Reaction to Las Vegas Shooting — Reactions from local officials are beginning to come in in response to the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert, which is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. “Will the corporate gun lobby please wake up? #PrayersAreNotEnough #HowManyMore?” tweeted state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D). Meanwhile, a “gun violence prevention roundtable” planned today in Alexandria, with former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, has been cancelled “in light of today’s events.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Stats Behind Arlington’s Millennial Growth — The growth rate of Arlington’s millennial population between 2007 and 2013 was 82 percent, the highest in the nation. Meanwhile, development and transportation stats bear out how Arlington is growing and attracting young people. For instance, only 44 percent of Arlington’s population drives alone to work, compared to the 76.4 percent national average. [Bisnow]

Conservative Reporter vs. Donut Store Employee — Ashley Rae Goldenberg, a reporter for the conservative Media Research Center who goes by the Twitter handle @Communism_Kills, says she was harassed on Twitter by an employee of the new Dunkin’ Donuts store in Virginia Square. [Twitter]

Bomb Threat at Rosslyn BuildingUpdated at 11:15 a.m. — Someone called 911 with a bomb threat against an office building on the 1100 block of Wilson Blvd Thursday evening. That is the same block as TV station WJLA (ABC 7). No explosives were found during a police search of the building. [Patch, Arlington County]

Teen Provides Art to the Formerly Homeless — Allison Stocks, a 15-year-old sophomore at Yorktown High School, founded a nonprofit that takes donations of art and then provides it to those “making the transition from homeless shelters into permanent housing,” thus helping to cover bare walls and make their new home feel more homey. [Washington Post]

Local Gamer Raises Money for Hurricane Relief — In the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, local resident Scott Jones helped raise more than $1,700 for disaster relief by broadcasting a 24-hour video game marathon from his Arlington apartment. Jones is one of numerous gamers who have used their gaming skills to raise serious cash for charitable causes. [Los Angeles Times]

Sports Pub Employees to Stand During Anthem — Late last week the Crystal City Sports Pub (529 23rd Street S.) sent a press release to broadcast outlets saying that its employees would “stand united for the national anthem” during Sunday’s football games. [WJLA]


Cooler, more fall-like weather has arrived to close out the last couple of days of September.

If you want to take advantage of the weather, tonight is Rosslyn Cinema + Pub in the Park, with the family-friendly movie Lego Batman showing at dusk. Tomorrow there’s an all-day Boundary Stones Bike Tour starting at 9:15 a.m. at the East Falls Church Metro, and the Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest in Shirlington begins at noon. Or, if you prefer a unique indoor activity, Iota is hosting an all-day music extravaganza for its final weekend in business, starting at noon on Saturday.

These were our top five most-viewed stories of the week:

  1. BREAKING: Walter Reed Drive Closed Due to Major Crash, Wires Down
  2. Pentagon City Resident Takes to Twitter to Decry Abandoned Costco Carts
  3. The Little Beet Opening Today in Rosslyn
  4. Arlington Puerto Rico Donation Drive Closes After Overwhelming Support
  5. Firefighters Use ‘Jaws of Life’ to Free Trapped Elevator Passenger at Ballston Metro

Feel free to discuss anything of local interest in the comments below. Have a great weekend!


Arlington County is interested in purchasing property in Nauck that has been the subject of redevelopment talks for years.

At its meeting next month, the County Board will take up the issue of purchasing 2631 and 2633 Shirlington Road, according to a public notice the county released this week.

Several years ago, a portion of the 153,000-square-foot industrial site near Shirlington was redeveloped into a self-storage facility, called CubeSmart. Prior to that, it was considered as a potential location for an urban Walmart, but the County Board quickly passed a measure that would require large-format retailers to get Board approval for building stores.

Arlington County is already leasing the parking lot next to the CubeSmart for ART buses and other needs.

The public notice indicates that the county might consider acquiring the land through eminent domain if the owner does not agree to sell.

