News

Arlington Children’s Center upgrades plagued by some costly structural issues

By Jo DeVoe
1/5

When a contractor for Arlington County embarked on work to renovate a county-owned childcare building near Courthouse, it ran into some costly problems.

The county contracted with Landivar & Associates in December to oversee plans to update the Arlington Children’s Center (1915 N. Uhle Street), which has housed a childcare facility for county employees for several decades. It will be updating the building to meet current daycare standards, comply with the Americans with Disability Act and provide an interior refresh.

Work began this April, but with just 10% of work done, the contractor has already blown through half of its allotted contingency funding — nearly $264,000 — “to repair unforeseen structural damages revealed during interior demolition,” per a county report.

Over the weekend, the Arlington County Board approved a $100,000 contract increase to “address additional unforeseen conditions that are likely to be revealed during the remaining 90% of the project,” the report continued.

Now, the total contract is worth $1.2 million, up from $1.1 million.

Although work began this spring, the building closed nearly two years ago. At the time, the county and the childcare service provider — which had been in the building for 17 years — could not reach an agreement over a contract extension with the renovation work pending.

This stressed some parents who found themselves scrambling to find daycare amid a shortage of options.

Arlington County expects the renovation work to wrap up and the facility to reopen in early 2024, according to a project webpage. The county already has a contract with a provider — the nonprofit Easterseals — which the Board approved this January.

“Enrollment preference will be given to children whose parent or guardian work for the County, followed by children whose parent or guardian work or live in Arlington County,” the webpage said.

Candidates rack up endorsements as County Board race enters home stretch

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) They have participated in public fora, gone door-to-door, answered candidate questionnaires and submitted essays asking for your vote.

Now, the candidates for Arlington County Board are in the home stretch. On Tuesday, the polls officially open for the primary to determine which of the six will have the nomination of the local Democratic party — and whose bids come to an end. Early voting ends tomorrow (Saturday).

For this year’s County Board race, some of the top issues have been the fallout over the decision to allow 2-6 units in single-family home neighborhoods — also known as Missing Middle — as well as affordable housing, improved public transportation, sustainability and tackling the office vacancy rate.

One candidate, Maureen Coffey, has picked up the endorsement of Katie Cristol, the first County Board candidate to leave office this year. Coffey already has the support of Matt de Ferranti and Takis Karantonis, and a third-place vote from Vice-Chair Libby Garvey, meaning she enjoys at least partial support from most of the current Board.

Based on candidate websites and campaign finance records, it appears outgoing Board Chair Christian Dorsey has stayed out of endorsing or donating during this race.

Behind Coffey comes Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., who has the support of de Ferranti and Karantonis.

Spain also has the distinction of being one of the top three fundraisers this race, along with Susan Cunningham and Natalie Roy, who Garvey ranked first and second, respectively, on her ballot.

As for campaign fundraising, Cunningham emerged in the lead during the most recent filing period, besting Roy. Since April 1, Cunningham — who ran in 2020 as an independent — raised $41,810 and loaned herself $10,000.

“I am grateful for the broad support across Arlington — donations, volunteers, and early votes for Susan #1,” Cunningham said in a press release. “Voters I talk with every day are enthusiastic about my background and experience and what I can bring to the Arlington County Board.”

She picked up contributions from some 166 donors, per her campaign. She also was endorsed by four D.C. and Virginia organizations, including Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington and Virginia Chapter National Organization of Women.

Roy received contributions from some 120 new donors, according to her campaign.

“It has been incredibly exciting to see the culmination of months of campaigning as voters head to the polls and to hear from supporters as they return absentee ballots,” Roy said in a press release. “Just as I promise to listen to all Arlingtonians as a County Board member, I promise to keep working until the polls close at 7 p.m. next Tuesday.”

This round, a handful of unions led fundraising for Coffey and Spain, donating $9,500 to each. Coffey also received $2,500 from Cristol, whose last meeting as a Board member was on Tuesday. Candidates Jonathan Dromgoole and Tony Weaver trailed in fundraising this round, earning $3,142 and $2,555, respectively.

