News

Scandal’s ‘President Fitzgerald Grant’ to Make Campaign Appearance in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) President Fitzgerald Grant will be making a campaign appearance at a Clarendon bar tonight.

“Scandal” actor Tony Goldwyn, best known for his role as President of the United States on the ABC drama series, will be attending a Democratic young professional happy hour tonight in support of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

The event is taking place from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at American Tap Room (3101 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon. RSVP is required.

“I have been passionate about Hillary’s campaign for a long time,” Goldwyn said in a recent email to Virginia residents. “She is the toughest, smartest, and kindest candidate we could wish for, and I know she’s got what it takes to be president. (It isn’t an easy job — except maybe when the Oval Office is on a soundstage!)”

“I so look forward to meeting you and hearing the reasons why this election matters to YOU,” Goldwyn continued. “We may even have time for a selfie!”

Cars Vandalized in East Falls Church, Tampered With Along Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County police responded to a series of vehicle vandalisms and break-ins over the weekend.

On Saturday morning, police found “numerous vehicles” in the East Falls Church area with tires slashed and body panels “keyed.”

The vandalism was centered around the 2400 block of N. Sycamore Street, near Bishop O’Connell High School.

From an ACPD crime report:

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, 160702013, 2400 block of N. Sycamore Street. At approximately 8:30 a.m. on July 2, an officer responded to the listed address for the report of a destruction of property to a vehicle. Numerous vehicles in the area had their tires slashed and were keyed. There is no suspect description.

Also on Saturday morning, police investigated a series of vehicle break-ins in the Penrose and Columbia Heights neighborhoods around Columbia Pike. In total, seven unlocked vehicles were broken into but only two car owners reported that items had stolen.

LARCENY FROM AUTO, 160702012, 1600 block of S. Barton Street. At approximately 8:00 a.m. on July 2, an officer responded to the listed address for the report of items stolen out of an unlocked vehicle. Another officer canvassed the area and discovered two other unlocked vehicles that had been entered but nothing was stolen. There is no suspect description.

TAMPERING WITH AUTO, 160702016, 1800 block of S. 9th Street. At approximately 8:45 a.m.on July 2, an officer responded to the listed address for the report of a tampering with auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that someone had entered an unlocked car and stole items of value. Officers canvassed the area and discovered three other unlocked vehicles that had been rummaged through but nothing was taken. There is no suspect description.

Photos: Pets Rescued from House Fire in Donaldson Run

By ARLnow.com
1/18

(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) Firefighters battled a house fire in the Donaldson Run neighborhood around 10:20 p.m. last night (July 4).

The blaze broke out in the garage of a home on the 2300 block of N. Randolph Street, not far from the Stratford School (H-B Woodlawn). The fire extended into part of the home itself.

Via Twitter, the Arlington County Fire Department said that the flames were extinguished by 11:15 p.m. and all of the home’s occupants were accounted for.

Photos showed firefighters in full gear hauling pet kennels out of the home. A photographer on scene said one dog and two cats were rescued.

A fire department spokesman could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning, but ACFD sent the following tweet after the initial publication of this article.

Photos (above) courtesy Andrew Pang

Metro’s Third Stage of SafeTrack Begins Tonight

By Adrian Cruz

Starting today, the third stage of Metro’s SafeTrack maintenance plan begins, affecting Blue and Yellow line service in Arlington.

The third stage will begin at 8 p.m. on July 5, continuing until July 11 and it will involve the Blue and Yellow lines being completely shut down between National Airport and Braddock Road, in Alexandria.

Blue Line trains will run every 15 minutes between Franconia-Springfield and Braddock Road and every 12 minutes between National Airport and Largo Town Center.

Yellow Line trains will run every 12 minutes between Huntington and Braddock Road and every 12 minutes between National Airport and Greenbelt.

Riders will be able to take Metroway BRT buses for free, between Pentagon City and Braddock Road, to bypass the closure. For airport customers coming from stations below Braddock Road, shuttle bus service will run between the station and the airport.

The fourth SafeTrack stage will run from July 12-18 and the same lines will be shut down between National Airport and Pentagon City. That includes a closure of the busy Crystal City station.

Blue Line trains will run every 12 minutes between Franconia-Springfield and National Airport and every 12 minutes between Pentagon City and Largo Town Center.

Yellow Line trains will run every 12 minutes between Huntington and Braddock Road and every 12 minutes between Pentagon City and Greenbelt.

