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 Daily Debrief for Sep 1, 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 1, 2023.

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

  1. Starting in 2024, Arlington County will tax your impervious surfaces (21814 views)
  2. Arlington couple sounds alarm on internet rental scam (18049 views)
  3. NEW: Overdose reports at Wakefield prompt emergency response (11442 views)
  4. Three nabbed during early midnight high school burglary (8921 views)
  5. NEW: Another inmate has died at the Arlington County jail (6717 views)
  6. Fairfax shooting suspect arrested by Arlington SWAT team (6268 views)
  7. Marine from Arlington among three killed in Osprey crash (5812 views)
  8. ACPD: Two seriously hurt in separate weekend attacks (5501 views)
  9. Cookie purveyor Chip City is coming to Shirlington (5324 views)
  10. Man flashes gun during 7-Eleven robbery near Shirlington (5189 views)
  11. Arlington-based South Block looks to expand in D.C. area and beyond (5185 views)
  12. Enrollment uptick continues for Arlington’s private schools post-Covid, while APS makes a comeback (5177 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

The weather will be sunny with a high temperature close to 84 degrees, accompanied by calm winds that will turn south at around 6 mph during the morning. In the evening, expect increasing clouds and a low temperature of around 65 degrees, alongside a south wind at approximately 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“To thine own self be true.”
– William Shakespeare

🌅 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: Police investigating dumpster death in Penrose

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Arlington County police are investigating a death in the Penrose neighborhood.

The incident was first dispatched as a fire department call for a dumpster on fire near the intersection of 2nd Street S. and S. Veitch Street. Arriving firefighters then requested police after finding a person dead on scene.

The person is preliminarily believed to have set the dumpster on fire and then jumped in, according to scanner traffic.

“At approximately 11:42 a.m. on September 1, the Arlington County Fire Department responded to the report of a dumpster fire in the 200 block of S. Veitch Street,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon extinguishing the fire, an adult female was located deceased.”

“The Arlington County Police Department is conducting a death investigation and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death,” Savage continued. “The preliminary investigation has not revealed an ongoing threat to the community. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477).”

Hat tip to Alan Henney. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm, call 911. You can also call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, Arlington Dept. of Human Services’ emergency services line at 703-228-5160, or CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

Obituary: Miriam Zogby Balutis (1945-2023)

By ARLnow.com

Miriam Zogby Balutis (Age 78)
Memorial service info

Miriam Zogby Balutis was born on August 22, 1945 in Utica, NY, and died on August 22, 2023 at her home in Arlington, VA, enveloped in the warmth, love and care of her family, and secure in the knowledge that the former president’s next arraignment was imminent. She is survived by her devoted partner of many years, Jan Jaworski, and her two beloved children Juliette (Nor) Balutis and Adam Balutis. She is also survived by her sister Sadieann (Robert) Spear; niece Rachel (Robert Palladino) Mazzotta; nephew Christian (Barbara) Mazzotta; cousin Marya (Christopher Healey) Myslinski; and their children. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wadih and Juliette Zogby.

Miriam died of metastatic breast cancer, and it was her clear and strong wish that in memorializing her, we eschew the warrior and battle-centric language that we often see used to define the cancer experience, along with its tacit implication that surviving or dying from cancer is simply a variable driven by the will of a patient. Miriam did not “lose her battle” with cancer; she endured it for seven and a half years, abiding difficult treatments and rare side effects while living her life as well and as fully as possible throughout: traveling extensively with her partner, hosting joyful gatherings at her home, contributing her time and energy to countless campaigns to elect Democrats in Virginia and across the nation, volunteering in her community, growing numerous varieties of heirloom tomatoes in her beautifully self-landscaped backyard, and spending many treasured hours with family and friends. Though she is no longer bound by the physical body that cancer destroyed, she didn’t lose anything – not her perspective, her dignity, her sense of humor, her quick wit, her compassion for others, her moral clarity, her intolerance for injustice, her brilliant mind, her wide-ranging wisdom, her commitment to community, or her love of life’s simple joys. Her loss is solely ours: the tremendous, seismic loss of an indomitable and loving mother, partner, friend and neighbor.

