coronavirus

Punch Bowl Social Hiring Ahead of Expected Reopening

By ARLnow.com
1/2

It looks like Punch Bowl Social in Ballston will be reopening, after all.

The Arlington location of the national “eatertainment” chain recently posted hiring announcements on Facebook and on its front door, though it remains temporarily closed for now.

Located at 4238 Wilson Blvd, the three-story entertainment, dining and drinking complex — featuring bowling, shuffleboard and other beer-friendly social games — closed at the outset of the pandemic, reopened in October, then closed again just before Christmas.

The closure followed the Denver-based chain declaring bankruptcy. It said at the time that it was closing most of its locations to conserve cash, after having its once-high-flying business devastated by the pandemic.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Punch Bowl Social is poised for “a smooth Chapter 11 exit” after a court settlement with a key lender. Earlier last month, the CEO of the chain’s new owner said he was focused on reopening locations, confident that customers would return as more people get vaccinated.

On Tuesday, however, the Washington Business Journal reported that a previously-planned location in D.C. is unlikely to move forward due to the company’s financial challenges, making the Ballston location the only Punch Bowl Social in the Washington area. The next closest Punch Bowl outpost is in Cleveland.

So far, there’s no word on an opening date for the Ballston location. The company’s website only says it will be “reopening soon.”

Virginia to Expand Vaccine Eligibility to All People 16+ by April 18

By Jo DeVoe

Gov. Ralph Northam today (Thursday) announced that all individuals in Virginia age 16 and older will be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting on Sunday, April 18.

That is about two weeks ahead of President Joe Biden’s nationwide goal of expanding eligibility to the general public by May 1.

The news comes as nearly every Virginian in the highest risk groups who have pre-registered for a vaccine appointment has received one, and those still waiting will receive appointment invitations in the next two weeks, according to the Commonwealth.

More than 3.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered in Virginia, the state said, adding that about one in three adults have received at least one dose and one in five are fully vaccinated.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel — and that light is getting brighter every day as more and more Virginians get vaccinated,” Northam said. “Expanding vaccine eligibility to all adults marks an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to put this pandemic behind us, and I thank all of the public health staff, health care workers, vaccinators, and volunteers who have helped make this possible.”

Arlington is currently averaging just over 2,200 doses administered per day — a new local record, though it still lags in fully vaccinated individuals per capita. According to data from the Virginia Department of Health, nearly 12% of Arlington’s population has been fully vaccinated, compared to 13.3% for Alexandria and 14.5% for Fairfax County.

“We have seen a bit of an increase in doses recently, and we continue to be optimistic that our supply will increase even more,” Arlington County Public Health Division spokeswoman Cara O’Donnell tells ARLnow.

As of March 29, there are upwards of 35,000 people pre-registered to receive the vaccine in Arlington, about 15,000 who cited complication risks and 19,000 who cited work-related exposure risks, Public Health Director Dr. Reuben Varghese told the County Board in a work session on Tuesday.

“We’ve already reached out to all eligible residents who have pre-registered with the county,” said O’Donnell, in a vaccine Q&A video published today. “There have been quite a few cases where missing or incorrect info can make your record ineligible. Make sure your eligibility category is one of the one’s being scheduled. If you’ve tried everything and you think there’s a problem, let us know.”

Arlington County has been calling for more vaccine from the state. The Commonwealth, meanwhile, says it is distributing vaccine doses as quickly as they are provided by the federal government.

“Because the Commonwealth has followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prioritize those at highest risk, and because Virginia is a large and diverse state with many essential workers, many out-of-state commuters, and a high percentage of the population that wants to be vaccinated, it has taken some time to open eligibility to the general public,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Phase 1C essential workers in 21 of Virginia’s 35 local health districts have been able to secure vaccination appointments, according to the release, and beginning April 4 districts that have invited everyone pre-registered in Phase 1C may invite members of the general public who have pre-registered to schedule appointments.

