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.
You might have noticed that it’s a bit quieter around Arlington in recent days.
Based on traffic volumes and out-of-office email responses it’s pretty clear that a lot of people are on vacation (including, at least in theory, the person writing this poll).
With vacation season in full swing, we were wondering about the favorite genre of summer trip for our readers. Among the following eight options — beach, lake, mountain, city, international, camping, cruise and national park — which is your go-to destination?
Have a different favorite summer vacation in mind? Let us know in the comments.
Looking up outside Earl’s in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
APS Evaluating Free Office Space — “School Board member Reid Goldstein… drilled Superintendent Francisco Durán on why the school system wasn’t looking at instead taking back space it for years had provided for free to Encore Learning and Edu-Futuro, two non-profit groups. ‘There are a lot of non-profits serving our schools, and somehow we’ve decided these two are worthy of free rent, free services,’ the senior School Board member said. ‘That needs to be re-thought.'” [Gazette Leader]
Civ Fed Forum Date Set — “It’s either the unofficially official, or the officially unofficial, start to Arlington’s fall election season, but either way, the Arlington County Civic Federation will hold its annual candidates’ forum on Tuesday, Sept. 5. The event will be held in person beginning at 7 p.m. at Hazel Auditorium on the North George Mason Drive campus of VHC Health (Virginia Hospital Center). An online option also will be available.” [Gazette Leader]
Bloodmobile Returns to Courthouse — “Fire Works American Pizzeria and Bar is partnering with Inova Blood Donor Services to host an Arlington Community Blood Drive on Monday, Aug. 14. An Inova Bloodmobile will be parked in front of Fire Works, near the intersection of Clarendon Boulevard and North Adams Street, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies during the day with a high temperature near 87°F and a west wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. In the evening, the weather will transition to mostly cloudy with a low temperature around 69°F. [Weather.gov]
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
☀️ Wednesday’s forecast
The weather forecast predicts a mostly sunny day with a high temperature close to 87°F and a west wind of 6 to 9 mph. During Wednesday night, it will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of around 69°F and a southwest wind of about 6 mph, which is expected to become calm as the evening progresses. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Give light and people will find the way.” – Ella Baker
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Window washers at work at HQ2 in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police K9 Graduations — “On Friday, August 4, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and Loudon County Sheriff’s Office celebrated the graduation of four K9 teams from Basic Patrol K9 School. The 16-week Basic Patrol K9 School, which was hosted by ACPD, focused on training in obedience, agility, article search, tracking and criminal apprehension.” [ACPD]
FCPS Trying to Poach Bus Drivers? — “On Aug. 4, signage on South Four Mile Run Drive in Arlington – directly across from the Arlington Trades Center where county school buses are garaged – was a sign recruiting school-bus drivers. Seems reasonable, except it was a sign recruiting school-bus drivers for Fairfax County Public Schools, which like all jurisdictions across the region seems perpetually in search of drivers to keep the school buses running.” [Gazette Leader]
Teens Tackle Textile Trash — “A significant problem in our community (Arlington, Virginia, United States) is excessive waste in landfills. In fact, in the United States alone, 17 million tons of textile waste occur each year and 66% of all unwanted clothes are waste as opposed to recycling. Hence, our group of local students decided to tackle the problem of clothing waste and bring sustainability to our community.” [Rustic Pathways]
Memorializing the Enslaved — “The Arlington Historical Society’s plan to put ‘stumbling stones’ – memorial markers – across the community, honoring those who were enslaved in what today is Arlington, received a positive response from a county-government advisory panel. But the proposal also drew questions about the size and materials to be used.” [Gazette Leader]
Electrocution in Old Glebe — “Scanner: ACFD on scene of an electrical worker shocked during some work along the 4000 block of N. Glebe Road. He’s said to be alert and conscious. Medics are currently evaluating.” [Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Mostly sunny with pleasant temperatures reaching around 83°F. Breezy conditions can be expected with west winds varying from 14 to 20 mph, and gusts as high as 28 mph. Tuesday night will remain mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 66°F. The west wind will slow to 6 to 11 mph, yet gusts may still reach up to 20 mph. [Weather.gov]
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
☀️ Tuesday’s forecast
The weather will be mostly sunny and breezy with temperatures reaching a high of around 83°F. The west wind will blow at a speed of 14-20 mph, with gusts going up to 28 mph. As night falls on Tuesday, the sky will remain mostly clear and temperatures will drop to a low of around 66°F. Winds will reduce to 6-11 mph from the west, with gusts peaking at 20 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Update at 6:20 p.m. — It appears that Arlington has been spared significant damage, at least from the first wave of storms. While rain and lightning are continuing, few power outages have been reported here so far. Fairfax County saw some bigger impacts, however, with Dominion reporting nearly 15,000 customers without power there. Additional storms are possible later tonight and a Tornado Watch remains in effect until 9 p.m.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Arlington ahead of the line of storms, which forecasters say are packing damaging winds.
