Easter Weekend E-CARE Event Deemed a Success
(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Despite the holiday, Arlington residents turned out in droves for Saturday’s Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE).
The bi-annual event gives Arlington residents an opportunity to safely get rid of hazardous materials and to recycle items that usually aren’t accepted during the weekly residential recycling collection.
This weekend’s event drew 1,341 people to the parking lot of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, according to the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services. DES spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel said residents filled two tractor trailers with some 30 20 tons of electronics to recycle.
This year’s spring E-CARE also collected about 35.5 tons of hazardous household materials, said Whalen McDaniel, who deemed the event a success.
“The weather for E-CARE was picture perfect and residents turned out!” she wrote.
Security Breaks Up Sexual Encounter in Mall Bathroom
Police responded to the Pentagon City mall on Thursday for a report of an “obscene sexual display” in a restroom.
The security manager of a department store called police around 11:30 a.m. after finding a man masturbating in the middle of the store’s third floor bathroom. The suspect, described as a 5’9″ black male in his late 20s, was peering at another man in a bathroom stall while masturbating, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. A third man was also present in the bathroom during the incident, watching the other two. The men had deliberately met up in the bathroom for sexual purposes, Sternbeck said.
The suspects all fled the scene before police arrived.
While Sternbeck was unable to confirm the identity of the store involved, a “cruising” website for men seeking sexual encounters contains a listing for the third floor bathroom of the Macy’s store in Pentagon City.
Sam’s Corner in Clarendon to Close?
The mysterious Sam’s Corner deli at 3201 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon may be getting ready to close, according to a tipster.
The no-nonsense, cash-only deli has fascinated some locals with its irregular hours, its general lack of customers, and its ability to remain in business in a high-rent area. But the business may be closing soon after all.
The daughter of the older couple who own the deli has told friends that her parents will be shutting down the restaurant, perhaps by the end of the month, according to our tipster. The owners have simply decided to retire, we’re told.
An emailed request for comment was not returned.
Good Stuff Eatery to Open Next Month in Crystal City
(Updated at 12:00 p.m.) Good Stuff Eatery, former Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn’s gourmet burger restaurant, is about a month away from opening in Crystal City.
Good Stuff, which is still under construction at 2110 Crystal Drive, will be holding a private VIP opening party on Friday, May 4, complete with a performance by DJ Josh Madden. Madden is a Waldorf, Maryland native and the older brother of Joel and Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte.
Good Stuff began interviewing prospective managers for the restaurant today, according to Chef Spike’s Twitter feed. The restaurant will be opening at some point in early May, after the opening party, a spokeswoman said. The location will include a 12-seat “farm table” and a large, 60 person capacity party space.
“We are excited to open,” Good Stuff Eatery marketing manager Jordyn Lazar told ARLnow.com. “Crystal City is a great neighborhood and we can’t wait to start serving burgers.”
This will be Good Stuff’s second location, after the original eatery at 303 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in D.C. A third location, in Georgetown, is expected to open by the end of this year.
Good Stuff Eatery serves various varieties of burgers, fries, shakes, floats and salads.
Man Struck By Van on I-66
(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) A pedestrian was struck by a van on I-66 Saturday morning.
The incident started around 5:30 a.m., when police were called for a man spotted banging on a vehicle in a parking garage on the 1900 block of N. Lynn Street, in Rosslyn. The man fled on foot before police arrived, and building security witnessed him heading in the direction of I-66, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
Minutes later, police received a call for a pedestrian struck on I-66 near Route 110.
“A male subject was in the eastbound I-66 travel lane when he was struck by an eastbound van,” Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told ARLnow.com. “The van was coming through the curve and was unable to avoid striking the pedestrian in the lane.”
“The driver of the van, 68-yr-old Linden, Va. male, was not charged in this incident,” Geller said. “The pedestrian, Nicholas F. Brizzi, 26, of Arlington, remains in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.”
Arlington County police helped to direct traffic on I-66 for an hour while Virginia State Police investigated the accident, according to Sternbeck.
Man Found Unconscious on Wilson Boulevard
A man suffering from life-threatening injuries was found lying unconscious on Wilson Boulevard early Sunday morning.
The man was found around 1:00 a.m. on the 5300 block of Wilson Boulevard, in Bluemont, suffering from significant head trauma, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. It’s unknown at this time whether the injury was the result of a hit-and-run, a fight or a fall. The man still had his wallet with him, so robbery is not considered a likely motive if he was, in fact, attacked.
The man was taken to a local hospital where surgery was performed to stop bleeding in his brain, Sternbeck said. His injuries are considered life-threatening.
The man is described as a 38-year-old Arlington resident. No other details were available about the incident.
Morning Notes
Eaglets Hatched? — Flickr pool photographer Philliefan99 says the eagles in the photo above are exhibiting behavior that suggests they have eaglets in their nest. The nest is located near Spout Run. [Flickr]
No Streetcar Stalemate, Arlington Says — There is no discord between Arlington and Alexandria when it comes to plans to build a streetcar line along the future Route 1 transit corridor, according to a joint statement issued by Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan and Alexandria City Manager Rashad Young. The statement was in response to an article that suggested diverging transit plans were causing tensions between the two jurisdictions. [City of Alexandria]
New Data on Remodeling Expenses in Arlington — Households in Arlington spend an average of $5,801 per year on remodeling expenses, well above the national average of $1,907 per year, according to new data from the National Association of Home Builders. Falls Church households, meanwhile, spend the most on remodeling of any southern jurisdiction: $6,099 per year. [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99
