News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Falls views in Cherrydale (photo courtesy Geoff Collins)

Arlington Named Most Educated — “Arlington, Virginia, is billed as the most educated city in the U.S., in a Forbes analysis, thanks to 76% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor’s degree. Forbes factored in college degrees, in addition to dropout rates and racial and gender inequalities, when determining the list. Nearly 42% of Arlington residents hold a graduate degree.” [Axios]

Pepper Spray in Pentagon City — “The female suspect entered the business, collected merchandise and attempted to exit without payment, during which security personnel confronted her. A struggle ensued over the merchandise and the suspect threatened security before leaving the store with the items. Security followed the suspect into the parking garage where the suspect deployed pepper spray at security before fleeing the scene in a black sedan.” [ACPD]

Balls to Get Stones Back — “The remains of Robert Ball Sr. and some family members will be reunited with their grave markers after two years spent apart. The Arlington government’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) on Oct. 18 approved plans to return the markers to the small Ballston-area burial ground, after the gravestones were removed during construction of a new affordable-housing complex that is rising where Central United Methodist Church once stood.” [Gazette Leader]

Rouse Estate Development Update — “Cresting one of the largest hills in Arlington, Va., the Grove at Dominion Hills, on Wilson Boulevard, has sites for 40 single-family houses on nine acres. The Grove opened for sales in September with a focus on quick move-in homes. Eight of them are available, with the first expected to be ready for delivery in early 2024. An additional seven sites are available for purchase and development.” [Washington Post]

Grant for Historic District Bid — “In a major boost to its effort to get the Halls Hill-High View Park neighborhood added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places, the John M. Langston Citizens Association was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Arlington County Historic Preservation Fund.” [Patch]

Fmr. Board Member at White House — “The Biden-Harris administration welcomed guests with cultural performances and food from local businesses… Many in attendance were from the D.C. region: residents, business owners, and longtime advocates – like Walter Tejada, who served on Virginia’s Arlington County Board from 2003 to 2015. ‘We need to have a seat where the decisions are made for the benefit of our community,’ says Tejada, who is also a coordinator for the White House event.” [DCist]

It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high around 81, accompanied by a gentle west wind at 3 to 6 mph. As night approaches, the sky will be partly cloudy, and the temperature will drop to approximately 62. [Weather.gov]

Early voting picks up with November election less than two weeks away

By Jo DeVoe
Voting in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Early voting is picking up speed in Arlington while Arlington County Board candidates focus on Missing Middle and taxes.

The general election on Nov. 7 is less than two weeks away and at this point, far more people are voting early in person this year compared to 2019, the last election year without gubernatorial or presidential races.

More than 4,700 mailed ballots have been returned, leaving around 9,000 still outstanding, while some 3,000 people have already hit the polls, per Arlington’s voter turnout dashboard. Early in-person voting appears to have picked up this week with the election drawing nearer and after polling places opened Tuesday at Madison and Walter Reed community centers.

Early in-person voting in Arlington in 2019 and 2023 (via Arlington County)

As Election Day looms nearer, Arlington County Board candidates have focused on few key local issues and the importance of voting, generally.

Republican Juan Carlos Fierro weighed in after a judge ruled residents have standing to sue the county for its Missing Middle ordinances.

“One of the reasons I entered this campaign for the County Board is because of my concern that the existing County Board was ramrodding Missing Middle without considering the views of most citizens, and for not conducting adequate development impact analysis,” Fierro said in a statement.

If elected, he said he will question all projects that increase density without considering negative impacts and respect that homeowners “do have in fact ‘standing’ to challenge the County’s development policies.”

Not enough study of potential impacts is one of the charges the residents who sued levied against the county. Arlington County did hear from many residents about a myriad concerns while deliberating the zoning changes and, after a three-phase study that included a financial analysis, the county determined impacts would be “manageable because the pace of change will be gradual and incremental.”

“While the Judge’s ruling is a positive step to either repeal or modify Missing Middle, it underscores the fact that the County’s public engagement process is not very democratic,” he continued. “The Judge admonished the County Attorney for stating that the lawsuit was a ‘subversion of our democratic process.’ The County Attorney’s comment illustrates the lack of understanding by the County on what is true public engagement.”

Repeat independent candidate Audrey Clement, meanwhile, is focused on lowering taxes and convincing residents not to vote for a straight Democratic ticket.

In a recent email newsletter, she noted Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey discussed a possible tax increase next year during this month’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting.

