Police car (file photo)A few people kicked off their Christmas day with an early morning fight.

The incident happened around 2 a.m. in the Nauck neighborhood, on the 2600 block of Shirlington Road.

Police say that following a fight between two women, a man walked up and hit one of the women in the face with a glass bottle.

The victim was transported to the hospital and the suspect remains at large.

From this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2016-12250025, 2600 block of Shirlington Road. At approximately 2:04 a.m. on December 25, a physical altercation ensued between two female subjects. Following the altercation, a known male subject approached one of the females involved in the earlier altercation and hit her in the face with a glass bottle. The victim was transported to Alexandria Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect is described as a black male in his mid-twenties, approximately 5’11” tall and weighed 200 lbs. He was wearing a black t-shirt, black jacket, black boots, and blue jeans at the time of the incident.

The rest of the crime report is below, including an update on the investigation into the death in a steakhouse bathroom.

SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL DOA, 2016-12260080, 2200 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 2:03 p.m. on December 26, officers responded to the report of a possible death. Upon arrival it was determined an employee located an unconscious male inside of the establishment’s bathroom. Medics arrived and pronounced the male deceased. There were no signs of foul play and the death is not considered suspicious. The investigation is ongoing.

LATE BURGLARY, 2016-12270048, 900 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 7:00 a.m. on December 27, officers responded to the report of a late burglary. Upon arrival, officers determined an unknown male subject entered a business and attempted to steal items. When confronted by an employee, the subject dropped the merchandise and fled the scene on foot. No items appear to be missing. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male with a medium build. He was wearing a red sports jersey and a winter hat.

BURGLARY, 2016-12270098, 1000 block of Arlington Boulevard. At approximately 11:49 a.m. on December 27, officers responded to the report of a burglary that had just occurred a few minutes prior. An unknown male subject forced entry into a residence and fled the scene shortly after. It is unknown at this time if the subject stole any items. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’5″ tall and weighed 190-200 lbs. He was wearing a gray short sleeve shirt, navy blue pants, and white shoes.


Clarendon Grill New Year's 2017New Year’s Eve is only three days away.

While one might think of New Year’s as a time to get dressed up and head into the city — or, if you’re a parent, stay home and go to sleep at 12:05 a.m. — it seems that going out here in Arlington is also a popular choice.

Already, NYE parties at Don Tito and A-Town are completely sold out, according to their respective Eventbrite pages. Another big local NYE event at Sehkraft Brewing is nearly sold out, as of 10 a.m. Wednesday.

(There are more Arlington options, as detailed in our previous NYE article and on our event calendar.)

So do more Arlingtonians stay home, go out in Arlington or go out elsewhere in D.C.? Or are most people heading out of town? Let’s find out.


Rainbow behind the Iwo Jima memorial (photo courtesy Mark T.)

Webb Running for School BoardFormer candidate for Congress Mike Webb says he’s running for Arlington School Board against incumbent James Lander. “Every problem that we face in Arlington’s public schools can find a solution in opening public charter schools,” Webb wrote in a Facebook post. [Blue Virginia]

Handbag Schemer Led Lavish Lifestyle — Praepitcha Smatsorabudh, the Arlington resident who was just sentenced to 30 months in prison for a fake handbag scheme, led a lavish jet-setting lifestyle that she documented on Instagram while perpetrating the $1 million fraud. [The Sun, Daily Mail]

Metro Installing More WiFi — After a six-station pilot program, Metro has announced that it will be installing public WiFi at all of its underground stations. The work is expected to begin this summer and wrap up by the end of 2018. [The Hill]

VHC to Expand Mental Health Facilities — Virginia Hospital Center is being pushed to expand its behavioral and mental health facilities as part of a proposed expansion of the hospital. Currently, the facilities are located in the hospital’s basement and only include 18 beds. There are an estimated 6,000 people with serious mental illness in Arlington County. [InsideNova]

Arlington Suicide Prevention Survey — Arlington is conducting an online survey about the county’s suicide prevention resources and services. [SurveyMonkey]

Photo courtesy Mark T.


