Thanksgiving

County’s Vacuum Leaf Collection Starts Next Week

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Get ready to start raking in the leaves: the county’s leaf collection starts next Monday (Nov. 12) for some neighborhoods and continues through mid-December.

The vacuum truck will operate Mondays through Saturdays, except for Thanksgiving, and will complete two sweeps on a set neighborhood schedule. The first pass runs from Nov. 12 to Dec. 4. Immediately afterward the second collection pass begins and run until Dec. 20.

Look for yellow signs posted three to seven days ahead of the first pass and then orange signs for the second one. Leaves should be at the curb at the start of the collection window and stay there until they are collected.

Residents can prepare for leaf collection by raking leaves to the curb — and away from storm drains and water meter covers — the weekend before the scheduled collection. The brochure reminds residents to remove stones, branches, litter and other debris from the pile and to reduce fire hazards by not parking cars on leaf piles.

Residents can also recycle leaves by placing them in green organics carts or paper yard bags at the curb by 6 a.m. for pickup on regular trash collection days. The weight cut off is 50 pounds for bags and 200 pounds for carts. The recycled leaves become nutrient-rich mulch that residents can pick up for free either at the Solid Waste Bureau near SHirlington or near Marymount University at 4712 26th Street N.

The county will not collect leaves in plastic bags.

“Yard trimmings collected in Arlington County are composted and used to make top soil for use in county projects. Plastic bags and other inorganic materials contaminate the end product,” a blurb on a county brochure reads.

The county’s free bag distribution started last week (Oct. 29) and runs until Jan. 18 while supplies last at the following locations:

  • Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th Street S., 703-228-5715
  • Courthouse Plaza, 2100 Clarendon Blvd, 703-228-3000
  • Lee Community Center, 5722 Lee Hwy, 703-228-0552
  • Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, 703-228-6535
  • Madison Community Center, 3829 N. Stafford Street, 703-228-5310
  • Solid Waste Bureau, 4300 29th Street S., 703-228-6570
  • Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2nd Street S., 703-228-5920

Flickr pool photo via wolfkann

Fire Scorches Caribbean Grill on Lee Highway

By ARLnow.com

A fire on the eve of Thanksgiving has damaged well-known local restaurant Caribbean Grill.

The fire broke out around 11 p.m. inside the restaurant at 5183 Lee Highway, according to fire officials. It was “caused by hot coals that fell out of [a] grill on to combustibles nearby.”

A large fire response was dispatched, but the fire was quickly extinguished and only minor damage — including smoke damage — was reported. No one was injured. The restaurant filled with smoke and firefighters remained on scene to ventilate the structure afterward.

Wednesday night was a busy night for the Arlington County Fire Department. Around 7 p.m. last night, firefighters battled a brush fire in the woods on the 3000 block of N. Quincy Street, in the Dover Crystal neighborhood.

A fire department spokesman estimated that the fire, which was extinguished without incident, scorched about 400 square feet of woodlands.

https://twitter.com/ArlingtonVaFD/status/933501004380811264

Pentagon City Mall Looks Ahead to ‘Super Bowl Day’ Black Friday

By Chris Teale
1/3

The day after Thanksgiving promises to be a busy one for the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, as it throws open its doors at 7 a.m. for Black Friday.

It marks the start of the Christmas shopping period across the country, and the mall here will be open until 9:30 p.m. for shoppers looking for deals.

Todd Jerscheid, director of marketing and business development, said anticipation is building for customers and mall employees alike.

“It’s like our Super Bowl Day, if you will. It’s a big day for us,” he said. “It’s where retailers really pull out all the stops and put their best foot forward, and not only supply great sales and promotions and that sort of thing, but it’s also offering that customer experience and welcoming shoppers in during the holiday.”

Jerscheid said customers can expect a slightly slower start to the morning — fewer doorbuster shoppers — than in some other places that open early for Black Friday. But then by mid-morning, foot traffic really picks up.

“I’ve been here nine years, and we pretty much have a very good flow of traffic on Black Friday,” he said. “We are not an early-riser mall, like some malls that open really early in the morning. I would say from 11 a.m. on, the traffic becomes very heavy and then it goes on through the remainder of the evening.”

As in previous years, Jerscheid said the mall will offer its “Shopper Survivor Kit” for the first 100 people who visit Guest Services after opening. The kit has bottled water, coupons, samples and snacks, and is intended to encourage people to shop early in the day.

And the other offer, which Jerscheid said is a “pretty big hit,” is “Santa’s Grab Bag Giveaway.” If a shopper spends $150 or more between 7 and 9 a.m., they can reach into the grab bag and have a chance to win gift cards, prizes from retailers or even a free coffee at Starbucks.

