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Morning Notes

Published October 28, 2015 at 9:05AM

Post Endorses Dorsey and Cristol — The Washington Post has endorsed Democrats Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol in the race for Arlington County Board. The paper writes of the pair’s opponents: “Both are serious candidates and have attacked what they consider Arlington’s profligate spending… Yet neither has advanced convincing proposals to trim spending or explained why enlarging the stock of affordable housing should not be a priority in a place where the supply of it has diminished rapidly with gentrification.” [Washington Post]

County Board Push Poll Criticized — A “push poll” in the Arlington County Board race is being criticized after two residents say the caller asked misleading questions and didn’t disclose who had paid for it. Board candidate Michael McMenamin said he commissioned a poll but the script explicitly said that it was paid for by his campaign. [Washington Post]

Tour of New 1776 Offices — The newly-refurbished office of tech incubator 1776 in Crystal City is being debuted this week. The office includes a full kitchen, and the incubator is seeking two chefs to cook for its members. [Washington Business Journal]

Kaine Speaking at GMU Arlington Campus — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) will give a speech on Congress and war powers at George Mason University’s Arlington campus tonight at 7 p.m. “Kaine has been a leading voice urging the Obama administration to seek a specific authorization for U.S. military action against ISIL while pressing his congressional colleagues to debate and vote on the mission – one he believes goes well beyond the legal scope and intent of existing authorizations from 2001 and 2002,” a press release notes.

Drunk Man Calls 911 for Ride to Arlington — A drunk hotel guest in Vienna, Va. was arrested last week after twice calling 911 to request a ride to Arlington. [InsideNova]

Spotluck to Donate $5 to AFAC For New Downloads Through Wednesday

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2015 at 2:10PM

Restaurant discovery app Spotluck will be donating $5 to the Arlington Food Assistance Center for every download and signup made with the promo code “AFAC” through tomorrow.

Spotluck is running the promotion in honor of AFAC’s Chiefs vs. Chefs fundraising event Wednesday night, which pits local chefs against Arlington County firefighters to see who can create the most mouth-watering dishes using only ingredients that would be found in AFAC’s pantry.

The “three-course throw-down” kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd). Tickets, which start at $100, are still available online. ARLnow.com’s Scott Brodbeck is a judge for the event, along with the Washington Post’s Becky Krystal and former Top Chef competitor George Pagonis, who’s executive chef at Kapnos Taverna.

Spotluck, which is a D.C. area-based startup and an ARLnow.com advertiser, says it’s proud to be “supporting a great cause with our good friends at AFAC.” In order to ensure the donation is made, users need to download the app, launch it and enter “AFAC” as the promo code on the signup screen.

Spotluck has 23 Arlington restaurants in the app and says it collectively sends those restaurants thousands of diners per month. In addition to helping users to find new restaurants, Spotluck also offers “preferred pricing” to restaurants that the user lands on via a virtual spin of a wheel in the app.

“Spotluck is a mobile app that allows you to discover local restaurants and save money in a fun new way,” says the company’s website. “With a simple spin, Spotluckers earn preferred pricing and forgo the hassle of figuring out where to eat next!”

AFAC serves some 86,000 pounds of food to more than 2,000 Arlington families in need each week.

Leaves + Rain Tomorrow Could = Flooding and Ponding

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2015 at 1:00PM

Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services is asking residents to clear leaves from gutters and storm drains today, before expected storms tomorrow.

The remnants of Hurricane Patricia are en route to the D.C. area. We should expect a stormy Wednesday, with 1-1.5 inches of rain and perhaps even some severe storms, says the Capital Weather Gang.

