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.

ACFD investigating ‘suspicious’ vehicle fire near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

 

The Arlington County Fire Department responds to a call in Shirlington in Oct. 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County fire marshals are investigating a vehicle fire in the Shirlington area that might have been deliberately set.

The incident happened this past Friday morning on the 4500 block of 31st Street S., between the Shirlington and Fairlington neighborhoods.

“The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD), Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is investigating a vehicle fire that occurred at approximately 6:00 a.m. on the morning of June 30,” Capt. Nathaniel C. Hiner tells ARLnow. “The ACFD arrived on the scene of the fire and found a black BMW X5 completely engulfed in fire. The OFM has determined the fire to be suspicious in nature and is asking nearby residents that may have any information that could benefit the investigation to please contact Deputy Fire Marshal Ryan Murphy [at] [email protected].”

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

UPDATED: Large power outage affecting Ballston, neighborhoods along Wilson Blvd

By ARLnow.com
Power outage map on 7/1/23 (via Dominion)

Update at 2:35 p.m. — About 500 customers remain without power in Arlington. A Dominion spokeswoman says the outage was caused by an “unrelated tree contractor [dropping] a tree on our wire.”

Earlier: Nearly 4,600 Dominion customers are in the dark as a result of a widespread power outage Saturday morning.

It’s unclear what caused the outage, which stretches from Ballston to Bluemont to Boulevard Manor to Dominion Hills along the Wilson Blvd corridor, according to Dominion’s outage map and emailed tips to ARLnow.

As of publication time, Dominion is estimating that power will be restored between 1-4 p.m.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jun 30, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 6087 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Jun 30, 2023.

  1. Plans to turn Nottingham Elementary into ‘swing space’ prompt swift backlash
  2. Morning Notes
  3. Ballston Quarter is getting an interactive art installation for the month of July
  4. A gym in Shirlington hunts for a new home before closing its doors in August

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

  1. Arlington pulled prosecutors from traffic court. A driver who struck a girl on a bike escaped charges on an error. (13297 views)
  2. Arlington to consider hunting and sterilizing deer, or fencing parks, to cull herds (7834 views)
  3. JUST IN: Community activist charged with sexual assault (7745 views)
  4. ACPD: Bystanders intervene as suspect fights officer in Clarendon (7063 views)
  5. The new “athletic country club” in Clarendon is sprinting to open next month (6661 views)
  6. A tricycle-based Turkish coffee purveyor has set up shop in Ballston (5941 views)
  7. Three hurt in serious Route 50 crash (5106 views)
  8. NEW: Code Red air quality alert issued for Thursday (4766 views)
  9. More than a dozen mirrors stolen from cars parked in S. Arlington (3565 views)
  10. Plans to turn Nottingham Elementary into ‘swing space’ prompt swift backlash (3417 views)
  11. Parents call on APS to address slow academic growth, teacher turnover at Oakridge Elementary (3184 views)
  12. New draft plan for Langston Blvd calls for private development to help build public benefits (2598 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

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. At night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
– Chinese Proverb

🌅 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. 👋

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Haze in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Crystal House Development Advancing — “The first of those phases — for which the APAH-EYA venture submitted a site plan amendment application last week to the county’s planning department — would see an 80-unit all-affordable housing building for seniors at the site’s northern edge, along South 18th Street, in lieu of the 63-unit market-rate condo building currently approved to go there. The applicant aims to apply for low-income housing tax credits in the coming months to help finance the project, break ground next year and deliver the building in 2026.” [Washington Business Journal]

Reminder: Illegal Fireworks in Va. — “In general, any firework that explodes, moves on the ground or in the air, or shoots a projectile is illegal in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Many localities prohibit the sale, possession or use of all fireworks. The State Fire Marshal’s Office advises Virginians to check local ordinances as well as the Statewide Fire Prevention Code prior to purchasing and utilizing fireworks.” [Press Release]

Fireworks Safety Tips — From the Arlington County Fire Department: “Only buy fireworks from ACFD approved stands, look for the ACFD permit! – Light only 1 firework at a time. – Follow the label directions carefully.” [Twitter, ACFD]

Premature Death Study — “In Northern Virginia, the likelihood that you’ll live to the age of 75 mostly hinges on your racial and ethnic background and what neighborhood you live in, according to a new report from researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. Race, ethnicity, and neighborhood were also major factors in determining whether you died from COVID-19 between 2020 and 2021, the report found.” [DCist]

Police Host Pride Event — From the Arlington County Police Department: “ACPD’s 2023 Pride with the Police event was a huge success thanks to our hosts at Freddie’s Beach Bar and our Arlington public safety partners. Thank you all for joining us! Happy Pride Month!” [Twitter]

Video of Chase Through Arlington — “Heart-pounding video shows a police chase through Northern Virginia and into D.C. at speeds well above 100 mph. Northern Virginia Bureau Reporter Drew Wilder reports the Virginia State Police dashboard camera video just became available after the driver was convicted and sentenced in court.” [NBC 4, Twitter]

It’s Friday — A slight chance of showers between 2pm and 5pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jun 29, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 10221 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Jun 29, 2023.

