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.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A Southwest Airlines jet disappears into the clouds after taking off from DCA (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

HQ2 Construction Wrapping Up — “The Met Park piece of Amazon’s HQ2 has been under construction for 40 months on a 6.2-acre site fronting South Eads Street, north of 15th Street South. Since then, upward of 9,400 workers from roughly 40 trades have excavated 440,000 cubic yards of dirt, constructed a pair of 22-story concrete and steel office towers over a massive underground garage, installed nearly 1,000 door frames, laid the sod for the 8,800-square-foot central, public green, and sent more than 100 community updates.” [Washington Business Journal, Clark Construction]

Arlington Brunch Spots in Top 100 List — “Two Arlington restaurants made a new list of 100 Most Popular Brunch Spots for 2023. The list, compiled by online reservation website OpenTable just ahead of Mother’s Day, is based on the analysis of more than 13 million diner reviews… Here are the two Arlington restaurants that made the top 100 brunch spots list: Ambar [and] Ruthie’s All-Day.” [Patch]

GOP Chair Eyes District Seats — “It probably won’t happen soon, but the new chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee says he’s amenable to launching a petition drive that would change Arlington County Board seats from at-large to district-based… Because all political power in Virginia flows from the state level down to localities, a General Assembly and governor working in tandem likely could impose any changes they saw fit to Arlington’s governance structure, without necessarily needing buy-in from county leaders.” [Gazette Leader]

Ballston Office Lease Renewed — “Nixon & Vanderhye — a law firm with global reach and specializing in intellectual property — has signed a new, long-term lease for 26,000 square feet of office space at Arlington Gateway, a Piedmont Office Realty Trust building in Arlington, Va. The new agreement will lead to a reduction in the firm’s footprint at the property, as well as trim its associated costs.” [CommercialCafe]

Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “#caughtoncamera: This is from a four car crash on I-395N last Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. One of the cars didn’t stop & headed across the 14th St. Bridge instead. Minor injuries reported. @VSPPIO & @ArlingtonVaFD handled.” [Twitter]

‘Coffee With a Cop’ Returns — “All those who live, work and visit Arlington are encouraged to attend Coffee with a Cop events as they provide a space to develop and maintain important community relationships… Coffee with a Cop events will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at the following locations: La Coop Coffee (4807 1st Street N.) from 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Compass Coffee (4710 Langston Boulevard) from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.” [ACPD]

DJO Softball Undefeated — “The Bishop O’Connell Knights finished the regular season with a 15-0 record in girls softball. In its final three games, the state’s No. 1- routed Bishop McNamara, 13-1, then downed St. John’s, 13-4, in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference games. O’Connell is the top seed in this week’s WCAC tournament.” [Gazette Leader]

Yorktown Baseball First in District — “The same winning formula for five-straight games helped the Yorktown Patriots clinch first place in the Liberty District regular season baseball standings with a 10-1 record and one game to play when the week began. By finishing first, Yorktown will be the top seed in the upcoming district tournament and has earned an automatic berth to play in the 6D North Region tourney.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 2pm and 5pm. High near 60. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind 6 to 8 mph. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for May 8, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 8058 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — May 8, 2023.

  1. Morning Notes
  2. ACPD nabs four teens who tried to run from traffic stop of stolen car
  3. Police: Man bashes car with brick in robbery attempt

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤 Tuesday’s forecast

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 2pm and 5pm. High near 60. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Sunrise at 6:01 am and sunset at 8:08 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Haiku of the Day

Northern lights unfold
Dazzling dance in skies painted
Nature’s grand display

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Police: Man bashes car with brick in robbery attempt

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A 41-year-old man is in jail after police say he used a brick in an early morning robbery attempt.

The incident happened around 2 a.m. in Crystal City. Police say the man stood in front of a car, demanded cash from those inside, then bashed the car with the brick “multiple times” before the victims were able to flee.

Police responded and took a suspect into custody.

