Author: Matt Blitz

New literacy program at Drew Elementary is helping kids read by teaching science

By Matt Blitz
Students at the inaugural session of the Dyslexic Edge Academy at Drew Elementary School (Photo courtesy of Krista Gauthier)

(Updated, 2:50 p.m.) A new, free literacy program has come to Drew Elementary School thanks to the local non-profit Sliding Doors, Virginia Tech, and the local NAACP branch.

The Dyslexic Edge Academy launched this week with 11 first graders at Drew Elementary in Green Valley. The goal is to help those students who struggle with reading by focusing on their strengths.

“People with dyslexia tend to gravitate to and be very good in STEM fields; science, technology, engineering and math,” Krista Gauthier, executive director of Merrifield-based Sliding Doors, tells ARLnow.”What we want to do is not only make sure that kids receive the evidence-based instruction that they need, but also play on their strengths. To us, confidence is as important as reading.”

The students meet with instructors after school in a group setting twice a week for 90 minutes. Half of the session is spent with one-on-one tutoring using the Orton-Gillingham approach, which breaks down reading and spelling using multisensory skills like sounds and hand motions. The other half of the session is spent on STEM-related projects.

“The STEM activities include everything from kitchen chemistry to rocketry to robotics to coding,” says Gauthier.

That could mean making slime, building model rockets, or operating an underwater robot, she says. It’s hoped that field trips to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and the Smithsonian could be part of the curriculum in the future as well.

While the program is starting with 11 students, the expectation is that it will have 20 students by early next year. The pilot program will run until at least May 2023.

About 20% of the population has some form of dyslexia, according to statistics from the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity. Yet, many school systems haven’t adapted to help these students and private tutoring can be prohibitively expensive, explains Symone Walker, co-chair of the Arlington Branch NAACP Education Committee.

She believes this is a big reason why there’s such an opportunity gap at some Arlington schools, including Drew Elementary.

“We really wanted to target a population that has been disproportionately impacted by the achievement gap,” says Walker. “We’re very familiar with how Drew has been historically passed over, looked over in the community, and we wanted to give back where we saw the greatest need.”

Both Walker and Gauthier say that the opportunity and achievement gaps that exist in county schools have a lot to do with reading scores and how schools are teaching literacy.

The Dyslexic Edge Academy will use the multisensory Orton-Gillingham approach to teach reading, as opposed to the balanced literacy approach that’s currently being taught in Arlington public schools.

“When we talk about multisensory, we’re talking about big motions,” says Gauthier. “We actually use something called ‘skywriting,’ which is as the child is actually forming the letter in the air… they’re actually saying the letter, repeating the letter, attaching the sound to the letter.”

What’s more, by bringing cool STEM-related projects into the learning, it helps students gain confidence.

“They really begin to associate something they struggle with, with something they love,” says Gauthier. “It really actually plays into them wanting to read as well.”

As Walker points out, a lot of NASA employees have some form of dyslexia. In fact, that includes more than half of NASA employees, according to the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.

“We want to produce more Arlingtonians who work for NASA,” she said.

There are free Lyft rides this Halloween weekend, courtesy of SoberRide

By Matt Blitz
ACPD SoberRide (Photo courtesy of Washington Regional Alcohol Program)

(Updated, 10/29/21, 10:10 a.m.) There will be free Lyft rides in Arlington and across the region this Halloween weekend.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is again partnering with the rideshare company for the SoberRide program to provide free rides this upcoming Saturday (Oct. 30) night to prevent drunk and impaired driving.

Starting at 10 p.m., residents ages 21 and older will be able to order a Lyft ride up to $15 using a promo code that will be posted on SoberRide’s website. The rides will be available for the first 1,500 people who enter the code and until 4 a.m. the next day.

The service is being provided as “a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk holiday,” according to a press release.

Between 2015 and 2019, there were 126 drunk-driving fatalities nationwide on Halloween night, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That accounts for more than a third of all motor vehicles fatalities on Halloween night. Sixty-two percent of those deaths were adults between the ages of 21 and 34.

