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.

Part of Arlington Under Severe Thunderstorm Warning

By ARLnow.com

Part of south Arlington is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning late Thursday afternoon

From the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… WEST CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… NORTHWESTERN CHARLES COUNTY IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND… SOUTHEASTERN ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 615 PM EDT * AT 527 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER FORT BELVOIR, MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. HAZARD… 60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. SOURCE… RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT… DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, SPRINGFIELD, FORT WASHINGTON, FORT HUNT, GROVETON, HUNTINGTON, CORAL HILLS, FORT BELVOIR, NATIONAL HARBOR, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, CRYSTAL CITY, RFK STADIUM, NATIONALS PARK, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, BURKE, LINCOLNIA, LORTON, FRANCONIA AND OXON HILL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… GET INDOORS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM WIND AND LIGHTNING. TREES AROUND YOU MAY BE DOWNED FROM DAMAGING WINDS, SO IF YOU ARE NEAR LARGE TREES, MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. DON’T DRIVE UNDERNEATH TREES OR IN WOODED AREAS UNTIL THE THREAT HAS PASSED. && HAIL… 1.00IN WIND… 60MPH

JUST IN: Police Dogs to Search Schools As APS Addresses Drug Problem

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police K-9 units will be deployed to Arlington’s public high schools as the school system addresses what some see as a worsening drug problem.

During the last few weeks of the school year and throughout the summer, the dogs will patrol secondary schools after hours to try to sniff out illegal drugs.

Described as a “proactive measure” in a letter to parents, sent today (Thursday), the searches come at a time when parents are becoming increasingly alarmed about the presence of drugs in middle and high schools.

“I have two children in middle school and have heard of numerous times this year alone of students overdosing on prescription drugs on school grounds or having drugs on school grounds,” one Arlington Public Schools parent said in an email to ARLnow.com.

“Drugs in APS middle and high schools are a real problem,” said an APS employee, who wished to remain anonymous. “Administrators are quick to sweep the drug problems under the rug so it won’t make the school look bad. Do the police warn drug dealers of a raid before the raid? I’m a concerned parent, tax paying citizen and an employee of APS.”

In an email to staff yesterday afternoon, obtained by ARLnow.com, Washington-Lee High School Principal Dr. Gregg Robertson acknowledged that Arlington “has seen an increase in the use of controlled substances.”

As many of you may be aware, Arlington, like many areas of the country, has seen an increase in the use of controlled substances. Over the course of the past year, APS staff worked closely with a number of county agencies to respond to this uptick and to ensure that our schools continue to be safe spaces for students and staff. One of the new measures that will be implemented to help minimize the presence of illegal substances in the schools is the use of the Arlington Police Department K-9 unit. Beginning later this month, the police will come to each of the high schools with the K-9 units to search for drugs. The searches will take place in the evening after students and staff have left.

APS has been communicating this information to families, and all high schools will make an announcement tomorrow (Thursday) morning. I wanted you to be aware of this initiative as I am sure students may have questions.

The drug dogs will only patrol high schools, not middle schools, according to APS.

At least one middle school principal downplayed the extent of the “drug problem” at her school. In an email sent to parents on Monday, Williamsburg Middle School principal Connie Skelton said the problem was limited to “a small cohort of students.”

I’ve had some questions about the “drug problem” at Williamsburg. I want to assure you that this is not a widespread problem, however, we do share your concern. In our school, there is a small cohort of students we are carefully following for drug related issues. If you have any information you would like to share with me, please give me a call.

Arlington Public Schools spokesman Frank Bellavia said the school system is taking measures to keep students safe in the face of a nationwide upswing in drug use.

“Substance abuse and opioid use is a growing problem both in our region and across the U.S.,” said Bellavia. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are taking steps to make sure that our students are safe and that our schools remain drug free. We also want to make sure that parents are aware and having conversations with their children at home.”

New Fitness Studios Coming to Pentagon Row, Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
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Just like burgers, cupcakes, and froyo before it, there is clearly a new business boom in progress in Arlington. This latest business trend, at least, has the promise of subtracting pounds rather than adding them.

Boutique fitness studios have been popping up all around Arlington lately, and as if to reinforce the point, the two latest entrants have very similar names: E60 and F45.

F45, an Australia-based fitness franchise, is “opening soon” at 1101 S. Joyce Street in Pentagon Row, though an opening date has not yet been announced.

F45 describes itself as “a Group-Training facility that feature[s] the most dynamic and effective training styles to date.”

Meanwhile, a fitness studio called E60 — no relation — is getting ready to open next month in Rosslyn.

Located at 1524 Clarendon Blvd, E60 Fitness is described as the “home of Elevate 60, a gut-busting high-intensity interval training class” which “uses custom equipment and a hybrid of several exercise concepts along with heart rate monitoring technology to provide a uniquely exciting and invigorating workout.”

A grand opening for the business, which has an existing location in Ashburn, is set for Saturday, June 3.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Kal Penn Spotted at A-Town — Eddie Lacy wasn’t the only famous person spotted at an Arlington bar over the past week. Actor and former Obama administration official Kal Penn was photographed hanging out at A-Town Bar and Grill in Ballston this past weekend.

