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 car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)
An early morning dispute over parking led to a gun being brandished and a car being stolen.
That’s according to today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.
The incident happened on the 6100 block of Wilson Blvd, in the Dominion Hills area, a bit after midnight. From ACPD:
BRANDISHING, 2023-04060006, 6100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 12:24 a.m. on April 6, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was in his vehicle when the suspect vehicle prevented him from pulling into a parking spot. The driver and passenger of the suspect vehicle exited the vehicle and became involved in a verbal dispute with the victim, during which the driver made threatening statements towards the victim and the passenger brandished a firearm. The victim exited his vehicle and left the area on foot. No injuries were reported. Upon returning, the victim discovered his vehicle, containing his wallet and undisclosed amount of cash, was stolen. Officers canvassed the area and recovered the stolen vehicle nearby.
Are you searching for a small furry companion to take naps with? Meet Peach, the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week!
Peach is up for adoption at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. She is currently in foster and this is what they had to say about her:
A cat in her past life, Peach can be seen perched atop your windowsill keeping watch or napping, laying on or near your work desk, curled on top of your couch cushions, or sprawled across your pile of clothes on the floor. But don’t let this fool you, Peach is a tried and true velcro-dog.
Her favorite thing is you. Period. But she will also accept peanut butter, fruit, and meat as payment for her loyalty, as well as lots of face scratches.
Peach can nap like nobody’s business, help you make excuses to stay in bed for cuddles, and make herself comfortable literally anywhere, including in your arms when the world feels overwhelming for her. That said, at any moment’s notice, she can be up and ready to go for a walk, hike, or swim and have a blast. She is fascinated by the world and appreciates adventurous strolls where she can hop around like a bunny while happily sneezing up a storm, but doesn’t always need them since she’s happiest wherever you are.
Sometimes strangers can look big and scary looming over her tiny body. So she would rather sneak a couple sniffs in when they’re not looking and let them earn her trust on her own time, ’cause she knows she’s worth it. Peach is excellent at spotting wildlife and other dogs, but might need your help to bring her back down to earth (literally, her front feet can in fact leave the ground).
Her foster brother is a 60lb pit mix, and we’ve found that having another dog at home can give her a little confidence boost, but isn’t necessary since she only has eyes for you. She’s reported to have positive and friendly interactions with children, but we have not observed her living with cats yet.
Is Peach a match for you? Read her complete profile to learn more and how to arrange a virtual meet & greet!
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!
Arlington’s Colonial Village neighborhood is the No. 2 “Best Place to Live in America,” according to a recent set of rankings.
Two other Arlington neighborhoods, meanwhile, ranked in the top 25.
Colonial Village is best known for its historic garden-style apartments and condos, built between 1935 and 1940. Lush, landscaped and tree-lined, the community is both verdant and urban — it’s in easy walking distance to Courthouse and the Courthouse Metro station.
From Niche, which ranked neighborhoods across the United States:
Colonial Village is a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia with a population of 2,895. Colonial Village is in Arlington County and is one of the best places to live in Virginia. In Colonial Village, most residents rent their homes. In Colonial Village there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Colonial Village and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Colonial Village are highly rated.
