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.

UPDATED: Police respond to reported fight and shot fired in Green Valley

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Update at 6:20 p.m. — Arlington County police just announced that a 21-year-old suspect has been arrested and charged in the incident. A shot was fired, police confirmed, in close proximity to a preschool and Drew Elementary School.

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing the arrest of a suspect following an investigation into a fight with a shot fired. Chase Smith, 21, of Arlington, VA is charged with Attempted Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Discharge of a Firearm within 1,000 feet of a School. He is being held on a $3,500 secured bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 10:29 a.m. on June 7, 2023, police were dispatched to the 2200 block of S. Kenmore Street for the report of a fight involving a firearm. Prior to police arrival, the suspect ran from the scene. Responding officers located him in the 3400 block of 22nd Street S. and took him into custody without incident.

The preliminary investigation indicates the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal dispute when the suspect allegedly displayed a firearm. A physical altercation ensued over the firearm, during which a shot was fired. No property damage or injuries were reported as a result of the firearm discharge. A firearm was recovered on scene.

The victim and suspect were transported to an area hospital for non-life threatening injuries sustained during the physical altercation.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.

Earlier: Police have swarmed the Green Valley neighborhood after a report of at least one gunshot being fired.

The incident unfolded around 10:30 a.m. on the 2200 block of S. Kenmore Street.

Initial reports suggest that two men were fighting at a bus stop and at least one had a gun, which was fired. Both men have injuries but so far there’s no indication that anyone was shot.

After a brief search of the neighborhood, police now have two people detained, according to scanner traffic.

The same intersection of S. Kenmore Street and 22nd Street S. was the scene of shots exchanged between two vehicles in January. In October, a report of an armed man firing gunshots in the neighborhood led to a non-fatal shooting of the suspect by police.

UPDATED: Local air quality reaches Code Red level as wildfire smoke thickens

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at noon) Air quality measurements have exceeded Code Red levels in the D.C. area, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

It’s no surprise to anyone who can see and smell the smoke outside. The thick haze has been wafting into the region from the north, amid severe wildfires in Canada.

The Council of Government says it expects tomorrow to be a Code Red day as well.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has issued a Code Red Air Quality Health Advisory for the metropolitan Washington region. Current air quality conditions have reached Code Red, unhealthy levels for everyone. In addition, tomorrow, June 8, is currently forecast to be a Code Red day.

The region has experienced 6 Code Orange days (unhealthy for sensitive groups) so far this year, and no Code Red days until today.

Smoke coming from fires in Quebec, Canada is contributing to the increased levels of fine particle pollution.

COG advises the following health precautions:

  • Everyone may experience health effects and should limit outdoor activity.
  • Members of sensitive groups like individuals with respiratory and heart ailments, emphysema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis may experience more serious health effects.

Residents can check current air quality conditions and the forecast on COG’s website or by downloading a free air quality app from COG’s Clean Air Partners program.

Air quality levels (via Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments)

Among other impacts, at least one Arlington elementary school postponed a planned outdoor field day due to the unhealthy air. And, just before noon, Arlington Dept. of Parks and Recreation cancelled all outdoor programs.

It’s not only people who are being urged to stay inside. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is reminding residents to keep their pets inside as well.

As of 11 a.m., as pointed out by a reader on social media, the air quality level in Arlington has reached 204 AQI, or the purple “Very Unhealthy” category above Code Red.

“Everyone may experience more serious health effects and should avoid outdoor activities,” the MWCOG air quality table says about the level.

The Arlington County Fire Department, meanwhile, has responded to several calls this morning for people — including an Arlington Public Schools student — experiencing trouble breathing, according to scanner traffic.

Air quality reading for Arlington as of 11 a.m. Wednesday (via airnow.gov)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Work on Metro tracks along the Orange and Silver lines near East Falls Church (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County Board May Up Contract Threshold — “A measure up for a vote at the June 10 County Board hearing would quadruple – from $250,000 to $1 million – the threshold of any new contracts being inked by the local government to go before the board (and therefore public). The proposal likely will add more fuel to the fire among critics of the government like the Arlington County Civic Federation, which has contended that the government is failing the public on the transparency front.” [Gazette Leader]

Auction for Columbia Pike Office Building — “The second property, an eight-story, 63,000-square-foot office built in 1970 at 2300 S. 9th St. in Arlington, was acquired in 2020 for $6.5 million. BoundTrain planned a major renovation to capture tenants ‘fleeing to quality.’ But BoundTrain recently having defaulted on its debt, the noteholder has foreclosed on the property, directing the acting trustee Joseph Corish, an attorney with Bean Kinney & Korman PC, to sell BoundTrain’s asset at auction Wednesday morning.” [Washington Business Journal]

