Author: Jackie Friedman

Construction Vehicle Brings Down Power Lines Near Virginia Square

By Jackie Friedman
1/2

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) A construction vehicle is currently draped with downed power lines near Virginia Square.

The incident occurred shortly before noon at 3700 6th Road N. as the truck was being hauled through the Ashton Heights neighborhood.

Firefighters and police were called to the scene and currently have the sidewalk and the road closed for safety, as the lines were believed to be live electrical lines.

No injures were reported, but at least one neighboring home was reportedly damaged.

Arlington Agenda: July 25-31

By Jackie Friedman
Tracy Morgan (Photo by Randy Holmes/ABC)

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.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Monday

OLL_largeFree Home Buyer Seminar*
Optime Realty (1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 101)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

The free event will have specialists, including lenders and buyer agents, to give an overview of the buying process. Learn valuable home buying strategies that will save 3% or more when purchasing a home. All attendees will receive 2 guarantees.

Wednesday

TLT-WEB21U.S. Army’s Twilight Tattoo
Summerall Field on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
Time: 7-8 p.m.

The United States Army Military District of Washington invites you to experience the U.S. Army’s elite ceremonial units in action by attending a Twilight Tattoo program this summer. Twilight Tattoo is an hour-long military pageant featuring Soldiers from The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

Thursday

Image courtesy Devin HicksHaus Party
Sehkraft Brewing (925 N. Garfield Street)
Time: 5 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Sehkraft Brewery will be releasing two new beers, Sehkraft Amber and Sehkraft Solarize Saison. Local D.C. and instrumental soul band, The Junior Bryce Band will be performing starting at 8:30 p.m.

Friday

Wine in the Water Park (photo courtesy Crystal City BID)Wine in the Water Park
Crystal City Water Park (1750 Crystal Drive)
Time: 6-10 p.m.

The free event will feature live music from Johnny Artis Band, hand-selected wines from the Washington Wine Academy, and a free outdoor ArtJamz session. A cash bar is will be available at the outdoor pop-up wine and beer garden.

Saturday

water-play-flyerWater Play on the Plaza
Shirlington Branch Library (4200 Campbell Avenue)
Time: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join the Northern Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (NVAEYC) and Arlington Public Library for a water play party. All young children are welcome to come to the free event and parental supervision is required.

Tracy Morgan (Photo by Randy Holmes/ABC) Live Comedy: Tracy Morgan
Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7 and 10 p.m.

Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, of TV’s “30 Rock” will bring his standup comedy act to the Pike. Morgan has two scheduled performances on Saturday night. Tickets are available online for $50.

Sunday

Wine bottles in The Curious Grape in Shirlington

Summer Wine Tasting Dinner*
Osteria da Nino Cucina Italiana and Bar (2900 S. Quincy Street)
Time: 6-10 p.m.

Try four courses and five wines from the regions of Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, and Friuly. Signore Max Evans from Siema Wine Import of Springfield, VA will be guest speaking. Tickets cost $69 per person, not inclusive of tax and tip.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

Heat Advisory Issued for Arlington

By Jackie Friedman

The sun during the heat advisory on Thursday, July 14, 2016Arlington County and the surrounding D.C. area is under a heat advisory today.

High temperatures and high humidity will make for a sweaty and potentially dangerous afternoon.

Those who must spend time outdoors today are advised to drink plenty of water, seek breaks in the shade and avoid strenuous activity if possible.

In response to the heatwave, A-SPAN has opened overflow space and set up additional beds at Arlington’s Homeless Services Center in Courthouse.

A-SPAN also offers daytime drop-ins to help those on the streets beat the heat. The drop-in program is offered from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the shelter, located at 2020-A 14th Street N.

From the National Weather Service:

HEAT ADVISORY FROM 12PM EDT MON UNTIL 8PM EDT MON

* HEAT INDEX VALUES… UP TO 108 DUE TO TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 95 TO 100… AND DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 70S.

* IMPACTS… RISK OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS FOR THOSE WITHOUT AIR- CONDITIONING OR THOSE OUTDOORS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK… THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY – CALL 911.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE… RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HIGH TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE.

In addition to the sweltering temperatures and humidity, storms are possible today. Via Twitter:

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Jackie Friedman

Dogs cool off at the James Hunter Dog Park

The weekend is here and so are the scorching temperatures.

Temperatures could reach the high 90s throughout the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. So make sure to take extra precautions and stay cool and hydrated this weekend.

There will be some outdoor activities this weekend in and around Arlington such as the Crystal Twilighter 5K and a bike ride along George Washington Memorial Parkway. See our event calendar for more listings. Or, if you’d rather stay inside and keep cool, check out some of the open houses happening Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Feel free to discuss the heat wave or any other topic of local interest in the comments.

