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: Man Pinned Under Collapsed Wall

By ARLnow.com
1/19

(Updated 5:35 p.m.) A man was rescued by Arlington County firefighters after being pinned under a collapsed wall at a house on Old Dominion Drive this afternoon.

Crews responded around 2 p.m. Tuesday to a home on the 4700 block of Old Dominion Drive, where the man was pinned below his waist by a two-ton concrete slab. According to scanner traffic, he had been working on the wall when it gave way.

The man was conscious and being tended to by medics while a technical rescue team shored up the wall and removed the collapsed material. The man was extricated at approximately 2:55 p.m. and transported to the hospital.

Police closed Old Dominion Drive in both directions between Lee Highway and 23rd Street N. due to the emergency response. The road reopened shortly after 4 p.m.

According to scanner traffic, investigators from the police as well as the the state occupational safety agency will inspect the incident site.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

NRECA Tree Planting Ceremony — In honor of its 75th anniversary, yesterday the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association planted a tree next to its Ballston headquarters using soil collected from hundreds of its 900 electric co-op members. [Facebook]

SoberRide Active for July 4 — The regional SoberRide program will be offering free Lyft rides up to $15 each on the Fourth of July, to help get impaired drivers off the road. Between 7 p.m. on July 4 and 2 a.m. on July 5, Lyft users can use the promo code “SOBERJULY4” to get a free ride up to $15 or a $15 discount on a more expensive ride. [Washington Regional Alcohol Program]

Work on DCA Project Starting Soon — A $1 billion improvement project for Reagan National Airport is set to kick off soon, with construction of new security checkpoints for terminals B and C. That construction is expected to wrap up in 2020, while construction of a new commuter concourse is expected to conclude in 2021. [Washington Business Journal, Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Ridge Mansion to Be Auctioned — A 6 bedroom, 7 bath home in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood, built in 2015 and valued at $3.7 million, is being auctioned next month. [Patch]

BREAKING: ART Bus Rolls Into SUV, Yard in Nauck

By ARLnow.com
1/17

(Updated at 7:45 p.m.) Police and firefighters are on scene of a crash involving an Arlington Transit bus and an SUV in the Nauck neighborhood.

The crash happened around 6:15 p.m. Monday at the intersection of S. Nelson Street and 22nd Street S. Neighbors have been told that the bus somehow lost power heading up the steep hill on 22nd Street and began rolling backward, striking the parked SUV, knocking down utility lines and a light pole, and spinning into the yard of a home on the corner.

Several passengers were on board the bus at the time of the crash. One person, believed to be a passenger on the bus, suffered non-life-threatening facial injuries.

Police and ART officials were on scene taking photos and investigating the crash. A large wrecker later arrived to remove the bus from the yard.

The residents of the house the vehicles nearly slid into were at home at the time of the crash. Jill Brown said she and her husband were 10 feet from the wall closest to the collision.

“I heard the impact from the bus hitting my neighbor’s car, which was parked on the street when the bus slid into it,” Brown said. “I stood up, ran over and said to my husband, ‘Oh my God there’s a bus in the yard, call 911.’ And I ran out and… ran around the bus and made sure people were getting off the bus.”

“I saw one person go away in an ambulance, everyone else just seemed pretty shook up,” she said.

A similar crash involving an ART bus that rolled down a hill happened in Courthouse in 2013. Several buses were temporarily taken out of service pending a subsequent investigation.

Nelson Street was closed to traffic at S. Walter Reed Drive as a result of the crash.

Dozens of Dirt Bikes, ATV Rumbled Past Crystal City Last Night

By ARLnow.com

Dozens of wheelie-popping dirt bike and ATV riders rolled through Crystal City on Route 1 last night.

The convoy of “Sunday Fun Day” riders rumbled down Route 1 around 8 p.m., stopping at a nearby gas station, according to the Arlington County Police Department. Police responded to the scene but no arrests were made.

“At approximately 8:09 p.m. on June 25, the Emergency Communication Center received reports that approximately 30-40 dirt bikes and ATVs were at the gas station located in the 2300 block of Jefferson Davis Highway,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Officers were dispatched to the area but the group exited Arlington County on Route 1 prior to police arrival.”

The riders also were spotted Sunday in various parts of D.C., including downtown. The Metropolitan Police Department has reportedly stepped up arrests in response to the repeated group rides, which police call “extremely dangerous to pedestrians and other motorists.”

This is at least the fourth reported large dirt bike and ATV ride through Arlington since 2015.

https://twitter.com/TiffAnn_89/status/879129594225471488

Another Flashing Incident Between Rosslyn and Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

A man exposed himself to a woman in the Courthouse area Friday evening, according to Arlington County Police.

It’s the fourth such incident in the Rosslyn and Courthouse areas over the past month or so, though the suspect description differs from that of previous flashing incidents.

