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.
Thousands of revelers will celebrate their independence from sobriety at a Fourth of July-themed bar crawl in Clarendon on June 27.
The event will run from 2:00-9:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 27. Tickets are $20 in advance or $30 at the door.
“The All American Bar Crawl celebrates America’s birthday a few days early!” said the bar crawl’s website. “Rock your red, white and blue and get ready for a day full of Star Spangled shenanigans and bar-hopping in Arlington with thousands of your closest friends.”
Participants will get a “signature freedom mug,” “patriotic party beads,” a raffle entry, free event photos, prizes “for the most festively dressed participants” and, of course, food and drink specials around town. While the drink specials cannot be advertised, per Virginia law, the food specials include $2 cheese pizza slices from Bronx Pizza.
Participating bars include Clarendon Grill, Mad Rose Tavern, American Tap Room, Clarendon Ballroom, Spider Kelly’s, Hard Times Cafe, Hunan One, Whitlow’s, Mister Days, SoBe, Don Tito and IOTA Club and Cafe.
The crawl is being organized by Project DC Events.
This week’s Arlington’s Pet of the Week is Joey, a 10-year old female cat who originally came from Kyrgyzstan.
Here’s what Joey had to say about herself and her many travels:
Hello — My name is Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo , but everyone calls me Joey. I will be turning 10 years old this August but I am a very active girl. I am originally from At Bashy, a small village in the country of Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. A fun fact, At Bashy means “the horse’s head.” My parents traded a bag of cookies for me while they were serving as Peace Corps volunteers in Kyrgyzstan; trading a kitten for something sweet is a common practice there.
I am a DiploCat and have lived all over the world, but I am very happy to be living in Arlington. My State Department family bought their first home last year and we love it. I have enjoyed my adventures overseas. I have lived in Ethiopia, Estonia, and the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I have racked up many airline miles.
In each place I have lived I have always had no trouble finding a sunny spot. In Ethiopia my favorite spotwas perfect for bird watching (and I was just watching, I am an indoor cat). In Estonia I preferred sitting in the sauna window (but not when the sauna was on). In Saudi the temperatures could reach up to 130 degrees so every window was always warm and sunny. My Arlington windows are great for bird watching, bunny watching, and now and then some deer. I love being an Arlington cat!
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.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.
The Arlington County Board on Saturday will consider making some changes to its ordinance for public drunkenness and profanity.
The prohibition on profanely cursing in public will not change, but the Board will consider changing “drunkenness” in the code to “intoxication,” to include those under the influence of narcotics. County staff is also recommending making the crime a Class 4 misdemeanor, the punishment for which is a fine not to exceed $250.
Currently, county code calls for a fine not to exceed $100 for the first two convictions in a year, and a fine not to exceed $500 for any additional convictions.
“These recommended changes to the penalty portion of the Code are meant to simplify and align the County Code with State Code” staff said of the proposed changes, adding that it will also “clear up any ambiguity or constitutional vagueness with the current language.”
Included in the staff report is the number of arrests for drunkenness and profane cursing last year — and there were quite a few.
“The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) made 664 arrests for individuals either appearing drunk or using profanity in public during calendar year 2014,” county staff reported. “There were instances where individuals were under the influence of other intoxicants; however, enforcement was not possible under this Code section.”
Mark Levine Wins in 45th — Talk show host and attorney Mark Levine has won the Democratic primary in the 45th House of Delegates district, which includes Alexandria and parts of South Arlington and Fairfax County. So far, Levine doesn’t have any general election opponents as he seeks to replace Del. Rob Krupicka. [Washington Blade, Patch]
Townhouse Fire on Lee Hwy — Arlington County firefighters battled a small townhouse fire on the 4300 block of Lee Highway around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday. [Twitter]
Arlington Gay Marriage Company Acquired — Arlington-based GayWeddings.com has been acquired by Chevy Chase, Md.-based WeddingWire. [Washington Business Journal]
Bistro 360 Now Serving Lunch — Bistro 360, a restaurant at 1800 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, is starting weekday lunch service as of today. Lunch will be served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
(Updated at 11:20 p.m.) Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey have captured the Democratic nomination for Arlington County Board.
Cristol and Dorsey finished first and second, respectively, over fellow Democratic hopefuls Peter Fallon, Andrew Schneider, James Lander and Bruce Wiljanen.
