The Arlington County Fire Department responds to a call in Shirlington in Oct. 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington County fire marshals are investigating a vehicle fire in the Shirlington area that might have been deliberately set.
The incident happened this past Friday morning on the 4500 block of 31st Street S., between the Shirlington and Fairlington neighborhoods.
“The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD), Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is investigating a vehicle fire that occurred at approximately 6:00 a.m. on the morning of June 30,” Capt. Nathaniel C. Hiner tells ARLnow. “The ACFD arrived on the scene of the fire and found a black BMW X5 completely engulfed in fire. The OFM has determined the fire to be suspicious in nature and is asking nearby residents that may have any information that could benefit the investigation to please contact Deputy Fire Marshal Ryan Murphy [at] [email protected].”
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is seeking assistance regarding a suspicious vehicle fire. The fire took place on 6/30/23 between 5:45am – 6:45 am in the 4500 block of 31st Street S. Anyone with information is asked to contact DFM R. Murphy – [email protected]pic.twitter.com/Q2plgYpvoI
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) July 2, 2023
A sponsor for Arlington’s premier youth soccer league is helping girls hone their skills as players and coders.
Tim Yang, who owns an online coding school called 355Code, has been hosting classes for members of the Arlington Soccer Association Girls with Goals program this year.
Girls With Goals is a free, six-week after school club that helps low-income families at select elementary schools in Arlington Public Schools participate in sports. It aims to break down barriers to participation, including cost and transportation, while increasing membership in the soccer league.
Yang, who liked the mission of the program, decided to offer his services as a coding coach during a six-week session this spring at Drew Elementary School.
“I felt Girls with Goals was a great program and wanted to connect further,” he told ARLnow.
Tim Yang provides coding coaching to two girls through Girls with Goals (courtesy Jerome Boettcher)
Yang says elementary school students are the “perfect age” for the first stages of instructional coding.
In the last session, Yang — who has previously worked as a software engineer for the IRS, the bank Citigroup and Nike — conducted 45-minute classes. Girls warmed up with 15 minutes of typing, moving to 15 minutes of computer activities and then 15 minutes of theory connection, reflection and discussion.
After witnessing the girls’ passionate, dedicated attitude and persistence, Yang says he hopes to continue hosting classes for Girls with Goals this fall.
“The girls are great — they work very hard,” Yang said. “There is no reason not to [continue].”
The coding lessons were in part possible through the partnership Girls With Goals has with the Extended Day after school program through Arlington Public Schools.
Christyna Haskins, a program assistant supervisor, says coding was new to the girls and they love it.
“Every day they come in asking if he is coming today,” she told Arlington Soccer Association. “They really do enjoy it. Some of the girls said they want to do coding as they get older. So it has opened new doors for them.”
Yang offers classes for Javascript and Python to students from grades 4-12. This summer, he is offering a Javascript course for one hour a week, on Zoom or in person at 901 N. Glebe Road, according to the Arlington Soccer Association.
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!
Power lines near the Bluemont Junction Trail (photo courtesy Eric Dunham)
Road Closures Tomorrow — “The Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police, United States Park Police, and Virginia Department of Transportation will close multiple roadways on Tuesday, July 4th, 2023. These closures are designed to facilitate the safe passage of large crowds for the Independence Day events and fireworks.” [Arlington County]
County Gov’t Closed on July 4 — “Arlington County Government offices & services are operating on modified schedules for the Independence Day holiday… Permit parking is always in effect unless specifically noted on the sign. Meters are not enforced on holidays.” [Arlington County, Arlington County]
SoberRide Active for Holiday — From the Arlington County Police Department: “If your celebration includes alcohol, plan a safe ride home before the festivities begin. This Independence Day, @WRAP_org is offering free Lyft rides to help prevent impaired driving.” [Twitter, SoberRide]
Armed Robbery in Cherrydale — ” 3900 block of Langston Boulevard. At approximately 12:10 p.m. on June 29, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect entered a business, brandished a firearm and demanded cash. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.” [ACPD]
Friday’s Road Work Near Ballston — “According to Arlington Department of Environmental Services, around 2:12 p.m., a sink hole was reported at Washington Boulevard and North Glebe Road. It was caused by a valve leak in that area and resulted in traffic being limited to the intersection. Crews reported to the scene to to repair the leak and restore the road surface. Drivers were advised to seek alternative routes at the time.” [WUSA 9]
Beyer Revives SCOTUS Bill — “Today, Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Don Beyer (VA-08) reintroduced The Supreme Court Term Limits and Regular Appointments Act following the Supreme Court’s decision to block the Biden Administration’s Student Debt Relief Plan.” [Press Release]
Light Publishing Schedule Today — As today is a quasi-holiday with July 4 tomorrow, ARLnow will be operating on a light publishing schedule. We will not be publishing tomorrow, except in the event of breaking news, but will be back fully on Wednesday.
It’s Monday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 5pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 92. West wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. At night: Showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. [Weather.gov]
Update at 2:35 p.m. — About 500 customers remain without power in Arlington. A Dominion spokeswoman says the outage was caused by an “unrelated tree contractor [dropping] a tree on our wire.”
Arlington Outage: At 9:28am, a 3rd party, unrelated tree contractor, dropped a tree on our wire impacting 8,117 customers. Our Operations Ctr restored 3,079 in less than 1 min.
497 customers are out. ➡️ We expect to have service restored in the hour as crews finish repairs.
Earlier: Nearly 4,600 Dominion customers are in the dark as a result of a widespread power outage Saturday morning.
It’s unclear what caused the outage, which stretches from Ballston to Bluemont to Boulevard Manor to Dominion Hills along the Wilson Blvd corridor, according to Dominion’s outage map and emailed tips to ARLnow.
As of publication time, Dominion is estimating that power will be restored between 1-4 p.m.
