Author: Katie Pyzyk

Weekend Closures at Two Orange Line Metro Stations

By Katie Pyzyk

Metro logo(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) Track work will close Metro stations along the Orange Line this weekend, for the third time in the past month. This time the Ballston and Virginia Square stations will be out of service.

The closures begin at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17, and run through closing on Sunday, May 19. Trains are expected to operate at normal weekend intervals even though service will be split into two segments — between Vienna and East Falls Church and between Clarendon and New Carrollton.

Free shuttle buses will replace trains between East Falls Church and Clarendon. Customers using shuttle bus service should add up to 25 minutes to their travel time.

The last trains of the night from Vienna to East Falls Church will depart 28 minutes earlier than normal — at 1:57 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and at 10:57 p.m. on Sunday.

The Orange Line closures are to allow for track circuit module replacement. There will also be work on the Red and Green lines this weekend. Information regarding those closures can be found on WMATA’s website.

The Ballston Business Improvement District expressed concern about the timing of the Ballston Metro station closure, considering the Taste of Arlington festival is expected to bring around 20,000 people to that area on Sunday.

Members of the BID have worked out a deal with WMATA. The station closures will remain in effect and passengers will still need to take shuttles between East Falls Church and Clarendon. However, starting around 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, additional shuttles will be put into service to accommodate the heavier flow of passengers expected to travel to Taste of Arlington, which begins at noon.

“They will add a whole crew of buses to the schedule for Sunday so they can ensure that nobody is waiting too long and can get to their destination in a timely fashion,” said Ballston BID CEO Tina Leone. “We’re not the first group this has happened to. They’ve assured us they will monitor the buses in making sure they’re arriving and leaving at a rapid rate. We’re just thrilled they were so responsive and so accommodating.”

Leone added that the bus trip is only about 10 minutes, so hopefully festival attendees won’t experience too many delays. Those who prefer to drive to the event should note that the cost is only one dollar for three hours to park at the Ballston garage.

Disclosure: Ballston BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Donaldson Run meeting the Potomac (Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White)

Heavy Seas Alehouse to Open in Rosslyn — Baltimore brewer Heavy Seas plans to open a restaurant at the newly renovated 1501 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn. So far, the existing Baltimore location is the only other Heavy Seas Alehouse besides the one planned for Rosslyn. The restaurant is expected to open by the end of this year. [Washington Business Journal]

Army Ten-Miler Registration to Begin — Registration for the Army Ten-Miler opens at midnight on Wednesday, May 15. This year, 35,000 spots will be available for the October 20 race, instead of 30,000. General admission entries sold out within nine hours last year. [Army Ten-Miler]

Local Eighth Grader Named State’s Top Female Orator — Swanson Middle School eighth grader Dorothee Mulumba won the Virginia State Oratorical Contest on May 4. In total, her scholarship winnings from the local, regional and state competitions add up to $3,000. [Sun Gazette]

McDonnell Signs Transportation Bill — On Monday, Gov. Bob McDonnell signed the transportation funding bill into law. The law cuts the state’s 17.5 cents per gallon gas tax and raises the state sales tax from 5 percent to 5.3 percent, in addition to adding a $64 registration fee for hybrid vehicles. [Washington Post]

Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White

Hockey Fundraiser for Injured Police Officer

By Katie Pyzyk

Officer Long Dinh (photo courtesy Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 77)The Arlington County Police Department is helping to spread the word about a hockey fundraiser on Sunday to help an injured Fairfax County Police officer.

Officer Long Dinh was critically injured in a February chase that ended with the suspect crashing head-on into his police cruiser at a high speed. The suspect died and Dinh was just released today from his nearly two month hospital stay.

Dinh has undergone multiple surgeries to repair his two broken legs, and continues physical therapy for the injuries. He is also dealing with short term memory issues stemming from the head trauma he sustained during the incident.

To help offset the costs of Dinh’s treatment and ongoing hospital stay, members of the Fairfax County Police Department are challenging members of the Metropolitan Police Department to a fundraiser hockey game. It will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston (627 N. Glebe Road). The public is welcome to attend and donations will be collected at the event.

Anyone who cannot attend Sunday’s event but wishes to contribute to Officer Dinh’s rehabilitation fund can do so online.