Thanks to a spirited campaign and strong debate performances, Cristol, age 30, managed to propel herself from relative obscurity to a first place finish and a coveted spot on the Democratic ticket during a competitive primary. Her campaign highlighted issues like affordable housing, citizen engagement and diversity, government innovation, transit and economic development.
Dorsey, who lost to former in the 2002 County Board primary, was seen by many Democrats as a more moderate choice among a liberal field of candidates who often touted their progressive bonafides. During the campaign he spoke in favor of responsive government, affordable housing, adding school capacity and helping small businesses.
Both Cristol and Dorsey are South Arlington residents, while runners up Fallon and Schneider are North Arlington residents with a considerable base of supporters in their neighborhoods. Currently, the only South Arlington resident on the County Board is Libby Garvey.
“This started with the people in this room and ended with the people of Arlington,” Cristol told supporters at her election watch party at William Jeffrey’s Tavern on Columbia Pike. “I cannot wait to work with the people in this room to move my home of Columbia Pike forward. I cannot wait to work with all of you to run one heck of a general election campaign.”
Dorsey, whose campaign gathered at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington earlier in the night, joined Cristol at the bar after the final results came in.
“I feel great,” he said. “It’s always nice when something that you believe in so strongly and you find out that the people in your community are committed to you as well. It’s a tremendous feeling.”
Dorsey said he wants to “knock on five times as many doors” for the general election. If elected in November, he promised to work to provide more affordable housing and to bring down Arlington’s high office vacancy rate.
“We absolutely have to get our commercial sector energized again,” he said.
With all precincts reporting, final unofficial results are:
Katie Cristol: 4,498
Christian Dorsey: 4,420
Peter Fallon: 4,008
Andrew Schneider: 3,556
James Lander: 2,806
Bruce Wiljanen: 687
Election officials say there were no problems at Arlington’s 52 polling stations during voting hours. Light turnout was reported — but the total turnout of 10,857 voters, or 7.9 percent of the registered voters, bested the 7.2 percent turnout of a similar County Board primary in 1995.
This was the first election in which Arlington utilized its new paper ballot and optical scanning system. Some delays in vote reporting occurred as election officials worked through new processes.
Cristol and Dorsey will face two independent candidates in the November general election, for the seats being vacated by the retiring Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada.
A man was seen casually walking down Wilson Blvd in flagrante delicto Saturday morning.
A woman told police that a man had walked by her on the sidewalk while masturbating, on the 1800 block of Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn.
The alleged indecent exposure happened just before noon, in broad daylight.
The man continued walking and police were not able to locate him after the crime was reported.
“The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his twenties, approximately 5’2″ tall and 160 lbs,” according to the daily Arlington County Police crime report. “He was wearing a orange and black baseball hat, black t-shirt and shorts, with neon green ear phones.”
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.
The running club celebrates its sixth anniversary at the soon-to-close Bungalow Sports Grill. The club will have pre-race festivities before its signature 5K at 6:30. After the run there will be raffles, giveaways and vendors at the Bungalow.
The library hosts a free screening of Brokeback Mountain as part of its LGBT pride month film series. The R-rated film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, is the story of a forbidden and secretive relationship between two cowboys.
The former “Talk Soup” host and “Queer as Folk” actor performs live stand-up comedy at the Drafthouse. One performance is scheduled on Friday and two are scheduled on Saturday. Tickets are $20.
Free Australian football program for boys and girls aged 5 to 15. The program teaches the rules and skills of the great game of Australian football through fun and safe games and activities.
While it’s a rare opportunity to fill the open seats of two retiring County Board members — Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada — the turnout has been about as low as is usually expected for a local primary.
“Overall it’s been pretty slow so far,” county General Registrar Linda Lindberg told ARLnow.com. She said turnout has been especially sluggish along the county’s Metro corridors and along Columbia Pike.
Two areas of slightly higher turnout, according to Lindberg, have been:
The Marshall and Yorktown precincts in North Arlington, home to Fallon and Schneider, respectively.
Lindberg said there have been no reported problems with the county’s new paper ballot system, instituted after security issues were raised about electronic voting machines in Virginia.
“The voting has gone just fine, I’ve had no issues or complaints about the paper ballots,” she said. Asked about the potential for an evening rush of voters, Lindberg said delays at the polls are unlikely.
“There might be a slight surge around 5:00 or 6:00, but generally speaking I wouldn’t expect any lines.”
