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.

NEW: Flood Watch issued for Sunday night, ‘serious’ weather threat on Monday

By ARLnow.com
Thunderstorms and heavy rain in Westover in 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Get ready for some wild weather over the next day and a half.

First up are some storms tonight (Sunday) that are likely to be packing torrential rainfall. The heavy rain could cause flash flooding, prompting a Flood Watch to be issued this afternoon, taking effect at 8 p.m.

More from the National Weather Service:

239 PM EDT Sun Aug 6 2023

…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 2 AM EDT MONDAY…

* WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE…Portions of DC, Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: in DC, District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Prince Georges, Southeast Harford and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Fairfax and Stafford.

* WHEN…From 8 PM this evening to 2 AM EDT Monday.

* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Heavy rainfall moving through with the potential for 1 to 2 inches of rainfall, locally higher, in a short period of time.
– Please visit www.weather.gov/safety/flood for flood safety and preparedness information

Monday has the potential for even more active weather.

Arlington, D.C. and other parts of the region are under an “enhanced” risk of severe weather, according to a National Weather Service outlook. Severe winds are likely, according to NWS forecasters, noting the “seriousness” of the threat.

Meanwhile, large hail and even a tornado are also possible in the D.C. area.

Severe wind outlook for Aug. 7, 2023 (via National Weather Service)

According to NWS, this is the first time that D.C. has ever had a 45% or greater risk of severe winds on its next-day outlook.

The last instance of such a high probability of severe winds was the same-day outlook on Halloween day 2019.

Obituary: Captain Kyle ‘Topper’ Lawrence Leese (1972-2023)

By ARLnow.com

Captain Kyle ‘Topper’ Lawrence Leese (Age 51)

Captain Kyle “Topper” Lawrence Leese, United States Navy, passed away on July 19, 2023, after a brief illness. At the time of his passing, he had served as an Intelligence Officer for nearly three decades. CAPT Leese is survived by his wife of 24 years, Joanne; their eighteen-year-old son, Evan; his mother, Laraine Leese-Filla and his stepfather, Tom Filla; his extended family in Canada; and a myriad of friends, sailors and shipmates on whom he has left an indelible impression.

Born in Camden, NJ, and raised in Haddonfield, NJ, CAPT Leese was an avid Philadelphia sports fan and attended Eagles and Phillies games whenever the opportunity arose. CAPT Leese attended the University of San Diego on a soccer scholarship and earned degrees in History and Anthropology in 1994. He obtained his commission via the Navy’s Officer Candidate School in 1995 in Pensacola, FL. He is also a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College, with a Master’s Degree in National Security Studies.

CAPT Leese began his Naval Intelligence Officer career with Fighter Squadron Forty-One in Virginia Beach, VA. From 1997-1999 he served as the Intelligence Officer for the Black Aces where he was given the call sign “Topper”, because he would always top any story that his squadron mates came up with. He was instrumental in the development of tactics using the TARPS pod that VF-41 used successfully during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch.

After VF-41, then LT Leese took orders to United States Southern Command, Miami, FL (1999-2002), serving as Liaison to the Joint Special Operations Command; J2X Collection Planner; Chief-J2 Collections Plans, and Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff. His next command (2002-2005) was Fleet Intelligence Training Center-Pacific (FITCPAC) in San Diego, CA, where he served as an instructor for a variety of courses that included Strike Planning, Navy Special Warfare Intelligence Course, and Operational Intelligence. During his time at FITCPAC, then LT Leese deployed to JTF-HOA, Djibouti, Camp Lemonnier (2004), serving with JSOTF-HOA and J2X. From 2005-2007, he served as the Assistant Intelligence Officer at Commander, Strike Force Training-Atlantic, in Norfolk, VA. His responsibilities included certification of all East Coast deploying operational Navy and Marine Corps units’ intelligence departments as combat ready in all aspects of intelligence, including HUMINT collection and Management, targeting support to strike warfare, and operational intelligence. From 2007-2008, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, RI. While at the War College, he was selected to train as an Assistant Naval Attaché and was then designated for assignment to the American Embassy in Beijing, China. Prior to deployment to China, then LCDR Leese spent two years undergoing intensive training, including fifteen months of Mandarin lessons. That training prepared him for promotion to full Commander and service from 2010-2012 at one of our most demanding diplomatic posts. Following his time in Beijing, then CDR Leese was selected to be the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (N2) for CTF-70/Battleforce Seventh Fleet, forward deployed and embarked onboard USS George Washington (CVN-73) in Yokosuka, Japan (2013-2015). From 2015 until his passing, CAPT Leese served in several positions of importance in the greater Washington DC area. They included serving as a member of the Naval Intelligence Activity (2019) and the OPNAV staff, leading a cross-functional team responsible for delivering the Engineering Level Characterization of the Adversary (ELCA) roadmap. On the N2N6 staff at the Pentagon, CAPT Leese served as the Senior Naval Intelligence Officer-China, and as the Senior N2N6 representative to the Naval Strategy Panel.

