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 Poll: What Would You Like to See More of on ARLnow?

By ARLnow.com

ARLnow is going to start experimenting with a slightly different approach to our local news coverage later this week, one that is intended increase the depth of some of our coverage while broadening the scope of the rest of our coverage.

As this approach should result in more articles being published each day — if all goes well — we have the opportunity to cover a wider variety of topics.

Which of the following, in your opinion, should we do more of?

Have other ideas? Let us know in the comments section.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Board Approves Construction Contracts — At its meeting Saturday, the Arlington County Board approved a pair of contracts: a $2.5 million contract to build phase two of the Washington Blvd Trail project and a $6.6 million contract to remove an elevated roadway through part of Crystal City. [Arlington County]

Firefighters Save Kittens — “A passerby heard the kittens crying from a compost box and saw one of them with its neck stuck between the posts. The Good Samaritan flagged down a nearby firetruck and the firefighters were able to free the kittens. Animal Control was then called to the scene to help locate all of the kittens and bring them to safety.” [WJLA]

Lubber Run Community Center Design OKed — The County Board has given its approval to the conceptual design for the new Lubber Run Community Center and park, which will replace the original community center, built in 1956. The next steps in the $48 million project are for the design to be completed and the facility to be built. [Arlington County, InsideNova]

Arlington Company Raises $42 Million — Ballston-based Federated Wireless, which creates shared spectrum technology for the wireless industry, has raised $42 million in Series B investment. [VC News Daily]

‘Kayaktivists’ Protest Near Pentagon — A group of ‘kayaktivist’ protesters raised banners that said “Stop War on Planet” and “No Wars for Oil” in the Pentagon Lagoon, near the Pentagon and Columbia Marina, yesterday. [Facebook]

Victories for Yorktown, Wakefield — The Yorktown (3-0) and Wakefield (2-1) varsity football teams both won at home this weekend. Washington-Lee (0-3) lost and remains winless. [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Jim Webster

TRAFFIC ALERT: Multi-Vehicle Crash on Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com

Police and medics are on scene of a three-vehicle crash on S. Glebe Road.

Initial reports suggest a car and a Jeep collided head-on and another car ran into a light pole at the intersection of S. Glebe Road and 12th Street, in front of the Post Office. Medics are evaluating vehicle occupants for injuries.

One southbound lane of Glebe is currently blocked just south of Columbia Pike, according to scanner traffic. Drivers should expect significant traffic impacts in the area.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

2917-D S. Woodley Street
1 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Shaugn White
Listed: $249,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

4615-B 28th Road S.
2 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Norman Odeneal
Listed: $305,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3536 S. Stafford Street
1 Bed/2 Bath Condo
Agent: Kay Houghton
Listed: $414,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3212 9th Street S.
2 Bed/2 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Elizabeth Lucchesi
Listed: $475,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

640 S. Greenbrier Street
4 Bed/2 Single Family Home
Agent: Shawn Harris
Listed: $615,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

615 29th Road S.
3 Bed/2 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Michelle Sagatov
Listed: $714,999
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

 

5732 4th Street S.
5 Bed/3 Bath Single-Family Home
Agent: Pamela Moyers
Listed: $799,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

DEVELOPING: The Track Is On Fire Outside of the Rosslyn Metro Station, Again

By ARLnow.com

For at least the second time this week, a large contingent of Arlington County Fire Department vehicles has descended on the Rosslyn Metro station for a report of a track fire.

Initial reports suggest there is an arcing insulator somewhere in the tunnel between the Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom stations — a seemingly persistent problem that has not been resolved by Metro’s extensive SafeTrack maintenance catch-up program.

Since a woman died on a Yellow Line train that filled with smoke near the L’enfant Metro station in 2015, ACFD sends the cavalry — a full “transportation incident” response — every time there is a report of smoke in a tunnel or fire on the tracks.

Shortly after arriving on scene, firefighters determined that there was no smoke in the Rosslyn station and that Metro’s emergency maintenance team would be taking the lead in resolving what was described as a minor track fire. Most fire department units are going back to their stations.

N. Moore Street is closed in front of the Metro station as a result of the emergency response. Metro riders should expect delays on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines.

Police: Man Seeking Attention Threatened Restaurant Patron With Scissors

By ARLnow.com

An Indiana man walked into a Crystal City restaurant Wednesday night, wrapped his arm around the neck of a female diner and threatened her with a pair of scissors, police say.

The attack happened just before 5:30 p.m. on the 2200 block of Crystal Drive.

Police say the man was “in search of individuals that would acknowledge him” and “the incident occurred after the victim did not acknowledge the suspect.” The suspect was taken into custody after bystanders intervened, potentially saving the woman from being maimed.

Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage described to ARLnow.com what happened:

After the suspect placed his arm around the victim’s neck and threatened her, a male witness approached the suspect from behind, bearhugged him and took him to the ground. Additional witnesses assisted in gaining control of the suspect, disarming him of the scissors and detaining him until police arrived and took the suspect into custody.

The immediate intervention by good Samaritans stopped an active threat against the victim and potentially saved her from serious injury.

