Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Bruiser

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Meet Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week, Bruiser, a 15-year-old Chihuahua who is named after Elle Wood’s companion in Legally Blond.

Here is what Bruiser’s owner has to say about the star:

Bruiser has had the honor of staring in a production of Legally Blonde the Musical, as you may have guessed, as himself.  Although the fame went to his head for a few weeks, he is very humble in his old age. Bruiser was adopted by Kacie Brady at the age of eight years old after he was “too much to handle” for another family.

His favorite activities include sleeping on a lap (he’s not picky), sleeping in his bed(s), and waking up for food. His dislikes include wood floors, of which his family’s entire house is made of, his rival, a black cat named JoJo who torments him when he sleeps, and snow that he gets lost in.

He mostly wants to be in his bed or cuddled up next to the nearest human. He doesn’t care for toys or walks, but he does love soft dog treats he can munch on with his few remaining teeth. Although he is very subdued, he does have occasional bursts of energy — usually around dinner time — where he wags his tail that is almost the same size as his body. He is a good old man who just wants to be on/under/next to you.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of eight consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

Legal Insider: Some Thoughts About Severance Agreements

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq.

As the holidays and the new year approach, many businesses offer severance to certain employees as a way for both parties to make a new start for the coming year.

Employees in Virginia are “at will,” which means they can be terminated at any time for any reason and severance is not typically required. When employment ends, however, an employer may offer a severance package to an employee in exchange for the employee’s waiver of rights.

However, employers, in the absence of an agreement or severance policy, generally have no obligation to provide employees severance pay. If severance pay is offered, an employer will require the employee to sign a Severance Agreement agreeing to a number of terms.

A Severance Agreement is a contract between the employee and an employer that provides end of employment terms between the employer and the employee. Severance Agreements are often offered in termination cases, but can also be offered to employees who are laid off or who are considering retirement.

Additionally, depending on the circumstances, a Severance Agreement may be offered to an employee who resigns or is terminated. A Severance Agreement must have something of value (also referred to as consideration) to which the employee is not already entitled to be enforceable.

Employers are generally required to provide an employee time to consider the Severance Agreement before signing. For instance, an employee usually has a 21-day consideration period to accept the Severance Agreement and at least a seven-day revocation period to revoke an employer’s Severance Agreement if the employee is 40 years or older.

Severance agreements usually contain far more than just compensation terms. They can include any number of agreements. Some examples of possible terms in a Severance Agreement follow:

  • Reference Information
  • Financial terms, the timing of severance payments and potential tax information
  • Continuation of health benefits
  • Unemployment compensation benefits
  • Waiver of claims against an employer (e.g. whistleblower, discrimination)
  • Confidentiality (e.g. neither side will reveal the terms of the agreement)
  • Non-Disparagement (e.g. neither side will say negative things about the other)
  • The possibility of re-employment
  • Non-competition agreements
  • Preservation of trade secrets

Severance Agreements will always include a general release or waiver that prohibits the former employee from filing a lawsuit against his or her employer for wrongful termination. Before an employee signs a Severance Agreement, he or she should consult with an attorney to discuss the rights that he or she may be waiving and the terms of the Severance Agreement.

If you need assistance with a severance agreement or other employment matter, please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook.

Startup Monday: Looking Back at 2019

By Kalina Newman

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Since its inception in 2013, there have been over 300 Startup Monday columns published on ARLnow.

A part of what makes Arlington such fertile ground for launching startups — aside from being adjacent to the nation’s capital — is the county’s own resources. One such resource is BizLaunch, a program sponsored by Arlington Economic Development that works as the county’s “small business and entrepreneurial assistance network.”

Small business and startups can register to on BizLaunch and have access to over 40 workshops and seminars every year, along with personal business coaching, counseling, and education.

In 2019 alone, “BizLaunch experienced a 20% uptick in businesses seeking its services,” said Director of BizLaunch Tara Palacios. “Trends for this year are businesses who specialize in health, mindfulness and fitness. Not surprising with Arlington being named the fittest city in the U.S.”

Notable health startups featured by ARLnow in 2019 include Excella, a Courthouse-based technology firm working to put together an app to detect alcohol misuse, and Fresh Impact, Arlington’s only commercial urban farm.

Other startups that continued to grow and expand past Arlington in 2019 included Eastern Foundry, a government-contracting co-working space that launched its North Carolina location this year, and Hungry, a catering businesses that recently touched down in New York City.