In 2019, more than 1,200 people in the D.C. area utilized SoberRide and got a free ride during the Halloween weekend (the program was canceled last year due to the pandemic).

Additionally, the Arlington County Police Department event that was previously scheduled for Friday night (Oct. 29), has been “postponed” due to inclement weather.

The interactive anti-drunk driving event” was a partnership between Arlington County Police Department and WRAP for an “at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Hudson Street at 8 p.m.

“The event includes an interactive component to highlight the impact alcohol has on motor skills, a pledge to take a sober ride home and distribution of educational materials,” ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage said.

Representatives from WRAP were also going to be there prompting the message that “buzzed driving is drunk driving.”

“All drunk driving incidents are 100-percent preventable, WRAP’s teaming-up with the Arlington County Police Department to highlight the impact alcohol can have on motor skills including driving is prevention-defined,” WRAP President Kurt Gregory Erickson said. “The goals of this week’s collaborative anti-drunk driving event are to showcase said impact, convince Halloween celebrants to plan ahead as to how they’ll safely get home at the end of an evening when alcohol was involved and to increase awareness of alternatives to drunk driving like WRAP’s Halloween SoberRide campaign.”

Over the last six years — 2015 to 2020 — there have been 14 total crashes in Arlington on Halloween night, with four being alcohol-related, according to ACPD. During that time there have been eight driving under the influence (DUI) arrests on Halloween.

“The Arlington County Police Department is reminding the community that nothing is scarier on Halloween night than an impaired driver,” said the department.

President Biden stumps for McAuliffe at campaign event near Pentagon City

By Matt Blitz
1/11

On a gusty, very brisk fall evening, President Joe Biden once again visited Arlington to campaign for Terry McAuliffe.

“You don’t need to imagine how great a governor Terry McAuliffe will be because you know how great a governor he was,” Biden said, standing next to a basketball court at Virginia Highlands Park near Pentagon City.

With only a week until the general election and the former — and possibly future — governor clinging to a very narrow lead in polls over his Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin, it certainly is notable that Biden is making his second Arlington appearance alongside McAuliffe in three months.

“The fact that he’s doubled down on McAuliffe is either a great sign or an ominous sign, depending on which side of the aisle you fall on,” Arlington Heights resident Tony Yang mused as he stood in the security line waiting to enter the event.

After McAuliffe made his remarks, Biden walked on the stage just after 8 p.m. and spoke for about 17 minutes. He spoke of McAuliffe’s record of Democratic leadership, often comparing Youngkin to former President Trump, and vouching for the Build Back Better plan that he’s trying to get passed in Congress.

He even dropped a specific Arlington reference about the planned new rail bridge that would replace the 117-year-old Long Bridge.

Biden also cracked the same joke he did in July about McAuliffe possibly being First Lady Jill Biden’s boss, due to her being a professor at Northern Virginia Community College, part of the state’s community college system.

Afterwards, the president did a photo line with a number of elected officials and candidates, while also taking selfies with a number of attendees near the stage.

The crowd — estimated by the White House at 2,500 people — was somewhat subdued throughout the nearly hour and a half event, perhaps due to the wind gusts and temperatures dipping into the low 50s.

Security was somewhat tight, though that didn’t stop Biden’s remarks being interrupted at least three times by protestors relating to the Line 3 pipeline, citizenship, and another matter that wasn’t immediately clear.

Prior to the event and outside of the park, a few Youngkin supporters made their case for their candidate while someone waved a giant Trump flag. There were also several PETA protesters dressed in blow-up dinosaur costumes to criticize the National Institutes of Health and the Biden administration for conducting experiments on animals.

The Younkin supporters, including Arlington GOP Communications Director Matthew Hurtt, could be seen holding signs saying “Virginia Runs on Youngkin” and “More Like Terry McAwful.”