Photo via Google Maps


Arlington Pitching Brainpower to Amazon — Arlington Economic Development Director Victor Hoskins plans to emphasize Arlington’s highly-educated workforce — 70 percent of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher — in trying to woo Amazon’s new headquarters to the county. [Washington Business Journal]

Animal Control Called for Normal Raccoon — Someone called animal control to report a raccoon “acting strangely” on the 600 block of S. Carlin Springs Drive last week. An animal control officer responded and determined that “its behavior was normal.” [Twitter]

Snowblower Application Deadline Nearing — Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation loans out snowblowers to groups of residents, on the condition that they agree to clear sidewalks for neighbors in need, in front of bus stops, etc. The application deadline for this coming winter is Oct. 13. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Arlington VA


Police responded to reports of vehicle break-ins this morning in Rosslyn.

Upon responding to an initial break-in call, police found that five cars on the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Colonial Terrace had been entered and items were stolen. All of the vehicles were unlocked.

The thefts prompted another reminder from Arlington County Police for residents to take measures to keep their cars and valuables secure.

From ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department is reminding citizens to remove the opportunity for crime by locking your vehicles. Here are some simple tips to help prevent larcenies from auto:

1. No matter if you park on a public street, in a driveway or garage take all valuables out of your vehicle. This includes keys, key fobs, purses, cash, credit cards and electronics. Don’t forget the valet key that comes with some vehicles.

2. Lock your doors and pull on the door handle to verify it’s locked. If a thief can get into a vehicle, they can also have access to a garage door opener and can gain access to your home. Always ensure the door between your garage and home is locked.

3. Call police if you see people looking into vehicles. The telltale sign that this has occurred in your neighborhood are open doors with the interior dome lights on. If you don’t see the perpetrator(s) but suspect some vehicles have been entered, call the non-emergency number at 703-558-2222. If you see a suspect in your vehicle, DO NOT APPROACH THEM and call 911 immediately.


Firefighters extinguished a fire inside an apartment in Rosslyn around lunchtime today.

The fire broke out at the Oakwood apartments on the 1500 block of Clarendon Blvd, video released by the Arlington County Fire Department shows. Arriving units found a “small fire in [the] kitchen area” and extinguished it, ACFD said.

County fire marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Police helped to direct traffic during the incident as Clarendon Blvd was blocked by the emergency response.


Starting in October, a construction project will close the Van Buren Bridge near the East Falls Church Metro until next spring.

The bridge expansion and replacement project is scheduled to begin the week of October 16, and all bridge access will end at that time. In a letter to residents, the City of Falls Church indicated that construction is expected to continue at least through March 2018.

During construction, Van Buren Street will be closed between 19th Street North in Arlington and East Columbia Street in Falls Church. Northbound vehicles will be rerouted from Columbia Street to Roosevelt Street and 19th Street North. Southbound vehicles will be rerouted from 19th Street North to Sycamore Street and 16th Street North. Cyclists and pedestrians will detour on an existing bridge along the W&OD trail in Benjamin Banneker Park.

Construction is expected to take place most weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and some weekend work may also be necessary. Residents in the affected area will still have access to their driveways and homes when the closure is in effect.

The project to remove and rebuild the existing Van Buren Bridge will repair structural deficiencies and add pedestrian access along the corridor to the East Falls Church Metro. The new bridge will have two lanes for vehicle traffic and cyclists in addition to a 12-foot wide pedestrian walkway.


U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) is calling for a stepped-up response to the post-hurricane humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Kaine joined 36 mostly Democratic senators in signing a letter to President Trump outlining steps to boost the U.S. government’s disaster relief efforts on the stricken Caribbean islands, which in many areas lack power, running water and mobile phone service.

More from a press release from Kaine’s office:

In the letter, the Senators wrote, “We write to express deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria recently knocked out the entire island’s electric grid leaving at least 3.4 million Americans with no power, decimated countless structures, and claimed the lives of at least 16 individuals.  Hospitals have no running water or basic supplies, and 95% of cellphone structures are still inactive.  As a result, we still do not have an accurate assessment of the destruction.”

“In the words of Governor Ricardo Rosselló, the people of Puerto Rico have been ‘essentially devastated.’  The United States Virgin Islands has also suffered catastrophic damage.  While they slowly begin their recovery, more help is needed.”

