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.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Suing Opioid Makers — “The Arlington County Board has emulated nearly two dozen other Virginia localities in taking to court a large number of opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers, including some of the biggest names in the health-care industry.” [InsideNova]

HQ2 Affordable Housing Funds Going to Loudoun? — “When Virginia officials promised $75 million over five years for affordable housing in the wake of Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters announcement, Arlington officials assumed that those dollars would be split between the county and neighboring Alexandria. They were not thrilled to find out other localities might get a piece.” [Washington Business Journal]

Pedestrian Struck in CVS Parking Lot — “Police and medics are on scene of an elderly pedestrian struck by a car in the CVS parking lot on the 6400 block of Williamsburg Blvd. The victim reportedly suffered a broken bone and is being transported to the hospital.” [Twitter]

Early Video of Nauck House Fire — Video posted to Facebook shows the scene as firefighters start to arrive at yesterday’s house fire in the Nauck neighborhood, near the W&OD Trail. [Statter 911]

Discussing Nightlife Safety — “‘A Conversation about Nightlife Safety’ will take place on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m… The event will feature panelists from various Arlington County departments speaking about how they collaborated to build trusting relationships with restaurant staff and improve safety.” [Arlington County]

What’s in a Name? — At the Pentagon City mall, Panda Tea House is now bustling where Kokee Tea struggled last year. Was it the name change, or the addition of Thai rolled ice cream to the menu? [Twitter]

Photo courtesy @eugeneksoh

Scaffolding Accident Closes Ballston Mall Front Entrance

By ARLnow.com
1/3

The front entrance to Ballston Quarter mall and its Quarter Market food hall is closed after a cable broke on a piece of scaffolding.

A large fire department response to the Wednesday afternoon incident temporarily blocked Wilson Blvd in front of the mall, but the road has since reopened.

Two workers who were on the equipment at the time of the accident were able to climb to safety with the help of firefighters. No injuries were reported.

Police have roped off the entrance until the scaffolding can be secured.

Pet of the Week: Huxley

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Today we dub 10-year-old boxer Lab mix Huxley as the Arlington pet of the week.

Here’s how Huxley’s owner Lyndsey described the rescue pup:

We wanted a lazy, friendly dog and that’s just what we got in Huxley.  While his snaggle tooth
can be scary, he is sweet as the day is long.  He weighs around
100lbs, sleeps 20 hours a day and is friendly to everyone he meets,
except the Amazon delivery guy.

Life has changed a lot for Huxley over these 10 years.  Early on he
was an adventurer – swallowing a razor blade as a curious puppy and
battling rattlesnake near Skyline Drive.  Now he is dog-brother to
three wild kids, age five and under.  The responsibility has grayed
his fur, but he maintains a spring in his step while perusing his
hobbies of chasing rabbits in the backyard.  He exhibits great
patience each morning while waiting for our three-year old to
sloooooowly scoop his dog food.  For this, and many more reasons, he
deserves to be Pet of the Week!  We love you Hux!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

Bean Good in Rosslyn Appears to Have Closed

By ARLnow.com
1/3

There’s nothing posted about it on the door or on social media, but Bean Good Coffee Pub in Rosslyn is closed, perhaps permanently.

Tipsters tell ARLnow the independent coffee shop quietly closed its doors within the past week.

“The furniture is gone, the place is empty, and it looks like they moved out,” one tipster said.

Bean Good’s phone number directs callers straight to a full voicemail box. Its formerly active social media accounts have gone silent.

The cafe was located at 1737 Wilson Blvd, in the Colonial Village Shopping Center. It opened in 2011 after replacing the former Greenberry’s cafe, which had been open for 8 years prior to its closure.

BREAKING: House Fire Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com
1/7

(Updated at 9 a.m.) Firefighters are battling a house fire in the Nauck neighborhood, near Shirlington and the W&OD Trail.

The blaze, in a duplex on the 3600 S. Four Mile Run Drive, was first reported just before 8:30 a.m. Flames and heavy smoke could be seen coming from the home.