Campaign fundraising for Arlington County Board (by ARLnow)

A few more endorsements have come in, too. Coffey has the support of Lowell Feld, founder and editor of Blue Virginia.

“Coffey both has her priorities straight and has a positive VISION for Arlington’s future,” the outlet said, adding that she fits its criteria: smart, with growth potential, who share “our progressive, environmentalist values.”

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Haze over Langston Blvd Thursday night (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Local Limo Driver Beaten — “Two people violently attacked a limo driver in Northwest D.C. early Saturday, hitting him with a brick and dragging him before taking his SUV. Michael Tsige, of Arlington, said he was for his assignment near 24th and L streets when a man asked for help jumpstarting his car.” [NBC 4]

Senate Deal for DCA Bill — “Leaders of a Senate committee reached a tentative deal Thursday to add four long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport, dealing a setback to D.C.-area lawmakers and the airport’s management, which have campaigned to leave current restrictions in place… It represents an important bipartisan endorsement by key senators as part of a broader aviation bill Congress needs to pass by the fall. The deal is also a modest victory for a coalition backed by Delta Air Lines that is seeking more access to the federally owned airport.” [Washington Post]

Board Opposes More DCA Flights — “They were a tad late getting to the party, but Arlington County Board members on June 13 added their voices to those opposed to an expansion of flight operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. ‘There is an argument, an economic one, that is speculative but not entirely unreasonably, that [expanding flight options] could lead to some lower ticket prices on some routes,’ County Board Chairman Christian Dorsey said. ‘That speculative benefit comes at a clear and significant cost.'” [Gazette Leader]

VHC Expansion Nears Completion — “VHC Health is about a month out from opening a new outpatient pavilion in Northern Virginia, the culmination of a multiyear project that stands to create more capacity in its hospital and increase access to care. The new seven-story building, set to open to patients July 17, brings 250,000 square feet to 1800 N. Edison St. on the health system’s Arlington campus. The $250 million project aims to centralize VHC’s outpatient offerings while also freeing up space at Virginia Hospital Center for more inpatient services including cancer, cardiac and stroke care.” [Washington Business Journal]

High Homebuyer Interest in Arlington — “On a locality-by-locality basis, the three innermost Virginia suburbs posted solid results, if not necessarily as high as a year before. In Arlington, the index ranking was a region-leading 142, while in Alexandria and Falls Church it was 133 and 132, respectively. All three are in the High category. In Fairfax County (98) and the District of Columbia (92), index scores were Steady.” [Gazette Leader]

New ART Facility Features — “Arlington (Va.) Transit’s new operations and maintenance facility will support a transition of their current bus fleet to Zero Emissions Buses (ZEBs). The facility will reflect a modern industrial design with operational layouts to embrace a functional aesthetic. Intuitive entry points and wayfinding will include biophilic accents. Large high-performance facades are designed with materials selected for longevity, resilience, and durability.” [Building Design + Construction]

Canadian Smoke Returns — From the National Weather Service: “Hazy sun will be noted across the region this afternoon-Friday as smoke filters south from the Canadian wildfires. The smoke will not be as bad as last week.” [Twitter, Twitter]

It’s Friday — Chances of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day and evening. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. [Weather.gov]

Amazon unveils first buildings in HQ2 with pomp and circumstance

By Hallie LeTendre
1/11

Following the lead of drummers with the Alexandria City High School marching band, an audience filed into a new auditorium Amazon built in Pentagon City.

Members of the Arlington County Board, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and Amazon corporate employees filled the first few rows of seats.

When the band stopped playing, and applause petered out, Amazon’s Vice President of Economic Development Holly Sullivan took the stage. She introduced a cast of dignitaries, all here for a long-anticipated reason: to cut the ribbon for the first phase of Amazon’s second global headquarters, dubbed Metropolitan Park, or Met Park.

