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 Police are looking for a man who repeatedly exposed himself to women in the Rosslyn area last night.
Two such incidents were reported to police, who were called to the 2300 block of Fort Myer Drive just before 11:30 p.m.
The man was wearing a gray shirt and a baseball hat at the time of the incidents. From an ACPD crime report:
EXPOSURE(series), 160802001, 2300 block of N. Fort Myer Drive. At approximately 11:27 p.m. on August 1, an unknown male subject exposed himself to a female victim. The suspect then fled the scene prior to officers arrival. The suspect is described as a male wearing a gray shirt and a baseball hat. Another witness in the area reported a similar incident with a description matching the suspect.
Earth Treks in Crystal City (photo courtesy Earth Treks)
Earth Treks in Crystal City (photo courtesy Earth Treks)
Earth Treks in Crystal City (photo courtesy Earth Treks)
Earth Treks in Crystal City (photo courtesy Earth Treks)
A massive rock climbing gym has opened in Crystal City.
Earth Treks, at 1235 S. Clark Street, opened its doors on Saturday. The 45,000 square foot facility boasts 35,000 square feet of climbing walls, with more than 400 climbing and bouldering routes, plus weights and cardio eqiuipment, dedicated yoga and group fitness rooms, private climbing teaching areas, “high-end” locker rooms and a fully-stocked gear shop.
The gym is open seven days a week — 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weeknights, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 6 p.m. on Sundays. A day pass is $25; individual memberships are $89 per month and family memberships are $150 per month.
This is Earth Treks’ first Virginia location. The company has four other gyms in Maryland and Colorado.
In a press release, Earth Treks says it’s thrilled to be opening in a “growing vibrant hub for innovative concepts in Crystal City, home to an emerging technology hub, running and biking races, and healthy retailers like Sweetgreen and Whole Foods.”
The full press release is below.
Earth Treks, the premier climbing and fitness centers dedicated to building the climbing community, announces the opening of its first climbing gym within the beltway — and the largest in the region — on Saturday, July 30.
Located at 1235 S. Clark St. in Crystal City, VA, the 45,000 square foot center will feature more than an acre of climbing and fitness space, and will lead the industry in both amenities and size. Earth Treks adds a new layer to the active and creative community taking shape in Crystal City.
Designed by professional American rock climber Jason Kehl, the gym is packed with 35,000 square feet of awe-inspiring climbing featuring more than 400 climbing and bouldering routes. With its massive footprint, the indoor climbing gym will provide ample climbing space for every age and ability level.
“The climbing community has grown tremendously over the past decade, in part because it’s a great total-body workout, both physically and mentally. Climbing combines cardio, agility and strength training,” said Earth Treks’ founder and CEO, Chris Warner. “More importantly, it builds community, friendships, and a sense of family that lasts a lifetime. We are thrilled to be able to grow our community of climbers in Crystal City and hope to see this space bring new people to the sport.”
In addition to climbing, Earth Treks Crystal City is also a full-service gym. It goes beyond the sport of climbing to include cardio equipment and weights, yoga and group fitness, high end locker rooms and a fully-stocked gear shop. Guests can visit by purchasing day passes or monthly memberships.
Earth Treks also caters to families by providing family packages, youth programs, summer camps and birthday parties.
Earth Treks joins a growing vibrant hub for innovative concepts in Crystal City, home to an emerging technology hub, running and biking races, and healthy retailers like Sweetgreen and Whole Foods.
With easy Metro access, Bikeshare and ample parking, Earth Treks Crystal City is convenient to Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. The new location is steps from the Crystal City Metro stop off the Blue and Yellow lines, and is served by numerous biking trails. It is located one stop from Reagan National Airport, making for the perfect between-flight workout. On-site garaged parking will serve the gym and be free during peak hours. Monthly memberships begin at $89.
Earth Treks Climbing and Fitness Centers are the premier indoor climbing gyms in the area. Located in Maryland (Columbia, Timonium and Rockville), Colorado (Golden) and now Virginia (Crystal City), the gyms offer the best in rock climbing and fitness experiences. Earth Treks Crystal City is the newest and largest addition to the Earth Treks family. With a massive footprint exceeding 45,000 sq ft, the indoor climbing gym provides plenty of climbing space for every age and ability level. Earth Treks’ rock climbing and mountaineering guide service was founded in 1990. The first Earth Treks indoor climbing gym opened in Columbia, Maryland in 1997.
Audrey Clement says those who supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary should come over to her side in the Arlington County Board election.
Clement, a perennial candidate who is running as an independent this year, after formerly running under the Green Party banner, says that she shares the “disappointment that Senator Sanders did not succeed,” a still touchy subject among some Democratic voters.
“I happen to share a lot of Bernie’s values,” Clement says in a press release, below. “I will place meeting the needs of all Arlington residents first and the wants of wealthy special interests last on my agenda when elected to County Board.”
Clement later says that her opponent, incumbent County Board Chair Libby Garvey, has gone back to “rubber stamping the Arlington Democratic Party’s agenda” after splitting from party leaders over the Columbia Pike streetcar.