‘Inner Ear’ Book Released — “Now, that history is at the center of a new coffee table book, full of photographs from recording sessions, and firsthand accounts of Inner Ear — and Zientara himself — from dozens of musicians who made music there. The book, The Inner Ear of Don Zientara, was released today and also features a lengthy interview with Zientara by John Davis, drummer of former D.C. post-punk band Q and Not U.” [DCist, Amazon]

GW Parkway Lane Closure Update — “On Saturday, June 10, the National Park Service (NPS) will extend the three-lane traffic configuration on the George Washington Memorial Parkway from the Route 123 interchange to Windy Run Bridge as part of the ongoing North Parkway Rehabilitation Project. The NPS will temporarily close the right northbound lane from Route 123 to the Windy Run Bridge during this transition.” [Press Release]

Weenie Beenie Reviewed — Internet personality Frank the Tank reviewed the legendary Weenie Beenie near Shirlington, in a video posted Tuesday. [Barstool Sports]

It’s Wednesday — Widespread haze. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. At night: Widespread haze before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 7 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jun 6, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 11985 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Jun 6, 2023.

  1. Insect damage jeopardizes the oldest building in Arlington
  2. Morning Notes
  3. Chicken + Whiskey hopes to start serving this week in Clarendon
  4. Here are a dozen businesses listed for sale in Arlington this summer

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Widespread haze. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. At night: Widespread haze before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Air quality alert issued for Wednesday amid smoke from Canadian wildfires

By ARLnow.com
Soccer at Highlands Park in the haze along Hayes Street in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Updated at 9:45 a.m. — The Code Orange alert has been changed to a Code Red alert.

Wednesday is forecast to be a “Code Orange” day in Arlington and across the D.C. area.

That’s according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which says local air quality will be “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

Air quality is low across much of the eastern U.S. as smoke from wildfires in Canada is blown south, making for hazy skies and, in some cases, a campfire-like smell outside.

More on the Code Orange alert, below, from MWCOG.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Orange air day for the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow: Wednesday, June 7. Code Orange levels mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Smoke coming from fires in Canada will contribute to the increased levels of fine particle pollution.

On unhealthy air days, COG advises the following health precautions:

  • Children and older adults should reduce outdoor activities.
  • Healthy individuals should limit strenuous work or exercise, especially outdoors.
  • Individuals with respiratory and heart ailments, emphysema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis should limit their activity level. If breathing becomes difficult, move indoors.

Residents can check current air quality conditions on COG’s website or by downloading a free air quality app from Clean Air Partners.

On unhealthy air days, residents are encouraged to take the following actions to help reduce pollution:

  • Turn off lights and electronics when not in use and follow tips from your electric utility about how to use less electricity to cool your home.
  • Avoid lawn mowing or use an electric mower.
  • Use transit, carpool, or work from home to limit driving. Fill up your gas tank during evening hours.

COG provides air quality forecasts and current air quality conditions for metropolitan Washington. It also educates the public about voluntary actions people can take to reduce pollution and the health risks of bad air quality through its Clean Air Partners program, which is co-sponsored by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

It’s possible that a Code Red air quality alert could be issued in the coming days, as the smoke gets worse locally, according to the Capital Weather Gang.

Here are a dozen businesses listed for sale in Arlington this summer

By ARLnow.com
Business sale question graphic (photo illustration by ARLnow)

Arlington is full of great local businesses, and sometimes those businesses change hands.

We occasionally check in on the state of local business by taking a look of the entities being offered for sale via BizBuySell, an online aggregator. The businesses are described but usually not named in the listings.

When ARLnow last checked in this past October, we highlighted eight businesses for sale, including restaurants, a moving company and a salon.

Today, we have a dozen to highlight, including one that appeared — for some reason — via a real estate listing.

1. 2900 N Sycamore Street – Williamsburg Deli ($65,000)

Perfect Location with Huge Potential Deli. Deli has demonstrated its pandemic proof with steady sales generated by a well-established core customer base within the neighborhood. Great business opportunity for first-starters.

2. Fantastic Corner Cafe’ and Market ($145,000)

European café and market. Serving breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and deserts. All types of coffees, lattes, and teas. Pastries and bagels. Sandwiches, soups, and salads. Chips, candy, cigarettes’, and Ice cream, Refreshments, select micro beers, and fine wines. Inside and outside seating. A real must see.

