News

ACPD investigating pair of retail robberies and a car wash gun brandishing

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A man allegedly got mad and drew a gun when an employee at a local car wash asked him to move his vehicle.

The incident happened around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Mr. Wash car wash on the 100 N. Glebe Road, according to scanner traffic. No one was hurt.

Police say they have since identified the suspect.

From today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BRANDISHING, 2022-08160067, 100 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 10:16 a.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined an employee of the business approached the suspect and requested he move his parked vehicle which was blocking other customers. A verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. No injuries were reported. During the course of the investigation, officers identified the suspect and obtained a warrant for Brandishing a Firearm within 1,000 feet of a School. The investigation is ongoing.

Also Tuesday morning, a man allegedly robbed a 7-Eleven store in Virginia Square, assaulted an employee, and then went back into the store to steal more items.

ROBBERY, 2022-08160042, 3500 block of Fairfax Drive. At approximately 8:42 a.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the report of a dispute in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect entered into the business, took several items off of the shelves and attempted to leave without paying. An employee confronted him, during which a verbal dispute ensued. Another employee attempted to intervene and the suspect struck him before leaving the business. The suspect quickly reentered the business, stole additional merchandise and fled the scene on foot. A lookout for the suspect was broadcast and officers canvassed the area yielding negative results. No injuries were reported.

That afternoon, another retail robbery led police on an ultimately futile search for the suspect, who is believed to have fled via Metro.

The robbery happened at the Costco store in Pentagon City.

“At approximately 12:54 p.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery,” ACPD said. “The investigation determined the unknown male suspect was allegedly attempting to leave a business with unpaid merchandise when he was confronted by loss prevention.”

“A verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect implied he had a knife before fleeing the scene with the stolen items,” the crime report continues. “The employees followed the suspect out of the business as he continued to verbally threaten them.”

The suspect was seen fleeing into the Pentagon City Metro station, but officers arrived at the platform just as a Blue Line train was departing, according to scanner traffic. That led to unsuccessful efforts to get Metro to stop the train at the Pentagon, at the Arlington Cemetery station, and finally in Rosslyn, per police radio traffic.

“A lookout for the suspect was broadcast and officers canvassed the surrounding area with negative results,” said the crime report.

It’s Advanced vs. Amazon after delivery van towed from Buckingham apartments

By ARLnow.com
1/7

An Amazon delivery van was reported stolen yesterday near Ballston. Except it wasn’t stolen. It was towed.

The tow pits two Arlington institutions against each other — infamous local towing company Advanced Towing and, in the other corner, newer arrival Amazon. It also raises a general policy question: should delivery vehicles parked improperly on private property get towed?

The incident happened around 2 p.m. yesterday at a residential complex in the Buckingham neighborhood.

“At approximately 2:01 p.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the 4300 block of 4th Street N. for the report of a stolen delivery vehicle,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Prior to officers arriving on scene, dispatch advised the vehicle had been towed from private property. Officers were then placed back into service.”

Soon thereafter, the van could be seen impounded in the Advanced Towing lot in Ballston.

Advanced says that the van was towed because it was parked in a fire lane on private property, and that the company tows regardless of whether the driver is making deliveries.

“The Amazon driver left their delivery vehicle unattended in a fire lane/no parking zone, rather than park in one of the open spaces,” the company said in a brief statement to ARLnow. “Amazon vehicles are not exempt from following the law or rules of someone’s private property.”

Signs at the address police were dispatched to do, in fact, explicitly state “No Parking — Fire Lane” and “Towed at Owner’s Expense,” though the exact location the van was parked prior to being towed is unclear.

ARLnow reached out to Amazon for comment but has not received answers to our questions as of publication.

This is not the first time Advanced has towed an Amazon van. ARLnow reported on a delivery van towed from an apartment parking lot in Falls Church in 2019.

Asked about delivery vans being towed and local towing policies, Savage referred readers to the county website.