Besides Biden and McAuliffe, a who’s who of Virginia Democrats spoke Tuesday evening in support of the ticket: Senator Tim Kaine, Rep. Don Beyer, Virginia Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn, lieutenant governor candidate Hala Ayala, Attorney General Mark Herring (who didn’t mention his lawsuit against Advanced Towing), current governor Ralph Northam, and Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti.

“Donald Trump is on the ballot next Tuesday,” said de Ferranti, also attaching Youngkin to Trump.

For some, having an event of this nature featuring a sitting U.S. president in their neighborhood was an experience that couldn’t be missed.

“It’s not a common thing that there’s a rally for a candidate you support is, literally, right by your house,” said Hania Basat, who lives in Pentagon City. “To have the president too, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Shelly Quintanilla agreed. She lives in Pentagon City with her husband and two young sons, ages six and one. For her, this rally was a chance to show democracy in action.

“We were really excited for the learning opportunity for the kids,” she said. “It’s better than school to learn about the president, the government, and our chance to get involved.”

For others, though, seeing the president — who arrived and departed via motorcade over the 14th Street Bridge — wasn’t that big of a deal.

“We have senators, congressmen, and Al Gore. He used to live up [there],” said Jim Kohlmoos, referring to the former vice president’s one-time residence in the nearby Arlington Ridge neighborhood. “We’re pretty much used to all of this.”

Sandwich shop Jimmy John’s is suddenly gone in Rosslyn

By Matt Blitz
Jimmy John’s in Rosslyn is now closed (Staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Jimmy John’s in Rosslyn has made its last sandwich.

The chain’s location at 1512 Clarendon Blvd in Rosslyn has permanently closed, the franchise owners tell ARLnow.

“Sales simply never recovered after the pandemic,” writes Jessica Manning, who owned the shop along with her father and her husband. “It was a difficult and incredibly emotional decision for us.”

Its last day was September 28, closing after lunch. The family also own the Jimmy John’s in Ballston on N. Quincy Street as well as a location in Woodbridge, Virginia. Both remain open.

Manning says that they were able to find all of their Rosslyn employees other jobs.

“Everyone is healthy and we were able to get all staff members another job immediately so that’s really all that matters,” she writes.

Rappaport Company, which is offering the retail space for lease, tells ARLnow that the space formerly occupied by Jimmy John’s is available and they “are actively marketing the space for lease.”

Jimmy John’s on Clarendon Blvd first opened in 2013, more than eight years ago, in what was then the new-Sedona Slate apartment complex.

That block of Clarendon Blvd has seen a number of openings and closings. Most recently, in 2020, barre fitness studio LavaBarre closed, with dog daycare Playful Pack taking its place this summer.

Local man bikes every street in Arlington for a good cause, discovers lots of cul-de-sacs

By Matt Blitz
1/2

It took Maywood resident Stephen Young nearly 19 months, 92 rides, and more than 1,000 miles to bike every street in Arlington. He finally finished the goal Saturday morning in front of family and friends in Cherrydale.

“And I thought it would take six to nine months,” 58-year-old Young tells ARLnow, chuckling.

Of course, challenges arose: a broken finger, confusing street signs, hills, dead ends, and a seemingly endless supply of cul-de-sacs.

“All of the dead ends, all of the cul-de-sacs,” Young says. “And we have lots of cul-de-sacs in Arlington.”

It all began in May 2020, when he was getting a bit restless like many people during the pandemic. Young has always been an avid biker and came up with the idea to bike every street in Arlington as a way to get outside, get exercise, and help others in need.

Originally, the plan was to use the project to fundraise solely for the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and help provide food assistance for those struggling. But then the police killing of George Floyd happened and Young shifted gears to also support the Black Swan Academy, a D.C.-based non-profit that empowers Black youth through civic engagement and leadership.

“I actually launched it in honor of Juneteenth and went from there,” he says.

Over the next year and a half, once or twice a week, Young jumped on his bike and hit up Arlington’s street. He made sure that each ride lasted only about an hour.