From today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, 2023-05070025, 1600 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 2:02 a.m. on May 7, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were inside their vehicle attempting to leave the area when the male suspect allegedly approached, stood in front of the vehicle while holding a brick, and demanded money. The suspect struck the vehicle multiple times with the brick before the victims were able to leave the area. No injuries were reported. Responding officers canvassed the area, located the suspect, and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 41, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Destruction of Property, Attempted Robbery, and Abduction. He was held without bond.

Also in today’s crime report: another incident of teens running after an alleged vehicle-related crime.

This incident happened around 9:30 p.m. in Pentagon City, and involved five juvenile male suspects fleeing on foot before all being apprehended, according to ACPD.

ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO (Significant), 2023-05060271, 1400 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 9:24 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, an officer observed approximately five juvenile suspects allegedly tampering with two vehicles, one of which had a smashed rear window. The officer attempted to make contact with the suspects, during which they fled the scene on foot. Officers initiated foot pursuits, located the five juvenile male suspects and took them into custody. Two suspects sustained minor injuries and were treated by medics. Petitions are pending for the juvenile suspects.

Additionally, there were two separate incidents of alleged gun brandishings, both along Columbia Pike over the weekend. One involved an implied gun and the other a BB gun, according to police.

BRANDISHING, 2023-05060148, 900 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 12:29 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect approached the two victims, allegedly physically assaulted Victim One and made threatening statements implying he had a firearm before leaving the scene. The victim reported minor injuries and did not require medical attention on scene. During the course of the investigation, the suspect returned to the area and was taken into custody without incident. [The suspect], 25, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Assault and Battery. He was held without bond.

BRANDISHING, 2023-05070094, 4800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 12:13 p.m. on May 7, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined the suspect approached the known victim, told him to leave the area and when the victim refused, the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm. Officers recovered a BB gun on scene. No injuries were reported. [The suspect], 44, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Disorderly Conduct. He was held without bond.

Don’t be surprised if you answer the phone and John Legend is on the other end, endorsing a local candidate

By ARLnow.com
Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti at a Black Lives Matter rally in 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington residents may soon hear the dulcet sounds of John Legend on the phone, asking them to vote for Parisa Dehghani-Tafti.

The singer, songwriter, actor and media personality is again weighing in on the local race for Commonwealth’s Attorney. An advocate for justice reform, Legend endorsed Dehghani-Tafti in 2019 and has recorded an endorsement for the prosecutor’s reelection this year.

“Hi, this is John Legend,” the singer’s voice will say to those who pick up the phone. “Why am I calling is because Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, your Commonwealth’s Attorney who needs your vote in the June 20 Democratic primary.”

“Parisa has delivered on her promises,” Legend continues. “She stopped prosecuting low level marijuana possession and ended cash bail. Under Parisa’s leadership, Arlington is one of the safest cities in America. Parisa’s work to establish treatment programs and reduce racial disparities has made her a leader on safety and justice reform both locally and nationwide.”

Dehghani-Tafti posted a copy of the recording on social media this morning.

https://twitter.com/parisa4justice/status/1655573276234489859

Dehghani-Tafti is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary from her one-time deputy, Josh Katcher.

The challenger has outraised his former boss $105,562 to $66,613, though Dehghani-Tafti has criticized him for accepting money from GOP donors. Katcher, who also describes himself as a justice reformer, has linked a local rise in crime — albeit one in line with national trends — with the alleged “multiple failings” of Dehghani-Tafti’s leadership.

While lacking the star power of John Legend, Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey is among those who have endorsed Katcher.

ACPD nabs four teens who tried to run from traffic stop of stolen car

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Four teens are facing potential charges after running from a felony traffic stop.

The incident happened Thursday afternoon in the Rosslyn area.

Arlington County police say the juveniles were in a stolen car when officers tried to pull them over. All four — including one who allegedly was armed with a gun — tried to run off, but they were each eventually taken into custody, ACPD said.

More, below, from an ACPD crime report.