“ACDC is confident that it can quell any taxpayer revolt by simply passing out the Democratic Party Blue Ballot at the polls on Election Day,” Clement said. “When voters refuse to hold their elected officials accountable at the ballot box by blindly voting the Blue Ballot, excessive taxation is the result.”

She urged readers to “turn this situation around” by voting for fiscal conservatives such as herself and Fierro. Together, she says, they will also revisit Missing Middle ordinances, emphasize basic services and reduce the office vacancy rate.

The two appear to have formed an informal alternative joint ticket to Democratic nominees Maureen Coffey and Susan Cunningham, to fill the seats vacated by now-former Board member Katie Cristol and being vacated by Dorsey.

(more…)

VRE mulls Saturday service and free fare for kids in a bid to attract non-commuters

By Jo DeVoe
A Virginia Railway Express train heads south through Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Virginia Railway Express is considering introducing Saturday service and making fares free for children.

The former would result in three round-trip trains on the lines connecting Arlington, from its Crystal City station, to Manassas and Fredericksburg. Service would head northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoons and evenings.

Adding Saturday service is part of a bid to increase ridership on the rail by moving beyond mostly serving commuters from ex-urban counties headed to D.C.’s urban core. Average daily ridership has surpassed 6,000 and is ticking up but is far from the agency’s 2024 goal of 10,000 average daily riders. Still, looking from January 2022 to this January, VRE saw a whopping 114% growth, which Greater Greater Washington reports trumps all other commuter or regional rail systems.

“We’re moving into an all-week service for our trains,” County Board member Takis Karantonis said during a meeting last Tuesday. “Like every other major, mature metropolitan area, this kind of train service should be growing and graduating out of its mere commuter function into a real regional connector.”

Local transit advocacy group, Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County, or SusMo, also celebrates the changes for making the train more useful to Arlingtonians. County residents make up such a small fraction of riders that they are lumped in with Alexandrians and “other” riders in VRE ridership surveys, per the rail’s 2024 budget.

“This begins the process of making VRE useful for more than just commuting,” SusMo says on its website. “Arlingtonians could use VRE to safely and sustainably [take] a day-trip to Fredericksburg breweries, a flight lesson at Manassas Regional Airport, exploring historic Old Town Manassas, and more.”

VRE intends to add these routes without spending extra money by relying on smaller trains that need fewer conductors, Karantonis said. The new routes are included in the proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which will see a total of $18.3 million in contributions from VRE’s supporting jurisdictions: Arlington, the cities of Alexandria, Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg, and Fairfax, Stafford, Spotsylvania and Prince William counties.

The proposed budget also includes a 5% increase to base fares and free rides for those under 18. Karantonis celebrated the free rides as “an opening to youth travel and families” while the fare hike could boost revenue by $1 million while possibly driving away 100 daily riders.

Multi-ride tickets will maintain the same discount structure and the current $5 fare for short-distance travel — between Union Station in D.C. and Springfield — would be made permanent. The seven-day pass, use of which plunged after the rise of remote work, would be eliminated, he said.

SusMo says these changes are much needed.

“We think this simplification is a positive step forward and VRE’s first fare increase in several years is appropriate given the cost inflation we have seen in recent years,” it said.

As for ridership, Karantonis acknowledged some Arlington bus routes ferry more than the 6,000 average daily riders VRE sees. He said the county “should really think very hard about how we can improve” the number of average daily riders. One way, he mused, could be by advertising its ease and affordability compared to driving on I-95.

“Congestion on I-95, the competing infrastructure, is completely impossible,” he said. “The cost of driving on I-95 is absolutely intimidating for a lot of people and it has been going up continuously over time.”

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Sunset along Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Passenger Growth at DCA — “Dulles inched ahead of National by about 100,000 passengers for August – 1.19 million vs. 1.09 million – according to authority officials. Both are up from 2022 but it was Dulles that saw a major increase compared to 2019 (up 20.3% vs. 2.4% at National). Part of the challenge for National remains FAA restrictions on service in the New York City area.” [Gazette Leader]

Police Investigate Teen Mob Assault — “The juvenile male victim was walking in the area when he was approached by three juvenile male suspects, one of which he’d been in an ongoing dispute with. Suspect One brandished a knife while Suspect Two pushed him and threw rocks at him and Suspect Three made threatening statements towards the victim. The suspects fled the scene on foot.” [ACPD]