Several businesses hailing from overseas saw fit to land in Arlington this past year, including digital intelligence startup Fivecast, which moved from Australia, and phone security business Sensipass, which came over from Dublin.

Another trend that might be emerging: companies moving to Arlington, citing proximity to Amazon’s HQ2, as Amify did earlier this year. Local industry figures say HQ2 should also help bring excitement and more business diversity to a local tech scene that’s heavy on government contractors and cybersecurity firms.

The top 10 most-read Startup Monday articles of 2019 were:

  1. Arlington’s Only Commercial Urban Farm
  2. Rosslyn Startup ‘Hungry’ Expanding, Looking for New Talent
  3. This Clarendon Startup Wants You To Use 3-Factor Password Authentication
  4. Rosslyn-Based Startup ‘Hungry’ Scores $8 Million in Funding with Help from Jay-Z
  5. Ballston-Based Startup Aims to be Uber for Transporting Cars
  6. Startup That Teaches Businesses to Sell on Amazon Moves Closer to HQ2
  7. Columbia Pike Startup Wants to be Uber for Oil Changes
  8. Ballston Startup Aims to Make Car Refinancing Easy
  9. Loosened FCC Regulations Open the Door for Ballston Startup’s Wireless Expansion
  10. Startup Monday: The Arlington Couple Behind The “Candygrams” Board Game

New Homes in Arlington: December 27

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Welcome to New Homes, a biweekly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Trends come and go, especially in home design.

Remember shag carpeting? While many of the new home construction that we see is customized to the client, we do see trends in most new homes that are consistent. As we begin to close out this decade, we are sharing trends we’ve seen really take over the past several years.

  • Wide Open Spaces: Open Concept. It’s been a popular design preference by many homeowners over the past several years. We like to be in one area of the home, and still be able to keep an eye on everything else that’s going on. The kitchen tends to be the center of the household, so having open lines and views from this room is the most desired when designing a home.
  • Smart Technology: There are so many options these days to help make your home a Smart Home by installing new technology, helping to make it efficient and easy to operate — even when you’re not home! Let’s face it, busy lifestyles can lead us to forget to turn off the lights before we leave the house every now and then. With new smart technology, you can control almost anything from an app on your phone! Turn the heat down, lock or unlock the doors, turn off the lights, the list goes on.
  • Low Maintenance & Sustainable Materials: When choosing the materials you want to finish your home with, many are looking to the types that can last years without needing any updating, and that have a reduced impact on the environment during production. This includes countertops, hardware and paint — select finishes that can be cleaned easily and don’t require maintenance. Sustainable flooring options include bamboo and hemp, made from durable plant fibers.
  • Master Suite Oasis: While we seek an openness on the main level to live and entertain in, sometimes we just want somewhere to escape to. Enter — the Master Suite. Most new construction homes feature a large spa-like bathroom with a large soaking tub, shower complete with multiple shower heads and wide dual-sink vanities. This oasis is the perfect relaxing space to start and end your day.
  • Gas Fireplaces: A fireplace can really set the mood for a room, adding a coziness factor that is enjoyed by so many. The days of finding firewood and kindling, stacking the logs just right and taming to the roaring fire all night are behind us. We can still get that cozy feeling (and heat!) from a gas fireplace. With the click of a button, you can easily turn the fireplace on or off, providing heat much more efficiently and quickly!

If you’re interested in new home construction going into the new year, we would love to help you find your dream home, or dream lot to build on! We’ve worked with many builders and new construction clients, and we’d love to be a part of your journey. Give us a call to schedule a consultation today! (571) 429-7670 or [email protected].

Below is a list of new homes in the Arlington area:

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

500 N. Kenmore Street
5 BD/4 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $2,095,000
Open: Sunday 12-4 p.m.

 

1335 14th Street N.
3 BD/4 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Kv Realty
Listed: $1,998,888
Open: Everyday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

3533 S. Wakefield Street
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $599,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

This week between Christmas and New Years is always the slowest week of the year for real estate activity. No wonder. Who wants to be stressed out about buying or selling a home when you’re already stressed out from the holidays.

Because there were only 11 homes listed for sale this week, and five of them sold right away, there are not enough new listings to share with you today. So  I am presenting four of the more interesting listings that are active.

Enjoy the holidays, and I’ll catch you in the next decade.

Click to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

 

Statutes of Liberty: Major Changes to the H-1B Lottery Decrease Costs for Businesses

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is by James Montana, Esq. and Doran Shemin, Esq., practicing attorneys at Steelyard LLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact James for an appointment.

