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.
Arlington County government headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Most Arlington County facilities will be closed Monday for the Juneteenth federal holiday.
Courts, DMV offices, Dept. of Human Services facilities, libraries, community centers, permitting offices, the treasurer’s office and waste drop-offs will all be closed on June 19. Parking meters will not be enforced.
The Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center, on the other hand, will be open. Trash collection and ART buses, meanwhile, will both be operating on normal schedules
And enforcement of illegal parking, beyond meters, will continue as usual.
“Permit parking is always in effect unless specifically noted on the sign,” the county noted.
The annual summer music festival is set to take place on June 17 this year and will span several Columbia Pike blocks. It will feature a collection of performances, local food, beer, and family-friendly activities, as it usually does.
This year’s headliner is Judith Hill, a singer and songwriter featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “20 Feet from Stardom.” She’s performed and worked with John Legend, Josh Groban, Prince, and Michael Jackson and has self-produced several of her own albums.
Also playing at the festival are Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers, local blues guitarist Bobby Thompson, Gayle Harrod Band, and Spice Cake Blues.
A number of local restaurants will be providing food and drinks, including New District Brewing.
Arlington County police will be on scene, helping with road closures and traffic control.
From an ACPD press release:
The 2023 Columbia Pike Blues Festival will take place on Saturday, June 17, and will begin at approximately 1:00 p.m. The following roadways will be closed from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in order to accommodate the event:
S. Walter Reed Drive, from 9th Street S. to Columbia Pike
Southbound Walter Reed Drive, from 7th Street S. to 9th Street S. – local traffic only and handicapped drop-off for the event.
9th Street S., from S. Highland Street to S. Walter Reed Drive
9th Road S., from S. Garfield Street to S. Walter Reed Drive.
The 2023 Zero Prostate Cancer 5k Run/Walk will take place on Saturday, June 17. The following roadways will be closed in order to accommodate the event:
From approximately 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
S. Joyce Street, between 15th Street S. and Army Navy Drive
From approximately 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Army Navy Drive, between S. Joyce Street and 25th Street S.
Race attendees and spectators are encouraged to use public or other forms of multimodal transportation, as street parking around the event will be limited. Paid parking is available in the garage at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City for those choosing to drive.
“The public should expect to see an increased police presence in the area, and motorists are urged to follow law enforcement direction, be mindful of closures, and remain alert for increased pedestrian traffic,” the police department said of the events. “Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary ‘No Parking’ signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.”
Address:2409 Military Road Neighborhood: Lee Heights Type: 5 BR, 4 BA single-family detached — 3,500 sq. ft. Listed: $1,395,000
Noteworthy: Lee Heights beauty with a spectacular backyard garden oasis!
This beautiful 5-bedroom, 4-bath home offers 3,500 square feet of living space in sought-after Lee Heights just two stoplights to D.C. and a short walk to area restaurants and shops.
The spectacular backyard oasis with a large patio, mature landscaping, and a “secret” terrace offers a private escape from bustling Arlington.
For a video tour, 3D virtual tour, interactive floor plan, more photos and details visit www.2409militaryrd.com.
The main level provides an elegant living room with a wood-burning fireplace; a clean-lined, eat-in kitchen with granite counters, breakfast bar, and cherry cabinets; a family room open to the kitchen; a dining room that seats 8; a lovely all-season sunroom; and a rare main-level bedroom.
The upper level features 3 bedrooms, including the primary bedroom suite with large walk-in closet, an additional bath, and sunny office space with built-in bookshelves. The lower level offers a rec room with a wood-burning fireplace and built-in bar, a huge bedroom suite, and extra space for a gym, office or playroom.
This classic charmer has been freshly painted in serene, neutral colors, and offers hardwood floors through the main level and brand new carpet in the lower level. There’s also a one car garage and a large storage room, perfect for gardening and lawn equipment, accessed from the backyard.
It’s just a short walk to restaurants, cafes and shopping in Cherrydale and Lee Heights, with buses to Metro one block away.
A chance of showers before 11am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11am and 5pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a slight chance of showers between 8pm and 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Shelby is the softest girl who will look at you adoringly with her pensive blue eyes.
She loves pets, particularly under her chin and on her butt. While she isn’t a total lap kitty yet, she likes to check in for a cuddle and some biscuit-making when she’s in the right mood. Shelby is still a bit nervous about new people, so she’ll probably benefit from a family that is happy to give her the time that she needs to settle in and gain her confidence.
She hasn’t shown much interest in toys or her feline foster sister, but she does really enjoy looking out the window and snoozing under pieces of furniture.
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 gallery!
Front of Sloppy Mama’s BBQ (Photo by Nick Barahona)
Inside Sloppy Mama’s BBQ (Photo by Nick Barahona)
(Updated at noon) It’s not even the highlight of the Arlington eatery’s menu, but the burger at Sloppy Mama’s has been named one of the best in the D.C. area.
That’s according to Washington Post food critic Tim Carman, who sampled 45 burgers around the region and compiled a list of the top 10. Many of the top burgers were at restaurants in the District which specialize in burgers.