Arlington is still working through Phase 1B, recently expanding access to clergy and janitorial staff eligible in this phase, according to the County Board work session. Phase 1C essential workers and the general public are still ineligible.

Despite demand currently outstripping supply in places like Arlington, all local health districts will have enough vaccines to open appointments to the general public by April 18, according to the Commonwealth. Those at the highest risk will continue to be prioritized in the scheduling process.

Arlington County is still striving for a more equitable distribution of vaccination doses.

Varghese said his department is aware of disproportionalities in Arlington among those who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Through March 27, more than 63% of Arlington residents and non-residents with at least one dose said they are non-Hispanic white. Meanwhile, Hispanic or Latino residents and non-residents make up 11% of those vaccinated and non-Hispanic Black Arlington residents and non-residents make up 7% of those vaccinated.

White people are slightly over-represented in vaccination rates compared to their proportion of the population, while Arlington residents who do not identify as white are slightly under-represented.

“All we can conclude right now is that this is who was able to get into the system,” Varghese said. “An Internet email system is going to disenfranchise some more than others, but it’s what the CDC had to put together.”

(more…)

Today Show Highlights Arlington Neighborhood’s Nightly Socially-Distanced Happy Hour

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

For 375 days and counting, a group of neighbors in Arlington has gotten together for a socially-distanced happy hour.

Residents in the East Falls Church area set up lawn chairs in a ring within their cul-de-sac, with yardsticks to ensure they stay six feet apart. During the winter months, a small bonfire crackled. When it rains, they prop up umbrellas or shelter in the trunk of their cars.

The neighborly effort to combat isolation during the pandemic got the attention of the Today Show, which featured the nightly get-together on national TV earlier this week.

“This started out as a simple, spontaneous idea among neighbors who really didn’t know each other very well,” NBC correspondent Kelly O’Donnell said. “Now, they call it a lifeline. The whole group has been COVID-free and happier getting through this together.”

These neighbors turn a patch of pavement into “a happy hour getaway” far away “from the grind of a world locked inside,” O’Donnell said. The group named its gathering “Six Feet at 6:30” and even made T-shirts and sweatshirts.

One neighbor, Linda Winter, told NBC that when she joins her neighbors, her anxiety subsides.

“There’s just a sense that we’re safe out here,” Winter said.

Longtime resident Rockley Miller said he appreciates the newfound sense of camaraderie.

“I grew up out in this neighborhood and I’ve never known as many neighbors as I do now,” Miller said.

The group celebrates every milestone and birthday — celebrations that could otherwise go unmarked due to gathering limits and COVID-19 risks. They even held a screening of the movie “Hamilton,” which came out last summer.

“It’s amazing to me how just a little bit of energy can go a long way,” resident Andy Cosgrove said.

The neighbors want to keep the happy hour up after the pandemic subsides, O’Donnell said, concluding the segment.

Photos via David Martin/YouTube

Arlington Dems to Add Electronic Voting to School Board Caucus

By Jo DeVoe

This year, local Democrats can cast a ballot electronically from home for the upcoming Arlington County Democratic Committee School Board endorsement caucus.

From Monday, May 17 through Sunday, May 23, registered voters will be able to vote for one of two Democratic school board candidates securely from their computers, tablets or smartphones. Arlington Dems will provide assistance over the phone and two days of in-person voting help as well.

Registered voters will decide who Arlington Dems endorse in the Nov. 2 general election. Candidates are vying for the seat currently held by School Board Chair Monique O’Grady, who announced in January she will not seek re-election. Attorney Miranda Turner, and Mary Kadera, vice president of the Arlington County Council of PTAs, will be on the Arlington Dems’ caucus ballot.

According to local Democratic leadership, online voting is one way the organization looks to mitigate health risks during the pandemic.