Approved in 2019, work started on the first phase in early 2020 and continued despite the pandemic. It is composed of two towers — named Merlin and Jasper — which span 2.1 million square feet at the corner of S. Eads Street and 15th Streets S.

At their base are a host of shops, restaurants, a preschool, and a publicly accessible park with a dog run (which already had dogs running around), a sculpture garden and water feature.

In his remarks, Youngkin listed these and more features, joking the second campus “should be HQ1” — instead of its first headquarters in Seattle. He applauded Amazon for its commitment to Arlington.

“We celebrate this partnership as it is building a better and brighter future right here in Virginia,” he said. “The Amazon team is truly engaged fully, not just in their business, but in Virginia. So thank you.”

Of Arlington, the governor said the county “is in a critical drive of not just economic development, but future development for our nation and our world.”

Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey emphasized the ways Amazon offset its arrival — and the predicted housing crunch it would cause — through millions of dollars invested in affordable housing. This increased Arlington’s stock of affordable units by about 20%.

“Amazon found what it needed here in Arlington. But Arlington was also looking for someone. We looked to Amazon to look to our community and its values and embrace them as their own,” Dorsey said.

Another value was sustainability, according to Lee DeLong, Clark Construction Capitol Group CEO. The building is carbon neutral and draws energy from a solar farm the tech company helped to fund in southwestern Virginia.

“This building features embedded carbon dioxide, removing it from the environment to reduce construction waste,” he said. “Over 82% of the debris was recycled and therefore diverted from landfills.”

The mood today celebrated everything achieved until this point — but there is still work to do.

For starters, some construction is ongoing and employees are still moving in, according to Sullivan.

“We’re continuing construction on our upper floors right now,” she told ARLnow after the event. “We’re soon going to bring teams in — team by team — to work out any kinks within their space. By the fall we will have all 8,000 employees moved into Met Park.”

(more…)

County Board to consider making Covid-era outdoor seating area program permanent

By Jo DeVoe
Northside Social in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The makeshift outdoor dining areas that sprung up in the early days of Covid, and gradually took on a more permanent feel, could be here to stay.

On Tuesday, the Arlington County Board voted to hold hearings next month mulling zoning changes that would give most restaurants a way to add outdoor seating areas without special Board approval.

Restaurants were able to do this during the pandemic — adapting to social distancing and indoor gathering regulations — via a special county program that is ending on Aug. 15.

Under the proposed ordinances, temporary outdoor seating areas (TOSAs) that are on private property and on public sidewalks within rights-of-way would be approved administratively. Those on privately owned public spaces, like the patio outside the seafood spot Seamore’s in Clarendon, would require a County Board use permit.

How outdoor seating areas could be approved (via Arlington County)

Restaurants could go to the Board to have parking spots converted to outdoor dining space.

The proposed ordinance changes, which will be discussed in a Board meeting on July 15, have been under development for the last year. The county says the code changes support local businesses, about 100 of which have TOSAs, and account for livability concerns some residents raised.

“This is a huge body of work. A huge thanks to staff, who’ve been working on this comprehensively for a while,” Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “I know it seems like a simple issue to some, but as you peel layers of the onion, you continue to find more complexity.”

The Board initially approved TOSAs early in the pandemic to help restaurants circumvent the typically lengthy process for getting an outdoor dining permit. These spaces were popular for offsetting revenue lost to closures and social distancing and for creating a safer dining experience.

As the pandemic wore on, the Board allowed TOSAs in common areas, such as plazas, and for restaurants to continue operating them at full capacity once the indoor capacity restrictions lifted.

“It was a life saver for our family and employees and continues to be a large part of our business,” Lebanese Taverna Executive Vice President Grace Shea said during a forum hosted by the Arlington Committee of 100 on Wednesday night.

Now, she says, it brings more people to the restaurant.

“Outdoor seating enhances the streetscape of where the restaurant is. It attracts people by creating a welcoming atmosphere,” she said. “It’s also additional revenue that we do not have to pay rent for.”

