March, 2011 | ARLnow.com

County Board Revises Affordable Housing Goals

Published March 14, 2011 at 3:21PM | Updated March 14, 2011 at 4:39PM

The board formally set the goal of creating a comprehensive, year-round homeless shelter — a long-standing local priority that’s currently in the early stages of implementation. At the moment, Arlington County is only served by an emergency winter shelter. By building a new year-round shelter, the board hopes to cut the number of unsheltered homeless in the county by half.

The board also set the goal of finding permanent housing for 95 percent of all homeless families and elderly homeless individuals. Five years ago the board set essentially the same goal for 2010, but was only able to find housing for 44 percent of homeless families. Factors cited for the failure of meeting the 2010 goal included “poor credit history; limited number of slots in transitional programs; mental health and/or substance abuse issues; underemployment/ unemployment and lack of job skills or readiness.”

Around Town

The Entire Life Cycle of a Pothole, Explained in 100 Seconds

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2011 at 1:28PM | Updated March 14, 2011 at 11:41PM

A new video from Arlington County explains the entire life cycle of a pothole in less than 2 minutes.

News

Auto Theft Suspect Eludes Police Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2011 at 12:12PM

Just before 3:30 a.m., an officer radioed to dispatch that he was chasing a suspect on foot in the area of Shirlington Road and South Four Mile Run Drive. The suspect ran into an area of thick brush near Champion Billiards, where the officer apparently lost sight of him.

Police dogs and the U.S. Park Police Eagle helicopter were called in to look for the suspect. After about half an hour of combing the area, the search was called off.

Around Town

Ballston Common Mall Asks: How Are We Doing?

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2011 at 10:10AM | Updated March 14, 2011 at 11:47AM

We reported in October that Ohio-based Forest City Enterprises was in the early planning stages of major renovations at the mall. Now, the company is conducting an online survey about operations there.

The survey asks questions about mall security, the mall’s parking lot and overall customer satisfaction. It also asks respondents to list any stores they would like to see added to the mall.

News

Rosslyn Resident Killed in Bethesda

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2011 at 8:56AM | Updated March 14, 2011 at 11:54AM

Jayna T. Murray, a store employee, was found dead and a co-worker was found injured inside the upscale Bethesda Row store Saturday morning. Police say they were attacked by two men wearing masks and gloves around 10:00 p.m., after closing the store for the night.

In addition to her work at the Lululemon, Murray was close to completing an MBA with a concentration in marketing at John Hopkins’ Carey Business School, according to her Linkedin page.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2011 at 7:43AM

Bishop O’Connell Lights Decision May Be Delayed — County Manager Barbara Donnellan recommended the County Board put off any discussion of Bishop O’Connell High School’s request to add lights to its athletic fields until June, to give staff more time to analyze the controversial issue. [Sun Gazette]

Look Who’s Coming to Dinner in Shirlington — Sen. Jim Webb was spotted having dinner at T.H.A.I. Shirlington Friday night, according to a blog. [Shirlington Village Blogspot]

Around Town

Arlington Reporter Leaves TBD

By Scott Brodbeck

Published March 11, 2011 at 3:54PM

Cooper joined TBD last July, a month before the site launched. She was formerly a contributor to DCist.com and a reporter for a Long Island newspaper. No word yet on her future plans.

TBD is in the midst of layoffs and will likely not replace Cooper or her Arlington coverage.

News

Arlington’s Top 10 Government and Private Employers

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2011 at 2:02PM | Updated March 11, 2011 at 4:04PM

Unemployment and office vacancies are low. Real estate prices and hotel occupancy rates are on the rise. And a number of new construction projects are underway. Holzheimer said he expects the local unemployment rate to continue declining in 2011 while the impact from BRAC is mitigated by a robust demand for office space.

Holzheimer noted that between 2008 and 2010, Arlington saw a net employment increase while Alexandria and Fairfax saw a net employment decline.

Around Town

Where to Buy Girl Scout Cookies This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2011 at 11:55AM

If you haven’t secured a couple boxes of your favorite Girl Scout cookies yet, now would be a good time to make it happen.

Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Samoas, Do-si-dos, Trefoils — they’re all available at a number of Arlington locations this weekend. Here’s the list.

Around Town

ACFD Reminder: Change Smoke Detector Batteries for Daylight Saving Time

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2011 at 9:41AM | Updated March 11, 2011 at 12:18PM

What cell phones and computers won’t do for you is change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Luckily, fire departments across the country are reminding residents to do just that.

Arlington County recommends that residents test smoke detectors monthly and replace smoke detector batteries at least once a year. Typically, batteries are changed when the clocks change in the spring or the fall. If you didn’t replace your batteries in the fall, you’ll want to do it now.

Traffic

Several Injured in 14th Street Bridge HOV Wreck

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2011 at 9:26AM | Updated July 12, 2017 at 2:14PM

Four people have been injured, two seriously, in a wreck in the northbound HOV lanes of the 14th Street Bridge.

Nearly a dozen police, fire and medic units from Arlington and the District have responded to the accident scene. Northbound HOV traffic on I-395 is backed up to Washington Boulevard.

News

Police Investigate String of Break-Ins in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2011 at 9:08AM | Updated March 11, 2011 at 10:06AM

Arlington police are investigating a series a break-ins at the Crystal House apartments on South Eads Street in Crystal City.

Building management sent the following email to residents earlier this week to update them on the investigation and to provide tips for keeping the community safe.