News

Gun Store to Hold Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony While Opponents Hold ‘Community Celebration’

By ARLnow.com

Nova Armory t-shirtThe new gun store in Lyon Park is planning a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday morning. At the same time, opponents of the store will be holding some counter-programming: a “community celebration” in the park.

The grand opening for Nova Armory is scheduled for 9 a.m., at the store on 2300 N. Pershing Drive. Among those scheduled to be in attendance are Del. Rich Anderson (R-Prince William), Virginia Citizens Defense League President Philip Van Cleave and “distinguished members” of the National Rifle Association.

The event will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony, some free Nova Armory schwag, a “gun coupon give-away,” and free coffee and pastries, according to the store’s website.

The anti-gun store group Act4LyonPark, meanwhile, is planning to host a number of local lawmakers during their “family-focused event,” from 9-10:30 a.m. in Lyon Park (414 N. Fillmore Street).

Nova Armory in Lyon ParkScheduled speakers at the event include a trio of Democratic state lawmakers who represent Arlington — Sen. Barbara Favola, Del. Alfonso Lopez and Del. Mark Levine — along with Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington.

The Lyon Park event will also feature children’s activities, refreshments and “ways to stay involved.” From an Act4LyonPark press release:

We are gathering in our community park to demonstrate what Lyon Park, Ashton Heights, and Arlington are all about. We are civic-minded, community-oriented, and family-focused and we choose to live and work in a region and county that is safe, friendly, and fun. This is a celebration of our home.

“As members of the community, we have the right to protect the well-being of our families and our recently revitalized business area,” says a member of Act4LyonPark. “A gun dealership close to schools, parks and residential homes does not add any value to our community. Our issue is not with the 2nd Amendment. If people choose to own guns, that’s their business. When people start carrying guns around our homes and children, that’s our business.”

County to Tweak Approach to Neighborhood Sidewalks After Project Cancellations

By ARLnow.com

New sidewalk along 8th Street S. (file photo)Arlington County staff has agreed to stop trying to jam five-foot-wide sidewalks into residential areas where conditions call for a narrower path.

Deputy County Manager Carol Mitten discussed the change during last week’s Arlington County Board meeting. She said the problem isn’t county policy — which was updated in 2011 — it’s the application of that policy.

The county’s Master Transportation Plan calls for 4-5 foot wide sidewalks in residential neighborhoods, with the narrower sidewalk in areas where it would preserve mature trees, parking, slopes or structures.

Sidewalk width tableCounty staff’s approach, however, has been to design and “start the conversation” with a five-foot-wide sidewalk, even in areas that would otherwise call for the four-foot-wide sidewalk. That led to conflicts and neighborhood consternation.

“There are important accommodations to preserve neighborhood character,” Mitten said. “We think that the policy the Board passed strikes the right balance, whereas our application of the policy perhaps has not.”

While “it is desirable to have a five foot minimum width where possible in order to comply with ADA regulations and for general ease and safe accessibility,” Mitten said, the new approach — of starting the conversation with a four-foot-wide sidewalk where appropriate — “maximizes the opportunity to provide sidewalks along streets where now there are none without compromising the integrity of the overall policy.”

County Board member Jay Fisette said the issue was first raised more than a year ago, after a five-foot-wide sidewalk plan led to the cancellation of some potential Neighborhood Conservation projects.

Libby Garvey, County Board chair, said the county shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of good, especially in areas where there currently are no sidewalks.

“There are too many streets where to get the perfect sidewalk they’re getting no sidewalk, and that’s not safe for anybody,” she said.

File photo

BREAKING: Metro Service Suspended Between Rosslyn and Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Update at 10:35 a.m. — No fire has been found and firefighters are handing over the scene to Metro’s emergency maintenance personnel.

https://twitter.com/Metrorailinfo/status/713375925837172737

Earlier: Metrorail service has been suspended between Rosslyn and Ballston due to a possible fire in a tunnel near the Clarendon Metro station.

Arlington County firefighters are investigating. The fire is said to be between the Clarendon and Courthouse stations. Firefighters are reporting very light smoke in the Courthouse station.

