Braddock, most successfully — but few have perfected. And it has the Patriots, the worst team in their conference last season, undefeated at 11-0 after a dazzling 86-51 rout of Madison (6-5).” [Washington Post]

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

It was a slow, holiday-shortened week in Arlington that saw the calendar turn to the neatly symmetrical year of 2020.

(Pro tip: there’s no need to comment with “slow news week?” on a week that’s obviously a slow news week.)

All signs point to the 2020s being the Roaring ’20s for Arlington, with Amazon continuing to hire for HQ2 at a fast clip and the Amazon glow driving significant interest in local office space. Economic growth, however, may lead to higher housing prices and other challenges — and County Board members are pledging to tackle those issues head-on in 2020.

With Arlington’s location and new-found prestige helping the county to sell itself, local leaders made the interesting choice last month to bring on a new head of economic development, Telly Tucker, whose bonafides are mostly around building regional partnerships and helping small businesses, not attracting huge new employers. Tucker is set to get to work mid-month.

Here are the most-read stories of the past week:

  1. Gone Today, Here Tomorrow: Local Openings and Closings in 2019 and Beyond
  2. Bank Robbed in Courthouse
  3. Cosi Closes in Ballston
  4. Kabob Restaurant, Optometrist Coming to New Ballston Development
  5. ACPD Investigating Shooting Near Pentagon City

Feel free to discuss those articles or any other topics of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

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