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.

Photos: 2016 Crystal Couture Fashion Show in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
1/32

The 2016 Crystal Couture fashion show and boutique sale is underway in Crystal City.

This year, the show is taking place at the Crystal City Shops at 1750 Crystal Drive. It features models walking the runway, sporting cutting edge fashions from local designers. There’s also music from DJ Neekola, a bar with beer and wine, and pop-up shops from designers and retailers.

Above are some photos from Thursday night’s event.

Crystal Couture will be taking place Friday from 6-10 p.m., with television’s Paul Wharton hosting, and Saturday from 2-10 p.m., with 94.7 Fresh FM’s Tommy McFly hosting. Local media personality Sarah Fraser hosted on Thursday.

(Fraser will also be hosting ARLnow.com’s conversation with new County Board members Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey next week.)

Saturday’s event includes the option for indulging in a VIP experience.

Disclosure: Crystal Couture host Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Where Can You Watch the Super Bowl in Arlington?

By ARLnow.com

Super Bowl 50 logoWhere can you watch the Super Bowl in Arlington, Virginia?

If you typed that into a search engine, we have a simple answer: pretty much anywhere that serves beer and has a TV. It’s a safe bet that if you walk into any bar in Arlington County at 6:30 p.m. Sunday — the time that the Super Bowl festivities are scheduled to start — the big game will be on.

There are, however, a couple of options in Arlington for those who are looking for a more unique Super Bowl experience.

Mad Rose Tavern in Clarendon (3100 Clarendon Blvd) will be hosting Capital Riot, the D.C. area Carolina Panthers fan group.

“Mad Rose graciously hosted a subset of fans during Snowzilla and would love to welcome us back!” the group wrote on its website. “They will feature happy hour food and drink specials and the famous blue Panthers Punch shot!”

Mad Rose will also be hosting Broncos fans, but in a different wing of the bar.

There is no official Denver Broncos gathering in Arlington that we’re aware of — the big Broncos events are both in the District — however, if you’re a fan of either team and want to watch the game on the biggest possible screen, the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) has an event for you.

The Drafthouse’s Super Bowl viewing event is free and begins at 4:30 p.m.

“We will be offering regular table side service offering a full restaurant menu with full bar service,” the Drafthouse said on its website. “And of course our huge digital sports screen!”

Johnny Rockets Has Apparently Closed in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) The Johnny Rockets in the Pentagon City mall has apparently gone the way of sock hops and McCarthyism.

The 1950s themed burger-and-shake restaurant has been closed and boarded up for the past several days. While the Pentagon City location’s Facebook account is still publishing generic food photos, it has been removed from the company’s website and customers asking about the closure earlier this week have gotten no response.

There was no answer at the restaurant’s phone line. We’re still awaiting confirmation that the eatery has closed for good.

A Johnny Rockets in Shirlington closed last year.

Update on 2/6/16 — A PR rep for the mall writes in an email to ARLnow.com: “Johnny Rockets has been a valued eatery at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City for many years. We expect to make an announcement on plans for the space very soon. Further questions should be directed to Johnny Rockets.”

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Backpack Mail’ at Arlington Public Schools Going Paperless

By ARLnow.com

Students going back to school (file photo)Arlington Public Schools will soon no longer be sending paper flyers home in students’ backpacks.

The so-called backpack mail for parents of elementary and middle school students is being phased out in favor of an electronic system, following a successful pilot program, according to APS spokesman Frank Bellavia.

The system, called Peachjar, is specifically designed for schools. It sends electronic flyers to parents’ email inboxes, thus cutting costs and staff time that would otherwise be spent making paper copies and distributing them.

The new system is being rolled out to all elementary and middle schools “over the next few weeks,” Bellavia said.

Families can request that they keep receiving paper copies and paper flyers will be posted on school bulletin boards. Otherwise, there are a number of options for electronic delivery.

“Parents can access the flyers via weekly email notifications they receive, by checking the school’s website, or accessing flyers on the APS Mobile App,” said Bellavia. “Families like the Peachjar option because electronic copies stay online for at least 30 days, and are linked directly to the organization’s website where they can access more information or directly sign up for programs electronically, which is more convenient than keeping track of paper copies and following up on advertised services.”

