Author: James Jarvis

Photos: Neighborhoods across Arlington go all out for Halloween this year

By James Jarvis
1/33

(Updated 6:15 p.m.) The residents of N. Jackson Street in Ashton Heights have gone all out again this Halloween but they’re not the only ones.

ARLnow also toured other parts of Arlington to size up the competition, and the surrounding neighborhoods did not disappoint.

With the help of social media and some good old-fashioned investigative reporting, we uncovered hidden gems across the county, from Rock Spring to Fairlington and from Lyon Village to Barcroft.

Over in Rock Spring, a home on N. Harrison Street has laid to rest the various “eras” of Taylor Swift’s musical career with a graveyard full of witty references to her song lyrics and albums.

In Barcroft, a home on 4th Street S. turned its lawn into a Girl Scouts-gone-wild nightmare. One scout practices her axe-throwing skills on a comrade, while various monsters enjoy a smorgasbord that goes well beyond cookies.

If you subscribe to the “go big or go home” philosophy, there are two houses in South Arlington you’ll want to see this weekend. One, along Army Navy Drive in Aurora Highlands, showcases larger-than-life skeletons and other jumbo-sized spooky figurines.

Not far away in Fairlington, another home on S. Stafford Street boasts a truly mammoth haunted house display that fills the entire front yard.

For those who prefer their scares more historical, a home on S. Garfield Street just south of Arlington Blvd might be more your speed. Passersby who look closely will see tombstones referencing famous historical events and figures, including victims of the Salem Witch Trials and Edgar Allan Poe.

Homeowners Ken Nagle and Kara Laake said their favorite part of the display are the tombstones that refer to the Great New England Vampire Panic of the 17th and 18th centuries.

“We found out about it a number of years back when we were up in New England. Basically… what would happen is one family member would get tuberculosis and die. Then the rest of the family would get it, and people thought that the dead family member was coming back as a vampire and feeding off of them,” Nagle said.

One tombstone even features the name Mercy Brown, one of the best-documented cases of a body being exhumed over suspicions of vampirism.

“They dug her up, pulled out her heart, burned it, made a drink from it, and had her brother drink it,” Nagle added. “And this wasn’t some medieval Europe event; it happened in the [1890s] in Rhode Island.”

Bounce houses return to Lubber Run and Madison community centers starting this Saturday

By James Jarvis
Kids inside a bounce house (courtesy of Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation)

Starting this Saturday, Lubber Run and Madison Community Centers are set to become a haven for young bounce house enthusiasts.

Sponsored by the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, the event, dubbed “Open Bounce,” runs every Saturday through April 6 — except for the Saturday before Christmas.

The event makes its grand return after being paused for several years due to the pandemic. The cost is $5 per child between the ages of 3-9 and adult supervision is required.

The first Saturday of each month will take place at Lubber Run, with the remaining Saturdays hosted at Madison, according to the parks department’s website.

Registration is required and tickets go on sale at midnight two weeks prior to each event. The sale ends at 8 a.m. on the day of the event.

Lubber Run Community Center

Located at 300 N. Park Drive, Lubber Run Community Center plans to host three one-hour sessions on the first Saturday of every month.

  • Session one is 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  • Session two is 10:45-11:45 a.m.
  • Session three is 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Madison Community Center

Madison Community Center at 3829 N. Stafford Street will offer one general public session from 10:45-11:45 a.m. on the remaining Saturdays of the month.

Madison also provides specialized party packages. These two-hour sessions cost $200 and include a private bounce house and party room for up to 15 children. A $15 fee applies for each additional child, up to a maximum of 25.

  • Party Option 1: 9:30-11:30 a.m. in Room 2
  • Party Option 2: 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Room 4
  • Party Option 3: 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Room 5 (Note: the party room use is during the first hour and the bounce house during the second.)

Gov. Youngkin courts Hispanic voters in Pentagon City ahead of November election

By James Jarvis
1/4

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin swung by the new Peruvian Brothers restaurant in Pentagon City yesterday to sizzle some lomo saltado and rally support from the Hispanic community.

The Tuesday afternoon visit came ahead of the pivotal November election, with control of the Virginia legislature in the balance. Youngkin wasted no time getting behind the grill of the fast-casual Peruvian eatery, which opened earlier this month on the ground floor of the Amazon’s HQ2.

Almost as soon as he was escorted in by co-owner Giuseppe Lanzone, he donned an apron and started cooking. The governor then took a moment to celebrate Giuseppe and his brother Mario for successfully opening their second brick-and-mortar establishment.

