After big storms, many of the same questions are asked: namely, why don’t we just bury power lines?

Surely the expense of constantly fixing power lines downed by falling trees, branches and the occasional crash — both in terms of the repairs themselves, lost productivity, etc. — cannot be far off from the cost of just moving them underground?

As our exploration of the topic last week found, however, it’s not quite that simple. It would cost tens of billions of dollars to bury lines across the state, and previous looks at the question specifically in Arlington also concluded that it’s infeasible from both a cost and a permissions perspective — getting everyone to agree to let the power company dig up their yards.

Instead, Dominion and local governments have been conducting more targeted undergroundings, along high-density corridors like Columbia Pike and in places where storm damage is more frequent. That has cut the power restoration time after big storms, a Dominion spokeswoman told us, but outages will remain a fact of life as long as there are storms and trees.

Of course, there are likely those that would argue that with climate change whipping up fiercer storms, burying more lines should be more seriously considered.

Where do you stand?


Bethany Beach (file photo)

You might have noticed that it’s a bit quieter around Arlington in recent days.

Based on traffic volumes and out-of-office email responses it’s pretty clear that a lot of people are on vacation (including, at least in theory, the person writing this poll).

With vacation season in full swing, we were wondering about the favorite genre of summer trip for our readers. Among the following eight options — beach, lake, mountain, city, international, camping, cruise and national park — which is your go-to destination?

Have a different favorite summer vacation in mind? Let us know in the comments.


A row of townhouses in Portland, Oregon (courtesy of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability)

Arlington didn’t start the ‘Missing Middle’ fire — localities across the country and around the world have been trying to figure out how to deal with rapidly rising housing costs.

While Arlington’s approval of new zoning regulations allowing small-scale multifamily housing in previously single-family-detached only neighborhoods was not the first time a major jurisdiction made such a move, the underlying debate is still raging in certain pockets of cyberspace.

ARLnow’s comment section aside, one place where the fire is still burning is on Twitter. (The social network was recently renamed “X” in a bid to incorporate additional features, arguably making it the National Landing of tech companies.)

On Twitter, a persistent anonymous account named Arlington Transparency has been posting side-by-side images of older homes set to be redeveloped as Missing Middle housing, next to speculation about how much those new units may cost given the price of existing, similar homes in the area.

In each case, the detached home set for demolition is less expensive than a newer townhouse or other multifamily home.

On the other side of the debate are local housing advocates like Jane Green, who point out that, yes, the resulting Missing Middle homes will likely be more expensive than the tear-down that’s being replaced, but they’re much less expensive than the “McMansions” that would otherwise be going up.

Plus, the more affordable homes being replaced would need “significant work” to be viable for buyers seeking to live there.

Unsurprisingly for Twitter, there’s a counter argument to the counter argument: that $900k+ townhouses benefit “elites” and not buyers in need of greater affordability.

Given the arguments above, who’s got the winning team, in your view? (With apologies to those who feel that this debate has been burning since the world’s been turning.)


A file photo of a business woman who is stressed and frustrated (Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash)

Karen” has been making the rounds again in Arlington.

The slang term, popularized after a 2020 incident in New York City that got national attention, refers to “a middle-class white woman perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is normal,” according to Wikipedia.

It was brought last week in the context of the Democratic primary.

Geographic distribution of votes for Commonwealth’s Attorney on Election Day (via Virginia Public Access Project)

From an ARLnow article Friday morning:

[Political consultant Ben] Tribbett was more blunt about what he saw as the electoral dynamic, citing the geographic distribution of votes in the Commonwealth’s Attorney race in particular.

“It’s the Karens versus the non-Karens,” he said. “Clearly, there’s a divide in the community that jumps out at you.”

“When that divide crosses over into multiple races and they follow the same pattern of results, even when fought on different issues… it tells you this is a lot more about different visions for the community than it is about any individual issue,” Tribbett added.

That did not sit well with some segment of our readership.

“Karen” in that context is generally considered a pejorative term, but at least one reader saw it as a slur, and wanted its use — including by those in the comment section — banned.