April is a busy month for daffodils, accountants and immigration lawyers.

The first week of April is the biggest week of the year for business immigration: H-1B season. The H-1B visa is a visa for foreign workers who will work in a specialty occupation in the United States on a temporary basis. Shorn of legalese, that means that foreigners who have specialty degrees — software programmers, accountants, lawyers — can work in the United States.

Demand greatly exceeds supply for these visas. Each fiscal year, there is a cap of 65,000 visas and a separate cap of 20,000 visas, known as the master’s cap, for foreign nationals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher, for a total of 85,000 available visas. Most employers submit applications for foreign workers under this program in April in the hope that foreign workers will start work at the beginning of the next fiscal year, in October. Demand is indeed intense.

Last year, USCIS began accepting fiscal year 2020 regular cap petitions on April 1, 2019. USCIS reached the 65,000-regular cap just four days later.

For the upcoming H-1B cap season, however, USCIS has changed the rules for the lottery. USCIS will use an electronic registration process for fiscal year 2021 cap season. Now, between March 1 and March 20, 2020, all employers seeking to file cap-subject petitions, including advanced degree petitions, must electronically register and pay a $10.00 fee to USCIS for each petition they wish to file. USCIS will then select registrations at random, and only those registrations chosen will be eligible to file a full cap-subject petition.

Previously, to file a cap-subject petition, employers submitted their petitions in full. This required many reams of paper and significant legal bills, with only a chance of having the petition selected. It also required tons of manpower on USCIS’s part to sift through all of the petitions. Now, employers will just submit a lottery ticket application with a $10 fee attached.

We can’t exaggerate how much this will lower legal bills for lottery entry. Is it good news for our bottom line? No. But it’s great news for clients!

If the new lottery system works, this will be a much better system for employers, especially smaller employers, who were understandably loathe to spend thousands of dollars on a petition that might not even be pulled out of the lottery. Now, smaller businesses will be able to compete with large companies on an equal basis.

The new H-1B lottery will be cheaper and better, but, if our experience is anything to go by, it won’t roll out smoothly. An experienced immigration lawyer can help companies navigate this new process. We are here to help.

As always, we welcome comments and will reply to all that we can. Happy Holidays!

Arts Focus: Printmaker Commemorates Landmark Lunch Counter Sit-In’s

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is written and sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Being received at a restaurant with a welcoming smile and a warm meal would seem the basic expectation for any customer. Sadly, well into the 1960s widespread segregation denied such everyday courtesies to African-Americans and other people of color.

In this latest Art on the ART Bus installation, The Desegregation of Arlington Lunch Counters: 60th Anniversary Tribute by Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., the nationally-renowned printmaker has created placards that commemorate the landmark sit-in’s which took place between June 9 and 22, in 1960. Kennedy interviewed local residents, historians and participants in the sit-ins, and the placards contain poignant quotes from several of these individuals.

While the sit-ins at Maryland’s popular Glen Echo Amusement Park are better remembered today, they were in-fact precipitated by the sit-ins at Arlington earlier that same summer. A pivotal tool in the 1960’s civil rights movement, “sit-ins” were strategic, planned protests that challenged widespread segregation policies.

African-American customers would merely sit down at a segregated lunch counter (often at a major national chain such as a Woolworth’s) and wait for service which, either by custom or local law, was routinely denied. Eventually, the pressure of what we would now call ‘the optics’ brought about an end to such corporate policies nationwide.

The posters feature poignant quotes commemorating the 1960 Arlington lunch counter sit-ins

Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., creates prints, posters and postcards from handset wood and metal type, oil-based inks, and eco-friendly chipboard. Much of his work is inspired by proverbs, sayings and quotes that are significant to the place he is working.

The decade-old Art on the ART Bus program is a partnership between Arlington Arts and Arlington Transit. Instead of the ads for soap, salsa and soda that riders expect to see in the overhead frames, thousands of Arlington commuters regularly experience original artwork as they head to their jobs. Sometimes there are up to three specially outfitted Art on the ART Bus vehicles in circulation, each scheduled randomly each day, bringing art to a different route through Arlington.

The project is curated by the Arlington Art Truck and Arlington Public Art which are programs of Arlington Arts. It is in collaboration with the County’s Historic Preservation Program, Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History and Arlington Transit’s Art on the ART bus program.

