Langston Blvd

Power Outage in North Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Nearly 3,500 Dominion customers in North Arlington are without power this afternoon. The outage was possibly caused by a branch that hit a power line and caused a transformer to catch fire.

Police report that traffic lights on Glebe Road are out from I-66 near Ballston to Lee Highway. The outage at the busy Lee Highway and North Glebe Road intersection has the potential for a significant traffic impact.

Initial reports suggest other traffic lights may also be out on Lee Highway.

Several tripped alarms and stuck elevators have been reported in the area, likely a result of the outage.

Update at 1:40 p.m. — Power has been restored to most Dominion customers.

County Board Meeting Roundup

By ARLnow.com

In case you wanted to enjoy Saturday morning outside rather than spend it inside watching the first county board meeting following the summer break, here’s a summary of what happened.

  • The board responded to public criticism of reduced library hours. Chairman Jay Fisette said “difficult choices had to be made.” The Sun Gazette has more.
  • The board approved an amendment that authorizes the Arlington Mill Community Center project to move forward without an originally-approved residential component. A developer initially wanted to build a mixed use and a residential building on the site, but ran into financial difficulties. Instead of a five-story building that would consist of apartments and a 39,000 square foot public community center space, Arlington Mill will now be a five-story, 64,500 square foot stand-alone community center. The ground breaking is scheduled for the spring of 2011, and the community center is expected to open in the spring of 2013.
  • The board approved a sign plan for the TD Bank at 5510 Lee Highway that included two lighted wall signs frowned upon by county staff. In his presentation to the board, a TD Bank representative spoke of the company’s frustration with the county’s stringent sign plan process. It took nearly two and a half years from when the initial design for the bank was approved to Saturday’s approval of the sign plan. That’s despite the fact that the signs were present in the bank’s initial design and received no objections from the local civic associations.
  • A landlord withdrew its request to convert retail space in Crystal City Shops into office space.
  • The board voted to protect six “specimen trees” at the request of four Arlington residents.

Ruffino’s Spaghetti House Closes for Renovations

By ARLnow.com

We stopped by Ruffino’s Spaghetti House (4763 Lee Highway) today to check out a tip that it had closed down. Good news, pasta fans: a recorded message on the restaurant’s answering machine reveals that it’s only undergoing renovations and will reopen “in a few weeks.”

Not much else to say about it, so here’s an amusing review of Ruffino’s posted by Yelp user “Chelsea M.”

This place has had an aura about it for me since my beau and his dude crew instituted the manly tradition of monthly “mafia” dinners at Ruffino’s. For years, these guys have gushed about the food, the house chianti and the staff, who have let them come back to the kitchen to thank the chefs personally for their dinner and a Sopranos-esque evening.

After finally getting to experience Ruffino’s in the flesh, my fantasies were more than fulfilled. The butter-drenched garlic bread was a dream come true and like a stick of Doublemint, my chicken castenella ( basically chicken and eggplant parm combined if my memory is serving me correctly) doubled my pleasure as well as my fun. t also arrived with a heaping side of spaghetti, which saved me from having to politely request some pasta from my date. Our waiter could not have been sweeter and more attentive and the atmosphere is perfectly cozy and cute.

This place ain’t Milano, but it’s not trying to be. Quality, generous portions, kindness and endless carbs are all delivered at this adorable spot. As a gal who’s been around the Little Italy block in NYC, I’m happy to endorse Ruffino’s as a perfect destination for a date night or any impending man meal.

Update on District Taco’s Brick-and-Mortar Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

We’re hearing that the planned opening for District Taco’s forthcoming brick-and-mortar restaurant has been pushed back a month, to October 1. (Update on 10/14: The opening is now said to be set for the first week in November.)

The storefront at 5723 Lee Highway is now being used to prepare ingredients for the District Taco cart, following some changes to the existing kitchen (once used by the former occupant, the now-defunct Restaurant Vero). Tables and chairs are ready to go, we’re told, but there are still additional interior details and regulatory hurdles to be taken care of.

The county granted approval for a change of restaurant ownership yesterday.

Fire Engulfs Vacant Home on North Edison Street

By ARLnow.com

Update at 12:20 p.m. — An arson dog found some sort of combustible substance in the house, TBD reports, but officials caution that it could take awhile for a state laboratory to examine the substance and draw any conclusions.

A fast-moving fire engulfed a home on the 2100 block of North Edison Street, near the Langston-Brown Community Center, early this morning. Initial reports suggest the home was abandoned, utilities were turned off, and nobody was inside at the time.

The blaze started on the porch around 3:30 a.m. and spread to the second floor. It took firefighters nearly an hour to extinguish the flames.

While the fire burned, residents as far away as Ballston reported smelling smoke.

The house was built in 1935 and is valued at $517,500, according to Zillow.com.

Time Runs Out for Cherrydale Clockworks

By ARLnow.com

Cherrydale Clockworks, at 3510 Lee Highway, went out of business about a month ago. Now, at least one former customer whose clock was being repaired at the store is trying to figure out how to get it back.

