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.

Police investigating break-in and sexual battery in Courthouse apartment building

By ARLnow.com
File photo

(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) Someone broke into a woman’s apartment in Courthouse, went into her bedroom and touched her inappropriately, according to Arlington County police.

The incident happened in the early morning hours of Wednesday, police said. A resident tells ARLnow that it happened at the Courthouse Plaza Apartments, at 2250 Clarendon Blvd.

“Police swept every apartment guns drawn around 6 a.m., looking for someone,” the resident told us yesterday evening. “People woke up with their doors wide open. Break in happened around two weeks after management installed ‘smart locks’ on everyone’s door. You control them with a sketchy app. Whole thing is fishy.”

Spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow that no other break-ins were reported Wednesday, but a number of opened or unlocked doors were found that morning and a previous break-in was reported to police

“During the search of the building, officers located unsecured units, made contact with individuals inside and a late unlawful entry was reported,” Savage said. “No other incidents were reported.”

Police say they’re investigating whether Wednesday’s sexual battery is linked to a break-in and sexual assault at a Virginia Square apartment building ten days prior.

More from an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is investigating a residential burglary with sexual battery which occurred in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood.

At approximately 4:47 a.m. on April 12, police were dispatched to the 2200 block of Clarendon Boulevard for the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect gained entry into the female victim’s residence, entered her bedroom and touched her inappropriately. The victim screamed and the suspect fled from the residence on foot. The suspect is described as a Black male with an average build and approximately 5’8” – 5’10” tall.

Detectives are investigating the incident as possibly linked to an incident which occurred on April 2 in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective C. Oesterling (703-228-4241 or [email protected]). Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

The reported previous break-in happened last month.

“On April 12, police received a late report of a breaking and entering,” ACPD said about the earlier incident. “The investigation determined that in the early morning hours of March 25, the suspect opened the door to the victim’s residence and fled the scene on foot after the victim yelled out to the suspect. No items were reported stolen or damaged. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.”

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Leoni

By ARLnow.com
1/3

The newest Adoptable Pet of the Week is Leoni!

This girl is looking for a loving home to live out her retirement years in. She is currently in foster through the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

Her friends had this to say about her:

Leoni is a sweet-natured golden girl that is looking to live out her retirement years in a peaceful, quiet environment where she can sit quietly and enjoy the comforts of her laundry basket.

Leoni’s favorite things are: Your comfiest laundry pile.

But she’s not so into: Mealtime interruptions. You binge Netflix, she binges Purina. To-may-to, to-mah-to.

Her special talents are: Minding her manners and snoring.

Her perfect day would be: Leoni is a senior gal, so she would be the perfect companion to someone who has left hustle culture behind!

If Leoni was an ice cream flavor, she would be: Strawberry. An underrated classic!

Important facts about Leoni: Leoni is pretty easy to care for — she eats well and uses her litter box without issue. She is aging and needs some help grooming the spots she can no longer reach (don’t we all).

Leoni has met children (no problem) and dogs whilst in foster care. Our team is happy to discuss how she might do in a new home when you arrive for your appointment!

Has Leoni found her forever home with you? Read more about Leoni by checking out her complete profile.

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!

Here’s how much you need to make to be considered middle class in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Hundred dollar bills / money (Photo by Pepi Stojanovski on Unsplash)

A family needs to make a bit over $84,000 to be considered middle class in Arlington.

That’s according to a new list compiled by the financial website SmartAsset. To be in the upper income tier, a household needs to make more than $250,000.

SmartAsset used Census data and the Pew Research definition of middle-income households to figure out the bounds of middle income in all 50 states and the 100 largest localities in the U.S.

At $251,302, Arlington has the third-highest upper bound of middle income in the country, according to the list. The median household income in Arlington, meanwhile, is just over $125,000.