Young biked short streets, long streets, flat streets, and hilly streets.

“One of the good challenges was the hills. There are actually a lot of hills in Arlington,” he says, mentioning the so-called “Superman Hill” along S. Walter Reed Drive, near Four Mile Run Drive.

He was sometimes joined by family, friends, and, once, Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti. But Young mostly biked alone. He often posted his exploits on social media, as well as GoPro videos on YouTube of a number of rides (he plans to post all of them in the near future).

All in all, he didn’t have any major problems, besides it just taking longer than he initially thought. For example, Young found that he had to double or, even, triple back often, to hit every street.

“You can’t just get to every block without going around things at least twice,” he notes.

This caused him to bike about 1,000 miles, which is significantly more miles than paved Arlington roadways (of which, there 376 miles of county-maintained roadways, a number that doesn’t include state or federally-maintained roads).

Young only fell once during 19-month odyssey. While turning onto one of Arlington’s many cul-de-sacs, he hit a rock. The crash was very minor, he says. At one point he broke a finger in a non-cycling related incident, which prevented him from riding for several months.

Besides the many hills and cul-de-sacs, another thing he discovered while biking every corner of Arlington is that road signs are sometimes inaccurate.

“One of the most interesting things… is how often the signs that day ‘dead end’ or ‘no outlet’ are wrong,” he said.

He theorizes this is likely to prevent motor vehicles from cutting through the neighborhood to get to a major roadway.

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Bearded Goat Barber opening next week in Shirlington

By Matt Blitz
1/4

Bearded Goat Barber is opening its third location next week in Shirlington.

The 1,0888 square-foot full service barber shop turns on its shears Monday, November 1 in the former Hair Cuttery space at 4150 Campbell Avenue, next to I-CE-NY and Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub.

Bearded Goat Barber Shop is co-owned by serial entrepreneur Scott Parker and barbers Eric Renfro and Jon Dodson. Its first location in Ballston opened in 2019 and the second opened last year in D.C.’s Navy Yard. The expansion to Shirlington was first announced in February

With the region emerging from the pandemic, Parker believes that now is the time to grow.

“The Bearded Goat brand is stronger than ever,” Parker wrote to ARLnow via email. “There is currently a 4-5 week wait to get a cut at our first two locations. Since restrictions were loosened, we are busier than ever. It is the perfect time to expand, and we are slowly starting to look for our fourth location.”

As for where that fourth location of Bearded Goat could be, no further details were provided.

The barber shop offers haircuts, shape-ups, beard sculpting, grey blending, and straight razor hot towel shaves. It’s also “committed to following all CDC guidelines,” which includes sanitizing workspaces, tools, chairs, capes, and the waiting area between all visits.

Scott Parker is probably more well-known for his bars and restaurants. Those include Don Tito in Clarendon, Barley Mac in Rosslyn, Bronson Bierhall in Ballston, and, soon, Poppyseed Rye in Ballston and Nighthawk Pizza in Pentagon City.

That pizza spot with “a 90s vibe and a beer hall-like atmosphere” was initially supposed to open this fall, but it’s been pushed back to “early 2022,” according to a spokesperson.

Parker is also co-founder of BASH Boxing.

Renfro and Dodson were barbers at Hendricks Barbershop in Clarendon before partnering with Parker on Bearded Goat.

“Jon and Eric decided to start their own shop, and asked me to be a part of it,” Parker told ARLnow back in 2018. “They’re super talented guys with almost 20 years of combined experience in barbering. For them it was a chance to finally realize their dream, and, for me, a great opportunity to work with two very passionate, accomplished people.”

Trendy D.C. plant shop REWILD grows offshoot location in Ballston

By Matt Blitz
1/5

REWILD, a trendy D.C.-based plant shop, has sprouted a second permanent location in Ballston Quarter.

The shop held a “soft opening” yesterday (Wednesday) and has a grand opening set for this Saturday, Oct. 23, with “goodies and special stuff happening,” co-owner Lily Cox tells ARLnow.

