church | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published February 2, 2022 at 7:30AM

Runners at Washington-Liberty High School in the mist and fog (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

APS Test-to-Stay Date Set — “Arlington County Public Schools, in Virginia, is planning to launch its test-to-stay program Feb. 14, a school spokesman said. The coronavirus testing will initially be offered to students only, for free, at Syphax Education Center from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on school days.” [WTOP]

Police Probe Particularly Problematic Pothole — “Scanner: Police responding to intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Sycamore Street in East Falls Church for multiple reports of a large pothole damaging passing cars.” [Twitter]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2022 at 7:30AM

A runner along Long Bridge Park in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Local GOP Supports NAACP’s Caucus Call — “We agree with the NAACP Arlington Branch when they exclaim ‘holding a partisan caucus outside the general election schedule leads to voter confusion and thus undermines voter engagement… and candidate recruitment,’ and we support the NAACP’s strong recommendation that the ‘ACDC cease its School Board caucus and endorsement process…'” [Arlington GOP]

New Mahjong Speakeasy in Pentagon City — “Scott Chung, the restaurateur behind Bun’d Up, was chatting with fellow chef Andrew Lo not long ago about how to best make use of the back room of his Taiwanese gua bao eatery in Pentagon City. Chung had a vision for a dive bar. Lo suggested a hub for mahjong… The end result is Sparrow Room, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar and dim sum restaurant at Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) that opens Thursday, Jan. 27.” [Arlington Magazine]

News

Grace Community Church to fill huge space in Ballston Quarter mall

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 27, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated January 27, 2022 at 4:16PM

People take a selfie in front of the Christmas tree at Ballston Quarter (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 3:55 p.m.) Grace Community Church has its sights set on a new home: Ballston Quarter.

The church would occupy about 23,280 square feet of space on the second floor of the mall. It will be across the atrium from WHINO, the art gallery, wine bar and restaurant, and next to the Macy’s.

News

APAH breaks ground on Ballston affordable housing development

By Jo DeVoe

Published December 10, 2021 at 11:45AM | Updated December 10, 2021 at 12:44PM

Groundbreaking for the Ballston Station church-housing development project (courtesy photo)

(Updated at 12:45 p.m.) Work has started on a long-stalled affordable housing development at the Central United Methodist Church (CUMC) site, across from the Ballston Metro station.

The $84 million multi-use redevelopment, dubbed Ballston Station, will replace the church (4201 Fairfax Drive) with an 8-story building comprised of 144 committed affordable units, CUMC’s new sanctuary space and an early childhood education center for about 90 kids.

Around Town

Local NAACP, a church, local activists honored for human rights work

By Matt Blitz

Published November 22, 2021 at 1:00PM

2021 James B. Hunter Award Winners (via Arlington County)

Arlington’s Human Rights Commission is honoring four organizations and two individuals for their contributions to diversity and human rights over the past year.

Recipients include a seven-decade-old church in Arlington Ridge, the Arlington Branch of the NAACP and a community activist in the Halls Hill neighborhood.

News

Construction underway on Coptic Orthodox church in Green Valley

By Jo DeVoe

Published November 3, 2021 at 2:00PM

Construction is underway for St. Timothy and St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church in Green Valley (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Construction is advancing on a permanent home for Saint Timothy and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church in Green Valley.

The Arlington-based church — which goes by the abbreviated STSA Church — currently rents space at George Mason University’s Virginia Square campus at 3351 Fairfax Drive.

Around Town

County Resurrects Stained Glass Window to Loan to a Ballston Church

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 15, 2021 at 3:55PM

"Christ in Blessing" by Louis Comfort Tiffany (courtesy of Arlington Arts)

Tucked away in an Arlington County storage facility is a shattered Tiffany Studios stained glass window of Jesus Christ in the act of blessing those who gaze on him.

For decades, it adorned The Abbey Mausoleum that once stood near Arlington National Cemetery. Light would have pierced the 12-paneled, 9-foot by 6-foot window, casting jewel tones on the burial site of the man to whom the window was dedicated — E. St. Clair Thompson, a wealthy Mason interred there in 1933.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 17, 2021 at 7:30AM

A deer and a fox in the rain, near the Arlington-Fairfax border (photo courtesy Marc Roth)

‘Kindness Yard Sale’ in Penrose — “Susan Thompson-Gaines wants to spread kindness. This weekend, she’s doing it through a big yard sale at her house. She says it’s hard to miss the home she shares with her husband, David — it’s the yellow house with purple trim at the corner of South Second and South Fillmore streets in Arlington… what makes this yard sale different is that the proceeds are all spent on acts of kindness.” [WTOP]

Flood Cleanup for Pike Businesses — From WUSA 9’s Matthew Torres: “A dental hygienist sent me this other video of the flash flooding in Columbia Pike in Arlington. Their business had to close today as they clean up the water that seeped through. Other businesses are having to do the same thing.” [Twitter]

Events

Retired Army Col. Who Rescued Iraqi Interpreters to Discuss Effort to Evacuate Afghans

By Jo DeVoe

Published July 16, 2021 at 10:30AM | Updated July 16, 2021 at 12:16PM

Col. Steve Miska, US Army (Ret.) speaks during an Iraqi press conference with the help of an interpreter (courtesy of Steve Miska)

A retired colonel who helped Iraqi interpreters flee Baghdad will be speaking in Arlington a few days after the government said it will evacuate Afghans who helped the U.S.

While on his second of three tours in Iraq, Col. Steve Miska (U.S. Army, Ret.) aided dozens of interpreters trying to flee Baghdad before state militias could kill them for treason. Now retired after a 25-year career, he has written a book about the “underground railroad” he helped to establish, which led interpreters to safety from Baghdad to Amman, Jordan before ending in the U.S.

News

Ballston Church Set for Demolition Auctioning Off Everything from Bibles to an Organ

By ARLnow.com

Published June 24, 2021 at 2:00PM | Updated June 24, 2021 at 2:53PM

Organ keyboard offered for auction (via Capital Online Auctions)

Central United Methodist Church in Ballston is auctioning off hymnals, furniture and various equipment ahead of a planned redevelopment.

The online auction kicked off this week, after the final service in the church’s current building was held last month. Services are now being held virtually as the property at 4201 Fairfax Drive, across from the Ballston Metro station, is torn down and rebuilt as an affordable housing complex.

News

County Board Approves $16 Million Loan for Affordable Apartment Building in Ballston

By Jo DeVoe

Published June 17, 2021 at 3:30PM

Rendering of the planned Central United Methodist Church redevelopment in Ballston (via Arlington County)

A long-stalled affordable housing development project in Ballston has secured the funding it needs to move forward.

On Saturday, the County Board approved an allocation of nearly $16 million for an 8-story building at the Central United Methodist Church site on Fairfax Drive near the Ballston Metro station.