King of Koshary at 5515 Wilson Blvd in 2019 (staff photo)
Koshari from King of Koshary (staff photo)
Ayob Metry, owner of King of Koshary, in 2019 (staff photo)
The exterior of Bostan, an Uyghur restaurant in 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The interior of Bostan, an Uyghur restaurant in 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Last year Charga Grill topped the Washington Post’s annual list of top casual restaurants in the region.
That sent a flood of new customers to the eatery at 5151 Langston Blvd. Now two other Arlington restaurants, including another along Langston Blvd, are bound to see a big influx of diners thanks to the latest WaPo rankings.
King of Koshary, at 5515 Wilson Blvd, was previously praised by Carman for its “Egyptian food fit for royalty.”
“The King’s koshary is actually a joint effort from Ayob Metry and Nadia Gomaa, a pair of Egyptian natives who used to challenge each other to make the best version of this carb-heavy dish when they worked in the prepared foods department at Whole Foods in Ashburn,” Carman wrote in his latest list, published Tuesday.
Bostan Uyghur Cuisine, at 3911 Langston Blvd, was also noted for its compelling origin story — in addition to the food.
“Faced with the threat of a Chinese ‘reeducation’ camp if he returned to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to renew his passport, Mirzat Salam opted to flee to the United States with his wife, Zulhayat Omer,” Carman wrote. “Trained as a doctor in Xinjiang, Mirzat slipped quietly into the hospitality industry, the same profession that his father, a chef named Abdusalam, had warned him about as a boy.”
Topping this year’s list, in the former Charga spot, is Woodbridge food truck Lechonera DMV.
Fields Park surrounded in crime scene tape (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Local and federal investigators comb through evidence along the Bluemont Junction Trail (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Location of house explosion and Fields Park (via Google Maps)
Investigators comb through evidence on the scene of the Bluemont house explosion (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Investigators comb through evidence on the scene of the Bluemont house explosion (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Moment of the house explosion in Bluemont (video courtesy Alex Wilson)
Fields Park blocked off by crime scene tape (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Crews are working to clean up a park and a trail following Monday’s house explosion in Bluemont.
Arlington County provided an update about the incident late Thursday afternoon, noting that the exact cause of the explosion — which followed a police standoff with a resident now presumed dead — remains unknown.
The blast destroyed both units of a duplex that’s next to the Bluemont Junction Trail and Field Park, which is often used by youth soccer teams. A fundraiser for the family in the adjoining duplex unit has now raised over $200,000.
The county says it’s working to remove debris from the trail but cautions that it is “a process that will take time” and “continued patience is appreciated.” The cleanup of the park, meanwhile, has prompted its closure for the rest of the winter.
Neighbors of the destroyed house on N. Burlington Street were allowed to return to their homes Wednesday night, according to the county.
More, below, from a press release.
The Arlington County Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal has concluded operations on the scene of the recent explosion and fire at 844 N. Burlington St. While operations at the scene have concluded, the investigation into the incident, including the cause of the explosion, is ongoing.
Residents displaced following the home explosion in the 800 block of N. Burlington Street were permitted to return home Wednesday evening.
The Bluemont Junction Trail and the Fields Park cleanup process is underway, led by the Department of Parks and Recreation. Fields Park will remain closed for the duration of the winter season.
Fencing has been installed to secure the site. The Department of Environment Services continues to clear debris, a process that will take time; continued patience is appreciated.
Arlington County staff are in communication with residents and encourage them to continue to reach out for support and resources. If any residents is in need of assistance, including medical, food, housing, or mental health assistance, please contact the Arlington County Department of Human Services at (703) 228-1300 or (703) 228-1398 (TTY).
