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.

Arlington Agenda: Jan. 9-15

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Monday

Orange Line Living logoFree Home Buyer Seminar — Get the Keys to Home Buying Success!*
Orange Line Living (1600 Wilson Blvd., Suite 101)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

The Orange Line Living team is hosting a Home Buying Seminar event at their Rosslyn office. Appetizers will be provided and specialists will be on hand to give an of the buying process.

Tuesday

Shirlington Branch Library (county photo)LEGO Club
Shirlington Branch Library (4200 Campbell Ave.)
Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

This event at the Shirlington library gives future engineers the opportunity get free build time with their supply of Lego blocks, so there is no need to bring your own. For more information is available here.

Wednesday

Marymount University main house during Christmastime (Flickr pool photo by Eric)Is Arlington Prepared for an Act of Terrorism?*
Marymount University Phelan Hall (2807 N. Glebe Rd.)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

Join the Arlington Committee of 100 to discuss this issue with the leadership of Arlington’s Police, Fire and Office of Emergency Management. This program is free. More information on dinner reservations and parking is here.

Thursday

Battle of WashingtonHistory Talk: America’s Response to the Burning of Washington
Marymount University Reinsch Auditorium (2807 N. Glebe Rd.)
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

Join Patrick L. O’Neill as he discusses the five-day attack on the British after the devastation they inflicted on Washington D.C. during the Burning of Washington. This program is free and open to the public.

Friday

Tom Green (photo via FacebookTom Green Live
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7:30 and 10 p.m.

Frenetic Canadian comedian Tom Green of The Tom Green Show, Freddy Got Fingered, Road Trip and Stealing Harvard, is performing at the Drafthouse. There will be two shows apiece on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Saturday

Bistro 29 SwingBitter Dose Combo at Bistro 29 Swing
Bistro 29 (3911 Lee Hwy)
Time: 7:30-9:30 p.m.

This event features the Bitter Dose Combo, which combines the improvisation and swinging guitar made famous by Django Reinhardt with jazz vocals, Paris musette accordion and upright bass. More info about Bistro 29 Swing is here.

Sunday

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.2017 MLK Tribute
Wakefield High School (1325 S. Dinwiddie St.)
Time: 5-6:30 p.m.

Remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Arlington’s MLK Tribute. There will be live music from the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts, a dance performance by Kingdom Fellowship Church’s Worship Without Words Mime Ministry and more.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Snow on brick in Fairlington 1/7/17

Beyer Warns of Obamacare Repeal Ramifications — “The Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act will have disastrous consequences for Virginia,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said Friday, citing recent studies. “Hundreds of thousands of our neighbors will lose life-saving, affordable health coverage. The state also stands to lose as many as 100,000 jobs, $30 billion in gross state product, and $50 billion in business output. This is unacceptable and irresponsible.” [House of Representatives, Commonwealth Fund]

Will Startup’s Growth Add Arlington Jobs? — Just before the new year, president-elect Donald Trump said that Rosslyn-based OneWeb will be creating 3,000 jobs as it prepares to launch hundreds of satellites to deliver broadband internet around the world. Will those jobs be coming to Arlington? An Arlington Economic Development spokeswoman said the agency was not sure, while a OneWeb spokesman told ARLnow.com only that it was opening a new office in McLean.

Op-Ed Warns ‘Ignore Arlington’s Bad Example’ — The Arlington County Board’s recently-passed home sharing regulations are a “bad example” for other Virginia localities considering similar rules, since Arlington prohibited renters from renting their homes on Airbnb and other platforms. “The opportunities created by the sharing economy shouldn’t be restricted to only those few who are deemed worthy,” says a fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, in an op-ed. [Richmond Times Dispatch]

County Board Members Take Regional Roles — “Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette will serve as 2017 Vice Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board. County Board Vice Chair Katie Cristol will serve as chair of the Northern Virginian Transportation Commission’s Legislative Committee, and has joined the leadership of the Virginia Railway Express Operations Board.” [Arlington County]

New Year, New Offer for New Advertisers — Join dozens of satisfied advertising clients and get your business’ message out to the greater Arlington community with ARLnow.com. Learn more about our advertising options and check out our new winter deal for new advertisers: book at least a month of advertising and get another month free. [ARLnow]

JUST IN: Sehkraft Brewing to Close

By ARLnow.com

Sehkraft Brewing in Clarendon

(Updated at 7:10 p.m.) Sehkraft Brewing in Clarendon will be closing next week, ARLnow.com has learned.