Arlington is comparable to No. 2 San Jose, Calif., in Silicon Valley, which has an upper bound of $252,754. Topping the list is another Silicon Valley locality, Fremont, at $311,936. Fremont, home to a major Tesla manufacturing plant, has a lower bound is $104,499, making it the only city on the list where you can make six figures and be considered lower-income.

Middle class household income bounds, by locality (via SmartAsset)

SmartAsset said education and proximity propelled Arlington into the top 3.

Arlington, situated on the banks of the Potomac River, benefits from its proximity to Washington D.C. and a highly-educated workforce. Over 76% of residents 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, more than double the national average. The federal government is Arlington’s top employer, with the Department of Defense and a number of other agencies based there. Middle class households here earn up to $251,302 per year, while those earning less than $84,186 miss the threshold.

“A family income of $200,000 once felt like a milestone salary, but today, that qualifies as ‘middle class’ in several parts of the country,” a spokesperson for the site said.

This week the GazetteLeader reported that the average single-family home price in Arlington has reached $1.37 million.

The top 5 localities on the SmartAsset list are all tech-centric to some degree. Arlington, of course, is the home of Amazon’s HQ2 and numerous startups. No. 4 San Francisco needs no introduction and No. 5 Seattle is host to Amazon’s main headquarters.

On a statewide level, Virginia has a middle income lower bound of $54,245 and an upper bound of $161,926. That compares to $60,359 and $180,176 for D.C., $60,436 and $180,406 for Maryland, and $34,336 and $102,496 for West Virginia.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Reading a book near Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

14th Street Bridge Overhaul — Updated at 7:55 a.m. — “Vice President Harris is scheduled to appear at D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge on Thursday to announce a $72 million grant to overhaul one of its aging spans over the Potomac River, part of nearly $300 million in new federal bridge spending directed to urban and rural communities. The 73-year-old northbound bridge carrying Interstate 395 from Arlington handles more than 88,000 vehicles a day, despite its poor condition, according to federal and local officials.” [Washington Post]

More on Bank Robbery Response — “Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn and Arlington County Sheriff Jose Quiroz spoke to 7News for the first time since the incident — praising the work of their staff. ‘Our staff willingly ran toward this and did everything to bring this to a successful resolution,’ Penn said. Chief Penn said the first units arrived in under a minute.” [WJLA]

Local Civic Figure Dies — “Mark Reuel Antell, a long time Rosslyn resident, community greenspace activist, and hemophilia treatment organizer, died on March 29, 2023 after falling while taking a walk. He was 76… A memorial will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at Lyon Park Community Center, 414 N Fillmore Street.” [Dignity Memorial]

Another Pedestrian Struck — “A woman was struck by a driver at the intersection, near the Clarendon Metro entrance. She was found in the roadway but was reported to be alert and conscious.” [Twitter]

Winning Scratcher Sold in Pentagon City — “A Washington, D.C., man, who bought a Virginia Lottery ticket at a Harris Teeter grocery store in Arlington, won the Livin’ Lucky with Luke Combs game’s top prize of $200,000. ‘I thought I was going to have a heart attack,’ Kevin Pullins told Virginia Lottery officials as he claimed his prize. ‘I wanted to make sure it was real.'” [Patch]

W-L Runner Wins Race at Nat’l Meet — “Washington-Liberty High School senior track and field standout Ian Naff recent participated in the Adidas Indoor Nationals high-school championships in Virginia Beach. At that competition, Naff won the 400-meter race in 49.63 seconds in the Elite Boys Division. Also, he finished fourth in the 200 in 22.27.” [GazetteLeader]

Rosslyn Beer Garden Back Open — From the Rosslyn BID: “With warm weather making its way back into the daily forecast, the Continental Beer Garden, on the corner of Moore St/19th St, is officially open for the season!” [Instagram]

More Metro Trains Returning to Service — “Metro today announced concurrence from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WSMC) that allows Metro to move to the final phase of its 7000-series Return-to-Service Plan. Under the new plan details, the operations team will implement a 15-day manual measurement interval with a path to progress to a longer measurement period in the future… [this] will make more trains available to meet the May 7 service schedule, which coincides with the return of the Yellow Line.” [WMATA]

It’s Thursday — Sunny. Pleasantly warm. High of 85 and low of 59. Sunrise at 6:35 am and sunset at 7:43 pm. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Apr 12, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 7327 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Apr 12, 2023.