The pilot program took place at six elementary schools and one middle school last fall and of the families surveyed about it, 86 percent said they wanted to keep the new system instead of returning to backpack mail, according to APS. Nonprofit organizations and PTAs also participate in backpack mail and APS received an enthusiastic response from them.

“More than 100 nonprofit organizations who participate in our backpack mail program were surveyed, and only one respondent indicated a desire to return to backpack mail,” said Bellavia. “APS, schools and PTAs can use the service for free, and nonprofit organizations pay a nominal fee that is less costly than making copies, to distribute their flyers electronically to families. Our PTAs are excited about the service because they can use it for free to distribute their flyers, saving time and the expense of printing paper copies.”

“This program supports the APS commitment to its core value of sustainability, and many families, community members and staff have urged APS to find a paperless (environmentally friendly) alternative to backpack mail,” Bellavia noted.

High schools do not have backpack mail and thus are not slated to get the new system. After the jump, a video about Peachjar.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Penrose Square bicycle racks (Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards)

Mt. Vernon Trail Unplowed After Snowzilla — The National Park Service did not plow the Mt. Vernon Trail, a major bicycle commuter route, after the January blizzard. The snow-covered trail was, however, used by cross-country skiers. Cyclists would like the park service to consider changing its no-plowing policy. [Greater Greater Washington]

Va. GOP Does Away With Loyalty Oath — The State Board of Elections has approved a request from the Republican Party of Virginia that the state discard the loyalty oath the party originally wanted voters to sign during the March 1 presidential primary [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Agencies Investigate Oily Sheen on Potomac — A number of federal and local agencies investigated an oily sheen spotted on the Potomac River yesterday from Gravelly Point down to Alexandria. The source of the oil has not been determined but efforts to contain it were deployed. [Washington Post, Patch]

No Local News in Washington Post App — Steve Thurston, founder of the defunct Arlington Mercury local news blog, isn’t pleased with the Washington Post’s decision last year to leave local news out of the official Washington Post iPhone and iPad app. Post subscribers who want to read local content via an app now have to download a separate “Washington Post Classic” app. [ipadreporter]

New Novel from ‘Beast of Barcroft’ Author — Arlington author Bill Schweigart has a new novel coming out. “Northwoods” is Schweigart’s sequel to supernatural thriller “The Beast of Barcroft.” Both books feature Arlington-based characters and other local references. The 277-page Ebook is being published by Penguin Random House on Feb. 16. [Penguin Random House]

Crystal City Office Complex Up for Sale — The so-called Polk and Taylor office buildings in Crystal City are up for sale. The Department of Defense is leasing the 912,000 square foot office complex along Crystal Drive and 26th Street S. until 2025, but owner Beacon Capital Partners is seeking to sell before the lease expires. The buildings are assessed at $351.2 million. [Washington Business Journal]

Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards

Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Snow falls on 3/25/14 (file photo)Arlington may be on the edge of some accumulating snowfall Friday morning.

The National Weather Service has included in a Winter Weather Advisory that includes mostly points east and south of D.C. The snow is expected to fall between 5 and 8 a.m., during the morning rush hour.

From NWS:

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST FRIDAY…

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW.

* HAZARD TYPES… ACCUMULATING SNOW LATE TONIGHT.

* ACCUMULATIONS… 1 TO 2 INCHES… WITH UP TO 3 INCHES NEAR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

* TIMING… RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW BETWEEN 1 AM AND 5 AM FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. A PERIOD OF MODERATE SNOW IS EXPECTED BETWEEN 5 AM AND 8 AM… ENDING QUICKLY BY MID-MORNING FRIDAY.

* IMPACTS… ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE.

* WINDS… NORTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES… IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S… EXCEPT AROUND 30 NEAR THE MASON-DIXON LINE.

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.

