News

Animal Welfare League Reports Fourth Recent Dog Abandonment Case

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 5:10 p.m.) The Animal Welfare League of Arlington says it has taken in the fourth abandoned dog in a month.

In the latest incident, a dog was found abandoned in a crate in the Ashton Heights neighborhood, at the intersection of 6th Street N. and N. Jackson Street. The dog was “in poor condition” and AWLA is now asking for the public’s help in locating its owner.

A similar dog abandonment happened about a week prior in the Arlington Mill neighborhood, though the incidents are all believed to be unrelated. A spokeswoman said the recent spate of abandonments is “very unusual.”

“We normally see about 2-5 per year, mostly commonly left behind in a residence after eviction,” said AWLA’s Chelsea Jones. “So on top of this being a much higher number than we typically see, it’s also an unusual manner of abandonment.”

The league says that hardship related to the pandemic may be causing desperate situations for some pet owners. AWLA is encouraging those with no where else to turn to contact them for help.

More from the animal welfare league:

On October 1st of this year, we took in the fourth abandoned dog we have responded to in a month. Our Animal Control team received a call from a concerned resident who found a dog in poor condition abandoned in a crate at 6th St N and N Jackson St in Arlington. Officer Byrnes immediately brought the dog to the shelter, and the rest of the team canvassed the area but was unable to find an owner or any involved persons. If you recognize this dog, please call our Animal Control team at (703) 931-9241.

Our staff has decided to call this sweet girl Willow. The dog that was abandoned the week before has been named Charleston. These dogs are two of four abandonment cases we have responded to recently, and while we know that hearing about these cases can be upsetting, even angering, we would like to ask our supporters to help us send a message of support to pet owners who may be struggling in these extremely difficult times.

We are very aware that as the pandemic goes on, more and more people are going to struggle to pay their expenses and care for their families. We are also aware that many people don’t know that there is help available to them when it comes to their pets or worry that if they surrender a pet to a shelter they will be judged, or have to pay a fee they cannot afford. We need your help to remind every member of our community that we are here to help. AWLA can provide food, supplies, vaccinations, and more to pet owners in need. We are here as a judgement-free organization to talk about any issues pet owners may be having.

Please do not hesitate to reach out for a helping hand. We are always available.

New Affordable Housing Project in Buckingham Breaks Ground

By Jo DeVoe
1/7

The empty Red Cross building (4333 Arlington Blvd) in Buckingham will come down in a few weeks to make way for a new apartment building called The Cadence.

The building, developed by Wesley Housing Development Corporation, will have 97 units, all set aside for low- and moderate-income households. It is part of a complex that includes 19 nearly complete market-rate townhouses a stone’s throw away.

Local officials, project financiers and construction company representatives gathered for a socially distanced groundbreaking on Tuesday afternoon at the site in Buckingham. The event also commemorated renovations that will begin next year on the neighboring complexes, Whitefield Commons and Knightsbridge apartments, which Wesley also operates for low-income residents.

“The cadence that we set has changed tempo a few times, from where we were to where we are going, but we’re still moving ahead and at this point, we see no reason that we won’t stick the rest of the schedule going forward,” quipped Shelley Murphy, President and CEO of Wesley Housing.

Mark Weisner, the president of Bozzuto Construction Company, which is building The Cadence apartment building, said his company has “a lot of work to do in the next 24 months,” when the building is set to open its doors to renters.

Wesley’s presence in Northern Virginia continues to grow, as well as its staff. The nonprofit owns and operates 2,000 affordable housing units across the region, with about 690 units located in Arlington, including a mixed-income apartment building in Rosslyn that opened in 2017. The company also provides services and programs to residents.

Libby Garvey, the chair of the Arlington County Board, said this groundbreaking is an important milestone for the county, which — like every in-demand urban area — struggles to maintain affordable housing when wealthy families also desire to move in.

“Healthy communities provide work and housing opportunities for all levels of the social and economic spectrum,” Garvey said. “The pandemic has shown clearly how important housing is to everyone’s health.”

Murphy said the moderate-income units and market-rate townhouses in The Cadence make good on a promise that Wesley made to the community to bring more income diversity to Buckingham, which has a significant number of affordable housing units already.

“We want to make sure we are helping Arlington County build neighborhoods of opportunity,” she said.