More from an ACPD crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2017-09130224, 2200 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 5:24 p.m. on September 13, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that a male suspect entered a restaurant, approached a female victim, placed his arm around her neck and threatened her with a pair of scissors. Witnesses came to the side of the female victim, intervened and detained the suspect until police arrived. Neal Jesspace, 49, of Jamestown, IN was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held on no bond.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Nonprofit Gets State Grant — “Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced a $175,000 grant to La Cocina VA, a nonprofit workforce development organization in Arlington County, to enhance its culinary skills training facility, create a business plan training course, and develop a small business competition.” [Gov. Terry McAuliffe]

Actual Driverless Car in Arlington — Moving beyond vans with people dressed as car seats, an actual driverless car has now taken to the streets within Arlington County. An autonomous vehicle developed by Carnegie Mellon University drove itself around Ft. Myer yesterday as part of the military base’s Industry Day event. [Facebook]

Nestle Buys Blue Bottle — Nestle, which is still moving into its new U.S. headquarters in Rosslyn, has bought Oakland, Ca.-based hipster coffee brand Blue Bottle. Could that mean that a Blue Bottle location in Arlington is around the corner? Possibly, but the company already has a location across the river in Georgetown. [Washington Business Journal, Nestle]

Arlington Gets Gigabit Internet — Comcast announced earlier this week that “it has launched a new Internet service in Arlington that will deliver speeds up to 1 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) to residential and business customers.” According to a press release, “these speeds will be among the fastest and most widely available,” utilizing DOCSIS 3.1 technology. The cost of the service is $79.99 a month with a one-year contract or $104.95 a month without.

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington No. 6 on Highest-Income List — Arlington County is the No. 6 highest-income county in the country, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. Three other local counties — Loudoun County, Howard County and Fairfax County — were Nos. 1, 2 and 3 respectively. D.C., meanwhile, was one of the only urban centers in the country to see a decline in its median household income. [Washington Post]

Local Oktoberfest List — A Reddit user has created a master list of local Oktoberfest celebrations and German restaurants. Among the events on the list is the annual Capitol City Brewing Oktoberfest in Shirlington, scheduled this year for Saturday, Sept. 30. [Google Docs, Reddit]

Arlington Ladies Auxiliary Van For Sale — For $3,500, you can be the proud owner of a 1967 Dodge van that once was used as the Arlington Professional Firefighters Association Ladies Auxiliary coffee wagon. [Craigslist]

Arlington Combating Opioid Epidemic —  Arlington County is reminding residents that opioid addiction remains a significant problem in the county and around the U.S. “Opioid use and cases of overdosing continue to rise,” the county said, on a webpage that lists resources for those trying to overcome addiction. [Arlington County]

Mobility Lab Director Touts Success — “We calculated that on a typical workday, our services in Arlington County helped shed about 40,000 trips from vehicles into biking, walking, et cetera,” says the Managing Director of Arlington County’s Mobility Lab, in an interview. “That’s equivalent to seven lanes of urban highway.” [Arlington Magazine]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

BREAKING: Fire Department Responding to Rosslyn Metro for Track Fire

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:40 p.m. — Most fire department units are picking up and returning to their stations as Metro crews work to resolve the track issue.

Earlier: A platoon of Arlington County Fire Department units are on scene at the Rosslyn Metro station for a report of a fire on the tracks.

Initial reports suggest that the fire is an arcing insulator somewhere between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom, and that trains are turning around to avoid it. No smoke has been reported in the Rosslyn station.

Metro riders should expect delays on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. Police are closing N. Moore Street to traffic due to the fire response.

https://twitter.com/LincolnACFD/status/908058607585034241

Crime Report: Fugitive Arrested After Failed Burglary

By ARLnow.com

A woman, wanted with a rap sheet, was arrested last week for a failed burglary along Columbia Pike.

Police say the suspect broke into a business on the 4600 block of Columbia Pike — home to a restaurant, a gas station, a market and an auto shop — but then “was unsuccessful in removing items.”

Police arrested her after responding to a call about a suspicious person around 1 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BURGLARY, 2017-09070016, 4600 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on September 7, officers responded to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, officers located a female suspect on the property in possession of burglarous tools. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect forced entry into the business but was unsuccessful in removing items. Talisha Braxton, 24, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with Burglary, Possession of Burglarous Tools, Destruction of Property, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, and Fugitive from Justice. She was held on no bond.

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

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Arlington Pet of the Week: Scarlett

By ARLnow.com
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This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Scarlett, a senior cat and proven hunter.

Here is what her owner Pat had to say about her:

Scarlett got a second chance at a normal life four years ago after finding her forever home when she was 11 years old. She immediately found her spot with her new family, and quickly claimed her territory between her owners on the couch and on the bed.

Her big bright eyes and sweet demeanor are what first attracted us to Scarlett. If you inspect her a little closer, you will discover her special markings: black spots on her paw pads, a brown patch (her “nougat”) on her otherwise white belly, and a white-tipped tail.

Despite her domestic and indoor lifestyle, Scarlett is a proven hunter. She has caught cockroaches and a mouse, and diligently stands guard waiting for the next intruder.

Also a scavenger, Scarlett is undeterred when trying to steal chicken, cheese, popcorn, crackers, or tortilla chips from anyone who lets their guard down. She is very chatty, and demands treats whenever someone enters the apartment or picks up their keys to leave.

Last October, Scarlett skeptically welcomed a baby girl into our home. She was the perfect furry buddy during the pregnancy and our first months at home with the baby.

She expertly stays just out of arm’s reach, and found that baby gear can offer a great place for a catnap. We are so happy that we adopted this senior cat, and hope that more people consider adopting older cats to give them a good home for their golden years.

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.

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