  1. NEW: Pedestrian struck by driver in front of Ballston Quarter
  2. Planning Commission OKs Americana Hotel redevelopment despite affordability concerns
  3. Morning Notes
  4. Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤 Thursday’s forecast

Sunny. Pleasantly warm. High of 85 and low of 59. Sunrise at 6:35 am and sunset at 7:43 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

Savor the transformative power tied within every sunset and sunrise, a ceaseless symbol modeling life’s cyclical interplay—inspiring rebirth and renewing perspectives.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

NEW: Pedestrian struck by driver in front of Ballston Quarter

By ARLnow.com
1/3

(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) A pedestrian was struck by a driver in front of Ballston Quarter mall this morning.

The victim, said to be a man in his 50s, could be seen lying motionless in the roadway while bystanders directed traffic around the crash scene, prior to the arrival of police and fire personnel. A fire department dispatch noted that the 911 call center received multiple calls about the crash, which happened around 10 a.m., directly in front of Ted’s Bulletin restaurant.

After a few minutes of being tended to by medics, the victim was placed on a stretcher, brought to a waiting ambulance and transported to the hospital.

“The pedestrian, an adult male, was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The driver of the striking vehicle [remained] on scene. Police remain on scene investigating.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Patrons at Don Tito’s imbibe while watching a bank robbery unfold in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Stabbing in Virginia Square — “900 block of N. Pollard Street. At approximately 11:16 p.m. on April 10, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim and suspect, who are known to each other, entered into a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation during which the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a knife, causing a puncture wound. Medics treated and released the victim on scene.” [ACPD]

Limited Initial Impact from Missing Middle — “While a couple-hundred units per year isn’t something to sneeze at, especially cumulatively over time, neither would that level of production represent a tectonic shift in housing supply-demand dynamics. A single multifamily building easily could produce our estimated annual maximum possible under Arlington’s missing middle cap — albeit probably smaller units geared toward younger singles and couples rather than larger family households.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Home Prices Still Rising — “The typical Arlington single-family home that sold in March brought in about $1.37 million, up 4.1 percent from a year before, according to new data. A total of 71 single-family homes went to closing last month, according to data reported today.” [GazetteLeader]

It’s Wednesday — Morning clouds. Pleasantly warm. High of 82 and low of 56. Sunrise at 6:36 am and sunset at 7:42 pm. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Apr 11, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 36101 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Apr 11, 2023.

  1. UPDATED: Suspect in custody after bank robbery and standoff in Clarendon
  2. Morning Notes
  3. Family of Braylon Meade says justice was not served in deadly drunk driving incident
  4. D.C. Attorney General responds to Virginia AG’s scathing letter

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛅ Wednesday’s forecast

Morning clouds. Pleasantly warm. High of 82 and low of 56. Sunrise at 6:36 am and sunset at 7:42 pm. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Thought of the Day

Laughter, universal in language, is life’s true elixir, reminding us that our greatest lows are but fleeting moments vulnerable against shared joy’s soaring crescendos.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

UPDATED: Suspect in custody after bank robbery and standoff in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/14

(Updated at 9:20 p.m.) Roads have reopened around a bank in Clarendon after a reported robbery and possible hostage situation.

The Wells Fargo at 3140 Washington Blvd was robbed shortly after 3 p.m. and the suspect — reported to be a man in his 20s — was still in the bank when officers arrived. Police surrounded the bank and shut down traffic in the area.

Five employees and customers, including a small child, were held in the bank with the suspect during the hour-long incident, according to an update from police.

