A dog in a costume on Columbia Pike (via Columbia Pike Partnership/Facebook)
Columbia Pike’s 2023 Pet Fair is scheduled for Sept. 30 at Penrose Square Outdoor Plaza (via Columbia Pike Partnership)
(Updated 9/13/23) Columbia Pike pet festival “Paws on the Pike” will return this month and unleash a day of pet-centric offerings and activities.
The pet fair, hosted by the Columbia Pike Partnership, is scheduled for Sept. 30 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Penrose Square outdoor plaza, located at 2501 9th Road S.
Attendees can have their pets sit for complimentary pet portraits and participate in a pet costume contest, hosted by the Arlington Animal Hospital in honor of its 85th anniversary. Those interested in portraits must sign up in advance.
There will be a DJ and a “water bar” where pets can sample water. At 1 p.m., Pastor Ashley Goff of Arlington Presbyterian Church will perform a pet blessing.
Pet owners can also connect with local pet service providers and vendors, such as veterinarians, trainers, pet-sitters, boarders, dog walkers and groomers.
For those interested in pet adoption, representatives from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington will be available to inform people about animals in need of homes.
A few weeks later, a Columbia Pike wellness festival showcasing local wellness purveyors will be held in the same location on Saturday, Oct. 14 from noon to 4 p.m.
The Ballston location of Greenheart Juice Shop (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Interior of the Greenheart Juice Shop’s Ballston location (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Interior of the Greenheart Juice Shop’s Ballston location (staff photo by James Jarvis)
(Updated at 5:32 p.m.) Greenheart Juice Shop is slated to hold a grand opening for its newest location in Ballston on Saturday.
The celebration at 4121 Wilson Blvd will include wellness shots, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win gift cards or class packs to local gyms.
This location, which previously housed Philz Coffee, will be Greenheart’s first in Arlington and its fourth in Northern Virginia. A second Arlington location is set to open in Courthouse “sometime this fall,” a spokesperson for the juice shop told ARLnow.
The juice chain began as one location in 2010 in the village of Aldie in Loudoun County, selling health foods such as cold-pressed juices, açai bowls and salads. Since then, the company has expanded its reach across Northern Virginia, adding storefronts in Leesburg and Vienna.
Late last year, Arlington-based hospitality group Wooden Nickel Bar Co., which also operates local restaurants Copperwood Tavern and Brass Rabbit Public House, acquired the shop. Greenheart then set its sights on expanding into Arlington.
“We’ve expanded into Ballston because [owner Reese Gardner]… saw an opportunity to be involved in a community that is very centered on health and fitness,” the spokesperson said, noting that Arlington has been named the “fittest city” for six years in a row.
The new juice shop will compete with another homegrown juice-and-smoothie chain, South Block, which has been open across the street since March 2019.
Westpost 2023 “Fall Movies on The Plaza” flier (via Wespost at National Landing)
Westpost 2023 fall outdoor movie list flier (via Westpost at National Landing)
Get your blankets and popcorn ready: Westpost in Pentagon City will be hosting free outdoor movie screenings this fall.
In less than two weeks, movie-goers can enjoy a range of films, from family-friendly flicks to action-adventures, each Wednesday from Sept. 20 through Oct. 11. Screenings will be held in the plaza at Westpost, formerly known as Pentagon Row.
Shows begin at 7:30 p.m., but attendees are advised to arrive early to secure a spot and allow time to order food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, from nearby restaurants.
Each screening will be hosted by a different restaurant, and most serve up cuisines that play off the movie, such as the sushi spot hosting the samurai action film “47 Ronin.”
Below is the scheduled movie lineup.