‘Junior Park Ranger Ride’ Planned Along GW Memorial Parkway

By Jackie Friedman

Bikes on a tree, photo via Facebook : Kidical Mass ArlingtonThe Arlington chapter of a group centered around casual bike rides for families plans to lead a trek along George Washington Memorial Parkway this weekend.

A “Junior Park Ranger Ride” is set to kick off this Sunday at 9:30 a.m., according to Kidical Mass Arlington, the event’s organizers.

During the 60-90 minute trip, riders will hit several stops along George Washington Memorial Parkway, including the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, the Netherlands Carillon and Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Grove. The ride will end up at Theodore Roosevelt Island, according to Kidical Mass.

The event will also include activities from BikeArlington and the U.S. National Park Service. All young riders will earn Junior Park Ranger credentials for the GW Parkway once the ride is complete, according to event organizers.

Photo via Facebook / Kidical Mass

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By Jackie Friedman
Exterior (General) -

It’s supposed to be a hot one this weekend so why not stay inside and look at some homes? There will be lots of open houses in both North and South Arlington this Saturday and Sunday.

Check out our recently-relaunched real estate section for a full listing of open houses this weekend. Here are a few highlights:

Exterior (Front) -1800 Key Boulevard
1 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Amanda Carter
Listed: $285,000
Open: Saturday from 1-3 p.m.

 

2102 QUINCY STREET2102 Quincy Street South
3 Bed/2.5 Bath Condo
Agent: M. Delia Hankin
Listed: $458,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

Exterior (Front) -

3327 Kemper Road
2 Bed/2.5 Bath Condo
Agent: Patricia Brosnan
Listed: $599,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2674 Upshur Street

2674 Upshur Street North
3 Bed/3 Bath Single Family Detached
Agent: David Lloyd
Listed: $859,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

Exterior (General) -

1820 Herndon Street
3 Bed/ 2.5 Bath Single Family Detached
Agent: Billy Buck
Listed: $1,500,000
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

 

Real estate agents, if you don’t see your listings in our real estate section shoot us an email and we’ll let you know what your office needs to do to get listed.

Installation of Westover Capital Bikeshare Station Delayed Until Fall

By Jackie Friedman
1/4

A plan to put a 16-bike Capital Bikeshare station at Westover Library has been delayed, according to Arlington County.

The bike rental service delayed installing the Westover Library station because construction crews are using the site as a staging area while they renovate the Westover Branch Library’s windows, according to Arlington County spokesman Peter Golkin.

“Instead, we’ll be installing this station at Westover Park over the next month and installing at the Library in the fall when construction is supposed to be completed,” a Bikeshare representative said in a statement Golkin shared with ARLnow.com.

Three Capital Bikeshare stations are planned for Westover, according to county staff. In addition to the Westover Libary and Westover Park stations, another hub is slated to be installed at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Patrick Henry in 2018.

‘Superfood Cafe’ Vitality Bowls Coming Soon to Rosslyn

By Jackie Friedman
1/4

A business billing itself as a “superfood cafe” is on track to open soon in Rosslyn.

Vitality Bowls is set to arrive on the ground floor of 1515 Wilson Blvd “by the end of this summer,” according Mackenzie Coopman, a representative for the company.

The California-based restaurant chain specializes in “acai bowls,” which are blends of the “superfood” berry topped with ingredients such as bananas, strawberries and granola. Other menu options include smoothies, juices salads and paninis. All of the cafe’s food is organic, according to its website.

“Conveniently situated at the busy intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Oak Street, local residents, professionals and students will have easy access to healthier food options while out and about,” Coopman said.

Vitality Bowls claims that it plans to open 10-20 locations in Arlington and the D.C. area. The company currently has 20 locations across the U.S. and says it has another 30 “in development.”

Local entrepreneurs Anisha Sharma, Narender Neerukonda and Raghu Gondi are leading the opening of the forthcoming eatery in Rosslyn.

County Board Members Join Strike at Arlington National Cemetery

By Jackie Friedman
1/6

Arlington County Board members Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol joined more than 25 contract groundkeepers in their strike this morning outside of Arlington National Cemetery.

The strike by the members of Local 572 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) began today at 7 a.m. It comes after eight months of delays in reaching a new contract. The walkout is believed to be the first strike by workers at the cemetery, says LiUNA.

“This is about workers and their ability to provide for their families and their ability to live,” said Dorsey. “You really can’t do so if your wages don’t keep up with the cost of living.”

