Author: Katie Pyzyk

Earthquake Repairs Planned for Fire Station No. 2

By Katie Pyzyk

Repairs are planned for Fire Station No. 2 (4805 Wilson Blvd) in the Bluemont neighborhood, some of them stemming from last year’s earthquake. At its meeting on Saturday, July 21, the County Board will vote on awarding the work contract to the Avon Corporation.

The contract will cover stabilization of the entire building’s foundation, in addition to repairing cracks in the bunk rooms. Some of the bunk rooms in the 15-year-old building already had cracks due to shifting of loose foundation soil under the building. But the earthquake last August 23 caused damage to spread to another two rooms, and to the entrance of the truck bay. In addition to repairing the existing damage, the work is designed to prevent future wall cracking.

Some of the work includes demolishing and replacing walls, repairing cracks and slab jacking to raise and stabilize the foundation. New structural steel columns, metal panels and windows will be installed. There will also be some utility relocation and the roof drain will be moved.

County staff concluded that although the shifting and cracking of the building does not pose an immediate safety threat, the continuous movement will eventually cause the structure to collapse.

Staff recommends the County Board approves the contract, worth $247,000, on Saturday.

Bug Fans of All Ages Welcome at Firefly Festival

By Katie Pyzyk

Lightning bugs will take center stage at this weekend’s Firefly Festival.

On Sunday, July 15, people of all ages are welcome to join representatives from Arlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation for a celebration of the bugs that light up the night. There will be bug walks, games, crafts, educational talks and scavenger hunts.

Attendees are welcome to bring a blanket and a picnic to enjoy while the sun goes down and the fireflies emerge.

This event takes place from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Fort C.F. Smith Park (2411 N. 24th Street) and costs $5 per person, or $20 per family. It will be cancelled there is rain.

For more information about the event, call 703-228-6535.

Photo by Bruce Marlin via Wikipedia

‘Bait Car’ Video Shows Arrests of Would-Be Thieves

By Katie Pyzyk

The Arlington County Police Department has released video showing would-be thieves getting arrested after getting into a police bait car.

According to police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, Arlington was the first jurisdiction in the D.C. metro to start using bait cars, back in 2002. Since its inception, the bait car program has helped police levy 200 criminal charges, with a 100 percent conviction rate.

When a potential thief enters the car, it triggers an alarm that signals police, and the hidden camera starts recording. Sternbeck said most of the individuals are startled when approached by an arresting officer, and are usually compliant.

Police target certain parts of the county based on crime rates, and use vehicles popular with car thieves. The program is fully funded through insurance companies.

The youngest individual police have picked up in Arlington for allegedly attempting to steal a vehicle was 10-years-old. The youngest caught allegedly attempting to steal items from inside the vehicle was 7-years-old.

Arlington Man Wins Virginia Lottery Game, Again

By Katie Pyzyk

One lucky Arlington man has a lot to celebrate, after winning $100,000 in the Virginia Lottery Cash 5 game — for the second time in three months.

Joseph Sylvester won the top prize for matching all five numbers in the daily drawing on July 3. He had done the same thing exactly three months earlier, on April 3.

Once he realized he had won again, Sylvester wasn’t fazed by the prospect of holding the big check in front of all those cameras.

“Gotta get my picture taken again,” Sylvester said. “The second time is a little more routine.”

Sylvester bought his latest winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 1500 South Fern Street. He allowed the computer to randomly select the numbers on his ticket — 11, 15, 19, 26 and 27. The chances of a person winning the top prize of $100,000 are one in 278,256.

Sylvester hasn’t said yet what he’ll do with his new winnings. He used the money he won in April to pay bills and buy a new truck.

County Staff Members Recommend Adding More Taxis

By Katie Pyzyk

For the first time in four years, the county is recommending an increase in the number of taxis on Arlington roads.

County staff members have been in an information gathering mode for evaluating how many taxi certificates to issue, a process that takes place every other year. Each taxi driver must have a certificate to legally operate in the county. Currently, there are 765 cabs in Arlington.