Sept. 20 — “Clueless,” hosted by Nighthawk Brewery & Pizza
Sept. 27 — “Encanto,” hosted by Banditos Tacos & Tequila
Oct. 4 — “47 Ronin,” hosted by Kusshi Sushi
Oct. 11 — “Luck of The Irish,” hosted by Mattie & Eddie’s Irish Pub
Arlington County first responders conduct wreath-laying ceremony in front of the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Scenes from the 2023 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Arlington County first responders salute during the 2023 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Arlington County first responders salute during the 2023 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Arlington County first responders salute during the 2023 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony (staff photo by James Jarvis)
ACFD Capt. David Santini delivers remarks at the 2023 Arlington County 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony (staff photo by James Jarvis)
(Updated at 1:25 p.m. on 9/12/23) Twenty-two years ago today, at 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon, claiming the lives of 184 people.
To honor those who died, Arlington County elected officials and public safety personnel gathered in front of the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center in Courthouse to pay tribute and observe a moment of silence.
Dozens of police, fire and rescue personnel offered an honorary salute as the Arlington County Public Safety Combined Honor Guard ceremoniously placed a wreath at the flagpoles situated in front of the county government headquarters.
During the ceremony, Arlington County Fire Department Capt. David Santini reminded attendees of the response and recovery efforts by local police and fire and rescue personnel, which lasted 20 days.
“As that work ended, the community began the healing process, and the responders intensified their efforts to prepare for a new generation of threat,” Santini said. “For the members of our military, September 11 was the beginning of a new nation unbroken over 22 years, stretching to all corners of the world.”
“Since that day, just as with every day throughout our nation’s history, these courageous men and women have answered the call of their country, sacrificing so much, and in some cases sacrificing all to protect our nation and the world from threats to our safety and security,” he continued.
Today, First Lady Jill Biden also participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, followed by an observance ceremony led by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
September 11th is forever part of who we are in Arlington. We take pause today to remember, honor and we pledge to #NeverForgetpic.twitter.com/fqlkuzbmYy
Cpl. Harvey Snook answered the call on 9/11 & responded to the Pentagon where he remained in the days that followed, sifting through rubble for evidence. On 1/14/16, he died as the result of cancer contracted while working in the recovery efforts. pic.twitter.com/HdAUujeLPH
Mobile Outreach Support Team coordinator Michael Keen shows Rep. Don Beyer the county’s behavioral health crisis response van launched last month (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Inside the county’s new behavioral health response van (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Rep. Don Beyer examines naloxone supply in behavioral health response van used for opioid overdose treatment (staff photo by James Jarvis)
In its first month of operation, Arlington County’s mobile behavioral health response team has been busy responding to calls.
Most of these calls — which range from welfare checks to mental health emergencies and drug overdoses — involve people who are homeless, officials say. It’s a trend they attribute to the recent closures of shelters in D.C.
“There’s been a surge of homelessness in Arlington County because of the closures in D.C.,” says Grace Guerrero, senior clinical psychologist and mental health supervisor, noting many are leaving D.C. for Arlington as well as other parts of Northern Virginia and southern Maryland.
“We’ll see what unfolds,” she added. “But we have seen those upticks.”
During a media event on Thursday, Arlington County’s “Mobile Outreach Support Team” (MOST) showed off its retrofitted van, stocked with non-perishable food, water, a defibrillator, clothes, hygiene items, Narcan and fentanyl test strips.
The vehicle was funded through a 2-year, $390,000 federal grant — secured with help from Rep. Don Beyer — in an effort to divert police involvement from calls involving mental health crises, substance abuse or domestic violence.
The team comprises a licensed clinician, a peer recovery specialist and an outreach worker from the Dept. of Human Services. They will triage a situation on-site and provide peer support and conflict resolution. MOST also works with medical and behavioral health services to ensure people receive the appropriate care.
The MOST team receives about 20-35 calls per week, largely between the van’s operational hours of 1-9 p.m. Once the van arrives, most of the time, people accept the team’s help, which Guerrero noted can prevent situations from escalating and resulting in injuries or death.