NKD Pizza Closed in Ballston — The NKD Pizza restaurant on N. Quincy Street in Ballston is closed. The struggling chain’s Pentagon Row location closed a year ago. [Yelp, Twitter, Twitter]

Monday Properties Refinances Rosslyn Portfolio — “Monday Properties has completed an $888 million refinancing of its Rosslyn portfolio… resolving one of the largest chunks of expiring commercial real estate debts taken out before the recession.” Meanwhile, Monday says that Nestle moving its corporate headquarters to 1812 N. Moore Street “has prompted other prospects to consider Rosslyn that wouldn’t have in the past.”  [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington’s Bond Rating Affirmed — “For the 17th year in a row, all three credit ratings agencies have reaffirmed Arlington County’s debt ratings of Aaa/AAA/AAA — the highest rating. Arlington is one of just 45 Counties in the United States, and 9 in Virginia, to receive the highest rating from all three credit agencies for its bonds.” [Arlington County]

Nearby: Video of Fire in Falls Church — Arlington County firefighters assisted on a shed and house fire in the Falls Church section of Fairfax County last week. The blaze was caught on video by a neighbor. [Statter 911]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Crystal City Office Building to Get Bold New Paint Job

By ARLnow.com

A building adjacent the Crystal City Metro station is getting a bold new red paint job.

Property owner Vornado will be adding color to its currently beige office building at 251 18th Street S. The painting is expected to begin soon.

The new color “will create an iconic new landmark at [the Metro station] and at the gateway to Crystal City at 18th Street,” according to the Crystal City Business Improvement District, which has been “adding color, vibrancy and art to Crystal City” via projects like Artomatic, Art Underground and various murals around the neighborhood.

While efforts to add to the vibrancy of the neighborhood and improve its aesthetics have been well-received — they were a main topic of an extensive Washingtonian feature last week — the reality is that many of the buildings around Crystal City date back to the 60s and 70s; 251 18th Street was built in 1975 according to Loopnet.

With a wholesale redevelopment of older buildings financially infeasible at a time of high office vacancy rates, Crystal City and its property owners have instead been finding ways to refurbish, creatively re-purpose — and now repaint — existing buildings.

Courtesy photo

Crime Report: Man Tries, Fails to Snatch Purse

By ARLnow.com

A would-be thief failed to steal a purse Monday evening in Rosslyn

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. on the 1500 block of Clarendon Blvd, the same block as District Taco and a Starbucks.

More from this week’s Arlington County weekly crime report:

ATTEMPTED PURSE SNATCHING, 2017-05220224, 1500 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 5:31 p.m. on May 22, officers responded to the report of an attempted purse snatching that just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined an unknown male suspect approached a female victim from behind and attempted to steal the victim’s purse. Following a brief struggle, the suspect fled the scene without the victim’s purse. The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-twenties, approximately 5’5″ tall with a slight build. He was wearing a blue hoodie, jeans, and dark baseball cap. The investigation is ongoing.

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

(more…)

Tomorrow: Flags-In at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery

By ARLnow.com
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Thousands of soldiers will participate in a time-honored tradition at Arlington National Cemetery tomorrow: the placement of flags at each headstone and columbarium for Memorial Day.

There are more than 400,000 interred at the cemetery, but soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment — The Old Guard — will place a flag in front of each in about four hours, rain or shine.

The monumental task is known as “Flag-In,” and is conducted every year prior to Memorial Day to honor the nation’s fallen military heroes. This year, it’s happening tomorrow (Thursday) starting at 1 p.m.

The event also includes a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“While the public is welcome to observe the Flags-In tradition, the public cannot participate in the flag placement,” the cemetery noted in a news release.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Falls in Parks Ranking — Arlington and D.C. both fell in the annual ParkScore rankings of cities by The Trust for Public Land. Arlington was ranked sixth in the nation this year and D.C. ranked fourth, while last year they were ranked fourth and third respectively. [The Trust for Public Land, Washington Post]

Neighborhood Conservation Projects Approved — The Arlington County Board last night unanimously approved $5.5 million in neighborhood improvement projects, including “street improvements, streetlights, intersection improvements and a neighborhood sign.” [Arlington County]

How to Live in Arlington on $50,000 — A young woman who works as a case manager outlined her expenditures while living in Arlington on a $50,000 salary, as part of a “Money Diaries” feature. Eschewing the urban millennial stereotype of profligate spending, she manages to save $1,000 a month — although that is helped by her parents continuing to pay her cell phone bill. [Refinery 29]

County to Sell Millions in Bonds — The County Board has approved issuing up to $185 million in general obligation bonds to help fund various capital priorities, including: Metro, Neighborhood Conservation, paving, parks land acquisition, maintenance capital, Lubber Run Community Center planning, Nauck Village Center action plan and transportation. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Water Main Break Reported in Fairlington

By ARLnow.com

Dozens of homes in Fairlington are without water pressure this afternoon due to a water main break.

The break was first reported this morning along S. Abingdon Street, between 30th and 31st Street S. Arlington County crews are on scene making repairs, with water service expected to be restored by 8 p.m.

Only one lane of traffic is getting by the work on S. Abingdon Street, according to Arlington Alerts.

Last year Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services crews repaired 203 water main breaks in the county, the department said in a tweet, shortly before tweeting about the Fairlington incident.

NFL Running Back Eddie Lacy Hangs Out in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Newly-signed Seattle Seahawks running back Eddie Lacy spent part of his weekend in Clarendon.

Lacy, who was earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Honors in 2013 while on the Green Bay Packers, was photographed hanging out with Arlington County police officers who were patrolling the bar district. The department posted some of the photos on Twitter Monday, including one with Lacy sitting on a police motorcycle and another in which he is smiling while holding a pair of handcuffs.

Lacy also was spotted at Don Tito, where he posed with co-owner Nick Cordero.

Other professional athletes have been spotted at Don Tito over the past couple of years, including former Washington Capitals player Brooks Laich (with fiancée Julianne Hough) and United States women’s national soccer team defender Ali Krieger.

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