The full press release:
I’m Dr. Audrey Clement, Independent candidate for Arlington County Board.
I applaud the efforts of all those Arlington voters who worked hard to make Bernie Sanders the Democratic Nominee for President, and I share your disappointment that Senator Sanders did not succeed.
I happen to share a lot of Bernie’s values, among them a sincere interest in good government. As an Independent, I will place meeting the needs of all Arlington residents first and the wants of wealthy special interests last on my agenda when elected to County Board.
So I’m asking you to join my campaign in order to make progressive changes locally that you tried to make nationally.
I live in affordable housing that’s in danger of being bulldozed for million dollar townhomes, displacing seniors, students, the disabled, and the working poor. I want affordable housing preserved and new affordable housing built that’s actually affordable for everyone in Arlington.
I’ve ridden a bicycle everywhere for decades. But bicycles shouldn’t be Arlington’s only transportation alternative to more parking for thousands more single-occupant vehicles.
And it’s time for on-site renewable energy installed throughout our County.
It’s time for electric vehicles throughout our County, charged by renewable energy sources.
It’s time to put a moratorium on Smart Growth — which is just a euphemism for gentrification — until there’s a comprehensive evaluation of where Smart Growth is taking our County.
Who wants to live in a County that is unaffordable to anyone who earns less than 100% of area median income, or $110,000 per year?
Not me.
My opponent says she’s “progressive”. She initially voted against the Pike Streetcar and the most extravagant excesses of the Democratic Old Guard.
But, having been challenged in a primary election by an Old Guard Democrat, she’s gone back to rubber stamping the Arlington Democratic Party’s agenda.
With your help we can have better, more diverse, County Government at less cost.
Please visit my website — www.AudreyClement.com — to volunteer, donate and/or comment on issues of concern to you.
Wahlburgers Coming to Ballston — Wahlburgers, the burger chain founded by the show biz Wahlbergs (Mark, Donnie, Paul), is coming to Ballston next year. The eatery will be located near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Glebe Road. [Washington Post]
Metro Releases Cause of Derailment — What caused a Metro train to derail near the East Falls Church station on Friday? The transit agency says it was a deteriorated section of track in which the rails became too wide. [Washington Post]
Dark Star Park Day — Yesterday Arlington County held its annual observance of Dark Star Park Day in Rosslyn. The public park, built in 1984, is designed to have its shadows line up once a year, on Aug. 1. [Storify]
County Touts Innovation Recognition — Three Arlington County programs have been recognized for innovation from the Virginia Association of Counties. [Arlington County]
Road Rage on a Bike Trail — Road rage isn’t something that only happens with motorists. Occasionally, it happens among cyclists as well, as this story from an incident on the Mt. Vernon Trail demonstrates. [Storify]
Despite threatening skies, more than 160 people came out for our first-ever ARLBBQ event in Pentagon City on Saturday evening.
The free event was held at The Bartlett, the new apartment building at 520 12th Street S. in Pentagon City. Guests took advantage of a selection of local beer; platters of beef brisket, pulled pork, pork bell, and wings; and a selection of games from fussball to cornhole to giant Jenga and chess sets.
Luckily, the rain held off for the entire three-hour event, and the clouds helped to make the outdoor patio an especially comfortable option for hanging out.
We learned some things about ARLnow readers during the ARLBBQ. First, they can get really loud if the fussball competition heats up. Second, there are very few who would opt for Budweiser or Bud Light if there’s a locally-brewed pale ale or wheat beer available. Third, they can house a hundred pounds of meat like it’s nobody’s business.
Thank you to Vornado Residential for sponsoring the event, providing the space and subsidizing our food and drink. If you’re in the market for a really nice new apartment with an equally nice view, and if you want to be able to pop over to the area’s newest Whole Foods without even having to go outside, be sure to check out their current offer of up to two months free rent.
Thank you to the catering department of the new Pentagon City Whole Foods for supplying the delicious barbecue and other bites. Thank you to Omar DeBrew for our fiery logo. Finally, thank you to the Washington Wine Academy for tending bar and to Sehkraft Brewing in Clarendon for supplying a keg of their NoVa IPA, which was such a hit that it was unfortunately empty before the halfway point of the event.
If you weren’t able to attend and were really jonesing for an ARLnow t-shirt, be sure to keep an eye out for an announcement about our next event this fall. If you’d like to learn more about The Bartlett, call (844) 807-9317 to schedule a personalized tour.
A crash on northbound I-395 near Glebe Road is blocking several lanes.
As of 3:25 p.m., all but two lanes were blocked and traffic was backing up before the crash scene.
Arlington County Police are on scene assisting with traffic control. To help ease congestion, the on-ramp to northbound I-395 from Shirlington Circle has been temporarily closed.
Three people on a far-out road trip were busted for pot possession and indecent exposure in Shirlington Sunday night.
The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. Police say somebody walked past a car on the 4200 block of Campbell Avenue — the approximate location of the Shirlington parking garage — and noticed that the windows were down and two people were naked inside.
The witness found the scene to be suspicious and called police.