Lubber Run Time Capsule — “What do (a) a Ross Perot button from one of his presidential campaigns, (b) a Washington Post edition from the first day of the 21st century and (c) a Guy Lombardo LP album all have in common? …All three were among the items deposited for inclusion in a time capsule that, once the Arlington County government signs off on the paperwork, will be buried on the grounds of Lubber Run Community Center, ready to be opened 20 years hence in the fall of 2043.” [Gazette Leader]

Local Day of the Dead Event — “A giant hand-crafted altar will be a major new highlight at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Arlington’s long-running Dia de los Muertos celebration. Happening Nov. 1 from 5-8 p.m., the event is free and open to the public. Visitors are invited to take part by adding their own photos or mementos of loved ones who have died. But the mood will be more festive than somber.” [Arlington Magazine, Event Calendar]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine and a high near 78 degrees alongside a light southwest wind during the day. As for Thursday night, skies will become partly cloudy, with the temperature lowering to around 58 degrees and a southwest wind blowing at approximately 6 mph. [Weather.gov]

Final building in the Red Top Cab redevelopment in Clarendon wraps up months ahead of schedule

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

The third and final building in the long-awaited Red Top Cab redevelopment in Clarendon is complete — ahead of schedule.

The building comprises the second of two phases for the “Clarendon West” project by Arlington-based Shooshan Company and its partner, Trammell Crow Residential, or TCR. The Arlington County Board approved the overall project, replacing the old Red Top Cab headquarters and dispatch center, and two small commercial buildings, in 2015.

The new building has been christened by its ownership with a regal name.

“Alexan Fitzroy is TCR’s second Class A high-rise in Clarendon, which underscores our commitment to building high-quality housing in the [Rosslyn-Ballston] corridor,” TCR Mid-Atlantic Region Managing Director Matt Hard said. “We are excited to get leasing underway and could not be more thrilled with the collaboration and performance of our design and construction team members.”

The 269-unit LEED Gold-certified building is at the corner of Washington Blvd and 13th Street N. When construction kicked off at the start of 2022, the building was projected to open either late this year or early next year.

Work progressed quickly, says TCR Vice President of Development Adam Stone, because both phases used the same general contractor, architecture firm, civil engineers, landscape architects and interior designers.

This “allowed us to complete the second phase more efficiently,” he tells ARLnow, adding that the team avoided significant unforeseen issues and setbacks during construction.

“Overall, the majority of the credit is due to the great team that has been working with us for over five years now between both phases,” he said.

The apartment building was about 15% pre-leased when it opened last week and leasing activity has increased since the start of in-person tours, says Stone.

He highlighted the slate of amenities for new and potential residents.

Inside, there are two lounge areas with bars — one with billiards — as well as work remotely from conference spaces, Zoom rooms and private meeting rooms. For wellness, the building has a fitness center and pet spa.

Outside, both the main level and the rooftop have fire pits, grills and places for outdoor dining seating, while the rooftop also has a pool.

As part of the project, the developer completed a new sidewalk around the building and extended 12th Street N. from N. Irving Street to Washington Blvd.

Nearby, Arlington County redesigned the intersection of Washington Blvd and 13th Street N. and made other public improvements recommended by the Clarendon Sector Plan. The county turned the triangular-shaped intersection into a more conventional “T” intersection, moved utilities underground, revamped sidewalks and made accessibility upgrades. It is also providing public open space for a future park at the intersection.

“The project is near completion with landscaping scheduled for Nov. 14,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien said.

The first phase, comprised of two buildings with a total of 333 apartment units on N. Hudson Street and 13th Street N., was completed in the spring 0f 2021. Construction broke ground on the pair of buildings in March of 2019 and the complex, dubbed The Earl Apartments, was sold to another property owner last July.

TCR does not have plans to sell the Alexan Fitzroy at this time, Stone said.

Gov. Youngkin courts Hispanic voters in Pentagon City ahead of November election

By James Jarvis
1/4

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin swung by the new Peruvian Brothers restaurant in Pentagon City yesterday to sizzle some lomo saltado and rally support from the Hispanic community.

The Tuesday afternoon visit came ahead of the pivotal November election, with control of the Virginia legislature in the balance. Youngkin wasted no time getting behind the grill of the fast-casual Peruvian eatery, which opened earlier this month on the ground floor of the Amazon’s HQ2.

Almost as soon as he was escorted in by co-owner Giuseppe Lanzone, he donned an apron and started cooking. The governor then took a moment to celebrate Giuseppe and his brother Mario for successfully opening their second brick-and-mortar establishment.

