Arlington is the second-best “city” in the nation for recent college graduates, according to the website NerdWallet.

Arlington County received high marks for “the environment offered for recent college graduates looking to get a foothold in the working world,” which factors in “jobs, age of the population, rent costs, median earnings and unemployment.”

Arlington was second only to Madison, Wisconsin, and ahead of Seattle, Minneapolis and Boston, which ranked No. 3-5.

Here’s what NerdWallet wrote about Arlington:

Just over the Potomac River from the nation’s capital, Arlington is part of the densely populated region known as Northern Virginia, or NOVA. Rents are the highest among the top 10 — a median of $1,844 a month — and third-highest in our analysis. That the median income is $75,025 doesn’t quite offset the cost of living: Arlington’s young professionals still pour about 30% of their income into rent. Where it thrives is the percentage of workers in high-paying management, business, science and arts occupations (topping our list at 68%), likely due to the large technology, government contracting and finance employers in the region.

“With employers reporting plans to hire 5% more graduates in 2017 than in 2016, it appears the employment outlook for recent graduates is on the upswing,” said a NerdWallet PR rep. “That’s good news for the city [sic] of Arlington.”


A malfunctioning elevator at the Ballston Metro station made for an unpleasant morning commute for a woman at the Ballston Metro station Thursday.

The woman was trapped inside the station’s elevator at ground level after the doors would not open.

The Arlington County Fire Department was called and firefighters used the “jaws of life,” a heavy-duty hydraulic tool, to pry open the elevator doors. The started passenger was then able to squeeze out of the gap between the doors, where she was evaluated by paramedics.

ACFD posted a video of the incident on its Twitter account.


Car Fire on 23rd Street N. — A car was engulfed in flames on 23rd Street N. near the Overlee pool last night just before 6:30 p.m. The fire department arrived on scene and quickly extinguished the fire. [Twitter]

Local Tech Firm Benefiting from TrumpGiant Oak, a low-profile data mining firm based in Clarendon, has been awarded nearly $3 million in contracts from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since President Donald Trump took office. Most of the contracts are for “social media data analytics.” [Forbes]

Arlington On-Time Grad Rate Dips — “Arlington Public Schools’ on-time-graduation rate dipped slightly in 2017, remaining roughly on par with the state average, according to figures reported Sept. 27. The school system’s on-time-graduation rate of 90.8 percent was down from 91.1 percent a year before and the lowest since 2012.” [InsideNova]

No ‘Code Red’ Days This Year — Summer is over and the D.C. area got through it with no “code red” and fewer “code orange” low air quality days. “We’ve seen a dramatic improvement in the region’s air quality thanks to more than a decade of action and coordination at all levels of government,” said Hans Riemer, chair of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. [MWCOG]

Road Closures for Shirlington Oktoberfest — Campbell Avenue and part of S. Randolph Street in Shirlington will be closed most of the day Saturday for the annual Shirlington Oktoberfest, which runs from noon to 7 p.m. [Arlington County]

County Awarded for Economic Development Efforts — “Arlington Economic Development (AED) has been honored with three Excellence in Economic Development Awards by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The awards were presented at a ceremony earlier this month during the IEDC Annual Conference in Toronto.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley


A man got headbutted and punched by the same person on the same night but on separate occasions over the weekend.

The victim was headbutted around 1 a.m. Saturday after “a verbal dispute… escalated into physical violence.” Less than three hours later, the victim was reportedly roaming around Clarendon when he spotted the man who headbutted him. During a confrontation, the victim was punched in the face.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING (late), 2017-09230052, Wilson Boulevard at N. Highland Street. At approximately 3:45 a.m. on September 23, police responded to Virginia Hospital Center for a late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 1:00 a.m., the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal dispute that escalated into physical violence when the suspect headbutted the victim. The suspect left the area following the assault. The victim located the suspect at the intersection of N. Highland Street and Wilson Boulevard where a second physical altercation occurred. During this altercation, the victim was struck in the face and suffered a laceration. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 2017-09240025, 5200 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:12 a.m. on September 24, police were dispatched to the report of a sexual assault that had just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that while operating as a ride share driver, the female victim was inappropriately touched by a male passenger. Following the assault, the male suspect exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction. Officers canvased the area with negative results. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’7-5’8 tall with a thin build. He has blonde hair, a red beard and was last seen wearing a white shirt and light colored shorts. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2017-09240233, 200 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on September 24, police responded to the report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 8:56 p.m., an unknown suspect entered a business and demanded the cashier put money on a gas pump. The suspect then stole merchandise and cash from the register before exiting the business to fuel his vehicle. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 25-35 years old, 6’0″ tall and 220 lbs. He was wearing a black shirt and black shorts at the time of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED VEHICLE, 2017-09220163, NB I-395 at Washington Boulevard. At approximately 1:28 p.m. on September 22, police were dispatched to the report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that following a verbal dispute over vehicles merging lanes, the suspect threw a cup of coffee at the victim’s vehicle. The victim was not injured. The suspect is described as a black male, in his mid-20s to early 30s with a muscular build. The investigation is ongoing.