From an email we received:

Please STOP allowing ArlNow commenters to call women who are concerned with deteriorating quality-of-life in Arlington, and speak out about it, “Karens”.

The meme “Karen” has evolved over several years into borderline hate speech directed against middle aged White women who are unhappy with deteriorating quality of life here (e.g., crime in their neighborhoods) and call ACPD when, for example, they see suspicious behavior.

Charles, Arlington

Do you agree with the emailer that the term “Karen” is offensive? Or something more benign?

Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash


Staircase as seen at Amazon HQ2 grand opening (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Democratic primary has come and gone and, while the County Board results have yet to be tabulated, Tuesday was largely a victory for incumbent and incumbent-endorsed candidates.

The implication is that a majority of voters — at least Democratic primary voters — are largely satisfied with the way things are going in Arlington.

Of course, that’s not to be confused with universal support for the status quo. Nearly 45% of voters filled in the bubble for the Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate who highlighted rising crime as an issue in Arlington. Additionally, the initial County Board results show a split between candidates who support and oppose the recent Missing Middle housing changes.

Arlington still has its share of problems — soaring housing costs, high commercial vacancy rates, rising crime and police staffing challenges, a lack of mental health treatment, and opioid overdoses.

But there are also hopeful signs: Amazon is reportedly planning to build Phase 2 of its HQ2 after only a short delay, new mental health treatment options that just opened or are in the works, and there are promising opioid addiction treatment and overdose prevention efforts. Plus, while stats showed a rise in crime in 2022, anecdotally that seems to be moderating a bit over the past couple of months. The several month carjacking spree that started the year, for instance, has not continued into the late spring and early summer.

This morning we’re asking readers: all things considered, are you more or less optimistic about the current state and future direction of Arlington than you were at this time last year?


‘I Voted’ stickers on June 20, 2023 (staff photo)

Our latest morning poll is, admittedly, a bit niche.

Only 16% or so of Arlington registered voters cast a ballot in yesterday’s Democratic primary. Beyond the closely watched Commonwealth’s Attorney race, the primary was notable for being the first locally to utilize ranked choice voting, for the six-way County Board race.

Depending on which news article you were reading yesterday, voters were either flummoxed by the concept of RCV or thought it no big deal to fill in bubbles for their first, second and third choices of candidate.

“Virginia’s first ranked-choice election is vexing some Arlington voters,” said a Washington Post headline. The article went on to report that “Advocates for ranked-choice voting have cheered this pilot initiative, saying it will lead to results that better reflect the will of the electorate. But there seems to be one hiccup so far: Not many people understand how it works.”

WTOP talked to a voter who had trouble casting a valid ballot, but was able to fix it.

“Some found the ranked-choice voting system to be simple, while others encountered issues initially,” the radio station reported. “‘I did find it confusing, and in fact, on my first try, my ballot was rejected,’ Carol Davidson told WTOP, adding that she was eventually able to cast her vote.”

On the other hand, Virginia Mercury, a statewide outlet that’s part of a left-of-center nonprofit, said RCV voting in Arlington was “mostly smooth.”

“Many Arlington Democratic voters spoke positively about the ranked-choice voting system being pioneered this Primary Day for two county board of supervisors seats, although some said more education would have been helpful,” the outlet reported. “‘It was pretty easy,’ said Andrea Hansen, a resident who cast a ballot at the Westover precinct. ‘I think it gives the impression of more of an equal playing field and it encourages people to read up more on the candidates.'”

Either way, Arlington County is now asking for feedback on RCV, seeking voters who want to “share their opinions on and experiences with RCV in Arlington.”

We also want to know how ranked choice went, if you cast a ballot in the Democratic primary. Did it all make sense or did something about it confuse you?

All the while, Arlington awaits the results of the County Board voting: final tabulation to determine the Democratic nominees for the two open seats can take place no earlier than Friday, when the last of the legal mail-in ballots arrive.