Peruvian Brothers started out as an Alexandria-based food truck and catering business and has since expanded into D.C. and Arlington.

“As governor, it’s really important to me that we have a pro-small business environment so that, when entrepreneurial brothers want to start a restaurant, they do it in Virginia,” Youngkin said, speaking to a mix of locals, campaign aides and Peruvian Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez.

The Republican governor also highlighted the importance of Virginia’s Latino population.

“I want to emphasize how important the Latino community is to Virginia. It is such a vibrant and important part of our Virginia, and to have so many Peruvian Virginians makes Virginia better,” he said.

Wrapping up the event, Youngkin urged attendees to cast their ballots in the upcoming election. The governor has been campaigning across the state for Republicans seeking local office and urging people to “vote early.”

“I want to encourage everyone, please, as we’re in the election season, go vote,” he said. “One of the important parts of being a Virginian is to cast your ballots and to participate in our democracy.”

After the Pentagon City stop Youngkin visited the Eden Center, just across the Arlington border in Falls Church, to meet with members of the local Asian-American community.

Spooktacular dog-friendly events are happening in Arlington this weekend

By James Jarvis
A dog in a costume on Columbia Pike (via Columbia Pike Partnership/Facebook)

This weekend, Arlington’s furry friends are ditching the sticks for Halloween treats.

Several local spots are going all out with pooch-friendly Halloween events but one venue is taking it to the next level.

Pups take over The Commentary in Ballston

This Saturday, The Commentary Social House inside The Westin Arlington at 801 N. Glebe Road is hosting “Pups on The Patio” from 4-7 p.m.

Adoptable dogs from the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation will be there, dressed in their Halloween best. Pups will be able to eat “doggy dishes,” such as chicken strips and sweet potato bites. Plus, 20% of proceeds from those dishes go straight to the rescue foundation.

On Sunday, The Commentary will host a “Howl-O-Ween Canine Costume Garden Soirée” from 12-2 p.m. “Doggy dishes” will return and Bright Eyes Photos DC will take mini photo shoots, followed by a costume contest.

Other spooky pooch events around town

Starting tomorrow, Thursday, the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington will host a Howl-ween event at Metropolitan Park in Pentagon City from 4:40-6:30 p.m., complete with art-making and a dog costume contest.

On Friday, Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse is throwing a “Halloween Yappy Hour” from 4-7 p.m., where the best dog costume will snag its owner a $100 gift card.

Over at the Gateway Park interim dog park, Rosslyn Business Improvement District and the Rosslyn Dog Owners Group are also hosting a Halloween event for dog owners from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Expect pet vendors, raffles, and a beer and wine bar.

Wrapping up the weekend, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is holding “Doggie Trick-or-Treating” at Dogma Bakery in Shirlington Village from 2-4 p.m. For a $20 registration fee, you’ll get a treat bag, a Halloween toy from BarkBox, and a shot at the costume contest.

Photo via Columbia Pike Partnership/Facebook

CDC director visits Arlington Free Clinic to promote vaccines during flu season

By James Jarvis
1/4

As flu season ramps up, the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stopped by the Arlington Free Clinic today to rally the healthcare troops.

Dr. Mandy Cohen stopped in Arlington on Tuesday as part of a nationwide tour aimed at boosting vaccinations for Covid and other illnesses, including the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), while reminding healthcare workers why it is crucial to urge patients to get their vaccinations.

“We know that folks are tired of all things Covid and vaccines and the whole thing,” she told a room full of nurses and staff Tuesday. “So, you need to bring the extra energy this season to make sure that folks know how important it is to still get vaccines, to still get protected. We don’t want fatigue to be the reason that folks aren’t protected.”

The visit also coincided with a clinic vaccination event in which 75 of the clinic’s more than 1,300 patients — all of whom are uninsured — rolled up their sleeves for Covid, RSV and flu shots.

Many live in the 22204 zip code, which is where the clinic is located and which has “one of the largest populations of uninsured people in the county,” Arlington Free Clinic Director of Clinical Services Surekha Cohen told ARLnow.

During her remarks, the CDC director cautioned that the effectiveness of previous vaccines can wane as the virus evolves, though nearly 97% of the U.S. population currently has some level of immunity to Covid — either from past infections or vaccinations.

“I think everyone is wishing Covid would be gone but it is still here with us. Unfortunately, the virus has changed and your protection from past vaccines has decreased over time. So, it’s really important to get your updated Covid vaccine and your flu shot,” Dr. Mandy Cohen told ARLnow.

As of Tuesday, about 30% of Arlington’s resident population is up to date on its Covid vaccinations, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health (VDH).