RECOVERED STOLEN AUTO (Significant), 2023-05040170, 1600 block of N. Queen Street. At approximately 4:15 p.m. on May 4, police attempted a traffic stop at N. Quinn Street and Wilson Boulevard on a vehicle previously reported stolen out of Fairfax County, VA. The four occupants exited the vehicle and ran from the scene. Officers initiated foot pursuits and the occupants, four juveniles, were located and taken into custody. During a search of the driver, a firearm was recovered. Petitions for the four juvenile suspects are pending.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The Alamo Drafthouse in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Crash with Overturned Vehicle — From Alan Henney early Saturday morning: “Washington Blvd and North Brookside Dr in Arlington. Two-vehicle crash where one driver (who has a prior arrest for DUI) tried to flee. Injuries are NLT.” [Twitter]

County Board Primary Roundup — “It’s a big election year in Arlington. Two seats on the five-member at-large county board are up for grabs, with six candidates vying for them in the Democratic primary… We asked each of the candidates to weigh in on the top issues facing Arlington County, including ‘missing middle’ zoning, retaining teachers, police and mental health staff, and financial uncertainty amid a loss of commercial real estate revenue.” [DCist]

Crystal City’s Underground Bike Ride — “Two levels below street level, dozens of cyclists in a progression of wacky costumes raced around an empty underground parking garage in Arlington, Va., in what has become one of the biggest celebrations for the D.C. region’s tightknit biking community.” [Washington Post]

Yellow Line Bridge Reopens — “Over the bridge and through the tunnel, trains on the Yellow Line are ready to go. Starting Sunday, May 7, Yellow Line service will resume across the Potomac River, following an eight-month, on-time and anticipated to be under budget rehabilitation project to repair the deteriorating 1970’s tunnel and bridge. The reopening, announced last month, will provide a faster, more direct connection for customers between Virginia and downtown DC, including travel to/from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.” [WMATA]

It’s Monday — Updated at 9:40 a.m. — Overcast with passing showers and some peeks of sun. Mild. High of 80 and low of 59. Sunrise at 6:02 am and sunset at 8:07 pm. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for May 5, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 13300 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

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

  1. Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe is more than just a bakery
  2. NEW: Middle school student facing charges after social media gun threat
  3. Morning Poll: DCA vs. IAD
  4. Morning Notes

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Woman slapped, stabbed and robbed near Key Bridge in Rosslyn last night (9192 views)
  2. Someone keeps masturbating near the Walter Reed pickleball courts (7964 views)
  3. Trader Joe’s appears to be coming to Crystal City (6895 views)
  4. Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe is more than just a bakery (5248 views)
  5. New Korean-style fried chicken restaurant set to open late next month in Va. Square (4994 views)
  6. NEW: Middle school student facing charges after social media gun threat (4552 views)
  7. BREAKING: Katie Cristol stepping down from Arlington County Board to lead Tysons booster org (4418 views)
  8. Pike fried chicken spot Queen Mother’s moving to revamped Crystal City Water Park (4339 views)
  9. Arlington asking residents to weigh in on potential transportation upgrades in Courthouse (3575 views)
  10. ACPD: ART bus driver seriously hurt after being assaulted by rider (3531 views)
  11. Options for celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Arlington this week (3483 views)
  12. New report details Courthouse brandishing incident, wild chase and exchange of gunfire (2806 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

⛅ Saturday’s forecast

Afternoon clouds. Mild. High of 76 and low of 55. Sunrise at 6:05 am and sunset at 8:05 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Haiku of the Day

Machu Picchu stands
Crowned heights, tales of Incan lands
Testament to time

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Cupid

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Cupid, an adorable 2-year-old cat is the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week!

Her friends at Animal Welfare League of Arlington had this to say about her:

Meet Cupid, the lovable 2-year-old cat with a heart of gold and a purrfectly adorable appearance. Cupid is a white and tabby feline with an affectionate personality that’s sure to make you fall head over heels.

