Police are investigating back-to-back reported armed robberies in the Arlington Mill neighborhood.
The robberies happened around 2:30 p.m. on the 800 block of S. Frederick Street. Initial reports suggest that a masked man with a semiautomatic handgun separately robbed two people of cash.
The Fairfax County police helicopter is currently overhead, assisting Arlington police with a search for the suspect.
Neither robbery victim has been reported to be injured.
POLICE ACTIVITY: ACPD is investigating the report of an armed robbery in the 800 block of S. Frederick Street. A helicopter is assisting with an aerial search of the area for the suspect. Expect continued police activity in the area. pic.twitter.com/yTbT5lNJlz
The back of Westover Taco (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The front of Westover Taco on Washington Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Inside Westover Taco in November 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Inside Westover Taco in November 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Inside Westover Taco in November 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Tacos are closer to being served in Westover, just in time for the holidays.
After a nearly 4-month delay, Westover Taco at 5849 Washington Blvd — previously the home of the Forest Inn, a long-time dive bar which closed in June 2022 — is set to open around mid-December, per the company’s Instagram account.
“Alright! We are super excited to announce that we’ve overcome all the hurdles and will be opening to the public in the next few weeks,” the company posted yesterday (Tuesday). “We’ll announce the exact date as soon as we have it.”
Originally, Westover Taco aimed to start serving back in August. However, co-owner Scott Parker said the opening was delayed due to permitting issues.
“It was just the usual permit delays. Nothing too exciting,” Parker told ARLnow.
Construction began last spring, and it appeared the restaurant was adding the final touches when ARLnow recently checked in on its progress.
The restaurant’s menu boasts several types of tacos, including chicken, pork, steak and fish.
Complementing the taco selection is an assortment of tequila-based cocktails, including a cucumber jalapeño paloma with grapefruit and lime, a tequila colada with coconut water and coconut Rèal and the classic margarita.
Enjoy an unforgettable evening of celebration and culture at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington on Saturday, Nov. 1, with an outdoor picnic in honor of Día de los Muertos. Set against the backdrop of crisp fall weather in Virginia Square, this family-friendly event promises art, music, delicious food and performances for all ages.
Spread out your blanket and partake in activities like interactive art projects, live performances and games of lotería (lottery). Savor the flavors of tacos and craft espresso drinks from local food trucks such as TNT Mexican Grill, Taco Cinco De Mayo and Rossana Coffee. Additional vendors include Ana Schwar, Otterly Artistic Designs and David Amoroso. Festive lighting will be provided by AVLD Events .
A cherished Arlington tradition, the event is co-sponsored by the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington and Arlington Arts, celebrating the Mexican holiday dedicated to remembering loved ones with joy and festivity. National Geographic notes, Día de los Muertos blends ancient Aztec rituals with Spanish customs brought to Mexico in the early 1500s, honoring the dead through colorful and lively celebrations.
Arlington-based artist David Amoroso is once again creating a large-scale ofrenda (altar) on the museum’s front portico. Attendees are invited to bring a photo of a deceased loved one to include in the ofrenda, making the altar a collective tribute. Participants will be able to decorate their own Calavera masks. Amoroso is also working with Johnerick Lawson on a kinetic element to showcase their creations!
The evening will be filled with music and dance, including a performance by Mariachi Imperio by Blanca Chucuan. The DC-based, woman-led ensemble is carrying on this venerable musical tradition in the DMV, having performed everywhere from the Smithsonian Institution to popular area restaurants and family Quinceanera’s. Dance enthusiasts will also be captivated by the folkloric Mexican dance group Los Quetzales, known for their vibrant performances over the past 26 years.
While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to take a selfie with the popular Reclining Liberty sculpture by Zaq Landsberg. This striking, 25-foot installation juxtaposes the Statue of Liberty with a traditional Buddhist reclining pose, encouraging reflection on the ideals the iconic statue represents. Installed in 2023 co-sponsored by Arlington Public Art and MoCA Arlington, the sculpture was recently granted permanent status at the venue.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington has been a key collaborator with Arlington County Government for decades. Housed in the historic Clarendon School building, the museum is part of Arlington’s cultural legacy, operating under a long-term lease with the County. The building, designed in 1910 and renovated in 2004, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mark your calendar for this vibrant celebration! The Día de los Muertos event will take place from 5:00 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, 3550 Wilson Boulevard. Click here for event details. Visit the Arlington Cultural Affairs website for more details and to explore Arlington’s exciting public art and cultural programs.
Don’t miss out — join us to honor tradition, celebrate culture and experience the arts in Arlington!
Arlington Chorale December 2022 concert at Westover Baptist Church (courtesy of Dennis Pitman)
The Arlington Chorale is gearing up to bring a long-lost musical piece to life at its holiday concert next Saturday in Westover.
The community choir plans to perform familiar classics, including “Good King Wenceslas” and “Gloria.” However, it is also adding what it says is a rarely performed composition to its repertoire: ‘The Ballad of the Brown King.”
Composed by African-American composerMargaret Bonds, the ballad was first performed in New York in December 1954. It tells the story of Balthazar, one of the Three Wise Men in the Nativity story, who is described in some biblical translations as “dark or Black,” says Ingrid Lestrud, the choir conductor.
“As this work premiered in 1954 before the Civil Rights movement, it was a pretty radical idea to have a Black man as the main figure of a 25-minute piece for choir and orchestra,” Lestrud told ARLnow.