Cohen says the U.S. is already starting to see a steady uptick in both cases and deaths.

“We went through a summer wave where we had 30,000 to 40,000 people in the hospital per week in the United States,” she said, adding that Virginia saw 295 Covid-related deaths in just the last three months.

Arlington experienced a brief spike in Covid cases last month, but the numbers have started to trend down from the summer high, per VDH data. As of today, the state health department is reporting a seven-day average of a little more than seven daily cases in the county.

This past week there were 71 Covid-related hospital admissions across Arlington, according to CDC data.

Covid cases in Arlington over the past three months, as of Oct. 24, 2023 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Although the numbers have dipped, Cohen noted the use of at-home rapid tests may mask Virginia’s actual number of cases.

That is because Covid cases are not being reported to health departments as consistently as earlier in the pandemic, in part due to the availability of at-home tests.

She argued it is essential for older adults and children to stay on their guard in case Covid and other types of respiratory diseases, including RSV, start to surge again this winter.

“There were a lot of babies who were in the hospital last year with RSV, so we definitely want to protect our babies with the tools that we have,” Cohen told the room full of Arlington Free Clinic staff.

“But it starts with you all protecting yourselves right and your families,” she continued. “So, make sure that you’re getting vaccinated so you can be your your best and healthiest selves as you work hard for the community.”

Chinese eatery Tiger Dumpling set to open this week in Clarendon

By James Jarvis
1/7

A new restaurant specializing in Chinese dumplings will celebrate its grand opening later this week in Clarendon.

Tiger Dumpling is slated for an official opening this Friday. It joins a handful of restaurants, including O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub and Stone Hot Pizza, in a retail strip along the 3200 block of Washington Blvd.

Last month, ARLnow spotted “coming soon” signs outside Tiger Dumpling and its next-door neighbor Izakaya 68, both owned by 20-year Arlington resident Leopold Liao and Maryland-based Ivea Restaurant Group. Ivea also owns Gong-Cha Tea Shop in Rosslyn and Gyu-San BBQ in Ballston.

The grand opening Friday comes after Tiger Dumpling held a soft opening for friends and family over the weekend. Starting next Monday, Oct. 30, the restaurant will be open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A native of China, Liao moved to the United States more than two decades ago. Eager to make a mark in the food scene, he first operated a food truck, Hot People Food, in Arlington in the early 2010s, serving modern Asian cuisine.

Although the food truck is no longer in operation, Liao has opened multiple D.C. establishments, including bubble tea shop E-Tea and ramen bar Reren Lamen.

Liao, an H-B Woodlawn graduate, started looking across the Potomac at Arlington once more after the pandemic because the prospect of opening another restaurant in D.C. had become too pricey.

After some convincing from his wife and children to stay closer to home, Liao approached his business partner Ivea with an idea for a restaurant specializing in dumplings and wheat-based dishes native to Inner Mongolia, where his family is from.

“If you look at the menu, you realize it’s different than other Chinese restaurants… we don’t do southern Chinese style, so like General Tso chicken, beef broccoli — we have none of those,” Liao said.

Those dishes are Western takes on traditional Cantonese cuisine but they dominate the Chinese food landscape in the U.S. Liao aims to rival this by introducing different flavors to Arlington’s Asian food scene.

“The main thing we focus on is dumplings with a different filling,” he said. “We have pork, chicken, lamb, beef, fish or shrimp.”

Diners can also watch chefs handcraft the dumplings from behind a small, glass-enclosed preparation station.

“If people want to learn, they can take a look how we make them,” Liao said.

Secretary Blinken inaugurates new facility at State Dept. training center in Arlington

By James Jarvis
1/7

(Updated 10/26/23) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken inaugurated a 200,000-square-foot building at the Arlington-based National Foreign Affairs Training Center yesterday.

The $121.2 million, federally funded facility, dubbed “Building B,” opened in 2022. It aims to expand the training center’s capacity, which has seen a surge in recruitment over the last two years, according to State Department officials.

“Building B has vastly increased the Foreign Service Institute’s workspace, creating hundreds of new areas where students and instructors can come together for classes, breakout sessions, large format meetings,” Blinken said during the dedication ceremony on Monday.

Located on S. George Mason Drive in the Alcova Heights neighborhood, the training center is the primary training ground for U.S. diplomats and foreign affairs professionals, offering courses in languages and international relations.

Since 2020, the student body has increased by nearly 30%, said Joan Polaschik, the director of the Foreign Service Institute.

“We are engaged in the largest hiring surge in more than a decade,” she told ARLnow following the ceremony.