The few people to be found outside the Arlington Forest and Randolph Elementary precincts this morning said they were aware of the potential importance of the race. Tonight’s two primary winners will face independent candidates Audrey Clement and Michael McMenamin in the November general election.
“Especially with these two open seats, people they elect now are going to be there for a while,” said Brandon Forester, who was supporting Dorsey outside of Randolph Elementary. “It will set tone for years to come.”
“I think this is the most important election in Arlington County for decades,” said Michael Thomas, an Arlington Forest resident.
Cori Rattleman, another Arlington Forest resident, said her top issues in this election were schools, parks and affordable housing. She said she was confident that the primary winners will go on to win in November.
“In this case, this is the election,” she said. “Whoever wins the elections, this is pretty much it.”
The bison-centric restaurant chain decided not to renew its lease at the Ballston Point building at 4300 Wilson Blvd, according to Ted’s President and COO Kristi Martin. It will close this coming Saturday, June 13, and the staff will be transferred to a soon-to-open location in Gaithersburg, Md., Martin said.
The new Ted’s is expected to open in Gaithersburg’s Downtown Crown development in August, said Martin.
“Team members at the Ballston Point location are aware of this closing, and all team members have been offered positions at the Gaithersburg or other Northern Virginia locations,” she said. “We look forward to expanding our Big Sky Spirit to the Gaithersburg community — an area that we see as a strategic fit for the growth and future of our company.”
Ted’s currently has two locations in Arlington — the Ballston location and another at 2200 Crystal Drive in Crystal City. No changes are planned for the Crystal City location, according to a PR rep for the restaurant.
Arlington Expects ‘Speedy’ Election Returns — The Democratic primary for Arlington County Board and the 45th Virginia House of Delegates district is taking place today, utilizing Arlington County’s new optical scanners. The county issued a press release on Monday promising that “changes should result in speedier reporting of unofficial results on election night.” Polls close at 7:00 p.m. and the first results are expected to be reported on the county website around 7:30.
Working Group to Discuss S. Arlington School Site — Following the County Board’s scuttling of plans for an elementary school next to Thomas Jefferson Middle School, the Arlington School Board has created a working group to help decide the location for a new South Arlington elementary school. Former School Board candidate Greg Greeley was appointed chairman of the group, which is charged with creating a final report by November. The School Board is expected to take action on the new school on Dec. 15. [InsideNova]
Swimming Fundraiser Planned — The swim teams from four private clubs are coming together for a fundraiser on Sunday, June 28. Teams from Arlington Forest Club, Donaldson Run, Overlee and Washington Golf and Country Club will swim laps to raise money for the Arlington-based Marjorie Hughes Fund for Children. The fund helps low-income children obtain medical care and medications. [GoFundMe]
Update at 7:35 p.m. — Arlington is now under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… NORTHERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FAIRFAX IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… SOUTHEASTERN LOUDOUN COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
* UNTIL 800 PM EDT
* AT 712 PM EDT… DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED OVER HERNDON… AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON… ROCKVILLE… GAITHERSBURG… HERNDON… FAIRFAX… VIENNA… FALLS CHURCH… RESTON… SOUTH RIDING… PIMMIT HILLS… MANTUA… DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT… GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY… NATIONALS PARK… AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE… OLNEY… BETHESDA… HOWARD UNIVERSITY… MCLEAN AND FORT TOTTEN.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. ALTHOUGH A TORNADO IS NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY… IF ONE IS SPOTTED… ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY STRUCTURE… SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.
Update at 5:40 p.m. — The evening’s first storm has passed and blue skies have returned. The storm knocked out power to more than 3,000 Dominion customers in the Falls Church area and caused some damage in Arlington.
Trees were reported down on 26th Street N., near Marymount University and on 25th Street near S. Dinwiddie Street. A large branch was reported down at N. Fillmore Street and Pershing Drive.
Earlier: The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for Arlington County and much of the surrounding D.C. area.
The watch is in effect through 8:00 p.m. Forecasters say strong storms or even tornados are possible tonight.
From NWS:
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WASHINGTON AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING. SEVERE THREATS ARE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS…LARGE HAIL…AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED FLOODING TONIGHT.
Thousands of revelers will celebrate their independence from sobriety at a Fourth of July-themed bar crawl in Clarendon on June 27.