As of 8:40 a.m., firefighters were making progress but still working to contain the flames. As of 8:55 a.m., most of the fire was reported out, but crews were still looking for hot spots.

Additional fire department units have dispatched to the scene. Initial reports suggest the home’s occupants were able to get out safely and no one was hurt.

https://twitter.com/iamdanyele/status/1118493097137192962

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Protest in Front of Nestle Office in Rosslyn — “On Tuesday, Greenpeace activists hauled a 15-foot-tall heap of garbage, artfully crafted to resemble one of those deep sea fish that’s about 90 percent jowl, out in front of the Nestlé’s U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.” [Gizmodo, Twitter]

‘No Stopping’ Arlington’s Growth — “Historically a commuter bedroom city for Washington, D.C., Arlington, VA continues its development renaissance with a variety of mixed-use projects that will shuttle in new residents, create open spaces and make new room for more restaurants and companies.” [GlobeSt]

Arlington Ponies Up Incentives for DEA — “The Arlington County Board is set to vote later this month to grant up to $11.5 million in financial incentives to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Pentagon City landlord to keep the agency from relocating to neighboring Alexandria, just shy of half of what it has promised Amazon.com Inc. for its second headquarters.” [Washington Business Journal]

Possible Meteor Lights Up the Sky — There were numerous reports of a meteor seen over Arlington, the D.C. region and much of the East Coast around 11 p.m. last night. [Twitter, BNO News, NBC Washington]

County Touts Green Initiatives Ahead of Earth Day — “Few communities can boast Arlington’s ceaseless commitment to sustainability — which is why one day in April can barely hint at the work that happens in the months before and after.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler

Northbound I-395 To Be Reduced to Single Lane Tonight Due to Sign Installation

By ARLnow.com

Drivers heading northbound on I-395 should expect lane closures and periodic traffic stoppages tonight near Pentagon City.

The traffic impacts are due to a planned overhead sign installation.

By midnight, only one northbound lane is expected to remain open, causing delays for anyone heading in the direction of D.C.

More from a VDOT press release:

Motorists are advised that I-395 North will be reduced to one lane during overnight hours on Tuesday, April 16 near S. Washington Boulevard. Periodic traffic stoppages of up to 30 minutes will occur between Midnight and 4 a.m. These closures are needed for crews to install an overhead sign structure as part of the I-395 Express Lanes Northern Extension Project. Work is weather dependent.

Details are:

  • Beginning at 10 p.m. tonight, a single lane will close on I-395 North
  • Additional lanes will close at 11 p.m.
  • Intermittent traffic stoppages on the northbound lanes are scheduled to occur after Midnight
  • All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.
  • As construction progresses this spring and summer, motorists should expect single lane closures on the I-395 HOV lanes weekdays between the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and closures on the general purpose lanes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The 395 Express Lanes, which involve extending the current express lanes eight miles north to the D.C. line, are scheduled to open this fall. Learn how Express Lanes work and how to get an E-ZPass at www.ExpressLanes.com.

The 395 Express Lanes are a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban. See more details on the project and related lane closures.

ACPD Kicks Off Spring Traffic Enforcement Campaign

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police this week launched the 2019 version of the regional spring “Street Smart” safety campaign.

The campaign “aims to reduce the number of traffic related crashes and injuries on our roadways by identifying and changing unsafe behavior patterns among travelers.”

Two “high-visibility traffic enforcement” events are planned — one from 4-6 p.m. next Friday (April 26) along the 3200 block of Washington Blvd, near Clarendon, and another from 7-9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7  on the 3100 block of Clarendon Blvd, next to the Clarendon Metro station.

More from an ACPD press release:

Spring is here, and more people are taking advantage of the warmer weather by walking, biking and operating shared mobility devices. To ensure all travelers safely share our roadways, law enforcement throughout the region will participate in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Spring Street Smart campaign from April 15 – May 10. The campaign aims to reduce the number of traffic related crashes and injuries on our roadways by identifying and changing unsafe behavior patterns among travelers.

Street Smart Activation

As part of the Street Smart campaign, officers will conduct high-visibility traffic enforcement at the following locations:

  • May 7th from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. – 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard
  • April 26th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – 3200 block of Washington Boulevard

Members of the media are invited to attend the activation events.