“We’re excited to now be able to offer a secure and scalable Internet-based ballot delivery option that allows voters to eliminate or greatly reduce their exposure to COVID-19 as the nationwide vaccination effort continues,” said Alex Zins, Arlington Democrats School Board Caucus Director. “We strongly encourage all voters who can to take advantage of this electronic voting option to do so.”

The voting platform will be open 24/7 and the local party is encouraging Democrats with less reliable or no internet access to make use of the county’s online resources. It will provide in-person assistance to those who need help or do not have internet access.

This expansion is funded by a $59,000 grant from the nonprofit National Cybersecurity Center, which raises cyber awareness in the public and private sectors. Arlington Dems will be using Democracy Live, which leadership described as the largest provider of mobile and cloud-based voting technologies in the U.S.

Arlington will be the second jurisdiction in the D.C. area to partner with Democracy Live, which facilitated elections in 21 states last November.

“With this innovation, Arlington Dems continues to lead our community through the pandemic,” Arlington Democrats Chair Jill Caiazzo said. “By bringing electronic voting to the county, with a focus on digital equity, we will offer even more Arlingtonians easy, secure access to one of the most fundamental rights Americans exercise, while also reducing the risk of COVID-19 infections that the country continues to battle.”

Should Arlington Dems receive a grant again, the organization would “definitely” consider using such a platform in the future, she added.

Local party leadership emphasized the security of the system. Amazon Web Services hosts Democracy Live’s platform in the same cloud environment approved by the Dept. of Defense, Dept. Homeland Security and the FBI.

“The Democracy Live platform has never been compromised by hackers,” Arlington Dems said, adding that the software also produces PDF copies of ballots to leave a paper trail.

The platform could help reach underrepresented communities, Zins said. Ballots will be available in multiple languages and Democracy Live’s platform complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This time last year, when Arlington Dems held a caucus for two open School Board seats during stay-at-home orders, the group organized the first-of-its-kind mail-in endorsement caucus, which brought in around 5,700 ballots.

More details will be available online on the Arlington Democrats School Board caucus website as additional logistics are confirmed. Party leaders say they will conduct social media and outreach campaigns to spread the word about the new system.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Va. ‘Seals Deal’ for Rail Expansion — “Virginia finalized agreements Tuesday with CSX, Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express as part of the state’s $3.7 billion passenger rail expansion program that seeks to relieve a rail bottleneck and get more commuters onto trains. The signing of agreements advances a pledge Gov. Ralph Northam (D) made in December 2019 to significantly grow passenger rail service this decade by building a new rail bridge over the Potomac River, adding new track in the Washington-Richmond corridor and buying hundreds of miles of passenger right of way from CSX.” [Washington Post, Twitter]

Affordable Housing CEO Retiring — “Longtime CEO of the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing Nina Janopaul will retire June 30, 2021, after a remarkable 14-year career at the helm of the organization, leading APAH through a period of transition and rapid expansion. The APAH Board has appointed Executive Vice President Carmen Romero to lead APAH into its ambitious next phase of growth and service.” [Press Release, Twitter]

New Restaurant Fighting for Funding — “Andrew Darneille had a sense of deja vu when he clicked on the link from his certified public accountant. It led him to a page that said, in essence, that the Restaurant Revitalization Fund would not be the lifeline he had hoped for. Based on the fund’s grant calculations buried in the larger $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, his Smokecraft Modern Barbecue in Arlington, Va., would not get a cent in federal relief during a pandemic that has left many restaurateurs hanging by a thread.” [Washington Post]

No GOP County Board Candidates Yet — “The Arlington County Republican Committee remains on the hunt for a candidate or candidates to challenge for the one County Board seat on the November ballot. ‘We have had people reach out to us,’ party chairman Andrew Loposser said on March 24, though none has yet stepped forward publicly.” [Sun Gazette]

Green Valley Church Helping with Vaccinations — “At Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington, the sanctuary has sat empty since the start of the coronavirus pandemic… So when Harcum was recently approached about a new vaccine equity partnership with Arlington County and Neighborhood Health, he said he was happy to offer up space inside the church.” [WJLA]

Photo courtesy James Mahony

Local Church Thanks Grocery Store Employees For COVID-Era Service

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

Members of Grace Community Church in Arlington honored thousands of unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic: grocery store employees.