“You can find information regarding private tows, also known as trespass tows, from private property on the County website and in County Code § 14.3-5. Removal of Trespassing Vehicles,” she wrote. “If a vehicle owner believes their vehicle was towed in error, they can report to Arlington County Police for investigation by submitting an online complaint or calling 703-228-4266.”

Advanced has long maintained that its local notoriety is the result of its efficiency in properly towing vehicles that are improperly parked and thus trespassing on private property. A lawsuit brought by former Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring for alleged predatory towing practices only resulted in a $750 fine — which owner John O’Neill touted as vindication.

The towing company also won some recent plaudits for a driver’s actions to help a man threatening to jump from an overpass.

ARLnow’s photographer, meanwhile, spotted another Amazon van getting away with some improper parking just steps from where the other van was towed. While looking for the original towing scene, we snapped an Amazon van parked on the private drive of the 4300 block of 4th Court N.

“Private street — no parking in alley — towing at owner’s expense,” read a sign at the entrance to the driveway. It was placed by Advanced’s competitor, A-1 Towing.

New public art in park next to HQ2 to commemorate former Black community

By ARLnow.com
1/5

A towering remembrance of the former Black community of Queen City is slated to be included in an Amazon-funded park next to HQ2.

Arlington’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) is set to review the proposed public art installation, from D.C. artist Nekisha Durrett, at its meeting tonight.

A presentation prepared for the meeting shows a 30 foot tall brick chimney stack, with the words “Queen City” written in brick, along the footpaths of the new Met Park in Pentagon City. The park is currently under construction after the County Board approved a $14 million, Amazon-funded renovation project two years ago.

The revamped park is expected to re-open at some point next year.

The proposed red brick structure, harkening back to the area’s past as a hub for brick production, will also include a decorative interior that park-goers will be able to freely enter.

Made with reclaimed bricks and illuminated by LED uplighting, the tower will seek to carry forward the legacy of the Black enclaves of Freedman’s Village and, more specifically, Queen City — two of several that dotted Arlington a century or more ago.

Freedman’s Village, founded on the former estate of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee during the Civil War, was closed by the federal government in 1900 and became part of Arlington National Cemetery. Queen City was founded nearby in response to the closure of Freedman’s Village.

But Queen City, too, would eventually be razed by the federal government — in 1942, to make way for the freeway network built around the newly-constructed Pentagon.

From the doctoral dissertation of Lindsey Bestebreurtje, Ph.D., a curator in the National Museum of African American History and Culture:

Together with the adjacent community of East Arlington, Queen City was located in south-eastern Arlington on flat land, prone to flooding from the nearby Potomac River, near several factories and along the Washington, Alexandria, and Mt. Vernon trolley line. Queen City was built around the Mt. Olive Baptist Church which had roots in Freedman’s Village. Saving one-fourth of an acre for the church, the remaining land was parceled into forty lots to be sold to church members leaving the Village. With small plots of 20 feet by 92 feet, this subdivision transformed the former farm land into a more dense and suburban environment. Many of the homes constructed by former residents of Freedman’s Village at this time were reminiscent of the simple clap-board houses they called home in the Village, making housing type another product of the Village’s diaspora.

By 1942 more than 200 working class families lived in modest but well-kept frame houses. Just as was the case in Freedman’s Village, where residents saw a thriving community, outsiders saw the black neighborhood as a ghetto. In January of 1942 construction began for the Pentagon’s road networks in the path of the communities. Properties were seized through [eminent] domain laws with modest payments. With this loss some community members left the area entirely, while other residents and institutions relocated to Arlington’s remaining black communities of Hall’s Hill, Johnson’s Hill, or Green Valley.