This little kitty is as sweet as the arrows from Cupid’s bow, and she’s always looking for someone to share her love with. Whether she’s snuggling up in your lap or playing with her toys, Cupid will steal your heart in no time.

Don’t let her innocent appearance fool you — Cupid is a skilled hunter who will shoot straight for your heartstrings.

So if you’re looking for a little love in your life, look no further than Cupid the cat. With her adorable face and playful personality, she’s sure to be the arrow that hits you right in the feels. Come meet her today and fall in love with this purrfect little matchmaker!

Is Cupid a match for you? Read her entire profile to set up a virtual meet and greet. Her adoption fees are only $25 during the Empty The Shelters event!

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!

NEW: Middle school student facing charges after social media gun threat

By ARLnow.com
Police at Kenmore Middle School in May 2022 (file photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 12:10 p.m.) A student at Kenmore Middle School is facing charges after an alleged threat.

The student posted a photo of a gun and the words “wait until tomorrow” in a group chat, according to an email from school administration.

The incident was reported Thursday morning. A police investigation “did not reveal an ongoing threat to the community” but the student is still facing potential criminal charges and disciplinary action by the school, according to Arlington County police.

From ACPD:

THREATS (Significant), 2023-05040050, 200 block of S. Carlin Springs Road. At approximately 7:56 a.m. on May 4, police were dispatched to the report of threats. Upon arrival, it was determined a juvenile posted threats involving a firearm to a social media group chat. The involved juvenile was identified and the investigation did not reveal an ongoing threat to the community. A petition for Threats was obtained for the juvenile.

Previously, threats found inside the school — and a student with an airsoft gun — prompted a police presence at Kenmore in November 2021.

Kenmore families were told of the threat in a School Talk email from Principal David McBride, below.

“We always take threats of violence of any kind very seriously,” McBride said, while noting that “ normal school operations were not interrupted.”

Dear Kenmore families:

We were informed this morning of a social media threat involving a photo of a gun and the words “Wait until tomorrow.”

The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and APS Safety, Security, Emergency and Risk Management were immediately made aware of the threat, and they are investigating the situation.

The student involved has been identified and the ongoing investigation has not revealed a credible threat to the safety of the school community. ACPD is seeking criminal charges. Students are reminded that making threats, regardless of credibility, is unacceptable and in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and will result in disciplinary action by the school as well as a referral to law enforcement.

We ask all members of our community to report any threats they may see or hear, whether they believe they are credible or not.  We also need to remind everyone that spreading rumors among classmates or on social media that have not been verified can create unnecessary stress for students.

We always take threats of violence of any kind very seriously. We will keep you updated if we receive new information.

The safety of our students and staff is our top priority and I want to thank the Kenmore community for your support and responsiveness, and if you hear or see something that concerns you, please let me or a member of our staff know immediately.  Normal school operations were not interrupted.

Thank you for working together to make our school safe. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office at…

Sincerely,

David McBride
Principal

Morning Poll: DCA vs. IAD

By ARLnow.com
An airplane taxis after landing at Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

National Airport is, arguably, a key perk of living in Arlington.

Being a <15 minute Uber ride (or a short Metro ride) away from a convenient, well-run airport with flights to a wide range of domestic destinations is something few inner suburbs can claim.

Meanwhile, it keeps getting better. Gone is the dreaded Gate 35X, replaced with a brand new concourse in 2021. Plus new restaurants and new stores keep opening.

Of course, DCA is not the only airport option around here.

Dulles International Airport is now accessible via Metro and is itself gaining new restaurant and retail options. Like National, Dulles is also getting a new concourse to replace some not-so-great regional jet boarding facilities. Last year, IAD even garnered a higher passenger satisfaction rating than DCA.

With Metro accessibility no longer a factor, one major complaint remains the distance. It’s a bit of a hike to get out to Dulles, though if you live certain northern sections of Arlington like East Falls Church, it’s more of a toss up in terms of travel time to the two airports.