This surge forced the training center to use State Department offices in Rosslyn to accommodate the overflow of students, according to FSI.

The State Department has seven other buildings in Arlington, home to bureaus such as Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Inspector General. More than 5,000 full-time employees and contractors work across these offices.

The new Building B, which serves a total of 3,679 in-person and online students, should alleviate this overflow issue, according to FSI. The campus has seen its daily in-person student capacity increase by 25%, going from 650 to 1,100.

Building B is home to FSI, the Consular Training Division, School of Professional and Area Studies and Leadership and Management School.

“The new Building B will eliminate the need for both of these spaces in Rosslyn and consolidate language studies in one place — our Arlington campus,” the FSI spokesman said.

Other planned expansion efforts resulted in the closure of a walking trail, despite efforts from some residents to save it, though these were unrelated to Building B, the spokesman later clarified. Plans for Building B were approved in 2020.

During his remarks, Blinken — who lives in Arlington — said the new building serves as a much-needed asset, amid growing tensions between the United States and other global superpowers, such as Russia and China, as well as conflicts in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.

“It is essential that we empower our workforce with the skills and training that they need to operate in a crisis like this and to meet any challenge that comes our way,” he said. “So today, I’m really happy to mark the significant step forward toward that mission.”

With fall foliage peaking in Arlington, vacuum leaf collection to begin in three weeks

By James Jarvis
Leaf collection underway in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Northern Virginia is now reaching peak foliage, meaning it is almost time for Arlington County’s annual leaf collection service.

Up to 50% of trees in the region have changed colors, though some patches will not turn red, orange or yellow until later this season, per the Virginia Fall Foliage Report.

Arlington will wait a few weeks before kicking off its first round of vacuum leaf collection in residential neighborhoods. It is set to start next month between Nov. 13-15, according to the county website, similar to last year’s timing.

Crews will make two passes through neighborhoods in November and December, as different trees shed their leaves at different times.

The first pass will not reach some areas until early December. The second round is then scheduled to start between Dec. 5 and 8 and wrap up around Dec. 16 to 21, according to the 2023 collection schedule.

“The schedule is determined by historical data, types and density of trees, weather forecasts and other available information. Once it’s set, we don’t change the dates,” says Katie O’Brien, a spokeswoman for Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services.

Based on current predictions, O’Brien noted that things “appear to be on track.”

The county offers year-round curbside organics pick-up if residents have leaves remaining after both rounds, she noted.

“Residents can use their green carts or paper bags for leaf disposal on their collection days,” O’Brien said.

Arlington’s countywide vacuum leaf collection service is in contrast to neighboring Fairfax County, where only certain areas get the service and, in turn, pay a special tax for it. Fairfax has been considering ending the service, leading to a resident petition and, last week, a temporary reprieve.

Marine Corps Marathon to bring runners and road closures to Arlington this weekend

By James Jarvis
2018 Marine Corps Marathon (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

This weekend Arlington will host one of the world’s largest marathons, drawing around 30,000 runners.

But the influx of athletes also means residents should prepare for road closures, whether they are driving, biking or scooting.

Next Sunday, Oct. 29 participants in the 48th annual Marine Corps Marathon will gather along Route 110 between Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon. The MCM 50K race starts at 7:15 a.m., followed by the wheelchair/hand cycle division at 7:50 a.m. and the marathon at 7:55 a.m.

Runners will “tour the nation’s most recognizable landmarks while being supported by the men and women of the United States Marine Corps,” the race website says.

Road closures will affect parts of Arlington, including I-395 between Rosslyn and Crystal City, from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to an ACPD press release.

Course map for the 2023 Marine Corps Marathon (via Marine Corps Marathon)

Viewing locations for spectators locally include the starting line in Arlington, the first mile in Rosslyn, Crystal Drive in Crystal City and the finish line near the Marine Corps War Memorial.

Friends and family can track runners in real-time via text, email or social media.

After crossing the finish line, runners and spectators can head to the Finish Festival in Rosslyn at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Lynn Street. The festival will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature beer, food, live music and giveaways.

The Runner’s Village is located in the Pentagon North Parking Lot C, accessible via the Pentagon and Pentagon City Metro stations, which open at 5 a.m., ACPD says.

A shuttle service will operate between the Runner’s Village and the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. There will be free parking in the underground lot at 23rd Street S. and Crystal Drive, according the race website.

Runners and spectators can expect security screenings for prohibited items, including pets, drones and alcohol, at the start and finish areas.

Registration is still open for the 10K and 50K races, as well as the mile-long kids run on Saturday, Oct. 28. The kids run, open to children ages 5-12, is set to take place at the North Pentagon Parking Lot from 9:20-11:40 a.m.