The Smith family, who lost their home in the Bluemont house explosion (via Derek Cole/GoFundMe)
Moment of the house explosion in Bluemont (video courtesy Alex Wilson)
Firefighting operations continue more than an hour after the explosion (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Federal investigators on scene of Bluemont explosion (photo via @ATFWashington/Twitter)
Investigators comb through evidence on the scene of the Bluemont house explosion (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The house at 844 and 846 N. Burlington Street in 2012 (via Google Maps)
(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) When the GoFundMe campaign for the Smith family launched 24 hours ago, it had a goal of raising $50,000. As of publication, it has raised about $140,000.
An outpouring of support for the family that lost everything in the explosion of their Bluemont duplex has been attracting donations from across Arlington, the region and the country. More than 2,000 have donated so far, including individuals and local groups.
“We KW Barrett Elementary kids wanted to support you all,” said one note of support on the fundraising page. “We had a hot cocoa stand to raise funds to help and then added a little extra from us. Hope this helps! Sincerely, KW Barrett Fifth Graders and friends.”
Students at the school in the Arlington Forest neighborhood raised more than $260 yesterday, including from a group of police officers who stopped by, according to social media posts.
Thanks for your support ACPD! The kids raised $264.85 and we rounded up and donated to the family displaced in the tragedy thru https://t.co/W71d8rpNNq. Thank you for the quick response on that scary night.
While they were evacuated by first responders well before the blast, knowledge that the family of four had all of their possessions and physical memories go up in flames prompted people to almost immediately start asking — in comments and social media — how they could support them in their time of need.
Thus stepped in local real estate agent Derek Cole, close college friend of Lance Smith from their time at Oklahoma State in the mid-1990s.
While the family is “not speaking to media at this time,” Cole said, he noted that they “have enjoyed calling Northern Virginia home for many years.” They had extensively renovated their side of the duplex, he wrote on GoFundMe, “working tirelessly to create a special home for their children to flourish.”
“Thankfully, the Smith family and their their sweet dog, are alive, healthy, and very much together,” Cole wrote. “Because of the explosion,” however, “the Smith family sadly lost all their worldly possessions.”
“It is the goal of their friends and loved ones to see the Smith family get back to normal as best they can following this horrible tragedy… especially, as we approach the holiday season,” he wrote. “Please join us in supporting the Smith family as they work to restore balance in their lives and focus on their incredible family, while we also respect their privacy.”
Cole told ARLnow that he was unsure how the funds raised on GoFundMe would be used, saying that it depends on what their insurance covers.
The family’s duplex neighbor, 56-year-old James Yoo, is presumed dead in the explosion, which followed an hours-long standoff with police. Yoo suffered apparent mental health problems and three days before Monday’s incident had posted a paranoid rant against the Smiths on his LinkedIn account.
It is still not clear what triggered the massive explosion, which is being investigated by both Arlington County authorities and federal law enforcement.
James Yoo, 56, is presumed dead as a result of the explosion of the duplex at 844 N. Burlington Street, in the Bluemont neighborhood, Arlington County police confirmed during a news conference this afternoon.
Human remains were located at the scene, said Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn, and the medical examiner is working to identify the remains. There are no ongoing threats to the community and no outstanding suspects, Penn added.
The explosion happened around 8:25 p.m. Monday and was heard — and felt — from miles around. It followed a standoff that started around 4:45 p.m. as Yoo fired some 30-40 flares from his window, sending them over neighboring Fields Park and in the direction of Key Elementary School.
The force of the explosion shattered home and car windows near the blast site and injured several Arlington police officers. The officers suffered only minor injuries, police previously said.
As many as a dozen surrounding homes were damaged and ten households temporarily displaced by the explosion, ACPD said today. Nearby residents, including those in the duplex unit adjoining Yoo, were evacuated by firefighters about an hour and a half prior to the explosion, authorities said. Those displaced are being provided with temporary housing and necessities, Penn said.
Gas to the house was turned off at the meter prior to the explosion, according to ACFD Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins.
“Their efforts last evening saved lives, period,” Jenkins said. “They minimized damage to property, and I thank them for their efforts.”