Knightsbridge and Whitefield Commons provide “extremely deep affordability” for families with an average income of less than $20,000 and $30,000 a year, respectively, she said. The Cadence will cater to families of four who earn between $62,000 and $80,000 a year.

Wesley also promised to preserve the Whitefield Commons — which was built in 1943 and formerly known as the Windsor Apartments — and to encourage residents to seek transportation alternatives to cars. The developer faced some opposition from neighbors, who said Buckingham’s percentage of affordable housing units is much higher compared to other neighborhoods.

The project has received state and county funding, loans and tax credits. Additional funding comes from Wesley selling the land for the townhouses to Tysons-based home builder Madison Homes.

Hotel Near Rosslyn Has Closed, Ahead of Apartment Conversion

By ARLnow.com
1/3

The Virginian Suites hotel at 1500 Arlington Blvd, near Rosslyn, has closed.

Earlier this week workers could be seen hauling furniture out of the building, which is located on the southern side of Route 50, a couple of blocks from the Iwo Jima memorial. A sign on the door said the building is under new management.

The plan is to renovate the building and convert it back into apartments, according to Bernstein Management Corporation.

The company said last month on its website that 1500 Arlington Blvd will be reopened “as value-oriented multifamily rental apartments with amenities to include a lobby lounge, an amenity floor with fitness options and co-working, and an outdoor patio with grills and fire pit.”

“Unit interiors will undergo kitchen renovations, and receive new lighting, flooring, closet organizers and paint,” the company said. “The property is approximately 1/2 a mile from the Washington D.C. line. Its proximity to the Rosslyn Metro station, national employers, multiple universities, dining, and entertainment options makes it a promising acquisition and attractive place to live for those looking for amenities, sustainability, technology and a compelling value given the location.”

The ten-story tower was originally an apartment building after it was completed in 1951. It was later converted into a suite-style hotel.

Bernstein Management Corporation says it now owns a 50% interest in the building. The family behind the D.C.-based residential and commercial property operator just announced a $12 million charitable pledge to local organizations that champion “the arts, racial equality, and a brighter future.”

It’s unclear how long the renovations will take and when the new apartments will be available for lease. Reached by ARLnow, a spokeswoman for the company did not have any other details to share.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Gold’s to Open Outdoor Workout Space — “Gym goers in Arlington, Virginia, will soon take spin classes on an open air training terrace instead of peddling away indoors. Gold’s Gym will open a turf-covered outdoor promenade for classes and training sessions at a new location that’s set to open over the Rosslyn Metro station in early 2021.” [NBC 4]

Beyer Blasts Trump Stimulus Decision — Before the president seemingly reversed his reversal, Rep. Don Beyer said in a statement: “President Trump’s stunning reversal on stimulus negotiations could not have come at a worse time. Just as a bipartisan deal to support American families, boost the economy, and fight the pandemic seemed increasingly promising, the President made the bewildering decision to walk away from talks completely.” [Press Release]

Sexual Assault on Silver Line — “An attacker tried to rape a woman Tuesday on a Metro train in Northern Virginia, the transit system said. The attack occurred about 11:35 a.m. on a Silver Line train between the McLean and East Falls Church stations, Metro said.” [Washington Post]

Water Work in Rock Spring — “Emergency Water Main Break: 4953 Little Falls Rd. Crews have been dispatched to the location. Little Falls Rd b/w Old Dominion and N Columbus St will be closed until about 12pm on 8/7.” [Twitter]

Arlington Man Attempting Major Feat — “Ashley set a goal of being the first kidney donor to complete the seven summits — climbing to the highest point in every continent. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, but his goal remains on pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on travel.” [RunWashington]

Local Events for Domestic Violence Awareness — “October 1 marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month… In moving our awareness into action, Project PEACE is partnering with Northern Virginia regional domestic violence agencies to #PowerUpNoVA with free awareness and educational opportunities that spotlight less commonly recognized forms of abuse.” [Arlington County]

Update on Northam’s Symptoms — “Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said this week that he has developed ‘mild’ symptoms of covid-19 more than a week after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, but he is continuing to conduct business remotely. ‘I had a little bit of cold-like symptoms over the weekend and lost my sense of taste or smell, but other than that, I feel fine,’ Northam (D) said Monday.” [Washington Post]

Police Looking for Trail Groper

By ARLnow.com

A man groped a woman on a trail near Ballston Monday afternoon, according to Arlington County Police.

