Author: Katie Pyzyk

New Mike Isabella Restaurant Coming to Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

Liberty Center South development in Ballston(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) Chef Mike Isabella — known for restaurants such as Graffiato and Kapnos in the District — plans to open his first restaurant in Virginia next summer.

A spinoff of the recently opened Kapnos will occupy a space at 4000 Wilson Blvd in Ballston, which is the Liberty Center South development. That’s the development where Taylor Gourmet will go in as well, as announced earlier this summer.

Kapnos Taverna will feature the same types of Northern Greek inspired fare found at Kapnos. Unlike the D.C. location, the Ballston restaurant will offer weekday lunch, weekend brunch and a happy hour menu.

“Guests have been asking me to build a restaurant in Virginia or Maryland since we opened Graffiato in 2011. Kapnos has been wildly popular in its first few months, and we think this sister concept will be a great addition to the booming neighborhoods in Arlington,” said Isabella in a press release. “Next spring, our team will travel to Greece, and we plan to build the menu around reinterpretations of regional cuisine.”

The 4,700 square foot space will have seating for 185 guests inside, and 40 on the outdoor seasonal patio.

If all goes according to plan, the restaurant is expected to open in summer of 2014.

Reduction in Crashes Near ACPD Sign

By Katie Pyzyk

Electronic sign at Washington Blvd and Route 50The electronic sign the Arlington County Police Department stationed at Washington Blvd and Route 50 with the seemingly obvious message “don’t hit the car in front of you” may have accomplished its intended goal. ACPD reports a reduction in accidents at the intersection.

The department targeted that particular area with an electronic message due to the high number of crashes there. It was the county’s top area for accidents during the second quarter of 2013. After the sign went up, however, the department saw a change.

“It appears the sign worked because there was a sharp decrease in accidents from July to August,” said ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The sign went up in early July, and from then until today (September 11), police have only responded to two accidents. That’s down from about 15 during the second quarter.

The department believes the simplicity of the sign’s message may be what caused drivers to take notice and heed the warning. Despite the large amount of attention it received, the message did not produce any complaints to police.

The electronic sign is one of four ACPD owns, all of which are mounted on trailers so they can be easily moved around the county. The signs are rotated on a regular basis; messages typically remain for about two months, unless they show a short term alert such as a special event or one-time road closure. This specific sign was changed a few days after ARLnow.com ran the story last month.

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Flag at Saturday's 9/11 Memorial 5K race (photo by maryva2)

Deputy Accused of Murder Again Denied Bond — Arlington County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig Patterson, who is accused of murdering Julian Dawkins, has been denied bond for a third time. Patterson’s defense attorney argued that Dawkins may have been using and dealing drugs, and Dawkins’ previous dealings with police caused his confrontational nature the night of the incident. Patterson’s trial starts on December 9. [WUSA]

Home Sales, Prices Rise — The combination of higher sales and increasing average sales prices boosted Arlington’s total sales volume for August by 29.4 percent, to $173 million, compared to last year. The average price of all residential properties rose 8.1 percent to $594,479. Homes sold last month spent an average of 29 days on the market between listing and contract, compared with 50 days a year ago. [Sun Gazette]

Lost Dog/Stray Cat Profile — A Washington Post story profiles two of Arlington’s well known restaurants that help pets find homes — Lost Dog Cafe and Stray Cat Cafe. Co-founders Pam McAlwee and Ross Underwood describe how they started rescuing strays from shelters before the age of cell phones and the internet. Each year the duo, along with their 300 volunteers, helps around 1,800 dogs and 700 cats find homes. [Washington Post]

Flickr pool photo by maryva2

Volunteer Opportunities: Opera Lovers

By Katie Pyzyk

There are a number of new volunteer opportunities available throughout Arlington, including several positions with an organization whose mission bring opera to the masses.

Opera NOVA, an all-volunteer non-profit organization, aims to make opera affordable and accessible to all residents of Northern Virginia. The group is currently seeking a Schools Coordinator for Children’s Opera. The volunteer will introduce Opera NOVA’s programs to schools, plan school outreach strategies and assist in creating marketing materials for schools and families. Those interested can apply or request more information online.

Opera NOVA has a number of other volunteer positions open, including Publicist, Historian/Archivist and Grant Writers.

More volunteer opportunities throughout the area can be found on the Volunteer Arlington website. A few others are listed below.

    • Read to Children — Volunteers are needed to read to children in homeless shelters and affordable housing complexes. The one hour reading sessions each month engage children in the books and hands-on activities. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and will undergo a background check. For more information or to sign up, email or call Stephanie Berman at 703-528-8317, extension 10.
    • Library Circulation Support — The Westover Library needs someone to help with the circulation of library materials. The helper will prepare items to be sent to other branches, search for lost items and unpack items received from other branches. Shifts are available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Anyone interested should contact Barbara Dean via email or at 703-228-7688.
    • Visual Arts Facilitator — A creative volunteer is wanted for developing and providing art instruction to groups at Parks and Recreation community centers. Volunteer must attend training for skill building, arrive in advance of the program to prepare materials and a sample of projects, and assist in preparation of art exhibition for participants’ work. The helper must be able to stand for three hours at a time and lift and/or carry material bins weighing up to 20 pounds. To sign up or learn more, contact Milada Weaver at 703-228-4730 or via email.

