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.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 7, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 7, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

    📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

    Here are the events planned for Sunday:

    ⛅️ Saturday’s forecast

    A slight chance of showers between 9am and noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. See more from Weather.gov.

    💡 Quote of the Day

    “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.”
    – Bo Bennett

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

    BREAKING: Water rescue underway in Pentagon City

    By ARLnow.com
    1/12

    (Updated at 2:30 p.m.) Arlington County firefighters conducted water rescues in the Pentagon City area this afternoon amid torrential downpours.

    Initial reports suggest that three cars were stuck in high water along S. Joyce Street between Army Navy Drive and Columbia Pike, and that multiple people — including an elderly person with disabilities — were stranded, either in their vehicles or on the concrete median.

    Another report suggested that the water was so high that at least one of the vehicles was floating. On traffic cameras, water could be seen streaming down from the I-395 overpass above.

    A large contingent of fire department resources, including boats, responded to the scene. As of 2 p.m., ACFD said it was clearing the scene after everyone was rescued and no one needed to go to the hospital.

    Much of Arlington, including Pentagon City, is under a Flash Flood Warning due to slow-moving, heavy downpours. The flooded portion of S. Joyce Street remains closed.

    UPDATED: Flash Flood Warning issued for Arlington

    By ARLnow.com
    1/4

    Update at 1:35 p.m. — A water rescue is underway in the Pentagon City area after high water stranded multiple people in vehicles.

    Update at 1 p.m. — A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for a large portion of Arlington. A near-stationary storm is inundating south and central parts of the county, causing flooding.

    From the National Weather Service:

    The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

    * Flash Flood Warning for… Southeastern Arlington County in northern Virginia…

    * Until 400 PM EDT.

    * At 1254 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
    HAZARD…Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
    SOURCE…Radar.
    IMPACT…Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

    * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include…

    Arlington… Crystal City… Reagan National Airport… Ballston… Barcroft…

    Earlier: Arlington and much of the D.C. area is now under a Flood Watch.

    Slow-moving storms might dump lots of rain in short order this afternoon and evening, causing flooding, forecasters say.

    More from the National Weather Service:

    …FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING…

    * WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. […]

    * WHEN…Until 8 PM EDT this evening.

    * IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

    * ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
    – A couple rounds of slow-moving showers and thunderstorms are likely this afternoon into this evening. A few inches of rain is possible in a short amount of time as a result, and may cause rapid rises of water on creeks, streams, urban and poor drainage areas, and in other flood-prone locations.
    – Please visit weather.gov/safety/flood for flood safety and preparedness information.

    Morning Notes

    By ARLnow.com
    Construction in Ballston as storm clouds move across the area (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

    Synetic Leaving Crystal City Venue — “Synetic Theater announced Thursday that it’s been asked to leave its Crystal City home of nearly 15 years by April 30 of next year…. the theater is ‘working to secure reliable local spaces to continue our work,’ and Managing Director Ben Cunis said in an interview that the theater is ‘in talks with Arlington County about what spaces we can use in the short and the mid-term.'” [Washington Business Journal, Synetic Theater]

    Fundraiser for Crash Victims — “A friend of two people killed in a car crash in Arlington on July 4 is holding an online fundraising campaign to help their families with funeral costs. Furkan Avkan, 23, who was driving the car, and 21-year-old Habiba Harbaoui, a passenger in the car, both died in the crash.” [Patch, GoFundMe]

    Superintendent’s Contract Renewed — “At today’s meeting, the Arlington School Board appointed Dr. Francisco Durán as superintendent for his second term, effective July 1, 2023. Dr. Durán has served as superintendent since June 1, 2020, and the new four-year contract extends through June 30, 2027.” [Arlington Public Schools]

    New School Board Chair — From Cristina Diaz-Torres: “Earlier today, I was elected by my colleagues to serve as the Chair of the @APSVaSchoolBd. It is an honor to have earned their support and I am excited to take on the challenge of looking forward and charting a path for our schools and community!” [Twitter]

    APS Pressing Pause on New Stuff — “If it plays out as announced, the 2023-24 school year at Arlington Public Schools could be a period where teachers, students, families and staff get a reprieve from what has been something of a never-ending series of new educational initiatives thrust at them. Superintendent Francisco Durán on June 22 told School Board members that, with one exception, there will be no major educational initiatives pushed forward for the coming school year.” [Gazette Leader]