But not Sloppy Mama’s, the barbecue joint at 5731 Langston Blvd.
The $6 cheeseburger is a recent addition to a menu that’s more focused on brisket than burgers. Nonetheless, it placed No. 3 on Carman’s list.
“The first time I tried the cheeseburger at Sloppy Mama’s, it was during the pandemic,” Carman wrote. “I had ordered a variety of smoked meats for takeaway — back when we were keeping the world at arm’s length — and owners Joe and Mandy Neuman tossed in a couple of burgers as a thank you. They had just put the burgers on the menu, one more hedge against an uncertain future for restaurants at the time. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d even try one.”
But the burger blew him away, perhaps due to the meat that’s used.
“[Joe Neuman’s] patties are made with the trimmings from prime briskets,” Carman noted, adding that the taste “probably boils down to animal fat, and lots of it. These burgers are not afraid to revel in the richness that can only come from good beef.”
Only one other Arlington restaurant was mentioned in the article, as an honorable mention: Bob and Edith’s Diner and its B&E burger.
The US Air Force Memorial, under construction, pictured through a fisheye lens (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Last Days of School — Today is the last day of school for Arlington Public Schools middle schoolers. Yesterday was the last day for high schoolers and tomorrow is the last day for elementary students. Summer break for K-12 students will run through the first day of school on Aug. 28. [YouTube]
DCA Bill Picking Up Support — From Jake Sherman: “NEWS in @PunchbowlNews Midday CRUZ, CANTWELL discussing deal to ease DCA perimeter restriction. Would be a win for @Delta.” [Twitter]
GOP Voting in Dem Primary? — “Because Virginia does not register voters by political affiliation, any registered voter is eligible to cast a ballot in the June 20 race. The Arlington County Republican Committee chairman has cautioned members of his committee from doing so, but anecdotal evidence suggests some may be taking part in an effort to dislodge Dehghani-Tafti, who has held the post for four years.” [Gazette Leader]
Board Candidates Talk to TV Station — “Maureen Coffey, Susan Cunningham and Jonathan Dromgoole, three candidates running for the Democratic nomination for two seats on the Arlington County Board, explained to 7News where they stand on some of the county’s biggest issues. This includes the recently passed ‘Missing Middle’ zoning changes.” [WJLA]
Delegate Candidate Preps for Office — “McClure goes into next week’s Democratic primary as one of two names on the ballot for the new 2nd District House of Delegates seat. Her opponent, Kevin Saucedo-Broach, dropped out after ballots had been prepared, meaning the primary goes on but voters will be notified that he is no longer running… At the present time, no Republicans or independents have filed for the seat.” [Gazette Leader]
Elevated Algae Levels in River — “If your tap water has an unusually earthy or musty taste and smell, algae living in the Potomac River may be to blame. According to officials with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, residents in parts of Montgomery County and Prince George’s County may notice the change… In the District and Arlington County, drinking water comes from the Potomac, but is treated separately from the water in Maryland.” [DCist]
Legion Post Baseball Team Undefeated — “With a strong and busy 7-0 start to the 2023 American Legion late spring and summer baseball season and an experienced roster, Arlington Post 139 is in position to continue its recent trend as a top team in District 17.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Thursday — Sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph. At night: A slight chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. [Weather.gov]
An Osprey flyover on a gray morning in September 2022 (staff photo)
Get ready for the roar of military aircraft tomorrow.
Two separate military flyovers of Arlington National Cemetery are planned for Thursday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
“The US Navy will conduct a military flyover at the Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 9:15 AM,” according to the District of Columbia’s AlertDC system. “The US Air Force will conduct a military flyover… at 1:10 PM.”
Despite being quite commonplace, such flyovers of the cemetery, arranged for certain military funerals, often catch Arlington residents off guard, leading to emails and social media inquiries to ARLnow.
Part of the reason for that is a lack of notice before flyovers. While some are noted in advance by the cemetery on social media or via email by AlertDC, others come as a surprise.
There is a push for more transparency around ceremonial flyovers, journalist Rob Pegoraro reported last week for Greater Greater Washington.
“People in the region have all kinds of reasons for wanting to know ahead of time when a loud flyover’s about to happen, from calming infants and pets, to transparency about military activity, to pure appreciation,” wrote Pegoraro.
A look at ongoing interior construction at Ireland’s Four Courts (via Twitter/@irelands4courts)
A look at ongoing interior construction at Ireland’s Four Courts (via Twitter/@irelands4courts)
A look at ongoing interior construction at Ireland’s Four Courts (via Twitter/@irelands4courts)
Rendering of new Four Courts exterior facade (courtesy Ireland’s Four Courts)
Ireland’s Four Courts, under renovation in March (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Ireland’s Four Courts says it’s still on track to reopen in August.
The longtime Courthouse watering hole has been closed since a rideshare driver plowed into the front of the pub last August, sparking a raging fire and seriously injuring several people.
The pub released a video Tuesday evening providing a tour of the ongoing construction inside. The one-minute video shows the interior totally gutted and lined with new plywood.