The shop first announced its expansion earlier this year, but the opening at 700 N. Randolph Street, Suite #190 has been delayed several months due to supply and material hold-ups.

Cox tells ARLnow the Ballston location was a natural choice, as a big chunk of REWILD’s customer base at its Shaw location came from this side of the Potomac.

“When we started offering delivery service, we found we were doing a lot of deliveries to Virginia,” she says.

The Ballston location will be much like the one in D.C., except a bit larger. It also includes a storefront and delivery service, and will eventually hold workshops.

Like many businesses, REWILD suffered at the start of the pandemic — it shut down for some time and sales dipped by up to 20%.

But this past summer, REWILD sales rose by about 50%, which Cox attributed to the store’s expanded offerings, including more deliveries, consultations and commercial clients.

“Offices have been contacting us because they want plants in their space,” says Cox. “Having plants in the office environment has been proven to boost productivity and [employers] are trying to make the office more enticing.”

Also, in general, people are also investing more into their at-home spaces, she notes.

When Cox opened the first REWILD three years ago, her initial mission was to create “a plant shop that was immersive and interactive.” Now, she says it’s more about education and working with customers to make sure they make the right purchase.

“We have real conversations with our clients about what plants would work best for their space and their lifestyle,” she says “So, they don’t have these horror stories about plants they killed.”

Cox originally got into designing plants as a hobby outside her 9-to-5 job in D.C. She says working with greenery kept her in touch with her West Coast roots. That hobby grew into crafting, workshops and selling plants out of Shop Made in D.C. It was then, three years ago, that she connected with co-owners Joseph Ressler and Kyle Cannon to open REWILD.

To Cox, plants show change and evolution. As REWILD expands, there’s an obvious analogy.

“You see the leaves, you see them add a few more inches of height, or grow in new directions,” she says. “It’s just exciting.”

Decision expected within two weeks on Va. Attorney General lawsuit against Advanced Towing

By Matt Blitz
Advanced Towing truck in Clarendon

A decision is expected in Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring’s lawsuit against Advanced Towing within the next two weeks, a judge said after the trial’s closing arguments Wednesday.

The AG’s office is seeking $650,900 in restitution and civil penalties from Advanced Towing, as well as an injunction. The defense is asking for the case to be dismissed.

Arlington County Circuit Court Chief Judge William T. Newman is presiding over the case, which pits the Commonwealth against a widely-loathed but also widely-used, Ballston-based company that tows vehicles that are considered to be trespassing on private property.

Word of the pending ruling comes after three days of arguments, with the trial starting earlier this month and concluding this week. Wednesday’s closing arguments took just over an hour combined and were intended to crystalize their positions for the judge.

The AG’s office, represented by Assistant Attorney General Erin Witte, reiterated that Advanced Towing practices were “predatory, illegal, and dangerous” while focusing on three main arguments.

First, the employment of unregistered drivers. The AG’s office alleged that more than 10,000 tows, pulled from company records, were made over the last several years by not up-to-date or unregistered tow truck drivers. All drivers are required to be registered with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

While Virginia code puts the onus on individual drivers to be registered, it also states that no tow truck operators should “violate, or assist, induce, or cooperate with others to violate, any provision of law related to the offering or delivery of towing and recovery services.”

Witte argued that Advanced Towing ran afoul of this provision by allowing drivers to tow without registration, no matter their intent. There’s also no company policy to have those registrations on file.

Then, the focus shifted to alleged unsafe towing conduct with the AG’s office citing consumer, resident, and police officer testimony of spotting (and ticketing) drivers not applying safety straps when towing. Witte also noted the “unprofessional” interactions some customers had, including testimony from one man who had his car lifted at the tow yard while he was in it.

Finally, Witte spoke about the legality of the contract and towing being done at a specific shopping center parking lot, along Wilson Blvd near Ballston. The contract wasn’t kept up to date with specifics about when Advanced Towing could tow and when, the assistant AG said. The contract also wasn’t made easily available to the public, as county code stipulates, and a revised contract was once backdated before it was provided to a customer upon their request.