OBSCENE SEXUAL DISPLAY, 2017-09220224, 17th Street N. at N. Randolph Street. At approximately 4:42 p.m. on September 22, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined that a female victim observed a male suspect allegedly masturbating inside a vehicle. Scottie Leonard, 27, of Alexandria, VA was charged with obscene sexual display. He was held on a secure bond.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING (late), 2017-09260044, 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road. At approximately 7:00 a.m. on September 26, officers were dispatched to the Virginia Hospital Center for the late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., the male victim was socializing with three males. Following a verbal altercation, the three male suspects assaulted the victim, causing non-life threatening lacerations to the face. Suspect 1 is described as a Mongolian male, approximately 5’7, average build, wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans, Suspect 2 is described as a Mongolian male, approximately 5’10, average build, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, with a tattoo on one of his hands; and Suspect 3 is described as a Mongolian male, approximately 5’10, average build, wearing a dark t-shirt. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY, 2017-09250074, 1100 block of N. Quincy Street. At approximately 9:20 a.m. on September 25, officers responded to the report of damage to the entrance to a business. Upon arrival it was determined that an unknown suspect forced entry to the business between 4:15 p.m. on September 22 and 9:20 a.m. on September 25 and stole items of value. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2017-09250097, 1700 block of N. Uhle Street. Between September 12 at 5:00 p.m. and September 19 at 2:00 p.m. items of value were taken from a residence by an unknown suspect. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY, 2017-09250254, 3000 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 10:35 p.m. on September 25, officers responded to an audible front door alarm at a business. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown suspect made entry to the business at approximately 9:53 p.m. and stole items of value. The suspect is described as wearing a dark hoodie, pants and gloves. The investigation is ongoing.

FRAUD, 2017-09200088, 4700 block of Lee Highway, At approximately 9:12 a.m. on September 20, police were dispatched to the report of a possible skimming device located inside a gas pump after a citizen reported fraudulent activity on their credit card account after purchasing gas at this location. Upon arrival, police recovered a skimming device from the inside of one of the pumps. The investigation is ongoing.


Those enjoying summer’s muggy extended stay in our area are set for a letdown tomorrow.

Hot and humid afternoons and warm evenings will give way to seasonably cooler weather early Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Mr. Autumn Man can break out the flannel and sip a maple latte or pumpkin beer on a fall crisp day, rather than sweating over shorts-clad passersby questioning the meteorological appropriateness of said beverages.

Is the return of autumnal weather a good thing or bad thing, in your opinion?


County Celebrates ART Maintenance Facility Opening — Arlington County officials drove a bus through the ribbons at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Arlington Transit Light Maintenance Facility near Crystal City. “The facility provides… fueling, maintenance and wash services for the entire ART fleet,” noted a press release. “Washing and fueling services for ART buses had been contracted from an adjacent Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) facility at a higher cost and with restricted hours.” [Arlington County]

Banned Books Week at Libraries — Arlington Public Library is marking Banned Books Week, which runs through Sept. 30, by encouraging readers to check out at least one “challenged” book this week. [Arlington Public Library]

Lamenting Construction Inconveniences — From “Our Man in Arlington” columnist Charlie Clark: “My East Falls Church neighbors and I are at nerves’ end about a seemingly perpetual construction project we drive or walk past daily. The county’s stormwater drainage system expansion has been underway for a year at N. 24th and Rockingham streets. It has necessitated countless automobile and pedestrian detours… Construction improves our shared living space and boosts the economy. But it’s tough on neighbors.” [Falls Church News-Press]

W-L HOF Noms — The Washington-Lee High School Athletic Hall of Fame is accepting nominations for new inductees through Nov. 1. [W-L Athletics]

Lost Puppy in Va. Square-Ballston Area — A local resident is searching for her puppy, named Faith, who got loose Sunday night and was “lost by Quincy Park running towards Washington Blvd.” The dog is described as “a very sweet, incredibly timid boxer mix. Her identifying markings are: light brown body, black/white muzzle, white dipped paws, and a large spot of missing hair on her right hind thigh.” [Facebook]

Legal Drama for Matchbox — Matchbox Food Group, which counts a large Matchbox restaurant in Pentagon City among its locations, is locked in a messy legal battle between two of its cofounders and two of its financiers: a bank and the bank’s CEO, who is also an investor in the company. [Washington Business Journal]


Arlington’s representatives in Congress are pushing back against a new Trump administration travel ban and the latest Obamacare repeal bill.