APS Releases Standardized Test Results

By Katie Pyzyk

aps_logoArlington Public Schools released its 2013 Standards of Learning (SOL) test results in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) release of the statewide results. Although Arlington students performed better than their peers in most categories, they joined students across the state in a significant drop in English reading scores.

Arlington’s Grade 8 English reading pass rate this year is 77 percent, compared with 71 percent for all of Virginia. However, Arlington’s 8th graders scored a 90 percent pass rate last year.

A likely explanation for the local and statewide drop in English scores is the introduction of a more rigorous exam. The VDOE’s website says:

“The English and science SOL tests students took during 2012-2013 were the first to reflect the increased rigor of revised standards adopted in these subject areas by the Board of Education in 2010. Last year also marked the debut of online SOL writing tests, although all schools participated in a statewide field test of the assessments during 2011-2012. As expected, pass rates on the new tests were lower than in 2011-2012 on the now-retired assessments based on the 2002 English SOL and 2003 Science SOL.”

After reviewing the results, Arlington Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy said, “As we continue to focus on the goals outlined in our Strategic Plan, these results serve as a barometer for our work and progress at this point. It is clear that our instructional team is working to meet these higher standards to ensure that our students master the new, more challenging expectations. While work remains to ensure that all students are succeeding at all levels, these results are encouraging.”

Last year, similar drops were seen on math scores with the implementation of a more difficult math test. Math scores held relatively steady this year, with 8th graders scoring 67 percent, compared with 68 last year. This year’s 8th graders around the state scored 61 percent.

The full results for all subjects and grade levels in Arlington and in Virginia are available online.

New, Flatter Course for Marine Corps Marathon

By Katie Pyzyk

Marine Corps Marathon LogoOrganizers for the 38th Marine Corps Marathon made a course change announcement today that will likely produce sighs of relief from many planning to run the race. The course for the October 27 race will be flatter than in previous years.

The most notable change occurs from miles 6 through 9, where runners will now travel north on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway to Beach Drive, then back onto the parkway on relatively flat roads. Previously, runners crossed from Arlington into Georgetown via the Key Bridge and had to turn left onto Canal Road, where they’d ascend a 150-foot grade near the Georgetown Reservoir between miles 7 and 8.

The altered route will send participants along M Street in Georgetown before heading onto the parkway, which hasn’t been done in the MCM since 2006.

Another small course modification occurs around mile 19 on the National Mall leading to the Capitol. Runners will head down 3rd Street to Constitution Avenue, then in front of the Capitol along 1st Street. They will make their way along Maryland Avenue and then back onto 3rd Street.

The race will still begin along Route 110 in Arlington and will finish near the Marine Corps Memorial in Rosslyn. An interactive map of the full marathon course can be found online.

The MCM sold out in a record 2 hours, 27 minutes in March. Those who snagged a spot but can no longer run have until August 30 to complete the transfer process or until August 31 to defer an entry. Both can be done online.

Electronic Sign Shows Seemingly Obvious Message

By Katie Pyzyk

Electronic sign at Washington Blvd and Route 50 (photo courtesy @CruiseInDeCarr)An electronic sign the Arlington County Police Department stationed at Washington Boulevard and Route 50 is raising some eyebrows. Not because the message it displays is risqué, but rather because it seems so obvious.

The sign has been programmed to display the phrase “don’t hit the car in front of you.” The message has drawn national media attention, with the likes of Fox News and The Blaze picking up the story.

Earlier this month, @CruiseInDeCarr tweeted a photo of the sign to ARLnow.com, adding: “You wouldn’t think we’d need a sign for this.” While that may be the logical assumption, it appears drivers haven’t heeded the obvious advice, considering that intersection came in as the top area for motor vehicle accidents in Arlington during the second quarter of 2013. During that time period, police responded to 11 accidents at the site, nearly all of them rear-end collisions.

The ACPD believes the sign has caught drivers’ attention due to the simplicity of the wording.

“The current message was an attempt to simplify the message to reduce the amount of accidents as much as possible,” said ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. “It’s intended to have a positive effect in terms of reducing the number of accidents because that site has been identified as a top accident location in Arlington. As long as people are paying attention, it [the sign] may affect their driving behavior.”

The sign is one of four the ACPD purchased from 2004-2006. It cost around $16,000, with about half of the cost being covered by grant money from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. All the messages displayed on the boards rotate and are changed after two months. Previous messages included “high accident area ahead”, “no merge area”, “safety is no accident” and “maintain safe following distance.”