The fact that the rain is coming as leaves are falling off trees could lead to flooding and ponding issues around homes. DES tweeted the following advice this morning:

Before the rain comes, be sure to clean out gutters & storm drains. (1 of 2)

— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) October 27, 2015

Keeping drains clear of trash, leaves & branches allows rainwater to easily flow, reducing possible flooding & ponding. (2 of 2)

— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) October 27, 2015

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 27, 2015 at 9:00AM

‘Monica the Medium’ Renewed — The ABC Family series “Monica the Medium” will be back for a second season. The show stars Monica Ten-Kate, a 21-year-old college student with ties to Arlington’s Fairlington neighborhood. The first season finale will air tonight. [Deadline Hollywood]

‘Most Interesting Man in Arlington’ Selected — According to a competition in Clarendon over the weekend, the “Most Interesting Man in Arlington” is an economist who has lived in Arlington for a year and a half and can turn the word “kumquat” into a description of a sex act. [DCist]

NAACP Honors Superintendent — The Arlington chapter of the NAACP has honored Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Patrick Murphy with its Community Appreciation Award. Murphy “exemplifies what it means to be a leader in education,” the organization said. APS has seen gains in minority achievement under Murphy’s administration. [InsideNova]

Naked Man Spotted Standing in Bushes Along W&OD Trail

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2015 at 2:45PM

A naked man was spotted hanging out in some bushes near the W&OD trail Saturday morning.

The incident was reported around 11:30 a.m. in Benjamin Banneker Park, near East Falls Church, according to Arlington County Police.

Police say “an unknown male subject was seen standing naked in the bushes” along the W&OD trail. A man walking his dog saw the man and called police.

The suspect is described as “a Hispanic or Middle-Eastern male, with dark hair and a slim-build.” There were no additional reports of the man being seen by other trail users.

“It appears to be an isolated incident at this point,” said Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The temperature in Arlington around 11:30 Saturday morning was a chilly 55 degrees.

Police do not believe this incident is connected to any other previously-reported crime along the trail. Earlier this year a man tried to sexually assault a woman on the trail in Glencarlyn Park, and a few years ago a string of indecent exposure incidents along the trail prompted police to issue warnings to trail users.

Bald Eagle Spotted Cruising Around Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2015 at 12:30PM

A bald eagle was seen flying around the Clarendon area Saturday afternoon.

Ryan McNey snapped a couple of smartphone photos of the majestic bird in his neighborhood.

“I was about to pull into my driveway when I noticed a bunch of birds chasing another, bigger bird past my house,” McNey told ARLnow.com. “It took my a few seconds to realize that the bigger bird was actually a Bald Eagle. As I was trying to snap some pictures the eagle turned back toward where I was and swooped down to grab a squirrel that had been hit by a car earlier today.”

Bald eagles have been known to reside in and around Arlington, mostly in wooded areas, but are occasionally spotted in local neighborhoods.

Photos: BMW M5 Catches Fire on Old Dominion Drive

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2015 at 11:30AM | Updated October 26, 2015 at 1:15PM

Photo courtesy Andrew Pang/DC Metro Fire Photographers

A car fire blocked the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Lorcom Lane, near the Lee Heights Shops, Friday night.

The fire was reported around 8:45 p.m. A silver BMW M5 sports sedan caught fire near the intersection. What was a vehicle fire call was upgraded to a hazmat call after the car’s fuel tank ruptured.

The fire was extinguished and firefighters used absorbent material to help contain the fuel spill.

It was at least the second fully-involved vehicle fire in Arlington on Friday, after a car burst into flames in the Barcroft neighborhood earlier that morning.

Photos courtesy Andrew Pang/DC Metro Fire Photographers

ACPD to Conduct Bicycle, Pedestrian Safety Enforcement This Week

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2015 at 10:30AM

Arlington County Police will be conducting a traffic enforcement detail this week, starting Tuesday, in three Metro-accessible neighborhoods.

The enforcement action will target motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians caught breaking traffic laws in Ballston, East Falls Church and Crystal City. It’s part of a fall bicycle and pedestrian safety awareness program.

With the days getting shorter and daylight saving time ending Sunday, pedestrian and bicyclist safety is an important law enforcement focus. Most fatal pedestrian accidents occur after dark.