Additionally, the markings on individual parking spaces were unclear, particularly night, leaving customers confused, the Commonwealth argued.

​​In conclusion, Witte said the AG’s office is seeking restitution and civil penalties to “send a message to the defense.”

“[Advanced Towing] tows as many cars as fast as possible,” Witte said. “And acted without regard for the law or safety… we need to hold the defense accountable.”

In his closing arguments, Advanced Towing’s attorney, Chap Petersen — who’s also a state senator — defended his client from these allegations.

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Thrive Hair Salon in Ballston hosting Covid vax clinic on Saturday

By Matt Blitz
Ajia Minnis, Owner and Founder of Thrive Hair Bar at 1010 N. Glebe Road (Photo courtesy of Thrive Hair Bar)

Thrive Hair Bar in Ballston is hosting a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic this Saturday (Oct 23).

The clinic is in partnership with the Arlington County Public Health Division and part of the “Shots at the Shop” initiative, a White-House-backed effort to recruit Black-owned barbershops and salons to help increase COVID-19 vaccination rates in the community.

The program trains barbers and stylists to dispel myths and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as provides a $1,000 grant courtesy of beauty care brand SheaMoisture.

“We saw the lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates in Black, Latinx, and other minority communities,” Thrive Hair Bar owner and founder Ajia Minnis told ARLnow via email about why they’re hosting the clinic. “Given the majority of our clients come from these communities we thought we might be well positioned to help dispel myths, help people feel more comfortable, and get more folks vaccinated.”

The clinic is from 10 a.m. to noon and is open to everyone 12 years old and older, in accordance with current guidelines. Only the Pfizer vaccine will be given. No appointments are needed and walk-ins are welcome.

Minnis says that they actually reached out to the county about holding the clinic after attending a course at the University of Maryland Center for Health Equity. It was there that she learned about the role salons have historically played in their communities in increasing awareness of health issues.

“As a community we need to serve each other and this is our small way of giving back to those who give so much to us,” says Minnis. “We want to not just be good neighbors but we want to also be valuable assets to the communities we love and serve.”

Fifty-nine percent of Black residents in Arlington that are eligible are fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Department of Health data. That’s comparable to the white population in Arlington, but both are lower than the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander populations in the county.

Covid cases in Arlington have fluctuated over the past month but are currently down to just above 25 cases per day, on average, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

There remains a worry among some medical professionals that a fifth Covid wave could happen among the unvaccinated in the winter. This concerns Minnis as well and is another reason why she decided to hold the clinic now, as temperatures start to dip, she says.

Thrive Hair Bar opened in Ballston in August 2020 inside of Sola Salon Studios at 1010 N. Glebe Road. A former professional dancer and choreographer who traveled the world, Minnis opened the shop because of her experiences struggling to find a local salon that was well-versed in her hair texture.

“Our goal isn’t just for us to give [clients] a hairstyle and they walk away, it’s really to help educate women on how to maintain their hair and care for their natural hair,” Minnis told ARLnow at the time.

She says business ownership has been great so far, adding that she really enjoys being in Ballston.

“It has a modern, professional vibe with fantastic people but didn’t have enough salons that provide twists, braids and blowouts for all hair textures,” Minni said.

Aircraft noise over Arlington still roaring as studies on quieter skies continue

By Matt Blitz
An airplane overhead, as seen from Gravelly Point (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

With the opening of a new concourse at Reagan National Airport, aircraft noise above Arlington remains at a high volume and the region is still studying ways to mitigate the roar.

Resident complaints about noises overhead have been constant for years, due to the flight patterns into National Airport and Pentagon-bound helicopters. Most of complaints are from those who live near the Potomac River, which is the general flight path of most jets arriving and departing the airport.