Guerrero says she is unsure if MOST has significantly reduced police involvement in mental health crises at this point. That is in part because emergency responders are still, typically, the first to arrive on scene, and will call the MOST team for specialized assistance.
To further reduce police involvement in these calls, she is looking to develop an enhanced “decision tree” to help police assess when their presence may not be necessary.
“I don’t know that we’ve done yet the curbing of [police] going to these [situations] unless we self-deploy… But right now, in these first five weeks, I would say that probably allowed [police] to go back into service sooner, much sooner,” she said.
Reducing law enforcement involvement in mental health crises is a goal advanced by the Police Practices Work Group, which was convened to suggest reforms to the Arlington County Police Department after the death of George Floyd.
ACPD too has noted the increased entanglement of police officers in mental health emergencies and the officer burnout to which it is contributing. Like the police department, the jail also is seeing an influx of inmates with mental health disorders as well as homeless inmates.
This includes Abonesh Woldegeorges, a 73-year-old woman who died in the jail last month. Her death prompted some in and outside local government to renew pressure on the county to address the role of law enforcement in tackling homelessness and mental health emergencies.
The updated West Glebe Road bridge between Arlington and Alexandria (via Arlington County)
Tomorrow, Arlington County officials will officially mark the reopening of the West Glebe Road Bridge after a year-long rehabilitation project.
Tuesday’s event comes after the bridge opened to pedestrians and cyclists last month, though it reopened to vehicular traffic this March.
In May of 2022, the county embarked on a $10 million project to shore up the 67-year-old bridge linking Arlington and Alexandria near the I-395 ramps to and from S. Glebe Road.
Deemed “structurally deficient” in 2018, the bridge had severely deteriorated since its construction in 1952, requiring partial closures over the years. In April of 2021, the Arlington County Board approved plans to make structural upgrades, improve the lighting and add dedicated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.
To beautify the bridge, the county once again commissioned stylistic improvements by artist Vicki Scuri, who has adorned other county bridges — notably the bridges over Route 50 in the Courthouse area — with artwork.
Arlington and Alexandria split the project’s costs but Arlington County has taken on sole responsibility for inspecting and maintaining the bridge.
“This project was a partnership between Arlington County and the City of Alexandria to maintain safe passage between the two communities for all residents regardless of mode of transportation,” a county press release said.
More details on the ribbon-cutting, which is open to the public, are below.
When: Tuesday, Sep. 12, 2 p.m.
Where: Pizza Hut, 1049 W Glebe Rd, Alexandria, VA 22305 (this event will be held outdoors. In the case of inclement weather, the event will move into the Pizza Hut)
How to Get There:
By bus: ART 87 (Arlington side only); DASH 36AB, 103; Metrobus 23AB
Limited parking available onsite
Who:
Christian Dorsey, Chair, Arlington County Board
Justin Wilson, Mayor, City of Alexandria
Greg Emanuel, Director, Arlington County Department of Environmental Services
Hundreds gather in Maywood for vigil honoring U.S. Marine Spencer Collart, who died in an Osprey crash in Australia (staff photo by James Jarvis)
From left, Spencer Collart’s aunt, Carole, mother, Alexia, and father Bart, held a vigil in their front yard to honor their son (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Scenes from vigil in Maywood honoring fallen Marine Spencer Collart (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Scenes from vigil in Maywood honoring fallen Marine Spencer Collart (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Spencer Collart (photo via U.S. Marine Corps)
Last night, hundreds gathered outside the family home of Cpl. Spencer Collart, who died tragically during a training exercise in Australia, to honor his life.
Despite the somber atmosphere at the Maywood home of Collart’s parents, Alexia and Bart, neighbors, friends and family offered prayers, shared fond memories and joined together to sing Spencer’s favorite song, “Africa” by Toto.
The 21-year-old was one of three Marines who lost their lives after their MV-22B Osprey aircraft crashed and caught fire on Melville Island, off the coast of Australia’s Northern Territory. The incident occurred about two weeks ago during a military training exercise involving forces from the United States, Australia, the Philippines, East Timor and Indonesia.