3. Newly Renovated, Beautiful restaurant with Patio for Sale ($60,000)

Beautiful newly built out Restaurant, brand new equipment. Big patio. Price for a quick asset sale as Seller wants to pursuit different opportunity.

4. High Volume Restaurant & Bar in Prime Location ($1,100,000)

High volume restaurant & bar in a prime location of Arlington surrounded by residential & office buildings. This restaurant has been in business for over 10 years and averages an immaculate $3,200,000 in annual sales. Beautifully built out with a full service bar serving some of the best wines and specialty cocktails in the area.

5. Specialty Dessert Boutique Franchise ($149,000)

Specialty dessert & gift franchise locations for sale. For a low price of $149,000 you can be the owner of 2 dessert franchise businesses located in Arlington & DC. The current owner of these locations is absentee and we are looking for a new hands on owner to take this established business to the next level.

6. Top rated/top sales with great revenues Burger ($450,000)

Top rated gourmet Burger with potential growth in different directions. Located next to a bustling high-rise residential area. It is not just a burger joint, but also a bar and a hanging out place for the community. With top sales and great revenues, it’s evident that this burger have become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Construction and haze along Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Five Arlington Cos. in Fortune 1000 — “Thirty-six Virginia-based companies made Fortune magazine’s 69th annual Fortune 1000 list, notably including newcomers to the commonwealth Raytheon Technologies Corp. and Boeing Co. [both based in Arlington] as Virginia’s second and third highest-ranking companies. Freddie Mac remained Virginia’s top-ranked company, at No. 45, and 24 Virginia companies made this year’s elite Fortune 500 list.” [Virginia Business]

Free ART Rides Coming — “The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission on June 1 called an audible, opting to provide the Arlington County government $566,000 to enable free rides on certain Arlington Transit (ART) buses over a five-month period. The plan aims to increase ART ridership, which was hit hard during the pandemic and has been slow to recover, staff of the regional transit body said.” [Gazette Leader]

I-395 Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “Another I-395S crash because someone didn’t want to miss Exit 8C to Crystal City. Yesterday at 2p. The driver then blocked the ramp, almost getting hit by another driver making the 8C dash.” [Twitter]

Another I-395 Exit Crash — From Dave Statter: “Being able to now confirm long held assumptions with @SafetyVid video, it’s clear drivers trying to make the left side exit cause most of the many, many I-395N Exit 10C crashes. This was yesterday at 10:10 am.” [Twitter]

Dashcam Captures I-395 Crash in D.C. — From WTOP’s Dave Dildine: “Dashcam footage of Sunday’s fatal crash in DC shows a vehicle careening off the 9th Street Tunnel overpass and falling into southbound traffic on I-395 below.” [Twitter]

Bonus Change for County Workforce — “Arlington government leaders will no longer be required to show that employees receiving bonuses are deserving based on merit, under a proposal slated for a public hearing and likely enactment in July. County Board members on June 10 are slated to set a July 15 public hearing on changes to the county government’s civil-service code, stripping a past requirement that bonuses be restricted to ‘exceptional services rendered.'” [Gazette Leader]

Marymount Grant for Fall Prevention — “As the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in adults over the age of 65, falls can greatly impact the health and well-being of older adults… In response to this critical health issue, Marymount University and its Center for Optimal Aging were recently awarded a third round of funding – totaling $548,298.” [Press Release]

Hazy Day Expected Due to Canadian Smoke — “We’ve got more smoke coming at us here in the DC area, sourced from wildfires in Quebec. Probably arriving later today/tonight and peaking on Tuesday, when air quality could be affected some.” [Twitter, Twitter]

It’s Tuesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind 6 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jun 5, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 13054 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

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

  1. ACPD: Man beat up at busy N. Glebe Road intersection
  2. Jeni’s in Shirlington to kick off summer with free ice cream tonight
  3. Columbia Pike’s Mpanadas finally getting a grand opening later this month
  4. Local middle-schooler nabs second place in Scripps National Spelling Bee

📅 Upcoming events

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

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Northwest wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Peace begins with a smile.”
– Mother Teresa

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

ACPD: Man beat up at busy N. Glebe Road intersection

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car (file photo)

Arlington County police are looking for a pair of suspects in a serious assault yesterday evening.

The incident happened Sunday just before 6 p.m., at the intersection of N. Glebe Road and N. Pershing Drive in Buckingham. According to scanner traffic, the victim was beat up by two men and, while he was down, kicked in the head.