Last week, at the official celebration for the opening of DCA’s new concourse, Congressman Don Beyer bid “good riddance” to the infamous Gate 35X, assuring residents the new gate won’t exacerbate noise.

“While the new facilities will improve the passenger experience, this will not lead to increased flights or aircraft noise, a frequent concern in the region,” he later said in a tweet. “And I will continue the work to mitigate aircraft noise in our area!”

This year, several separate studies and reports have floated potential solutions to quieting the skies. One study, commissioned by Arlington County and Montgomery County, is ongoing, as the scope shifts from inbound to outbound aircraft.

The joint study advised in April to reroute incoming aircraft so they increasingly fly over the Potomac River instead of “residential and noise-sensitive areas.”

The recommendations were made to the Reagan National Community Noise Working Group (CWG), which operates under the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).

CWG in turn passed them onto the Federal Aviation Administration, though it remains unclear if and when the FAA will act on the suggestions.

The conclusions and process have upset some residents of North Arlington neighborhoods located near the river. During public comments at the Sept. 18 County Board meeting, Chain Bridge Forest resident Alice Doyle said the altered flight paths would cause her and neighbors to bear the brunt of noise.

“To be clear, this means that neighborhoods like Chain Bridge Forest and Arlingwood that sit near the Chain Bridge not only see zero relief from airplane noise, we will now see and hear even more flights overhead,” she said. “The flight disturbance over our homes is almost constant with occasional periods of relief. Under this plan, those much needed moments of noise relief will disappear. ”

She also criticized the county for being “half tuned into the process” and not having enough representatives at the CWG meeting.

County Board member Libby Garvey responded that she understood Doyle’s concerns, but said the report recommends shifting the flight patterns to lessen the burden on Arlington’s more populated areas.

She reiterated in federal issues such as this one, the best county officials can do is to make recommendations.

Now, the joint study has a new focus: departing flights, Arlington County spokeswoman Bryna Helfer tells ARLnow.

“Technical work on new draft procedures for north-flow departures is currently the focus of the study and a community meeting to present those draft procedures will be scheduled before the end of 2021,” she wrote in an email.

In 2018, Arlington and Montgomery counties agreed to split the $250,000 cost of the study, which was officially launched in 2020. For the departing flights study, Arlington paid an additional $50,000, and Montgomery an additional $100,000, Helfer said.

CWG will meet again next Thursday, Oct. 28.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of Defense also completed studies this year. The GAO report from September recommends the FAA use easier-to-understand noise metrics.

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Papa Deeno’s Pizza to open on Columbia Pike later this year

By Matt Blitz

(Updated at 10:25 a.m.) A new pizza place is opening on the Pike, in the shopping center at the intersection with S. Randolph Street.

Papa Deeno’s Pizza at 4109 Columbia Pike is expected to open in mid-December, in the space formerly occupied by Columbia Pike Cleaners, according to its co-owner and a county staff report.

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board granted the restaurant a permit to allow for food delivery. It passed in the “content agenda” with other items considered non-controversial.

Papa Deeno’s will have 12 indoor dining seats, along with restrooms, but it’s expected that about 30% to 40% of sales will come from delivery, according to the report.

Overall, it’s thought that the restaurant will make about 100 deliveries on weekdays and about 125 deliveries on weekends.

Papa Deeno’s Pizza from their website (Photo via screenshot)

The website, which looks to be about half-completed, describes the pizza parlor as “family-owned” and the dream of the family’s youngest daughter. Additionally, the entire menu is halal “so that everyone can enjoy our delicious creations.”

The menu consists of pizzas, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and chicken wings. The website also lists a second location in Chantilly that’s coming soon.

The shopping center at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Randolph Street takes up nearly 34,000 square feet and was constructed in 1962, the county report notes.

It’s unclear when Columbia Pike Cleaners closed, but local dry cleaning businesses have struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic as many customers have avoided going to the office or dressing up for formal occasions.

Photo via Google Maps. Screenshot via Papa Deeno’s

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