One inevitability of running a local news outlet is that you’ll get plenty of people contacting you with complaints about stuff, some more newsworthy than others.

In general, we’re disinclined to use our limited reporting resources as a cudgel against pet peeves that lack greater significance or safety concerns to the community at large. More often, the better stories tend to be those that come from tips sent because something seems interesting, not because it bothers the tipster personally.

Recently, though, there has been a noticeable uptick in a certain type of tip: those complaining about noise.

Noise is a constant concern in a place like Arlington, which has no shortage of noisy things from airliners to helicopters, bars to buses.

Noise complaints abound in our 26 square miles, but those that have a more limited local impact and fall into a category that might be described as “annoying but to be expected where you live” often do not rise to the level of local coverage.

Arguably, the following three noise complaints could get that categorization. But after receiving each in notably short succession, we’re going to let readers decide which, if any, has the most merit and might deserve additional scrutiny.

First up: (1) the use of leaf blowers in Ballston when there are, in fact, few if any leaves on the ground.

You folks should do a story on excess use of gas powered leaf blowers in [Ballston]. I live off Welburn Square, and when I work at home I hear pairs of workers with leaf blowers frequently, like every few days. This happens literally year round, every month,–80% of the time there are no leaves!

Are these county workers? It seems like a waste of taxpayer money plus unneeded air pollution and sound pollution.

I’ve attached a photo from this morning. No leaves!! Yet two guys with gas powered blowers wailing.

Regards

Welburn Square apartment resident.

Next: (2) nightly runway closures at DCA steering late flights closer to residential towers in nearby Crystal City.

As a longtime resident of Crystal City, my high-rise building, and others on the northern end of Crystal Drive, are directly along the flight path of aircraft currently departing the 15/33 runway that’s being used during the evenings while the main runway is worked on. Since the project started,  aircraft depart that runway perhaps 1000′ from my building regularly during the late evening until nearly 3AM … and then resume a few more times before 6AM when the main runway is cleared for regular daytime traffic. (It’s intolerable for us in Waterford House and Crystal Gateway, but likely is worse for the residents of Crystal City Lofts and Water Park Towers.)

In addition to working professionals, several buildings in this part of Crystal City count many senior citizens as homeowners and/or renters. Taken together, we are all directly – and adversely – impacted being in such immediate proximity to the overwhelming noise of aircraft taking off on 15/33 that pass so close to our buildings during the overnight hours. I think you’d agree that long-term sleep deprivation and the related health consequences – at any age – certainly is not the answer. :(

According to a 2022 airport diagram[1], DCA runway 15/33 is 5200×150′ while 4/22 is 5000×150. Runway 4/22 is another ‘cross’ runway but departs over the Potomac River and does not put departing aircraft so close to residential buildings during their initial climb-out from DCA. Given the nearly identical length of these runways, it would be nice to know why DCA is not able to use that runway instead and therefore prevent disrupting the residents of northern Crystal City.

Finally: (3) the daily playing of the National Anthem at a Navy facility in the Penrose neighborhood, which allegedly “started last fall” and “can be heard from several blocks away, through windows, and is played every day.”

I am writing in about the Naval Support Facility at 701 S Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA. Several months ago, the facility began playing the National Anthem every morning at 8am.There are speakers pointed directly into the neighborhood. While it may have simply been an oversight, I wanted to bring Arlington County’s noise ordinances to your attention.

According to Arlington County, the Naval Support Facility is located in Zone S-3A. Arlington’s noise control regulations require that noise for Zone S-3A is below 95 decibels for “impulsive noise” during daytime hours (7am – 9pm weekdays, 10am – 9pm weekends) and below 90 decibels during nighttime hours. Please note they also define impulsive noise as lasting less than 1 second [Noise Ordinance, page 2]. All other noise needs to remain below 60 decibels during daytime hours and 55 decibels during nighttime hours. The Naval Support Facility plays the National Anthem at an audio level far beyond the permissible levels.

