The cloudline is illuminated by the setting sun as storm clouds move over Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
More DCA Work Arriving Soon — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, fresh off the opening of a new concourse and security checkpoint screening area, is preparing to launch a multiyear effort to rehabilitate two of National’s three runways and their associated taxiways… Scheduled to last as long as 850 days and cost up to $110 million, the work will include new centerline and touchdown zone lighting systems, runway edge light fixtures and the installation of a temporary asphalt batch plant.” [Washington Business Journal]
Slight N. Va. Real Estate Price Dip — “The median sales price for homes that sold in Northern Virginia in July stood at $580,000, according to figures reported by the Virginia Realtors trade group. While higher by nearly 5 percent than the $553,000 recorded in July 2021, the $580,000 figure trails the median sales price of $583,000 for the first seven months of 2022.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Officially Pumpkin Spice Season — “Starbucks’ annual announcement that you can now, if you wish, buy this drink typically prompts a bunch of crankiness on the internet. Personally, I welcome the PSL’s arrival, as well as the appearance of pumpkin beer in shops for one reason… For me the PSL’s seasonal emergence means one important thing: the end of the godawful and relentless Washington, DC, summer is finally in sight.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 81 and low of 68. Sunrise at 6:38 am and sunset at 7:42 pm. [Weather.gov]
The large cement brick wall facing Wilson Blvd which is the backside of a new CVS (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The large cement brick wall facing Wilson Blvd which is the backside of a new CVS (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The large cement brick wall facing Wilson Blvd which is the backside of a new CVS (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The large cement brick wall facing Wilson Blvd which is the backside of a new CVS (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Driving west on Wilson Blvd from Clarendon, there’s a new addition to the landscape near Mario’s Pizza: a large cement block wall.
The wall is the rear of a new CVS going up along the 3330 block of Wilson Blvd, the former site of the Highlander Motor Inn. The nearly 20-foot-tall, windowless monolith is oriented so that it faces the street. The entrance to the new CVS is set for N. Kenmore Street.
The large blank wall has already attracted the ire of some residents. ARLnow recently received emails from several locals calling the structure an “eyesore,” a “failure,” and “The Great Wall of Clarendon.”
This all comes after a multi-year legal battle that included an unsuccessful appeal by Arlington County to the Virginia Supreme Court. It ended with the county being handcuffed in terms of regulating what’s built at the site.
“The design for this project shows a solid wall fronting on Wilson Blvd. The store frontage will be on N. Kenmore St,” a Department of Community, Planning and Housing Development spokesperson told ARLnow. “This project is occurring through by-right development; therefore there are no Zoning requirements for the orientation of buildings or structures. In addition, the County is limited in its overall regulation of by-right development projects.”
For more than five decades, the 3330 block of Wilson Blvd was the home of the Highlander motel, owned by the family of local businessman Billy Bayne.
In 2015, Bayne made the decision to lease the land to CVS, which planned to build a new store and pharmacy. However, there were complications to the deal, with the county balking at allowing the existing parking lot on N. Kenmore Street to be used again for parking.
Decisions were appealed several times before a circuit judge ruled that Bayne, as owner, was allowed to do what he wished with the property. The case was denied consideration by the state’s top court after a series of appeals.
Bayne, who also owns the Crystal City Gentlemen’s Club and Restaurant, claimed he lost nearly $2 million while the project stalled.
“It’s not okay to do this to somebody,” Bayne said in 2018. “There will be ramifications for this.”
He ended up suing the county for civil rights violations in 2019, but the suit was ultimately dismissed.
The project moved forward, with the motel closing early last year before being torn down. Before it shuttered, though, Arlington’s Dept. of Human Services rented out the hotel as a Covid quarantine location. While it probably didn’t resolve all animosity, the county thanked Bayne as someone who “really stepped up and helped” during a time of crisis.
But now it is neighbors in the Ashton Heights and Virginia Square area who are upset with what’s being done to the property.
“After the long court battle with the owner of the Highlander, CVS is throwing its ‘f you very much’ by placing a blank wall along Wilson Boulevard,” one resident told ARLnow. “Can’t wait for the future graffiti — I mean, community arts project!”