The incident happened on the Custis Trail around 12:30 p.m. Police say the woman was jogging when the man, who had just jogged past her, turned around and grabbed her buttocks.

More from an ACPD crime report:

SEXUAL BATTERY, 2020-10050088, N. Glebe Road at 15th Street N. At approximately 12:37 p.m. on October 5, police were dispatched to the report of a sexual assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was jogging in the area on the Custis Trail when she observed the male suspect jogging towards her. After they passed each other, the suspect turned around, approached the victim from behind and grabbed her buttocks. The suspect fled on foot prior to police arrival. The victim was not injured. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, pudgy, 5’6″-5’8″, with brown eyes, wearing a tan baseball cap, a white shirt, cargo shorts and white tennis shoes.

New Report Shows Route 1 in Crystal City as a Tree-Lined Urban Boulevard

By ARLnow.com
1/8

Route 1 through Crystal City is currently a car-oriented, exhaust-clogged asphalt canyon that’s unpleasant for pedestrians to cross or even walk along. But there’s a push for that to change.

The National Landing BID, formerly known as the Crystal City BID before Amazon came to town, has just revealed its lusher, more pedestrian-friendly vision for Route 1, complete with wide sidewalks lined with ground-floor retail and restaurants.

VDOT is currently studying the corridor and considering whether overpasses in the Crystal City area should be removed in favor of a more conventional, urban street grid. The BID’s new Reimagine Route 1 report takes that and other ideas for modernizing the corridor and turns it into a series of concept designs, complete with 3D renderings.

“The concepts presented in Reimagine Route 1 draw upon best practices in urban street design by placing people at the center of National Landing’s future,” Matt Gerber, General Manager of the Westin Crystal City and Co-Chair of the BID’s Transportation Committee, said in a statement today. “Narrow lane widths, lower design speeds, and urban intersection geometries ensure that the autocentric mistakes of the past will not be replicated in the development of the corridor’s new and distinctly community-focused identity.”

The BID’s vision for turning Route 1 — also known as Richmond Highway — from a commuter route into an “iconic corridor serving a thriving urban neighborhood” draws comparisons to main routes in other major cities.

The report includes photos of Octavia Boulevard — formerly Central Freeway — in San Francisco, as well as Michigan Avenue in Chicago, which like Route 1 has three vehicle lanes in each direction.

“Also known as the Magnificent Mile, the 13-block stretch of North Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Oak Street has a similar vehicle carrying capacity as the existing Route 1 yet boasts a walkable and vibrant public realm with safe connections to transit and a well-connected street grid,” the report says.

The report is intended to start a conversation about the corridor’s long-term future, which officials may then opt to turn into action via transportation and land use changes. The overall goal is to turn the Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard neighborhoods — collectively now known as National Landing — into a cohesive urban area over time.

“Route 1 was originally designed to accommodate the auto-centric development trends of the mid-20th century, when the primary objective was to move cars through the area as quickly as possible,” the BID said in a press release. “The resulting elevated highway, super blocks, and oversized intersections divided the community for decades, inhibiting not only connectivity and access, but also the area’s ability to come together as a singular downtown district.”

Others have also been working on envisioning changes to Route 1. The Crystal City Sector Plan, approved in 2010, set a more urban vision for the community through 2040. Local civic associations, meanwhile, have recently formed a collective called Livability 22202 to discuss ideas. From an August article:

Proposed changes ranged from building storefronts or markets in the area underneath the overpasses, creating more open space where thick sandstone-colored walls now hold up the highway, and putting Route 1 underground to allow for development on top of it.

More on the Reimagine Route 1 report, from a press release, is below.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Ballston Movie Theater to Close Again — “Cineworld Group, the owner of Regal Cinemas, will suspend operations at all of its theaters in the United States and the United Kingdom beginning on Thursday. The closures will affect 45,000 employees.” [CNN, Axios]

N. Va. Trending in Right Direction — “The health department’s new pandemic metrics, updated Monday based on data through Saturday, show that the disease is currently at a ‘low burden’ level in Northern Virginia, is trending downward, and has low levels of community transmission. All other region’s of the state either have moderate or high levels of burden of the virus and community transmission.” [InsideNova]