CAPT Leese’s work at CTF-70 resulted in him being awarded the Excellence in Intelligence and Information Warfare Award (EIIWA). The EIIWA is given to those Intelligence professionals who deliver outstanding, actionable intelligence to operators and decision-makers responsible for safeguarding US interests and the interests of our partners throughout the Far East. CAPT Leese also received the following awards throughout his career: the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation and Achievement Medals, and the Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals. He also received a variety of unit and deployment awards.

CAPT Leese, “Topper”, never did anything half-way. From his love of all things Philly, to learning multiple languages, to every job he did for the Navy, Topper was always “all in”. He will be greatly missed. Fare Winds and Following Seas, Topper. A funeral service will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes, Arlington, VA, on August 7, at 1:30pm, followed by a reception. Internment at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Submitted by Storke Funeral Home

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 4, 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 — Aug 4, 2023.

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

  1. The Arlington County Fair is returning in two weeks (24136 views)
  2. Storm cleanup: GW Parkway still closed due to downed trees, 20k still without power (18722 views)
  3. Unusual crash closes N. Harrison Street near park (12975 views)
  4. Hollywood’s actor strike has come to Arlington (11256 views)
  5. Spout Run Parkway and northbound GW Parkway reopening today (9838 views)
  6. Seafood restaurant looking to open next month in Thirsty Bernie’s former home (9327 views)
  7. County to enforce zoning violations in Ballston public alley used by Advanced Towing (7961 views)
  8. UPDATED: Power restored to most but GW Parkway to remain closed for several days (7395 views)
  9. NEW: Girl sexually assaulted by intruder, police say (7236 views)
  10. A crane lowered a reclining Statue of Liberty in Virginia Square this morning (5588 views)
  11. ACPD investigating Porsche crash in which driver fled with small children (4768 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

Patchy fog is expected before 9am, followed by increasing clouds and a high temperature near 88. There will be a mild north wind at 5 to 7 mph. Saturday night will see mostly cloudy skies that will gradually clear, with a low temperature around 68 and a light northeast wind at 3 to 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

🌅 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. 👋

Listing of the Day: 5214 17th St. N.

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 5214 17th St. N.
Neighborhood: Tara Manor
Type: 4 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 4200 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,799,000

Noteworthy: Pristine condition with Cardinal, Swanson, Yorktown schools.

Set amid trees on a cul-de-sac between Westover Village and lee Harrison Center, this 4 bedroom 4.5 bath all brick home has over 4500 square feet of well-appointed and an expansive 2 car garage and deep driveway.

Traditional living and dining room with butler’s pantry, main level office and second office off primary bedroom, gas fireplace anchors the family room and doors open to deck, patio, and beautifully landscaped yard with stone garden wall. Warm wood cabinets in the kitchen, walk-in pantry, and breakfast area.

Primary bedroom with two, fitted walk-in closets and separate vanities, soaking tub, and glass enclosed shower in the primary bathroom. Two more bedrooms with private baths, and a big laundry room. Lower level rec room with wet bar and second fireplace; fourth bedroom and bath, and oversized two car garage with large storage area for gym space. Many updates and pristine move-in condition.

Listed by:
Betsy Twigg
[email protected]
(703) 967-4391

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A flag drapes in the windless morning air as the sun rises over Virginia Square (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More on Ped Struck in Ballston — From Dave Statter: “UPDATE: @ArlingtonVaPD reports the person struck Friday outside Harris Teeter on N. Glebe was seriously hurt. The driver ‘was cited.'” [Twitter]

Evictions Rising — “Eviction filings have been on the rise across parts of Virginia and, in some areas, have surpassed pre-pandemic levels… Eviction filings have soared even more in Arlington County, increasing by nearly 13% during the first quarter of 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels.” [WTOP]

APS Looks to Add Office Space — “In a world where tenants are departing and downsizing commercial office space in droves, why is the staff leadership of the Arlington school system trying to rent more of it? That was a question not just taxpayers, but several School Board members, seem to have as a proposal moves forward for the school system to spend $186,000 next year – and more every succeeding year – to rent additional office space in its leased headquarters facility.” [Gazette Leader]