Potomac CrossFit to Reopen

By Katie Pyzyk

New Courthouse location of Potomac CrossFit (photo via Potomac CrossFit Facebook page)It’s been closed for the past 15 months, but Potomac CrossFit is reopening this weekend at its new location in Courthouse.

Last year, Potomac CrossFit at 1039 N. Highland Street in Clarendon closed, along with nearby businesses, to make way for a new development that’s currently under construction. Tomorrow, the gym will hold a grand reopening celebration at its new home at 1320 N. Courthouse Road.

With more than 8,000 square feet, the Courthouse location offers more than double the space of the previous site. Employees at the new location also boast of shower facilities, new equipment and a revamped class schedule.

Everyone is welcome to stop by for a free class tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:30 a.m. No CrossFit experience is necessary. Immediately following the class, the grand reopening celebration will kick off at 11:30 a.m. Visitors can check out the facility, meet instructors and enjoy food and drinks.

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

"Anna and David" sculpture in Rosslyn

Arlington Homeless Population Increases — Despite a decline of 2.4 percent across most of the region, Arlington’s homeless population rose by six percent between 2012 and 2013. The figures were gathered during the annual homeless census on January 30. The county’s new homeless count stands at 479 people, up from 451 the previous year. [Sun Gazette]

Streetcar Cost/Benefit Test — An article criticizing Libby Garvey’s op-ed in the Washington Post contends streetcars do indeed pass the cost/benefit test, contrary to Garvey’s thoughts. The author favors a streetcar to buses based on points such as the streetcar having a greater passenger capacity, faster rate of travel and bringing more development to the area. [Greater Greater Washington]

Raise the Roof Service Project — The Arlington Teen Network Board has teamed up with Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church for a service project called “Raise the Roof.” Tomorrow (April 27), volunteers will begin repairing the Borromeo Housing, Inc. group house, which is a transitional home for teen moms and their children. Volunteers are collecting money to continue with the next phase of the service project, which involves a facelift of the interior and exterior of the home. Those interested in contributing can do so through the project website.

Police Seek Tips in Two Theft Incidents — The Arlington County Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in finding suspects involved in two separate theft incidents. The first incident involved shoplifting at South Moon Under (2700 Clarendon Blvd) on March 1. Suspect descriptions are available online, along with contact information for reporting tips. The second case involves tracking down persons of interest in the theft of a victim’s wallet. The victim’s credit cards have since been used around the area. Suspect information and contact information for reporting tips for that crime can also be found on the police department website.

Driver Hits Two School Buses in Pentagon City

By Katie Pyzyk
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An SUV was totaled after hitting two parked school buses in the Pentagon City area this afternoon.

The Nissan Murano struck one bus that was parked on S. Hayes Street and damaged the front bumper. It then hit the rear and side of the other. No children were on the Washington County, Md. school buses at the time of the accident.

The southbound lanes of S. Hayes Street were shut down at 15th Street during cleanup, but have since reopened.

The driver of the SUV was transported to the hospital as a precaution but did not sustain any significant injuries. Nobody else was injured, either. Police say no charges have been filed against the driver so far.

Former Funeral Home Site Now a Parking Lot

By Katie Pyzyk

Parking lot at 3901 N. Fairfax Drive  Rendering of Virginia Square development at 3901 Fairfax Dr.

Arlington Funeral Home at 3901 N. Fairfax Drive in Virginia Square was demolished last June in anticipation of the construction of a new mixed use development. For now, the site instead serves as a temporary surface parking lot.

The County Board approved the development’s site plan at its meeting on January 21, 2012. The idea is to build a 10-story building with three levels of underground parking. The development would contain office space, ground floor retail and a black box theater.

Per the site plan, the developer may use the land as a surface parking lot for a period of three years, which would end in January 2015. After that, the developer does have the option to ask the county for an extension on the site plan if a building permit has not yet been applied for and approved. That would keep the parking lot there for an amount of time agreed upon in the extension.

The site sat empty for months, but in the past couple of weeks workers from Mercedes-Benz of Arlington (585 N. Glebe Road) have been spotted dropping off dozens of vehicles in the 85 space Virginia Square parking lot. An employee at the dealership confirmed that the business is leasing parking space from the developer.