The county’s taxi regulation is designed to keep the cab industry competitive, as well as to ensure the satisfaction of residents using the transportation services.

“We regulate Arlington cabs so we know they’re safe and secure,” said the county’s Taxicab Industry Regulator, Angie de la Barrera. “Our ultimate goal is to protect the safety of the traveling public.”

Part of the evaluation involved an online resident survey, which was available from March through June. Information from the more than 1,000 responses was analyzed and included in the 2012 Taxicab Certificate Determination Report.

The county was pleased with the number of responses, according to de la Barrera, and also pleased that most customers expressed overall favorable views toward Arlington’s cabs. Thirty-six percent of respondents said cab service in the county is the same as in neighboring jurisdictions, and 56 percent said it’s better.

County staff suggest increasing the number of certificates by 5 to 7 percent, which would add up to between 40 and 55 cabs. This was based on various factors including a 4.2 percent increase in the county’s population, and an increase of 9.4 percent in the number of taxi trips at Reagan National Airport. There’s also been an increase in the number of tourists staying at Arlington hotels and requesting taxi service.

During the last review, in 2010, the county denied the requests for an additional 75 vehicles. GoGreen Cab, Inc., and EnviroCab, LLC, had both requested certificates, but the county felt the taxi industry was beyond saturation at that time due to a faltering economy. The report cited minimal population growth, lower tourism numbers and a decrease in passengers using cabs at the airport as reasons to deny the certificates.

According to de la Barrera, the last time additional taxi certificates were issued was in 2008, when 99 were added. That’s when EnviroCab first launched in Arlington, and received 50 of the new certificates. The remaining 49 were divided among the county’s other cab companies.

During the research process, county staff encountered numerous complaints about an inadequate number of taxis with handicap accessibility. Customers and businesses in need of one of the 27 wheelchair accessible cabs report regularly waiting from two to four hours if a reservation hadn’t been made in advance. Therefore, county staff members recommend granting certificates to five more accessible cabs, in addition to the suggested 40 to 55 other certificates.

The new report primarily focuses on determining whether or not the county needs more cabs, and why. A second report dealing with less pressing issues, such as customer preferences on hybrid cabs and paying with credit cards, is expected by the end of the summer.

Applications for additional taxi certificates will be accepted from now until September 1, and can be found on the Taxicab Regulation website. The County Board will view presentations from applicants, and is scheduled to vote on certificate approval on November 17. The board does not necessarily have to go along with the recommendations of county staff. For instance, board members could decide to grant fewer certificates than recommended, or none at all.

If approved, drivers should receive new taxi certificates by the new year.

Renovations Begin on Clarendon Dog Park Next Week

By Katie Pyzyk

In less than a week, James Hunter Park in Clarendon is closing for its planned renovations. A sign has been posted announcing the park will close on Monday, July 16, and will remain closed until next spring.

In May, the County Board awarded a contract for renovating the park, which is located at the corner of N. Herndon Street and 13th Street. The contract is worth more than $1.6 million.

The Department of Parks and Recreation’s website lists some of the sustainable features of the park’s design, such as using recycled materials during construction. Workers will also install a solar power system that will power the park’s signs, lighting and irrigation system.

There will be a system to collect, purify and store rainwater on the site to irrigate the park. The underground storage will maintain a constant supply of water to surface plants, which will cut down on excessive watering.

In addition to an area for dogs, the park will have pedestrian areas, an open lawn, gardens and public art.

Delays with the plan caused the revamp not to be ready by this summer as originally planned. Currently, the project website lists the park’s re-opening date as late February 2013.

Hat tip to Jeff Sonderman

Apartment Fire on Columbia Pike

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Firefighters are leaving an apartment building on the 1900 block of Columbia Pike, where they responded to a fire earlier.

Arlington and Fairfax County units fought the small blaze, at the Archstone Columbia Crossing apartments. According to Capt. Gregg Karl, the fire started in a second floor utility closet and spread to an apartment.

There is some water damage on the first and second floors, but there’s no estimate yet on the cost of that damage. There were no reports of injuries.