The dissertation notes that the destruction of the Queen City community was personally approved by the president at the time.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Sunset along Columbia Pike near the Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County Fair Starts Today — “The Arlington County Fair will take place from August 17 – 21 at Thomas Jefferson Community Center located at 3501 2nd Street S. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closure to accommodate the event: From approximately 8:00 a.m. on August 17 to 11:00 p.m. on August 21… 2nd Street S. closed between S. Jackson Street and S. Irving Street.” [ACPD]

Fewer Car Tax Notices — “Arlington County Board members as part of their annual budget process eliminated the $33-per-vehicle decal fee… About 20,000 vehicles will thus have nothing owed on them, and the treasurer’s office has decided not to send notices to them. An additional 30,000 county residents who own two or more vehicles under the same name will see their billing information consolidated into a single mailing in order to achieve ‘significant savings on paper and postage,’ Treasurer Carla de la Pava said in an Aug. 15 letter.” [Sun Gazette]

Senators Hail New Law — “U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law: ‘We’re proud that this law will lower the price of prescription drugs, reduce the deficit, bring down energy bills and fight climate change… We will continue to look for ways to support the health and well-being of our communities, decrease inflation, and lower costs for Virginians.'” [Sen. Mark Warner]

Opera Making a Comeback? — “Supporters of Northern Virginia’s opera scene are hoping to reanimate the dormant Opera Guild of Northern Virginia, which through the years has raised funds and provided other support to opera organizations as well as promoting fellowships among those who appreciate the art form and introducing children to the unique and inclusive nature of opera.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Wednesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 81 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:26 am and sunset at 8:02 pm. [Weather.gov]

Still unclear what led to fiery crash, but Four Courts hopes to rebuild

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Arlington County police say the rideshare driver who crashed into Ireland’s Four Courts on Friday did not do so intentionally and was not drunk.

Beyond that, not much is known — or, at least, being revealed publicly — about the circumstances that led to the fiery crash that severely injured several people inside the long-time Courthouse pub.

“The Arlington County Police Department continues to investigate the cause of Friday’s crash,” the police department said in a statement late Monday afternoon. “Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives do not believe the crash was an intentional act and alcohol has been ruled out as a contributing factor. The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.”

“Detectives continue to encourage anyone with information related to this investigation to contact Detective K. Stahl at [email protected] or 703-228-7145,” ACPD said. “Information may also be reported anonymously to Arlington County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.”

Police said that three people are still in the hospital, including one who’s still in critical condition and two others that are now in stable condition.

Initially, police said four people had been taken to the hospital from the scene in critical condition. In all, 15 people were injured, including nine brought to local hospitals, six of whom have since been released.

ARLnow previously reported that the quick actions of customers and first responders to treat the injured and move them away from the growing inferno likely saved lives.

Meanwhile, Four Courts has told local news outlets that it is planning to rebuild.

The pub and its staff will be helped by a GoFundMe campaign, which has blown past its $50,000 goal and raised more than $77,000 as of publication time. Four Courts employees, three of whom were hospitalized but have since been released, are also getting an assist from a fellow local Irish bar.

Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub, at 2800 S. Randolph Street in Shirlington, is organizing a fundraiser and silent auction on Thursday, Sept. 15 for Four Courts staff.

Already more than 1,000 people have said they’re going or expressed interest in the event on Facebook.

“We at Beckett’s and Kirwan’s on the Wharf would like to hold a fundraiser for the staff of Ireland’s Four Courts,” wrote owner Mark Kirwan. “We will have a silent auction and a night of fun and entertainment to raise money for these poor unfortunate souls who went through hell… Thank you in advance and let’s make this road ahead for these folks a bit easier.”

Firefighters and county building officials were at Four Courts on Monday. The pub’s general manager, Dave Cahill, told ARLnow this afternoon that Four Courts is still trying to determine how to move forward, depending on what the inspections find.

“We are working with the county and inspectors to determine the next course of action,” Cahill said. “We are extremely grateful for all the neighborhood support.”

Noisy utility covers that have annoyed neighbors in Ballston for years could get finally fixed

By Matt Blitz
The banging metal covers on Wilson Blvd near the intersection of N. Randolph Street (staff photo)

A set of utility covers in the middle of Wilson Blvd that have bothered residents for nearly a decade may finally get a permanent fix.

For Alex Korolkoff, the banging noise from cars and buses driving over the covers is so loud — even on the 10th floor of his Ballston apartment building — he’s resorted to fans and white noise machines to drown it out.