“At a time when there is not a second to lose and the health and well-being of millions of Americans in the U.S. territories depend on swift action, we have identified several areas where strong and decisive leadership is needed,” the letter continues.

The letter calls for eight specific actions to be undertaken by the Trump administration:

  1. Calls on President Trump to issue a full Disaster Declaration for the entire island of Puerto Rico, which has yet to happen.
  2. Calls on President Trump to appoint a Special Assistant for Rebuilding, to coordinate the multi-faceted federal efforts for Puerto Rico across all departments and agencies.
  3. Calls on President Trump to request more funding to assist Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program.
  4. Calls on President Trump to utilize all federal resources to restore power, including sending Department of Energy experts; 500 utility employees; 100 fuel trucks; and 200 generators.
  5. Calls on President Trump to send more Department of Defense assets: construction battalions to repair power and transportation infrastructure, command and control aircraft for air traffic control; helicopters for search and rescue; and 1,500 service members to provide disaster and humanitarian assistance.
  6. Calls on President Trump to work with Congress to waive the local cost share requirement for FEMA public assistance disaster funding for all categories of FEMA public assistance.
  7. Calls on President Trump to send assets and expertise from across the federal government to restore communications, including from Department of Commerce, FCC, Coast Guard, and DOD.
  8. Calls on President Trump to ensure that FEMA, Coast Guard, and DOD work together effectively to restore all ports to working condition.

The letter was also signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senators Nelson (D-FL), Markey (D-MA), Baldwin (D-WI), Gillibrand (D-NY), Schatz (D-HI), Carper (D-DE), Hassan (D-NH), Bennet (D-CO), Durbin (D-IL.), Hirono (D-HI), Van Hollen (D-MD), Shaheen (D-NH), Booker (D-NJ), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Heinrich (D-NM), Menendez (D-NJ), Feinstein (D-CA), Murphy (D-CT), Blumenthal (D-CT), Coons (D-DE), Brown (D-OH), Klobuchar (D-MN), Merkley (D-OR), Peters (D-MI), Wyden (D-OR), Casey (D-PA), King (I-ME), Murray (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Duckworth (D-IL), Stabenow (D-MI), Franken (D-MN), Harris (D-CA), and Leahy (D-VT).


A malfunctioning elevator at the Ballston Metro station made for an unpleasant morning commute for a woman at the Ballston Metro station Thursday.

The woman was trapped inside the station’s elevator at ground level after the doors would not open.

The Arlington County Fire Department was called and firefighters used the “jaws of life,” a heavy-duty hydraulic tool, to pry open the elevator doors. The started passenger was then able to squeeze out of the gap between the doors, where she was evaluated by paramedics.

ACFD posted a video of the incident on its Twitter account.


Car Fire on 23rd Street N. — A car was engulfed in flames on 23rd Street N. near the Overlee pool last night just before 6:30 p.m. The fire department arrived on scene and quickly extinguished the fire. [Twitter]

Local Tech Firm Benefiting from TrumpGiant Oak, a low-profile data mining firm based in Clarendon, has been awarded nearly $3 million in contracts from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since President Donald Trump took office. Most of the contracts are for “social media data analytics.” [Forbes]

Arlington On-Time Grad Rate Dips — “Arlington Public Schools’ on-time-graduation rate dipped slightly in 2017, remaining roughly on par with the state average, according to figures reported Sept. 27. The school system’s on-time-graduation rate of 90.8 percent was down from 91.1 percent a year before and the lowest since 2012.” [InsideNova]

No ‘Code Red’ Days This Year — Summer is over and the D.C. area got through it with no “code red” and fewer “code orange” low air quality days. “We’ve seen a dramatic improvement in the region’s air quality thanks to more than a decade of action and coordination at all levels of government,” said Hans Riemer, chair of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. [MWCOG]

Road Closures for Shirlington Oktoberfest — Campbell Avenue and part of S. Randolph Street in Shirlington will be closed most of the day Saturday for the annual Shirlington Oktoberfest, which runs from noon to 7 p.m. [Arlington County]

County Awarded for Economic Development Efforts — “Arlington Economic Development (AED) has been honored with three Excellence in Economic Development Awards by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The awards were presented at a ceremony earlier this month during the IEDC Annual Conference in Toronto.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley


A man got headbutted and punched by the same person on the same night but on separate occasions over the weekend.