That is in addition to the dozens of stores that will have sales and deals throughout Black Friday and the weekend, while the mall will have a special visitor for children of all ages.

“We can’t forget the big man in the red suit,” Jerscheid said. “He is definitely here. He arrived on November 18, and will be here for photos… Kids can also write a little letter electronically to Santa and send it up to the North Pole.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

ACPD Urges Vigilance at Malls, On Metro — “As the Holiday Season approaches, residents and visitors of Arlington County are asked to help protect their community by reporting suspicious activity to police for investigation. There are no known threats to Arlington County, however, the public is encouraged to remain vigilant, particularly in areas where large crowds of people typically gather such as shopping centers, restaurant districts, religious services, and public transportation hubs to name a few.” [Arlington County]

Thanksgiving Safety Tips — The Arlington County Fire Department is again sharing Thanksgiving cooking safety tips, especially for those using a turkey fryer. Meanwhile, the county’s Dept. of Environmental Services is reminding residents to avoid pouring “FOG” — fats, oils and grease — down the drain as it can resulte in pipe clogs. [Arlington County, Arlington County]

AHC Hosts Thanksgiving Meal for Residents — Earlier this week, local affordable housing provider AHC hosted Thanksgiving celebrations at six community centers. Per a press release, “AHC staff teamed up with dozens of volunteers to cook more than 30 turkeys, prepare side dishes, and help decorate community spaces for hundreds of residents to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast together.” [AHC Inc.]

Arlington an ‘All-Star’ for LGBTQ Protections — “Arlington County has again been named one of 41 American ‘All-Star Cities’ for its high standards of inclusiveness and protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities. Arlington scored 93 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI).” [Arlington County]

Turkey Trot 5K Road Closures — This year’s 12th annual Arlington Turkey Trot 5K will take place tomorrow (Thanksgiving) morning. A number of streets in the Lyon Park, Penrose and Ashton Heights neighborhoods will be closed between 7-10 a.m. as a result. [Arlington County]

Rosslyn Repositions Itself — “Once a hub for government agencies and 9-to-5 commuters, Rosslyn has transformed into a live-work-play destination for millennials. Media companies, consulting firms and financial services have set up shop in the submarket’s Class-A office buildings, drawn to amenities like fitness centers, games, roof decks and outdoor spaces.” [Bisnow]

Police Urge Driver Caution, Patience During Thanksgiving Getaways

By Chris Teale

As thousands of drivers around Arlington prepare to hit the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Arlington County Police Department is reminding everyone to always wear a seatbelt.

The department is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to share the reminder: “Buckle Up — Every Trip. Every Time.”

More from ACPD:

Every day, unbuckled motorists are losing their lives in motor vehicle crashes. As we approach the winter holiday season, we want to make sure people are doing the one thing that can save them in a crash, buckling up. As part of the national seat belt enforcement campaign, law enforcement agencies around the country will be stepping up enforcement from November 20 to December 1, 2017.

According to NHTSA, during the 2015 Thanksgiving weekend, 301 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide, and 53 percent were not their wearing seat belts at the time of the fatal crash. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 57 percent of Thanksgiving weekend crashes occurring at night. That’s why one focus of the campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.

To learn more about the campaign, visit the NHTSA website.

In a similar effort, Virginia State Police will be be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., the Combined Accident Reduction Effort. Operation C.A.R.E. is a state-sponsored, national program designed to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries caused by speeding, impaired driving and not wearing seatbelts.

State police will have increased enforcement from tomorrow (Wednesday) through Sunday.

“Tragically, traffic fatalities are on the rise in Virginia,” Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, said in a statement. “We’ve seen an 11 percent increase over this time last year. With so many people estimated to travel over the Thanksgiving weekend, we need everyone to help prevent crashes by driving smart, buckling up and never driving drunk or drugged. We want everyone to arrive alive and enjoy the holiday.”

And while traffic may be busy along the I-95 corridor, as it has been historically at this time of year, the Virginia Department of Transportation is trying to make life a little easier.

During the Thanksgiving travel period, VDOT will suspend most major highway work zones and lift lane closures on Virginia interstates and major streets from Wednesday through noon on Monday, November 27.

VDOT’s Thanksgiving traffic trends map shows that Tuesday evening and midday Wednesday are among the busiest times on Virginia highways for heading out of the D.C. area.

Similarly, Metro has no scheduled track work on Thanksgiving Day, with trains and buses operating on a Sunday schedule. The system opens at 8 a.m., and will close at 11 p.m. On Friday, November 24, the system will be open on a normal weekday schedule.

Reagan National Braces for Extra Travelers During Thanksgiving Period

By Chris Teale

Reagan National Airport is preparing for one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Between Friday, November 17, and Tuesday, November 28, more than 28.5 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 3 percent from 2016, according to industry estimates.