Miriam grew up in Utica, NY and moved to Arlington in 1977 after earning a Bachelor’s Degree from Utica College and a Master’s Degree from SUNY Buffalo. She spent much of her career as a dedicated civil servant at the United States Census Bureau, where she worked for more than 25 years, joining in 1985 and retiring in 2011. She worked on three Censuses (1990, 2000, and 2010), and the Commerce Department recognized her with its Bronze Medal Award in 2001 for her outstanding contributions to the successful completion and evaluation of the 2000 Census. She developed instructional and training materials that translated complex survey designs into understandable form for thousands of newly hired temporary interviewers, and assumed additional management roles in the later Censuses. The results of these surveys were critically important to understanding how accurately and completely the Census was taken. She was highly regarded, liked and respected by her colleagues and her staff for her expertise, insight, craft, and common sense, leavened with a sense of humor and a calm and steady demeanor.

In addition to her professional commitment to public service, Miriam was passionate about civic participation and community engagement in her personal life. She served for many years as an Arlington County Democratic Party precinct captain, worked the polls in the wee hours of the morning nearly every election, developed and administered the volunteer training program for Arlington Neighborhood Villages, and volunteered for Matthew 25, a social justice ministry distributing clothing and household goods to those in need.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Arlington firefighters putting up an American flag over I-66 (staff photo)

Day Care Abuse Allegations — “Virginia’s Department of Social Services received a complaint about the center in mid-July, and an investigation found several instances of alleged abuse, including a staff member flicking a 13-month-old’s hand until it was red, a staffer hitting a 2-year-old in the stomach and pushing a toddler hard to the floor, and a staffer hitting a 2-year-old on the bottom and pushing a child onto the carpet.” [NBC 4]

ACFD Misconduct Allegations — “Some members of the Arlington County Fire Department are demanding immediate action to address what they say is ‘a troubling pattern of misconduct and a culture that jeopardizes our safety and well-being.’ In a letter signed by more than 30 female county fire department members, obtained by WTOP, the women tell county board members and the county manager that they’re dealing with a ‘culture of silence and indifference from our executive leadership.'” [WTOP]

Flags Placed Along I-66 — From the Arlington County Fire Department: “Thank you to the crews who placed nearly 20 flags along 66 and at the FTA in remembrance of 9/11 yesterday. #9/11” [Twitter]

Four Courts Reopening Nears — From Ireland’s Four Courts: “Mira Hougen and Claudia Screbo took a break from college to take a final tour #finalcountdown #fourcourtsreopeningsoon” [Twitter]

Judge for Missing Middle Case — “A retired Fairfax County Circuit Court judge will preside over the upcoming trial challenging the Arlington County government’s imposition of Expanded Housing Opportunities (at one time known as Missing Middle) housing policies. The judge, David Schell, served on the Circuit Court for Fairfax County for eight years after having served on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for 17 years, including four as chief judge.” [Gazette Leader]

No Subsidies Yet for Amazon — “Arlington County will not give Amazon any economic incentives for the fourth year in a row, the county’s economic development office confirmed Wednesday evening, further delaying — and perhaps shrinking — its subsidies for the headquarters the company is setting up.” [Washington Post]

Bike Committee Questions Role — “Members of the Arlington government’s Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) are feeling underutilized and perhaps a bit underappreciated, as well. ‘Let’s just say it’s not always clear that the county [government] wants to hear from us,’ the committee’s chair, Cynthia Palmer, said at its Aug. 21 meeting.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s September — Sunny and pleasant with a high temperature near 80°F. A north wind around 7 mph will shift to the east during the afternoon. The night will be clear, with a low temperature around 59°F and a southeast wind ranging from 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 31, 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 — Aug 31, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Friday’s forecast

The forecast for Friday is sunny with a high temperature near 80 degrees, accompanied by a gentle north wind at about 7 mph. During Friday night, the sky will remain clear, and the temperature will drop to around 59 degrees, with southeast winds of 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
– Aristotle

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

‘Spunky’ 108-year-old celebrates birthday in Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/12

Vera Punke moved to Arlington at the ripe old age of 95 to be closer to her daughter. That was 13 years ago.

Punke, who turned 108 on Tuesday, has lived through 19 presidential administrations.

She was honored by the county for becoming a centenarian during the Obama administration. Her first grandson married during the Clinton administration, five years after she married her late fourth husband, Chester Punke.

Wilson Blvd, which can be seen from her home at The Jefferson in Ballston, was named after the president who was in office when she was born.

A first-generation Italian who is described — accurately — as a “spunky lady” by staff at The Jefferson, Punke proudly dresses “to the nines,” owns more than 40 pairs of shoes, and has all the social energy of someone a fifth of her age.