The victim was headbutted around 1 a.m. Saturday after “a verbal dispute… escalated into physical violence.” Less than three hours later, the victim was reportedly roaming around Clarendon when he spotted the man who headbutted him. During a confrontation, the victim was punched in the face.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING (late), 2017-09230052, Wilson Boulevard at N. Highland Street. At approximately 3:45 a.m. on September 23, police responded to Virginia Hospital Center for a late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 1:00 a.m., the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal dispute that escalated into physical violence when the suspect headbutted the victim. The suspect left the area following the assault. The victim located the suspect at the intersection of N. Highland Street and Wilson Boulevard where a second physical altercation occurred. During this altercation, the victim was struck in the face and suffered a laceration. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 2017-09240025, 5200 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:12 a.m. on September 24, police were dispatched to the report of a sexual assault that had just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that while operating as a ride share driver, the female victim was inappropriately touched by a male passenger. Following the assault, the male suspect exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction. Officers canvased the area with negative results. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’7-5’8 tall with a thin build. He has blonde hair, a red beard and was last seen wearing a white shirt and light colored shorts. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2017-09240233, 200 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on September 24, police responded to the report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 8:56 p.m., an unknown suspect entered a business and demanded the cashier put money on a gas pump. The suspect then stole merchandise and cash from the register before exiting the business to fuel his vehicle. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 25-35 years old, 6’0″ tall and 220 lbs. He was wearing a black shirt and black shorts at the time of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED VEHICLE, 2017-09220163, NB I-395 at Washington Boulevard. At approximately 1:28 p.m. on September 22, police were dispatched to the report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that following a verbal dispute over vehicles merging lanes, the suspect threw a cup of coffee at the victim’s vehicle. The victim was not injured. The suspect is described as a black male, in his mid-20s to early 30s with a muscular build. The investigation is ongoing.

OBSCENE SEXUAL DISPLAY, 2017-09220224, 17th Street N. at N. Randolph Street. At approximately 4:42 p.m. on September 22, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined that a female victim observed a male suspect allegedly masturbating inside a vehicle. Scottie Leonard, 27, of Alexandria, VA was charged with obscene sexual display. He was held on a secure bond.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING (late), 2017-09260044, 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road. At approximately 7:00 a.m. on September 26, officers were dispatched to the Virginia Hospital Center for the late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., the male victim was socializing with three males. Following a verbal altercation, the three male suspects assaulted the victim, causing non-life threatening lacerations to the face. Suspect 1 is described as a Mongolian male, approximately 5’7, average build, wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans, Suspect 2 is described as a Mongolian male, approximately 5’10, average build, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, with a tattoo on one of his hands; and Suspect 3 is described as a Mongolian male, approximately 5’10, average build, wearing a dark t-shirt. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY, 2017-09250074, 1100 block of N. Quincy Street. At approximately 9:20 a.m. on September 25, officers responded to the report of damage to the entrance to a business. Upon arrival it was determined that an unknown suspect forced entry to the business between 4:15 p.m. on September 22 and 9:20 a.m. on September 25 and stole items of value. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2017-09250097, 1700 block of N. Uhle Street. Between September 12 at 5:00 p.m. and September 19 at 2:00 p.m. items of value were taken from a residence by an unknown suspect. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY, 2017-09250254, 3000 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 10:35 p.m. on September 25, officers responded to an audible front door alarm at a business. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown suspect made entry to the business at approximately 9:53 p.m. and stole items of value. The suspect is described as wearing a dark hoodie, pants and gloves. The investigation is ongoing.

FRAUD, 2017-09200088, 4700 block of Lee Highway, At approximately 9:12 a.m. on September 20, police were dispatched to the report of a possible skimming device located inside a gas pump after a citizen reported fraudulent activity on their credit card account after purchasing gas at this location. Upon arrival, police recovered a skimming device from the inside of one of the pumps. The investigation is ongoing.


View More Stories