In 2021, Arlington County signaled plans to study early a dozen separate policies governing outdoor cafés to figure out how to make TOSAs permanent. That started in the fall of 2022, after a local Covid emergency order ended.

County staff say it heard both support and concerns from the community. One strong supporter is the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

“The Chamber and the county both agree that we want to make this transition smooth for restaurant owners who want this outdoor dining,” said John Musso, the government affairs manager for the Chamber, at Wednesday’s forum. “We’re looking forward to continuing this conversation.”

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The US Air Force Memorial, under construction, pictured through a fisheye lens (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Last Days of School — Today is the last day of school for Arlington Public Schools middle schoolers. Yesterday was the last day for high schoolers and tomorrow is the last day for elementary students. Summer break for K-12 students will run through the first day of school on Aug. 28. [YouTube]

DCA Bill Picking Up Support — From Jake Sherman: “NEWS in @PunchbowlNews Midday CRUZ, CANTWELL discussing deal to ease DCA perimeter restriction. Would be a win for @Delta.” [Twitter]

GOP Voting in Dem Primary? — “Because Virginia does not register voters by political affiliation, any registered voter is eligible to cast a ballot in the June 20 race. The Arlington County Republican Committee chairman has cautioned members of his committee from doing so, but anecdotal evidence suggests some may be taking part in an effort to dislodge Dehghani-Tafti, who has held the post for four years.” [Gazette Leader]

Board Candidates Talk to TV Station — “Maureen Coffey, Susan Cunningham and Jonathan Dromgoole, three candidates running for the Democratic nomination for two seats on the Arlington County Board, explained to 7News where they stand on some of the county’s biggest issues. This includes the recently passed ‘Missing Middle’ zoning changes.” [WJLA]

Delegate Candidate Preps for Office — “McClure goes into next week’s Democratic primary as one of two names on the ballot for the new 2nd District House of Delegates seat. Her opponent, Kevin Saucedo-Broach, dropped out after ballots had been prepared, meaning the primary goes on but voters will be notified that he is no longer running… At the present time, no Republicans or independents have filed for the seat.” [Gazette Leader]

Elevated Algae Levels in River — “If your tap water has an unusually earthy or musty taste and smell, algae living in the Potomac River may be to blame. According to officials with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, residents in parts of Montgomery County and Prince George’s County may notice the change…  In the District and Arlington County, drinking water comes from the Potomac, but is treated separately from the water in Maryland.” [DCist]

Legion Post Baseball Team Undefeated — “With a strong and busy 7-0 start to the 2023 American Legion late spring and summer baseball season and an experienced roster, Arlington Post 139 is in position to continue its recent trend as a top team in District 17.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Thursday — Sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph. At night: A slight chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. [Weather.gov]

County Board quadruples threshold for projects needing a vote to $1M

By Jo DeVoe
Construction workers at Oakland Park in 2019 (file photo)

Arlington County, like the rest of us, is realizing $250,000 does not get you as far as it used to.

With inflation, gone are the days that a construction contract of any significance could realistically come in under that sum, the threshold for a project that requires Arlington County Board approval. Gone too are the days that most professional services contracts, for things like engineering work, would cost under $80,000.

So, on Saturday, the Board adjusted for inflation — and then some — greenlighting a new threshold of $1 million for capital construction contracts and professional services. Contracts under this sum will no longer need Board review and approval.

“Establishing a higher threshold corrects for these cost increases and provides some
insulation against future inflationary pressures, which is prudent given the infrequent nature of these threshold adjustments,” a county report says.

The two thresholds were last set in 2000 and since then, the impacts of inflation in the D.C. area construction market “have been particularly acute,” the report says.

“While different construction market indices reflect varying degrees of inflation, they consistently support that $250,000 in the year 2000 more closely approximates $500,000 [to] $600,000 in 2023,” it said.

Although $1 million is a higher threshold even after adjusting for inflation, the county says it is reasonable.