Construction workers in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Neighbors Worry About Centuries-Old Tree — “Residents are growing concerned about the future of one of the oldest trees in Arlington’s Penrose neighborhood, a large white oak tree that could be as old as the United States. The tree, in the backyard of a Penrose home that was recently put up for sale, likely survived the Civil War and could have been starting its life as a sprout in the late 1700s around the time of the Revolutionary War.” [Patch]
Counties Monitoring Ruling Fallout — “The Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) is advising its member localities, including Arlington, to hunker down and take a very close look and see if any measures they enacted during the first 15 months of COVID might be in peril following a Virginia Supreme Court ruling. At issue is the March 23 court opinion invalidating Fairfax County’s zoning rewrite – known as zMOD – because its adoption in early 2021 did not follow public-comment rules still in place at the time and not changed by the General Assembly later that year.” [GazetteLeader]
Library Remembering WETA Founder — “Arlington Public Library is partnering with WETA on a community celebration of the life of Elizabeth Campbell on Friday at Shirlington Library, an event that will highlight Campbell’s many contributions to Arlington. The April 7 event, from 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., will feature crafts and activities for children and families and light refreshments for all.” [Patch, Arlington Public Library]
GOP Pushing Single-Member Districts — “Hoping to strike while voter discontent in Arlington is as hot as it has been in a decade, the Arlington County Republican Committee is considering an effort it believes will teach county Democrats a lesson and, perhaps, reduce their all-powerful status in local elections. The GOP at its March 27 meeting kicked around a proposal, presented by a law professor and first-time attendee, to launch a petition drive with the goal of moving Arlington from five at-large County Board districts to single-member districts.” [GazetteLeader]
Democratic Primary Field Set — “The Arlington County Democratic Committee (“Arlington Democrats”) is excited to announce the field of candidates who have filed paperwork with the party for the Democratic nomination in the June 20, 2023, Democratic Primary. The candidates represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to advancing Democratic values in Arlington and across Virginia.” [PDF]
Join the ARLnow Press Club — Support local watchdog reporting in Arlington and get the day’s headlines in your inbox first thing in the morning. [ARLnow]
It’s Friday — Overcast with sprinkles possible. Cool. High of 57 and low of 48. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 7:37 pm. [Weather.gov]
Sprinkles. Overcast. Cool. High of 57 and low of 0. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 7:37 pm. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Thought of the Day
Our lives become a series of countless decisions, an ever-radiating beacon of opportunity waiting to be seized–promptly trust your intuition and leap fearlessly.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
A strong storm is approaching Arlington from the west, prompting a Severe Thunderstorm Warning — the first of the year.
From the National Weather Service:
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for… The District of Columbia… Southeastern Montgomery County in central Maryland… Northern Prince Georges County in central Maryland…
Arlington County in northern Virginia… The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia… Northeastern Fairfax County in northern Virginia…
* Until 700 PM EDT.
* At 617 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Tysons Corner, or over American Legion Bridge, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE…Radar indicated.
IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles….
HAIL THREAT…RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE…<.75 IN
WIND THREAT…RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST…60 MPH
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA and Silver Spring MD until 7:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/KKRlhC3ATR
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) April 6, 2023
The least expensive condo, single-family home or townhouse sale over the past seven days was $160,000 while the most expensive was $2,699,000.
Over the past month, meanwhile, a total of 104 condos were sold. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive condos sold over the past month.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch map on 4/6/23 (via National Weather Service)
Arlington and much of the D.C. area is now under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch.
The watch is in effect until 10 p.m.
Forecasters say today’s sunshine and warmth may fuel strong storms starting this afternoon. Damaging winds and hail are possible through the evening hours.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for areas along & east of the Blue Ridge through 10 pm EDT. Primary threats include scattered gusts up to 70 mph along with isolated large hail. #MDwx#VAwx#WVwx#DCwxpic.twitter.com/Oi40DcLAwg
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) April 6, 2023
Shower and storm coverage will increase later this afternoon and evening especially in areas along and east of the Blue Ridge. Damaging winds and hail will be possible with storms that form between 3-9pm. #MDwx#VAwx#WVwx#DCwxhttps://t.co/0RGf8fkT4A
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) April 6, 2023
View of the D.C. monuments and skyline from a flight arriving at DCA (file photo)
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) has sent a scathing letter to D.C.’s mayor and city council today, accusing them of jeopardizing public safety due to lax law enforcement.
The letter follows the stabbing death of an Arlington woman in a D.C. hotel room this past weekend. The Yorktown High School alum was pronounced dead in the room and the suspect, a 43-year-old man with an extensive criminal history, was taken into custody and charged with murder.
The suspect was released from jail by a judge this winter following an alleged armed robbery in October, NBC 4 reported.
“The letter is a direct response to the tragic murder of Christy Bautista over the weekend,” the Attorney General’s office said in a press release that also accuses D.C. officials of an “inability and refusal to enforce their public safety laws and address their crime spike.”
In the letter, Miyares writes that “due to the proximity of our communities, D.C.’s crime problem has become Virginia’s crime problem.”
Republicans in Congress have been on the offensive against D.C.’s government, accusing the District of being soft on crime.
With Democratic votes and President Biden’s signature, a D.C. crime bill that reduced the maximum sentence for carjacking, among other changes, was overturned last month. Meanwhile, GOP members grilled D.C. officials on crime during a House committee hearing last week.
It has become painfully apparent that Washington, D.C., can protect neither its residents nor the thousands of Virginians who commute daily to the city for work or entertainment. As the chief law enforcement officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia, I feel responsible for the safety of all 8.642 million Virginians.