The signs are mounted on trailers that can be moved around the county to warn drivers of construction zones, inform them of traffic safety campaigns or alert them to special events. The ACPD says the signs operate on deep cycle 12 volt batteries and the necessary maintenance is minimal.

Photo courtesy @CruiseInDeCarr

Events Planned for Vintage Crystal Festival

By Katie Pyzyk

Photos from Vintage Crystal: A Taste of Wine and Jazz (2011)Wine and beer aficionados will have a number events to quench their thirst for adult beverages next month thanks to the annual Vintage Crystal wine festival.

The Crystal City Business Improvement District teamed up with the Washington Wine Academy for the month-long wine and beer celebration, which kicks off with Wine in the Water Park on Friday, September 6. Wine in the Water Park runs every Friday in September from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at the Crystal City Water Park across from 1750 Crystal Drive. Visitors can take in live music while getting help with finding the perfect wine. Admission is free, and there is a $5 charge for beer and wine.

The celebration continues on Sunday, September 15 with Sip and Salsa, the Vintage Crystal signature event. Wines from Spain, Portugal and South America will take center stage, along with tapas from local restaurants. Attendees can participate in free salsa lessons and wine tasting classes. Sip and Salsa runs from 2:00-6:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 for food and wine or $10 for just food, and can be purchased online or at the event.

Pups and Pilsners will cater to the beer loving crowd on Sunday, September 22. The dog-friendly festival will have a beer garden with ten stations featuring different beers, including fall brews like Devil’s Backbone Ichabod Crandall Pumpkin and Weihenstephaner Festbier. Crystal City restaurants will be on hand to serve food during the event, which runs from 2:00-6:00 p.m at 1405 Crystal Drive. Tickets are available online for $20, and will be available at the door for $25 until they sell out. The admission covers six tasting tickets and one full beer.

Additional information about the events can be found online.

Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Lee Highway love

Metro Accident Victim Identified as GMU Student — The person struck and killed on the Metrorail Orange Line tracks between East Falls Church and Ballston early Sunday morning has been identified as 21-year-old George Mason University student Patrick Sibley. Sibley’s brother says he did not have a good sense of direction and may have become lost after leaving a bar in Clarendon and trying to make it home to Vienna. Metro is not commenting on the incident while it is under investigation. [Washington Post]

McDonnell Touts Budget Surplus — Gov. Bob McDonnell says the state ended its fiscal year on June 30 with $585 million more than projected. That’s the largest state surplus since 2005. The cumulative surplus during McDonnell’s nearly four years in office comes in at around $2 billion. [Washington Times]

County Labor Day Closures — Arlington County has posted a list of programs and services that will remain operational while the county offices are closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 2. Libraries, parks, pools, courts and schools will all be closed. [Arlington County]

Some “Superblock” Construction May Wrap Up by Year’s End

By Katie Pyzyk
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Some of the ongoing construction on the Courthouse “superblock” along Wilson Blvd and Clarendon Blvd, from N. Courthouse Road to N. Rhodes Street, may begin wrapping up by the end of this year.

Barring any major setbacks or weather delays, the proposed completion date for the development at 1900 Wilson — referred to as 19Nineteen Clarendon — currently stands at December of this year. It had previously been expected to open this summer. Construction on the neighboring 2001 Clarendon — which is considered a joint project with 19Nineteen Clarendon — is expected to finish in the spring of 2014. 19Nineteen Clarendon is managed by Harkins Construction and 2001 Clarendon Blvd (sometimes called Washington View) is managed by S.E. Foster.

The developments will be separated by the yet to be built extension of Troy Street. According to Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services (DES), it appears Harkins may be working with S.E. Foster to transfer the required completion of Troy Street to S.E. Foster. That would allow S.E. Foster to complete the final street paving once construction on its building finishes next year.

When completed, 19Nineteen Clarendon will be a 200 unit luxury apartment complex. It occupies the space where an office building and Hollywood Video once stood. 2001 Clarendon Blvd took over the space once belonging to a Taco Bell and Dr. Dremo’s Taphouse, and will be a seven story, 154 unit residential building with more than 30,000 square feet of ground floor retail.

DES and the county’s Community Planning and Housing Division both report that thus far there have been no issues with the development process for the project.

Audi Dealership to Open on Pike Next Month

By Katie Pyzyk

Audi dealership to open on Columbia PikeThe new Audi dealership on Columbia Pike is expected to open its doors next month.

Audi of Alexandria and all of its employees will relocate from 1704 Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood to the Arlington land previously occupied by the Brown’s Used Car Super Center (3200 Columbia Pike), which closed in 2011.

According to an employee at the dealership, the move should happen in late September, but no firm date has been set yet. The employee indicated that both the service and sales hours would likely expand after the move, but that hasn’t been definitely determined.

The dealership is owned by Rosenthal Automotive Group. The County Board has approved rezoning the Rosenthal Jeep/Chrysler property down the street from the new Audi dealership for the development of a multi-family residential complex.

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