Carlos Moran said the “constant heavy banging” coming from near the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Randolph Street, across from Ballston Quarter mall, “affect our quality of life” and prevent him from sleeping in his home.

Another nearby resident compares the situation to war.

​”It feels as if we are being held hostage, like POWs, in our very own apartments, bound by our leases and forced to live with the continual banging,” they wrote ARLnow. The noise happens day and night given that the metal covers are along one of Ballston’s most highly-trafficked corridors.

The banging is particularly loud when bearing the brunt of buses and trucks, with the noise bouncing off Ballston’s high-rises.

“There’s such disruption that we deal with 24/7, while trying to work from home, we can’t sit on our small balcony without it being even louder, and sleeping is difficult,” one nearby neighbor wrote ARLnow. “The noise is truly endless because traffic never ceases.”

And it’s been a problem for nearly a decade. ARLnow first reported on the loose plates in 2013, when they were deemed a “temporary measure” and would be fixed soon. The covers were also listed as one of Arlington’s most wanted road repairs.

Nine years later, though, they are still there, loose, and driving some neighbors nuts.

The plates are the responsibility of nearby apartment building Ava Ballston, both Arlington County and the building’s parent company AvalonBay — which happens to have its headquarters across the street — confirmed to ARLnow. The flat sheets of metal are protecting Dominion Power equipment that help provides electricity to the building.

Over the years, ARLnow has received periodic emails from Ballston residents complaining about them.

One 2019 note speculated that the surrounding apartment complexes might have a hard time renting out units because of the noise. Another from October 2021 called the plates “steel drums.”

Another annoyed neighbor wrote in November 2021 that they put together a petition with more than 110 signatures of neighbors asking the county to do something to “right the wrong for a longstanding steel plate noise issue… it is distressing for those residents who need to rest, sleep, and work from home.”

ARLnow’s initial 2013 story was also spurred by an email from a reader.

“The noise within the apartments is now incredibly loud,” wrote a resident of the building that was then-called Archstone Ballston Square in March 2013. “This is a project that residents and the county were told would go on a few weeks — it’s [now] nearly 18 months later.”

(more…)

ACPD: Expect more cops and anti-DUI signs around through Labor Day

By ARLnow.com
Flyer for Labor Day 2022 anti-DUI campaign (via ACPD)

There is never a good time to drive drunk, but the next couple of weeks will be a particularly risky time to do so in Arlington.

The Arlington County Police Department is participating in the nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign starting tomorrow (Wednesday), with targeted enforcement and education timed to coincide with the approaching Labor Day weekend.

The campaign will bring more police patrols to Arlington roads between Wednesday, Aug. 17 and Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5), as well as the placement of signs around the county, reminding drivers of the deadly consequences of driving while impaired.

An ACPD press release about the campaign is below.

The Labor Day holiday weekend marks the unofficial end of summertime, often with friends and families gathering at pool parties, backyard barbecues and other festivities to enjoy the last days of the season. The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is again partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) during the high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, to remind community members to celebrate safely.

From Wednesday, August 17, 2022 – Monday, September 5, 2022, motorists nationwide can expect to see increased messages about the dangers of driving under the influence, coupled with enforcement and increased saturation patrols to identify and apprehend impaired drivers. This campaign aims to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways through a two-pronged approach of education and enforcement.

Sadly, the statistics prove that there is still a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide in 2020 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. During the 2020 Labor Day holiday period (6:00 p.m. September 4, 2020 – 5:59 a.m. September 8, 2020) there were 530 fatal crashes nationwide. This is why ACPD is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to the Labor Day festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

The Arlington County Police Department encourages community members to follow these tips to ensure all travelers reach their destinations safely:

  • Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
  • If you see a suspected impaired driver on the roadway, report to your local law enforcement. To report a suspected impaired driver in Arlington County, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
  • Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

For more information about the dangers of drunk driving, visit the NHTSA website.