Additionally, I would like to bring your attention to the prohibited acts in the Arlington County noise ordinance. [Noise Ordinance, page 6]. I live approximately 600 feet from the Naval Support Facility, and the noise is extremely loud, even with the windows closed. This is a direct, clear violation of Arlington County’s noise ordinances.

“My neighbor has tried bringing this to Arlington County, but they won’t preemptively come out to the facility to witness the noise, so they won’t enforce their own rules,” the anthem tipster told ARLnow.

Which of the above complaints do you think has the most merit?

Map via Google Maps


State Sen. Barbara Favola (courtesy photo)

Last week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the June 20 Democratic primary to write a post about why Arlington residents should vote for them. Find information on how and where to vote here.

Below is the unedited response from Barbara Favola, incumbent for Virginia State Senate – 40th District. Challenger James DeVita did not submit a response prior to publication time.

As your senator, I promised to bolster public education, make health care more affordable, pass climate change policies and make Virginia safer with common-sense gun safety measures.  I have made considerable progress on these promises while honoring the values of equity and inclusiveness.

The most important investment we can make is in public education. I advocated to increase resources to low-income schools, enhance teacher pay, encourage the teaching of our complete history and reinforce the practice of making schools a welcoming place for all students. These successes were achieved in-spite of a prevailing anti-public education narrative and with the help of a Democratic majority in the Senate.

In the area of health care, I was the chief patron on legislation to prohibit surprise medical bills, contain medical debt and expand community-based MH services.  My efforts also resulted in more funding for MH counselors in our schools. I successfully advocated for legislation to prohibit conversion therapy.

As chair of the Senate Women’s Reproductive Health Care Caucus, I fight everyday so all Virginians can make their own health care decisions without the interference of politicians. In this past session, I put Governor Youngkin on the defensive when he opposed my bill to protect menstrual health data.  I am committed to protecting bodily autonomy in Virginia’s constitution.

To honor our commitment to the next generation, I passed a clean energy bill that will challenge Virginia to achieve 100% of its electricity sales from renewable sources by 2045. I serve on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and am a solid vote to protect our environment and keep us in REGGI.

As a member and former Chair of the Virginia Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence, I have immersed myself in these important issues and succeeded in passing legislation to remove firearms from those convicted of assault and battery of a household member. I was a co-sponsor of Virginia’s red flag law and co-sponsored other common-sense gun safety measures.

As chair of the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee. I have overseen major reforms in the operations of our local jails and prison system. My legislation to remove the death penalty from those who were seriously mentally ill at the time the crime was committed laid the groundwork for a repeal of the death penalty.

Additionally, I serve on Senate Rules, Local Government, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Transportation. I have earned a reputation as a lawmaker “who gets it done”, a compassionate and fair leader, and an individual who has developed relationships across the aisle. These traits enable me to shape major priorities in my role as Democratic Whip.  I have earned endorsements from the Virginia Education Association, LABOR, the VA Sierra Club, Emily’s List, VA NOW, a “Candidate of Distinction” notice from Moms Demand Action and many other groups.

I have always fought for a Commonwealth that encourages a shared prosperity and celebrates our diversity.  My knowledge and experience as an Arlington County Board member combined with my 12 years in the Senate gives me an insight into Arlington’s values that no other candidate can match.  I respectfully ask for your vote in the June 20 Democratic primary.

Sincerely,

Barbara Favola (D)


Wanda Younger, candidate for Arlington County Sheriff (via Wanda for Sheriff/Facebook)

Last week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the June 20 Democratic primary to write a post about why Arlington residents should vote for them. Find information on how and where to vote here.

Below is the unedited response from Wanda Younger, candidate for Arlington County Sheriff.

I retired from the Arlington Sheriff’s Office in 2020 as a Lieutenant and Director of Pretrial Services with 31 years of ethical service. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration (earned with highest honors) with numerous advanced leadership training to include training through the F.B.I. and International Association of Chiefs of Police.

I have been an Arlingtonian for nearly 30 years, and I care deeply about our community. My platform is comprehensive and for the past four months I have spear-headed specific solution sets to target three issues: detainee health, community safety, and Sheriff’s Office staff retention and employment practices.