Although one Early Middle Ages saint describes Balthazar as having “black complexion,” it was not until the end of the 15th century that artists regularly depicted Balthazar with darker skin.
During the concert, slated for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Westover Baptist Church, Scott Edwin Taylor, director of The Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, and Saundra Green, a local Arlington resident, will also discuss the history of the song and share their insight about the hurdles Bonds faced as a Black female composer before the Civil Rights era.
“It was not performed often during the composer’s lifetime — probably because it was difficult for Black women to convince conductors to program their music — but her pieces are starting to be performed more now that conductors are trying to program a more diverse range of composers,” Lestrud said.
The 60-member local, nonprofit chorus was first established in 1966 and both women and men sing in the ensemble. Over the years, it has performed at a number of significant regional events, including the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2018 at Nationals Park.
After a several-year hiatus due to Covid, the choir made a comeback to the local music scene last year.
Have you registered your son or daughter to play lacrosse yet this spring? Join the Arlington Youth Lacrosse Club (AYLC)! Lacrosse is great for all ages! AYLC has programs for boys & girls with all experience levels for children aged 5 -14 years old. It’s great for building teamwork as well as individual hand – eye coordination. Teams are separated by age levels and abilities with practices twice a week and games on weekends starting in March.
Registration cost is $185, however, need-based scholarships are available to waive registration fees and garner equipment. Registration closes in February and we often have waitlists, so don’t delay! REGISTER TODAY! For more information on AYLC, please visit www.arlingtonlacrosse.org. Coaches Wanted: As a volunteer- driven organization, AYLC is also looking for coaches at each age group. Although experience is preferred, we provide practice plans and training! Click here to register to coach this year!
A rendering of the proposed Goodwill redevelopment (via Arlington County)
A rendering of the proposed Goodwill redevelopment (via Arlington County)
A rendering of the proposed Goodwill redevelopment (via Arlington County)
Goodwill at 10 S. Glebe Road (via Google Maps)
Goodwill’s Glebe Road donation center (file photo)
Plans to redevelop the Goodwill near Route 50 — with affordable housing, childcare and a new store and donation center — have received a relatively warm reception, per a recent survey.
Goodwill and AHC Inc. propose to replace the existing Goodwill Retail and Donation Center in the Alcova Heights neighborhood with a 6-story apartment building with 128 units of affordable housing, a new store and donation center and a 3,300-square-foot childcare facility.
The redevelopment at 10 S. Glebe Road would have 168 total parking spaces, including 50 for customers and four for childcare.
The plans are early in the Arlington County approval process. Now that the recent feedback opportunity is complete, there will be two site plan review committee meetings, not yet scheduled, followed by Planning Commission and Arlington County Board hearings.
A majority of respondents, including community members, planning commissioners and other county commission members, welcome the addition of childcare and affordable housing to the site. Most of the 167 respondents said the density and land use “appropriate,” with several suggesting even more units could be added.
“I love this!” wrote one. “The more childcare facilities and housing the better!”
Another noted that about three-quarters of the units would be family-sized 2- and 3-bedroom units, which are in short supply in Arlington.
“Likewise, Arlington is in desperate need of additional childcare facilities like this,” the person continued. “The playground and green space proposed would benefit the entire neighborhood. This corner abuts office, commercial, and multifamily site, so additional density here should not be a problem.”
Not everyone is pleased with the increased density, however. Some objected to locating housing and childcare so close to busy Arlington Blvd, predicting even more congestion.
“The building is much [too] close to Route 50 and the residents are not connected to the surrounding community,” wrote one commenter. “They will be isolated. For all its progressive bona fides, it looks like Arlington is opting for the warehousing of the poor.”
“I question whether this site can handle this sort of expansive growth,” said another. “Traffic in this area is already horrendous and has been getting worse. This new site use will only increase that.”
For self-identified county commissioners who responded to the survey, the devil will be in the details, with concerns about insufficient landscaping, greenspace and traffic.
“Installing Right- as well as Left-turn traffic lights for South- and North-bound traffic across S. Glebe Rd. at the entrance to and exit from the proposed building site would make it more convenient and safer for motorists and pedestrians who will use S. Glebe Rd. close to its intersection with Arlington Boulevard,” recommended one.
The county says the developer conducted a traffic analysis that looked at three signalized and three stop-controlled intersections around the site. It found that the overall operations are and will be “at an acceptable Level of Service” if the development moves forward, per a staff report.
As for donation traffic, donors would enter and exit a drive-thru line from S. Glebe Road, similar to the configuration used today. The difference is that the new one would take drivers inside the building and up a level.
The current line sees backups onto S. Glebe Road during busy donation seasons, according to some commenters and a county report. The report did not indicate whether the plans would address this, noting that traffic volumes were manageable most of the year.
The designs received several compliments, including that it was “genius” and “light years better than the existing circulation plan.”
Goodwill donation queuing crosses two levels (via Arlington County)
Cultivate your creativity heading into the new year at Art House 7! We have a range of fantastic winter classes (typically 5-6 sessions) for ages preschool on up. Highlights this year for adults include figure drawing, ceramics, oil painting, watercolor painting, portrait painting and sewing.
We also offer single-session workshops, including BYOB art nights and morning art socials, where you can learn linocut, Japanese Suminagashi (floating ink), and much more.