Peruvian Brothers started out as an Alexandria-based food truck and catering business and has since expanded into D.C. and Arlington.

“As governor, it’s really important to me that we have a pro-small business environment so that, when entrepreneurial brothers want to start a restaurant, they do it in Virginia,” Youngkin said, speaking to a mix of locals, campaign aides and Peruvian Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez.

The Republican governor also highlighted the importance of Virginia’s Latino population.

“I want to emphasize how important the Latino community is to Virginia. It is such a vibrant and important part of our Virginia, and to have so many Peruvian Virginians makes Virginia better,” he said.

Wrapping up the event, Youngkin urged attendees to cast their ballots in the upcoming election. The governor has been campaigning across the state for Republicans seeking local office and urging people to “vote early.”

“I want to encourage everyone, please, as we’re in the election season, go vote,” he said. “One of the important parts of being a Virginian is to cast your ballots and to participate in our democracy.”

After the Pentagon City stop Youngkin visited the Eden Center, just across the Arlington border in Falls Church, to meet with members of the local Asian-American community.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Wilson Blvd in Ballston, as seen from the pedestrian bridge (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Shirlington Development Proposal — “The longtime owner of a Shirlington apartment building is looking to expand with new infill development on the property. Arlington real estate firm Snell Properties filed a conceptual site plan application Oct. 23 with Arlington’s planning department to develop a midrise multifamily building and stacked townhouses at the Shirlington House apartments.” [Washington Business Journal]

Arson Investigation in Glencarlyn — “The Arlington County Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating a possible Arson that occurred on 10/21/23 between the hours of 2am – 3:30am in the 5900 block of 3rd St S. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lt. R. Murphy at 703-203-7289.” [Twitter]

More State Education Funding — “County School Board members on Oct. 26 are being asked to update the school system’s budget to account for just under $4.8 million in additional state funding. That is Arlington’s share of the statewide total that was approved during a special session of the General Assembly.” [Gazette Leader]

Arlington Lauded for Energy Savings — “The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recognized Arlington for achieving (and exceeding) its energy savings goal in the Better Buildings Challenge. The Challenge aims to cut energy use across participants’ facilities by 20% as part of the DOE Better Buildings Initiative.” [Arlington County]

Library Book Sale Approaching — “The Friends of Arlington Public Library is making preparations for its fall book sale at Arlington Central Library, where thousands of books, games and puzzles will be for sale. The book sale will take place Friday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 29 in the parking garage at the Central Library at 1015 N. Quincy Street.” [Patch]

YHS Field Hockey Wins Tourney — “In addition to winning a third straight Liberty District girls field hockey tournament title, the Yorktown Patriots’ dominance over those high-school opponents during the three-year run is impressive. Top-seed Yorktown (15-1) won the 2023 tourney crown with a 2-0 record, including a 1-0 home victory over the No. 2 seed Langley Saxons in the Oct. 20 championship game.” [Gazette Leader]

Breaking Baby News — From ARLnow Assistant Managing Editor Jo DeVoe: “Our family is growing! James does not understand what’s going on, yet, but he has until late this March to figure it out.” [Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of around 74 degrees. A south wind of 6 to 9 mph can be expected. Tonight, the sky will become partly cloudy and temperatures will drop to a low of around 51. [Weather.gov]

CDC director visits Arlington Free Clinic to promote vaccines during flu season

By James Jarvis
1/4

As flu season ramps up, the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stopped by the Arlington Free Clinic today to rally the healthcare troops.

Dr. Mandy Cohen stopped in Arlington on Tuesday as part of a nationwide tour aimed at boosting vaccinations for Covid and other illnesses, including the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), while reminding healthcare workers why it is crucial to urge patients to get their vaccinations.

“We know that folks are tired of all things Covid and vaccines and the whole thing,” she told a room full of nurses and staff Tuesday. “So, you need to bring the extra energy this season to make sure that folks know how important it is to still get vaccines, to still get protected. We don’t want fatigue to be the reason that folks aren’t protected.”

The visit also coincided with a clinic vaccination event in which 75 of the clinic’s more than 1,300 patients — all of whom are uninsured — rolled up their sleeves for Covid, RSV and flu shots.

Many live in the 22204 zip code, which is where the clinic is located and which has “one of the largest populations of uninsured people in the county,” Arlington Free Clinic Director of Clinical Services Surekha Cohen told ARLnow.