Twenty Marines survived, though three remained hospitalized as of Monday. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
The Collarts said their son’s remains will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, although a date for the service has not yet been confirmed.
During the vigil, Collart’s youth pastor, Greg O’Dell of Cherrydale Baptist Church, said he had many passions as a young adult, including video games and lacrosse. But those were overshadowed by his desire to join the Marines, which he did on Oct. 26, 2020, at age 18, after graduating from Washington-Liberty High School.
“And he really researched it. And he said, ‘This is where I need to go. This is this is my next step,'” O’Dell said, recalling a discussion he had with Spencer his senior year.
His parents say Collart served in Pensacola, Florida, and Jacksonville, North Carolina. He became a MV-22B crew chief and was then stationed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Collart was promoted to the rank of Corporal earlier this year and had earned three awards: the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
O’Dell said the last “serious conversation” he had with Collart took place at the former neighborhood bar and restaurant, Thirsty Bernie, and the young Marine “could not stop talking about” how much he loved his work.
He said Spencer was responsible for making sure everybody who went up in the Osprey came home safe. He mused that his actions were part of the reason most people aboard the aircraft survived.
“He’s the one that would go up and down and pull their straps and make sure they were buckled down,” O’Dell said. “He’s the one if they needed to bail out, he would open the back door and start bailing them out. He was the one who was the door gunner, if they came in, under fire. And so, he protected his Marines that came on to that Osprey, and so did the pilots.”
2014 Canstruction sculpture by HGA Architects and Engineers and Balfour Beatty Construction at Reagan Washington National Airport (via Arlington Food Assistance Center/Facebook)
This evening, local architecture firms will go can-to-can in a competition to build elaborate sculptures made from canned goods.
The “Canstruction” event takes place at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. The creations built tonight will be judged on Saturday, though shoppers can also vote for their favorite canned art sculptures through Monday.
Fashion Centre and the American Institute of Architects Northern Virginia Chapter are putting on the event, which is one of many around the world affiliated with the hunger relief charity Canstruction. Participants are responsible for buying the canned goods, designing the structures and donating what is collected to a local food bank, according to the nonprofit’s website.
For AFAC CEO Charles Meng, events like these are a fun way for people to support the nonprofit, which gets nearly half of its food through donations.
“Food donations make up 40% of the food we distribute,” Charles Meng, CEO of AFAC, told ARLnow. “The 30,000 pounds from Canstruction will go a very long way in meeting our goal of 1.5 million pounds and in helping our families.”
“Canstruction is one of the many creative ways that professional societies like the American Institute of Architects and their Northern Virginia Chapter can help address food insecurity and have great fun doing it,” he added.
Shoppers are also encouraged to donate canned goods or cash to AFAC through QR codes at the Canstruction display through Sept. 16.
While jazz enthusiasts sway to soulful tunes, just a few miles away, emergency responders will be lacing up their running shoes for the Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff, & ECC 9/11 Memorial 5K race in Pentagon City.
From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., two roads will be closed for the music festival:
Langston Blvd, eastbound from Fort Myer Drive to N. Moore Street
Fort Myer Drive access road, from 19th Street N. to N. Moore Street
The festival will take place from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and feature several jazz acts, including Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Pedrito Martinez Group, Oh He Dead and DuPont Brass, as well as food trucks and games.
Road closures around the Pentagon City and Crystal City will begin at 5 p.m. to prepare for the Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K, which has raised money for 9/11-related charities since its inception in 2002.
The race, which kicks off at 6 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m., will start and end at the DoubleTree Hotel in Pentagon City. All road closures in the area will be lifted by 8:30 p.m.