“I know it looks a little different than how we’re used to seeing it, but today we’re here to give you a sneak peak at all the construction and renovations that have been going on over the past few months, in prep for our grand reopening in August,” the video’s host says.
Only a few items salvaged from the original pub are seen in the video, including the large wooden fireplace and some stained glass windows.
While the layout of the pub will be more or less the same as it was before the crash and fire, there will be some new features, notably a new draft beer system, the host says.
Leaf blowers in use in the Truist Bank parking lot in Ballston (courtesy anonymous)
Proximity of resident’s apartment building to DCA (via Google Maps)
Naval support facility on S. Courthouse Road (via Google Maps)
One inevitability of running a local news outlet is that you’ll get plenty of people contacting you with complaints about stuff, some more newsworthy than others.
In general, we’re disinclined to use our limited reporting resources as a cudgel against pet peeves that lack greater significance or safety concerns to the community at large. More often, the better stories tend to be those that come from tips sent because something seems interesting, not because it bothers the tipster personally.
Recently, though, there has been a noticeable uptick in a certain type of tip: those complaining about noise.
Noise is a constant concern in a place like Arlington, which has no shortage of noisy things from airliners to helicopters, bars to buses.
Noise complaints abound in our 26 square miles, but those that have a more limited local impact and fall into a category that might be described as “annoying but to be expected where you live” often do not rise to the level of local coverage.
Arguably, the following three noise complaints could get that categorization. But after receiving each in notably short succession, we’re going to let readers decide which, if any, has the most merit and might deserve additional scrutiny.
First up: (1) the use of leaf blowers in Ballston when there are, in fact, few if any leaves on the ground.
You folks should do a story on excess use of gas powered leaf blowers in [Ballston]. I live off Welburn Square, and when I work at home I hear pairs of workers with leaf blowers frequently, like every few days. This happens literally year round, every month,–80% of the time there are no leaves!
Are these county workers? It seems like a waste of taxpayer money plus unneeded air pollution and sound pollution.
I’ve attached a photo from this morning. No leaves!! Yet two guys with gas powered blowers wailing.
Regards
Welburn Square apartment resident.
Next: (2) nightly runway closures at DCA steering late flights closer to residential towers in nearby Crystal City.
As a longtime resident of Crystal City, my high-rise building, and others on the northern end of Crystal Drive, are directly along the flight path of aircraft currently departing the 15/33 runway that’s being used during the evenings while the main runway is worked on. Since the project started, aircraft depart that runway perhaps 1000′ from my building regularly during the late evening until nearly 3AM … and then resume a few more times before 6AM when the main runway is cleared for regular daytime traffic. (It’s intolerable for us in Waterford House and Crystal Gateway, but likely is worse for the residents of Crystal City Lofts and Water Park Towers.)
In addition to working professionals, several buildings in this part of Crystal City count many senior citizens as homeowners and/or renters. Taken together, we are all directly – and adversely – impacted being in such immediate proximity to the overwhelming noise of aircraft taking off on 15/33 that pass so close to our buildings during the overnight hours. I think you’d agree that long-term sleep deprivation and the related health consequences – at any age – certainly is not the answer. :(
According to a 2022 airport diagram[1], DCA runway 15/33 is 5200×150′ while 4/22 is 5000×150. Runway 4/22 is another ‘cross’ runway but departs over the Potomac River and does not put departing aircraft so close to residential buildings during their initial climb-out from DCA. Given the nearly identical length of these runways, it would be nice to know why DCA is not able to use that runway instead and therefore prevent disrupting the residents of northern Crystal City.
Finally: (3) the daily playing of the National Anthem at a Navy facility in the Penrose neighborhood, which allegedly “started last fall” and “can be heard from several blocks away, through windows, and is played every day.”
I am writing in about the Naval Support Facility at 701 S Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA. Several months ago, the facility began playing the National Anthem every morning at 8am.There are speakers pointed directly into the neighborhood. While it may have simply been an oversight, I wanted to bring Arlington County’s noise ordinances to your attention.
According to Arlington County, the Naval Support Facility is located in Zone S-3A. Arlington’s noise control regulations require that noise for Zone S-3A is below 95 decibels for “impulsive noise” during daytime hours (7am – 9pm weekdays, 10am – 9pm weekends) and below 90 decibels during nighttime hours. Please note they also define impulsive noise as lasting less than 1 second [Noise Ordinance, page 2]. All other noise needs to remain below 60 decibels during daytime hours and 55 decibels during nighttime hours. The Naval Support Facility plays the National Anthem at an audio level far beyond the permissible levels.
Additionally, I would like to bring your attention to the prohibited acts in the Arlington County noise ordinance. [Noise Ordinance, page 6]. I live approximately 600 feet from the Naval Support Facility, and the noise is extremely loud, even with the windows closed. This is a direct, clear violation of Arlington County’s noise ordinances.
“My neighbor has tried bringing this to Arlington County, but they won’t preemptively come out to the facility to witness the noise, so they won’t enforce their own rules,” the anthem tipster told ARLnow.
Which of the above complaints do you think has the most merit?