Punke was delighted by the packed house and the line of well-wishers at her birthday celebration Wednesday afternoon. Among those in attendance were elected officials like Del. Patrick Hope and Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey, as well as multiple TV stations and other members of the media.

Poster board displays around the event space at The Jefferson recounted key moments in Punke’s life and U.S. history from the 1910s to today. Flapper dresses adorned a few Jefferson staff members in honor of Punke’s childhood and adolescence during the Roaring 20s, a century ago.

Inevitably, she was asked about her secret to longevity.

“My secret is to look ahead,” she told gathered reporters. “Because if you look back, you’ll think of all the bad things.”

“Also I was a good organizer getting people together — when you do that and think of other people, you forget your problems,” she added.

Smallest and largest homes sold in Arlington (July 2023)

By ARLnow.com

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the smallest and largest homes sold last month (July 2023).

Largest homes sold

  1. 5806 Little Falls Rd — Williamsburg — $1,900,000 (8 beds | 7.5 baths | 7,546 sq. ft.)
  2. 3616 Roberts Ln — Bellevue Forest — $3,200,000 (6 beds | 9 baths | 7,279 sq. ft.)
  3. 5812 37th St N — Williamsburg — $2,450,000 (6 beds | 6 baths | 6,752 sq. ft.)

Smallest homes sold*

  1. 3000 Spout Run Pkwy — North Highland — $220,000 ( — beds | 1 baths | 424 sq. ft.)
  2. 2104 N Scott St Unit 31 — North Highland — $292,500 (1 beds | 1 baths | 539 sq. ft.)
  3. 4141 N Henderson Rd Unit 209 — Ballston — $285,000 ( — beds | 1 baths | 545 sq. ft.)

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

Yet another loaded gun confiscated at National Airport security checkpoint

By ARLnow.com
Gun confiscated at DCA (courtesy TSA)

National Airport is on track for a banner year for gun confiscations.

A Maryland man was the latest to try to take a loaded handgun through the security checkpoint at DCA. With that Tuesday incident, Transportation Security Administration officers have now confiscated 23 guns so far in 2023.

At this rate, DCA would close out the year with 34-35 guns caught at checkpoints, up from 29 last year and 14 in 2019.

Guns confiscated at DCA so far this year (courtesy TSA)

“It is disappointing to continue to see travelers carrying their loaded guns to our security checkpoints,” John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director at DCA, said in a statement. “I’m grateful that our officers here and nationwide remain vigilant every single day.”

The full TSA press release is below.

A Bowie, Md., man was cited by police after he was stopped by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers with a loaded handgun at one of the checkpoints at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Tuesday, Aug. 29. The 9mm handgun was loaded with 12 bullets and was packed in the man’s carry-on bag next to another gun magazine, also loaded with 12 bullets.

The gun was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted the TSA officer to check the carry-on bag, which was opened by police for a closer inspection. Police confiscated the gun and cited the man on state charges.

Guns are not permitted through the security checkpoint and now the man faces a stiff financial civil penalty from TSA. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.

“It is disappointing to continue to see travelers carrying their loaded guns to our security checkpoints,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “I’m grateful that our officers here and nationwide remain vigilant every single day. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage and travelers should certainly be aware of that rule, which has been in place for decades before TSA even existed.”

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheckŽ, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent of those guns were loaded. So far this year more than 4,000 handguns have been stopped at security checkpoints by TSA officers.

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).

Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Fairfax shooting suspect arrested by Arlington SWAT team

By ARLnow.com
Three people were shot outside Taco Baja in Merrifield on Aug. 26 (via Google Maps)

A man suspected of shooting two people outside of a taco restaurant in Merrifield was arrested in Arlington.

Arlington’s SWAT team arrested the 25-year-old man Sunday night at an address a block away from Wakefield High School.

“The suspect was taken into custody without incident by members of the Arlington County SWAT team in the 5000 block of S. Chesterfield Road on the evening of August 27,” and Arlington County police spokesperson tells ARLnow.

The arrest follows a shooting outside of a restaurant located along Route 29 just inside the Beltway.

More from our sister site FFXnow:

A man from Falls Church has been arrested for allegedly firing a gun into a crowd outside Taco Baja (7716 Lee Highway) in Merrifield.