Street closure maps for the 2023 Rosslyn Jazz Fest and Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K (via ACPD)
More on road closures about the 5K from a police press release:
The Arlington County Police Department will close the following roadways around the Pentagon and in Crystal City to accommodate the event:
From approximately 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Army Navy Drive, from S. Eads Street to 12th Street S.
From approximately 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
S. Eads Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
S. Fern Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
S. Hayes Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
Army Navy Drive, from S. Joyce Street to S. Eads Street
S. Joyce Street, from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike
Columbia Pike, from S. Oak Street to Washington Boulevard
S. Washington Boulevard, from Arlington Boulevard to Columbia Pike
S. Washington Boulevard, from SB George Washington Parkway
Route 110 S., from I-66 and Wilson Boulevard to Army Navy Drive
Marshall Drive, from Iwo Jima Access Road to Route 110 S.
Southgate Road, from S. Nash Street to Columbia Pike
The ramp to Army Navy Drive from NB I-395 Exit 8A, Arlington Ridge Road, and N. Washington Boulevard
The ramp from NB I-395 Exit 8C to Pentagon City / Crystal City
ACPD said motorists should expect traffic and “extended travel times” in the surrounding areas. The department advises seeking “alternative routes to reduce road congestion,” including taking Metro.
The Rosslyn Metro Station is located within walking distance of the jazz festival while both the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations are in walking distance of the race. Paid parking is available at the Pentagon City Mall garage.
Police say additional street parking near both events will be restricted and motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs.
Arlingtonians wait in line for holiday meals at the Arlington Food Assistance Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 12:45 p.m.) Within Northern Virginia, South Arlington has one of the highest concentrations of families who cannot afford basic needs and childcare.
In this half of the county, 52% of families cannot afford food, housing, medical expenses and childcare, compared to just 15% of families North Arlington, per a new report.
South Arlingtonians are not alone.
About a third of families across Northern Virginia are not earning enough money to subsist, dubbed “income inadequacy” in the report, prepared by Insight Region, the research arm of the nonprofit Community Foundation of Northern Virginia.
The report states that inflation pushed many more families into income inadequacy in the first half of 2023. However, several needs-based nonprofits in Arlington say inflation is not the only contributing factor, pointing also to the rollback of Covid-era benefits.
They tell ARLnow it is time for a systemic overhaul to mitigate increasing income inequality.
“Those basic needs numbers are really concerning to us,” says Brian Marroquín, a program officer at the nonprofit Arlington Community Foundation. “What happens when people lose those benefits is really important… It’s a Catch-22 for many people in our community to try and get ahead while kind of facing the system as it’s set up currently.”
‘Income inadequacy’ in Northern Virginia (via Insight Region)
Why families are struggling today
Before the outbreak of Covid, Charles Meng, the CEO of Arlington Food Assistance Center, said his organization typically served about 1,800 to 1,900 families a week. At the height of the pandemic, that number rose to about 2,500 families a week in 2020.
For a short while, the demand for food assistance decreased as case numbers dropped and individuals returned to work. But that changed in February 2022.
“If you’ll remember, inflation started hitting, fuel prices went up first, and then food prices started going up. And since that time, we have seen a steady increase in the number of families coming to us,” Meng told ARLnow. “We’re now serving 3,238 families [a week]… That’s basically a 30% increase from the prior year.”
“I’ve never seen a 30% increase in a year before,” he added.
Meng also attributes the sudden jump partly to inflation, which reduced the purchasing power of already struggling families. He noted the clawing back of other government benefits, such as SNAP, played a role as well.
“These families have effectively gotten a 14% to 15% reduction in their income… They’re paying more for food for a whole bunch of other things,” Meng said.
Data from ACF highlights that over 10,000 households — about 24,000 people — in Arlington make under 30% of the area median income. That translates to about $45,600 for a family of four. AFAC serves many households in that group.
“There’s a lot of families in Arlington County who are hurting,” Meng said.
In addition to SNAP, Marroquín, said the elimination of the Advanced Child Tax Credit, which cut child poverty nearly in half during 2021, also dealt a big blow to Arlington families.
