Clarendon | ARLnow.com

Police: Man Took Uber to Ex’s House to Beat Up Her New Boyfriend

Published February 3, 2016 at 12:45PM | Updated December 23, 2021 at 4:03PM

(Updated at 4 p.m. on 12/23/21) A Centreville, Va. man is facing charges after police say he took an Uber to Clarendon and then proceeded to break into his ex-girlfriend’s home in order to beat up her new boyfriend.

Steve [Redacted], 25, has been charged with Assault and Battery and “Entering a Dwelling at Night with the Intent to Commit Assault and Battery,” according to Arlington County Police.

The incident happened around 2 a.m. this past Saturday, but was not reported to the authorities until the next day, said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Police say [Redacted] took an Uber ride with a friend to the 1200 block of N. Danville Street. He broke into the house, entered his ex-girlfriend’s bedroom and began punching the man in bed with his ex, said Savage.

Both victims fled the house. [Redacted] then allegedly punched a hole in the wall, before leaving the house to search for the victims. Upon finding them, he began repeatedly punching the man again, Savage said.

[Redacted’s] friend, who was waiting in the Uber, saw what was happening and ran over to calm down [Redacted] and break up the fracas, said Savage. The victims again fled, running down the street, and [Redacted] and his friend reportedly got back into the Uber and left the scene. A roommate of the female victim eventually picked her and her boyfriend up and brought them back to the house.

The male victim did not have visible injuries when he reported the crime on Sunday, but did report lumps on his head, according to Savage. [Redacted] was arrested and now faces the two misdemeanor charges. His next court date is scheduled for April 5.

Closing Date Set for Public Shoe Store in Clarendon, To Be Replaced By 7-Eleven

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2016 at 12:00PM

Public Shoe Store in Clarendon, which first opened its doors in 1938, will close after Saturday, Feb. 27 to make way for a new 7-Eleven store, according to the daughter of store owner S.H. “Doc” Friedman.

“We’ll have an open house from noon to 6 that afternoon to say goodbye to our friends and customers and to give them a chance to say ‘happy retirement’ to Doc,” Karen Friedman Widmayer tells ARLnow.com.

The store was originally slated to close last summer, but lease negotiations and planning stretched longer than expected. After Public Shoe Store closes, a new 7-Eleven store will move in following some interior construction and exterior changes. Friedman, 82, is retiring from the shoe business but is leasing the space at 3137 Wilson Blvd to the convenience store.

Widmayer described the lease as “long term,” but declined to provide other details. She said the space would have been challenging for a restaurant and 7-Eleven was “very accommodating” and “terrific to work with.” The store is planning a “fitting” art deco-style sign, she said.

Public Shoe Store reopened over the weekend after closing due to the blizzard. The store is still “stocked with comfort and orthopedic shoes and sandals plus lots of good sale shoes,” Widmayer noted. Customers and well-wishers are both welcome to stop by between now and the 27th, she said.

Next Month: Meet the Two New County Board Members in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2016 at 4:30PM

The old guard of the Arlington County Board is out and new leadership is in.

With the election of Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey in November, the County Board became younger and more geographically diverse. Cristol and Dorsey, who both live along Columbia Pike, bring a fresh perspective to a Board that has been perceived as being most responsive to affluent, north Arlington homeowners.

So what sort of changes do the new Board members hope to bring to Arlington? And what, specifically, do they plan to do to better serve younger and minority Arlington residents?

The millennial generation comprises nearly 40 percent of Arlington’s population — making Arlington the most millennial-soaked “city” in the U.S. — yet younger residents are under-represented in many aspects of Arlington County civic life. As are minority groups — also about 40 percent of the county’s population.

Join ARLnow.com and host Sarah Fraser as we discuss those and other issues with Cristol and Dorsey at next month’s ARLnow Presents.

The event will take place at Mad Rose Tavern (3100 Clarendon Blvd) in Clarendon from 6:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Tickets are on sale for only $6 and are good for one drink at Mad Rose Tavern during the event.

Clarendon Subway Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

By ARLnow.com

Published January 27, 2016 at 2:00PM | Updated January 27, 2016 at 3:03PM

(Updated at 3 p.m.) The owner of a Subway sandwich store in Clarendon has pleaded guilty to a tax evasion conspiracy and could face up to five years in prison.

Federal prosecutors say 49-year-old Alexandria resident Obayedul Hoque conspired with managers at a number of Subway stores and a gas station he owned to keep some $6.5 million in sales off the books between 2008 and 2013. Hoque’s company dodged between $1.5 and $3.5 million in federal taxes as a result of the conspiracy, prosecutors said.

