Leaf collection underway in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Northern Virginia is now reaching peak foliage, meaning it is almost time for Arlington County’s annual leaf collection service.
Up to 50% of trees in the region have changed colors, though some patches will not turn red, orange or yellow until later this season, per the Virginia Fall Foliage Report.
Arlington will wait a few weeks before kicking off its first round of vacuum leaf collection in residential neighborhoods. It is set to start next month between Nov. 13-15, according to the county website, similar to last year’s timing.
Crews will make two passes through neighborhoods in November and December, as different trees shed their leaves at different times.
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) October 19, 2023
The first pass will not reach some areas until early December. The second round is then scheduled to start between Dec. 5 and 8 and wrap up around Dec. 16 to 21, according to the 2023 collection schedule.
“The schedule is determined by historical data, types and density of trees, weather forecasts and other available information. Once it’s set, we don’t change the dates,” says Katie O’Brien, a spokeswoman for Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services.
Based on current predictions, O’Brien noted that things “appear to be on track.”
The county offers year-round curbside organics pick-up if residents have leaves remaining after both rounds, she noted.
“Residents can use their green carts or paper bags for leaf disposal on their collection days,” O’Brien said.
Arlington’s countywide vacuum leaf collection service is in contrast to neighboring Fairfax County, where only certain areas get the service and, in turn, pay a special tax for it. Fairfax has been considering ending the service, leading to a resident petition and, last week, a temporary reprieve.
Arlington County police are investigating an armed carjacking over the weekend.
It happened shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday, on the 5500 block of Columbia Pike, near the Fairfax County line.
The vehicle taken was a BMW, according to scanner traffic and as noted by local public safety watcher Alan Henney. The car was later found nearby and recovered, according to police.
“The male victim was walking to his parked vehicle when he observed the two male suspects in the parking lot,” said today’s ACPD crime report. “The victim then entered his vehicle during which the suspects approached, brandished a firearm and demanded the victim’s belongings. The victim exited his vehicle and the suspects entered and fled the scene.”
“During the course of the investigation, the victim’s vehicle was located unoccupied in the area,” the crime report continues. “The investigation is ongoing.”
By ARLnow’s count, this is at least the 16th carjacking in Arlington so far this year. At least half of those carjackings have been of BMWs. ACPD reported 14 total carjackings for all of 2022.
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Upstairs, the expansive primary suite offers a deep walk-in closet, additional custom-organized closet, and a luxurious private bath with double sinks, granite counters, new lighting, and upgraded hardware. Two additional bedrooms with ceiling fans share an updated hall bath featuring a granite vanity, ceramic tile floor, and tub with tile surround.
Additional highlights include a newer Carrier gas furnace, State water heater, LG front-load washer and dryer, central vacuum system, and double-pane windows. Ideally located just blocks to Clarendon Metro and minutes to downtown D.C., the Pentagon, National Landing, and local parks and trails—this home delivers a rare combination of comfort, convenience, and timeless charm.
When Richard Gurley surveyed the healthcare field for people with diabetes, he noticed several flaws.
Whether they saw primary care physicians and specialists or used virtual platforms, diabetics often lacked support between visits, particularly for nutritional education and behavioral health.
Insurance, meanwhile, rewarded offices for less-effective care.
“The traditional way of treating type 2 diabetes in this country is just not working for the majority of people living with it,” Gurley said in a recent press release, announcing a new partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.
“We started with a blank slate and designed what we believe is the most efficient, effective model for serving people living with type 2 diabetes, helping them manage their care in a way that’s tailored to them,” his statement continued.
Ryse Health pairs patients with an endocrinologist, a diabetes care specialist, a health coach and a behavioral health specialist. Via chat, email, video and in-person visits, they provide regular support, tips for managing diabetes and coaching, while connecting patients with diabetic peers.
These encounters make for efficient and effective visits, and result in fewer visits over time as patients get healthier, according to the company. Ryse also hires additional staff when demand surges, so that patients wait a maximum of two weeks for an appointment. It takes most major insurance.
The company opened its doors in the summer of 2021 and today employs 18 team members and serves more than 500 patients across its offices in Arlington and Baltimore, he tells ARLnow.
Half of Ryse’s 18-person team reports to the Arlington office, but only for half the week, as most of the care it provides is virtual. Providers work from home two days a week.
Ryse Health CEO Richard Gurley speaks at an event hosted by the incubation program run by the investment arm of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (courtesy photo)
Gurley says his company aims to combine the best of primary care, specialty and virtual-only providers, while avoiding their shortcomings.
“Though there are some amazing examples of care in all three of these categories, by and large, they don’t serve people living with chronic disease well,” he said.
He credited primary-care practices for providing support between office visits but said they tend to pass off people with more complex medications or support needs to endocrinologists.
While endocrinologists handle these patients and offer diet education, they rarely provide the between-visit support or address psychological barriers, he said.
Both options have scheduling issues, Gurley says, noting patients wait an average of four months to see an endocrinologist and they see their provider every three to six months. That makes virtual, app-based options attractive but insurance largely does not cover them.
He attributed poor patient outcomes to these issues securing appointments and receiving effective support as well as the “perverse incentives” insurance creates.
For instance, companies will pay offices and hospitals the same for effective visits and those where little progress is made. Also, providers may not offer critical support to patients, such as identifying barriers to getting lab work done and devising a plan to overcome them.
“Most practices don’t have a way to get paid for that work, so they don’t do it,” he said.
As part of the new partnership — a first for Ryse — CareFirst will pair D.C.-area members who have uncontrolled type 2 diabetes with Ryse providers. They will provide in-person and virtual visits through which patients will come to control their hemoglobin and blood pressure levels.
Ryse and CareFirst began conversations in 2021. In 2022, Ryse joined its incubation program run by the investment arm of CareFirst.
“We’re grateful that CareFirst has chosen to partner with us on our shared mission, and we’re excited to see the partnership grow in the coming years,” Gurley said.
He foreshadowed more partnerships and announcements in the next six months as well as expansion plans within and beyond the mid-Atlantic.
The company already has investor interest and hasraised $10 million in the last 18 months.
Gurley says the money is being invested in “our team and technology, continuing to refine our model to be the most effective, efficient model for improving cardiometabolic health.”
Cody Chance and Dick Nathan of Long & Foster are hosting an online workshop on “down-sizing” Wednesday, May 11 from 5:30-7 p.m.
We have created a workbook with an extensive planning guide to enable you to design a personalized written plan for your move. It includes copious resources specific to Northern Virginia to help you to find the best people to assist you, and to get your extra belongings into the hands of people who will value them. The format is a “guided group discussion” of the workbook, with a chance for the participants to ask their own questions.
Car overturning on S. Glebe Road as another driver approaches (via Dave Statter/Twitter)
(Updated at 1 p.m.) An out-of-control driver’s flipping car nearly struck another driver overnight near Columbia Pike.
The crash happened around 1 a.m. this morning on S. Glebe Road, a few blocks north of the Pike, on the border of the Alcova Heights and Arlington Heights neighborhoods.
Sparks fly as the car crosses the center median and rolls over before apparently coming to rest upright.
A driver heading northbound narrowly avoids the crashing vehicle as it crosses over from the southbound lanes. Local public safety watcher Dave Statter posted a video (below) of the near-miss later Monday morning.
“No indications of injuries,” Statter noted.
Watch this one: Just after 1:00 this morning a car overturned on southbound S. Glebe Road south of 7th Street. Look how lucky the northbound driver was. The video feed from Arlington reset before the car crossed back over the median. It appeared to be upright. No indications of… pic.twitter.com/c56kY1v7Aq