  1. A tricycle-based Turkish coffee purveyor has set up shop in Ballston
  2. Morning Notes
  3. ACPD: After breaking into car, would-be thief opens home’s garage door
  4. New draft plan for Langston Blvd calls for private development to help build public benefits

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Friday’s forecast

Widespread haze. Patchy smoke before noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 5 to 10 mph. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
– Albert Schweitzer

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Code Orange alert for Friday as Arlington’s air quality remains at ‘unhealthy’ levels

By ARLnow.com
Arlington’s air quality index as of 4 p.m. Thursday (via AirNow.gov)

It’s been another smoky day in Arlington, and the air quality is still considered “unhealthy” as the workday nears a close.

The Air Quality Index registered at 177 as of 4 p.m. Thursday, solidly in the “Code Red” level.

Tomorrow is expected to also be hazy, but somewhat improved, with a Code Orange alert issued minutes ago.

More, below, from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Orange air day for the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow: Friday, June 30. Code Orange levels mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including older adults, children, and people with heart or lung disease. Smoke coming from wildfires in Canada will contribute to the increased levels of fine particle pollution.

COG advises the following health precautions:

  • Sensitive groups like people with heart or lung disease like asthma or emphysema, older adults, and children should make outdoor activities shorter and less intense and watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.

Residents can check current air quality conditions on COG’s website or the Clean Air Partners website.

On unhealthy air days, COG advises the following actions to improve the air:

  • Avoid lawn mowing or use an electric mower.
  • Use gas or electric grills instead of charcoal.
  • Fill your vehicles’ gas tank after sunset.
  • Take transit, carpool, or work from home.
  • Turn off lights and electronics when not in use and follow tips from your electric utility about how to use less electricity to cool your home.

COG provides air quality forecasts and current air quality conditions for metropolitan Washington. It also educates the public about voluntary actions people can take to reduce pollution and the health risks of bad air quality through its Clean Air Partners program, which is co-sponsored by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

ACPD: After breaking into car, would-be thief opens home’s garage door

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A would-be thief or thieves used the electronic opener inside a car they rummaged through to open a home’s garage door, according to police.

The incident happened early Tuesday morning on the 2500 block of Military Road, near Cherrydale.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report, below.

BURGLARY, 2023-06270025, 2500 block of Military Road. At approximately 2:28 a.m. on June 27, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect(s) gained entry into two of the victim’s vehicles, rummaged through the interiors and utilized a garage door opener to open the garage. No items were reported damaged or stolen from the garage or vehicles. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

In June 2021, Arlington police warned that they were seeing a rise in home and vehicle thefts that occur overnight when suspects find garage door openers in unlocked cars. The department said at the time that it assigned additional officers to north Arlington neighborhoods, where the crimes were taking place, adding that they arrested a group of suspects on the first night of deployment.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jun 28, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 10835 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Jun 28, 2023.

  1. More than a dozen mirrors stolen from cars parked in S. Arlington
  2. Arlington pulled prosecutors from traffic court. A driver who struck a girl on a bike escaped charges on an error.
  3. Morning Notes
  4. Parents call on APS to address slow academic growth, teacher turnover at Oakridge Elementary

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Widespread haze. Areas of smoke. Sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Southeast wind around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
– Socrates

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

NEW: Code Red air quality alert issued for Thursday

By ARLnow.com
Haze from Canadian wildfires earlier this month as seen over DCA (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The concentration of Canadian wildfire smoke in Arlington and the D.C. area is expected to get worse tomorrow.

A Code Red air quality alert has been issued for the region on Thursday. That means that those with certain health issues should avoid outdoor activities and even healthy individuals should limit their time outside.

It comes after a hazy day today, with air quality readings in the lower Code Orange level. The current air quality index reading for Arlington is 137, just below the Code Red threshold of 150, according to AirNow.gov.

With hundreds of wildfires blazing in Canada, particularly Quebec and British Columbia, the area’s air quality will likely continue to fluctuate “over the next several days,” according to Fairfax County, as reported by our sister site FFXnow.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, three new fires started today, and there are 476 active blazes, about half of which remain out of control. The agency has recorded 2,988 fires in 2023 so far that have burned through 8 million acres of land.

More on the air quality forecast below, from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Red air day for the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow: Thursday, June 29. Code Red levels mean the air is unhealthy for everyone. Smoke coming from wildfires in Canada is contributing to the increased levels of fine particle pollution.