Courthouse Metro Missed Connection — “Dear PoPville, I’m hoping you can help me with a true Cinderella story! We both got on the same metro stop at Courthouse around 8:30 on Wed morning (8/2). He wore black Keds with black socks — quite a slick combo. I wasn’t caffeinated enough to muster up the courage to say hello.” [PoPville]

Indecent Exposure in Courthouse — “2100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 7:42 a.m. on August 2, police were dispatched to the report of an exposure. Upon arrival, officers made telephone contact with the female victim who stated she was walking in the area when she became engaged in conversation with the male suspect during which he exposed himself. Responding officers located the suspect and the investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.” [ACPD]

General Buried at ANC Goes Viral — From a viral Twitter post: “In May of 1861, 9 year old John Lincoln ‘Johnny’ Clem ran away from his home in Newark, Ohio, to join the Union Army, but found the Army was not interested in signing on a 9 year old boy when the commander of the 3rd Ohio Regiment told him he ‘wasn’t enlisting infants,’ and turned him down.” [Twitter]

Metro Staying Open Later Sunday — “Metro will ‘Hold Up’ the final train departing from Morgan Boulevard Station on Sunday night to give the #BeyHive a ‘Flawless’ ride to and from FedEx Field. The last Silver Line train toward Ashburn on Sunday night will now depart Morgan Boulevard at 12:04 a.m. instead of 11:34 p.m., allowing concertgoers enough time to walk from the stadium to the station.” [WMATA]

It’s Friday — There is a 30% chance of showers and potential thunderstorms after 5pm today, with mostly cloudy skies and a high temperature of around 79°F accompanied by a south wind at 8 mph. Tonight, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms lingers before 11pm, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature near 68°F, along with a south wind ranging from 5 to 8 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 3, 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 3, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Friday’s forecast

There is a 20% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms after 5pm today, with mostly cloudy skies and a high of 77°F accompanied by south winds at 8 mph. Tonight, expect a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, followed by showers until 2am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low of 68°F and south winds between 5-8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
– John Quincy Adams

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

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. 5018 S Chesterfield Rd — Claremont — $850,000 (4 beds | 2 baths | 1,902 sq. ft.)
  2. 1600 Clarendon Blvd Unit W309 — Rosslyn — $1,295,000 (2 beds | 2.5 baths | 1,914 sq. ft.)
  3. 1018 S Rolfe St — Arlington View — $999,000 (4 beds | 3 baths | 1,944 sq. ft.)

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

Arlington County still assessing damage from Saturday’s storm

By ARLnow.com
1/10

The impacts from Saturday’s severe storms were so widespread that Arlington County is still assessing damage.

Power has since been restored to the more than 34,000 Dominion customers in the dark after the storms, and the GW Parkway completed its reopening yesterday after crews removed hundreds of fallen and potentially hazardous trees. But other damage to both private and county property is still being addressed in Arlington.

“The storms on Saturday, July 29, caused widespread damage, resulting in power outages (both public and private buildings) and travel disruptions (caused by fallen trees),” Arlington County spokesman Ryan Hudson recounted to ARLnow. “As staff continue to assess damage, it might be some time before the ultimate impact of the storm is known.”

“County crews continue to investigate and address the tickets submitted to the online Request for Service tool,” Hudson said. “Much of the clean-up focuses on debris blocking roadways and waterways, and tree removal.”

The scale of the damage is reminiscent of the 2012 derecho, though the latter was even more widespread. Saturday’s storms concentrated more of the damage near the river and in north-central portions of Arlington, roughly between Route 50 and Langston Blvd, including the Orange Line corridor.

Still, there remains plenty to clean up.

“The Solid Waste Bureau has collected 246 tons of brush so far since Saturday,” Peter Golkin, spokesman for ARLnow’s Dept. of Environmental Services, tells ARLnow. “The average number of scheduled brush pick-ups is about 70 per day out of a max of 150 available. They’ve hit the max for Tuesday, [Wednesday and Thursday].”

Arlington residents can schedule brush pickups online.

Hudson said Arlington’s 911 call center received a total of 1,618 calls for service on Saturday between 5 p.m. and midnight, a 225% spike in call volume. The Arlington County Emergency Communications Center received a peak volumes of nearly 500 calls between 5-6 p.m.

County employees have inspected 16 homes damaged by the storm, by some combination of strong winds and falling trees, branches, and power lines. Of those, four were determined to have major or severe damage, Hudson said.

Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation has also been busy since the storm, with lots of fallen trees and branches in local parks and along busy trails.

