News

More than a dozen mirrors stolen from cars parked in S. Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car (file photo)

Residents of several south Arlington neighborhoods woke up Monday morning to find mirrors stolen from their parked cars.

The thefts happened at some point Sunday or Monday, in the Barcroft and Douglas Park neighborhoods, as well as the Shirlington area. An unknown thief or thieves stole the glass from side view mirrors of 14 vehicles, and damaged the mirrors of another three.

More, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

LARCENY FROM AUTO/VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series) (Late), 2023-06260040/2023-06260075/2023-06260135/2023-06260177, 4400 block of 4th Street S./ 2500 block of S. Arlington Mill Drive/2100 block of S. Quebec Street/2800 block of S. Wakefield Street. At approximately 7:34 a.m. on June 26, police were dispatched to the late report of destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined between 12:00 p.m. on June 25 and 1:00 p.m. on June 26, the unknown suspect(s) stole the glass from the sideview mirrors of 14 vehicles and damaged the glass of the sideview mirrors of three vehicles in the area. No other items were reported damaged or stolen. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

This is not the first such theft in the county. Last month four vehicles in north Arlington had side view mirror glass stolen in a theft spree, while a fifth vehicle was damaged.

Many modern side view mirrors house sensors and other electronics that could be worth more than a thousand dollars, making them attractive to thieves.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Crow on a wire, in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

‘State of the County’ Address — “Following his address, [Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey] answered questions about how the county is addressing affordable housing, the high office vacancy rate, and the County’s customer service response. On customer service, Dorsey noted that he ultimately “wants to make sure that when people go to the County, even when they don’t get the answer that they wanted, that they still feel heard.” [Press Release]

Fundraiser for Murder Victim — “The family of Shontae Crawford, who was stabbed to death in her Arlington apartment on June 19, is holding an online fundraising campaign to cover the costs of her funeral and memorial services. Any excess money raised from the online campaign will go to her son Donovon Dimauri, according to the GoFundMe site.” [Patch, GoFundMe]

Tree Group Peeved by Proposal — “If the Arlington government can’t sufficiently care for trees on its own property, why is it trying to gain authority over trees on private property? That’s the view of the Arlington Tree Action Group (ATAG), which is asking its supporters to contact County Board members in opposition to proposed changes to a county ordinance. The change would, first, require private-property owners to remove trees or portions of trees when county officials determine there is a hazard.” [Gazette Leader]

Local Teens Battle Mysterious Disease — “Doctors prescribed a fleet of medications to regulate Noah’s sleep, blood pressure, nausea and presumed mental health issues, but his symptoms persisted. He missed school. He couldn’t participate in sports or social activities. His parents dragged him from one specialist to the next, until finally an anesthesiologist at an endoscopy appointment asked: ‘Have you ever heard of POTS?'” [Arlington Magazine]

AFAC Celebrating Anniversary — “The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating long term food insecurity in Arlington County, proudly announces its 35th Anniversary of serving the community on June 30, 2023. Since its inception in 1988, AFAC has been at the forefront of providing vital food resources to individuals and families in need in Arlington and Northern Virginia.” [Press Release]

Measuring Local Household Bills — “Residents of Arlington spend nearly $11,000 per year more than the national average when it comes to household bills, but are not in the uppermost tier of Virginia among overall spending. In fact, Arlington ranks just 28th among Old Dominion jurisdictions in the new survey from Doxo, with the typical county household spending $2,941 per month on routine bills – about 28 percent of average total monthly household income.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Wednesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northwest wind around 10 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph. [Weather.gov]

Sponsored

Arts Focus: Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington

By Sponsor

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

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!

Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jun 27, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 12981 times… so far.

📈 Top stories

The following are the most-read articles for today — Jun 27, 2023.

  1. Arlington to consider hunting and sterilizing deer, or fencing parks, to cull herds
  2. Morning Notes
  3. Three hurt in serious Route 50 crash
  4. JUST IN: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Arlington

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northwest wind around 10 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”
– Mother Teresa

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Weather

Canadian wildfire smoke returns, leading to another air quality alert

By ARLnow.com
Haze from Canadian wildfires as seen over Pentagon City earlier this month (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The bulk of today’s storms are moving out — and more Canadian wildfire smoke is about to move in.

The smoke that enveloped Chicago and much of the Midwest today is set to push east toward our region. That has prompted a Code Orange air quality alert for the D.C. area tomorrow (Wednesday).

Code Orange indicates that time spent outdoors could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, but it’s not as bad as earlier this month when the air quality measurement for Arlington hit Code Maroon, the worst and most hazardous level.

More from a Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments press release, below.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Orange air day for the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow: Wednesday, June 28. Smoke coming from wildfires in Canada will contribute to the increased levels of fine particle pollution. The Code Orange levels mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including older adults, children, and people with heart or lung disease.

On unhealthy air days, COG advises the following health precautions:

  • Children and older adults should reduce outdoor activities.
  • Individuals with respiratory and heart ailments, emphysema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis should limit their activity level. If breathing becomes difficult, move indoors.
  • Healthy individuals should limit strenuous work or exercise, especially outdoors.

Residents can check current air quality conditions on COG’s website or by downloading a free air quality app from Clean Air Partners.

COG provides air quality forecasts and current air quality conditions for metropolitan Washington. It also educates the public about voluntary actions people can take to reduce pollution and the health risks of bad air quality through its Clean Air Partners program, which is co-sponsored by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

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