ACFD Responds to Smoke Reported in Pentagon City Metro

By ARLnow.com
1/14

(Updated at 8:20 p.m.) Firefighters were dispatched to the Pentagon City Metro station for a report of smoke in a Metro tunnel earlier this evening.

Emergency crews found an insulator fire on the inbound side of the tunnel. Trains bypassed the station while firefighters investigated the problem, according to ACFD. By 8:10 p.m., the fire had been extinguished and firefighters began leaving the scene.

According to Metro, trains are running as usual but “residual delays” may continue in both directions.

ACPD’s Weekly Crime Reports to Cease, Mapped Crime Data Coming

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police logoThe Arlington County Police Department will soon stop sending out weekly crime reports, but is working on a system for placing crime data in a mapped format.

A police spokeswoman tells ARLnow.com that the department will continue producing its daily crime reports. The weekly crime reports were just compilations of the daily reports and deemed redundant.

In the meantime, the police department is planning to start publishing a crime map on its website later this year.

Separately, ACPD recently had a shakeup in its press office. Dustin Sternbeck, who had served as department spokesman since early 2012, in January joined D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department as its top spokesman.

Sternbeck has been making changes to MPD’s public information office, putting a friendlier and more open face on the department, in part through the use of pop culture references and emojis on social media.

Crime Report: Woman Smashes Bottle on Man’s Face in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA woman hit a 27-year-old man in the face with a bottle early Saturday morning, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

The incident happened on the 3100 block of Wilson Blvd, in Clarendon. The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. The woman left the scene and remains at large.

From ACPD:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 160130008, 3100 block of N. Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on January 30, an unknown subject struck a 27 year-old male victim in the face with a glass bottle. The victim was transported to Virginia Hospital Center for non-life threatening injuries. The suspect is described as a female, no further suspect description.

The rest of the weekly crime report, after the jump.

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New County App Includes Arlington Alerts, Events, Real Estate Sales

By ARLnow.com
1/8

Want to see for how much your neighbor just sold her house? That’s one of the streams of information in Arlington County’s new mobile app.

My Arlington, the recently-released app for iPhone and Android devices, “puts popular County information about events, real estate, permits and more in the palm of your hand,” says a county press release.

Among the noted features are:

  • “County Board and commission meetings, searchable by geographic location, date and other criteria”
  • “County sponsored events, searchable by geographic location, date, age group and other criteria”
  • “Permits information (status, permit type, description of work, contractor, location owner, etc.), searchable by geographic location and permit type”
  • “Real estate sales and assessment information, searchable by geographic location, price and property type”
  • “Newsfeeds for County Government and Arlington Public Schools”
  • “Alerts, including Arlington Alerts and transit-related alerts and updates for WMATA and ART”
  • “County contact information including links to the County’s Service Directory and a feedback form for the app”

“My Arlington is a terrific new tool that will help us better engage and communicate with our community,” Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz said in a statement. “We are already working on making the app even more robust – we think this, and other technologies we are looking into, will help us better serve residents and make County government more accessible and transparent.”

The county is “already working on adding more functions to the app, including: traffic disruptions, crime statistics and other useful information.”

My Arlington will supplement other county apps like the ArlingtonVA Service Requests app, which launched in 2014 and allows residents to report potholes, trash collection issues and other non-emergency problems.

Preppy Retailer ‘The Pink Palm’ Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Sign at 'The Pink Palm' in McLean noting its move to Clarendon (photo courtesy Lindsey W.)Clarendon will be getting a new clothing and accessory store later this year.

The Pink Palm will be moving from Old Dominion Drive in McLean to the Market Common Clarendon shopping center, as soon as mid-to-late spring. The store will be located at 2871 Clarendon Blvd, in the former Knightsbridge Trading Co. space.

The Pink Palm stocks clothes, accessories and gifts for well-heeled customers from brands like Lilly Pulitzer, Barbour, Lifeguard Press and Natty Beau.

Aside from McLean, the company has existing locations in Alexandria, Bethesda, Charlottesville and Richmond. Its employees are known as the Pink Palmettes and its website lists four small, fluffy dogs as “store mascots.”

Photo courtesy Lindsey W.

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