Storm damage closed Rocky Run Park near Courthouse until it reopened yesterday. The storm also damaged power lines at Gulf Branch Nature Center, leading to a power outage and closure today.

Hollywood’s actor strike has come to Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Arlington is not exactly the Hollywood of the East, pivotal West Wing episodes aside, but the strikes rocking tinseltown have a new local front here.

The Writers Guild of America and performers union SAG-AFTRA are both on strike this summer, demanding better compensation — particularly from streaming services — as well as protections from the use of artificial intelligence in TV and film production. While most of the picket lines you see on the news are in New York or Los Angeles, strikers are out in Arlington today.

A dozen or more members of SAG-AFTRA were handing out leaflets in front of Amazon’s newly-opened HQ2 in Pentagon City this morning. Holding “Union Strong” and “SAG-AFTRA Strong” signs, the strikers were perhaps more subdued than their counterparts picketing Hollywood studio lots, but nonetheless determined to send a message to the tech giant and its Prime streaming service.

“Amazon Prime and the other major studios and streamers are refusing to negotiate a fair deal with union members, including the very people appearing in Amazon Prime Original series,” said an email sent to the Arlington Democrats Labor Caucus yesterday, obtained by ARLnow.

The strikers will be working three shifts today, starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m., according to the email.

Writers are returning to the negotiating table with Hollywood studios, various outlets reported yesterday. The dual strikes, meanwhile, are having a significant economic impact on production hubs like LA, NYC and Atlanta.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A lone shopping cart on a sidewalk along S. Glebe Road (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

GW Parkway Back Open — “It took four days of work, but all trees have finally been cleared from the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The parkway’s northern section between the Capital Beltway (I-495) in McLean and Spout Run Parkway in Arlington reopened at 9:45 a.m. [Wednesday].” [FFXnow]

Street Sweeping Starts Soon — “Street sweeping removes accumulated debris and pollutants such as sand, salt, metals, petroleum products and bacteria before they wash into streams, the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. Neighborhoods in Arlington are swept four times a year in August, October, April and June.” [Press Release]

Group Blasts Langston Blvd Plan — “Is the Arlington County government’s plan to urbanize the Langston Boulevard corridor a giveaway bonanza to developers that benefits upper-class white residents (and insulates them from negative effects) but does little to promote diversity or address some pressing needs? That’s one interpretation based on a new critique of the proposal from Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future.” [Gazette Leader]

NAACP Wants More Involved in Local Politics — “The Arlington branch of the NAACP is planning to focus some of its pre-election efforts on encouraging residents of affordable-housing communities to get involved in the political process.” [Gazette Leader]

AFAC Using Whatsapp — “The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), a leading nonprofit organization committed to alleviating long term food insecurity in Arlington County and Northern Virginia, is proud to announce its adoption of WhatsApp, a popular and free messaging app, to strengthen communication with clients.” [Press Release]

Cyclist Struck Follow Up — “Officers with the Arlington County Police Department responded just before 4:20 p.m. to 10th Street North and North Wayne Street after receiving a report about the crash. Through an initial investigation, they were able to determine that the bicyclist, a man, was riding in the area when he was sideswiped by the striking vehicle.” [WUSA 9]

Another Cyclist Struck Wednesday — “Medics arriving on scene now at intersection of N. Lynn Street and Langston Blvd in Rosslyn for a cyclist struck by a driver. Cyclist is sitting on sidewalk, striking vehicle (a Jeep) remained on scene.” [Twitter]

Drivers Ignoring Ballston Stop Sign — “Hi, @ArlingtonVaPD. Still no noticeable enforcement of the 4-way #Stop at 9th and Quincy? I wasn’t ready, but I have seen 3 cars going 30 go straight through. Here are two videos of violations. The first is slow, but illegal. The second shows 3 cars breaking the law.” [Twitter]

Fire Department Promotion — An Arlington County firefighter with a remarkable moustache has received a promotion to lieutenant. [Twitter]

It’s Thursday — There is a slight chance of showers after 2pm, but it will be mostly sunny with a high near 86°F today. Expect a south wind of 9-11 mph with gusts up to 18 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. Tonight, there’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly after 8pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 70°F, accompanied by a south wind of around 10 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 2, 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 2, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

There is a slight chance of showers after 2 pm, but the day will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around 87°F. Expect south winds of 9-11 mph, with possible gusts up to 20 mph. For Thursday night, there’s potential for showers and thunderstorms mainly after 2 am, with mostly cloudy skies and temperatures around 70°F, along with a 10 mph south wind. The chance of precipitation is 20% during the day and increases to 30% at night. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”
– William G.T. Shedd

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

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