Before the explosion, ACPD used a SWAT vehicle to breach the front door and establish communication with Yoo, ordering him to come out. As officers “tried to engage with the suspect,” they “experienced what is believed to be multiple gunshots from a firearm coming from within the dwelling,” Penn said.
Arlington police then “began to deploy non-flammable, less-lethal chemical munitions” in several parts of the home they thought Yoo might be hiding, in an attempt to get him to surrender. Shortly thereafter, the house erupted in a giant fireball that sent debris soaring through the air. Some debris was found several streets away, authorities said.
Firefighters battled the resulting fire for hours, until the early morning hours, with ACFD using a water stream from a ladder truck to douse the potentially gas-fed flames. The fire is now out, authorities said.
Neighbors told ARLnow that Yoo had previously pulled a knife on people looking at the house while it was listed for sale for a few months in 2021. Three days before Monday’s incident he had posted a paranoid rant on Linkedin against his neighbors in the duplex, at the end of quiet street that dead-ends at the Bluemont Junction Trail, near Arlington County Fire Station No. 2.
Penn said that police are now aware of Yoo’s “concerning” social media posts, but noted that he was otherwise largely off the police department’s radar before last night.
“The Arlington County Police Department does not have any prior documented interactions with the suspect at this address other than two calls for service for loud noise,” Penn said.
At Fire Station No. 2 today, numerous personnel from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could be seen, helping the Arlington County police and fire departments investigate what caused the explosion. Penn said the ATF and the FBI are both assisting with the investigation, alongside the Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team and the Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office.
David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, said the bureau received communication from Yoo in the past about “alleged frauds” against him.
The FBI and ATF both sent bomb technicians and other investigators to the scene and are working to determine the cause of the explosion, spokespeople said. No timeline was given for when the investigation will conclude, other than it is expected to “extensive and time consuming.”
(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) A large explosion, heard throughout Arlington, has rocked the Bluemont neighborhood after a police standoff.
A duplex, where a suspect was involved in an ongoing incident with police, exploded in a massive fireball as police, including a SWAT armored vehicle, moved in. It followed the suspect repeatedly firing a flare gun over nearby Fields Park.
Residents in the area were being instructed to shelter in place, while others were evacuated by police.
Arlington County police said the person inside the house fired shots as officers tried to enter the home, just before the explosion. A video, below, shows the explosion (the video contains strong language and disturbing imagery.)
“As officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the residence, the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home,” said ACPD. “Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion.”
“I think it blew up the entire duplex,” one neighbor told ARLnow in the immediate aftermath. “I’m sure the family next door was evacuated before it blew up but they lost their home.”
Firefighters were still working to extinguish small residual fires from the resulting blaze as of 11:30 p.m., three hours after the explosion. Investigators — including from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — are on scene.
Paramedics were initially told to expect “multiple burn patients” after the explosion, but police said around 9:30 p.m. that officers on scene only “reported minor injuries with no one transported to the hospital.”
Numerous residents described the shock of the huge blast to ARLnow.
One said the explosion “literally shook my bed” and described an “acrid stench” afterward.
Another said he was in the shower at the time.
“It shook my entire house and I didn’t know what it was at first,” said Dave Tran. “So I ran outside and I saw… the entire house was just leveled.”
Alex Wilson, the neighbor who took the video seen above — and shared worldwide on social media tonight — told ARLnow that the resident of the home was firing a rifle at police as they used the SWAT vehicle to try to get inside.
“When they rammed the front door he started firing an AR back at them,” he said. Wilson said he saw at least one officer injured following the explosion.
“He was able to walk but he was like holding his head,” said Wilson.
One More Page Books, pictured on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019 in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington residents can win gift certificates and other prizes by supporting local businesses this weekend.
One More Page Books, at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street in East Falls Church, is again spearheading a “Small Business Saturday” event for homegrown local retailers and restaurants this coming Saturday, Nov. 25.