During her remarks, the CDC director cautioned that the effectiveness of previous vaccines can wane as the virus evolves, though nearly 97% of the U.S. population currently has some level of immunity to Covid — either from past infections or vaccinations.

“I think everyone is wishing Covid would be gone but it is still here with us. Unfortunately, the virus has changed and your protection from past vaccines has decreased over time. So, it’s really important to get your updated Covid vaccine and your flu shot,” Dr. Mandy Cohen told ARLnow.

As of Tuesday, about 30% of Arlington’s resident population is up to date on its Covid vaccinations, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health (VDH).

Cohen says the U.S. is already starting to see a steady uptick in both cases and deaths.

“We went through a summer wave where we had 30,000 to 40,000 people in the hospital per week in the United States,” she said, adding that Virginia saw 295 Covid-related deaths in just the last three months.

Arlington experienced a brief spike in Covid cases last month, but the numbers have started to trend down from the summer high, per VDH data. As of today, the state health department is reporting a seven-day average of a little more than seven daily cases in the county.

This past week there were 71 Covid-related hospital admissions across Arlington, according to CDC data.

Covid cases in Arlington over the past three months, as of Oct. 24, 2023 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Although the numbers have dipped, Cohen noted the use of at-home rapid tests may mask Virginia’s actual number of cases.

That is because Covid cases are not being reported to health departments as consistently as earlier in the pandemic, in part due to the availability of at-home tests.

She argued it is essential for older adults and children to stay on their guard in case Covid and other types of respiratory diseases, including RSV, start to surge again this winter.

“There were a lot of babies who were in the hospital last year with RSV, so we definitely want to protect our babies with the tools that we have,” Cohen told the room full of Arlington Free Clinic staff.

“But it starts with you all protecting yourselves right and your families,” she continued. “So, make sure that you’re getting vaccinated so you can be your your best and healthiest selves as you work hard for the community.”

Secretary Blinken inaugurates new facility at State Dept. training center in Arlington

By James Jarvis
1/7

(Updated 10/26/23) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken inaugurated a 200,000-square-foot building at the Arlington-based National Foreign Affairs Training Center yesterday.

The $121.2 million, federally funded facility, dubbed “Building B,” opened in 2022. It aims to expand the training center’s capacity, which has seen a surge in recruitment over the last two years, according to State Department officials.

“Building B has vastly increased the Foreign Service Institute’s workspace, creating hundreds of new areas where students and instructors can come together for classes, breakout sessions, large format meetings,” Blinken said during the dedication ceremony on Monday.

Located on S. George Mason Drive in the Alcova Heights neighborhood, the training center is the primary training ground for U.S. diplomats and foreign affairs professionals, offering courses in languages and international relations.

Since 2020, the student body has increased by nearly 30%, said Joan Polaschik, the director of the Foreign Service Institute.

“We are engaged in the largest hiring surge in more than a decade,” she told ARLnow following the ceremony.

This surge forced the training center to use State Department offices in Rosslyn to accommodate the overflow of students, according to FSI.

The State Department has seven other buildings in Arlington, home to bureaus such as Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Inspector General. More than 5,000 full-time employees and contractors work across these offices.

The new Building B, which serves a total of 3,679 in-person and online students, should alleviate this overflow issue, according to FSI. The campus has seen its daily in-person student capacity increase by 25%, going from 650 to 1,100.

Building B is home to FSI, the Consular Training Division, School of Professional and Area Studies and Leadership and Management School.

“The new Building B will eliminate the need for both of these spaces in Rosslyn and consolidate language studies in one place — our Arlington campus,” the FSI spokesman said.

Other planned expansion efforts resulted in the closure of a walking trail, despite efforts from some residents to save it, though these were unrelated to Building B, the spokesman later clarified. Plans for Building B were approved in 2020.

During his remarks, Blinken — who lives in Arlington — said the new building serves as a much-needed asset, amid growing tensions between the United States and other global superpowers, such as Russia and China, as well as conflicts in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.

“It is essential that we empower our workforce with the skills and training that they need to operate in a crisis like this and to meet any challenge that comes our way,” he said. “So today, I’m really happy to mark the significant step forward toward that mission.”

Police investigating armed robberies in Crystal City and Lyon Park

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Arlington County police are investigating a pair of armed robberies over the weekend.

One happened Friday night in the Crystal City area, about a block from the Metro station, while the other happened early Sunday morning in Lyon Park.