Shuttle bus service will run to National Airport from Braddock Road and Pentagon City. Metroway shuttle service will also be available for free during this stage.

For its part, Arlington County will continue to run the expanded bus service implemented for SafeTrack’s second stage. That includes expanded midday, evening and weekend service on the ART 43 between Rosslyn and Crystal City and additional 4o-foot buses to increase capacity on the ART 42, which runs from Ballston to Pentagon.

Arlington County is encouraging alternative commute options during the surge, such as teleworking, ridesharing, biking and walking if possible.

Video Courtesy WMATA

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Bald eagle spotted on N. Park Drive on July 4, 2016 (photo courtesy Paul Fiorino)

Bald Eagle Spotted on Fourth of July — A bald eagle was spotted in the area of N. Park Drive, in the Arlington Forest neighborhood, yesterday on the Fourth of July (see above). The eagle “finally flew away after half an hour of harassment from a bunch of crows,” noted a neighborhood listserv email, but not before delighting adults and children in the neighborhood who gathered to see the patriotic sight.

Vietnam Vet Survives Stroke Thanks to Medics — Quick-acting Arlington County paramedics, a Good Samaritan who helped direct traffic at an intersection to let the ambulance through and skilled emergency room doctors helped to save the life of a Vietnam veteran who suffered a stroke while visiting his son in Arlington. [Fox 5]

School Board Chair Focused on Achievement — The Arlington School Board’s new chairman, Nancy Van Doren, says her focus is on individual student achievement, even in the midst of ongoing school growth and capacity challenges. “Our litmus test must be: Does each and every child receive the support he or she needs?” Van Doren said. [InsideNova]

Faked Fireworks Included Arlington Angle — The internet is abuzz about PBS’ use of “rerun” fireworks footage intermixed with live footage during its Capitol Fourth broadcast last night. One of the camera angles used showed an impossibly clear view of the fireworks and of the Capitol building from Arlington. In actuality, rain and low clouds made for a dreary, hazy view of the fireworks display. [WTOP]

Photo courtesy of Paul Fiorino

Police: Minor Crash Leads to Serious Charges

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police carA driver involved in a fender bender is now facing charges of reckless driving, unlawful wounding and hit and run.

The crash happened on the 2400 block of S. Kenmore Street, in the Nauck neighborhood. Police say Maryland resident Brunilda Lopez struck the other driver involved with her car and then drove off.

From an Arlington County Police crime report:

UNLAWFUL WOUNDING, 160630029, 2400 block of S. Kenmore Street. At approximately 12:00 p.m. on June 30, two vehicles were involved in a minor accident. As the drivers were exchanging information the suspect returned to her vehicle. The victim attempted to prevent the suspect from leaving by standing in front of her vehicle and was struck. Medics arrived on scene and the victim refused transport to the hospital. Warrants have been issued for reckless driving, unlawful wounding, and hit and run for Brunilda Lopez, 50, of Montgomery MD.

New Restaurants Opening Soon in Pentagon City Mall

By Adrian Cruz

Pentagon City mallWith the new expansion of the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City nearly finished, a number of new restaurants are preparing to open.

According to the mall’s website, D.C.-based Matchbox is set to open its first Arlington location in August and candy-shop-slash-restaurant Sugar Factory is slated for an October opening of what will be its first D.C. area location.

A mall spokesman confirmed that the openings are nearing, but couldn’t confirm any dates.

“Matchbox is slated to open later this summer and Sugar Shack is said to open in October, however the exact date is not yet confirmed,” said the spokesman.

Also opening as part of the expansion is Philadelphia-based stir-fry chain Honeygrow, which will be launching its first D.C. area location.

“Slated to open in early August, honeygrow will contribute to the mall’s extensive dining selection by providing shoppers with a variety of fully customizable stir-fry and salad options,” said a recent press release. “Located in the new Hayes Street expansion, the eatery will feature locally and seasonally sourced ingredients, noodles freshly prepared by ramen chefs, house-made dressings and sauces and proteins sourced from providers including Creekstone Farms and Freebird.”