“A group of Arlington and Falls Church businesses will once again participate in a ‘Passport’ program designed to help area shoppers discover unique shops and restaurants, keep their shopping dollars local and be eligible to win prizes,” One More Page Books said in a press release.
Small Business Saturday, created by American Express in 2010, is a national event that encourages shopping at local businesses during one of the busiest retail weekends of the year. It comes a day after the traditional post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza, Black Friday.
Participants can obtain a passport at any of the 15 participating businesses in Falls Church and in Arlington’s East Falls Church, Highland Park, Bluemont, Williamsburg and Westover neighborhoods. To be eligible for one of three “Grand Prize Baskets,” including goods and gift certificates, customers must collect stamps from at least five participating businesses on Saturday.
After collecting a minimum of five stamps, participants can submit their Passports at One More Page Books or the last business they visit that day.
The prize winners will be selected through a random drawing of all completed passports on Wednesday, Nov 29, at 3 p.m. at One More Page Books. The community is invited to witness the raffle.
A list and a map of the participating businesses are below.
Middle Eastern restaurant and hookah lounge Ya Hala Bistro is now open in Bluemont (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Inside Ya Hala Bistro (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Inside Ya Hala Bistro (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A new Middle Eastern restaurant and hookah lounge has opened in Bluemont.
Ya Hala Bistro, located where Layalina Restaurant used to be at 5216 Wilson Blvd, hosted a soft opening last Saturday and is planning a grand opening in the coming weeks.
“We’re not 100% open yet. It’s just like a soft opening slowly, then when we figure out everything and everybody is trained, we can open in the next two or three weeks,” owner Mohamed Alkadi told ARLnow.
Although the official grand opening is scheduled for later this month, the bistro’s operating hours, 11-2 a.m. seven days a week, will remain the same.
The menu features a variety of savory Mediterranean dishes, including chicken shawarma and baba ghanoush, alongside craft cocktails and a “premium hookah experience,” per the restaurant’s website.
Ya Hala joins a number of other Middle Eastern restaurants and hookah lounges in Arlington, including Tarbouch Cafe in Lyon Village, Darna in Virginia Square and Eska on Columbia Pike.
“Possible witness” to June 17 vehicle arson (photo via Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office)
Someone lit a car on fire near the Arlington border, using fireworks stolen from the Bluemont area.
That’s according to the Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office, which today released surveillance photos of a “possible witness” to the June 17 incident just east of Seven Corners. Fire marshals are trying to identify the person in the photos.
More from the flyer released today:
The Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a Theft of Commercial Fireworks and Arson of a Vehicle and is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a possible witness. At approximate 9pm on June 17, 2023 the Fire Department responded to Patrick Henry Dr Falls Church/ Wilson Blvd & N. McKinley Rd Arlington for the report of a vehicle fire. The investigation determined the cause of the fire was ARSON and the suspect used fireworks stolen from a commercial fireworks stand in the 5100 Block of Wilson Blvd to burn the vehicle. The individual pictured above may have information regarding or have witnessed the crime.
Anyone with information about the crime or the possible witness is asked to contact Lt. John Crooke at (703)-228-4649 or [email protected].
The ACFD's Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is seeking the public's assistance in identifying an individual wanted for questioning related to an incident occurring at approx. 9pm on June 17, 2023. If you have any information, please contact the OFM by calling 703-228-4649 pic.twitter.com/c2vWJ5u3cC
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.
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)
(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) A reported large teen party at a vacant house in Bluemont was broken up by police this past weekend.
Police were called to the 700 block of N. Abingdon Street, just west of Ballston, around 8:30 p.m. Friday. A caller reported a group of “50 to 100” teens running around outside, drinking, climbing on the roof of the house, blocking the street, and breaking things on an adjacent property.
“Upon arrival of officers, approximately 25 juveniles dispersed from in front of the home and no one was located inside,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The investigation determined the juvenile suspects made entry into the vacant residence, resulting in property damage. The investigation is ongoing.”