COG advises the following health precautions:

  • Sensitive groups like people with heart or lung disease like asthma or emphysema, older adults, and children should avoid long or intense outdoor activities. Consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors.
  • Healthy individuals should limit long or intense outdoor activities.

Residents can check current air quality conditions on COG’s website or the Clean Air Partners website.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency also recommends the following during wildfire events:

  • Take it easier during smoky times. If you can see or smell smoke, avoid strenuous activities such as mowing the lawn or going for a run.
  • Reschedule outdoor work tasks and activities to a time when air quality improves. If outdoor tasks and activities cannot be rescheduled and must be conducted when air quality is poor, it is recommended that individuals reduce smoke inhalation by:
    • Limiting the time spent outdoors by only performing essential activities.
    • Taking frequent breaks indoors in places where the air is clean, especially during periods with high outdoor levels of wildfire smoke.
    • If you must work outdoors, choosing a mask that will protect you like an N95 respirator mask. Cloth masks will not protect you from wildfire smoke.
    • Using a portable air cleaner in one or more rooms. If you have a central air system in your home, use it to filter the air.

On unhealthy air days, COG advises the following actions to improve the air:

  • Avoid lawn mowing or use an electric mower.
  • Use gas or electric grills instead of charcoal.
  • Fill your vehicles’ gas tank after sunset.
  • Take transit, carpool, or work from home.
  • Turn off lights and electronics when not in use and follow tips from your electric utility about how to use less electricity to cool your home.

COG provides air quality forecasts and current air quality conditions for metropolitan Washington. It also educates the public about voluntary actions people can take to reduce pollution and the health risks of bad air quality through its Clean Air Partners program, which is co-sponsored by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Alfie and Eve

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Meet Alfie and Eve, the newest Arlington Pet of the Week duo!

This Boston Terrier and ginger cat duo are living their best lives in Arlington.

Their owner had this to say about them:

Meet the cutest brother and sister pair since Luke and Leia.

Alfie enjoys snuggling with anyone with a blanket, especially his mom, barking at the vacuum cleaner for fear it will vacuum him, and chasing Eve at random times, especially when she gets close to the person with the blanket.

He treats dog parks like human parks, happily running up to and jumping on unsuspecting people, particularly those wearing light-colored pants. Since his best friend, Floof the Bernadoodle, moved away, he hasn’t bonded with another dog, but he seems to like those who he can pretend to dominate the most, whether they are okay with this approach or not.

I keep talking to him about consent, but it seems to fall on deaf ears.

Eve enjoys waking her parents up at the crack of dawn by throwing herself against their bedroom door until they can no longer ignore her. Once in said room, she likes to step on her parents’ alarm clock until she turns on the radio or sets an alarm for 3 am to scare the bejeezus out of them.

If there’s a crawl space to be discovered, she suddenly becomes Marco Polo, ensuring that every inch is explored and that her parents yell her name, looking for her for hours until she acknowledges that she is alive. Her age is unknown because although the Fancy Cats and Dogs Rescue Team said she was a kitten, the cat dental surgeon who had to pull four of her teeth because of severe gum disease said her teeth put her age at roughly 5-7.

The cost of having to get all of her teeth pulled eventually will be like putting a child through private college, but she makes it all worth it by… well, we haven’t figured that out yet, but hopefully, she’ll give us motivation beyond scratching at our couch and giving us occasional purrs when we pet her.

The two of them have a love/torture/tolerate relationship, but I think they’d be pretty lonely without each other.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.

More than a dozen mirrors stolen from cars parked in S. Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car (file photo)

Residents of several south Arlington neighborhoods woke up Monday morning to find mirrors stolen from their parked cars.

The thefts happened at some point Sunday or Monday, in the Barcroft and Douglas Park neighborhoods, as well as the Shirlington area. An unknown thief or thieves stole the glass from side view mirrors of 14 vehicles, and damaged the mirrors of another three.

More, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

LARCENY FROM AUTO/VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series) (Late), 2023-06260040/2023-06260075/2023-06260135/2023-06260177, 4400 block of 4th Street S./ 2500 block of S. Arlington Mill Drive/2100 block of S. Quebec Street/2800 block of S. Wakefield Street. At approximately 7:34 a.m. on June 26, police were dispatched to the late report of destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined between 12:00 p.m. on June 25 and 1:00 p.m. on June 26, the unknown suspect(s) stole the glass from the sideview mirrors of 14 vehicles and damaged the glass of the sideview mirrors of three vehicles in the area. No other items were reported damaged or stolen. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

This is not the first such theft in the county. Last month four vehicles in north Arlington had side view mirror glass stolen in a theft spree, while a fifth vehicle was damaged.

Many modern side view mirrors house sensors and other electronics that could be worth more than a thousand dollars, making them attractive to thieves.

View More Stories