“There is no other commercial enterprise on Wilson Blvd in the area that presents so brazenly (or more likely thoughtlessly) a facade that is so grossly inconsistent with the urban ‘smart growth’ model,” another resident wrote, calling it “unfit… for this area.”
ARLnow reached out to CVS about the wall and received the following response.
“A new CVS Pharmacy store is currently under construction on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The wall that is currently facing Wilson Boulevard will be part of the permanent structure and is included in the overall construction and design plan approved by Arlington development officials,” a CVS spokesperson said.
So, the “Great Wall of Clarendon” is apparently here to stay and there isn’t much the county or residents can do at this point.
“It could be a major eyesore on the street for the next 30 to 40 years,” said a local resident.
“At approximately 10:25 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the pedestrian was pushing a stroller at the time of the crash. The pedestrian, an adult female, was transported to an area hospital with injuries considered non-life threatening. The child was not injured.”
The woman could be seen being helped to a waiting ambulance after the crash, her face covered in dried blood. The apparent driver and the striking sedan could be seen nearby. So far there’s no word as to what led to the crash nor whether any charges will be filed.
“The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene,” said Savage. “The investigation is ongoing.”
The intersection, which is controlled by a four-way traffic light, is surrounded by homes and a pair of churches, on the northern edge of the Cherrydale neighborhood.
Workers high up an under-construction building in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Career Center Parking Questions — “Residents living in neighborhoods adjacent to the Arlington Career Center parcel may find themselves sharing on-street parking with students and teachers once the massive rebuild of the parcel is complete. The county school system has proposed a 360-space parking garage as part of the $175 million project, but planners do not believe that will be enough space to accommodate the need.” [Sun Gazette]
More on the Return to School — “Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán says there are new start and end times which has helped make the bus system more efficient since there are fewer bus routes. The change also makes sure more students can spend more time in the classroom. When it comes to staffing, Durán says APS is 99% staffed this year. The district is actually in a better place than before after increasing teacher compensation by 6.8% on average. Student enrollment is also up.” [WJLA, Twitter]
Dems’ Annual Chili Cookoff Nears — “As Arlington Democrats prepare for the final two-month road trip toward Election Day, the party is preparing to get gassed up. The Arlington County Democratic Committee will hold its annual Labor Day Chili Cookoff on Monday, Sept. 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Lyon Park Community Center. The annual event sees teams representing elected officials, candidates and others vying for a host of culinary awards.” [Sun Gazette]
High School Football Returns — “The Wakefield Warriors at home and the Yorktown Patriots on the road lost their opening games of the high-school football season the night of Aug. 26.” [Sun Gazette]
New W-L Hoops Coach — “Prior to working at W-L, [new head coach Liz] Altmaier coached as a girls assistant at Marshall and McLean high schools in Fairfax County… In college, she played Division I varsity basketball at Harvard University. During her time there, Harvard won two Ivy League championships. In high school, Altmaier was a three-year starter at Pinewood School in Los Altos, Calif. Her teams won two state and many other championships. She was chosen to all-state, all-section and all-league teams.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Sun and heat gives way to likely rain and storms in the late afternoon and evening. High of 89 and low of 73. Sunrise at 6:37 am and sunset at 7:44 pm. [Weather.gov]
Don Zientara poses for a portrait at the main console in Inner Ear Studio in Green Valley in October 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A look inside of Inner Ear Studio in the basement of founder Don Zientara’s home (photo courtesy of Inner Ear Studios)
The former home of Inner Ear Studios in May 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A look inside Inner Ear Studios in Green Valley (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The legendary Inner Ear Studio has reopened in the founder’s Arlington Heights basement.
Last week, the recording studio’s founder Don Zientara spoke at length to the Embracing Arlington Arts podcast about what’s been happening since the studio moved from its home of three decades on S. Oakland Street last year.
The biggest change is that the studio is now back in Zientara’s basement in Arlington Heights where Inner Ear started in 1979.