Traffic Safety Tips

Whether you’re on two feet, two wheels or four wheels, make our roadways safer by being a PAL – predicable, alert and lawful.Drivers are reminded to:

  • Obey posted speed limits, traffic signs and signals
  • Have all vehicle occupants wear their seat belts
  • Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and use caution when passing stopped vehicles
  • Look before opening your door
  • Allow 3 feet when passing bicyclists

Pedestrians are reminded to:

  • Cross the street at marked crosswalks and never against a red light
  • Look both ways before crossing the street
  • Walk on designated sidewalks or paths, never along the side of the road
  • Stay visible after dark and in bad weather with light-colored clothing, reflective gear and lights

Shared Mobility Device operators are reminded to:

  • Obey posted traffic signs and signals
  • Ride in the same direction as traffic
  • Communicate your intentions by using hand signals
  • Keep your eyes on the road and avoid the use of devices that may distract you
  • Stay visible after dark and in bad weather with light-colored clothing, reflective gear and lights

For additional safety tips, visit the Street Smart website.

ACFD On Scene of Fire Across from Clarendon Whole Foods

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 9:15 a.m.) A fire at a construction site across from the Clarendon Whole Foods prompted a large fire department response this morning.

Firefighters responded around 8:45 a.m. for multiple reports of a fire with flames and smoke visible from the street. They arrived to find construction workers trying to extinguish a fire outside of an under-construction building on the 2700 block of Wilson Blvd.

The building is part of the Market Common Clarendon development, which is currently being renovated.

The flames were quickly extinguished and no one was reported hurt.

Photo courtesy @HenryTDunbar

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Tree Falls in Aurora Highlands — A large tree fell across 23rd Street S. in Aurora Highland, near Crystal City, yesterday evening around 5:15 p.m. It happened near the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic church, between S. Ives and Hayes streets, amid gusty winds that felled other trees and branches around Arlington. The tree reportedly fell on a passing car, but those inside the vehicle were not injured. [Twitter]

Challenger Presses Favola — “Affordable housing and ethical issues took center stage as Democratic contenders for the 31st state Senate seat last week squared off for the first time leading up to the June 11 primary. Facing an uphill battle to knock off a two-term incumbent, challenger Nicole Merlene pressed the case that state Sen. Barbara Favola is too beholden to special interests to effectively represent the district.” [InsideNova]

Overturned SUV Along I-395 — Around 6 p.m. Sunday, an SUV overturned on a ramp to I-395 near Washington Blvd. A photo sent by a tipster shows the SUV on its side near the guardrail. No serious injuries were reported. [Twitter]

Barcroft Principal Lauded — “Judy Apostolico-Buck, who has spent 32 years in the Arlington school system, has been named the county’s 2019 Principal of the Year.” She was also a finalist for Washington Post Principal of the Year. [InsideNova, Washington Post]

Small Explosion in Falls Church Condo — “At 11:10 a.m. today, a contractor working on a stove received minor injuries from a gas flash explosion in a unit at the Falls Chase Condominium, located at 1136 S Washington St. Arlington Fire and Fairfax Fire Departments responded to the scene.” [City of Falls Church, Twitter]

Nearby: Peeping Tom in Falls Church — “City of Falls Church police are looking for more information regarding a peeping tom seen outside of Saint James Catholic School.” [Tysons Reporter]

Photo courtesy Ray Villarreal

ACFD Responding to Reported Suicide in Arlington National Cemetery

By ARLnow.com

Medics from the Arlington County Fire Department are on scene of a reported suicide in Arlington National Cemetery.

Initial reports suggest a woman killed herself near the Confederate Memorial on the western side of the cemetery.

Though it is unknown whether the deceased individual is in any way affiliated with the military, the nation is in the midst of an epidemic of veteran suicide.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm, call 911 or the Department of Human Services’ emergency services line at 703-228-5160. CrisisLink also has a 24-hour crisis hotline at 703-527-4077 or 800-SUICIDE, or text 703-940-0888.

Map via Google Maps

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