Among the seven Subway locations Hoque owned in Arlington, Alexandria and D.C. is the shop at 3000 10th Street N. in Clarendon. That store has remained open. Hoque also owned a Shell station on Duke Street in Alexandria.

Hoque pleaded guilty today and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13. The full press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, after the jump.

Photo via Google Maps

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Several Snowball Fights Scheduled for Sunday

By Katie Pyzyk

Published January 23, 2016 at 10:35PM

You’ve probably watched everything Netflix offers, surfed the far corners of the internet, and will be ready to get off the couch. Well, you’re in luck because several snowball fights around Arlington could be the perfect way to release some pent up energy tomorrow.

The most hotly anticipated we’ve found, based on the nearly 630 people who have already responded on Facebook, will be near the Clarendon Metro station at noon on Jan. 24.

There will be another snowball fight less than a mile away in Virginia Square. That one begins at 1:00 p.m. in Quincy Park (1021 N. Quincy Street), and the organizer’s Facebook post claims the fun will keep going “until people have tired themselves out.” A similar Quincy Park snowball fight nearly two years ago attracted more than a hundred participants.

Not to be outdone, residents along Columbia Pike have posted a Facebook invite for a “neighborly” snowball fight at Penrose Square (2501 Columbia Pike). The snow flinging is set to start at noon tomorrow.

Metro will remain closed throughout the weekend and travel conditions are expected to be terrible, so it’s recommended that snowball fight attendees plan on safely walking to the events.

File photo

Capitals Players to Host Clarendon Fundraiser for Toddler with Deadly Brain Tumor

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 19, 2016 at 3:30PM

Members of the Washington Capitals hockey team will gather in Arlington next month to help raise money for a local family whose youngest daughter, Emma, has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

The fundraiser is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. at Don Tito (3165 Wilson Blvd).

Capitals players Karl Alzner, Nicklas Backstrom, Brooks Orpik and John Carlson will make an appearance to support the cause.

Tickets to the benefit are $75 each, and all proceeds will go directly to Emma and her family.

Emma is the three-year-old daughter of Jason Hensel and Teal Jones-Hensel. Approximately two months ago, Emma was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG. It’s a rare, cancerous, inoperable brain tumor with a zero percent survival rate.

The February benefit was organized by John Carlson’s wife, Gina, who runs her own blog and uses it to raise money for her charity of choice, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. In a recent post, Carlson described knowing she “had to help” after she heard Emma’s story.

According to Carlson, Emma’s father has taken a leave of absence from work, so she organized the fundraiser at Don Tito with several ways for guests to help the family through the difficult financial time.

In addition to proceeds from ticket sales, proceeds from a raffle of Capitals memorabilia — including a jersey autographed by the team — a portion of all food and drink sales will be donated to the Hensel family.

Carlson also designed a t-shirt campaign, requiring all fundraiser guests purchase one online and either wear it or bring it to the event. The shirts start at $17.99, and proceeds from each one purchased will also go to the family.

Last week, Jones-Hensel used the t-shirt campaign page to publicly thank Carlson and those who have supported the fundraising effort so far.

“Thank you to each and everyone who has participated to help my family,” she wrote. “We are forever grateful.”

“Gina and her family have come together to give us an amazing gift, one that we plan to pass along someday,” she continued. “Emma’s little body is struggling to make it through the nightmare of radiation and treatments. Although her body is failing her, Emma’s spirit and smile light up my heart.”

Those interested in attending the fundraiser for Emma’s family can reserve tickets via e-mail and should do so soon, as Carlson expects the tickets to sell out.

Photo via Facebook/Loving Emma

Clarendon Mardi Gras Parade Planned for Early February

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 13, 2016 at 3:30PM

Pending good weather, floats, bands, horses and “critters in costumes” will march down Wilson Blvd during the 17th Annual Clarendon-Courthouse Mardi Gras Parade, scheduled for early February.

This year’s parade is planned for Fat Tuesday, which falls on Feb. 9. It will start at 7 p.m., traveling along Wilson from N. Barton Street to N. Irving Street. The deadline to register to participate is Feb. 1, and bead orders must be submitted by Jan. 25.

Snow has forced the family-friendly parade to be postponed to mid-March the last two years in a row, but this year the organizers — the non-profit Clarendon Alliance — have planned an additional event that’s not weather-dependent on the evening of the parade.

The first-ever Clarendon Mardi Gras Ball will be held from 7-11 p.m. at the Clarendon Ballroom at 3185 Wilson Blvd. The ball will have live performances from jazz ensembles the Yamomanem Jazz Band and the 8 Ohms Jazz Band. A ball king and queen will be announced between the bands’ sets.