Officers arriving and found three people, all in their 20s, asleep in a Nissan sedan. A man, Kamal Ghammache-Mansour, and a woman, Natalie Nowel, were completely naked, according to a crime report. A third, Jaclyn Devino, was clothed.
Upon being woken up, the trio told police that they were on a “hippie trip” across the country and Arlington was one of their stops, a police spokeswoman said. The two who were naked said they removed their clothes because they were hot, according to the spokeswoman. (The temperature at the time was in the low-to-mid 80s.)
Ghammache-Mansour and Nowel were charged with indecent exposure. All three were charged with possession of marijuana.
According to a Google search and social media accounts, Ghammache-Mansour is a saxophonist and a member of a jazz-influenced hip hop group, Nowel is a freelance artist and Devino owns a “energy healing and coaching” business.
Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the three did not elaborate on what their “hippie trip” stop in Arlington entailed. She warned against sleeping in one’s car, especially while naked, noting that Arlington residents are “pretty observant” about out-of-the-ordinary activity.
From an ACPD crime report:
INDECENT EXPOSURE, 160731054, 4200 block of S. Campbell Avenue. At approximately 10:31 p.m. on July 31, officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon officers arrival, they located three suspects asleep in the vehicle with two fully naked. Kamal Ghammache-Mansour, 26, of Albany CA, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and possession of marijuana. Natalie Nowel, 21, of Boston MA, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and possession of marijuana. Jaclyn Devino, 29, of Burlington VT, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana.
The former American Tap Room in Clarendon (file photo)
File photo
File photo
File photo
Our sources were correct — American Tap Room in Clarendon closed over the weekend.
The struggling restaurant served customers Saturday, then was closed on Sunday. A sign posted on the door encouraged customers for “visit one of our other locations” and encouraged employees to “stop by Monday or Tuesday for information on other locations and pay checks.”
While its parent company didn’t return our phone calls, a manager at American Tap Room told us early last week that it was not closing. During a second call to the restaurant, on Friday, an employee said it was “hurtful” for us to suggest that the restaurant might be closing.
ARLnow.com has heard from multiple sources that a mobile phone retailer — likely a Verizon store — will be taking over at least part of the now-former American Tap Room space.
Visitors Gathering at Khan Grave — The grave of an Army Captain who died in Iraq in 2004 has become something of a destination for visitors at Arlington National Cemetery. Flowers and American flags are being left on the grave of Capt. Humayun Khan, whose parents spoke out at the Democratic National Convention against GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s stance on Muslim immigration. [WJLA]
What’s Next for County Parcel Near Marymount? — Officials are beginning the process of deciding the future of a county-owned parcel of land near Marymount University, after the County Board nixed a plan to permanently move Fire Station 8 there. Possibilities for the seven-acre parcel at Old Dominion Drive and 26th Street include a small park, a new salt dome, a large mulch pile, a fueling station and a temporary home for the fire station. [InsideNova]
Richard Thompson Dies — Longtime Arlington resident and “Cul de Sac” comic strip creator Richard Thompson has died at the age of 58 after a battle with Parkinson’s Disease. [Washington Post]
Body of Missing Maryland Man Found — The GW Parkway was shut down for a period of time after a body was found in the area of Donaldson Run. Police say the body was that of a missing Maryland man. [WJLA]
Charles Hernick AMA — The Republican challenging Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) in November’s congressional race recently conducted an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit. Charles Hernick sparked a vigorous debate among users after saying he supports a cap and trade system to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and “clean coal” regulations. [Reddit]
What Is Old Is New Again — A 1965 issue of the Northern Virginia Sun newspaper included two hot topics of the day that should sound familiar to anyone following local news over the past couple of years: a “crisis in low-cost housing” in Arlington and complaints about aircraft noise from National Airport. [InsideNova]
It’s August — Today is the first day of August. Summer doesn’t officially end until Sept. 22, but get ready for plenty of indicators that fall is around the corner: back to school sales, Oktoberfest beers on store shelves and pre-season NFL games.
The weekend is finally here and so is the relief from the heat.
Temperatures will be in the low to high 80s with chances of thunderstorms.
Even if the storms roll through, it won’t put a damper on our ARLBBQ event at the Bartlett in Pentagon City, which our email subscribers were invited to a couple of weeks ago. It’s a free event and we ran out of tickets in 3 hours — apparently people like the idea of enjoying beer and Whole Foods-catered barbecue in a fun indoor/outdoor space with games, TVs, music and a view.
For those attending, good news: you’re getting more free stuff. We’ll have gift bags with Bartlett sunglasses, ARLnow t-shirts and other goodies for you. Supplies, however, will be limited.
Feel free to discuss the weather, your weekend plans or any other topic of local interest in the comments.
A crash on I-66 this morning resulted in four reported injuries.
The crash, near N. Sycamore Street, occurred around 11:15 a.m. and snarled traffic for more than an hour. Two vehicles, including a red pickup truck, were involved.
Four people were transported to the hospital via ambulance, according to scanner traffic, including one person whose injuries were reported to be serious.
Arlington County Police are looking for a man who repeatedly exposed himself to women in the Rosslyn area last night.