The suspect implied that he had a weapon, according to police, but it’s unclear whether he was actually armed. A negotiator and SWAT team members responded to the scene, while firefighters and medics staged nearby.

Witness video published by WUSA 9 showed people lying face down on the bank floor during the incident.

Shortly after 4 p.m., a group of heavily armed officers could be seen approaching the bank and, in English and Spanish, commanding those inside to come out with their hands up. The scene was captured on video by ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott.

Shortly after that, a man could be seen being led out with handcuffs. The people being held then came out and were asked to provide statements to police.

Police confirmed shortly after 4:30 p.m. that the suspect was in custody and an investigation is underway. No injuries were reported.

Several drivers who were caught up in the robbery response and had to abandon their vehicles on Washington Blvd, in front of the bank, were allowed to return to their vehicles and drive off around 5 p.m.

Later Tuesday night, Arlington County police released the following press release about the robbery and arrest, identifying the suspect as a 30-year-old North Carolina man. No gun was found at the scene.

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested a suspect following a bank robbery in the Clarendon neighborhood. Oscar Gonzalez Allarenja, 30, of Durham, NC, has been charged with Bank Robbery and Abduction. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 3:09 p.m. on April 11, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery in the 3100 block of Washington Boulevard. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect entered the bank, grabbed an employee, indicated he had a firearm and demanded cash before walking behind the counter. Responding officers established a perimeter and worked to safely resolve the incident as the suspect remained barricaded inside the bank with employees and patrons. During the course of the incident, members of the Emergency Response Team approached the bank, gave the suspect commands which he complied with and took him into custody without incident. The patrons and employees, four adults and one child, then safely exited the bank. All were evaluated on scene by medics as a precaution and no injuries were reported.

No cash was reported stolen and no weapon was located on scene. This incident remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact police at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS.

‘Pink in the Park’ rescheduled for April 30

By ARLnow.com
Pink in the Park promotional image (photo courtesy National Landing BID)

A big event postponed due to the April 1 wind storm has been rescheduled.

Pink in the Park, organized by the National Landing Business Improvement District, will now be held from 4-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Tickets, available for free online, are required.

“Located at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center, Pink in the Park will feature an exciting musical lineup of DJ Chan Don, Crush Funk Brass, Umami House, Footwerk, Reesa Renee, and headliner Black Alley,” a BID spokesperson wrote. “With a cashless beverage garden, food trucks, immersive, cherry blossom-inspired art installations, Instagrammable moments and more, Pink in the Park is the can’t-miss finale to cherry blossom season!”

The event will be hosted by Orlando Jones of MADtv and 7Up spokesman fame.

More below, from a press release.

Pink isn’t just a color, it’s a vibe. Celebrate the end of cherry blossom season and pump up the pink at Pink in the Park, presented by Amazon and produced by the National Landing Business Improvement District at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center in National Landing.

From 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, adults can enjoy unforgettable music and entertainment with special guest and celebrity host Orlando Jones, and performances by DJ Chan Don, Crush Funk Brass, Umami House, Footwerk, Reesa Renee, and headliner Black Alley. Enjoy a  spring-themed cashless beverage garden, food trucks, immersive, cherry blossom-inspired art installations, Instagrammable moments, and much more.

Full performance lineup includes:

Adult beverages, including beer and wine, will be provided by #FrayLife Bar, Crystal City Wine Shop, Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique, Drunk Fruit, Lost Boy Cider and more. Guests can also sample flavors of National Landing restaurants and food trucks including:

“We are excited to announce a new date for Pink in Park and to bring all the pink energy across the river in National Landing on Sunday, April 30 as we close out the National Cherry Blossom Festival,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “We’re proud to highlight the festival in our neighborhood’s signature park in collaboration with our sponsors and vibrant National Landing businesses and look forward to being part of our region’s storied cherry blossom celebration.”