Over the course of three days, 75 volunteers from the church distributed 5,000 gift bags to employees at 60 grocery stores in Arlington and seven neighboring counties, said Anna Maia, the Director of Compassion and Justice at Grace Community Church, in a video.

“Thank you, grocery store workers for serving us through this whole year of this pandemic. It’s an honor to be a church in your community and to serve you as you’ve been serving us,” she said. “We are so excited to be part of this operation and to just show a little bit of appreciation to everything you’ve been doing.”

Each employee received a bag with a gift card, granola bars, lip balm, and an “essential” button that Maia said is a reminder “that they are remembered and appreciated.”

This was one way the church has worked in the community while being uprooted from its previous indoor location at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Grace currently holds its services online and, weather permitting, outside of the school.

A volunteer named Stephanie said in the video that she was glad to participate because these frontline workers “are not thanked as much as the other essential workers.”

In the video, another volunteer named Anne said workers told her, “We are always telling each other that no one cares what we’re doing.”

One woman who works in a store’s customer service department called the church “to say how incredibly touched I am by this crazy-thoughtful gift. It’s just so beautiful. I deeply appreciate it.”

Photos via Grace Community Church/Vimeo 

Arlington School Board Asks Superintendent for More ‘Aggressive’ Return Plan

By Jo DeVoe
1/5

Some Arlington School Board members are putting pressure on administrators to get more students inside school buildings more often.

Arlington Public Schools has finished a month-long process of phasing students into school buildings for a hybrid, two-day-per-week model of in-person learning. Currently, about 35% of students are still fully virtual, and some of them are on waitlists for in-school instruction.

Some School Board members told Superintendent Francisco Durán on Thursday that they want more students in classrooms, as well as more than two days a week of in-person instruction, in light of new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC halved its social-distancing guidelines from six feet to three feet among students in classrooms.

Durán previously said that APS would conclude the spring semester in the hybrid model.

In response to the new guidance, Durán told School Board members that APS will admit some waitlisted students into buildings, prioritizing those learning English, receiving special education services, or at risk of failing grades 8 and 12.

Citing logistical and instructional hurdles, however, APS will not be increasing the number of days students can be in-person based on the new guidance, he said. It will use the guidance to work toward five days of in-person instruction for summer school and the fall, he said.

“I have received many calls over the past week — since the beginning of the guidance we received — asking us to revise our model and provide four to five days of in-person instruction,” Durán said. “I certainly understand those calls and the disappointment many people are feeling in wanting to get back more days in-person.”

Under the new guidance, buses could transport up to 22 students, or one in every row, where it currently seats 11 students, one every other row. Inside classrooms, every classroom could theoretically increase the size from 12 to 14 students. Staff said such changes would require redrawing bus routes for the entire school system and true capacity would vary by classroom and school building.

Doing so would take staff away from the task of carrying out the hybrid model that APS just finished rolling out, he said.

“This change is not a simple change that can just happen quickly when you think of all the things that need to happen,” he said. “Planning for five days in the summer and fall is something is something that we will be doing.”

Board Vice-Chair Barbara Kanninen said Thursday’s presentation tells the community that APS is coming up with excuses not to do something hard.

“When we let students into school, we certainly don’t let them say, ‘This is hard,'” she said. “We start asking them to get started with something — to try something. I believe that our staff does have a can-do spirit but I’m not hearing it this evening.”

She and Reid Goldstein said by the next meeting, they want to see a new plan that gets more students in-person for more days.

(more…)

Shirlington Salon Shutting Down, Citing Pandemic Impact

By ARLnow.com
1/4

After nearly three decades in business, local salon Illusions of Shirlington is closing its doors.