    Arlington’s New Poet Laureate — “Courtney LeBlanc has been selected as the third Poet Laureate of Arlington County. During her two-year appointment, the award-winning poet will serve as an advocate for poetry and the literary arts and will work to raise Arlingtonians’ consciousness and appreciation of poetry in its written and spoken forms… She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Riot in Your Throat, an independent poetry press, and is a fellow at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts.” [Arlington County]

    Robbery on Columbia Pike — “The male suspect entered the business and allegedly began concealing items when he was approached by an employee. The suspect made threatening statements towards the employee and fled the scene on foot with the stolen items. The suspect was located in the area and ran from officers before he was taken into custody. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect was previously banned from the store and had stolen items on previous dates.” [ACPD]

    ARLnow on Threads — For the Twitter adverse, ARLnow is on the new, rapidly-growing social network Threads. [Threads]

    It’s Friday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 50%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Chance of precipitation is 30%. [Weather.gov]

    ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 6, 2023

    By ARLnow.com

    Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

    📈 Top stories

    The following are articles published earlier today — Jul 6, 2023.

    📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

    ⛈️ Friday’s forecast

    A slight chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 5pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. At night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. See more from Weather.gov.

    💡 Quote of the Day

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
    – Booker T. Washington

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

    Crash with overturned vehicle closes portion of N. George Mason Drive

    By ARLnow.com
    1/6

    (Updated at 3:35 p.m.) A portion of N. George Mason Drive was closed this afternoon in the Buckingham neighborhood, near Ballston, after a crash.

    The crash left one car overturned and on its roof in the roadway. It was not immediately clear how the crash happened nor whether anyone was hurt. It appeared that at least one other car — pushed partially onto the sidewalk — was involved.

    The northbound lanes of George Mason were blocked in the area of 4th Street N. while police talked to witnesses and crews worked to clear the wreck. As of 3:35 p.m., all lanes were back open.

    Police and firefighters responded to scene while a crowd of onlookers gathered nearby, many with smartphones in hand.

    Alleged drug dealer charged in man’s fentanyl overdose death in Arlington

    By ARLnow.com
    Arlington police car (file photo)

    A 30-year-old Lorton man is being charged with involuntary manslaughter after a fatal Arlington overdose.

    A man died in a Penrose home last June after overdosing on drugs that contained fentanyl and mirtazapine, according to Arlington police.

    An investigation led police to “the individual suspected of supplying the deceased with controlled substances.”

    More, below, from a just-issued ACPD press release.

    The Arlington County Police Department’s Organized Crime Section is announcing charges have been obtained following an investigation into a fentanyl overdose death. Armand Navarro, 30, of Lorton, VA is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Distribution of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance (2nd Offense). He is being held on unrelated charges in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

    At approximately 10:06 p.m. on June 29, 2022, police were dispatched to the 700 block of S. Courthouse Road for the report of a medical emergency. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male inside a residence suffering from an apparent fentanyl overdose. Despite lifesaving measures attempted by officers and the Arlington County Fire Department, he was pronounced deceased on scene. An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined cause of death to be acute fentanyl and mirtazapine intoxication.

    Detectives assigned to the Organized Crime Section initiated a comprehensive investigation which included witness interviews and the review of evidence. As a result of the review, detectives identified the individual suspected of supplying the deceased with controlled substances and warrants were obtained for his arrest.

    The Arlington County Police Department remains committed to thoroughly investigating narcotics incidents and holding accountable those who traffic dangerous and deadly narcotics into our community. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

    If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are numerous resources available through the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative. For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.

    This year, Arlington County and Arlington Public Schools have been undertaking a number of measures to combat the opioid crisis after a spate of overdose deaths.