“It isn’t gone, it’s still thriving,” he told host Janet Kopenhaver. “I’m back in my basement and realizing I can’t fit everything in here.”
He was able to bring over some of his favorite microphones, but much of his old equipment had to be sold or given away. Zientara said that he gave it to people that he “thought could use it the best.”
Much of the art, band posters, prints, drawings, and ephemera that lined the walls at Inner Ear Studio are now at D.C.’s Lost Origins Gallery. It’s set to be on a display soon as part of an exhibit about the famed recording studio.
“They took a lot… they were cutting walls out,” Zientara said. “Some posters there that I thought ‘Come on, this is going to go down with the ship,’ but they were cutting and sometimes took pieces of drywall.”
Zientara told Kopenhaver that he harbors no ill will towards Arlington County for making the studio vacate the building on S. Oakland Street it had called home since 1990.
In 2021, Arlington County purchased the building for more than $3 million, with the intention of demolishing it to make way for an arts and industry district.
As Arlington Cultural Affairs director Michelle Isabelle-Stark told the Washington Post at the time, the county saw this as saving the property from being bought by a private developer. The plan for the new district has some Green Valley community members concerned, though.
“There was no sense in trying to argue with anyone,” Zientara said about the move. “It was fine. A lot of businesses don’t last 32 years. I’m good with [it].”
Zientara said that the reason a lot of the indie punk bands came to his small Arlington studio was that they were often rejected from the more polished, bigger recording studios.
“I had equipment that was, let’s say, less than ideal. I had a space that was less than ideal,” he explained last week. “[The] bands were not welcomed at a lot of the studios, but I could record them.”
While the studio is now smaller than in its heyday, Zientara described the situation as going back to his roots.
While he could have fully retired or taught at one of the region’s universities — he said he had offers on the table — Zientara is currently in what he calls “semi-retirement.” That means he’s working when he wants and with who he wants.
In fact, when ARLnow reached him this morning for a brief conversation, he said that D.C. punk music icon Ian MacKaye was coming by the studio today to “mix some things.”
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)
A boy who was running on the Custis Trail near Ballston was stabbed and seriously injured by an unknown assailant Saturday night.
The stabbing happened around 8:45 p.m., on the trail near the 4700 block of Washington Blvd.
“At approximately 8:49 p.m. on August 27, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing that had just occurred,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Upon arrival, officers located the juvenile male victim and administered medical care until the arrival of medics. The victim was transported to an area hospital with injuries considered serious but non-life threatening.”
“After further investigation, it was determined the victim was running along the Custis Trail prior to Washington Boulevard when an unknown male suspect allegedly approached, stabbed him and fled the scene on foot,” ACPD said.
Officers closed a portion of Washington Blvd west of N. Glebe Road and called in a helicopter to help search for the suspect. Ultimately, the suspect — described only as “an Asian or Hispanic male wearing a striped shirt and shorts” — was not found and remains at large.
“A lookout for the suspect was broadcast and a search of the area was conducted, with the assistance of a police helicopter, which yielded negative results,” said the crime report. “The investigation is ongoing.”
POLICE ACTIVITY: ACPD is investigating a stabbing in the 4700 block of Washington Blvd. The male victim was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A helicopter is assisting with an aerial search for the suspect. Expect continued police activity in the area. pic.twitter.com/QqzkQgAxPZ
A Falls Church man is facing charges after his car was stolen with a child inside.
The theft happened around dinnertime Sunday near the busy intersection of N. Lynn Street and Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn. The car and the child were quickly located in Southeast D.C.
“At approximately 6:01 p.m. on August 28, officers were flagged down by a vehicle owner who reported his parked, idling vehicle had been stolen with his child inside,” Arlington County police said in a crime report this afternoon.
“A lookout was broadcast for the vehicle and child, including to surrounding jurisdictions,” ACPD said. “At approximately 6:20 p.m. the Metropolitan Police Department reported locating the stolen vehicle with the child inside in the 2200 block of Fairlawn Avenue SE Washington D.C. The child was unharmed.”
