A cyclist was struck and injured along an on-ramp in the Lyon Park neighborhood this afternoon.

First responders were dispatched to a scene just after 3 p.m. today (Wednesday) for a report of a cyclist struck by a vehicle on the ramp to and from from eastbound Washington Blvd and westbound Arlington Blvd. The cyclist was in a crosswalk when he was struck by the driver, said Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Michael Sheeran.

The victim was transported via ambulance to George Washington University Hospital with traumatic but non-life-threatening injuries, Sheeran said.

The ramp was closed for about 45 minutes, leading to backups on both Arlington and Washington boulevards, but has since reopened.

No word yet on whether the driver will face any charges.

Map via Google Maps. Ashley Hopko, Vernon Miles and Airey contributed to this report.


(Updated at noon) A missing man found dead in Arlington was an Arlington Career Center employee, the school system says.

Haley Garcia, 28, was last seen Sunday in the Lincolnia area, Fairfax County Police said in a social media post Tuesday afternoon. He was considered an endangered missing adult “due to mental and/or physical issues.”

FCPD said Tuesday night that Garcia had been found dead in Arlington. No cause of death was given.

Garcia was a former student at and an employee of the Arlington Career Center. A Facebook profile said the Arlington native also worked as an auto technician at a local car dealership.

The following email was sent to Career Center staff last night.

Dear ACC Family,

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death of a member of our Career Center family.

We received notice this evening, that our beloved Haley Garcia, one of our security resource assistants, passed away unexpectedly. He had been a member of the Career Center family since high school as an Auto Tech student and later as an assistant in the Auto Tech program for many years. He loved the Career Center with all his heart and considered it his second home. He took care of all of us and always thought first of how to encourage others.  He will be deeply missed.

We do not have any other details to share at this time, and our thoughts go out to his family and friends. We respect their wishes for privacy at this difficult time.

APS Employee Assistance Program staff and counselors will be onsite tomorrow morning at ACC from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm to provide support as we process this loss. We all should expect and try to understand that there will be a variety of emotions and responses to what has occurred, so the most important thing we can do is to support one another.

Funeral arrangements are not yet available and we will pass along more information when we have it. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need support.

Margaret Chung
Principal
Arlington Public Schools
Arlington Career Center

Arlington County Police say Garcia’s body was found during a search on the 2600 block of 9th Road S., between the Career Center and Columbia Pike. From ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage:

At approximately 4:26 p.m. on July 23, police responded to the 2600 block of 9th Road S. to assist Fairfax County Police with attempting to locate a missing and endangered adult. Upon arrival, the individual was located deceased. Based on the preliminary investigation, the death does not appear suspicious and there is no ongoing threat to the public related to this incident. The department is conducting a death investigation and cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.


A new 30,000 square foot Gold’s Gym is coming to Rosslyn next year.

The fitness chain announced this morning that it is planning to open in the redeveloped Rosslyn City Center, next to the Metro station, next fall.

The new gym will features boutique-style classes, group classes and 3D body scanning, plus “health spa-quality shower and towel amenities, healthy concessions and exclusive use of a 1,400 square-foot training terrace overlooking Central Place Plaza with expansive views of the Rosslyn skyline.”

Once it opens, the new Gold’s Gym will replace the existing subterranean Gold’s at 1830 N. Nash Street, which is located below an office complex that itself is slated to eventually be redeveloped.

More from a press release:

American Real Estate Partners (AREP), an institutional fund manager and operating partner focused on office and mixed-use repositioning and development, announced today Gold’s Gym, the world’s trusted fitness authority, will open a new location at AREP’s Rosslyn City Center.

Expected to open in third quarter of 2020, the new location will provide Rosslyn City Center tenants and the neighborhood’s growing resident and business community with access to the full Gold’s Gym fitness experience and programming. This includes a suite of boutique-style GOLD’SSTUDIO® classes – GOLD’SFIT®, GOLD’SBURN™ and GOLD’S CYCLE™ – along with a diverse schedule of group exercise classes, 3D body scanning, GOLD’SAMP™ digital personal training and an expert team of certified Gold’s Gym personal trainers. Additionally, Gold’s Gym will offer health spa-quality shower and towel amenities, healthy concessions and exclusive use of a 1,400 square-foot training terrace overlooking Central Place Plaza with expansive views of the Rosslyn skyline.

“The renovation of Rosslyn City Center is fully underway and will complete the core of Rosslyn’s renaissance, bringing the best restaurants and fitness amenities to serve all of the new residents and tenants relocating to Rosslyn,” said Doug Fleit, CEO of AREP.  “Rosslyn City Center is a destination that will continue to attract the best employee talent for offices around Metro.”