From an ACPD press release:

Between October 27-29, 2015, the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Operations Section will be out promoting the 2015 Fall Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Awareness Program in the Ballston, East Falls Church and Crystal City areas.
Officers will be at the following locations:

October 27th – Fairfax Drive & N. Monroe Street from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

October 28th – 1700-1900 block of N. Sycamore Street from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

October 29th – 1500-2300 block of Crystal Drive from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

This enforcement detail is part of the 2015 Street Smart Pedestrian, Driver, and Bicyclist Safety Campaign which runs from October 26, 2015 through November 15, 2015. Officers will ticket motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians who violate traffic laws.

These programs are set up to carry out education and enforcement campaigns throughout the year in order to ensure everyone shares the roads safely. Pedestrians and bicyclists account for a quarter of the traffic fatalities in the region, nearly 90 deaths per year.

Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to pay attention to one another and always proceed with caution and care for each other’s safety.

File photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 26, 2015 at 9:00AM

Marine Corps Marathon Wrap-up — Despite a soggy start, spirits were high for the 40th annual Marine Corps Marathon, which wound through Rosslyn, D.C. and Crystal City Sunday morning. The winners were a 22-year-old recent West Point grad, representing the Army team and, on the women’s side, a Costa Rica native who only started running seven years ago. [Run Washington, Stars & Stripes]

Orange Line Delays — Orange Line riders are experiencing delays of up to 25 minutes this morning due to a broken rail in Maryland. [Twitter]

School Bus Camera Tickets May Be Refunded — Arlington County is considering refunding tickets issued by stop arm cameras on public school buses, following a determination by the state Attorney General that the county doesn’t have the legal authority to issue such citations via mail. [Washington Post]

I Like This Park Because — Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation has erected two new chalkboard in Rosslyn Highlands Park, asking park users why they like the park. [Twitter]

Top Bus Lines in Arlington — The county-run transit organization Arlington Transportation Partners has a list of the top five most important bus lines in Arlington. They are: ART 43, ART 45, ART 42, Metrobus 16 series and Metrobus 38B. [Arlington Transportation Partners]

New Little Free Library in Arlington — There’s a new Little Free Library in Arlington. The resident-created library is located at 1723 N. Veitch Street, three blocks north of the Courthouse Metro station. Affordable housing developer AHC, which helped with the library’s creation, is planning a celebratory launch party tomorrow at 4 p.m.

Photo by Jennifer Currier

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Published October 23, 2015 at 6:00PM

It’s Marine Corps Marathon weekend, which means two things: lots of road closures and lots of inspiring stories.

Rain may be in the forecast for Sunday, but runners will be hoping for light sprinkles that cool them off without slowing them down.

Also happening this weekend, ahead of next weekend’s Halloween festivities: Rosslyn restaurant Guajillo will begin serving its traditional Day of the Dead menu and cocktails, starting Saturday. Guajillo recently celebrated its 15th anniversary.

Feel free to discuss the marathon, Halloween preparations or any other item of local interest in the comments.

Have a nice weekend!

#weekend discussion

Car Knocks Down Pole, Runs into Apartment Building in Buckingham

By ARLnow.com

Published October 23, 2015 at 4:20PM

A serious-looking crash temporarily closed N. George Mason Drive this afternoon, but no serious injuries were reported.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m., just north of the intersection of N. George Mason Drive and Pershing Drive, in the Buckingham neighborhood.

A driver in a car somehow knocked over a light pole in the center median of George Mason Drive, then drove over a sidewalk and up an embankment before running into a two-story brick apartment building.

The building was not significantly damaged. George Mason Drive was closed while a tow truck driver maneuvered and used a chain to pull the car from the embankment and back onto the street. The road has since reopened.

A second vehicle that was reported to be involved in the crash was pulled over by police one block away from the accident scene.

In a separate incident that happened around the same time, the top of a utility pole with live wires snapped and fell down in the Lyon Village neighborhood, prompting several street closures. From Arlington Alerts:

Due to a pole with wires down the following streets are closed until further notice: Key Blvd at Fillmore, closed on Fillmore; Edgewood at Highland, closed on Highland N; 18/Harvard with no access NB; and Key at Highland with no access NB. Please seek alternate routes for this area.