Traditional Louisiana food will be served alongside wine, beer and punch. Ticket holders will get one free ticket upon entry. All other food and beverage sales will be cash only or from additionally purchased food and drink tickets.

Ball guests under the age of 21 are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Tickets to the ball are now for sale online for $20 per person, and parade participants can get their tickets at a discounted rate. Proceeds from the tickets — beyond parade expenses — will benefit St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream Has Apparently Closed in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published January 12, 2016 at 3:45PM

Clarendon residents hoping for some ice cream to go along with tonight’s snow showers will be disappointed to learn that they have one fewer option from which to choose.

Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream, at 3018 Wilson Blvd, has apparently closed.

Located in a prime retail space steps from the Clarendon Metro station, the store generally received positive marks for its ice cream, if not its prices, after opening in 2011.

As of this afternoon it appeared that the interior of the restaurant was being dismantled and signs being taken down from the windows. The store’s website is not functional, its Facebook page has not been updated recently and there was no answer at its phone number.

SoBe Bar & Bistro Closed in Clarendon, To Be Replaced By Spanish Tapas Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

Published January 12, 2016 at 3:00PM

Clarendon nightlife spot SoBe Bar & Bistro (3100 Clarendon Blvd) has closed last week and will be replaced with a new Spanish tapas restaurant.

The new restaurant will be called Pamplona and will be run by Social Restaurant Group, the company behind Provision No. 14 and The Prospect in the District, ARLnow.com has learned. Both restaurants are noted for their creative, theme-based decor.

Renovations are underway inside the former SoBe space, at the same time as a separate exterior renovation of the courtyard Pamplona will share with Mad Rose Tavern.

Social Restaurant Group wants to have Pamplona open by this spring, though hopes for speedy renovations in Arlington are usually met with disappointment thanks in large part to a stringent county permitting and inspection process.

Pamplona will face competition from La Tasca, Clarendon’s existing Spanish tapas destination.

Park Lane Tavern to Open in Clarendon Next Month

By Jennifer Currier

Published January 8, 2016 at 2:00PM

After originally planning to open last summer, European-style bar and restaurant Park Lane Tavern is set to open in Clarendon early next month.

The tavern — located at 1200 N. Irving Street in the Beacon at Clarendon apartment building — will open at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2, according to general manager Jim Simmons.

Simmons described the menu as “chef-driven comfort food,” or higher quality versions of the dishes people crave on a regular basis.

“We’re creating an elegant environment to complement the food, but not in a stuffy way,” he said. “We want people to come in casually for a welcoming, glorious atmosphere with comfortable furniture to socialize and enjoy themselves.”

The entrée menu features a variety of dishes, from shepherd’s pie to jägerschnitzel to pizza. The restaurant also has a “Beverage Bible,” which Simmons said includes high-end scotches, bourbons and imported draft beers.

Simmons said work on the space is almost complete as his team is making final adjustments to the dining room, which will feature décor imported from Europe. The establishment is also in the hiring process — as advertised on its Facebook page — with training scheduled to begin on Monday.

The Clarendon Park Lane Tavern is on the same block as Jimmy John’s and O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub. It’s also the restaurant’s third location — all three are in Virginia.

Park Lane Tavern will be initially open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. with slightly adjusted hours on the weekend, to be determined.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2016 at 9:30AM

Violent Attack at Pentagon City Metro — A seemingly random act of violence at the Pentagon City Metro station injured a man late last month. Details of the attack were just released: a 19-year-old man collapsed on the platform after being sucker-punched. Witnesses took cell phone photos of the attacker, who fled. The incident is one of a string of recent violent incidents at Metro stations. [Fox 5 DC]

GGW Questions Garvey’s Leadership — Will new County Board Chair Libby Garvey move Arlington forward with smart infrastructure investments, or pull back and scale down the county’s ambitions? That’s the question being posed by urbanist blog Greater Greater Washington, which has been critical of Garvey’s anti-streetcar stance. [Greater Greater Washington]

Garvey Announces Reelection Bid — Thought she has positioned herself as a somewhat anti-establishment figure in the local party, Libby Garvey detailed her Democratic bonafides while announcing her reelection bid at the Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting earlier this week. Garvey is facing a primary challenge on her left, from small business owner Erik Gutshall. [Libby Garvey]

Grant for ‘Little Saigon’ History — A $9,000 grant will allow Arlington County to produce a full-color booklet preserving the history of Arlington’s “Little Saigon” — a concentration of Vietnamese immigrants and businesses in Clarendon in the 1970s, before the opening of Metro. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick