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.

BREAKING: Arlington Schools, Federal Gov’t Closed Due to Wind Storm

By ARLnow.com
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(Updated at 6:30 a.m.) Arlington Public Schools are closed today (Friday) due to weather concerns.

All schools and offices are closed, APS announced this morning, though custodians are being asked to report at 6 a.m. “regardless of your regular shift.”

Elementary and middle schools were already scheduled to be closed due to parent-teacher conferences, but those conferences have been cancelled, as have “extracurricular activities, interscholastic games, team practices, field trips, adult education classes, and programs in schools and on school grounds.”

Marymount University, meanwhile, is also closed.

Federal government offices in the D.C. area are closed due to the wind storm, the Office of Personnel Management announced early Friday morning.

Due to safety concerns, Virginia Railway Express service has been cancelled for today. Reagan National Airport is encouraging travellers to check the status of their flight before coming to the airport. Power problems have been reported on Metro’s Blue and Yellow lines, causing delays, while the rest of the Metrorail system is running every 12 minutes with reduced speeds above ground.

As of 5:30 a.m., Dominion is reporting more than 9,000 customers without power in Arlington already.

Already, there have been reports of trees, branches and other debris down in Arlington, and the dangerous winds are expected to continue throughout the day. Residents are being encouraged to stay indoors whenever possible and to remain in the lower levels of homes.

More via social media:

https://twitter.com/varailxpress/status/969499507309400064

Did Cancelling the Streetcar Hurt Arlington’s Amazon Chances?

By ARLnow.com

It’s a question that some have been asking themselves as Arlington has advanced to be among the most likely destinations for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Would the proposed Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar system have helped Arlington’s chances had it been built?

The Arlington County Board voted to cancel the project in 2014 after rising cost estimates and questions about its advantages over buses led to widespread opposition and voter discontent.

Had it been built, the streetcar would have run from Crystal City — which is seen as a strong contender among D.C. area locales — to Columbia Pike and the Skyline area of Fairfax County.

ARLnow.com talked to several insiders to get their take on the hypothetical question.

Several we spoke to, who work in economic development and on transportation issues, said that the streetcar would have been an attractive amenity in the eyes of Amazon. It would have provided a vital, high-frequency link from offices in Crystal City to workforce housing along Columbia Pike, they said.

Also cited as evidence: Amazon’s own support of streetcar system in Seattle.

However, another insider, who works in the works in the commercial real estate industry, doubts that the streetcar would have made much of a difference.

For one, the would-be streetcar is being replaced with enhanced bus service on the Pike and along the Potomac Yard-Crystal City corridor. Also, Crystal City already has one of the highest scores for transportation accessibility among HQ2 contenders, thanks to the frequent bus service, Metro’s Yellow and Blue lines, VRE, commuter buses, the Mt. Vernon Trail and walkability to Reagan National Airport.

In other words, said the insider, the streetcar might have been icing on the cake, but it is unlikely to have moved the needle much on Amazon’s decision. Plus, it is possible that Arlington would have had to contend with some of the streetcar problems currently being experienced by D.C.

Amazon is expected to make its decision later this year. Arlington and Northern Virginia, one insider speculated, is likely to at least be among the top five contenders, and at least one betting market agrees, giving the region the highest odds among the company’s top 20.

Police Investigating Threat at Yorktown High School

By ARLnow.com

Update at 1 p.m. — Arlington County Police have issued a statement about the investigation via Twitter.

Earlier: A threat scrawled on a bathroom wall has Yorktown High School on high alert.

In a letter to parents, Yorktown Principal Bridget Loft said that police are investigating and “community members may see a heightened police presence at Yorktown through the week,” but school is not being cancelled.

There has been a spike in school threats in the wake of the Parkland, Florida high school shooting, including in the D.C. area. One parent said that students are in “a froth of anxiety” following the shooting.

“Some have expressed concerns about threats during a walkout protest as well, because they feel less secure outside the building,” said the parent.

An Arlington Public Schools spokesman says the threat at Yorktown is being taken seriously.

“We take threats very seriously and will continue to work with ACPD if any are made,” said Frank Bellavia. “We are asking our school community that if the hear or see something to say something to and adult or the police.”

“At this time, we are not aware of any other threats made to schools,” he added.

The full letter from Loft about the Yorktown threat is below.

Dear Yorktown Families:

Earlier today, Yorktown staff was made aware of a threat that was posted on a restroom wall indicating possible harm to the school later this week. The Arlington County Police Department was immediately made aware of the threat, and they are investigating the situation. For this reason, parents and community members may see a heightened police presence at Yorktown through the week.

We know that any rumor about a potential for violence is always alarming for our community, especially in light of the recent events in Florida. However, due to the recent events here at Yorktown, we know that emotions for our students, families, and staff have been especially heightened.

For these reasons, we wanted to share that we also learned that some students may have taken photos of what was posted and then shared those images out on social media. While we want our students always to report any threats they may see or hear about, we need to remind everyone that spreading rumors among classmates or on social media that have not been verified can create unnecessary panic and stress.

Please be assured that we always take threats of this sort very seriously. Any and all concerns about possible threats should be reported to an adult, but they should not be shared among students until we can investigate, since sharing unfounded threats will only increase anxiety for everyone.

We will continue to investigate this report and will work with the ACPD as well. If we hear more information about this threat, we will share it with you as soon as possible.

I also want to thank the Yorktown community for your support and responsiveness, and if you hear or see something that concerns you, please let me or a member of our Yorktown staff know immediately.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

ACPD Cameo on ‘Homeland’ — The Arlington County Police Department made a brief appearance last week on the TV show “Homeland.” [Twitter]

High Wind Watch Upgraded to Warning — The threat of a damaging wind storm Friday has become more likely. The National Weather Service has upgraded the previous High Wind Watch to a warning. [Twitter]

EFC Development Stalled — “Seven years ago, the county blessed a vision of new ‘transitown’ development of stores, greenery and new pedestrian access around the East Falls Church Metro. But that utilitarian commuter site is largely unchanged.” [Falls Church News-Press]

New Logo, Website for AAC — Thanks to a philanthropic grant, the Arlington Arts Center has new branding and a “new, mobile-friendly site reflecting our enduring commitment to excellent contemporary art, quality educational programs, and our artist residency program.” [Arlington Arts Center]

Crime Report: Man Frustrated by Drive-Thru ATM Wait Draws Gun

By ARLnow.com

A dispute over a drive-thru ATM led a man in a Mercedes to draw a gun and make threats, police say.

The incident happened Monday afternoon, on the 3100 block of Columbia Pike, according to this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

A SunTrust bank is located on that block of the Pike.

Police say that the suspect “became verbally irate” while waiting in line to use the ATM. More from the crime report:

BRANDISHING, 2018-02260160, 3100 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 2:10 p.m. on February 26, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing of a firearm. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was using the drive thru ATM when another vehicle pulled up behind him. The driver of the approaching vehicle became verbally irate, threatened the victim and allegedly brandished a firearm. The suspect is described as a black male, bald, approximately 25-30 years old, wearing glasses and a black shirt, driving a black Mercedes. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, after the jump.

Photo via Google Maps

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Arlington GOP Wants More Info About County’s Amazon HQ2 Bid

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Republicans are calling for greater transparency with regards to the county’s bid for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Jim Presswood, Chair of the Arlington GOP, issued a statement Wednesday calling for the county to release “the basic framework” of its offer, arguing that “backroom deals are not the Arlington Way.”

The full statement is below.

Arlington County needs to let its citizens know what kind of deal they are offering Amazon to lure the company’s new headquarters to our county. Its discussions with Amazon have been behind closed doors and without public input. While we appreciate Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol promising transparency, it’s time for the County to make public at least the basic framework of what it is offering. Backroom deals are not the Arlington Way.

While an Amazon headquarters would bring benefits to Arlington and the region, Arlington citizens deserve to know the cost before any deal is struck. Arlington is under great budgetary pressure from increasing school capacity needs and a broken Metro. The citizens are entitled to know if the County is offering subsidies that will ultimately result in a bill being handed to Arlington taxpayers. Creating an attractive environment for businesses and residents is a far more fair and fiscally sound approach to bring jobs to Arlington than offering sweetheart deals to specific firms.

Update at 7:40 p.m. — Katie Cristol has responded via Twitter.