    Morning Notes

    By ARLnow.com
    As seen in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

    Doctor Pleads to Workplace Assault — From attorney and former Virginia lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax: “Today in #Arlington General District Court, [a local doctor who owns several local urgent care clinics] pled ‘No Contest’ regarding a terrifying at-work assault & battery.” [Twitter, Fox 5]

    Historic Designation for Haunted House? — “A home that someday could become a local historic district comes with an added attraction – visitors from the spirit world. The property was the home for decades to a self-described clairvoyant who would host seances there. And even today, ghosts are reported to remain in residence.” [Gazette Leader]

    Big Boost in July 4 Metro Ridership — “Metrorail celebrated the Independence Day holiday with preliminary ridership topping 410,000, a level not seen since 2015. With fare-free service after 5 p.m. and a boost in service to accommodate the influx of customers, rail ridership was up 61 percent over last year.” [WMATA]

    APS, Planetarium Group Renew Agreement — “Arlington school leaders will ink an updated agreement with the ‘friends’ group supporting the David M. Brown Planetarium… Under the agreement, Friends of the Planetarium will continue to be able to use the facility one weekend per month and on specified evenings and times when schools are closed to provide programming to the public.” [Gazette Leader]

    Biking Best Bet for Costco Trips? — From the Costco Connection magazine: “For Gillian Burgess, her cargo bike adds convenience to her shopping trips. ‘I live in Arlington, Virginia, and find that biking is the best way to get to the Pentagon City Costco,’ she says.” [Twitter]

    Money Diary of Local Financial Analyst — “I leave my apartment at 7:25 to make it to my date on time. We’re meeting at a dive bar around the corner from me. I immediately know I’m not interested in him but I order a beer and chat with him for an hour.” [Refinery 29]

    Nearby: Pickleball Proposal in Tysons — “Indoor pickleball courts could soon be coming to a Tysons industrial park off Leesburg Pike and the Dulles Toll Road. The Pickleball Club of Tysons has applied to Fairfax County for permits to build out space at 8520 A Tyco Road, about a half-mile from the Silver Line’s Spring Hill Metro station, for the new athletic facility.” [Washington Business Journal]

    It’s Thursday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Otherwise mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. [Weather.gov]

    ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 5, 2023

    By ARLnow.com

    Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

    📈 Top stories

    The following are the most-read articles for today — Jul 5, 2023.

    1. Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Arlington, D.C. area
    2. ACFD investigating ‘suspicious’ vehicle fire near Shirlington

    📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

    • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

    ⛈️ Thursday’s forecast

    A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. See more from Weather.gov.

    💡 Quote of the Day

    “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
    – Vince Lombardi

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

    JUST IN: Flash Flood Warning issued for Arlington

    By ARLnow.com
    Flash Flood Warning on 7/5/23

    A slow-moving thunderstorm is hovering over northern and western portions of Arlington, prompting a Flash Flood Warning.

    The storm is dropping copious amounts of rain, which could cause streams to overtop their banks and basements to flood. The warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m.

    The Falls Church area is getting hit particularly hard by the downpour.

    More from the National Weather Service:

    The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

    * Flash Flood Warning for… Western Arlington County in northern Virginia… Central Fairfax County in northern Virginia… The Northwestern City of Alexandria in northern Virginia… The City of Fairfax in northern Virginia… The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia…

    * Until 630 PM EDT.

    * At 325 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
    HAZARD…Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
    SOURCE…Radar.
    IMPACT…Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

    ACFD responds to townhouse fire in East Falls Church, fireworks-sparked blaze at apartment building

    By ARLnow.com
    1/3

    (Updated at 1:30 p.m.) A townhouse in the East Falls Church neighborhood was badly damaged by a fire last night.

    The fire broke out in a middle-of-the-row townhouse on the 6500 block of Washington Blvd around 11:30 p.m. on July 4. A large fire department response to the blaze blocked traffic near the intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Sycamore Street, one block from the Metro station.

    Arriving firefighters reported encountering heavy fire coming from the home’s garage and extending up to the upper floors.

    While the bulk of the flames were extinguished relatively quickly, firefighters were kept busy for more than an hour, searching for hotspots and ventilating the structure, according to scanner traffic. Additionally, several cats were rescued from inside the home.

    This morning, fire investigators could be seen searching through the charred remains of the garage.

    On Wednesday afternoon, the Arlington County Fire Department announced that while four animals were rescued and no humans were injured, one pet was found dead.

    Early this morning, firefighters also responded to a fire at the Frederick at Courthouse apartment building, at 2230 Fairfax Drive, shortly after 1 a.m.

    Initial reports suggest that fireworks disposed of in the trash chute caused a fire that filled a portion of the building with smoke and set off sprinklers, dousing the flames but also causing water damage in numerous apartments.

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