Author: Chris Teale

Longtime Pizza Restaurant Faccia Luna to Become ‘Alto Fumo’

By Chris Teale
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A longtime pizza restaurant in Clarendon is soon to shutter and reopen under new management.

Signs posted on the doors of Faccia Luna at 2909 Wilson Blvd show it will soon become Alto Fumo, another Italian restaurant. Faccia Luna first opened in Clarendon in 1992.

Permit applications filed with Arlington County indicate that the restaurant is under new management, but for now little is expected to change other than the name.

“Alto Fumo means ‘high-rising smoke’ in Italian, like smoke rising from a pizza oven,” the sign reads. “You will enjoy the highest quality customer service and foods and also enjoy our new additions.”

Faccia Luna also has locations in Old Town Alexandria and State College, Pennsylvania. A sign on the door at the Alexandria location thanked customers “for all the support.”

In 2015, co-owner Joe Corey said Faccia Luna has been a spot for successful first dates, with hundreds of couples ending up married after eating together at the Clarendon pizza joint.

Most-Read Arlington Stories of 2017 (#11-15)

By Chris Teale

Yesterday, we began our countdown of our most-read stories this year.

The list continues today with #11-15.

  1. Is Clarendon’s Oz Restaurant in Trouble? (14,671 views)

A teaser clip from the second season of Bravo reality series Real Housewives of Potomac showed Michael and Ashley Darby, co-owners of Clarendon restaurant Oz, discussing whether their venture would survive. But contrary to its portrayal in the show, Michael Darby said in an interview with ARLnow that the restaurant is doing just fine after some “significant” changes.

  1. SPOTTED: ‘Driverless’ Vehicle Cruising the Streets of Clarendon (15,035 views)

On a Thursday evening in early August, a car that appeared to be self-driving was spotted cruising around Clarendon and Courthouse. It drove cautiously but kept up with traffic, and had a light bar that blinked when it stopped at a red light. After further investigation by NBC 4’s Adam Tuss (which gave rise to the catchphrase “I’m with the news, dude!“), it was revealed that a driver was in the car disguised as a car seat. The following month, Ford said it was behind the tests in conjunction with Virginia Tech to test how driverless cars interact with other road users and the reactions of those nearby.

  1. UPDATED: Police Investigating House Party Homicide (15,308 views)

An apparent housewarming party in February turned deadly after a 23-year-old man, Michael Gray of Manassas, was shot by 37-year-old D.C. resident Jason Allen Johnson. After a long search, Johnson was arrested in October for shoplifting in New York City and extradited to Virginia.

  1. Naked Man Walking Down the Middle of Columbia Pike Arrested (17,044 views)

Police arrested a man who walked naked down Columbia Pike in late July. Officer said the man might have been suffering from mental health issues, and was arrested “without incident” before being transported to Virginia Hospital Center.

  1. Homeless Population Decreasing Thanks to ‘Housing-First’ Approach (19,753 views)

Arlington County’s chronic homeless rate has dropped 64 percent since 2013, thanks to what officials describe as a “housing first” model. Despite a jump to 232 homeless people in 2017 from 174 in 2016, county staff and nonprofits said they look to move people into housing and then help them stabilize their lives with a job and help with challenges like substance abuse or mental illness.

Look out for #6-10 on the countdown tomorrow.

New Bike/Pedestrian Path Open Near Pentagon

By Chris Teale

A shared-use path is now open on eastbound Washington Blvd near the Pentagon, part of a bridge rehabilitation project in Arlington County.

The Virginia Department of Transportation said a 14-foot wide path for bicycles and pedestrians along eastbound Washington Blvd (Route 27) over Route 110 opened yesterday (Tuesday).

The path is now 14 feet wide on the bridge and replaces a narrow concrete sidewalk that pedestrians and cyclists used to use. It is 10 feet wide on the approaches to the bridge.

Drivers in the area can expect some delays starting tonight (Wednesday), as eastbound traffic on Washington Blvd will shift onto the newly-constructed portion of the bridge. The traffic shift allows construction crews to demolish the middle portion of the bridge and rebuild it.

Work is expected to last from 10 p.m. tonight until 5 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday). Drivers are advised to seek alternate routes.

VDOT said it still believes the $31.5 million project is on track to wrap up next year. It will replace the existing bridge, built in 1941, with one that is wider, longer and taller.

