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.

Shake Shack Opening Soon in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Exterior signage is up at the future Shake Shack at the Pentagon City mall.

The burger-and-shake restaurant is opening within a new, still under-construction expansion of the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City along S. Hayes Street. It’s the chain’s first restaurant in Arlington.

The mall’s website says Shake Shack “is expected to open as of 4/1/2016,” but a PR rep said that information is “inaccurate.” No updated opening date was immediately available. Initially, it was said that Shake Shack would open at some point this spring.

Other restaurants and stores coming to the expanded front entrance of the mall include:

Another new store at the mall, Garrett Popcorn, is currently said to be opening around June 1.

More Details on Commonwealth Joe’s New ‘Flagship’ Location in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Arlington-based coffee startup Commonwealth Joe says its planned coffee shop in Pentagon City will be the company’s flagship location — and will offer something beyond just a morning pick-me-up.

“Arlington deserves great coffee,” Commonwealth Joe co-founder and CEO Robert Peck said Monday. “We aim to deliver powerful experiences built around that cup of coffee, and also to provide an environment that makes you feel at home and gives you a sense of place — somewhere where you want to bring your friends and family and can also have chance encounters with others in the community.”

The new Commonwealth Joe store will be located on the ground floor of The Bartlett, a new 22-story luxury apartment building that’s currently wrapping up construction at the corner of S. Eads and 12th Streets, two blocks from the Metro station.

An experience and a sense of community is a key goal for the building and developer Vornado. Thus the reason the coffee shop is planning to make “experience” a cornerstone of its offerings and is working with a top-shelf local design firm for its build-out.

From a press release: “Although they are not revealing details just yet, they say that the new space will be the first of its kind in the entire D.C. metro area, and will offer some exciting amenities for Bartlett residents and customers, including coffee cuppings and brewing classes.”

The shop’s coffee offerings include single-origin coffees, pour-overs and nitro cold brew coffee.

Commonwealth Joe is planning to open on an unspecified date “this summer,” as is the next-door Whole Foods Market. Some residents have been told that the Whole Foods is eyeing a late June opening.

The press release, after the jump.

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Concept Renderings of Ballston Pedestrian Bridge Released

By ARLnow.com
1/7

Arlington County has released seven potential design concepts for a new pedestrian bridge across Wilson Blvd in Ballston.

The renderings, from architecture firm studioTECHNE|architects, include a number of exotic and modern-looking designs.

“The concepts were shaped by community input received at the first public meeting and through online polling,” the county notes. “While the following images appear formal and complete, they are conceptual illustrations intended to capture the spirit of the guiding principles.”

The existing pedestrian bridge is slated to be torn down and a new one built as part of the redevelopment of Ballston Common Mall.

The county has set up a stand-alone website for the pedestrian bridge project. The site includes a description of each concept design.

UPDATE: Airline Service Workers Strike at DCA Postponed

By ARLnow.com

Airport workers protest in New York (photo via SEIU/Facebook)Updated at 3:55 p.m. — Workers “decided to postpone the planned work stoppage in light of the horrific tragedy which unfolded today at the Brussels Airport and subway,” strike organizers say.

Earlier: Airline service workers at Reagan National Airport are planning what’s being described as a first-ever strike starting tonight.

Contract wheelchair attendants, skycaps, baggage handlers, checkpoint agents and cabin cleaners are planning to join fellow airport workers in eight different cities in a 24-hour strike for better working conditions and a $15 per hour minimum wage.

“DCA’s contracted airport service workers are excluded from the airport’s living wage law and earn as little as $3.77 plus tips with few meaningful benefits,” the 32BJ SEIU labor union said, in a press release.

Workers will be striking in the B and C terminals of the airport, 32BJ SEIU said. On Wednesday, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., workers will hold a rally at Gravelly Point Park, near the airport.

Among those planning to address striking airport workers at the rally are Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and Rev. Graylan Hagle.

The action follows a protest by DCA airport workers in January that blocked traffic near the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in MLK Day.

After the jump, the full press release from 32BJ SEIU.

Photo via Facebook

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Ray’s Hell Burger Adding New Eatery in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
1/4

The ever-evolving Ray’s Hell Burger (formerly known as Ray’s to the Third) restaurant in Rosslyn is changing once again.

This time, the restaurant at 1650 Wilson Blvd is splitting into two. Somewhat cryptic signs outside are heralding the imminent arrival of what’s being described to us as a sit-down restaurant with Georgian (as in, the country) and Mediterranean influences.

“The Tasty Dugout,” as the new restaurant will apparently be called, is set to open Friday, April 1. It held a small “preview” event this past weekend.

The Tasty Dugout is located next to Ray’s Hell Burger, in what used to be a dining area for the original restaurant. Among the dishes it expects to serve:

  • Khachapuri — Georgian pizza, basically
  • Kharcho — A traditional Georgian soup
  • Shasklik — “A form of Shish kebab popular in Eastern and Central Europe”
  • Shakshouka — A Tunisian poached egg and tomato sauce dish

Ray’s honcho Michael Landrum was said to be out of the country and unavailable for comment when ARLnow.com stopped by the restaurant this week.

Suspect Arrested in Clarendon Jimmy John’s Robbery

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Arlington County Police say the suspect in a recent, brazen armed robbery has been arrested.

On Saturday, March 12, an armed man entered the Jimmy John’s sandwich shop at 1138 N. Irving Street around 9 p.m., as the surrounding Clarendon neighborhood bustled with bar-goers.