The first tenant to open its doors in the new expansion was Shake Shack, which opened in May to large crowds.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Cranes and storm clouds (photo courtesy @TheBeltWalk)

Barcroft Fourth of July Parade — The annual Barcroft neighborhood Fourth of July parade will take place Monday at 10 a.m. “Decorate your bikes and wagons, put on a costume or build a float and come march from the Community House to Barcroft Elementary,” organizers wrote. “Stay for a potluck picnic and performance by the Banjo Man.” [Arlington Events]

Real Estate Section Returns — After a six month absence, ARLnow has relaunched our Arlington-specific real estate section. Browse local homes for sale, rentals and open houses (there aren’t many this weekend). We’re still working out some bugs, so let us know if you find any. Real estate agents, if your listings aren’t there shoot us an email and we’ll let you know what your office needs to do to get listed. [Arlington Real Estate]

Summer of Savings — Want to get 25 percent off at a local 4.5 star Yelp-reviewed restaurant? Want other exclusive local discounts and offers? If so, be sure to subscribe to our daily Afternoon Update emails today. Starting this weekend, email subscribers will be receiving some great, curated deals from local businesses. [Email Subscription]

Arlington Considering WWI Commemoration — Arlington County officials are considering options for an official, local World War I commemoration. Such a commemoration would mark the 100th anniversary of the conflict, which ended in 1918. [InsideNova]

Photo courtesy @TheBeltWalk

The Right Note: Follow the Law

By Mark Kelly

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Mark Kelly

The County Board last week approved a resolution calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation giving driver’s licenses to illegal or undocumented immigrants.

Merits aside, this is another in a long line of resolutions the Board has passed calling for another legislative body to act. The General Assembly in Richmond often pays little heed to such things the Arlington County Board has to say. In fact, one could argue that the Board’s support might actually hurt the chances of legislation passing in the far more conservative legislature.

But some have suggested Governor McAuliffe could go it alone on this issue.

Certainly, lack of action by the legislature, or specific authority under the Virginia Constitution, has not stopped Governor McAuliffe or Attorney General Herring from acting before. But if Governor McAuliffe is considering creating new administrative powers out of thin air to issue licenses by executive action, he should think again.

The blanket restoration of voting rights, which Governors Kaine and McDonnell said was not an authority granted to them, has proven to be ill-conceived at best. Even the Virginia Supreme Court has granted an expedited hearing on July 19th in order to determine whether McAuliffe acted properly.

In the meantime, story after story is emerging about individuals who wrongly had their rights restored. And only time will tell just how badly the administration of this decision was bungled.

Unfortunately, our Governor and other leading Democrats seem perfectly fine with using authoritarian and undemocratic means to achieve their goals. Ironically, it is often done in the name of our rights.

It should not matter whether you agree with the end goals or not. When anyone elected to lead our government does an end run of the law to get to a desired result, it erodes the protections afforded to us by our system of government.

No, the legislative process is not perfect. However, it is the system we are supposed to be living under. And we should all be grateful. It also protects us from a future Republican governor who wants to create new laws without any statutory or constitutional power to do so.

Mark Kelly is the chairman of the 8th District Republican Committee, a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Police Surround Home After Report of Man Threatening Family Member With Gun

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County Police surrounded a home, shut down streets, called in a negotiator and had a brief standoff with a man in the Nauck neighborhood this morning.

The incident happened around 10 a.m., when police received a report of a man who threatened a family member with a gun, at a home near the intersection of S. Kenmore Street and 22nd Street, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. The man was said to be holed up in the home’s basement with gun and a machete.

The incident ended as quickly as it began, when the man came out of the home and was placed in handcuffs.

“He has been taken into custody without incident,” Savage said. “This is an active investigation and police remain in the area.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

D.C. skyline view from the rooftop of the Bartlett in Pentagon City

Police Conduct Pedestrian Safety Detail — Arlington County Police conducted a pedestrian safety detail at the intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Utah Street, in Ballston, where a teen was struck by a car and seriously injured in April. In a tweet, a driver is shown receiving a ticket for failure to yield to a pedestrian. [Twitter]

Pure Barre Coming to Pentagon City? — Exercise studio Pure Barre is finalizing a lease on the ground floor of the new Bartlett apartment building in Pentagon City. That was revealed during an opening party for the Bartlett on the building’s rooftop (see photo, above) Wednesday night.

Photo Shows Big Changes in Pentagon City — As seen in an old black-and-white photo, 56 years ago Pentagon City was mostly empty fields on the outskirts of Crystal City and the Aurora Highlands neighborhood. Development has transformed it into a Metro-accessible hub for shopping, apartment living and offices. [Twitter]

Arlington Mom Gives Birth Live on Facebook — An Arlington mother gave birth to her son live via Facebook Live for the TLC show “A Baby Story Live.” [Patch]

Light Pole Snaps During Storm — Earlier this week, a light pole in the park along Lubber Run snapped during a storm. [Twitter]

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