With regard to detainee health, I have studied the protocols and standard of care in our local emergency rooms; these are the gold standard. I will work with our County Board and State Legislators to provide mental health care and medical services to our detainees staffed with physicians and support staff live, onsite 24 hours a day. This model emulates the best practices in our emergency rooms and can be the standard of care within our detention facility.

The purchase of 10 biometric units for $10,000 per annum is simply not enough logistically nor operationally. The biometric units are alert devices only akin to the monitors placed on a patient in the emergency room – human intervention is required and must be onsite to handle the response to any alerts.

With regard to community safety, I will reinvigorate the Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff program to assist in providing positive mentorship to our youth within the Arlington public schools and increase both community and school safety. There is a middle ground between private security officers and school resource officers – and that viable middle ground is trained, vetted, polygraphed Auxiliary Deputies. This Auxiliary force will be able to free full-time deputies who can then assist the Arlington County Police Department with community policing functions.

With regard to the employment practices of our Sheriff’s Deputies, I will completely revamp the premise of the employer-employee contract, doing away with the old and antiquated at-will employment of our deputies. This at-will employment of our deputies goes against all modern public policies, stifles innovation and dissention, and prevents the reporting of breaches of our standard operating procedures.

I have put out short, concise videos on my social media (www.wandaforsheriff.com) to address these solutions and provide an extensive information base and reasonings for Arlington voters. I have addressed the solution sets for school safety, which as a mother and grandmother, I find troubling. Children are scared to go into the bathrooms in some of our high schools, fearing assault. I have focused on the mental health crisis here in Arlington, which I fuse with detainee health issues. Also, I have addressed the issues of employment practices within the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff is not simply a caretaker of the jail and court as the Acting Sheriff believes. The Sheriff is not just a cop. She is a rehabilitator, a caretaker, and most importantly – a policy maker. Being a self-limiting Sheriff restricts the role of the Sheriff’s Office and demeans the historical context of this Constitutional Office. The Sheriff is the highest Law Enforcement Officer of the Constitution and is responsible for the Constitutional Rights of every citizen. True fundamental change to policies requires the re-thinking of the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office from the ground up.

In summary, the key differences between the other candidates and myself are that we have fundamental differences in education, experience, ethics, and worldview. I have the solution sets to make the lives of the community, Sheriff’s Office staff, and detainees better.

It’s time for Real Progress in Arlington!


James Herring, candidate for Sheriff, at a recent Arlington Dems meeting (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Last week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the June 20 Democratic primary to write a post about why Arlington residents should vote for them. Find information on how and where to vote here.

Below is the unedited response from James Herring, candidate for Arlington County Sheriff.

“Number of years of experience” – anyone who has applied for a job has seen these words and sat there mentally calculating a number to put down. In running for Sheriff, I have been questioned about my experience in a similar manner. In the case of my opponents, their years in office as middle-to-high-ranking deputies have been in a dysfunctional agency that’s unable to meet minimum standards of care for inmates, loses competent deputies, and has minimal connection to the community.

I am the only Sheriff’s Office outsider – and the Office needs a leader from outside now more than ever. Communities across the country are voicing ways that law enforcement needs to change, then electing those with decades of experience in the same system and expecting different results. I decided to run for the same reason I decided to join the police: I want to serve my community and help people. I entered this race after hearing and seeing (during my time as an Arlington Police Officer) the way those in our custody and the deputies providing their care have been mismanaged; it’s time Arlingtonians were made aware of the situation.

There have been eight in-custody deaths in the last ten years. These deaths have different circumstances, but one commonality: the Sheriff’s Office did not provide adequate care. Even after the most recently- concluded investigation, information has been withheld from the public on what (if anything) is being done to prevent deaths from occuring in the future. In addition to providing poor medical and mental health services, the jail’s low staffing levels mean that inmates are perpetually on lockdown; defense attorneys have approached me and expressed exasperation that this makes it extremely difficult to meet with their clients. This results in cases being continued unnecessarily, and people being held in jail longer – simply because the Sheriff has not prioritized their 6th Amendment rights. This means victims and defendants have to wait longer for their day in court; witnesses, attorneys, and judges have to constantly rearrange their schedule for a trial that could have long-since concluded, and the taxpayers have to foot the bill for someone whose outcome is needlessly deferred. This is unacceptable.

