Two men have been arrested after reportedly dumping “substantial quantities” of motor oil and gasoline into Arlington’s stormwater system.
Ahmad Adawi, of Fairfax, and Suhib Derbas, of Alexandria, are accused of intentionally releasing hazardous substances directly into stormwater drains, the Arlington County Office of the Fire Marshal announced today (Tuesday).
A 75-year-old water tank serving the Dominion Hills and Boulevard Manor neighborhoods is on track for a replacement — eventually.
The 200,000-gallon Willston tank is “inadequate to meet the needs of the current service area,” Fairfax Water General Manager Jamie Bain Hedges said at a June 2 meeting between the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax Water Board.
A pickup truck became engulfed in flames at the entrance to a Crystal City parking garage early Tuesday, prompting a large fire department response.
The intense vehicle fire broke out around dawn on the 1700 block of Crystal Drive, just outside of a loading dock and the entrance to a public parking garage.
County Board members are about to consider replacing an aging office building in the Courthouse area with a new 19-story residential building.
The project, called Alexan Courthouse, is expected to go before the Board on Saturday (June 13) with support from three key advisory bodies and county staff, likely paving the way for approval.
County officials are preparing for the final phase of a nearly 20-year effort to improve conditions for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists along Wilson Blvd.
“The goal is to start in late summer — late July or sometime in August,” said Gabriela Kock, the county government’s project manager for the streetscape project.
One of Arlington’s advisory panels is considering a push to require local landlords to make their rent increases public annually.
The legislative subcommittee of the county government’s Housing Commission has included the proposal on a list of potential 2027 legislative priorities.
Complete Streets Hearing — The Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission will hold a funding hearing Monday, June 15 at 7 p.m. on four proposed upgrades: Shirlington Road between S. Glebe Road and 22nd Street S., N. Van Buren and N. Tuckahoe streets between 18th and 19th, and 13th Street N. between N. Quincy and N. Lincoln. The hybrid meeting will take place at the Bozman Government Center (2100 Clarendon Blvd). [Arlington DES, Arlington County]
‘Behind the Slicer’ — William Thompson, who co-owns Celebrity Delly in Falls Church with his wife, Julie Rossler-Thompson, has revived a restaurant blog with candid posts on the industry, from cheesesteaks to rising costs. A full Reuben now runs $25, up from $13 before the pandemic, and he calls Fairfax County’s 4% meals tax “detrimental to our industry.” [Arlington Magazine]
Hot Pot Kudos — A Washington Post food columnist writes about the unexpected, fleeting bliss he found in dish No. 140, a “caramelized fish in a hot pot,” at Huong Viet, a cash-only Vietnamese restaurant that has anchored Falls Church’s Eden Center for nearly 40 years. [Washington Post]
Trooper Rescues Kitten — A 4-week-old kitten “had the luck of nine lives” after a Virginia State Police trooper retrieved it from I-395 near the King Street exit late Friday (June 5). A driver spotted the kitten just before midnight. It was taken to an animal hospital and is receiving care, police said. [ALXnow]
It’s Tuesday — Expect partly sunny skies today with a high near 84 and a light south wind. Skies turn mostly cloudy overnight with a low around 68 and a slight chance of rain showers before dawn. [NWS]
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County Board members are approaching an initial vote on potentially prohibiting gas-powered leaf-blowers, but it’s still unclear when such a ban would go into effect.
The Board is slated to vote this Saturday on setting a a public hearing for next month that could start the clock ticking. County staff is sticking with its past recommendation for a three-year phase-in period, unswayed by recommendations by a number of advisory panels for a shorter phase-in period.
A group of five men, at least two of whom were brandishing guns, robbed a jewelry store along Langston Blvd late last week.
The robbery happened around 2 p.m. Friday at Sonia Jewelers (5155 Langston Blvd) — a nearly 40-year-old local business specializing in South Asian gold jewelry, with locations in Arlington and Springfield.
Inconsistent policies on bus fares and enforcement are creating confusion among riders and challenges for transit in Northern Virginia, Metro’s top official says.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority CEO Randy Clarke critiqued the D.C. area’s patchwork of rules for where riders must pay to ride the bus, along with the limits placed on the Metro system’s ability to enforce its payment requirement.
Democrats challenging incumbent Matt de Ferranti are criticizing the County Board for what they see as putting government spending ahead of tax relief.
Echoing a theme long trumpeted by Republican and independent political challengers to the county’s all-Democratic Board, candidates James DeVita and Julie Farnam each used the June 3 Arlington County Democratic Committee candidate forum to accuse the Board of excessive spending.
Relatively modest changes to Northern Virginia zoning requirements could be a key step to delivering on more housing stock, panelists suggested last week.
Members of a panel convened by George Mason University last Wednesday argued in favor of looser zoning policies and other changes to how localities approach the development process. The alterations don’t need to be draconian or revolutionary to have a positive effect, participants said.