There is an additional factor when choosing between the two airports, though. While you can get a nonstop flight to some West Coast destinations from DCA, they are limited by federal law. Recently, a group started a new push to ditch the “perimeter rule” and allow more long-distance flights.

From our sister site FFXnow earlier this week:

A proposal for more long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport (DCA) is catching the ire of some of Virginia’s Congressional representatives, who say it could undermine efforts to grow Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Proponents led by Capital Access Alliance argue that current restrictions at Reagan National — an airport owned by the federal government — are outdated and hurt the economy. They want to increase the number of flights that travel beyond 1,250 miles from the airport, allowing as many as 25 daily round trips.

So short of going to BWI — and who wants to do that, really — to avoid connecting flights sometimes Dulles is the choice, even for avowed DCA fans.

Given all of the above, we were wondering where Arlington residents stand in terms of their DCA loyalty. This morning’s poll asks: when booking a flight, to what degree — if any — do you prioritize trying to fly out of National instead of Dulles?

Morning Notes

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

School Board Caucus Kicking Off — “It’s almost show time for the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s School Board endorsement caucus… Voting is slated for: Sunday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School, 3500 23rd St. South. Wednesday, May 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Campbell Elementary School, 737 South Carlin Springs Road. Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Washington-Liberty High School, 1301 North Stafford St.” [Gazette Leader]

First Day of Early Primary Voting — “Arlington County will be implementing ranked choice voting for the first time in the June 20, 2023 Democratic Primary Election for the office of County Board (2 seats)… First day of Early Voting for the June 20, 2023, Primary Election: May 5, 2023.” [Arlington County]

Sierra Club Candidate Endorsements — “The Sierra Club’s Virginia chapter has endorsed Maureen Coffey and J.D. Spain Sr. in the June 20 Democratic primary for Arlington County Board. ‘In their answers to our candidate questionnaire and our interviews with the candidates, J.D. and Maureen demonstrated a solid grasp of climate change as the defining challenge of our time,’ said John Bloom, chair of the Potomac River Group of the Sierra Club, which includes Arlington.” [Gazette Leader]

Prosecutor Fires Back at GOP — From Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, in response to the Arlington GOP accusing her campaign event’s special guest of being a communist: “Dear @goparlington, wrong Angela Davis. Thanks for the racism, tho. (PS. I’m an American citizen who was born in Iran).” [Twitter]

Dehghani-Tafti Says Challenger Took GOP $ — “Dehghani-Tafti told the News-Press ‘It is very concerning that over a third of my opponent’s identifiable funding comes from Republican donors, including those with contributions to Donald Trump, Glenn Youngkin, Jason Miyares, Amanda Chase, Josh Hawley, and the Republican National Committee.'” [Falls Church News-Press]

County Still Has Lowest Unemployment — “Arlington retained the pole position, recording the lowest jobless rate among Virginia’s 133 cities and counties in the latest data. With 159,040 county residents employed in the civilian workforce and 3,374 looking for jobs, Arlington’s unemployment rate stood at 2.1 percent in March, according to figures reported May 3 by the Virginia Employment Commission.” [Gazette Leader]

‘Joy Luck Club’ at Aurora Hills Library — “Join us for tea and a movie! Fun fact: Following Flower Drum Song in 1961, The Joy Luck Club was only the 2nd Hollywood film featuring a mostly Asian cast, and would not be repeated again until Crazy Rich Asians in 2018. This event is part of the Library’s celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.” [Arlington Public Library]

YHS Football Coach Honored — “Bruce Hanson thought he was attending a simple and brief recognition ceremony when his name would be called and he’d receive a handshake. He was surprised when the event became much more, making him a bit emotional… Hanson was one of multiple Arlington Public School employees on hand in front of the School Board April 27 to be recognized for reaching a milestone of 30 or more years of service. The longtime teacher and coach was the only one saluted for a half-century of service.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Friday — Sun, plus some clouds. Mild. High of 69 and low of 51. Sunrise at 6:06 am and sunset at 8:04 pm. [Weather.gov]

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