County Joins Eviction Task Force — “Arlington has joined the Northern Virginia Eviction Prevention and Community Stability Task Force, a diverse coalition of stakeholders from the housing sector in Northern Virginia, to identify best practices to prevent evictions and stabilize households.” [Arlington County]

Greens Want Local Bag Tax — “The Arlington Green Party is pushing the Arlington County Board to enact a tax on single-use grocery bags, now that the General Assembly has given localities the permission to do so. Party members on Sept. 2 endorsed the proposal to enact a 5-cent tax on bags, and plan to present a petition to the County Board in November.” [InsideNova]

New Police Dog’s Official Photo — “FRK9 Brooks recently sat for his official department photo and gave the camera his best puppy dog eyes.” [@ArlingtonVaPD/Twitter]

More I-66 Ramp Closures — “Alternating overnight ramp closures are scheduled to occur this week on I-66 East in Arlington for final asphalt paving and striping as part of the I-66 Eastbound Widening Project.” [VDOT]

Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler

Commonwealth’s Attorney Creates Community Advisory Board

By Jo DeVoe

Arlington’s top prosecutor is seeking more community feedback.

Residents of Arlington and Falls Church are being invited to apply to join the Community Advisory Board for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

The board, consisting of seven to 10 members, will meet quarterly to provide input on criminal justice reform and public safety and serve as a liaison between the Commonwealth’s Attorney office and the public.

Board members will also provide their perspectives on how new policies could impact people with drug addictions and who experience homelessness or poverty and will be charged with informing the community of the office’s goals and objectives.

“The idea is to have a diverse representative board so that I can hear what’s going on in specific neighborhoods, what people are concerned about, what are the community’s ideas for what they’d like to see done,” said Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church.

She said she designed the board to give advice and “drill down into the issues.”

These include making the justice system more restorative rather than punitive, she said. Her office is working with the Restorative Arlington initiative to reduce punitive measures taken in schools, such as suspensions and expulsions, and the legal system, such as seeking cash bail.

Examples of restorative justice for those who commit crimes include diverting young people and people with substance-abuse or mental-health struggles from jails to government services and treatment programs, she said. For victims of crimes, she said the office has changed how it assigns prosecutors to cases so that when cases are delayed, they are no longer passed from prosecutor to prosecutor.

The board-office relationship is a two-way street, Dehghani-Tafti said. The office also has to be able to explain its actions and reasons in an environment that is not “heated and adversarial,” she said.

Dehghani-Tafti began talking about a board in January 2019 when she launched her campaign for the office, but the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent closures delayed the opening of the application from this spring to the fall.

With courts at lower capacity due to COVID-19, the office has also kept busy working with the rest of the criminal justice system to reduce the inmate population and make the county jail safer, she said.

Dehghani-Tafti said she hopes the community board’s first meeting takes place in December, although she may extend the timeline if the first round of applicants is not representative enough of the communities she serves.

“It’s a lot like hiring: You can’t just list a job posting and not push it out to people,” she said. “It takes some work.”

Those who do not join the board may also have another avenue for input. Dehghani-Tafti said she plans to host regular town hall meetings as COVID-19 conditions improve and regulations on gatherings loosen.

The application must be completed and submitted by Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 9 a.m. Further questions about the Community Advisory Board can be sent to [email protected].

ARLnow Parent Company Announces Three New Hires

By ARLnow.com

ARLnow’s parent company, Local News Now, is proud to announce three new full-time hires.

These hires, two of which are for newly-created positions, are made possible by a strong recovery in LNN’s advertising business since the depths of the pandemic-induced recession. We were further emboldened to add to our team, despite uncertainty about the economy and the pandemic, by our ARLnow Patreon community and the support provided by readers.

LNN publishes ARLnow, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in January, as well as ALXnow, Tysons Reporter and Reston Now. We also provide sales and technical services to PoPville.

The new hires will allow us to improve the breadth and depth of our local journalism, while also strengthening our increasingly-popular sponsored content offerings.

Angela Woolsey is joining us as the new Tysons Reporter editor, replacing Catherine Douglas Moran, who is now an Associate Editor at Industry Dive. Angela was formerly a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times.

Jo DeVoe is joining us as a reporter and copy editor for ARLnow and Tysons Reporter. She joins us from Hearst newspapers in Connecticut, including the Greenwich Time, where she primarily reported on education.