Below is the list of planned road closures, per an ACPD press release.

(more…)

Arlington to host family-friendly Halloween-themed activities next week

By James Jarvis
1/3

Spooky season is upon Arlington and the county parks department has a few family-friendly activities in store.

Next week, families can gather around the campfire for ghost stories and s’mores or take slightly spooky evening nature walks.

First up is the Virginia Ghosts Campfire at the Fort C.F. Smith Park fire ring, held next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5-6 p.m.

“The whole family is invited to join us at the Fort C.F. Smith Park fire ring for lots of old-fashioned fun and of course, s’mores,” the county says.

Around the campfire, storytellers will narrate Algonquin legends, Virginia witch trials and ghosts of the Civil War, among other ghost stories, a county spokeswoman said.

There is a $5 fee to register and the parks department requires registration by 4 p.m. the day before the event. As of publication, there is a waitlist for next Friday’s time slot.

Next Sunday (Oct. 29) afternoon and evening, the Long Branch Nature Center will host a Nature Spooktacular from 3:30-5 p.m. and 5-6:30 p.m.

“Join us for a ‘Spooktacular’ evening of fun learning about nighttime animals and cultural festivities surrounding nature this time of the year,” the county says. “[The] later time will be just as fun and a little bit spooky for families with older children.”

The parks department suggests that families with young children sign up for the earlier slot, which promises to be “more fun and less spooky.” As of today, there were open spots for both available time slots. Registration is required and comes with a $7 fee.

Other family-friendly Halloween events this month are sold out or have waitlists.

Registration is closed for this weekend’s Trunk or Treat at the Lubber Run Community Center. People can add themselves and their pets, meanwhile, to the waitlist for the Halloween Animals Campfire next Saturday at the Long Branch Nature Center.

Photo (1) via Arlington County/Facebook

Lyft offering free rides to curb alcohol-related crashes on Halloween weekend

By James Jarvis
2023 Halloween SoberRide flier (via Washington Regional Alcohol Program)

Lyft will offer free rides up to $15 next weekend to curb drunk driving as Arlington sees an uptick in alcohol-related crashes.

Organized by the Tysons-based nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the initiative, known as SoberRide, aims to prevent drunk driving during holidays, such as Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve when such behavior is more common.

Arlington saw two DUI arrests and three alcohol-related crashes over the last three Halloween weekends, according to data provided by ACPD.

Looking beyond Halloween, alcohol-related crashes have nearly doubled overall since 2020, surging from 96 to 172 in 2022, according to ACPD. DUI arrests have followed a similar trend, nearly doubling from 269 in 2020 to 425 in 2022.

Nationwide, drunk driving-related crashes on Halloween night claimed the lives of 159 people between 2017 and 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just over half of those fatalities, 55%, involved adults ages 21-34.

WRAP, which previously partnered with Red Top Cab of Arlington and other taxi companies, has partnered with Lyft since 2017 to combat those statistics.

Those interested in a free ride can enter a forthcoming promotional code into Lyft’s “Payment” tab. The code, for use only to those 21 and older, will be published on WRAP’s website at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28. The code is valid from 4 p.m. on Saturday until 4 a.m. on Sunday.

The nonprofit will offer a minimum of 1,500 rides this Halloween, WRAP President Kurt Erickson tells ARLnow.

He noted that 943 people used the SoberRide code last Halloween, which is the second-highest number of people to use the code in the program’s history.

SoberRide saw its highest usage for Halloween 2019, when more than 1,200 people used the code to get a free ride.

The Arlington County Police Department, meanwhile, will be hosting a Halloween anti-drunk driving event on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. at the intersection of N. Hudson Street and Wilson Blvd. The event will highlight the impact alcohol has on motor skills.

N. Hudson Street between Wilson Blvd and 13th Street N. will be closed from approximately 6-11  p.m. for the event, according to an ACPD press release, excerpted below.

Celebrate with a Plan

Don’t let drunk driving haunt your celebrations – if you plan to drink, follow these simple tips for a safe and happy evening:

  • Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.
  • The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s 2023 Halloween SoberRide® program is offering free rides home, in partnership with Lyft, from 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 until 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 29.
  • If you see a suspected impaired driver on the roadway, report to your local law enforcement. To report a suspected impaired driver in Arlington County, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
  • Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

Always remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more information, visit the NHTSA website.

Road Closure

N. Hudson Street between Wilson Boulevard and 13th Street N. will be closed from approximately 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. to accommodate this event.

Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs in the area. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.

View More Stories