Residents are being encouraged to go to their basements or to an interior portion of a sturdy structure, away from windows. The storms have been toppling trees and knocking out power over a large swath of Fairfax County prior to their arrival here.
More from the National Weather Service:
BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
543 PM EDT Mon Aug 7 2023
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning…
* Until 645 PM EDT.
* At 543 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from I66 and I495 Interchange to 12 miles west of Stafford, moving east at 50 mph.
HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts.
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, Alexandria, Waldorf, Dale City, Bethesda, Bowie, Annandale, Clinton, Springfield, College Park, Fort Washington, Greenbelt, Fairfax, Langley Park, Fort Hunt, Vienna, Groveton, Forestville, Falls Church and Huntington.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for District of Columbia…central and southern Maryland…and northern Virginia.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature’s leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA and Alexandria VA until 6:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/TLg5LzGahK
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) August 7, 2023
An ominous storm cloud over Arlington in July 2023 (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)
(Updated at 3 p.m.) A widespread outbreak of severe weather is expected this evening, prompting a Tornado Watch for Arlington and much of the region.
Forecasters say the threats include “damaging and locally destructive hurricane-force winds, along with the potential for large hail and tornadoes, even strong tornadoes.”
Winds in excess of 70 miles per hour are possible.
Wind threat on Aug. 7, 2023 (via National Weather Service)
The Tornado Watch is in effect until 9 p.m.
Arlington Public Schools, meanwhile, is closing facilities early today due to the weather threat. From a School Talk email to families:
Due to forecasted severe weather, Arlington Public Schools will shift to virtual operations today, Aug. 7, at 4 p.m. All APS facilities and programs held after 4 p.m. are canceled unless otherwise stated.
Extracurricular [activities], games, team practices, field trips, adult education classes and programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled this evening. For your safety, we strongly urge the community to stay off the roads between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m.
The expected outbreak follows the storms just over a week ago that toppled trees throughout Arlington and knocked out power to more than 34,000 Dominion customers.
More from the National Weather Service:
…SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED OVER THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION BETWEEN 2 PM AND 10 PM TODAY, INCLUDING THE GREATER BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREAS…
An outbreak of severe storms is expected this afternoon and evening across the greater Baltimore/Washington region, with numerous severe thunderstorms expected. There is a significant threat for damaging and locally destructive hurricane-force winds, along with the potential for large hail and tornadoes, even strong tornadoes.
The timing of this outbreak varies with your location. West of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you can expect the storms to arrive between 12 Noon and 3 PM. East of the Blue Ridge Mountains, timing will be from 4 PM to 8 PM. The greater Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Areas can expect the storms to arrive between 5 PM and 7 PM.
Now is the time to review your severe weather safety procedures for the possibility of dangerous weather today. Do not be outdoors when the storms arrive. When you hear thunder, go indoors to a sturdy building or structure. While seeking shelter indoors, go to the lowest floor to an interior room. Stay away from windows. Those in mobile homes or weaker structures should plan ahead of time to shelter in a stronger shelter. Be prepared for extended power outages, and the potential for some roads to be blocked by fallen trees.
For the after-event cleanup, do not go outside until 30 minutes after you hear the last thunder, otherwise you will be still susceptible to lightning strikes. Be aware of downed power lines and unstable branches and trees.
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, weather.gov, or other media for watches and warnings. If a Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Warning is issued for your area, move to a place of safety, ideally in an interior room on the lowest level of a sturdy building.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia until 9 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/Z92GYLkeFp
Much of the D.C. area, including Arlington, is under a 4 out of 5 risk of severe weather, a rare designation not seen in the region in more than a decade.
Yet another armed carjacking has been reported in Arlington, this time in the Columbia Forest neighborhood.
The carjacking happened in the early morning hours of Saturday, on the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street just south of Columbia Pike.
“At approximately 4:36 a.m. on August 5, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery,” said today’s daily Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the victim stopped his vehicle in a parking lot when the suspect vehicle, with four occupants, approached. One suspect then exited the suspect vehicle, brandished a firearm and demanded the victim’s vehicle.”
“The suspects then fled the scene in the suspect vehicle, a black SUV, and the victim’s stolen vehicle, a 2019 black Toyota Camry,” the crime report continues. “The victim’s stolen vehicle was later located unoccupied in Washington D.C.”
Several carjackings and an unsuccessful carjacking attempt were reported by ACPD in July. More than a dozen carjacking have been reported so far this year, by ARLnow’s count, many involving BMWs carjacked in the Crystal City area.
The then newly-renovated Wendy’s open on Columbia Pike in 2019 (staff photo)
An ARLnow tweet that went viral locally on Friday has quite the twist ending.
The post, on the social network now known as X, went out shortly before 2 p.m., following an unusual Arlington police dispatch.