Parking lot at 3901 N. Fairfax DriveThis location is reportedly one of several lots Mercedes-Benz of Arlington uses for such purposes. Apparently, strong sales have prompted an increase in the volume of cars the dealership keeps on hand, and it doesn’t have enough space to keep all the vehicles on its own lot. The employee said leasing parking space is not an ideal situation in the long-term and Mercedes continues to be on the lookout for spaces suitable for permanent expansion.

As part of the agreement for a parking lot, the developer is required to abide by a number of conditions laid out in the approved site plan. For example, the property must be kept in good condition, hedges must be installed as screening from headlights and no new driveways may be added.

So far there’s no definite word on how long the parking lot will remain before construction begins on the new development. County staff confirms, however, that the developer has applied for two permits — one for shoring and sheeting, and one for building.

NWS Issues Tornado Watch

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Arlington and the entire metro area. The watch will be in effect until 10:00 p.m. From NWS:

PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE…
SEVERAL TORNADOES POSSIBLE
SEVERAL DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE
A FEW LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

Strong storms are expected to blow into the area this afternoon and evening, possibly packing damaging winds and heavy rain. From the earlier NWS Severe Weather Outlook:

.DAY ONE…THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY
BE SEVERE WITH LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY AND
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 10 PM THIS
EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM. A SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER THE GALE WARNING
EXPIRES LATE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

A STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY FLOW MAY PRODUCE MINOR COASTAL FLOODING
NEAR TIMES OF HIGH TIDE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR THE ENTIRE
MARYLAND PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER
SATURDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE
WATERS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

Although Arlington Public Schools has not issued any system-wide cancellations, some individual schools have already reported cancellations for evening events in anticipation of the severe weather.

Chamber Accepting Nominations for Best Business Awards

By Katie Pyzyk

Best Business Awards logoThe Arlington Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the Arlington Best Business Awards.

Winners of the merit-based awards are chosen by a panel of past winners. Businesses can nominate themselves or other businesses that are Arlington Chamber members by submitting the online nomination form by Wednesday, May 1.

The businesses are scored on the following four criteria:

  • Must be a viable, on-going, full-time business that has experienced significant growth or stability over its business life.
  • Must be well known and thought of by its customers or clients for consistently delivering exceptional quality or service.
  • Must be a leader in its industry in Arlington OR must have a significantly unique approach to delivery of its goods or services.
  • Must have displayed an interest in and concern for the Arlington community – either corporately or through its owners and/or employees backed by the company.

The awards ceremony will take place on May 21, and also includes the induction of some local business leaders into the Arlington Hall of Fame.

These awards are separate from the annual ABBIES, which are announced in the fall and selected by the community’s popular vote.

Girl Scouts Build Garden to Feed Animals

By Katie Pyzyk

Girl Scouts build garden for AWLA Girl Scouts build garden for AWLA

Earth Day apparently isn’t just for humans. The animals at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (2650 Arlington Mill Drive) in Shirlington will be getting a special treat in recognition of the day.

Girl Scout Troop 1251 from Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in Falls Church has been helping to construct a “small companion animal garden” at the shelter. Animals at the shelter including rabbits, guinea pigs and birds will soon be able to munch on the fresh, organic produce that will be grown in the garden.

The scouts will put the final touches on the garden on Monday, which is Earth Day. At that time, they will finish planting the produce such as cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, parsley and carrots.

Two Orange Line Stations Closed this Weekend

By Katie Pyzyk

Metro logoAfter a month-long hiatus from performing track work, Metro workers will be back at it this weekend. The Courthouse and Clarendon stations will close for the maintenance.

The stations will close beginning today at 10:00 p.m. and running through closing on Sunday. The closures allow for track circuit replacement, which is a safety measure recommended by the NTSB.

Trains will operate every 15 minutes in two segments: between Vienna and Virginia Square, and between Rosslyn and New Carrollton. There will be free shuttle buses to take passengers between stops from Virginia Square to Rosslyn. Customers using the shuttles should add 15 minutes to their travel time.

To allow for shuttle bus connections, the last train from Vienna to Virginia Square will depart 31 minutes earlier than normal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The train will leave Vienna at 2:05 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 11:05 p.m. on Sunday.

Riders on the Blue and Yellow lines should also expect delays. Trains will be single tracking between Braddock Road and Pentagon City due to maintenance such as rail tie, fastener and insulator renewal. Blue and Yellow trains will operate every 30 minutes.

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