Police say their investigation indicates that Jorge Armando Melendez Gonzalez, 25, approached a group of men standing outside the restaurant early in the morning on Saturday (Aug. 26).

“During the encounter, the suspect was assaulted by one of the men and the suspect opened fire into a crowd of people who were standing in front of the business,” the Fairfax County Police Department said. “The suspect then fled the area on foot.”

Police were called to 7716 Lee Highway at 1:51 a.m. for the reported shooting, according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.

Upon arriving, officers found two adult men in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. One of the men had been shot in the arm, while the other was shot in the abdomen, the FCPD says. Both men were taken to a hospital, one of them with injuries that police initially said were life-threatening.

Police identified a third victim when Inova Fairfax Hospital called 911 at 3:39 a.m. to report that a man had walked in with a gunshot wound to the arm, according to FCPD and the police scanner.

“Officers were able to determine the victim was related to the earlier shooting,” the FCPD said. “The victim’s injuries were considered non-life threatening and he was treated and released from the hospital.”

“Jorge Armando Melendez Gonzalez has been charged with three counts of Felony Malicious Wounding and three counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony,” Fairfax County police said in a press release. “He is being held at the Adult Detention Center on no bond.”

“Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting,” the press release adds. “Anyone who may have information about this shooting is asked to call 703-246-7800, option 5.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Departure board at Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

More on Fallen Arlington Marine — “Life for the Collart family had already been hard these past three years before they learned of the crash off the Australian coast on Sunday that took the lives of Cpl. Spencer R. Collart and two of his fellow U.S. Marines. In March 2020, just when the coronavirus pandemic was settling in, the family’s Northern Virginia home burned down, leaving little more than embers.” [Washington Post, WJLA]

Arlington Pickleball Controversy on NPR — “Arlington County is one of the many communities caught up in the pickleball craze. That’s not without its problems. Denizens are fighting over sound ordinances and the use of public parks.” [1A]

Marymount Enrollment Growth — “Marymount University’s academic year opened with the highest number of first-year students in seven years, representing a 20-percent increase from a year ago… The institution set record undergraduate numbers for inquiries received (12,752), campus visits from prospective students (1,146) and submitted applications (3,610) ahead of the fall semester.” [Gazette Leader]

Video of Confused I-395 Driver — From Dave Statter: “When @VaDOTNOVA blocks off your I-395 exit do you: a. drive through the traffic cones? b. drive very slowly in the left lane of an interstate highway? c. stop the car in the left lane of an interstate highway for more than 2 minutes? d. do all of the above?” [Twitter]

Va. Drivers Don’t Play — “A new national study by Forbes Advisor ranks Virginia No. 4 for having the most confrontational drivers — West Virginia’s drivers rank even worse at No. 3. Maryland comes in at No. 19. The District of Columbia wasn’t included in the study. Of those polled, more than half in Virginia said they’ve been involved in an incident where the other driver got out of their vehicle to yell at or fight them. Ninety percent have had another driver curse at them, insult them, or make threats.” [WTOP]

Back to School Rally in Green Valley — “The Green Valley Civic Association got the new school year off on the right foot with a Back to School Rally. The event, held Aug. 26 at Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School, provided 130 participating students with backpacks two days before the opening of Arlington Public Schools’ 2023-24 school year.” [Gazette Leader]

Tito’s Still ABC’s Most Popular — “Tito’s Handmade Vodka is once again the top spirit of choice among customers at Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) stores, garnering $72 million in sales in fiscal year 2023. Tito’s was followed by Hennessy VS cognac ($44M), Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 whiskey ($30.1M), Patron Silver tequila ($28.6M) and Jim Beam straight bourbon whiskey ($24M).” [Press Release]

It’s Thursday — A cloudy day to start, gradually clearing to become mostly sunny with a high near 78 degrees. Along with a northeast wind blowing at 11 to 14 mph and gusts as high as 23 mph during the day, the night will be mostly clear with a low around 60 degrees and a north wind at 7 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 30, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday 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 — Aug 30, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Thursday’s forecast

The weather forecast predicts a mostly cloudy day that will gradually transition to sunny conditions with a high temperature of around 78°F. Winds will come from the northeast at speeds of 11 to 13 mph, and gusts may reach up to 22 mph. Thursday night is expected to be mostly clear with a low temperature of approximately 60°F and a north wind blowing at a speed of 7 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.”
– Jane Austen

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

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