“Amazon is thrilled to partner with the National Landing BID and the National Cherry Blossom Festival to bring the joy of the cherry blossoms to National Landing,” said Patrick Phillippi, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon. “Pink in the Park will be one of the largest National Cherry Blossom Festival events ever in Virginia and we are excited to celebrate spring with our community.”

Please stay tuned for updates and more community programming by visiting nationallanding.org or following the BID on Instagram @nationallanding.

WHEN: Sunday, April 30 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center; 333 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington, Virginia

HOW: FREE festival tickets are available at NationalLanding.org/Pink. Tickets are required.

D.C. Attorney General responds to Virginia AG’s scathing letter

By ARLnow.com
National Mall during peak bloom weekend, as seen from Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The District of Columbia’s attorney general has responded to a scathing letter to D.C. officials sent by Virginia AG Jason Miyares (R).

Miyares suggested that the District is soft on crime, endangering Virginia residents who visit as well as neighboring jurisdictions like Arlington. The letter was sent as “a direct response to the tragic murder of Christy Bautista,” an Arlington woman stabbed to death in a D.C. hotel room, allegedly by a man with an extensive criminal history.

In reply, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb (D) penned a lengthy letter asking Miyares “for help to stop illegal gun trafficking into DC,” noting that “Virginia is the largest source of illegal firearms recovered here,” per a spokeswoman. Additionally, the letter points out that Virginia cities like Richmond have “experienced increased crime rates substantially higher than the national average.”

Schwalb goes on to highlight that serious crimes in the District are prosecuted in the federal court system. The D.C. court is overloaded and understaffed, resulting in delays and a “public safety crisis,” Mayor Muriel Bowser has previously asserted.

“I also invite you to join me and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown in advocating for DC’s autonomy over our local criminal justice system,” Schwalb wrote. “As a fellow attorney and attorney general, I know you can understand how difficult it is for a community to improve public safety when it lacks meaningful control over its criminal justice system.”

Schwalb’s letter was sent prior to today’s mass shooting at a Northeast D.C. funeral home and stabbing on a Metro train at the Columbia Heights station.

The full letter is below.

Attorney General Miyares:

As the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, I share the frustration and anger regarding senseless killings and violent crime expressed in your April 6 letter to local District leaders. No issue is more important to the more than 700,000 residents of the District than enhancing public safety and preventing violent crime. Just like people in Richmond, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Newport News — each of which has experienced increased crime rates substantially higher than the national average over the past several years — residents of and visitors to Washington, D.C. deserve to feel safe and be safe.

Promoting public safety should be a bipartisan endeavor, not fodder for divisive political grandstanding. Developing and implementing practical solutions that will make our communities safer, now and in the long run, requires thoughtful, data-driven analysis and comprehensive, collaborative strategies. While there are several unsupported assertions and conclusions in your April 6 letter with which I disagree, I do agree with your observation that the proximity of our respective jurisdictions means that enhancing public safety is a regional issue which we must address cooperatively. To that end, I hope you will support efforts to improve public safety in the DMV region.

Improving public safety begins with curbing gun violence. As a necessary first step, we need to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who intend to cause harm. In communities around our country—urban, suburban, and rural—the presence of illegal guns is far too pervasive. Gun trafficking patterns remain remarkably consistent year to year from state to state, and most firearms recovered in the District originate in Virginia. According to the two most recent trace data reports from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Virginia is, by far, the source state for the most illegal firearms recovered in DC. Virginia is the source for nearly four times the number of illegal firearms recovered in the District than the next leading source state, Maryland, which has stricter gun laws. In 2020, of the 1,580 illegal firearms recovered in the District, 667 originated in Virginia. In 2021, Virginia was the source state for 619 of the 1,574 illegal firearms recovered in the District. By contrast, the District was the source for only 58 and 67 of the illegal firearms recovered in 2020 and 2021.

(more…)

View More Stories