High Wind Watch Issued for Arlington, D.C. Region

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County and the rest of the D.C. area is under a High Wind Watch from Thursday night to late Friday night.

Forecasters say damaging winds are likely on Friday and widespread power outages are possible. It may be “one of the strongest wind storms in at least three years,” according to the National Weather Service.

More from NWS:

…HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. * TIMING…OVERNIGHT THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. * WINDS…NORTHWEST 25 TO 40 MPH WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH. * IMPACTS…DAMAGING WINDS WILL BLOW DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES. WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. TRAVEL WILL BE DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH, OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS. &&

Flickr pool photo by Lisa Novak

The Children’s School May Move to Alpine Restaurant Site

By ARLnow.com

A community meeting is being held tomorrow night to discuss a proposed development that would bring The Children’s School to the former Alpine Restaurant site on Lee Highway.

The Children’s School, a subsidized daycare center for Arlington County teachers, is planning to relocate as its long-time home — the Reed School building in Westover — is renovated and turned into a new elementary school.

A flyer for the meeting — to be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lee Highway Alliance (4620 Lee Highway) — says a three-story building has been proposed for the Alpine site, which has sat largely unused for the past eight years.

“Two-hundred thirty-five children, aged 0-5, would be housed in a three story building that tapers at the rear towards the Glebewood townhouses, with rooftop play areas,” says the flyer. “Integration Station, which is a pre-school for kids with special needs, would also be part of the application (about 30% of 235 children).”

“Daycare would open at 6:45 a.m. and close by 5 p.m — not open on weekends,” the flyer continues. “The site is approximately 19,400 square feet. This is a by-right application under a use permit. The preliminary drawings illustrate an attractive, glass-paneled contemporary and playful design for the school.”

The site is owned by Arlington businessman Brian Normile, of BCN Homes and Liberty Tavern, and would be leased to The Children’s School, according to the flyer. The Children’s School would temporarily move to Ballston during the approval and construction process, it says.

The flyer lists “impacts to Glebewood Historic District,” green space and tree coverage, and parking — the plan calls for 40 mostly underground parking spaces plus drop-off spaces — as some of the issues for further community discussion.

Photo via Google Maps

Arlington Ranks No. 3 for Residents Born Out of State

By ARLnow.com

It is true: the vast majority of Arlington residents moved here from somewhere else.

Arlington County is third in a list of places where most people were born out of state, bested only by two major retirement destinations.

A Bloomberg columnist posted the list, from U.S. Census data, yesterday.

Only 18.8 percent of Arlington’s residents were born in Virginia, according to the data. Among cities and places with more than 65,000 residents, Arlington is only outranked by Kissimmee, Florida, with 17.8 percent born in state, and The Villages, Florida, with 3 percent born in state.

Alexandria and Silver Spring were also near the top of the list, each with 20.2 percent of residents born in-state.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Major Orange and Silver Line Issues — Orange and Silver line Metro service has been restored but significant delays remain from an earlier disabled train at the Ballston station. [Washington Post, Twitter, Twitter]

Legislature Considering Expanding I-66 Tolls — Del. Tim Hugo (R), the state lawmaker who proposed a bill that would slash Arlington’s tax revenue from country clubs, is now also proposing legislation that would require I-66 to be tolled in both directions. “If you live in Arlington, D.C. or Maryland, and you are going to Tysons Corner or west, you pay no toll in the morning and you get a free ride home,” Hugo said. “We will even it out by getting some people in Arlington to pick up the freight.” [Washington Post]

County Board Members Lobby Against Country Club Bill — Both Libby Garvey (D) and John Vihstadt (I) were in Richmond yesterday to lobby against HB 1204, the bill that would provide a “windfall tax cut” for Arlington’s two country clubs. [Twitter]

Vegas Bunnies Arrive in Arlington — “Six furry, floppy-eared cottontails dubbed the ‘Las Vegas bunnies’ have arrived at an animal rescue center in Arlington after many others were poisoned in Nevada.” [Washington Post]

Arlington School Board Bill Passes — A state bill that would ensure that Arlington County has the legal standing to have an elected School Board, after questions arose about the School Board’s legality, has passed the state legislature and is now heading to Gov. Ralph Northam (D) for his signature. [InsideNova]

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