In June, AREP announced the $35 million renovation of Rosslyn City Center with state-of-the-art exterior, lobby and common spaces. Along with the addition of Gold’s Gym, the redevelopment also includes new retail destinations that will match Rosslyn’s transformation into a vibrant urban center, including a Chase bank and a 20,000 square foot food hall with 12 locally-curated food stalls and two lounges operated by Austin, Texas-based Oz Rey.

“Healthy, local food and a commitment to wellness are key priorities for today’s workforce, especially for the millennial population that makes up more than 40 percent of workers in Rosslyn today,” said Paul Schulman, Principal and Chief Operating Officer, AREP. “With millennials contributing to an estimated $4.2 trillion global wellness market, bringing in award-winning industry leaders like Gold’s Gym and Oz Rey food halls to manage world-class facilities with high foot traffic at Rosslyn City Center provides greater opportunities for our tenants, retailers and the community at large.”

Retail, along with hospitality amenities, are signature components of AREP’s placemaking strategy at Rosslyn City Center — and across its portfolio — to develop properties that leverage innovative design and elevated amenities to create destinations that have a sense of place and activate tenant and community engagement.


Developer May Build Second Metro Entrance — “A plan submitted by developer JBG Smith to Arlington County could see the company put in charge of building the second Crystal City Metro station entrance, a long-sought-after project that would increase access to the station. If approved, the new entrance would be built along Crystal Drive near 18th Street.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Glebe Road Crash Yesterday Morning — “Police say the crash was caused by a driver attempting to merge onto southbound Glebe from 16th Street S. striking another vehicle heading southbound. No significant injuries were reported.” [Twitter]

Company Opens New HQ in Ballston — “Armor Express, a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance protective solutions for the Domestic and Federal Law Enforcement markets, Department of Defense and First Responders, today announced the grand opening of its new corporate headquarters in Arlington, VA.” [Globe Newswire]

Video: Olli on Fort Myer — New videos show the Olli autonomous shuttle driving around Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. [Twitter]

New Funding for 9/11 Victim Fund — “U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today applauded the passage of a bill to continue providing financial support to those who suffered physical harm or families of those who were killed as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks or ensuing debris removal efforts.” [Press Release, NBC News]

Nearby: Boy Dies at McLean Construction Site — A boy died after a ditch collapsed at a large excavation site in McLean, near the Arlington border and Jamestown Elementary. The boy was reportedly working to build a sewage line at a new residential development. [Tysons Reporter, NBC 4]

Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler


Yet another series of car break-ins has been reported in Arlington, this time in Lyon Village.

Police say about 10 unlocked vehicles were tampered with and “items of value” stolen. From Arlington County Police:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (series), 2019-07200087/07200104/07200106/07200138/07200156, 1500 block of N. Johnson Street/3100 block of Key Boulevard/3100 block of Key Boulevard/3100 block of 17th Street N./1400 block of N. Hancock Street. At approximately 6:18 a.m. on July 20, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 11:00 p.m. on July 19 and 5:30 a.m. on July 20, two unknown suspects gained entry to approximately ten unlocked vehicles, tampered with items and stole items of value. Suspect One is described as a female, approximately 5’2″-5’8″, with a slim build and long, dark hair. Suspect Two is described as being approximately 5’2″-5’8″. The investigation is ongoing.

ACPD is continuing to urge residents to lock their car and home doors to prevent crimes of opportunity.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf


Labor Action Planned at DCA — Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is among those expected to participate in a rally and picket at Reagan National Airport this evening, in support of airline catering workers who are seeking better wages and healthcare options. [Unite Here]

Restaurant Coming to Apartment BuildingUpdate at 9:35 a.m. — Permit applications have been filed for a new restaurant that’s planned for the grounds of the recently-renovated Dominion Apartments at 333 S. Glebe Road. [Twitter]

Green Presidential Hopeful Visits Arlington — “The Arlington Greens recently welcomed one of their party’s presidential aspirants to the community. Dario Hunter, a member of the Youngstown (Ohio) School Board, participated in a roundtable discussion with Green Party members on July 16 at Central Library.” [InsideNova]

Author to Talk Hockey at Local Bookstore — “We’re bringing Sportsnet contributor and YouTube sensation Steve Dangle down to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, August 24, to sign copies of his hit book This Team is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them): How I Became a Professional Hockey Fan… One More Page Books, an independent bookstore in Arlington, Va. (which is run by Caps fans), will be hosting the signing from 2-4 p.m.” [Russian Machine Never Breaks]

Army Flying Secret Missions Over Region — “The Pentagon has revealed a few details about a secret Army mission that has Black Hawk helicopters flying missions over the Washington, D.C., area backed by active-duty and reserve soldiers. The mysterious classified operation was disclosed when the Army asked Congress for approval to shift funds to provide an extra $1.55 million for aircraft maintenance, air crews and travel in support of an ’emerging classified flight mission.'” [Bloomberg, PoPville]

Photo courtesy Clarendon Alliance/Instagram


For the third night in a row, parts of Arlington County are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.