More from today’s daily ACPD crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2017-06230261, 2000 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 5:00 p.m. on June 23, officers responded to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined an unknown male subject exposed himself to a female victim. The male subject then fled the scene on foot. The subject is described as a black male, approximately 5’7″ – 6’0″ tall with a thin build. He was wearing a gray, pull-over hoodie and blue shorts. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Metro Changes in Effect — As of Sunday, the Metrorail system is now operating less frequently, with reduced hours and higher fares. [WMATA, WTOP, Greater Greater Washington]

Home Demolition Stats — So far in 2017, there have been 66 demolition permits for single-family homes applied for in Arlington, according to the group Preservation Arlington. Twenty-two permits were applied for in May alone. [Preservation Arlington]

Linden Combining With Melwood — Arlington-based Linden Resources is linking up with Maryland-based Melwood “to create one of the largest regionally focused nonprofits with more than $100 million in joint revenue.” The organizations provide job opportunities for people with disabilities. [Washington Business Journal]

B&E’s Ranked Among Best Eats — Bob and Edith’s Diner on Columbia Pike (and in Crystal City) has been named the best 24-hour restaurant in Virginia by Cosmopolitan Magazine. [Cosmopolitan, Patch]

Best of Ballston Awards — Cybraics, a company focused on fighting cybercrime, won the Innovation Award at the inaugural Best of Ballston Awards last week. [Ballston BID]

Flickr pool photo by GM and MB

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

It was an eventful week in Arlington County, with stories both serious and not-so-serious.

While we seek to cover all of the important stories that impact people’s lives in Arlington, not every story we publish is of the weighty variety. Some are just for fun — a glimpse at the silly and weird things that happen in our community.

Below are the top 5 most-read articles of the week.

  1. Police: Drunk Man Arrested for Tossing Wine Bottles Out of Whole Foods Window
  2. BREAKING: Man Stabbed in Jennie Dean Park
  3. A-Town Bar & Grill Turns a Corner in Latest County Review
  4. Large Power Outage in Clarendon Area
  5. Video: NYC Has Pizza Rat, Arlington Now Has French Bread Squirrel

Feel free to discuss those stories or anything else of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

BREAKING: House Fire in Lyon Village

By ARLnow.com
1/23

(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) Arlington County firefighters are on scene of a two alarm house fire in the Lyon Village neighborhood.

The fire was reported in both the basement and the attic of a home on the 3100 block of 17th Street N. The basement fire was quickly extinguished while firefighters used ladders, axes and lots of water to battle the flames in the attic.

The fire was out and the situation was said to be “stable” shortly before 5 p.m., according to scanner traffic.

The occupants of the home made it out safely. No injuries were reported among the firefighters.

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:

203 N. Trenton Street
1 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Heidi Burkhardt
Listed: $219,o00
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

801 S. Greenbrier Street #412
2 Bed/2 Bath Condo
Agent: Sean Ragen
Listed: $364,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

517 S. Veitch Street
2 Bed/1 Bath Single-Family Home
Agent: Ryan Verey
Listed: $419,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3517 8th Street S.
2 Bed/2 Bath Single-Family Home
Agent: Kristin Mango
Listed: $615,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3936 N. Wakefield Street
5 Bed/3 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Doris Brough
Listed: $975,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1706 N. Jefferson Street
4 Beds/3 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Elizabeth Twigg
Listed: $1,350,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3548 N. Nottingham Street
6 Bed/4 Bath Single-Family Home
Agent: Susan Wisely
Listed: $1,397,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

At Least Sixteen Vehicles Broken Into in Madison Manor

By ARLnow.com

Despite a pair of arrests earlier this week, car break-ins are continuing in Arlington.

Someone broke into at least 16 cars — most of them unlocked — between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in the Madison Manor neighborhood. Items of value were stolen.

Arlington County Police have repeatedly advised residents to lock their cars and remove valuables.

More from an ACPD crime report:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2017-06210061, 800 block of N. Nottingham Street. At approximately 7:20 a.m. on June 21, officers responded to the report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between 10:00 p.m. on June 20 and 7:10 a.m. on June 21, an unknown(s) suspect entered at least 16 mostly unlocked vehicles and stole items of value. A resident in the area called to report suspicious activity after witnessing an unknown suspect enter several vehicles. The suspect fled the scene on foot prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a black male in his early twenties, approximately 5’9″ tall and weighed 150-160 lbs. He was wearing dark clothing. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Poll: Do You Support the County Weighing in on Climate Change?

By ARLnow.com

Earlier this week the Arlington County Board approved a resolution expressing the county’s commitment to fighting climate change and upholding the Paris Climate Agreement.

One could argue that fighting climate change starts with local action and that, at the very least, there is positive symbolic value in the county’s resolution.

One could also argue that despite passage of its Community Energy Plan in 2013, there’s little Arlington County can legally do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, beyond providing incentives for greater energy efficiency in buildings.

What do you think? Should the County Board be taking the time to address the issue of climate change?

Photo by Tyler Zarfoss

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