Photo via VDOT

Most-Read Arlington Stories of 2017 (#16-20)

By Chris Teale

It’s been quite a year in Arlington County, filled with local stories both serious and not-so-serious.

This week we’re counting down the top 20 most-read articles of 2017.

Kicking off the list today is #16-20.

  1. Arlington Man Charged With Murdering Roommate (13,440 views)

Police charged Heber Amaya-Gallo, 28, with murder after a death investigation in late January on 7th Road S. in the Arlington Mill neighborhood. It was Arlington’s first reported homicide of 2017. Police said Amaya-Gallo killed 55-year-old Michael Wiggins after a “verbal altercation between roommates became physical” in an apartment.

  1. Crime Report: Someone Broke into a Rosslyn Apartment and Cleaned It (13,655 views)

A Rosslyn resident called police in early August to report that someone broke into their apartment and cleaned it. The resident had been on a trip when the alleged break-in occurred. There was nothing reported missing from the apartment.

  1. Couple Searches For Answers After Dog Disappears in Arlington Under Mysterious Circumstances (14,035 views)

A Falls Church couple searched frantically for their missing dog, Sookie, which went missing in Waycroft-Woodlawn after they left her with a dog-sitter. Someone allegedly put the dog into his car and drove away, and owners Solange and Craig Bone put up fliers to try and find Sookie. Days later, Sookie was reported as returned.

  1. Police Investigating Stabbing in Courthouse (14,262 views)

Police investigated a double stabbing in Courthouse in mid-August that left both victims in a critical but stable condition. The suspect was later identified as 37-year-old Sharon E. Uwandu of no fixed address, who was charged with two counts of Aggravated Malicious Wounding and was held in the Arlington County jail without bond.

  1. Williamsburg Middle School Principal Gordon Laurie Resigns (14,349 views)

After his whereabouts became a source of gossip among parents, Arlington Public Schools announced in early March that Gordon Laurie, principal of Williamsburg Middle School, has resigned. Tipsters reported that Laurie had not been seen in school since February 24, and rumors were swirling about the reason for his departure. Superintendent Patrick Murphy said Laurie has resigned for personal reasons after 15 years with APS. Bryan Boykin succeeded Laurie in July.

Look out for #11-15 on the countdown tomorrow.

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By Chris Teale

We’ve reached the long holiday weekend, but before we go, there’s time to take a quick look back at the week.

These were our most-read stories this week:

  1. UPDATED: Fast-Casual Pizza Chain &pizza to Open Wednesday, Dec. 27 in Ballston
  2. Mediterranean Restaurant Delia’s to Replace Tazza Kitchen in Arlington Ridge Shopping Center
  3. Beware the Hole in This North Arlington Road
  4. Va. Bill Would Require Drivers to Stop for Pedestrians
  5. Japanese Restaurant Takohachi Open on Columbia Pike

And these received the most comments:

  1. Va. Bill Would Require Drivers to Stop for Pedestrians
  2. County Art Truck Receives Federal Grant
  3. East Falls Church Metro Station Could Get More Bus Space Under County Plan
  4. Local Legislators Propose Marijuana Decriminalization Bills
  5. Japanese Restaurant Takohachi Open on Columbia Pike

We’re going to take a few days off for the holiday ourselves, and be back on Wednesday, December 27, except in the case of any breaking news. There will also be some regularly-scheduled features published between now and then.

In the meantime, feel free to discuss anything of local interest in the comments. Happy holidays!

Flickr pool photo by Lisa Novak

Christmas and New Year Closings in Arlington

By Chris Teale

Christmas and the New Year are right around the corner, and Arlington County government will take some time off to observe the holidays.

Government offices, courts and libraries will be closed on Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26 for Christmas and on Monday, January 1, 2018 for New Year’s Day.

Courts closed today (Friday) at noon, and will also be closed on Tuesday, January 2. Libraries will be closed December 24-26 and on December 31 and January 1.

Community centers will be closed on December 25, 31 and January 1. The following community centers are open on December 26:

  • Langston-Brown: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Madison: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Carver: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Thomas Jefferson: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Arlington Mill: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Metered parking will not be enforced on December 25, 26 or January 1, and there will be no trash and recycling services on December 25 or January 1. Weekly services shift to the next day of the week, Tuesday through Saturday.