Police are still looking for the suspect, who fled from the vehicle before police found it. The owner of the car, a 38-year-old Falls Church resident “was charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and released on a summons.”
Kids and parents watching the Fairfax County police helicopter take off during the 2022 Arlington Public Safety Block Party (staff photo)
Metro Trespasser and Theft Suspect Nabbed — “Blue and Silver Line service was suspended Saturday between McPherson Square & Arlington Cemetery and Clarendon due to an unauthorized person on the tracks outside Rosslyn Saturday evening, WMATA officials said… New Metro GM Randy Clarke said he experienced this incident first hand, tweeting that the ‘trespasser committed a theft in Rosslyn then ran into the tunnel.’ Clarke added that the person was arrested.” [WJLA]
Lopez Targets Trespass Towers — From Rep. Alfonso Lopez: “Few things unite Northern Virginians across the political spectrum more than predatory towing. People are sick & tired of these companies getting away with unfair & aggressive tactics! Thanks to @NorthernVAMag for writing about my fight to rein them in.” [Twitter, Northern Virginia Magazine]
Arlington Man Sentenced for PAC Scheme — “An Arlington man was sentenced Friday to 14 months in prison for scheming to lie to the Federal Election Commission about the true identifies of donors to a super PAC for which he served as president and treasurer, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Joseph Fuentes-Fernandez, 62, served as president and treasurer of the super PAC Salvemos a Puerto Rico.” [Patch]
County Taking ‘Neighborhood College’ Apps — “Learn how to become a neighborhood advocate and create positive change in your community through Arlington County’s free Neighborhood College program. The application period for the Fall 2022 Session is now open. The program is geared toward Arlingtonians who want to become more involved in neighborhood and County-wide issues.” [Arlington County]
Public Safety Block Party Held — “First responders from Arlington County police, fire and more held a public safety block party Saturday, inviting the public for some fun and games, along with some education. The event was held at Kenmore Middle School on S. Carlin Springs Road from noon until 5 p.m.” [WJLA]
Va. to Only Sell Electric Cars Next Decade? — “California’s decision to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars beginning in 2035 will also halt the sale of such vehicles in Virginia due to a 2021 law linking the commonwealth to the western state’s vehicle emissions standards, state attorneys have concluded.” [Virginia Mercury, NBC 4]
Back to School — Updated at 9 a.m. — Today is the first day of school for Arlington Public Schools students. Please be careful on the roads out there. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]
It’s Monday — Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 88 and low of 73. Sunrise at 6:36 am and sunset at 7:45 pm. [Weather.gov]
A 54-year-old Alexandria man is in jail after police say he broke into and stole items from two cars and tampered with five others.
The arrest happened last night around midnight, in a pair of neighborhoods along Columbia Pike.
The man was caught, police say, after an alert off-duty officer spotted him trying to break in to several parked cars, then detained him until on-duty units arrived.
From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:
VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series), 2022-08250293/08260015, 2500 block of 9th Road S./1100 block of S. Walter Reed Drive. At approximately 11:56 p.m. on August 25, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. The investigation determined that an off-duty police officer observed the suspect attempting to enter into parked vehicles in the area before making contact with him and detaining him until the arrival of additional units. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect allegedly entered into and tampered with seven victim vehicles and stole personal items from two of the vehicles. During a search of his person incident to arrest, drug paraphernalia was recovered. [The suspect], 54, of Alexandria, Va., was arrested and charged with Vehicle Tampering (x4), Petit Larceny from a Vehicle (x2), Grand Larceny from a Vehicle, Credit Card Theft, and Possession of Controlled Paraphernalia. He was held without bail.
Deer running down the road (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)
Farewell, Pia — It is our social media intern Pia Kramer’s last day. If you’ve been enjoying our revitalized Instagram presence this summer, you have Pia to thank. Good luck at grad school, Pia!