“The proposed $1 million threshold would still be the lowest among major counties and cities in the Northern Virginia region and among the lowest in the D.C. metro area,” per the report.

How much a contract has to cost in the region for a governing body to need to sign off on it (via Arlington County)

In fact, of all the 70 road, sewer and park projects between 2015 and 2022 that received bids — dubbed invitation to bid or ITB projects — none were under $250,000, the county says.

The majority, 62%, were more than $1 million — the kind of capital construction projects that “also tend to be those with the most complexity and public interest and impact,” the report said.

The cost of various proposed bids in Arlington (via Arlington County)

The Gazette Leader newspaper, however, lamented this as a loss for those seeking a more transparent government.

“The proposal likely will add more fuel to the fire among critics of the government like the Arlington County Civic Federation, which has contended that the government is failing the public on the transparency front,” editor Scott McCaffrey wrote.

The county has a different take, saying projects under $1 million are largely “minor renovations and smaller maintenance projects.” That includes minor sidewalk or park improvements, such as those recently undertaken at Towers Park Playground, Oakland Park and Edison Park.

These projects can generate public interest but, the report says, the county has existing engagement processes to respond to such interest.

Smokecraft in Clarendon feeling heat from county threat to revoke live entertainment permit

By Jo DeVoe
Smokecraft BBQ awards (courtesy photo)

A barbecue joint in Clarendon may have its occasional parties go up in smoke.

Arlington County says Smokecraft Modern Barbecue at 1051 N. Highland Street could lose its live entertainment permit because it does not comply with a local initiative requiring restaurants and bars to meet certain alcohol safety standards.

At issue: Since November, Clarendon venues with live entertainment permits need to comply with the Arlington Restaurant Initiative (ARI). One requirement is that establishments have certain written policies and procedures, which the award-winning, list-topping Smokecraft — which opened in 2020 — does not have.

The restaurant and its attorneys say they believe such written policies could make the restaurant vulnerable to litigation, meaning an increase in insurance costs of upwards of $10,000 a year.

“We are a safe establishment. We have been a safe establishment. We continue to plan to do so. Adopting these specific written policies isn’t going to change our commitment,” owner and pitmaster Andrew Darneille told the Board last night (Tuesday).

Further, he said, the live entertainment permit is not actively in use, all alcohol-serving staff are trained in how to serve safely, the restaurant has a “perfect alcohol safety record,” and alcohol only comprises 15% of sales.

Without compliance, the Arlington County Board says it will eventually revoke the live entertainment permit. In May, the county allowed Smokecraft to keep the permit and revisit the issue in a month while the parties cook up a solution.

Last night, the Board was poised to revoke the permit but instead voted to punt on the issue for one more month because negotiations are headed in the right direction.

Still, the patience of Board members appears to be wearing thin. Some seemed annoyed the issue had gotten to this point, where other restaurants found ways to make it work.

“I think you can get there without realizing the apocalypse your representatives see,” Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “For my purposes, each month that we continue in this dance is another month where you continue to enjoy a permit without adhering to ARI standards — a luxury that the other establishments haven’t had.”

Dorsey said Smokecraft has the flexibility to write policies that meet a “minimal bar for compliance” and work for the business.

“One of the beauties of this is that the policies are not proscriptive — they’re illustrative,” Dorsey said. “It’s not like it’s going to require you to upend your operations.”

In response to the argument that Smokecraft should be able to follow the lead of other businesses, Darneille said that is an unfair argument.

“I recognize 50 other restaurants signed onto this but I can’t speak to why they made decisions to do what they’ve done,” he continued. “We’ve raised a concern here that’s valid for us. We are working to try and resolve that concern.”

He shifted blame to the county for not promptly engaging with the restaurant when these concerns first were raised. Then, after a meeting last month, he said it took two weeks to receive responses from the county.

County Board members did not address this point. ARLnow has previously reported on restaurateurs and other business owners having trouble reaching staff in a timely manner.