Carson Kohler will be joining the team on Nov. 2 as our new Content Marketing Manager, helping advertising clients maximize their sponsored content investment with us and better engage our readers. She is currently a writer with The Penny Hoarder.

Additionally, Scott Fields will be joining us as a part-time contributor, providing coverage for both our Arlington and our Fairfax County sites.

Thank you to our Northern Virginia and D.C. communities for your support and readership. We look forward to continuing to find ways to better serve you.

Ballston-Based Cybersecurity Firm Rolls Out Election Protection Service

By ARLnow.com

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups, founders, and other local technology news. Monday Properties is proudly featuring Shirlington Gateway. The new 2800 Shirlington recently delivered a brand-new lobby and upgraded fitness center. Experience a prime location and enjoy being steps from Shirlington Village. Spec suites with bright open plans and modern finishes are under construction and will deliver soon!

Election day is less than a month away, and the nation is facing a variety of cyber threats aimed at disrupting the democratic process.

It’s with that backdrop that Ballston-based “threat-intelligence-as-a-service company” GroupSense has announced a special Election Threat Protection package for state and local governments.

The company said in a press release that the package “includes a readiness assessment, pre-election preparations, and cyber threat monitoring both during and after an election.”

“This approach to election security protects city and state governments and their citizens from cyberattacks on voting technology, mis/disinformation campaigns, ransomware attacks, hacktivism, physical threats and other crimes,” the company said. “Ensuring the security and integrity of elections is an immediate and vital concern for democracies worldwide.”

GroupSense was founded in 2014 and formerly based in Crystal City. The company has received at least $1.2 million in funding, according to Crunchbase, and in July announced 65 percent year-over-year growth despite the economic downturn.

GroupSense says it has “a proven track record of providing cyber threat intelligence for elections and is trusted by some of the largest U.S. states and municipalities to identify and mitigate electoral threats.” It has a team of analysts using both human and artificial intelligence “to monitor, alert and take down cyber threats that attempt to influence elections.”

The Election Threat Protection offering is a package of the following services, according to the company.

  • Readiness Assessment – assesses the digital threat profile of the organization and the election to identify threats, adversaries, vulnerabilities and high-risk issues as well as advise on security improvements. It also includes initial threat monitoring.
  • Pre-election Preparation – includes tracking identified threat actors, identifying and monitoring disinformation and disruption campaigns, and assessing the impact and response to adversaries. It also includes any recommendations for last-minute security changes based on threat activity.
  • Election Day – includes continuous monitoring before, during, and after polls close, real-time monitoring to detect active threats and constant communication with the client’s security team.
  • Post-election – monitoring post-election communication, documenting behavior of threat actors, and a debrief with the client on findings and results.

“Election Day is just around the corner, but it’s not too late for city and state governments to take preventive action to protect the integrity of their elections,” Kurtis Minder, co-founder and CEO of GroupSense, said in a statement. “GroupSense has a long history of protecting large state governments and municipalities from a variety of cyber threats, and we hope that by providing this new, rapid readiness assessment, we can help make those same protections available to a much broader range of governments.”

Government officials interested in finding out more can contact GroupSense via email.

Photo via GroupSense/Facebook

Knife-Wielding Suspects Rob North Arlington 7-Eleven

By ARLnow.com

A pair of men, each armed with a knife, held up the 7-Eleven store on the 4500 block of Lee Highway last night.

Police were dispatched to the store just after 11:15 p.m. Sunday after the suspects pointed knives at the store clerk and stole cash and cigarettes, according to a police crime report and scanner traffic at the time.

Both suspects wore masks and dark clothing. They fled the scene by vehicle. No injuries were reported.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

ROBBERY, 2020-10040207, 4500 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 11:20 p.m. on October 4, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that two suspects entered a business and approached an employee at the counter. Suspect One pointed a knife at him, and told him to open the cash register, then began to take money from it. Suspect Two brandished a knife, then took money from the second register. As the suspects exited the business, they stole boxes of merchandise from behind the counter. The suspects then fled in a vehicle prior to police arrival. Suspect One is described as a Black male, medium build, 5’9″-6’0″ wearing black pants, a black and brown parka with the hood up, a mask, and white shoes. Suspect Two is described as a Black male, wearing gray sweatpants, a black hoodie with the hood up, black shoes, and a green balaclava. The investigation is ongoing.

Photo via Google Maps

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