(Updated at 4:00  p.m. on 5/16/13) Arlington County, Falls Church and Ft. Myer firefighters responded to a house fire in Lyon Park tonight.

This fire was reported around 5:45 p.m., at the corner of N. Highland Street and 7th Street. Firefighters arrived on scene, made their way into the burning home and attacked heavy flames throughout the structure. The fire was eventually brought under control around 6:10 p.m., but not before causing significant damage to the home.

Smoke could be seen and smelled from the Clarendon area, readers told ARLnow.com via Twitter.

Nobody was injured in the blaze, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl. The Red Cross is on scene, assisting the two adults and two children who lived in the house.

A 12-year-old boy was at home the time of the fire and managed to escape unscathed, Karl said. Two cats were also inside the house. One survived and the other died, we’re told.

Politico May Leave Rosslyn — The offices of the Capitol Hill publication Politico will likely move from Rosslyn to some place closer to the Hill. The expected move was announced at a staff meeting, which also discussed the pending sale of TV station ABC 7, also located in Rosslyn. [DCRTV]

Crime Solvers Awards — A Sheriff’s Office narcotics K-9 officer and a second-generation Arlington Police detective were the winners of the 2013 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year awards. The awards were presented yesterday at a luncheon sponsored by Arlington County Crime Solvers. [Sun Gazette]

Police 50/50 Raffle — Arlington police officers are holding a 50/50 raffle to benefit and police sergeant and an officer’s wife who were recently diagnosed with cancer. The raffle drawing will be held on May 14. Tickets are available for $20 at Hard Times Cafe (3028 Wilson Blvd) and Crystal City Sports Pub (529 23rd Street S.) [PDF]

Miss Gay Arlington Pageant — The annual Miss Gay Arlington pageant will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Crystal City (555 23rd Street S.). The pageant, which is sponsored by the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Aliance, will judge drag performers in four categories: self-expression, talent, evening gown and on-stage question. [Facebook]

Lyon Park Home & Garden Tour — The Lyon Park neighborhood will hold its annual home and garden tour on Sunday. The self-guided tour runs from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. [PDF]

Flickr pool photo by ddimick

The pursuit began when the suspect vehicle rammed an Arlington County Police cruiser near N. Barton and Pershing Drive, in Lyon Park, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The vehicle, a late model Honda Accord, slammed into the front passenger side of the cruiser after the officer attempted to pull it over for a traffic stop, Sternbeck said. No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, though Sternbeck described the damage as “significant.”

Arlington County officers then chased the vehicle to I-395. The chase ended after officers set up a “rolling roadblock” in the northbound lanes, just before the suspects crossed into D.C.’s jurisdiction.

Police activity is currently blocking all but one northbound HOV lane just before the 14th Street Bridge. Police have two suspects in custody, both District of Columbia residents, Sternbeck said. The men are expected to be charged with felony hit and run.

It is normally Arlington County Police policy to not pursue fleeing vehicles except in special circumstances.

The Arlington County Fire Department battled at least three fires over the long holiday weekend.

On Saturday, firefighters extinguished a fire in a detached shed behind a home on the 2900 block of 7th Street N. in Lyon Park. The smoky fire spread to an adjacent fence and caused minor damage to adjacent sheds, but otherwise did not damage any houses, according to ACFD spokesman Gregg Karl.

On Monday, Arlington firefighters battled a two-alarm fire at a house on Shadow Walk in Falls Church, just off Little Falls Road near the Arlington border. Karl was unable to provide additional information about that blaze. ACFD was also called to a small fire on an apartment balcony at 901 N. Monroe Street in Virginia Square. The fire was contained to the balcony, Karl said.

Photo (left) courtesy @CAPT258. Photo (right) courtesy Peter Roof.

A new Indian restaurant recently opened in the Lyon Park neighborhood.