(more…)

Pedestrian crash near Ballston prompts a stop sign and temporary police presence

By Jo DeVoe
1/16

On a Thursday morning two weeks ago, there was a notable police presence at the intersection of N. Vermont Street and N. Carlin Springs Road.

Officers were watching for people blowing through a new stop sign, which was added in late May at the site of a crash where a driver struck a mother pushing her baby in a stroller.

This is the latest update for the intersection, which has been an “ongoing” location for investigations due to the high number of crashes there, according to Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien.

Now, instead of two stop signs, the intersection has four.

“We made several improvements in early 2021 and have been monitoring the intersection,” O’Brien said. “Due to recent crashes and an updated safety analysis, we analyzed the intersection for an all-way stop and found that it met the conditions. The signs were installed end of May and we are continuing to monitor the intersection.”

Previous improvements included installing “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs on the existing stop signs and installing additional “Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalk” neon warning flags and upgraded existing pedestrian warning signs, DES spokesman Peter Golkin said.

Everything, basically, but adding new stop signs.

Now, with the new all-way stop in place, DES is working with the Arlington County Police Department to educate drivers about the traffic change, she said.

“This includes in-person education from officers and variable messaging signage,” she said.

In the relatively short time that ARLnow was out there two weeks ago, three or four drivers who blew the stop sign were pulled over. Now two weeks into June, the variable messaging sign boards alerting drivers to the change are still up.

As part of the county’s goal to end serious and fatal crashes by 2030, known as Vision Zero, this intersection has been investigated as both a “hot spot” and as part of the county’s “high-injury network,” two designations for places with high rates of crashes.

Meanwhile, ACPD has its own list of dicey intersections, collectively known as “Traffic Accident Reduction Program” or TARP intersections, to determine where to send officers and other resources.

These “are generally higher frequency crash locations where enforcement is determined to be useful in reducing overall crash volume,” says ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Some of these crash-prone intersections have pedestrians crossing multiple wide traffic lanes, or roads that merge with highways, along faded crosswalks. In others, cars have to navigate atypical traffic patterns.

The police department’s list of crash-prone “TARP” intersection includes the following. (more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
People crossing the street in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amtrak Station Construction in Sight — “Amtrak says construction on a new station in Crystal City could begin as soon as 2025, though the date of completion remains unclear. The rail service disclosed June 5 it had applied for $33.8 million through a competitive Federal Railroad Administration grant program… The money Amtrak applied for would go entirely toward platform construction in Crystal City, which is estimated to cost $42.3 million.” [Washington Business Journal]

County Registrar Reappointed — “Arlington Electoral Board members on June 9 reappointed county director of elections (registrar) Gretchen Reinemeyer to her second four-year term, ensuring continuity through the 2024 presidential election and beyond. The vote was unanimous, said Electoral Board secretary Scott McGeary, who serves on the body alongside chair Kim Phillip and vice chair Richard Samp.” [Gazette Leader]

Rosslyn Metro Incident Investigated — From the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission: “Investigation W-0227 relates to an evacuation for life safety reasons due to smoke in the Rosslyn Station on February 8, 2023. Riders and the Train Operator heard a loud bang as the train was moving through the tunnel approaching the station… Metrorail did not establish command, ensure the station was evacuated, or clearly communicate among Metrorail personnel during the response.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Ball-Sellers Fundraiser Complete — “The Arlington Historical Society reached its fundraising goal of $6,000 to save the Ball-Sellers House from powderpost beetles. The money raised in the GoFundMe campaign will be used for the spraying and moisture barrier that will protect the home from powderpost beetles, which have been eating away at the house.” [Patch]

Upcoming Juneteenth Events — “Celebrate Juneteenth—the annual holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S.—through a variety of local events, including concerts and guided tours. Here are some of the highlights happening in and around Arlington.” [Arlington Magazine]

Theater Award for WHS Student — “Wakefield High School student Angie Sukhee won an award Monday night for her role in ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical’ at the Cappies gala. The National Capital Area Cappies Gala, an awards event that is considered the Tony Awards for high school theater in the D.C. region, was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” [Patch]