Right now, investigators are trying to determine exactly what started the fire.

 

Ballston Buffalo Wild Wings Opening Next Week

By Katie Pyzyk

Buffalo Wild Wings is preparing to open its newest location (950 N. Glebe Road) in Ballston next week.

Passers-by may notice a lot of activity at the site right now, because new employees are going through training this week. But the sports themed restaurant won’t open to the public until Monday, July 16, after a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m.

Regional manager Don Rizzie said based in part on the success of the Buffalo Wild Wings in Crystal City, the decision was made to expand in Arlington.

“It’s a great area, it’s bustling,” said Rizzie. “Northern Virginia is the place to be right now.”

Rizzie said the Ballston location is expected to be a top five store within the company. The Crystal City location, which has been open for about a year and a half, came in third in sales last year for all Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants across the country. It’s anticipated that the one in Ballston will perform as well, if not better.

“You’re not going to be able to beat the lunches we do around here,” said Rizzie.

Although the Ballston area is quickly accruing sports bar style restaurants, such as the recently opened Greene Turtle, Rizzie doesn’t think competition will be a problem. He said there are things that set Buffalo Wild Wings apart from the competition, specifically the high energy employees who put an emphasis on customer service.

“What really makes Buffalo Wild Wings is our people. That’s why we’re so selective about hiring,” Rizzie said. “Anybody can have signature sauces and put up TVs and show all the sporting events, but what we have is the energy.”

The restaurant has outdoor seating for 75 people. There will be some TVs inside the establishment that face out toward the patio for those who want to keep up with the games while getting some fresh air.

Rizzie points out that even though the chain is known for its wings, there is a full menu available for anyone who wants something a little different. There will be a variety of lunch specials on weekdays.

As part of the opening festivities, next week the restaurant will be raffling off a year of free wings every hour, along with other freebies.

“Come out and see us next week,” said Rizzie. “It’s going to be a party!”

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Car Flips on George Washington Parkway

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 2:50 p.m.) The Alexandria Fire Department and U.S. Park Police were on the scene of a car that flipped on the George Washington Parkway this afternoon.

The Honda landed on its roof in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes, in the area between Reagan National Airport and Daingerfield Island. There’s no word on injuries, but we hear that the driver was not trapped and did not need to be extricated by rescue personnel.

As of 2:35 p.m. the scene had been largely cleared, though residual delays remained in the southbound lanes of the parkway.

McDonald’s on Wilson Closes for Construction

By Katie Pyzyk

The McDonald’s at the Corner of Wilson Blvd and George Mason Drive has suddenly closed, at least for now.

Although a couple of employees were spotted milling around inside, the restaurant is dark and the parking lot is taped off. A sign hanging in the window says the restaurant is closed for construction.

McDonald’s has not yet responded to our request for information about how long the Bluemont location will be closed and exactly what type of construction is taking place.

Weekend Track Work to Close Airport, Crystal City Metro Stations

By Katie Pyzyk

Trying to get to the airport this weekend could prove to be a challenge for anyone who thought they could get there via Metrorail. The station at Reagan National Airport is going to be closed.

Workers will be installing cable to provide better cell phone coverage along the Blue and Yellow lines, in addition to doing work on ties and insulators. Starting at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, July 13, and continuing through closing on Sunday, July 15, free shuttle buses will replace trains between Pentagon City and Braddock Road on the Blue and Yellow lines. The Reagan National Airport and Crystal City stops will both be closed.

Blue Line trains will operate in two segments: between Franconia-Springfield and Braddock Road and between Pentagon City and Largo Town Center, at regular weekend intervals. Yellow Line trains will also operate in two segments: between Huntington and Braddock Road and between Pentagon City and Mount Vernon Square, at regular weekend intervals. Customers traveling through the work zone should allow about 30 minutes of additional travel time.

Orange Line customers may also experience some delays, due to work on ties and insulators. Trains will single track between East Falls Church and West Falls Church. Customers should expect minor delays.

Details about all of the weekend track work and delays can be found on WMATA’s website.

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