And for those riding Metrorail, most lines will run on a regular weekend schedule, except the Red Line, where Metro’s leak-mitigation project continues.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Metrorail system will open at 8 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. Trains will operate on a Sunday schedule both days. There is no scheduled track work.

Christmas Tree Collection to Begin January 2

By Chris Teale
Trees at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

For those already looking forward to the end of the holidays, Arlington County’s Christmas tree collection program begins in early January.

The program goes through the first two weeks in January, from January 2-12.

“Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your regular trash collection day and to remove all decorations, nails, stands and plastic bags,” a blurb on the program reads. “The trees are later ground into wood mulch for garden use.”

Anyone who does not have a curbside recycling service can bring their Christmas trees to the Solid Waste Bureau during the collection season.

Podcast: Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette

By Chris Teale

After 20 years on the Arlington County Board, chair Jay Fisette is retiring, to be succeeded by fellow Democrat Erik Gutshall.

And having presided over his last meeting earlier this week (Tuesday, December 19), Fisette was in a reflective mood as he looked back at his tenure, but said he is excited for the future of the county.

Fisette won re-election four times after first winning a seat on the Board in 1997, and rotated in as chair in 2001, 2005, 2010, 2014 and this year. He also briefly flirted with a run for Congress in 2003.

On this week’s 26 Square Miles podcast, we talked with Fisette about his memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, Base Realignment and Closure, Metro, development and the nixed Columbia Pike streetcar, among other subjects. He also had some advice for his colleagues remaining on the County Board.

Listen below or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or TuneIn.

Spinfire Pizza in Rosslyn Permanently Closed

By Chris Teale
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After initially suggesting it closed for renovations, Spinfire Pizza in Rosslyn is gone for good, with its former space now seeking a new tenant.

The pizza joint at 1501 Wilson Blvd, part-owned by former Washington Redskins player Pierre Garcon, had been planning to reopen on December 31, according to its Yelp page. That has since changed to it being permanently closed.

It offered customizable personal pizzas in 90 seconds, with toppings ranging from pizza staples like pepperoni and mushrooms to Sriracha sausage, candied pecans and dried cranberries.

Its other location is in Ashburn.

Child Care Center to Open in Long-Vacant Clarendon Retail Space

By Chris Teale
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A long-vacant storefront on the first floor of a Clarendon apartment building will be used as a child care center.

The Arlington County Board on Tuesday (December 19) unanimously approved a proposal to use space at the Garfield Park building (925 N. Garfield Street) for a daycare facility called A+ Kids.

County staff said the space, Suite D, has never had a retail tenant since the building opened. It is around the corner and in the same building as the recently-opened Board Room.

The center will have space for up to 60 children, and comes after the official kick-off of the county’s Child Care Initiative to try and expand choices for daycare. A final number of children will be subject to review by the county’s Child Care Office and Inspection Services Division.

It would be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and use the building’s on-site parking garage to provide the required one parking space per employee.

The center will use some on-street parking spaces on N. Fillmore Street as a drop-off and pick-up zone, and make use of several existing parks as outdoor play space.

Board vice chair Katie Cristol praised the partnership between the various county departments to make the new child care center a reality in a previously unused space.

“It’s nice to see an otherwise unoccupied retail space going for this use,” she said.

Va. Bills Would Ban ‘Bump Stocks’ for Semi-Automatic Weapons

By Chris Teale
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Months after the mass shootings in Las Vegas, several legislators representing Arlington County have filed bills in the Virginia General Assembly to outlaw “bump stocks.”

After the October 1 shooting, which left 58 people dead and 546 injured, investigators found that gunman Stephen Paddock had modified some of the semi-automatic rifles in his hotel room with “bump stocks,” an attachment that allows the guns to fire faster.

And after Congress failed to act to ban them, local lawmakers will try to do so at the state level.

Del. Mark Levine and state Sens. Adam Ebbin and Barbara Favola (all D) each introduced legislation to ban any device “used to increase the rate of fire of any semi-automatic firearm beyond the capability of an unaided person to operate the trigger mechanism of that firearm.”

Anyone found to own, be making or selling such a device would be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor. The City of Columbia, S.C., recently passed an ordinance banning them.

At a work session with the Arlington County Board earlier this month, Levine expressed cautious optimism at getting “bump stocks” banned in Virginia.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do at the federal level, but we certainly shouldn’t have them in Virginia,” he said. “That, I would hope would be an easy lift, although of course, nothing is an easy lift when it comes to guns.”

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