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.

Nothing Hazardous Found During Hazmat Situation at W-L

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County firefighters, including the hazmat team, responded to Washington-Lee High School this morning after air monitoring alarms indicated a possible refrigerant leak in the school’s boiler room.

ACFD was dispatched to W-L around 10:45 a.m. Firefighters investigated the alarms for more than an hour before concluding that there were no hazards, a fire department spokesman said.

The boiler room was ventilated during the incident response, but the school was not evacuated and no injuries were reported.

In the end, it was a malfunctioning alarm, not a hazardous leak, that caused the incident, said APS spokeswoman Jennifer Harris.

https://twitter.com/LincolnACFD/status/819587056976457730

https://twitter.com/kbgut/status/819583731677724672

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

"Red-shouldered hawk" by Erinn Shirley

Williamsburg to Implement Block Scheduling — Williamsburg Middle School will, in fact, be implementing a block schedule for classes next year, an Arlington Public Schools spokeswoman tells ARLnow.com. While Kenmore has a modified block schedule for sixth grade, and Gunston is “exploring moving to a flexible schedule for next year,” Jefferson and Swanson are not considering moving to a block schedule, we’re told.

Home Prices Decline in Arlington in 2016 — Per WTOP’s Jeff Clabaugh and listing service MRIS: “The median price in Arlington County last year was down 1.8 percent from 2015. Arlington and Alexandria were the only local jurisdictions to see declines in 2016 prices versus 2015.” [WTOP]

Grand Opening for Pamplona — New Clarendon restaurant Pamplona is holding its grand opening celebration tonight. The Spanish tapas restaurant is set in a self-described “sultry and sophisticated space, featuring colorful Spanish tiled floors, unique murals… and of course, an arsenal of bullheads.” [Facebook]

H-B Photography in Richmond — Work by H-B Woodlawn photography students is on display in the Richmond offices of Del. Patrick Hope. Hope plans to highlight one piece a day during the legislative session. [Twitter]

Multi-Generational Housing Construction — A 1950s ranch home near Bishop O’Connell High School is being torn down to make way for a new multi-generation house for a couple, their daughter and husband, and their grandchildren. [Falls Church News-Press]

When You Don’t Want Someone to Take Your Parking Cone — South Arlington is “so rough you have to lock up your cones,” as a photo apparently taken yesterday demonstrates. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

UPDATED: Widespread Power in Shirlington Area

By ARLnow.com

Dominion power outage map in the Shirlington area 1/11/17

Update at 5:35 p.m. — Power has been restored to all Arlington customers, according to Dominion’s website.

Thousands of Dominion customers in south Arlington are without currently without power.

Nearly 2,500 customers are without power in Arlington, primarily in the Shirlington and Fairlington areas, and another 700 or so are in the dark across the border in Alexandria, according to Dominion’s power outage map.

Starting around S. Arlington Mill Drive, the Walter Reed Drive and N. Beauregard Street (in Alexandria) corridor is without power, according to the map. Police have been called to the intersection of Walter Reed and S. Dinwiddie Street for a report of traffic problems.

According to the Dominion website, power is expected to be restored at some point between 4-9 p.m.

Arlington Public Library says the Shirlington branch is among the places affected by the outage. The library will close at 5 p.m. if power is not restored by then.

Crime Report: Man Smashes Coffee Mug on Victim’s Head

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)A man struck another man in the head with a coffee mug on Columbia Pike Friday night.

The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. on the 2000 block of the Pike, east of Penrose Square the “town center” row of businesses.

The altercation involved two men who knew each other, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. The victim was taken to Virginia Hospital Center with non-life threatening injuries.

From the ACPD report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2017-01060359, 2000 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 9:37 p.m. on January 6, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury that had just occurred. Following a verbal altercation between known individuals, the male subject allegedly struck the male victim in the head with a coffee mug. The male subject fled the scene prior to police arrival. The male victim was transported to Virginia Hospital Center with non-life threatening injuries. 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…)

Morning Poll: What Are You Most Looking Forward to This Year?

By ARLnow.com

Question markWe’re in the second full week of 2017 and it’s already shaping up to be quite the year.

While it’s impossible to know how the year will end, we do know a bunch of the milestones — including local events and openings — that will be taking place along the way.

Which of the following 20 things are you most looking forward to this year?

Wondering about one of the items? Here are some links to help: Drafthouse, Artomatic, G.O.A.T. Sports Bar, District Taco, Continental.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

"Trump's Cessna Citation X corporate jet at Reagan Airport on 1/10/2017" (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Coffee With a Cop Today — The Arlington County Police Department’s district teams are holding “Coffee With a Cop” events today. The event “has no agenda or speeches” and “is a chance to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers and neighbors in your district.” [Arlington County]

Washington Blvd Closure Tonight — Expect lane closures and a 30-minute full closure of Washington Blvd (Route 27) over Route 110 overnight tonight. VDOT is replacing an aging bridge over Route 110; the project is expected to wrap up in 2018. [Twitter]

Boulevard Woodgrill Staff to Marble and Rye — Marble and Rye on Columbia Pike has hired “the entire executive staff” from the former Boulevard Woodgrill in Clarendon, a restaurant rep says. The hires include longtime Boulevard executive chef Paul Murad and longtime general manager Kent Lawson. The hires, we’re told, “will provide a significant upgrade in service and menu options” and will help Marble and Rye “compete with other popular destinations in Clarendon, Ballston and Shirlington.”

Neighborhood College Applications Being Accepted — “Learn how to become a neighborhood advocate and effect change through Arlington County’s free Neighborhood College program, which will meet on eight consecutive Thursday evenings beginning March 16, 2017.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

BREAKING: ACFD Battles Apartment Fire on Lee Highway, Rescues Dog

By ARLnow.com
1/7

(Updated at 1 p.m.) Arlington County firefighters battled a fire in an apartment building on Lee Highway today (Tuesday) and rescued a dog in the process.

The fire was reported just after noon on the third floor — the top floor — of the apartments at 4356 Lee Highway, just east of the Lee Heights Shops in the Waverly Hills neighborhood.

The fire was on a balcony in the rear of the building, according to scanner reports, and had also spread to the ceiling of the units below.

As of 12:25 p.m., the fire department reported that the fire was out. No injuries were reported, though a dog was rescued from one of the apartments.

County road crews were called in after the fire was out to spread salt on portions of the roadway that had been drenched with water from the firefighting effort.

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County Crews On Scene of Water Main Break in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County crews are working to repair a water main break along a busy stretch of road in Rosslyn.

The rupture was discovered in a 12-inch main around 10 a.m. this morning, according to Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien. The nearby Hyatt hotel and 20-50 residents are impacted by the water main break, she said.

Repairs are expected to wrap up during the evening rush hour, perhaps around 6 p.m. Drivers should expect traffic impacts along the 1300 block of Wilson Blvd.

Currently, only one lane of eastbound Wilson Blvd is getting by the repairs, while the westbound turn lane at Nash Street is also blocked.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Snow on the pavement along Columbia Pike (Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards)

Clarendon Restaurant Opening Basement Lounge — New Clarendon restaurant Ambar is planning to open a cafe, restaurant and cocktail lounge called Baba later this month. The basement space will have a separate kitchen and will serve craft cocktails and La Colombe coffee. [Washington Post, Facebook]

Four Mile DMV Still Closed — Though it was originally supposed to reopen on Monday, the Four Mile Run Virginia DMV office renovations are taking a bit longer than expected. “The reopen date for the Four Mile Run office is now tentatively January 12,” a DMV spokeswoman told ARLnow.com. “Our contractor is working hard to put the finishing touches on everything.”

County Publishes Paperless ‘Citizen’ — Arlington County has published an online-only “bonus” version of its Citizen newsletter, which is usually mailed to every household in the county. “You’re probably recycling lots of tree-based products this month so we’re saving a bit of room in your curbside bin,” the top of the online publication says. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards

Longtime Lee Heights Seafood Store Has Closed

By ARLnow.com
1/7

A longtime Lee Highway seafood shop has closed its doors.

America Seafood Corp., a standalone store located in the Lee Heights Shops parking lot at 4450 Lee Highway, served its final customers on Dec. 31. Owners Gary and Martha Royce were clearing out the last of the store’s equipment today.

The shop has been open for nearly 35 years — a sign in the window sign says 44 years, but that’s a typo, Gary says — and has served legions of locals seeking the freshest seafood and Key lime pies around.

Royce said he his wife were planning to move back down to his native Key West within a month. He plans to stay there at least a year before potentially coming back up to Arlington and deciding what to do next.

“Just wanted to get out of here, we have been here for 35 years already,” Royce said. The response from customers, he said, has been one of shock and sadness.

“Two ladies came here crying,” he said. “The people love this place. I mean, we have been here longer than any shop in this whole place.”

The secret, according to Royce, was “good seafood, good banter.” Royce said he sourced his seafood primarily from New England and Florida fisheries, which set his offerings apart from those in grocery stores.

“We sold a lot of Florida fish: grouper, snapper, yellowtail, swordfish, tuna,” he said, listing some of his best sellers. “I sold two different size shrimp from Key West, Florida… we sold all different kinds of fish, some of them were not even the same week, sometimes we sold trout, Chilean sea bass, we sold salmon.”

“I think I sold quality stuff, that’s why the people want to know where can they go buy quality fish around here,” he continued. “I bought it all direct, nothing from around here… that’s all CO2 [carbon dioxide] treated. They inject it with stuff and freeze it then you thaw it. That’s what they sell at grocery stores.”

So where should customers go to find fresh seafood now that America Seafood has closed down? Gary wouldn’t say for publication, but he did suggest that customers weren’t happy with the recommendation.

“I tell them and they say, ‘that place is terrible.'”

Hat tip to John B.

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