Plan for Red Lion Hotel Changing — “An Orr Partners-led venture wants to revive and expand plans to redevelop a hotel in Rosslyn. The Arlington County Board previously greenlighted two high-rises there, totaling 183,000 square feet. Having recently acquired another parcel adjacent to the site, Reston-based Orr now wants to build a 422,000-square-foot multifamily building instead.” [Washington Business Journal]
Taqueria el Poblano’s Last Weekend — “We have made the difficult decision to close our Columbia Pike location. Please come by ‘The Pike’ and join in on the fun for our last two nights and support the staff at the Taqueria Poblano’s Columbia Pike location this Friday, August 26th & Saturday, August 27th! The restaurant will be donating 50% of gross sales for these two days to our loyal and hard working staff!” [Facebook, ARLnow]
Activists Decry Amazon ‘Takeover’ — “A new report from Demos and For Us, Not Amazon (FUNA) – a coalition against an Amazon takeover in Northern Virginia – highlights how organizers are fighting for the rights of working people, immigrants and people of color as the multinational company prepares to open its new headquarters in Virginia next year.” [Press Release]
APS Families Accidentally Get EBT Cards — An Arlington Public Schools spokesman tells ARLnow that about 6,900 students accidentally received P-EBT cards that were not intended for them. The error was first pointed out by an ARLnow reader on Twitter. “The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program is a federal program created in the spring of 2020 to supplement school meals that students missed,” notes a state website. [Twitter, Twitter]
Catholic Schools Back in Session — “Catholic schools in the diocese of Arlington [welcomed] students back Wednesday. Superintendent, Doctor Joseph Vorbach, spoke with us about the new school year.” [Fox 5]
Grant Ideas for Seniors — “Arlington Community Foundation is excited to premiere and host the Age Friendly Grant Catalog featuring 12 grant ideas of organizations and programs serving older adults (55+) in Arlington, with grants up to $10,000 each. The public is able to view and ‘shop’ these grants… and donate any amount toward needs that inspire them.” [Press Release]
The Toll of Traffic Crashes — “We spoke with three people who survived being hit by a vehicle and continue to live with the effects. We also spoke with people who have lost loved ones at the hands of a driver… Their stories highlight the potential toll of one careless moment — or one intentional bad action — from a driver. They all have similar pleas, too: for drivers to be more responsible and for cities to design roads that limit speeding and reckless driving.” [WAMU]
It’s Friday — Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day, with a slight chance of rain and storms. High of 88 and low of 73. Sunrise at 6:34 am and sunset at 7:50 pm. [Weather.gov]
Arlington County and the rest of the immediate D.C. area is now in the CDC’s “low” Covid level.
The county was moved from “medium,” where it had been since April, to “low” this afternoon, after the number of weekly cases per 100,000 residents dipped below 200, to 195.
Arlington is currently seeing 6.3 weekly hospital admissions for Covid per 100,000 residents, per the CDC’s website. Just under 5% of staffed inpatient beds are in use by patients who are Covid positive.
Arlington’s Covid positivity rate has also been falling, from around 22% just over a week ago to 17.6% today, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.
CDC Covid level for Arlington as of Aug. 25, 2022 (via CDC)
The District of Columbia, Alexandria, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Charles County are all also now in the CDC’s “low” Covid level.
Despite the good news, cases reported by health authorities are becoming a less reliable metric as of late due to the prevalence of at-home rapid testing.
Virginia Hospital Center ER chief Mike Silverman, in his weekly public Facebook post last week, cautioned against reading too much into case trends.
The number of reported positives that you find online is probably not the best statistic to follow anymore. Certainly, many and possibly a large percentage of people are diagnosing themselves with rapid tests and never getting counted in the total case count. Hospitals and testing centers continue to report their data. The number of patients who remain hospitalized with COVID has remained fairly constant at VHC. But over the last 4 weeks, we have seen a decrease in the amount of emergency department patients who required our COVID isolation status. The total number of cases being diagnosed in the ER in both the symptomatic and asymptomatic population remains fairly consistent. Over the pandemic, we’ve had months where our weekly case count would go down into the single digits. That has not been the case for the last several months. We have had a steady state of patients that we diagnose each week that is not too far below the total number that we saw during our first winter peak/surge in December 2020. Unfortunately, COVID is certainly going to be with us for quite some time.