County launching “Askable Adult” initiative to help middle and high school students

By ARLnow.com
Askable Adult brochure (via Arlington County)

Arlington County is launching an initiative to make sure all kids have a trusted adult they can talk to.

Dubbed the “Askable Adult initiative,” the program will help to provide “access to adults who listen, provide support and understanding, and answer questions without judgment,” according to a press release.

It is being launched by Project PEACE, the county’s effort to respond to intimate partner and sexual violence, after a recent Arlington Public Schools survey revealed that fewer than half — 42% — of middle and high school students  “talk with an adult at home about what matters to them most frequently or almost always.”

A series of workshops are scheduled this fall, starting on Saturday, Sept. 17, for adults interested in helping to support middle and high school-aged youth. The initiative will also be promoted at this week’s Arlington County Fair.

The full press release about the initiative is below.

Access to adults who listen, provide support and understanding, and answer questions without judgment increases youth resiliency. It’s with this goal that Arlington’s Project PEACE is launching the Askable Adult initiative to ensure every young person in Arlington County has at least one supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult–an “askable adult”–in their life.

Project PEACE, Arlington’s Coordinated Community Response to Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence, and its partners believe that everyone has a role to play in supporting the health and well-being of children and youth in our community. The most common factor for youth who develop resilience to stress and adversity is having at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult.

The U.S. Surgeon General recently announced that youth mental health is a national public health crisis. Mental health struggles increase in times of stress, and stressors have skyrocketed with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the same prevention strategies that promote mental health–such as helping youth feel connected–help prevent a range of negative experiences, such as child abuse, bullying, suicide, and violence. Ultimately, youth challenges cannot be addressed solely in isolation but rather through the shared efforts of young people, their families, local communities, private organizations, and all levels of government.

An askable adult is an individual a young person has identified as willing and able to listen, provide support and understanding, and answer questions without judgment. Askable adults encourage positive youth development so that they are empowered to reach their full potential.

The latest data from Arlington Public Schools’ Spring 2020 6th-12thGrade Student Survey reveals that only 42% of Arlington middle and high school students talk with an adult at home about what matters to them most frequently or almost always. The Askable Adult initiative aims to help adults in Arlington step into that role.

The Arlington Askable Adult initiative includes the following components:

  • Ongoing Becoming More Askable workshops beginning this fall to support hands-on learning for individuals, groups, and organizations.
  • An Askable Adult mobile brochure, published by Project PEACE and its partners Second Chance and the Arlington Foundation for Families and Youth, offers strategies to strengthen skills for being askable and provides local resources to aid in the journey. The brochure is accessible in four languages (English, Spanish, Mongolian, and Amharic) and can be distributed freely to any community.
  • A website with regularly updated information, resources to enhance skills and strengthen support, and ways to become involved with the Askable Adult initiative.

The Arlington County Askable Adult initiative will launch to the public at the 2022 Arlington County Fair during the weekend of August 19-21.

About Project PEACE:
Arlington County’s Project PEACE (Partnering to End Abuse in the Community for Everyone) is a coordinated response dedicated to advancing the most effective and efficient array of education, prevention, protection, and support services to end intimate partner and sexual violence in the Arlington community.

Image via Arlington County

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
View of Rosslyn and Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Kid Steals Then Crashes Car — In Madison Manor over the weekend, a boy under the age of 18 who was known to the victim “allegedly entered into the victim’s occupied residence through an unsecured door and stole a set of car keys before entering into the victim’s vehicle and fleeing the area. The vehicle was later recovered by Fairfax County Police following a hit-and-run crash into a parked vehicle. Petitions for the juvenile suspect are pending.” [ACPD]

VT Hoops Event in Clarendon — “The Northern Virginia Hokie Club and Virginia Tech Athletics have partnered to host a premier preseason event – Hokie Hoops Tipoff – on Wednesday, September 14 at Don Tito, a three floor plus rooftop restaurant located in Arlington, Virginia. Mike Young, Tech head men’s basketball coach, and Kenny Brooks, Tech head women’s basketball coach, will headline the event, which will run 6-8 p.m.” [Virginia Tech Athletics]