The report: two people were apparently having sex in the bathroom of the Wendy’s at 3431 Columbia Pike, and the restaurant wanted them to be banned from the premises.
Our tweet quickly became fodder for jokes as dozens of replies and quote tweets starting flooding in.
In addition to the humorous responses, there was also some earnest discussion of the issue of people fornicating in restaurant bathrooms, which turns out to not be that unusual.
According to someone with knowledge of the police response, officers did not find a copulating couple in the bathroom, but instead found just one person engaged in an altogether different activity.
“The Wendy’s bathroom sex call turned out to just be a solo individual having a very relieving No. 2,” the person said.
James Jarvis, previously of InsideNoVa and FauquierNow, has joined as assistant editor, becoming the tenth full-time employee of Ballston-based Local News Now, the publisher of ARLnow.
Jarvis joins fellow assistant editor Jo DeVoe, staff photographer Jay Westcott, freelance reporter Matt Blitz and editor-in-chief Scott Brodbeck on ARLnow’s editorial team. The hire was made possible in part by the ongoing support of ARLnow Press Club members.
Born and raised in Northern Virginia, James completed his undergraduate degree at Franklin & Marshall College in 2018 before getting a master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University in 2020.
He started his journalistic journey as a Fairfax County reporter for InsideNoVa in 2021 and took over coverage of Fauquier County for the FauquierNow.com website in January 2022 after InsideNoVa acquired it. His earlier career includes internships at The Hill newspaper and freelance work for both the Washington City Paper and Country ZEST & Style Magazine.
During his time at InsideNoVa and FauquierNow, James reported on a wide range of topics from local government and education to comprehensive investigative pieces.
Now part of the ARLnow team, James is enthusiastic about opening a new chapter in his career, striving to cover all facets of Arlington, and ensuring that local residents gain a more insightful understanding of their local community. He will also be contributing photos to stories and assisting with the relaunch of ARLnow’s podcast.
Answer Man Tackles Trail Tag — “A short, informal dirt trail has long been worn from the paved W&OD trail, just east of Carlin Springs Road, up to the road itself. Lately, it’s been labeled the ‘Jay Fisette Memorial Trail.’ Googling the biography of the former Arlington County Board member gives no indication that he’s died. Is the designation a joke?” [Washington Post]
APS Teacher Hiring Nearly Complete — “Arlington Public Schools has “fewer than 68″ full-time teacher openings to fill before the new school year starts on Aug. 28, putting the school system ahead of where it typically is at this time of the year, according to Superintendent Francisco Durán. At Thursday’s Arlington School Board meeting, Duran said the school system is about 97.5-percent staffed with licensed teachers and that its human resources department is working to fill the remaining vacancies through recruitment events.” [Patch]
Airport Noise Complaints Rise — “Residents in the Washington region filed more than 205,000 complaints about aircraft noise tied to National and Dulles flights in 2022, according to an annual aircraft noise report this summer from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The number was slightly below 2019 levels — the year before the global pandemic grounded most air travel — but 56,600 more than in 2021.” [Washington Post]
Arlington is No. 2 for Va. Unemployment — “With 161,555 county residents in the civilian workforce and 3,394 looking for jobs, the county’s unemployment rate of 2.1 percent in June was up a tick from 2 percent a month before and unchanged from a year ago, according to figures reported Aug. 2 by the Virginia Employment Commission. That placed Arlington as second lowest among Virginia’s 133 cities and counties. Highland County led the pack with a jobless rate of 1.9 percent.” [Gazette Leader]
Indoor Golf Center Opening — “More pics from [Par Citi Golf on Columbia Pike opening] party! Way bigger than I thought from the outside.” [Twitter]
Busy Weekend Around HQ2 — The hope of Amazon’s HQ2 livening up a previously sleepy portion of Pentagon City appears to be coming to fruition. On Saturday dual events — the farmers market at Metropolitan Park and a grand opening for Good Company Doughnuts — both drew crowds. [Instagram]
Dems Chili Cookoff Returning — “It’s been his labor of love for much of the past quarter-century, and Gabe Rubalcava again is back as a co-chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s annual chili cookout. ‘They pull me out one time a year,’ Rubalcava chuckled at the Aug. 2 party meeting, where he highlighted plans for what is the traditional Arlington Democratic campaign-kickoff event.” [Gazette Leader]
Wendy’s Dispatch Goes Viral — The following ARLnow tweet about a police dispatch Friday afternoon went viral locally and inspired a litany of creative responses: “Per scanner, ACPD is responding to the @Wendys on Columbia Pike for a report of people having sex in the bathroom. The restaurant would like them to be banned from the premises.” [Twitter]
It’s Monday — There is an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms today, with possible rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch. Highs will be near 89°F with south winds from 8-11 mph. Tonight, expect showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, and a continued chance of precipitation between 8pm and 2am, with lows around 72°F and southwest winds at 9 mph. Potential rainfall may reach between half and three quarters of an inch. [Weather.gov]