Scanner traffic at the time suggested that arriving officers saw teens drinking in the back of a car and a possible fight about to break out — but everyone scattered upon seeing the police vehicles. No one was found inside the house during a police search, an ACPD spokeswoman said.
Dashcam video shared anonymously with ARLnow, below, shows the party in progress.
A tipster told ARLnow that this fits “a pattern” of Washington-Liberty High School students of a certain grade level “having large parties.” The police spokeswoman this was the first such incident at this property this year, but was unable to say whether similar incidents have happened at other vacant houses.
A rendering of the proposed changes to Upper Bluemont Park (via Arlington County)
A rendering of the proposed changes to Upper Bluemont Park (via Arlington County)
Bluemont Park entrance sign (file photo)
Existing field at Bluemont Park (photo via Google Maps)
(Updated at 9:50 a.m.) Upgraded tennis facilities and greater flood prevention are two focal points in proposed upgrades to the upper area of Bluemont Park.
Last month, Arlington County released new designs revealing its plans for the public park, informed by public engagement over the last three years.
It is soliciting feedback on the newest draft through next Thursday, April 20. Respondents are asked how satisfied they are with the concept, on a scale of 1 to 10, and to share any additional feedback.
The upper section of Bluemont Park is set to get new tennis courts and other amenities for players and spectators, as well as a building with restrooms, picnic furnishings, a resurfaced parking lot and more native shrubs and trees.
“Our project team focused on three key areas: improved recreational amenities, improved access and safety for vehicles and pedestrians, as well as, of course, protecting and enhancing natural resources,” said Adam Segel-Moss, a communications specialist with the parks department, in a video explaining the project.
Upper Bluemont Park renovation plans (via Arlington County)
The number of tennis courts will stay the same, at nine, but they will be spread farther apart and raised about a foot so they do not flood. There will be shaded areas for players and coaches, a stand-alone brick practice wall and more places for spectators.
Three courts intended for special events will be wider than the others, with two dedicated shade areas and fencing separating them from other courts.
Several residents in previous public engagement sessions requested less paved area and more trees to mitigate flooding that has impacted the area, such as the flash flooding in July 2019.
In response, a county presentation highlights an overall decrease in paved surfaces of about 12% and a net increase of 91 trees. A new “reforestation area” between the courts and Four Mile Run, where native shrubs and trees will be planted, will see a 52% decrease in paved surface.
To decrease runoff from the parking lot, the county is also exploring the use of planting beds for pavement runoff and permeable paving, says Segel-Moss. Site-wide, plans call for more stormwater management and drainage, something that the “reforestation area” will naturally help with.
“Reforestation will assist with filtering pollutants and reduce volume of stormwater runoff and prevent erosion and perform other important biological and ecological functions such as carbon sequestration,” Segel-Moss said.
Other upgrades include moving the parking lot entrance farther south on N. Manchester Street to improve safety and circulation. The current entrance is close to the intersection of N. Manchester Street and Wilson Blvd, causing a “pinch point,” according to the plans.
While the number of parking spaces will remain the same, at 68, the spaces will be repainted at a 90-degree angle, which Segel-Moss said is “much more efficient” than the current angling of the spaces.
The reforestation area, meanwhile, will also get new picnic tables and seating areas “to ensure this amenity can be enjoyed by every park visitor whether they play tennis or not,” he said.
The design process is set to wrap up at the end of 2023 with construction beginning in the later half of 2024 and wrapping up a little more than a year after that, per a project webpage.
County staff told the Bluemont Civic Association last fall that the courts “are meant to be Arlington’s premier tennis facility,” but they would talk to Bluemont residents about possibly adding pickleball uses at the Bon Air Park tennis court across the street, per a civic association newsletter.
Project timeline for Bluemont Park renovations (via Arlington County)