It is time we stop looking at how long someone has been doing the job, and instead look at what they’ve been doing with the job. My entire career has been in public service since the age of 18. I served in the Virginia National Guard for eight years, where I safely guided soldiers at the platoon level during an overseas deployment and acted as an executive officer for a light infantry company – learning how to lead as well as how to serve. I have trained rookie police officers on what it means to be a good cop for your community. I have been a police officer for nearly ten years, during which time I have learned patience and compassion for those who are likely having one of the worst days of their lives, and I have come to recognize they will continue to have those issues if we do not do everything we can to help them while they are in our care.

(more…)


Jose Quiroz, who took over as interim Arlington County Sheriff after Beth Arthur retired (via Jose Quiroz for Arlington)

Last week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the June 20 Democratic primary to write a post about why Arlington residents should vote for them. Find information on how and where to vote here.

Below is the unedited response from Jose Quiroz, candidate for Arlington County Sheriff.

It has been my honor to serve as Arlington’s Sheriff since January 2023. Following Sheriff Beth Arthur’s retirement I became Arlington County’s first Latino Sheriff. As the son of Honduran immigrants, I am thankful that my family worked hard to build a life for us in Arlington and to have the opportunity to grow up and serve here.

Serving my community has always been very important to me. After being honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps after four years of service, I continued my service with the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office. Starting my career as a deputy sheriff working in the detention facility, I grew up in the Sheriff’s office working in every division and being promoted through the ranks to eventually be named Chief Deputy in 2022. Over the past 21 years in the Sheriff’s Office, I have built relationships with my staff, with county leadership and with community organizations and members.

Immediately after assuming office, I began working to improve safety in the jail and promote rehabilitation of people in our care. I am working with the County to shift the jail medical services from an outside vendor to in-house staff to bring more accountability. I am in the process of integrating biometric sensors into the jail’s medical unit, an evidence-based tool to help prevent deaths in jails by providing real-time information so staff can respond quickly if a person is experiencing a medical crisis. I am also working to strengthen relationships with community and organizations and DHS to provide better mental health care in the jail by supporting the 14 mental health staffers who work with my office.

I believe in rehabilitation and that a mistake should not follow a person forever. When someone makes a mistake, is held accountable, and is provided the appropriate support to grow from that mistake they are able to grow and become better versions of themselves. This is why I am continuing to work with community partners to bring back proven rehabilitation efforts–such as the robust volunteer-led programs that existed prior to the pandemic–and explore new solutions for rehabilitation and successful integration. It is also why I am committed to making communication free for inmates because maintaining connections with loved ones is very important to the people in the jail.

In recent months, I have taken significant steps to improve engagement with the community. I hired the office’s first ever Public Information Officer, who will help inform the public of what is happening in my office and the detention facility. I am working on creating a dashboard and newsletter that will update the public on our daily work and on our data collections, as well as updating our website. I will continue to invest in crime prevention programs in the county with public schools and local organizations.

As a leader, I am responsible for the wellbeing of my staff and am investing in their future leadership. From providing them enhanced skills training to ensure that they are providing inmates the best care to supporting staff mental health and wellness, investing in our staff will improve safety. I am proud that the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office has a long history of being one of the most diverse county offices and am committed to continuing that tradition by actively recruiting staff from diverse places, encouraging current employees to help recruit new staff members, and creating an internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion unit to make sure that we are living our values.

I have been a successful servant leader and advocate for my community. Having received endorsements from various leaders and elected officials in Arlington, as well as the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense candidate distinction, I have proved my experience and gained the trust of my staff and community. I look forward to earning your vote this Democratic Primary. Please visit joseforsheriff.us to learn more!


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