The store, once filled with clocks of all shapes and sizes, is now empty. A sign on the door indicates that the landlord changed the locks. “For Lease” signs hang in the front window. A phone number for the store is forwarded to a full voicemail box.

An employee at a business next door says a steady stream of former customers have been coming to him with questions about the store. He said the store always seemed busy, but noted that the owner kept irregular hours and irked neighbors by using his rear parking space as a junkyard.

One tipster tells us: “At least one of my neighbors has a clock that was being repaired by Cherrydale Clockworks, and now can’t get the clock back.”

It’s not clear what could be done to get it back. Locals tell us that at one point a sign directed customers to call a number to get their clocks back. That sign has since been taken down.

A call to the Virginia Department of Consumer Affairs revealed that the last complaint filed against the store dates back to 2008.

SUV Overturns in Apparent Hit-and-Run Accident on Lee Highway

By ARLnow.com

A Ford Explorer overturned after being struck by a black PT Cruiser at the intersection of Lee Highway and North George Mason Drive around 3:00 this afternoon. Luckily, there were no injuries reported.

Witnesses told police that the PT Cruiser drove off after the accident. It was later spotted three blocks away at 22nd and North Dinwiddie Streets. Another witness told police that a man bailed out of the heavily-damaged vehicle and ran down the street.

Police are searching the area for the suspect.

District Taco to Open First Brick-and-Mortar Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

What started out as a tiny taco cart is expanding to a full-fledged brick-and-mortar restaurant. District Taco announced today that they are taking over the space formerly occupied by Restaurant Vero at 5723 Lee Highway.

Owner Osiris Hoil says the fast food-style restaurant will be casual and family-oriented, with a front counter and plenty of tables. Since the storefront already has a full kitchen and other restaurant necessities, Hoil hopes to open the place as soon as September 1. (Update on 10/14: The opening is now said to be set for the first week in November.)

The larger kitchen will supply the District Taco stand with greater quantities of fresher ingredients, Hoil said. The stand has been a victim of it’s own success recently, running out of food just about every day.

The kitchen will also allow Hoil to show off some of his culinary prowess. Expect to see some of the periodic specials at the stand — ceviche, burritos, carne asade — become staples at the restaurant.

One notable omission from the menu, at least at first, will be cervezas. Hoil says he’ll probably wait about a year to start serving beer. Also, don’t expect to be able to order fish tacos any time soon — Hoil’s not a fan.

“I don’t serve anything I don’t like,” he said.

Asked how he felt about taking the plunge into the restaurant world, Hoil said he was looking forward to having a storefront to call his own.

“It’s the American dream, you know, and it’s coming true,” Hoil said. “I feel great.”

Update on 8/31 — The opening date has been pushed back to October 1.

Liberty Tavern Group to Take Over Alpine Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

Fresh off the successful launches of Lyon Hall and Northside Social, the Liberty Tavern Restaurant Group is taking over Lee Highway institution Alpine Restaurant, two sources tell ARLnow.com.

The 44-year-old Italian eatery closed last month after owner Ermanno Tonizzo decided to sell the restaurant and retire. We hear that the new owners are trying to decide whether Alpine will remain a restaurant or will be transformed into something else.

It’s not clear what other form the property may take — a bar or a coffee shop would not be out of the realm of possibility — but so far the new owners have been very tight-lipped about their apparent acquisition.

Liberty’s Stephen Fedorchak had no comment about the group’s plans. Without explicitly confirming that a deal was made, he said it would be “months” before anything regarding Alpine is revealed.

CONFIRMED: Restaurant Vero Closed

By ARLnow.com

Restaurant Vero, which has served up sophisticated American cuisine on Lee Highway for the past four and a half years, has closed. Management will be holding a cash sale of their remaining wine and beer until about 5:00 p.m. tonight (hat tip to commenter Rebecca for that tidbit, which the owners confirmed).

The mood was somber this afternoon as people stopped by to offer their condolences. What had been the restaurant’s dining area was in the process of being boxed up or moved out.

A source tells ARLnow.com that financial problems may have been to blame for the closing.

The brother/sister/friend team behind Restaurant Vero, Jay and Joy Reinhardt and Veronica Kunkel, also run the Arlington Catering Company.

BREAKING NEWS — Pedestrian Accident on Lee Highway

By ARLnow.com

Lee Highway was shut down in the area of North Glebe Road this morning due to a pedestrian accident.

Police say a 31-year-old man and his son, a toddler, were attempting to cross Lee Highway around 9:00 when they were struck by a large vehicle, possibly a truck or a van. They were not crossing in a crosswalk, police said.

The man suffered a broken arm when he was hit by a side mirror. The child suffered a head injury when the man fell. The child is in critical condition, police said. (Updated at 3:15 p.m.)

The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene and is not expected to face any charges, although the accident remains under investigation.

The eastbound lanes of Lee Highway were closed for an extended period of time while investigators reconstructed the accident. The photos below show diagrams that investigators spray painted on the road.

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