earthquake | ARLnow.com

Published August 23, 2021 at 9:15AM | Updated August 23, 2021 at 10:17AM

The chimney of a N. Arlington home was damaged in a 2011 earthquake (file photo)

Ten years ago today, at 1:51 p.m. a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit Virginia and the D.C. region, an unexpected jolt that sent residents and workers fleeing into the streets.

Damage from the earthquake locally was scattered and relatively minor. Loose items fell from store shelves. Some brick structures like chimneys were damaged. Walls cracked at historic Arlington House. The foundation at Arlington Fire Station No. 2 was damaged. The Thomas Jefferson Theater had to be closed for repairs. There were also reports of broken glass.

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Morning Notes

ARLnow.com

Published August 5, 2021 at 7:30AM

Pentagon Metro Station Reopening — “Metro will reopen the Pentagon Station and Pentagon Transit Center to customers beginning with the start of bus and rail service Thursday morning. The station and transit center has been closed since early Tuesday, due to the law enforcement response and investigation following a fatal incident that occurred in the bus bays.” [WMATA]

Chamber Supports Langston Blvd Plan — “The Arlington Chamber of Commerce broadly supports the Plan Lee Highway Scenario Analysis, providing for additional commercial and residential density in an established, aging, yet vibrant and critical transit corridor. Moreover, the Chamber encourages creating flexible land use policies and regulations so as to attract investment to the Langston Boulevard corridor.” [Arlington Chamber of Commerce]

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Published October 17, 2019 at 7:30AM

Windy Day on Tap — After a windy night, more gusty winds are expected today. The gusts are expected to reach up to 40 miles per hour locally. [Twitter]

Lions Club Seeks County Lot for Xmas Tree Sale — “Christmas is coming early for the South Arlington Lions Club. Arlington County Board members on Oct. 19 are expected to allow, for the second year in a row, the service organization to use county-government property on South Four Mile Run Drive for its annual Christmas-tree sale.” [InsideNova]

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Poll: Did You Feel the Delaware Earthquake?

ARLnow.com

Published November 30, 2017 at 5:00PM | Updated November 30, 2017 at 6:08PM

(Updated at 5:40 p.m.) The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a ~~5.1~~ ~~4.4~~ 4.1 magnitude earthquake — centered near Dover, Delaware — shook the region just after 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

One local resident said via Twitter that her house shuddered and glassware rattled in the home’s cabinets during the quake. But not everyone felt it — here at ARLnow.com HQ in Clarendon, the quake went unnoticed by three employees until tweets started showing up on our feed.

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Published October 20, 2016 at 9:00AM

Earthquake Drill Today — Virginia and a handful of other states will be participating in the Great SouthEast ShakeOut earthquake drill today at 10:20 a.m. [ShakeOut.org]

Sobering News on Office Vacancies — County officials are warning that Arlington’s office vacancy rate will remain relatively high for the foreseeable future. Optimistically, economic development officials believe that by “slowly and steadily” winning lease renewals and new tenants, the vacancy rate could decline to just past 15 percent, from the current 20 percent, within a few years. [InsideNova]

Around Town

Va. to Participate in Earthquake Drill

ARLnow.com

Published October 16, 2014 at 9:35AM

Virginia is one of the states participating in the Great Southeast Shakeout this morning.

Around Town

Arlington to Participate in Earthquake Drill Thursday

Ethan Rothstein

Published October 16, 2013 at 10:00AM

Taking place at 10:17 a.m., The Great Shakeout will drill participants on the proper precautions to take when an earthquake strikes. Even if an earthquake is mild, emergency management experts encourage people to drop to the floor, seek cover under a sturdy desk or table and hold on to the shelter until the shockwaves are complete.

The event is being coordinated nationally by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and in Virginia by the state Department of Emergency Management. Virginia’s population is especially encouraged to participate after the 5.8 magnitude Mid-Atlantic earthquake in August 2011, which caused minor damage around Arlington.

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Expect to Hear ‘Big Voice’ During Earthquake Drill Tomorrow

ARLnow.com

Published October 17, 2012 at 11:35AM

The base will be participating in the Great SouthEast ShakeOut, a regional earthquake drill that’s to take place at 10:18 a.m. In addition to asking those on the base to “drop, cover and hold on,” JBM-HH will be testing its “Big Voice” public address system, which may be heard outside the base.

From a press release:

Around Town

Look Back: One Year After the Earthquake

ARLnow.com

Published August 23, 2012 at 1:51PM

Items on the floor of the CVS at N. Glebe and Pershing Drive after the Aug. 23, 2011 earthquake (courtesy of Taniel Shant)

Damage from the earthquake was relatively minor. Loose items fell from store shelves. Some brick structures like chimneys were damaged. Walls cracked at historic Arlington House. The foundation at Arlington Fire Station No. 2 was damaged. The Thomas Jefferson Theater had to be closed for repairs.

In the immediate aftermath of the quake, cell phone service was overloaded by people calling loved ones. Numerous gas leaks are being reported and hundreds of Dominion customers in Arlington lost power. This website crashed and remained only periodically reachable for at least an hour. Office buildings closed for damage assessments, and highways were jammed with workers heading home early.

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Morning Notes

ARLnow.com

Published December 29, 2011 at 9:09AM

Man sleeping on a bench outside Arlington Central Library (file photo)

The Curious Grape to Reopen — There will soon be two competing boutique wine and cheese stores in Shirlington. The Curious Grape, which moved out of its storefront in Shirlington Village earlier this year in order to make way for Cheesetique, just announced that it will be reopening next month in a larger storefront one block away. [Shirlington Village Blog]

Loyalty Oath for Va. GOP Primary — Voters who want to cast their ballot in the March 6 presidential primary in Virginia will be required to sign a loyalty oath. The Virginia Republican Party requested the pledge — which is perfectly legal under Virginia law — as a condition of participation in the primary. The pledge (of support for the eventual Republican presidential nominee) is intended to reduce the number of non-Republicans voting in the otherwise open primary. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

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Historic Arlington House Damaged in Earthquake

ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2011 at 10:54AM

Arlington House, as seen from the Kennedy gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery in 2011 (staff photo)

Arlington House, the former home of Robert E. Lee, suffered significant damage during the quake. Large portions of the 200-year-old house, which overlooks the District from what is now Arlington National Cemetery, are now closed to the public as a result of the quake.

The house’s entire second floor is currently closed, along with a back hallway. We’re told that the quake shifted the structure’s back wall by a quarter of an inch, producing large cracks in the plaster. Though further inspections will be performed, it’s thought that the damage is primarily to the plaster, and not to the structure. Some hairline cracks in the wall as seen from the outside, however, may have been caused by the earthquake; it’s unclear how significant those cracks may be to the structural integrity of the house.