Trade association Airlines for America said it expects the busiest travel days to be Sunday, November 26 and Wednesday, November 22, while the lightest is expected to be Thanksgiving Day.

Anyone travelling to and from the region’s airports can expect more congestion on the roads and inside the terminals, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

MWAA had the following tips for travelers, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Family Still Searching for Missing Arlington Woman — Family and friends spent the weekend searching for Katherine Hawald, who went missing Thursday, last seen in Arlington. Volunteers checked places Hawald would hang out and handed out flyers, enlisting others to assist in the search effort. [Fox 5]

Veep Participates in Veterans Day Ceremony — Vice President Mike Pence participated in the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday. “From the hour of our nation’s birth, our best and bravest have stepped forward to defend our freedom,” Pence said. “And as we speak, a new generation of American veterans is being forged across the wider world.” [Dept. of Defense]

Millennials Moving Out = Lower Rents — “More millennials are leaving Greater Washington than moving in, and that could spell trouble for commercial real estate developers across the region. Those young professionals helped the region avoid oversaturation of new apartments, but the diminishing pool will likely shrink demand for those units, among other potential consequences.” [Washington Business Journal]

Which Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving — Those hoping to avoid the hassle of making a turkey at home have a few options for dining out in Arlington on Thanksgiving. [Patch]

Burrito Bros Now Offering Taco — Perhaps responding to competition down the street, the Burrito Bros stand on Columbia Pike — formerly known as Pedro & Vinny’s — is now offering tacos. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by TheBeltWalk

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Orange leaves on a tree in autumn (Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards)

(Updated at 6:15 p.m.) ARLnow.com wishes you and yours a happy Thanksgiving weekend.

Except for regularly-scheduled features and breaking news, we will be not be publishing for the remainder of the weekend.

For those who are staying in town and participating in the traditional post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza, the Pentagon City mall has announced its extended holiday weekend hours:

  • Thanksgiving: 6-11 p.m.
  • Black Friday: 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
  • Sunday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Don’t forget that Saturday is Small Business Saturday — which reminds us to support local, independent retailers this holiday season.

Speaking of mixing holiday cheer and altruism with commerce, the charity-oriented Christmas tree sales around Arlington start this weekend, and on Tuesday Shirlington shopping center is holding its annual Light Up the Village event.

If you’re going to be driving around Thanksgiving day, keep in mind that the annual Turkey Trot 5K will be closing roads in Lyon Park until around 10 a.m.

With that, feel free to use the comment section of this post to discuss any issue or news item of local interest this holiday weekend.

Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Fall leaves / follage (Flickr pool photo by Eric)

Racist Group Has Offices in Arlington — The National Policy Institute, a fringe white nationalist group that has gotten national media attention recently for a conference that culminated with Tila Tequila giving a Heil Hitler at a D.C. restaurant, has offices in Arlington. Asked about it, County Board members condemned the group but said “we have no standing to tell people who can and can’t be here.” [WTOP]

Remembering Arlington’s Racist Past — Arlington has not always been the welcoming, diverse community it is today. In 1968, for instance, Yorktown High School students protested outside of Washington Golf and Country Club in north Arlington, after the club refused to participate in interclub tennis matches with a black woman. Arlington was also once home to the headquarters of the American Nazi Party. [Falls Church News-Press]

Thanksgiving Bell Concert — The Netherlands Carillon near Rosslyn will play two special songs for Thanksgiving at noon and 6 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday). The Carillon plays automated concerts throughout the year but there are special performances for Dutch Liberation Day, V-J Day, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. [National Park Service, Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Eric

Pre-Thanksgiving Traffic Already Looking Pretty Miserable

By ARLnow.com
1/2

If you were planning to drive out of town for Thanksgiving this evening and haven’t left yet — good luck.

Highways are already crowding with heavy traffic around the D.C. area, particularly on some of the main routes leaving town: I-95, I-270 and I-66.

In fact, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving from 5 to 6 p.m. has “the lowest average travel speed on the interstates and other prime travel routes” in the D.C. area, according to the regional Transportation Planning Board.

VDOT, meanwhile, says that drivers should expect some of the heaviest Thanksgiving traffic between mid-morning and the evening on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving Closures in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Logo via Arlington CountyMost things county government-related will be closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

County government offices, courts, libraries, schools, recreation centers and other facilities will be closed both days. Parking meters will not be enforced.

Among the things that will be open and running on Thanksgiving and Black Friday:

  • Trash, recycling and vacuum leaf collection, on its normal schedule
  • ART buses, on a Saturday schedule
  • The county jail’s visiting hours, from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
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