A line of storms approaching from the southwest has reached Arlington with potentially damaging winds and heavy rain. The rain may cause localized flooding, as Arlington remains under a Flash Flood Watch.

More from the National Weather Service:

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM EDT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA…SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY… NORTHWESTERN PRINCE GEORGES…ARLINGTON…AND NORTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTIES…THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH AND THE NORTHWESTERN CITY OF ALEXANDRIA… AT 832 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER GEORGETOWN, OR OVER ROSSLYN, MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS. SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED. THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING WIND DAMAGE WITH NUMEROUS DOWNED TREES REPORTED. IMPACT…DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, BETHESDA, COLLEGE PARK, GREENBELT, LANGLEY PARK, FALLS CHURCH, PIMMIT HILLS, MCLEAN, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE, FORT TOTTEN, ROSSLYN, ASPEN HILL, POTOMAC, NORTH BETHESDA, LINCOLNIA AND TYSONS CORNER. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING. && HAIL…<.75IN WIND…60MPH

Photo courtesy Scott Schlimmer


A portion of Old Dominion Drive in the Rock Spring neighborhood, near the McLean border, is scheduled to be closed during the day this week for “urgent” repairs.

The road will be closed near the 37th Street N. intersection from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Friday, according to VDOT. The agency says a detour will in place.

The urgent repairs follow the flash flood emergency earlier this month.

More from VDOT:

Old Dominion Drive (Route 309) between North Edison Street and 37th Street North will be closed daily Monday, July 22 through Friday, July 26 for urgent slope repairs, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Old Dominion Drive will be closed between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

Traffic will be detoured via North Edison Street, 37th Street North, North Harrison Street, Williamsburg Boulevard and North George Mason Drive back to Old Dominion Drive.

Photo via Google Maps


HQ2’s Towering Height — “Amazon.com Inc.’s planned pair of office towers at Metropolitan Park will have the same number of floors as the residential building next door. But the HQ2 buildings will lord over The Bartlett by nearly 60 feet. The 22-story HQ2 towers are expected to hit 322.5 feet at their highest point, according to plans submitted to Arlington County. JBG Smith Properties’ The Bartlett, with its Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market on the ground floor, is 22 stories but only 264-feet-tall.” [Washington Business Journal]

Retail Sales Up in Arlington — “Year-over-year retail sales in Arlington showed a boost in the first quarter of 2019, according to new data. Total retail sales of $767.2 million countywide were up 1.6 percent from $755.3 million during the first three months of 2018, according to figures from the Virginia Department of Taxation.” [InsideNova]

Univ. of Phoenix’s New Arlington Campus — The for-profit University of Phoenix this week will be celebrating the grand opening of its new Northern Virginia-D.C. Metro campus at 4401 Fairfax Drive in Ballston. [Eventbrite]

Heat Doesn’t Stop Youth Baseball Tourney — “Even as some events cancelled due to the extreme heat warning on Saturday, many people are still got outside. That included hundreds of young players from across the area who turned out for the Arlington Babe Ruth – Doc Bonaccorso Summer Classic Baseball Tournament in Arlington.” [WJLA]


Update at 2:30 p.m. — The National Weather Service just issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Arlington and the region.

Update at 11:15 p.m. — A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for Arlington and is set to take effect Monday afternoon.

Forecasters say multiple rounds of storms are expected later in the day Monday, producing heavy rainfall that could produce flooding.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT…

* MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL ARE LIKELY. AREAL AVERAGE RAINFALL OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES IS EXPECTED, WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 4 INCHES POSSIBLE. MUCH OF THIS RAIN MAY FALL IN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME IN ANY ONE GIVEN LOCATION, RESULTING IN THE RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

(more…)


Update at 9:55 p.m. — The warning has been cancelled.

Earlier: Portions of Arlington County are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 10 p.m.

Forecasters say the storm is packing winds of 60 miles per hour or stronger, as well as possible quarter-sized hail.

More from the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… NORTHWESTERN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE NORTH CENTRAL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… NORTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 1000 PM EDT. * AT 918 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE, MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT…DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, BETHESDA, BOWIE, COLLEGE PARK, GREENBELT, LANGLEY PARK, VIENNA, FORESTVILLE, FALLS CHURCH, LARGO, CORAL HILLS, BLADENSBURG, PIMMIT HILLS, MCLEAN, FEDEX FIELD, AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE, FORT TOTTEN, ROSSLYN, CRYSTAL CITY AND UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING. && HAIL…1.00IN WIND…60MPH


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