Wilson Blvd is being shut down at N. Highland Street and N. Garfield Street is being shut down at 10th Street N. due to the fire department activity.

https://twitter.com/JeremySettle/status/713367831304347648

https://twitter.com/MsKER/status/713368526598365184

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Shirlington daffodils (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

Arlington DMV Wait Times — The Arlington DMV office on Four Mile Run Drive has the longest wait times in the state. The average wait time is just shy of 45 minutes. Outside of the D.C. area, the wait times at Virginia DMV offices generally range from 20-25 minutes. [Twitter]

Dueling I-66 Letters to Dr. Gridlock — The widening of I-66 would “cripple Arlington forever,” says a letter writer to the Post’s Dr. Gridlock. “A significantly wider I-66 would be an even worse physical barrier to Arlington residents than I-66 is now,” and “turning I-66 into a repeat I-395 would send a devastating message to Arlington homeowners.” An earlier Arlington letter-writer said critics of widening were “whining” and pointed out that plenty of those who work and live in Arlington use I-66. [Washington Post]

Registration Open for Fairlington Run/Walk — The third annual Fairlington 5K run/walk will take place on Saturday, April 23. Registration for the fundraising event is now open. [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

BREAKING: Woman Struck by Bus in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire truck(Updated at 11:35 p.m.) A woman was struck and pinned under a Metrobus in Crystal City tonight.

The incident happened just before 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of 15th Street S. and Eads Street.

Firefighters used heavy rescue equipment to raise the bus enough to free the woman. She transported via ambulance to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital. Her injuries are described as non-life-threatening, authorities said.

Police are still on scene investigating the incident.

County Survey: Seventy Percent Interested in Swimming and Fitness at Long Bridge Park

By ARLnow.com
1/14

A newly-released survey on recreational needs in Arlington may help the case for building an aquatics and fitness facility at Long Bridge Park.

Arlington County scrapped plans to build a Long Bridge Aquatics Center in 2014, after construction bids on what was supposed to be a $79 million project came in well over budget. Since then, the county has sought public input on community recreation needs and considered partnering with the City of Alexandria on a facility.

The new survey asked about county-wide parks and recreation needs, as part of the update to the county’s Public Spaces Master Plan.

Survey respondents ranked a swimming pool and fitness equipment as the county’s two top indoor recreation needs. That corresponds to the county’s goals for a new indoor “Aquatic, Health and Fitness Facility” at Long Bridge Park.

Furthermore, the survey asked specifically about potential amenities at such a facility. Seventy percent of respondents said they had an interest in amenities at a Long Bridge Park facility, ranking their three “most important” amenities as:

  1. 50 meter pool,
  2. Health/fitness space with cardio/strength training
  3. Leisure pool with water slide, lazy river

County Board member Jay Fisette said he was “hopeful” the county could move forward on the Long Bridge Park facility.

“This seems to suggest to me that it validates the same or more interest in Long Bridge Park than we thought there was before,” he said. Fisette pointed out that in 2012 nearly two-thirds of Arlington residents approved a bond issue that was intended primarily to pay for the aquatics and fitness facility.

John Vihstadt, the lone non-Democrat on the Board, took a more restrained view.

“It really boils down to what sort of facilities and at what cost,” Vihstadt said. “I look forward to the discussion.”

Other survey findings include:

  • Hiking trails, natural areas and paved multi-use trails are the top outdoor recreation priorities
  • Nature, fitness and wellness programs, as well as special events and festivals, are the top parks and rec programming priorities
  • Most people would support food and beverage — including, potentially, alcohol — options in local parks and public plazas

The full county press release about the survey results, after the jump.
(more…)

Crime Report: Peeping Tom in Lyon Park

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police carA couple in Lyon Park looked out the window last night and saw a man videotaping them.

The incident happened just before 11 p.m., at the Sheffield Court Apartments. The man fled before police could arrive. It’s unclear why he was filming them.

“Subject has not been taken into custody so a motive is unknown at this time,” said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

From an ACPD crime report:

PEEPING TOM, 160323069, 800 block of N. Wayne Street. At approximately 10:45 p.m. on March 23, a male and female victim reported seeing a male subject recording them through a window. The subject fled the scene on foot. The suspect is described as a white male in his 30’s, with a slim build. He was wearing a light colored shirt.

Also on Wednesday, an argument between two men took a violent turn when one tried to stab the other.

The incident happened near the Shirlington Employment and Education Center, along Four Mile Run.

ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 160323045, 2700 block of S. Nelson Street. At approximately 5:57 p.m. on March 23, following a verbal altercation a male subject pulled out a knife and attempted to stab a male victim. Oscar Bermudes, 41, of Arlington VA, was arrested and charged with attempted malicious wounding. He is being held without bond.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Spring in bloom in Rosslyn

Metro Delays This Morning — Metro is experiencing big delays on the Blue and Orange lines after reports that a teenage girl intentionally jumped onto the tracks at the Eastern Market station. The Blue and Orange line is single-tracking between Eastern Market and Federal Center, while the Silver Line is only operating between Wiehle-Reston and Ballston. [Hill Now, Twitter, Twitter]

Gondola Feasibility Study Gets Eight Responses — Eight firms have responded to a Request for Proposals to conduct a feasibility study of a Rosslyn-to-Georgetown gondola system. The team for the study is expected to be chosen in about a month. The study is expected to be complete by the end of the year. [UrbanTurf]

Fire Danger Today — There’s an enhanced threat of brush fires today, even in Arlington. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area as low humidity and gusty winds combine for a significant fire danger. “Any fires will have the potential to spread very rapidly,” NWS says. [National Weather Service]

Parking Lots Crowded at DCA — Spring break and the Easter weekend are combining for a busy week and crowded parking lots at Reagan National Airport. As of this morning, the airport’s 2,613-space economy lot is full and there are only a few hundred spaces left in the 5,223-space Terminal B/C garages. [Twitter, Fly Reagan]

AYD Date Auction Next Week — The Arlington Young Democrats will hold their 15th annual charity date auction this coming Tuesday. Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes — along with face time with prominent elected officials — will be auctioned off to benefit the Arlington Food Assistance Center. [Arlington Young Dems]

BB Gun Sniper Pelts UPS Driver in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A UPS driver was pelted by BBs apparently fired from a Rosslyn apartment building this afternoon.

The incident happened around 2 p.m. near the corner of N. Oak Street and Key Blvd.

The driver told police that a teenage male — 18 years of age or so — was firing a BB gun at him from the top balcony of the 1800 N. Oak Street apartments. At least one of the BBs struck the man in the torso, but he was not otherwise injured.

The driver yelled at the teen to stop. By the time police showed up, he had apparently gone back inside.

No word yet on whether there are any suspects in the case.

Woman Says Two Men Tried to Abduct Her in Arlington Forest

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA woman told police that two men tried to abduct her near the entrance to the Lubber Run Amphitheater last night.

The alleged incident happened around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, on the 200 block of N. Columbus Street in the Arlington Forest neighborhood.

The victim told detectives that two men approached her from behind as she was walking down the street. One tried to place something over her head while the other tried to muffle her screams and also touched her inappropriately, she said.

The woman was able to break free and the men fled on foot, according to a crime report. Despite the presumed commotion, there have thus far been no reports of neighbors who heard or witnessed the incident.

Police are planning to canvass the area to further investigate the crime and are also planning to increase foot patrols in the neighborhood, said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

This incident is not believed to be related to a string of sexual assault incidents last summer, Savage said — the suspects in those incidents are both in custody.

From the crime report:

ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, 160322052, 200 block of N. Columbus Street. At approximately 8:30 p.m. on March 22, two unknown male subjects approached a female from behind. One subject attempted to place an unknown object over her head while the other subject touched her inappropriately. The female was able to break free from the subjects and they fled the scene on foot. The first suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’7″ tall and weighed 130 lbs. He was wearing a dark colored shirt and white/black checkered shorts. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’7″ tall and weighed 130 lbs. He was wearing dark colored pants and a dark colored shirt.

Community Meeting Planned for Rappahannock Coffee Development

By ARLnow.com
1/6

(Updated at 1 p.m.) A community meeting has been scheduled to discuss the proposed redevelopment of a group of low-slung commercial buildings along Columbia Pike’s main business district.

The trio of buildings at 2330, 2342 and 2406 Columbia Pike is better known as the Rappahannock Coffee site, for the long-time Pike coffee shop housed in one of the buildings, which are slated to be torn down to make way for new apartments or condos.

Developer B.M. Smith, which was also behind the Penrose Square development across the street, is proposing a six-story mixed-use building known as 2400 Columbia Pike, with 105 new residential units, 13,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and a 140-space parking garage.

B.M Smith is also proposing streetscape improvements, 45 reserved bicycle parking spaces and the preservation of the “historic facades” of two existing buildings, according to an Arlington County project information page.

The community meeting about the development is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, at the Walter Reed Community Center (2909 16th Street S.).

The Arlington Planning Commission and County Board are expected to consider the proposal at their respective meetings in May.

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