This installation is the first of several commemorative activations based upon printmaker Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr’s work that will continue to unfold during the Spring of 2020. For more information about the Art on the ART Bus program, click here.

Ask Eli: Home Warranty Recommendation

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: Do you think it’s worth it to buy a home warranty and, if so, is there a provider you recommend?

What Is A Home Warranty?

Home warranties protect many of the systems in your home including things like the HVAC (heating and cooling) and appliances. If one of those systems stops working while you’re covered, the warranty provider will repair or replace the system or cut you a check to replace it yourself. One year of protection generally ranges from a few hundred dollars to one thousand dollars, depending on the scope of coverage.

The most common time to purchase a home warranty is for/by a buyer when they’re buying a home. However, sellers can also purchase a warranty and transfer the coverage to a buyer and also benefit from coverage if something comes up on the home inspection. Home owners can also buy a warranty at any time if they want coverage. The provider usually requires a month or so between the time of purchase and coverage taking effect to prevent people from buying a warranty when something goes wrong (pre-existing condition).

Are They Worth The Cost?

I generally find home warranties to be worth the cost for at least the first year of ownership. If the home you’re buying has old systems, consider buying multi-year coverage. Think of the expense like you would home or auto insurance. If you’re somebody who prefers to pay higher premiums for more coverage/peace of mind, a home warranty probably makes sense for you.

A common scenario I see where home warranties pay-off is with HVACs when a new owner transitions from heating to air conditioning in the spring. During the winter, it’s often to cold outside to test the air conditioning during the home inspection so AC issues may present themselves after closing. With a home warranty, those issues should be covered.

Recommendation: Super Home Warranty

Warranty companies have a pretty bad reputation with complaints ranging from difficulty filing claims, low quality contractors and lengthy delays. I actually stopped recommending warranties to clients because of these issues.

However, in the last couple of years I have had fantastic experiences with a newer home warranty provider called Super Home Warranty and I would highly recommend them. They’re responsive, have a good user platform/app, use high quality contractors for repairs and I’ve yet to run into unfair claim denials.

They also have some really valuable inclusions that other warranty companies don’t offer. They have a contractor concierge that gives you access to their vetted contractors for any work you need like tree removal, roofing, plumbing and remodeling. Super also offers a bunch of helpful services for $75 like re-keying locks, carpet cleaning and HVAC cleaning.

It’s worth noting that I don’t get anything from Super for recommending them.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to set-up an in-person meeting to discuss local real estate, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. #10C Arlington, VA 22203, (703) 390-9460.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Olivia Rose

By ARLnow.com
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Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is Olivia Rose, who loves lounging around in her Caps jersey.

Here is a little bit from Olivia Rose, or Oli for short, on her life here in Arlington:

I’m Oliva Rose but you can call me Oli. I’m not really too sure about my past life, it’s hard to keep up when you’re given 9 of them! All I know is, I managed to get a cute cauliflower ear but it made it a bit hard to listen to my hoooman mom and sisters. They did me a huge favor by getting rid of that bad boy. Now, I don’t have to constantly scratch my ear all day!

My favorite thing to do is hangout on mom’s make up chair, I think the fabric is fabulous for a lady like me. When I’m not on my throne, I take over mom’s king size bed. She actually got me this blanket that I don’t let anyone use but me, myself, and I. Sometimes I hang out in my sister’s room when she’s around because she’s usually watching netfix or something. I also loooove lounging around in my caps jersey, especially on game day. Doesn’t it look great on me?

It was nice chattin’ with ya! You on find me on insta @oneearwonderoli.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of eight consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

What is the day after Christmas known for? Returns and exchanges galore!

Unfortunately, we can’t always nail the perfect gift and, as you’re out and about after Christmas, you’re bound to see just as many bags heading into the store as heading out.

In the spirit of one of the biggest exchange and return days of the year, a friendly reminder that, in the real estate world, it’s not so easy to make an easy “exchange or return” once you’ve reached a certain point in a purchase.

Real estate transactions can be full of deadlines, clauses, contingencies and more. That’s why it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting in to before signing on the dotted line and/or reaching a certain point. From the complex terminology, to local and state-wide norms, you need a trusted team on your side that can help you grasp it all.

So, as we wind down 2019 and enter the New Year, just know that the team at Arlington Realty, Inc. has your back in the times ahead. By working with our time-tested team, you’ll feel totally confident in your purchase.

As of December 23, there are 99 detached homes, 13 townhouses and 59 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 4 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

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