Beyer Backs Commission Resolution — “U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th) has become the lone member of the Virginia congressional delegation to sign on to a proposed congressional resolution aimed at setting up a national Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Commission.” [Gazette Leader]

Another Funding Round for Hungry — “With eyes on [profitability], catering startup HUNGRY just closed a huge Series C round. The Rosslyn, Virginia startup, which connects chefs with catering clients in an online marketplace, closed the Series C1 round at $10 million. According to leadership, it will be the company’s final raise before anticipated profitability.” [Technically DC]

Cristol Says Goodbye — From departing County Board member Katie Cristol: “And that’s a wrap. I’m so grateful to colleagues and community members for a moving send-off, and to Arlington for the extraordinary opportunity to lead these past eight years. Looking forward to spending a bit more time with these two – and seeing you around the neighborhood.” [Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Cloudy but then clearing later in the day, with chances for showers or storms. A bit breezy, with a high of 79 and a low of 60. [Weather.gov]

Commonwealth’s Attorney race is getting expensive as ads litigate who is a ‘real’ Democrat

By Jo DeVoe
Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and her challenger, Josh Katcher (photo illustration by ARLnow)

In the race to pick the next Democratic candidate for Arlington and Falls Church’s top prosecutor, incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti has topped her opponent, Josh Katcher, in fundraising.

A campaign financing report released yesterday (Monday) says she netted $356,220 in cash donations for her re-election bid from April 1-June 8. She raced ahead after falling behind Katcher in the last filing period. The Democratic primary is on June 20 and early voting started last month.

Most of the cash Dehghani-Tafti received — $295,000 — came from one progressive political action committee (PAC) founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros. She also received nearly $75,000 in in-kind donations from a handful of other liberal groups, including $45,992 from New Virginia Majority and $23,435 from Justice and Public Safety PAC.

Katcher’s largest donation this round, $15,000, comes from the Arlington Coalition of Police. He still bests his opponent when it comes to number of donors above and below $100. He also has loaned himself $30,000, whereas Dehghani-Tafti reported no loans during this period.

Fundraising has yet to reach the nearly $1 million seen ahead of the June 2019 primary, when Dehghani-Tafti bested incumbent Theo Stamos and in one filing period received $515,492 in cash and in-kind donations from a Soros-funded group.

In a statement this morning, the campaign to elect Dehghani-Tafti celebrated these donations and went after Katcher for trying to discredit them.

There are those, like our opponent, who will seek to sow distrust in these upstanding organizations, who have already aimed to diminish their right to bring together the voices of those who are normally disenfranchised, and support both democracy and Democratic values; those who utilize Republican scare tactics, demonizing the hard work of members of these American institutions.

We do not agree with our opponent. We embrace not only the right these groups have to support our campaign, but we celebrate this support, accepting these contributions of time, money, and labor by hard-working Americans who are invested that ALL people in Arlington be treated equally under the law, that ALL people can expect justice under the law, and that ALL people here can expect a safe community for their families to grow, love, and prosper.

Katcher’s campaign lambasted his opponent today for omitting the $295,000 in what it says is “dark PAC money.” His campaign manager, Ben Jones, said the following:

Over the past month, our campaign has pointed to a clear pattern of behavior by Parisa Dehghani-Tafti where she refuses to tell the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth to our community, even on the most elementary matters. Whether it is relating to information on crime statistics, how many vacancies are open in her office, how her office operates or even just an hour ago when talking about her campaign contributions, she has shown over and over again that she is incapable of transparency or even fidelity to the truth.

Jones argued that Katcher has more broad support from Democrats than his opponent, with 1,151 individual contributions in the past six months compared to the 822 contributions to Dehghani-Tafti over the last two years.

Echoes of the fundraising rhetoric can be heard in the ads for the two candidates. Some highlight their experience and high-profile endorsements while others demonstrate their Democrat bona fides and undermine those of their opponent.

(more…)

View More Stories