Masala Express, at 2622-A Pershing Drive, just celebrated its first month in business. The restaurant, which offers carry out service and a small section of cafe seating, has enjoyed favorable reviews on Yelp since it opened on Christmas Day (Dec. 25).

The restaurant is owned by Vinita Chawla, a veteran of the hotel industry. Also helping out is her husband, Naresh, who has run a catering business focusing on Indian cuisine for the past 20 years. Both Vinita and Naresh are natives of India.

One restaurant patron told ARLnow.com that Masala Express offers Indian cuisine that’s spicier and “more authentic” than several of the other Indian restaurants in the Clarendon and Courthouse areas.

Masala Express opened in what used to be a portion of Gala Futons and Furniture. The furniture store remains open, albeit with a smaller storefront.

The restaurant is open from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Old Bike Shop, located at 2647 N. Pershing Drive, specializes in vintage and refurbished bikes and bike parts. Owner Larry Behery, a former car mechanic and carpenter, says there was an unmet need for a used bike store in Arlington.

“There are a lot of shops in the area, but they serve a higher-end clientele — someone who’s already into bikes, already into racing, someone who’s into spending a couple of thousand dollars on a bike,” he said. “But there was nobody really just being a liaison for the beginner,” for people who “need something inexpensive to ride to the Metro… something solid and something that’s not stolen or broken off of Craigslist. ”

Behery and a business partner have been selling used bikes at the Courthouse flea market on Saturdays and at the Georgetown flea market on Sundays. Behrey, who started out collecting old bikes and bike paraphernalia before deciding to sell them as a side business, said he buys his bikes at auctions and from charities that receive bike donations. Before the shop opened, he fixed them up in a garage outside his Springfield home.

Business was good enough at the flea markets that at one point last year Behery decided to go all-in and open a stand-alone store.

“It ended up kinda snowballing and increasing in demand… and finally it got to the point where there were enough [customers] to justify doing something like this and actually having a shop,” he said. “I couldn’t not take advantage of that opportunity.”

Behery says he still plans to sell bikes at the Courthouse market but is planning to discontinue his visits to the Georgetown market. He says he thinks the quality of the bikes at his small shop will help him compete against nearby higher-end bike stores and the Wal-Marts of the world that sell cheaply-made budget bikes.

“We made a lot of really good stuff back in the day that can’t be produced any more — recognizing that there was a need for good quality bikes that were inexpensive,” he said.

The Old Bike Shop is open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The store is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

In addition to bikes and bike parts like locks and tires, the Old Bike Shop will offer bike repair services.

An SUV flipped on its side on N. Fillmore Street in Lyon Park last night.

The accident happened around 9:30 p.m., in the middle of the block, approaching the intersection with 2nd Road N. According to police on the scene, the adult female driver was likely distracted when she ran into a parked vehicle, causing her SUV to flip on its side.

The driver was not hurt and remained on scene. Nobody else was in her vehicle or the other damaged vehicle. No word on any changes against the driver.

The call for an accident involving a motorcycle and a vehicle near the intersection of Washington Blvd and Pershing Drive came in around 8:25 a.m. Washington Boulevard has been shut down for at least an hour while police took photos and investigated the accident. Those lane closures are expected to be lifted shortly.

No word yet on the condition of any of the victims.

Photo courtesy @jghazi

The Old Bike Shop (2647 N. Pershing Drive) will sell “refurbished” and vintage bicycles, according to the store’s Facebook page. The store will also perform repairs and sell spare parts.

According to a Facebook post, the store has completed most of its build out, and plans to open soon, after obtaining final permits from Arlington County.

Photos via Facebook

An out-of-control car crashed into the deck/patio area of a house in Lyon Park last night.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. The driver of the hatchback Subaru somehow lost control of the vehicle on a quiet, residential portion of 5th Street N., near the intersection with Pershing Drive. The car hopped a low curb and crashed into a wooden fence, damaging it.

Initial reports suggest the driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.