New Art Exhibit in Va. Square — “The Arlington Arts Center currently is hosting an exhibition – ‘New Visions/Vibrant Memories’ – in which five artists use their photography and painting skills to express their diverse views of the community. The exhibition runs through Sept. 5, and features work by Simone Agoussoye, Doug Ball, Hasnain Bhatti, Courtney Nguyen and Will Salha. The artists all have studios as part of the Art Studios @ ARC3409, two blocks from the arts center.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Tuesday — Possible light rain in the morning, then clearing throughout the day. High of 79 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:25 am and sunset at 8:04 pm. [Weather.gov]

NEW: Police investigating gunshots fired in Green Valley

By ARLnow.com
Scene of shots fired call (via Google Maps)

Arlington County police are investigating gunfire in the Green Valley neighborhood this morning.

Initial reports suggest that someone in a gray vehicle fired several gunshots near the intersection of S. Kenmore Street and 23rd Street S. before fleeing the scene.

So far, there are no reports of anyone being struck by the gunfire, though police found at least one shell casing.

Officers remain on scene investigating.

Map via Google Maps

Monkeypox vaccination effort continues as Covid emergency declaration ends

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington as of 8/15/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

The rate of reported Covid cases continues to slowly fall in Arlington, while the number of monkeypox cases slowly rises.

The local seven-day moving average of new Covid cases is now 83 cases per day, down nearly 60% since Memorial Day, according to the latest Virginia Dept. of Health data. Separate data from the CDC suggests that hospitalizations have risen over the past week, from 6.6 per 100,000 residents per week to 8.4.

The county, meanwhile, saw about one new monkeypox case per day over the past week. All seven new cases since last Monday — Arlington has reported a total of 39 cases since the start of the monkeypox outbreak — are among male patients, according to VDH data.

Arlington’s health department says its monkeypox vaccination effort is continuing, with nearly 700 vaccine doses administered as of this past Thursday.

From a county press release:

The Arlington County Public Health Division (ACPHD) continues to respond to the ongoing spread of the monkeypox virus and is working with community partners to ensure those who have been exposed or are at highest risk of exposure to monkeypox receive a vaccination.

ACPHD continues to provide monkeypox vaccine to close contacts of known cases and those at increased risk of exposure to reduce their chances of developing monkeypox. ACPHD has been offering the vaccine since late June and is currently operating clinics by appointment only six days a week. As of Aug. 11, 2022, ACPHD has administered 699 total doses of monkeypox vaccine.

Vaccine appointment invitations are being extended to those who have completed the Monkeypox Vaccine Interest Survey (open to all Virginia residents) AND meet the eligibility criteria. As new vaccine shipments arrive, ACPHD will issue new appointment invitations. The eligibility criteria may change as the outbreak evolves and based on vaccine supply.

Vaccine supply remains limited nationwide. ACPHD has been working with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), which authorizes the priority groups for the monkeypox vaccine and allocates vaccine doses to local health districts.

On the Covid front, Arlington County is ending its local emergency declaration today, as planned. The nearly two-and-a-half year-long state of emergency gave county leaders greater powers to respond to the pandemic.

From a county press release this morning:

The Local Emergency for Arlington County, originally declared in response to the public health threat posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), ends on Aug. 15, 2022.

The declaration, which went into effect on March 13, 2020, was established to assist in the response and recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It allowed the County to shift to virtual operations, including online permitting, appointments, remote inspections, County Board and Commission meetings, as well as public comment.

“The declaration has been an important tool offering the flexibility needed to better serve our residents, businesses, and visitors,” said County Manager Mark Schwartz. “The added authorities under an emergency, such as the ability to alter procurement, hiring and zoning rules has served us well.  However, as we have learned to cope with a pandemic that will be with us for many months to come the need for these emergency authorities has dwindled.”

Many of the new tools, strategies, and approaches borne out of the pandemic will continue as the County moves beyond the local emergency declaration

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