“What that did was it put money in parents’ pockets. At the time, it was particularly important for childcare. Childcare was hard to find and got more expensive as well during the pandemic in 2021,” Marroquín said.
McDonald’s stand-alone restaurant at 1815 N. Lynn Street in 2007 (via Google Maps)
McDonalds integrated into a mixed-use residential building as of 2023 (via Google Maps)
Intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Lynn Street in 2007 (via Google Maps)
Intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Lynn Street in 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The old Fire Station 10 in Rosslyn, pictured in 2009 (via Google Maps)
The site of the old Fire Station 10 in Rosslyn, now a CVS in 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A commercial office building in 2009 is now the site of the The Highlands high-rise residential building (via Google Maps)
The new Fire Station 10 building integrated into The Highlands residential high-rise (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A former Burger King, pictured in 2007 along N. Lynn Street (via Google Maps)
Former Burger King replaced by mixed-use residential high-rise along N. Lynn Street (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The intersection of Fort Myer Drive and 19th Street N. in 2009 (via Google Maps)
The intersection of Fort Myer Drive and 19th Street N. in 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The intersection of N. 19th Street N. and N. Moore Street in 2007 (via Google Maps)
View of Central Place residential tower, facing south, at the intersection of N. 19th Street and N. Moore Street in 2023 (Staff photo by James Jarvis)
The intersection of N. Quinn Street and 18th Street N. in 2007 (via Google Maps)
The intersection of N. Quinn Street and 18th Street N. in 2023 (via Google Maps)
(Updated 10:30 a.m.) Where the prosaic golden arches of the stand-alone McDonald’s once perched, a residential high-rise now joins the many skyscrapers defining Rosslyn’s changing skyline.
Some old landmarks have been incorporated into new high-rises, including the McDonald’s now beneath Central Place Tower on N. Lynn Street and the former Fire Station 10 at the base of The Highlands.
Others, such as Tom Sarris’ Orleans House, a fixture for nearly 50 years, were replaced with offices and a newer generation of businesses like Compass Coffee and Cava.
Although commercial office buildings have been a constant feature of Rosslyn’s skyline over the past 40 years, the last decade has seen a shift towards more living space.
Anthony Fusarelli, Arlington County’s planning director, says that out of the approximately 8 million square feet of new development planned in Rosslyn, nearly half is designated for residential use. Office space accounts for roughly 2.8 million square feet, retail occupies 171,459 square feet, and the remaining space is allocated for hotels.
The transformation reflects a broader shift the county undertook over the last 20 years to steer urban planning toward residential and mixed-use development to accommodate a growing population, boost economic activity and adapt to people’s waning enthusiasm for the conventional workplace.
This trend is likely to persist, not only because of changes in work patterns post-pandemic, but also because Arlington County is encouraging residential development in Metro-oriented Rosslyn to help address its reported shortage of housing supply.
Planning Rosslyn’s future
To understand how and why this shift occurred, Fusarelli pointed to Rosslyn’s history.
Sixty years ago, if someone had ascended the 555-foot Washington Monument and looked westward across the Potomac River, they would have seen a very different Rosslyn. The view would have been dominated by rail yards, pawnshops, oil storage tanks and other retail and industrial operations.
“So, just this mix of varied uses that is quite different from what we have today,” Fusarelli said.
Aerial view of Rosslyn circa 1962 (via Arlington County)
After World War II, Fusarelli said the Arlington County Board recognized the area was valuable because of its proximity to D.C. Eager to establish Rosslyn as an auxiliary office hub for the growing federal government, the county embarked on an aggressive campaign to transform the area into a vibrant business district.
“Back in the early ’60s, Arlington established a new zoning tool called the ‘site plan process,’ which incentivized private landowners to build much taller buildings, much bigger buildings, in exchange for providing certain public benefits,” Fusarelli said.