Trump announced the new travel ban Sunday night. The administration’s previous efforts to implement a travel ban targeting certain countries deemed a security risk were hindered by legal challenges and met with widespread protests.

In a statement, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) says the new version of the ban is little improved from the previous versions.

Donald Trump cannot camouflage his Muslim Ban by adding new countries to it. Its discriminatory roots are still plainly visible. This policy is an attempt to use racial and anti-religious animus to divide people for political ends.

As with previous bans, the Administration provides no evidence that they enhance public safety. Meanwhile, the ban continues to stigmatize millions of Muslim Americans, as well as our key allies in the war on terror.

This policy has been wrong from the start, it is wrong still, and I will continue to oppose it.

Also issuing a statement last night was Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who weighed in on the latest effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Warner said the bill, which faces long odds in the Senate, would do more harm than good. He called for a bipartisan effort to lower healthcare costs and stabilize the health insurance markets.

This evening, the CBO released a score concluding millions of Americans would lose healthcare under this latest partisan repeal plan. Just hours before, S&P released a report finding that the Graham-Cassidy bill would cost our country about 580,000 jobs and $240 billion in lost economic activity over the next decade. There’s a reason why this bill is opposed by non-partisan groups from every sector of the health industry, including the American Medical Association, health insurers, hospitals, patients, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. With even the center-right think tank AEI panning both this bill and the process under which it is being rammed through Congress, it is time for the Senate to put this bill aside and recognize that we must work in a bipartisan way to stabilize the health insurance markets and put in place permanent fixes to lower costs and expand health care options for Americans. I stand ready and willing to work with any Senator, Republican or Democrat, who seriously shares that goal.

File photo


Wakefield Student Sang National Anthem — Wakefield High School junior Samantha Rios sang the national anthem before Sunday night’s Redskins-Raiders game. Rios, who previously competed on a Spanish language version of The Voice, was seen by a national TV audience as controversy swirled over players kneeling in protest during the anthem. [WUSA 9]

Officials to Compete in Trivia Battle — County Board Chair Jay Fisette, state Sen. Barbara Favola, Del. Patrick Hope and former County Board members Mary Hynes and Joe Wholey will compete in a “housing trivia battle” next month, testing their knowledge of Arlington history, particularly as it relates to housing issues. [Arlington County]

Clement Blasts Daycare Approval — Independent Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement said in a new email to supporters that the current Board places the interests of developers ahead of that of residents. As an example, she cited the recent approval of a new daycare center on Lee Highway, despite concerns about traffic among some local residents. The approval “will likely engender cut through traffic on an adjacent one lane street off Lee Highway that has already experienced major traffic accidents,” Clement wrote. The daycare had the general support of the local civic association. [Audrey Clement]

Gun Control Group to Host Fmr. ATF Agent — The local chapter of the pro-gun-control group Moms Demand Action is hosting a special event on Wednesday, featuring a former ATF special agent. The event will include discussion of the “the challenges facing gun violence prevention.” It is scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Shirlington Branch Library. Moms Demand Action had a booth at Clarendon Day this past weekend and signed up nearly 100 new volunteers. [Facebook, Medium]

Nearby: One Guy is Holding Up Development in D.C. — One persistent activist is holding up hundreds of millions of dollars worth of development in the District. Chris Otten has succeeded in delaying numerous developments by rallying a group of neighbors and filing court challenges. [Bisnow]


All lanes of S. Walter Reed Drive are closed in the area of Four Mile Run Drive due to a major crash.

The wreck happened just before 3:45 p.m. Monday on the steep hill leading down to Four Mile Run Drive. Initial reports suggest that at least three vehicles were involved and at least two people were hurt and are being transported to the hospital.

At least one of the vehicles overturned as a result of the crash, which knocked down utility poles and wires.

A number of people witnessed the crash. Witnesses reportedly told police that one of the drivers crossed into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed.

https://twitter.com/LincolnACFD/status/912410729164296192

Map (top) via Google Maps


Police are looking for a driver who threw a cup of coffee at another driver in a fit of road rage.

The incident happened Friday afternoon on northbound I-395 near Washington Blvd. Police say the man threw the coffee “following a verbal dispute over vehicles merging lanes.”

The intended victim of the flying cup of joe was not injured.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED VEHICLE, 2017-09220163, NB I-395 at Washington Boulevard. At approximately 1:28 p.m. on September 22, police were dispatched to the report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that following a verbal dispute over vehicles merging lanes, the suspect threw a cup of coffee at the victim’s vehicle. The victim was not injured. The suspect is described as a black male, in his mid-20s to early 30s with a muscular build. The investigation is ongoing.

File photo


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