The man pointed a gun at an employee, demanded money and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

Last night, a suspect was taken into custody.

Donnell Nolan-Sharpe, 25, of D.C. was arrested in the District and has been charged with armed robbery. He is currently awaiting extradition to the Commonwealth, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Daffodils on the edge of a patch of woods in Fairlinton

APS Considering Elementary Options — Arlington Public Schools is considering a number of options for increasing elementary school capacity in South Arlington. Among the options are moving current Patrick Henry Elementary students to a new building while moving Drew Model School Montessori students to the current Patrick Henry building. APS is also considering the construction of a new elementary school in Pentagon City. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

Tornado Drill Today — At 9:45 a.m., Virginia will hold its annual springtime tornado drill. The Commonwealth experiences 15-20 tornados per year on average, usually between April and September. [Virginia Dept. of Emergency Management]

Local Startup Featured on MSNBC — Arlington-based moving crate startup ValueCrates was featured during a business segment on MSNBC over the weekend. [American Express]

2016 ARLnow Reader Survey — ARLnow.com is conducting our first annual reader survey. We’ve designed a survey that should take only 10 minutes to fill out, but could help ARLnow better serve the Arlington community for years to come. We would greatly appreciate your time in filling it out. [SurveyMonkey]

“Everyone Keeping Their Clothes On So Far?” Asks TV News Anchor Right Before Flasher Walks By in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Screen shot of Clarendon flasher on WJLA (ABC 7)

A local TV news report from Clarendon took an ironic and not-safe-for-work turn Saturday night when a woman walked by and flashed the camera, live on the air.

During the station’s 11 p.m. news broadcast, ABC 7 anchor Kimberly Suiters tossed to Virginia bureau chief Jeff Goldberg, who was about to introduce his story on that day’s Shamrock Crawl bar crawl.

“Everyone keeping their clothes on?” asked Suiters, apparently referencing earlier instances in which drunken bar crawl attendees stripped naked and were arrested.

Immediately after Goldberg began answering — “so far, Kimberly” — a woman walked by and flashed her breasts. The split-second moment was captured in this NSFW YouTube clip.

A bit flustered, Goldberg nonetheless continued his report, which highlighted how there were no major incidents and only nine minor arrests for drunken behavior during the bar crawl.

“So, anyway,” Goldberg said as the brief YouTube clip ended.

Hat tip to Keith Hall

Arlington Agenda: March 21-27

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

HomebuyerseminaradHome Buyer Seminar*
Optime Realty (1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 101)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

Our team is hosting a Home Buying Seminar at our Rosslyn office. We will have specialists on hand (including lenders and buyer agents) to give you an overview of the buying process. The event is free but registration is required.

Thursday

Cool CowCool Cow Comedy Showcase
Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 8 p.m.

Join your host, Rahmein Mostafavi, in the Drafthouse’s Green Room to see some of the hottest comedy acts for just $5. The tickets are cash only and can only be purchased at the event. All guests must be 21 or older.

Saturday

Tax form (photo via Arlington Public Library)Free Tax Prep Assistance
Columbia Pike Branch Library (816 S. Walter Reed Drive)
Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Arlington Public Library, in partnership with AARP, is offering free tax preparation assistance to people of low and moderate income during tax season, through April 16. Walk-ins are welcome. Appointments may be made by calling 703-829-6192.

Mind Your Body Oasis logoLibrary-Hosted Yoga Class Near Pentagon City
Aurora Hills Branch Library (735 18th Street S.)
Time: 11 a.m.-Noon

In partnership with Mind Your Body Oasis in Crystal City, the Aurora Hills Branch Library is offering an hour-long yoga class. Stretch into spring and start your Saturday off right. Participants must register in advance and bring their own mats. (The class is sold out but there is a waiting list.)

Sunday

Sunrise over the Potomac on 5/26/10Easter Sunrise Service
Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery
Time: 6:15 a.m.

The non-denominational Christian worship service will begin with a musical prelude at 6:15 a.m. The service is scheduled to begin with a call to worship at 6:30 a.m. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

Military Drill Prompts Shots-Fired Call to ACPD

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County Police responded with lights and sirens blaring to a report of shots fired near the intersection of Route 50 and N. Pershing Drive this afternoon, only to figure out that it was almost certainly from a drill at the military base across the street.

Police responded around 2:15 p.m. for a report of a man firing shots at the Days Inn motel, as relayed by a caller who was driving by on Route 50.

Responding officers quickly determined that the shots were almost certainly from what was described as “a 21-gun salute” drill at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, and that the woman who called had heard the shots echoing off the hotel, according to scanner traffic. The woman also reported a suspicious-looking man walking down the highway at the time.

No evidence of gunfire was found at the hotel.

As of 2:30 p.m., police were clearing the call. The incident happened as a gun store prepares to open on N. Pershing Drive, just down the block from the motel, prompting safety concerns from community groups.

Clarendon Apple Store Closing for Renovations

By ARLnow.com
1/2

In two weeks, the always-busy Apple Store in Clarendon (2700 Clarendon Blvd) will close for renovations.

The store will be closed starting Sunday, April 3, according to a sign in the store. An employee was unable to say how long the renovations would take.

That means that customers will only have a couple of days to get a new Apple iPhone SE at the store before it closes. The new smaller, cheaper iPhone was unveiled by the company today.

While the Clarendon store is closed, Apple customers will be able to head to Apple stores in Georgetown, Pentagon City and Tysons Corner.

Update at 9:55 a.m. — Various readers report being told by Apple Store employees that the renovations would take about 6 months to complete.

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