Cristol said she was at the strike to support “dignity and fair practices,” adding that the high cost of housing locally makes it hard to raise a family on the wages the groundskeepers are being paid.

The workers, who are jointly employed by Davey Tree Expert Co. and Greenleaf Services Inc., are looking for sick leave time and a pay raise of 4 percent from their current approximately $13 per hour rate.

“I don’t think our ask is that dramatic at all,” said LiUNA assistant organizing director Keon Shim. “We’ve negotiated on things that are non economic and when it came to economics, the company basically said no to everything that we proposed so far.”

“When you think about the incredibly enormous job and the important job of beautifying our cemetery, making it a sacred place and also making it hospitable for visitors, we shouldn’t take the low road with those employees who make that happen,” said Dorsey.

There will be negotiations tomorrow between the workers and the companies, according to the union. If the company is not willing to sign a new contract for workers, union representatives said, the strike will continue.

Arlington Agenda: July 18-24

By Jackie Friedman

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.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Monday

event_beer

Beer Pairing Dinner*
Osteria da Nino Cucina Italiana (2900 S. Quincy Street)
Time: 6-10 p.m.

Try four courses, featuring beers from Greenbrier Valley Brewing Co. from West Virginia. Co-owner William D. Laska will be the guest speaker. The meal is $40 per person, not inclusive of tax and tip. A full menu has yet to be announced.

Tuesday

CCL-LogoCitizens Climate Lobby Summer Kickoff
Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street)
Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m.

During the two day meeting, participants will work together to generate the political will necessary for passage of new climate legislation as well as engaging with elected officials, the media, and the public on environmental issues.

Wednesday

OneMorePageBooksFrackopoly Book Talk
One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street)
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter will be visiting Arlington to discuss her book “Frackopoly: The Battle for the Future of Energy and the Environment.” The event is free but participants must register online.

Thursday

MG_9264The U.S. Army Band In Concert
Brucker Hall on Fort Myer (400 McNair Road)
Time: 7:30-9 p.m.

The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” welcomes guest conductor Craig Kirchhoff as part of the 2016 U.S. Army Band Conductors Workshop. The free program will include highlights from Copland’s Symphony No. 3, Arturo Marquez’s Danzon No. 2, and staples of the wind ensemble repertoire by Samuel Barber, Percy Grainger, and John Philip Sousa.

Green Flash and Alpine Pint NightSehkraft Brewing in Clarendon
Sehkraft Brewing (925 N. Garfield Street)
Time: 5-8 p.m.

The Green Flash Southeast Sales Team, also known at the Yeastie Boys, will be on hand for pint night. Sehkraft Brewery will also be releasing their newest beer, Pro Forma Pils. Local D.C. band Surprise Attack will be performing at 8:30 p.m.

Clarendon GrillParty Like It’s at Clarendon Grill
Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street)
Time: 9:30 p.m.-12 a.m.

Local party band Party Like It’s will be performing at Thursday night show at Clarendon Grill. The seven piece band from D.C. plays a mixture of current hits and classic songs as well as songs from the 80s, 90s and 2000s.

mfThe Shack Band Performs at the Shirlala Musical Festival
Shirlington Village (2700 S. Quincy Street)
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The Village at Shirlington is hosting live music every Thursday evening through Labor Day. This week will feature a performance by southern funk group The Shack Band. The concert is free.

Friday

Crystal City Wine in the Water Park (courtesy Crystal City BID)

Wine in the Water Park
Crystal City Water Park (1750 Crystal Drive)
Time: 6-10 p.m.

The free event will feature live music from Fat Liver Jenkins, hand-selected wines from the Washington Wine Academy, and a free outdoor ArtJamz session. A cash bar is will be available at the outdoor pop-up wine and beer garden.

Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival (file photo)Rosslyn Summer Film Fest: Casablanca
Gateway Park (1300 Lee Hwy)
Time: Starts after sundown

The classic 1942 film,”Casablanca” will be shown after sundown. Admission is free. The film festival will feature food, beer and wine from local restaurants and food trucks. Films will be shown every Friday until August 26.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Jackie Friedman

The sun during the heat advisory on Thursday, July 14, 2016

The weekend has arrived and so has the heat and humidity.

Throughout the weekend, temperatures will be in the low 90’s and humidity levels will be in the 60% range. So be sure to find fun ways to cool off.

There will be some outdoor activities this weekend in and around Arlington, such as the Junior/Parent Golf Open in the Falls Church area, for those who can brave the heat. See our event calendar for more listings. Or, if home shopping is your thing, check out some of the open houses happening Sunday afternoon.

Feel free to discuss the heat wave or any other topic of local interest in the comments.

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