Unfortunately, due to the proximity of our communities, D.C.’s crime problem has become Virginia’s crime problem.
I refuse to stand by quietly as you continue to deny, reject, and refuse to address your very prevalent crime spike that is impacting D.C. residents and its visitors and commuters. Your unwillingness to enforce your laws and hold violent offenders responsible puts your residents and mine at risk.
Over the weekend, Christy Bautista, an innocent young woman from Virginia, was murdered in the supposed safety of her hotel room less than an hour after checking in to attend a concert in your city. A Capitol Hill staffer was brutally attacked in broad daylight. Over the summer, a young Arlington woman was harassed on the metro, and countless Virginians have been murdered in D.C. over the last three years, including Aaron Bourne, Kenithy Manns, Christian Gabriel Monje, and Ahmad Clark.
Yet, D.C. Council Chairman Mendelson recently denied that D.C. had a crime crisis. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, D.C. has seen two consecutive years of over 200 homicides — a distinction the city hasn’t reached in nearly two decades. In addition, carjackings have been steadily rising for the last five years. Homicides in Washington, D.C., have increased by 31% since this time last year, sexual assault increased by 84%, and motor vehicle theft has increased by 107%. In general, crime in 2023 has risen by 23%.
The Courthouse pub said this morning that it expects to re-open its doors in August.
“We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Ireland’s Four Courts in August 2023,” the pub said via social media and on its website. The announcement included a rendering of the pub’s new exterior facade, now in green and gold rather than black and red.
Four Courts managing partner Dave Cahill tells ARLnow that work inside is progressing
“Work is on schedule,” Cahill said. “We will retain our neighborhood pub feel that we have had for 27 years… When our customers walk into the pub in August, we want them to feel they are in the old Four Courts but with a more updated, fresher look.”
“We will be adding some new elements to the pub,” he added. “The entrance will have double doors and bi-fold windows.”
Police announced in October that the Uber driver who slammed into Four Courts after suffering an apparent medical emergency would not face criminal charges. All three pub-goers who suffered serious, potentially life-threatening injuries in the August crash were released from the hospital by the next month.
Stormy clouds and a plane over the Potomac, as seen from Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Fundraiser for Murdered Woman — “A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Bautista’s family with funeral expenses. As of midday Wednesday it has raised nearly $10,000.” [ARLnow, GoFundMe]
More Missing Middle Coverage — “This overall cap, and particularly the distribution of the cap amongst different zoning districts, could prevent a lot of development, says Emily Hamilton, an economist and housing researcher at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center. ‘The place where I think missing middle will make the most sense in a market perspective and a planning perspective is in Arlington’s neighborhoods that are zoned for single-family but are nonetheless really close to Metro or other transit corridors,’ she says.” [Reason]
Overhaul for Local GOP — “The Arlington County Republican Committee’s new chairman says breathing new life into the local GOP’s advisory-panel structure is among his key goals for coming months. ‘I want them to be action-oriented committees, not just deliberative bodies where ideas are discussed but nothing is done,’ Matthew Hurtt said.” [GazetteLeader]
Fmr. Rep. Moran Starts Lobbying Firm — “Nine years after retiring from public office, former Virginia Congressman Jim Moran is hanging out his own shingle. Moran, a Democrat who represented Northern Virginia in Washington for 24 years, is launching a new government relations firm, Moran Global Strategies, this week.” [Washington Business Journal]
USS Arlington Turning Ten — “Time flies: April 6 marks the 10th anniversary of the commissioning of the U.S. Navy’s USS Arlington. The ship – a 685-foot-long landing platform dock designed to speed supplies and U.S. Marines on humanitarian missions and to world trouble spots – was named to honor the community’s response the 2001 terrorist attacks. It was the third U.S. Navy ship in modern times to bear the name ‘Arlington.'” [GazetteLeader]
Passover Starts — From Rep. Don Beyer: “Wishing you and yours a happy Passover celebration. Chag Sameach!” [Twitter]
Temperature Records Set — “The record-high temperature for [Wednesday] was breached. All three major climate sites in the region set records, including D.C. with a high of 87 and Dulles International Airport, with a reading of 88. Afternoon temperatures were more like average highs in June, and there was some humidity to go along with it.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Thursday — Tstorms late. Overcast. Pleasantly warm. High of 85 and low of 58. Sunrise at 6:45 am and sunset at 7:36 pm. [Weather.gov]
