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.

Arlington Home Named One of the ’15 Most Decked-Out’ in U.S.

By ARLnow.com

Christmas decorated home at N. Abingdon and 16th (Flickr photo by Craig Pennington)

A North Arlington house has been named one of the “15 Most Decked-Out Holiday Homes in America.”

The house, on N. Abingdon Street at 16th Street N., near Virginia Hospital Center, is a perennial draw around holiday time. It features an array of lights, wreaths, Santa Clauses and other Christmas decorations.

The website MSN.com listed the house as No. 11 on its list of the 15 most outlandishly-decorated holiday homes in the U.S.

Flickr photo by Craig Pennington

New 7-Eleven Store Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Public Shoe Store, at 3137 Wilson Blvd, will be closing soonUpdate at 4:35 p.m. — Public Shoe Store is still open, says owner S.H. “Doc” Friedman’s daughter. “Public Shoe is still operating and will continue to do so for another few months,” Karen Friedman Widmayer said this afternoon. In April, Friedman told ARLnow.com that the store would close by the end of the summer.

A new 7-Eleven store is coming to the heart of the Clarendon business district.

Permits have been filed for a 7-Eleven at 3137 Wilson Blvd, the former Public Shoe Store, which closed earlier this year is preparing to close after 78 years in business.

So far, it’s early in the permitting process and there’s no word as to when the store might open.

This will be the sixth 7-Eleven store within a half mile or so. The nearest store is a couple of blocks away, at 3000 Washington Blvd. Another is located at 2704 Washington Blvd, and three are clustered around the Virginia Square Metro station.

Hat tip to Chris Slatt

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Puddle runner (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Shirlington Tree Lighting Rescheduled — Due to rain, the Shirlington tree lighting event scheduled for tonight has been rescheduled. The holiday event is now set for Monday, Dec. 7 from 6-8:30 p.m. [Facebook]

Yona Now Open in Ballston — New ramen restaurant Yona opened for lunch yesterday in Ballston, attracting a “packed house” for $15 bowls of ramen. The restaurant, at 4000 Wilson Blvd, plans to start serving dinner on Friday. [Yona, Twitter]

Pothole Attracts Attention of Pentagon Police — A pothole on a stretch of roadway near the Pentagon attracted the attention of security forces after at least three cars became disabled due to running over it. Pentagon police are sent to investigate any time a vehicle stops on the site of the highway in view of the building. In 2010 a man fired shots at the Pentagon from his car on the side of I-395. [WTOP]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Heavy Traffic Reported as Rain Slows Down Post-Holiday Commute

By ARLnow.com

Morning commute on 12/1/15

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving (and first day of December) is proving to be a turkey in terms of traffic.

Steady rain and accidents have helped to slow the commute to a crawl across much of Arlington.

On I-395 at 9 a.m., nearly the entire length of inbound I-395 was slow. I-66 is reported to be backed up all the way to Falls church. And the GW Parkway is a slog starting at the first overlook.

A reader reports that Route 50 was no picnic, either.

https://twitter.com/RNS48/status/671679134242840576

Elsewhere, minor flooding was reported in the area of Chain Bridge. Expect the rain to continue throughout the morning, forecasters say.

MakeOffices to Open Huge Coworking Space in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/3

MakeOffices, the recently-renamed shared workspace company that got its start in Rosslyn, is planning to open a new flagship coworking space in Clarendon.

MakeOffices is constructing a new, 40,000 square foot, 550 seat office space on the second floor of 3100 Clarendon Blvd, across from the Clarendon Metro station and the Trader Joe’s.

The building, which is also home to running retailer Pacers and nightlife staples Mister Days and Mad Rose Tavern, formerly housed the high-security Defense Intelligence Agency.

MakeOffices Clarendon is expected to feature high-end interior furnishings, multiple conference rooms, two “bullpen” shared office spaces, dozens of private offices and a large central pantry/coffee bar.

It will be MakeOffices’ largest coworking space in the D.C. area, we’re told. (The company’s original office in Rosslyn remains open but is much smaller than its newer locations.)