From the latest ACPD crime report:

ROBBERY, 2023-10210255, 500 block of 18th Street S. At approximately 10:17 p.m. on October 21, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were walking in the area when they were approached by the two unknown male suspects during which the suspects brandished a firearm and demanded their belongings. The suspects stole one victim’s purse before fleeing the scene on foot. A lookout was broadcast and officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results.  During the course of the investigation, the victim’s belongings were recovered in the area. Suspect One is described as a skinny-build Black male, approximately 5’8” with short dreadlocks wearing all dark clothing. Suspect Two is described as a heavy-set Black male, approximately 5’8” wearing a ski mask and dark clothing. No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2023-10220053, N. Barton Street at 9th Street N. At approximately 4:40 a.m. on October 22, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was walking in the area when four unknown male suspects exited the suspect vehicle, two suspects brandished firearms and demanded the victim’s belongings. The suspects stole the victim’s cellphone, wallet and keys before reentering the suspect vehicle and fleeing the area. No injuries were reported.

Also in the crime report, a 37-year-old Arlington woman has been arrested after allegedly slashing a man with a knife during a dispute.

The incident happened Saturday night in the Glencarlyn neighborhood. Police say the man suffered serious injuries.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-10210197, 300 block of S. Illinois Street. At approximately 7:07 p.m. on October 21, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with a weapon. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim and female suspect were involved in a verbal dispute during which the suspect allegedly brandished a knife and struck the victim, causing a laceration. Responding officers located the suspect and victim in the area of 5th Road S. and S. Kensington Street and immediately rendered medical aid to the victim. Medics transported the victim to an area hospital with serious, non-life threatening injuries. [The suspect], 37, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding.

Additionally, police are investigating gunshots early Monday morning in the Green Valley neighborhood. One local resident had a bullet go through the window of their home.

MISSILE INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING, 2023-10230013, 2200 block of S. Garfield Street. At approximately 12:50 a.m. on October 23, police were dispatched to the report of a shots heard. Upon arrival, it was determined at approximately 12:30 a.m., the victim was inside his residence when he was awoken to noise and upon further investigation, observed a broken window with an apparent bullet hole. Responding officers canvassed the area, recovered evidence confirming shots had been fired in the area and located a vehicle with property damage. No injuries were reported. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A scooter along 11th St. N. in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Church Makes Another Donation — “Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) has received a $200,000 philanthropic gift from the congregation of Arlington Presbyterian Church (APC). The funding supports the ongoing rent relief needs of up to 30 households at Gilliam Place Apartments experiencing continued housing instability for a period of two years. This is APC’s second leadership gift of this size in 2023 for rent relief.” [Press Release]

Real Estate Pros Discuss Missing Middle — “‘You can have a person making a really good six-figure income yet not be able to afford Arlington because the properties are not available [or] they’re either way too high,’ he said. The construction of new Missing Middle-style housing types allows these six-figure income earners to purchase a home where their family can live, Lagos said.” [Patch]

Halloween-Themed Drag Events — A “Spooky Queens Drag Show” is planned in Rosslyn’s Gateway Park on Thursday evening, while a Ballston restaurant is hosting a “HallowQueen Drag Brunch” on Saturday. [District Fray, Eventbrite]

Interim Board Member at Halfway Point — “As her five-month tenure on the Arlington County Board reaches the halfway mark, Tannia Talento is living in the moment rather than focusing too much on the past or the future.” [Gazette Leader]

Big Football Win for W-L — “Sparked by a physical and strong defensive performance, the Washington-Liberty Generals won a key Liberty District football game Oct. 20, defeating the host McLean Highlanders in a matchup between high school teams tied for first place. Washington-Liberty won 21-7, shutting out McLean until the fourth quarter.” [Gazette Leader]

VSP Chases CRV Fleeing from ACPD — From Dave Statter: “A stolen Honda CRV jumped the median while running from @VSPPIO just after midnight at Route 7 & Idylwood Road. A half mile down Idylwood the driver ran off after colliding with another vehicle. There were injuries. This began when the CRV didn’t stop for @ArlingtonVaPD on I-66W and VSP gave chase.” [Twitter]

Ivy Street Ink — “A recently spotted tattoo (and its proud owner). South Ivy Street rocks.” [Columbia Pike Documentary Project]

It’s Tuesday — Frost is possible and expected to clear before 10am, leading to a sunny day with a high around 67 degrees. Calm winds will pick up to 5-8 mph from the south in the morning. Tuesday night will be clear with a low near 47 degrees and a gentle 6 mph south wind. [Weather.gov]

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