The victim was found on the ground, reportedly bleeding from the head. The suspects fled the scene but a witness told police that he had video of the attack.

More, below, from today’s ACPD crime report.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-06040185, N. Glebe Road at N. Pershing Drive. At approximately 5:51 p.m. on June 4, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was pushed to the ground and assaulted by the two male suspects. The suspects fled the scene on foot and were not located by responding officers. The victim was treated on scene for serious, non-life threatening injuries and refused transport to the hospital. Suspect One is described as Hispanic male, approximately 25-35 years old, 5’5”-5’6”, wearing a white shirt and white pants. Suspect Two is described as a Hispanic male. The investigation is ongoing.

Also in today’s crime report, a woman allegedly threatened a male victim with a knife along Columbia Pike early Saturday morning.

From ACPD:

ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING (Late), 2023-06030223, 2900 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 7:45 p.m. on June 3, police were dispatched to the late report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined at approximately 1:30 a.m., the known female suspect became involved in a verbal dispute with the male victim and a witness. During the dispute, the suspect allegedly approached the victim and brandished a knife before being separated by witnesses. No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Aliena

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Meet Aliena, a feisty white rabbit who is the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week!

This sweetheart is up for adoption at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and her friends had this to say:

Aliena is full of personality!

She is a very outgoing and feisty bun. She loves to nap in a sunny spot in a loaf position and munch on greens. She is accepting of pets from people she trusts, but is not a big fan of being picked up.

Her special talents include building her dream home out of cardboard, keeping her space neat and tidy, and parkour-status zoomies!

Aliena would love a home that can offer her space to roam and explore to her heart’s content.

Is Aliena the white rabbit you’ve been searching for? Be sure to check out her entire profile to learn more!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos — they don’t fit in our photo gallery!

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The Pentagon, Jefferson Memorial, and US Capitol viewed through hazy skies from the US Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Moran Switches Prosecutor Endorsement — “Former Congressman Jim Moran withdrew an earlier endorsement of [Josh] Katcher to back [incumbent Parisa] Dehghani-Tafti. ‘Originally, a friend was raising money for Katcher,’ he told the News-Press, ‘but when I told my wife, Deborah Warren,’ who is a deputy director of the county Human Services Department, ‘she told me Parisa is very competent and doing a good job. So I listened to Parisa speak and would [be] up [to] agreeing to switch my allegiance.'” [Falls Church News-Press]

NYC Bagel Maker Coming to N. Va. — “By the end of the year, DC locals will be able to decide for themselves: New York institution H&H Bagels plans to open 10 stores in the District and Virginia as part of a national expansion. The bagels will be kettle-boiled, parbaked, and flash frozen at a new facility in Queens before being shipped in frozen trucks to the franchises, where they’ll be finished in special ovens.” [Washingtonian]

Another Arrest in Arlington Teen’s Murder — “Yesterday, detectives charged Vladimir Garcia Montes, 18, of Falls Church with robbery resulting in death in Monday’s double homicide. Detectives continue to investigate and anticipate more updates to follow.” [Fairfax County Police Department]

Hurricane Season Preparation Tips — “Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1, 2023, and now is the best time to prepare for hurricanes, tropical storms, and flooding.” [Arlington County]

Outdoor Movie Series Starting — “Westpost in Pentagon City is hosting a series of free outdoor movies on Wednesdays in June, starting with ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ on Wednesday, June 7.” [Patch]

VRE Station to Get Toll Funding — “The final pieces of a complex funding plan supporting relocation of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station in Crystal City are falling into place. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission on June 1 approved a staff recommendation to use incoming tolling revenue from Interstates 95/395 to cover nearly $19 million of the VRE project’s cost in several rounds of funding.” [Gazette Leader]

Plan Calls for Maintaining Tree Canopy — “It appears Arlington leaders are not planning to swing for the fences when it comes to the community’s tree coverage. The county government’s draft Forestry and Natural Resources Plan, which currently is making its way through the review process, calls for maintaining tree-canopy levels at around 40 percent, as they currently are, without proposing actions to significantly boost the numbers, as tree activists seek.” [Gazette Leader]

Sonic Boom at Fighters Scramble — “Fighter jets from Joint Base Andrews were scrambled to intercept a private plane over Virginia on Sunday afternoon, causing a sonic boom that reverberated across the area, North American Aerospace Defense Command officials said. The jets were responding to a Cessna that crashed later in Southwest Virginia.” [Washington Post, Daily Mail]

It’s Monday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. North wind 6 to 9 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind 5 to 7 mph. [Weather.gov]

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