The Clarendon location is expected to open in April. It is one of a number of new offices the company is planning, in D.C. and other major North American cities.

In the D.C. area, MakeOffices just opened a new coworking space in Reston and has another in the works in Logan Circle. The company also has plans to open offices next year in Chicago and Philadelphia, to be followed by new outposts in New York City and Toronto.

MakeOffices, meanwhile, will be getting some competition in Arlington, albeit a few miles away. WeWork, the largest company in the fast-growing coworking industry, is planning to open a new location in Crystal City this spring.

Disclosure: Local News Now, the publisher of ARLnow.com, has offices in MakeOffices locations in Arlington and D.C.

Man Arrested for Attempted Burglary After Throwing Rock at Bank

By ARLnow.com

PNC Bank in Clarendon (photo via Google Maps)A man was arrested over the weekend and charged with attempted burglary after throwing a rock at a Clarendon area bank.

The incident happened just after noon Sunday at the PNC Bank at 2601 Clarendon Blvd.

Police say 27-year-old Uchenna Eze threw a rock at the bank “in an attempt to steal money.” He was arrested, charged with attempted burglary and held without bond.

Photo via Google Maps

Chipotle Now Open on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened its first Columbia Pike location in Arlington.

The burrito chain is now open at 1002 S. Glebe Road, on the ground floor of the 3400 Pike apartment building at the corner of Glebe and the Pike.

The restaurant opened to relatively large crowds, at least for the weekend after Thanksgiving. Service was sluggish as employees received on-the-job training.

The new Chipotle’s hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Online ordering and pickup is available. The restaurant is still in the process of getting its state liquor license in order to serve beer.

Chipotle faces competition from local favorite Pedro and Vinny’s, the tiny but mighty burrito stand a few blocks down the Pike in a CVS parking lot.

Arlington DMV Office to Close Next Year

By ARLnow.com

Virginia DMV office on Four Mile Run Drive (photo via Commonwealth of Virginia)The Virginia Dept. of Motor Vehicles office at 4150 S. Four Mile Run Drive in Arlington is slated to close next year and move to Fairfax County.

The DMV office will move to the Barcroft Plaza shopping center, at 6345 Columbia Pike in the Falls Church section of Fairfax County, about four miles away from its current location.

The new DMV is expected to open “by late spring,” at which time the Four Mile Run location will close, said DMV spokeswoman Brandy Brubaker.

Arlington County will retain its DMV Select office at the county government building in Courthouse (2100 Clarendon Blvd). The DMV Select office offers various vehicle titling and registration services, but does not issue driver’s licenses, learners permits or ID cards.

Photo via Commonwealth of Virginia

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Metro riders heading to work (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Wreath Shortfall Projected for Cemetery — Wreaths Across America projects it will be 30,000 short of its goal of 230,000 wreaths to place on graves at Arlington National Cemetery this year. The organization is hoping more donors step up before its fundraising deadline tomorrow. [Fox News]

Sehkraft Brewing Now Open — Sehkraft Brewing in Clarendon opened to large beer garden crowds late last week. The brewpub has fire pits outside and is hosting live music nightly. [Facebook]

Arlington Ranks No. 2 for Roommates — Among major U.S. localities, Arlington ranks No. 2 for having the highest percentage of adults living with roommates. According to the website, 23 percent of 18-39 year olds in Arlington live with a roommate. That compares to 21 percent for the No. 4 city, Washington, D.C. [Priceonomics via Greater Greater Washington]

Barbershop Chorus to Sing at Metro Stations — The Arlingtones, a barbershop chorus, will be performing barbershop music at three local Orange Line Metro stations this month. [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Crime Report: Witness Foils Robbery on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

A man pushed a woman to the ground and tried to take her money last Wednesday along Columbia Pike, but fled after a witness intervened.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 151118069, 3200 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 10:35 p.m. on November 18, a 19 year-old female victim was shoved to the ground after a male subject attempted to steal change from her. The suspect fled the scene after a witness tried to intervene. Marlow Dugger, 37, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with attempted robbery. He is being held on a $5,000 bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

(more…)

View More Stories