Owner Irma Wheeler said the business has struggled during the pandemic and recent lease negotiations with Village of Shirlington owner Federal Realty Investment Trust failed.

Illusions, located at 4033 Campbell Avenue, has been open for 28 years. Last May, ARLnow covered the salon’s reopening after a state-mandated closure at the outset of the pandemic.

“We’ve been very anxious and have been getting ready since the beginning of the shutdown,” Wheeler said at the time. “It’s been difficult to find supplies, even disinfectant. We have face shields and masks, and we’re taking the temperatures of clients and staff. We’re trying to take every precaution… it’s going to be difficult, but we’ll be ready.”

In a social media post last night, Wheeler said she made the difficult decision to close because it was “the only viable option.” Her Illusions of Georgetown salon in D.C. will remain open.

The full social media post is below.

To our loyal clients,

I wanted to personally let you know that I have made the very difficult decision to close Illusions of Shirlington – effective immediately.

As you know, our business has been severely impacted by Covid-19 and the restrictions imposed by lawmakers have made the last year a real struggle to say the least. In addition, I have been in lease negotiations with Federal Realty for the past year. I received their final proposal last week. After carefully reviewing the terms presented, closing the salon was the only viable option.

This was not an easy decision.

I can’t thank enough the many loyal customers and retailers that have supported me these past 28 years. You have become like family. That is why I want to tell you that you are all welcome to come to Illusions of Georgetown for your styling needs. We will be offering valet parking for the time being.

If you have an appointment within the next few weeks, your stylist will be getting in touch with you.

Keep us with us on our social media for updates.

Irma Wheeler

Arlington Opening Joint Vaccine Site With Amazon Today

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is partnering with Amazon to open a new coronavirus vaccination site at the company’s temporary Crystal City HQ2 offices.

The appointment-only vaccination clinic is set to open today for eligible locals who pre-register through the state’s Vaccinate Virginia website.

“This new clinic at 2100 Crystal Drive, located in a street-level storefront next to Amazon office space, will add to the vaccination clinic sites available to the County as vaccine distribution grows,” notes a press release. “The County has offered vaccination clinics at Sequoia Plaza, Walter Reed Community Center, and Lubber Run Community Center.”

County and company leaders are touting the partnership.

“Since its arrival in Arlington in 2019, Amazon has demonstrated its commitment to partnering with our community,” Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said. “By providing space at 2100 Crystal Drive for a transit-accessible vaccination clinic, Amazon is helping us reach more residents. And incorporating Amazon and JBG Smith staff into the clinic’s staffing is a force multiplier, allowing us to staff more clinics. We appreciate Amazon’s willingness to step up and offer assistance in this critical public health effort.”

“Since the outset of the global health pandemic, Amazon has targeted its resources toward protecting the health and well-being of its employees, customers, and the communities in which we operate,” said Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy at Amazon. “We’re proud to partner with Arlington and provide a safe and accessible space so that the Virginia Department of Health can continue to steadily vaccinate Arlington residents. We remain ready to provide ongoing support to our HQ2 neighbors as the entire nation works towards recovering from the pandemic.”

“We’re so happy to be partnering with Amazon and Arlington County as Virginia increases its vaccination roll out and more residents become eligible for vaccination,” said David Ritchey, Executive Vice President of JBG SMITH.

Last week Arlington County also announced partnerships intended to increase vaccination rates “among under-represented, at-risk populations.”

Arlington County has partnered with Neighborhood Health, Arlington Free Clinic, Macedonia Baptist Church, and local non-profit organizations to address disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates among Arlington’s Black, Latino, low-income, and other communities that have been more severely affected by the pandemic. The Arlington County Department of Human Services has begun scheduling vaccine appointments for people referred by nonprofits.

“We are committed to ensuring that all of our residents who want a vaccine will have access to the vaccine.” said County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti. “And we are committed to doing all we can to equitably distribute the vaccine.”