Ballston Common Mall demolition

(Updated at 4 p.m.) In Arlington, 2016 was a year that was filled with local stories that were tragic, triumphant or just plain weird.

We’re counting down the top 20 most-read articles of 2016 this week.

Kicking off the list today is #16-20.

20. Creepy Clown Sighting Reported in Arlington (15,531 views)
Arlington’s version of the international “creepy clown” hysteria, which unsurprisingly died down shortly after Halloween, reached its peak when “a caller told police that her child saw a clown emerge from some woods in the Arlington Mill neighborhood.”

19. Demolition Underway at Ballston Common Mall (15,867 views)
There is apparently something satisfying about seeing an outdated shopping mall get torn to pieces. Especially when what’s taking its place looks pretty cool.

18. Washington Blvd Shut Down After Man Shoots Self in Car (16,255 views)
This story was tragic for the man and his family. Also, the way in which he chose to end his life disrupted the evening commute of thousands and traumatized first responders.

Hard Times Cafe in Clarendon Closing17. Hard Times Cafe in Clarendon is Closing (16,667 views)
This long-time Clarendon staple only gave customers a one-day heads up that it was closing for good. We have been unable to substantiate rumors as to the exact reason for its closing, though a combination of high rent and sluggish business seems likely. A replacement — G.O.A.T Sports Bar — was recently announced.

16. Teen Charged With Murder in Fatal Stabbing (17,181 views)
A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with murder in the fatal Friday night stabbing of a 46-year-old family member.

Look for #11-15 on the countdown tomorrow.


The Comcast Service Center in Clarendon is moving to Courthouse.

A sign in the service center, at 2707 Wilson Blvd, says it will close effective Saturday, Jan. 7. Local cable customers will instead be able to go to a new “Xfinity store” at 1515 N. Courthouse Road for payments, equipment exchange and other service.

Comcast recently reached a new franchise agreement with Arlington County. Under the agreement, Arlington Independent Media will be able to keep its studios in the rear of the Comcast building in Clarendon, but will begin paying rent on Jan. 1, 2018.

It’s unclear what the existing service center space will be used for after the move.

Photos by Samantha Moore. Hat tip to Eric LeKuch.


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.

In addition to the events listed here, there are numerous New Year’s Eve events happening around Arlington this coming weekend, as detailed in our recent NYE article.

Tuesday

Arlington Cinema Drafthouse sign at night in the fall (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)Trolls (Oscar Watch Film)
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 4:30 p.m.

DreamWorks’ “smart, funny, irreverent” animated comedy, Trolls, will be playing at the Drafthouse on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Tickets range from $2 to $6.50. The film is rated PG.

Wednesday

Clarendon Chanukah Menorah LightingClarendon Chanukah Menorah Lighting*
Clarendon Central Park (3140 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: 6-7 p.m.

This event at the Clarendon Metro plaza is free of charge and sponsored by Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria/Arlington. There will be a lighting of a giant six foot menorah and guests will get to enjoy hot potato latkes and chocolate gelt.

Saturday

Photo via Facebook :Osteria da NinoNew Year’s Eve at Osteria Da Nino*
Osteria da Nino (2900 S. Quincy St.)
Time: 4:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.

Osteria Da Nino is celebrating the New Year with a three course dinner for just $70. Seating will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. There will be a complimentary Prosecco toast at midnight.

Twisted VinesNew Year’s at Twisted Vines!*
Twisted Vines Bistro & Bottleshop (2803 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7 p.m.-12 a.m.

Twisted Vines is hosting a New Year’s Eve dinner that includes a four course dinner and wine pairings, followed by a countdown party with appetizers, music and more. There will also be a brunch on New Year’s Day.

Hyatt at Capitol Hill90’s New Year’s Eve — 2017*
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill DC (400 New Jersey Ave NW)
Time: 8 p.m.-3 a.m.

The Hyatt Regency at Capitol Hill is ringing in the new year with a 90’s party that includes live music, food, drinks and amazing D.C. views. Tickets include general admission and VIP and guests must be 21 and over.

2017 NYE Decades Sehkraft Brewing2017 NYE Decades Sehkraft Brewing*
Sehkraft Brewing (925 N. Garfield St.)
Time: 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Ring in the New Year in Clarendon with the cover band “Girls Night Out” and DJ Fusion as they play hit songs from the 80s, 90s and 2000s. Tickets start at $30 and include drink tickets, a VIP entrance and party favors.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event


The driver of a car ran up onto an embankment in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood this morning.

The crash happened around 9:15 a.m. at the intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Evergreen Street, just west of Ballston. No significant injuries were reported.

Shortly after the crash, a nearby resident emailed ARLnow.com to argue that Arlington County should be doing more to make the intersection safer.

“Residents at the northeast corner of N.Evergreen Street have yet again had a car land in their yard,” wrote Sharon Dorsey. “This is an incredibly dangerous area [with] daily horns blaring when drivers play chicken in the merge lane.”

“Neighbors in and around this area have engaged with a number of agencies within Arlington County over the years to make this safer,” she continued. “Currently, a Neighborhood Conservation project to narrow the mouth Evergreen Street and connect sidewalks is on the books but will not be completed for a number of years… The issue will not be resolved until Arlington County and VDOT work together to restructure the entire intersection, add in turn lanes north and south and remove (or restrict to buses) the eastbound merge lane on Washington Blvd.”

Separately, a crash involving a car and an elderly pedestrian was reported this morning at the intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Quincy Street. The pedestrian’s injuries were not reported to be life-threatening.

Photos by Samantha Moore


Fairfax County police car lightsN. Glebe Road is currently closed between Chain Bridge and N. Military Road due to a single-vehicle rollover crash.

The crash happened around 10 a.m. The driver was able to “self-extricate” from the vehicle, which was flipped on its roof, according to scanner traffic.

Glebe Road is closed while a tow crew works to remove the flipped vehicle and clean debris from the roadway.

The driver’s injuries are believed to be minor.


Christmas tree with Hanukkah ornamentReady to get rid of your Christmas tree now that the holiday has come and gone? You may have to wait.

For those who are served by Arlington County’s curbside trash pickup, Christmas tree collection will run from Jan. 2-13, 2017.

“Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your regular trash collection day and to remove all decorations, nails, stands and plastic bags,” the county notes on its website. “The trees are later ground into wood mulch for garden use.”

Arlington residents can also bring their trees to the county’s Solid Waste Bureau near Shirlington for recycling. Or, if you want to hang on to your tree well into the new year, just throwing in the trash is an option.

“After Jan. 13, please prepare the tree for yard waste collection on your regular trash collection day,” the county website says.


Marymount University main house during Christmastime (Flickr pool photo by Eric)

Man Found Dead in Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse — A middle-aged man was found dead in the bathroom at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Crystal City Monday afternoon. The restaurant was closed and the man was found by a cleaning crew. Arlington County police say the death is not considered suspicious. [WTOP, Fox 5]

Same-Sex Marriage Rate Falls — So far in 2016, only 1.9 percent of the more than 3,600 marriage licenses issued by the Arlington Circuit Court were issued to same-sex couples. That compares to 5.3 percent from June to December 2015, after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationally. The first same-sex marriage in Arlington took place in Oct. 2014. [InsideNova]

Morning Rush Hour Crash on I-395 — Several lanes of northbound I-395 were blocked near Shirlington Circle this morning due to a crash. [Twitter]

Arlington Man Reunited With Trophy — Arlington resident Larry Funkhouser has been reunited with a high school baseball trophy he won 50 years ago but had since lost. Thanks to a post on the “I grew up in Arlington” Facebook page, the trophy was located at an antique shop in Purcellville and delivered to Funkhouser just in time for Christmas. [Fox 5]

Arlington’s Family Christmas Miracle — An Arlington couple’s two-year-old has become only the fifth child in the country to receive an auditory brainstem implant surgery. As a result of the procedure, which is in a clinical trial, the child, who was born deaf, can now hear. [WJLA]

Flickr pool photo by Eric


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