“With deep regret Sehkraft is announcing that we will be closing our doors,” assistant general manager Ricky Shepherd wrote via email Friday night. “Please come out and commemorate with us all weekend as we say goodbye to GREAT friends and to Sehkraft. Last call, last call!”

The brewpub and entertainment venue will close on Tuesday, Jan. 10, just over a year after it first opened. Located at 925 N. Garfield Street, Sehkraft’s opening was stymied by months of delays and what its owner described as regulatory wrangling with the county’s permitting office.

“[It] was an unbelievably arduous two years,” said owner and CEO Devin Hicks.

File photo

BREAKING: ACFD Responding to Arcing Insulator at Pentagon City Metro

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire truck(Updated at 6:05 p.m.) A large fire department response is arriving at the Pentagon City Metro station for a report of an arcing insulator near the station.

The electrical issue on the tracks was reported by a train operator. A rider said via Twitter that there was a haze and a smell of smoke at the station, which was reportedly being evacuated.

Blue and Yellow line service through Pentagon City is currently suspended. Commuters should expect traffic impacts near the station due to the emergency response.

Arriving firefighters are being told that the insulator is still smoking and that power is being shut down to one of the tracks, according to scanner traffic.

Update at 6:10 p.m. — The “situation has been mitigated,” according to scanner traffic, and fire department units are being placed back in service. Metro riders should expect residual delays and perhaps single tracking once service resumes.

https://twitter.com/wlutterman/status/817502939942096896

https://twitter.com/brigidbta/status/817505739279319040

Arlington Included in Winter Weather Advisory

By ARLnow.com

All the salt spread on local roads and sidewalks for Thursday night’s snow non-event may come in handy after all.

The National Weather Service has included Arlington in a Winter Weather Advisory. Up to three inches of snow are expected to fall Saturday morning.

From the NWS:

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 1 PM EST SATURDAY… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 1 PM EST SATURDAY. * PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW. * ACCUMULATIONS… SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 1 TO 3 INCHES. * TIMING… LATE TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. * IMPACTS… SNOW ON ROADS WILL RESULT IN TRAVEL IMPACTS. * WINDS… NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH. * TEMPERATURES… IN THE MID 20S. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. &&

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

The first full week of the new year was a fairly busy one in Arlington.

House of Steep was saved, President Obama stopped by Fort Myer and locals rallied to support a family that lost nearly everything in a fire. (At last check just over $13,500 had been raised, compared to the $1,500 raised when our article was published.)

But the most-read story of the week, an early contender for top story of the year, is the anaconda that a Shirlington resident found in his or her toilet. Some 30,000 people have read the story about “Sir Hiss” and his journey from the toilet to the animal shelter to the care of a snake specialist.

As we head into the weekend, the possibility of accumulating snow in Arlington seems to be on the rise. An inch of snow sounds likely Saturday morning, although bust or boom scenarios are still in play.

Finally, the NFL playoffs kick off this weekend. Arlington County Police K9s have a favorite player in the playoffs: they’ll be rooting for Ben Roethlisberger after the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback donated ballistic vests for Arlington’s police dogs.

Feel free to discuss the football playoffs or any topic of local interest in the comments.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Looking for a new home? Arlington has several options to consider this weekend.

Check out our real estate section for a full listing of open houses this weekend. Here are a few highlights:

1730 Arlington Blvd1730 Arlington Blvd.
1 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Benjamin Grouby
Listed: $275,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2422 Walter Reed Dr2422 Walter Reed Dr.
3 Bed/2.5 Bath Townhouse
Agent: Tracy Shively
Listed: $499,900
Open: Friday 2-3 p.m.

 

1322 S Glebe Rd1322 S. Glebe Rd.
2 Bed/1.5 Bath Single-Family Detached
Agent: Natalie Roy
Listed: $522,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1300 Crystal Dr.1300 Crystal Dr.
3 Bed/2.5 Bath Condo
Agent: Mimoza Puce
Listed: $740,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

713 31st St South713 31st St. South
4 Bed/3 Bath Single-Family Detached
Agent: Geva Lester
Listed: $935,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

4762 1st St. North4762 1st St. North
4 Bed/3.5 Bath Single-Family Detached
Agent: Susan Minnick
Listed: $1,069,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

Real estate agents, if you don’t see your listings in our real estate section shoot us an email and we’ll let you know what your office needs to do to get listed.

Peeper Peeps on Private Property, Police Pursue But Perimeter Penetrated

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)An alleged peeping tom led police on a foot chase in the Old Glebe neighborhood Wednesday night.

The chase started after officers responded to the 3900 block of N. Abingdon Street around 6:30 p.m. for a “report of a man hiding in the bushes” near a house.

From an Arlington County Police crime report:

Upon arrival, an officer observed the suspect on the property. The suspect saw the officer and fled the scene on foot. A brief foot pursuit was initiated but the officer lost sight of the suspect. A perimeter was established and a K9 track was conducted with negative results. The suspect is described as a black male in his early thirties, approximately 5’8″-6’0″ tall with a black beard. He was wearing a black hoodie and blue running pants with a white stripe at the time of the incident.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Foggy commute on the trails (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

Police Warn of Jury Duty Scam — The Arlington County Police Department is again warning about a jury duty telephone scam targeting Arlington residents. The fraud involves a caller claiming to be a law enforcement officer and claiming that the call recipient failed to appear for jury duty. The scammer then demands the payment of a fine over the phone. [Arlington County]

Plow Plows Into Bus — Updated at 2 p.m. — One lane of Lee Highway was blocked for a period of time during last night’s evening rush hour after a minor accident involving an VDOT snow plow and an ART bus. [Twitter]

Vihstadt Speaks Out Against Gondola — County Board member John Vihstadt is not a fan of the potential gondola from Rosslyn to Georgetown. “Now is not the time to spend upwards of $90 million on a Disney-like gondola to Georgetown while current modes of public transit need significant new investment,” Vihstadt said earlier this week. [InsideNova]

Crystal House Renovated — Crystal House is a big apartment complex in Crystal City that has been around for a long time. Chances are, someone you know has lived there at one point or another. The 825-unit complex recently completed the first phase of a major renovation project and is showing it off via video and press release. [PR Newswire, YouTube]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

JUST IN: FAA Scraps DCA Flight Plan Changes

By ARLnow.com

FAA meeting on flight path plan on 9/13/16

The Federal Aviation Administration is scrapping a proposal to shift the northerly flight path from Reagan National Airport closer to Rosslyn, according to Rep. Don Beyer’s office.

The FAA sought feedback on the plan during a public meeting at Washington-Lee High School in September. The plan, which was intended to reduce noise in the Foxhall Village neighborhood of D.C. while placing flights more directly over the Potomac River, was met with skepticism from Arlington residents. County Board members pointed out that aircraft noise in Arlington was already on the rise under the current flight path.

Rep. Beyer (D-Va.) sent a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta in October, outlining “serious concerns with many aspects of the plan.” The congressman hailed the FAA’s decision to terminate the proposed changes.

“Today’s decision by the FAA to terminate the proposed… departure procedure is a positive development in our ongoing quest to quiet the skies over northern Virginia,” Beyer said in a statement. “While the proposed path was intended to increase flight time over the Potomac River, it was significantly concerning that there was no clear understanding on the level and impact of plane noise on airport area communities.”

Podcast: Comedian and ‘Arlington Rap’ Guy Remy Munasifi

By ARLnow.com

Remy Munasifi in Clarendon

We often refer to Remy Munasifi as the “Arlington Rap guy.” But now that he has a prominent role in a new Netflix series, Brown Nation, we might have to tweak that description.

On this week’s 26 Square Miles podcast, we sat down with Remy to talk about his career, the making of the Arlington Rap, Donald Trump (of course), making money on YouTube and about his latest music video. (And yes, that is his wife, in her first co-starring role.)

Remy said Santa Claus was a hard act to follow on the podcast, but we gave it a try. We also forgave him for his recent move from Clarendon to Falls Church.

Listen below or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or TuneIn.

View More Stories