Overall vaccination rates have been steadily increasing in Arlington. Over the past week, nearly 1,700 vaccination doses have been administered per day, on average. That compares to just over 1,100 doses per day at the beginning of March.

As of Monday morning, about 23% of Arlington’s population has received at least one vaccine dose, while 11% are fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Despite the vaccinations, the rate of new coronavirus cases in Arlington is up slightly — around 250 new cases per week — compared to two weeks ago, when the seven-day total briefly fell below 200. Two deaths and five COVID-related hospitalizations have been reported over the past week, bringing the pandemic total for both in Arlington to 245 and 795, respectively.

Image (top) via Arlington County/YouTube

Morning Poll: Which Pandemic-Era Practice Would You Most Like to Stay?

By ARLnow.com

The pandemic is still here, but — with rising vaccinations — there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

It could yet be many months before things return to some semblance of normal, but today let’s try to imagine the pandemic being over.

There was immense suffering and death over the past year, and plenty to complain about even for those who were fortunate enough to remain healthy and employed.

Lockdown life has not been all bad, however. There are perhaps some pandemic practices that you wouldn’t mind sticking around, even when the COVID threat has declined.

For instance, thanks to social distancing and mask wearing, sales of cold and flu remedies are way down. Perhaps if we adopt the Japanese practice of wearing a mask when sick as a courtesy to those around you, along with more liberal use of working from home when under the weather, we make the common cold less common.

Then there’s the fact that you can have cocktails delivered to your door and there are more outdoor dining options that ever before. Oh, and many now don’t have to make miserable commutes to an office five days a week.

Which of the following would you most like to keep in place post-corona?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Still Prepping for Preservation Hearing — “Even though the razing of the Rouse estate may be at hand, the Arlington County government’s historic-preservation staff is taking the steps necessary if public hearings on preservation of the site go forward in April… But nearly all parties now expect that the buildings on the 9-acre site will be razed before those hearings occur.” [Sun Gazette]

Preservationist Compares Estate to Auschwitz — Tom Dickinson, who’s leading the charge to save the Rouse estate, directed the following statement to the County Board over the weekend, referencing the likelihood that enslaved people built part of the estate: “If you, the board, do not intervene to stop this destruction of this sacred site, your individual and collective legacy will be stained forever by a lack of honor and respect for those who labored and suffered to create these structures at this site, and the desecration of them… It would be the equivalent of allowing the destruction of the crematory ovens at Auschwitz.” [Sun Gazette]

Northam Further Easing COVID Restrictions — “Governor Northam has further amended Executive Order 72 to modify public health restrictions in place to prevent transmission of COVID-19. These changes come as Virginia’s vaccination rate is steady and case counts are fluctuating. Effective April 1, limits on social gatherings will increase from 10 to 50 for indoor gatherings, and from 25 to 100 for outdoor gatherings.” [Arlington County]

NAACP Head Receives FBI Community Award — “FBI Washington Field Office (WFO) Assistant Director in Charge (ADIC) Steven M. D’Antuono is pleased to announce Mr. Julius Spain, Sr., as the recipient of the 2020 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for WFO. Mr. Spain serves as President of the Arlington Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).” [FBI]

Arlington Free Clinic’s Vaccination Effort — “Officials and community organizations are scrambling to close this racial gap in vaccine access. One such organization is the Arlington Free Clinic, which serves uninsured adults, many of them undocumented immigrants, in Arlington County. The clinic is holding vaccination days twice a week and working with other local social service organizations to develop an alternate pathway for low-income communities of color to get vaccinated.” [WAMU]

Former AP Bureau Chief Dies — “Charles Lewis, a former Washington bureau chief for The Associated Press and The Hearst Newspapers who tirelessly advocated for the release of AP journalist Terry Anderson from kidnappers in Lebanon, died Saturday. He was 80. Lewis, of Arlington, Virginia, died at a hospital from complications from cancer.” [Associated Press]

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