ARLnow.com | ARLnow

NB I-395 HOV Lane Blocked Due to Crash

Published July 22, 2015 at 12:20PM

The crash appears to involve 2-3 vehicles, including a D.C. taxicab. Initial reports suggest the driver of one car is hurt and may have needed assistance to get out of the vehicle.

Drivers should expect delays in both the HOV lanes and the northbound mainline.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 22, 2015 at 9:00AM

Grant for New Bikeshare Stations OKed — Arlington County will receive nearly $300,000 from the federal government to install eight new Capital Bikeshare stations along the GW Parkway. Among the locations set for a new Bikeshare station are Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, Gravelly Point Park and Reagan National Airport. [Arlington County]

Jefferson Davis Name Change Unlikely — The Virginia General Assembly is not likely to approve changing the name of Jefferson Davis Highway any time soon. “Jefferson Davis was an avid racist and segregationist… But there’s not a whole lot of people clamoring about it except coffee-shop liberals in Arlington,” Del. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) told the Sun Gazette. Plus, Arlington County already has numerous streets and schools named after slaveholders. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

News

Downed High-Voltage Line Sparks Car Fire on Lorcom Lane

By ARLnow.com

Published July 21, 2015 at 12:50PM | Updated July 21, 2015 at 2:23PM

Firefighters are on the scene of downed wires and a car fire near the intersection of Lorcom Lane and Lee Highway in Waverly Hills.

A high voltage line came down on top of six cars around noon, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani. At least one of the cars caught fire and smoke from the blaze could be seen from as far away as Ballston.

News

Arlington Still Pursuing Marriott, Which is Planning a Metro-Friendly Move

By ARLnow.com

Published July 21, 2015 at 11:40AM

The Key Bridge Marriott hotel in 2015 (file photo)

At least one department within Marriott held a staff meeting Monday in which employees were told that the company is indeed planning to move, with the requirement that it move to a Metro-accessible location in the D.C. area, a source tells ARLnow.com. That would suggest that there won’t be a repeat of 1999, when Marriott toyed with the idea of moving to Fairfax County but ended up staying in its current Montgomery County campus when Maryland offered a $58 million incentive package.

This time around, Marriott plans to have Maryland, Virginia and D.C. all compete for the headquarters, we’re told. Marriott’s current lease expires in 2022.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 21, 2015 at 9:20AM | Updated July 21, 2015 at 10:11AM

Community Pushes Back on Fire Station Plan — Arlington County Board members are hearing an earful from residents who live around Fire Station 8 on Lee Highway. The county is considering relocating the station to improve fire response times in far northern neighborhoods. However, residents say the fire station is historic because it was the first in Virginia to be staffed mostly by professional black firefighters, in the 1950s, and should not be moved. [InsideNova, WTOP]

Kojo and Kaine in Crystal City — WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi will host a “Kojo in the Community” discussion with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) tonight. “The discussion will focus on the ways in which the military and defense industry shape our region, ranging from jobs and the economy to infrastructure and traffic,” organizers say. The talk will take place at Synetic Theater in Crystal City. [ARLnow Events]

News

County Board Approves New Retail Action Plan, Despite Some Concerns

By ARLnow.com

Published July 20, 2015 at 5:00PM | Updated July 20, 2015 at 5:30PM

The County Board voted 4-1 on Saturday to approve the plan, which has been years in the making and will replace an outdated retail plan originally passed in 2001. The new plan moves Arlington from a “retail everywhere” approach — policies designed to put ground floor retail in most commercial buildings, regardless of whether a business could actually survive in a given location — to what’s billed as a flexible but “curated” approach.

Color-coded maps will now define where the county would like certain types of retail businesses to set up shop. The owners of buildings in high foot traffic areas will be encouraged to adopt certain building standards that are conducive to ground floor retailers, from higher ceilings to smaller building lobbies.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 20, 2015 at 10:15AM

ARLnow Server Updates — For the security of our visitors, ARLnow.com is now being served exclusively via secure HTTPS. We’re still working out some kinks, so you might notice some bugs over the next week or two. For instance, despite hours of work over the weekend to try to fix it, photo galleries do not appear to be working on iOS devices like iPhones. Also, Disqus is still being served via HTTP. We appreciate your patience while we work to improve your user experience.

Hearings for Courthouse Plan — The Arlington County Board voted unanimously on Saturday to hold public hearings on a new sector plan for Courthouse. “This proposed update advances our vision for the Courthouse area, creating a people-oriented civic and cultural heart for Arlington,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. The hearings have been scheduled for September. [Arlington County]

Weather

Heat Advisory Issued

By ARLnow.com

Published July 20, 2015 at 8:30AM

High temperatures and high humidity will make for a sweltering, potentially dangerous afternoon.

Those who must spend time outdoors today are advised to drink plenty of fluids, seek breaks in the shade and avoid strenuous activity if possible.

Feature

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Published July 17, 2015 at 3:45PM

You might be sweating due to 100+ degree heat indexes on Sunday, but don’t sweat finding the perfect house: there are dozens of open houses to choose from this weekend.

As always, see our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:

Around Town

Pepita Cantina to Open in Ballston July 30

By ARLnow.com

Published July 17, 2015 at 12:45PM | Updated July 20, 2015 at 9:42AM

Pepita, chef Mike Isabella’s new Mexican cantina in Ballston, has announced that it will open Thursday, July 30.

Pepita, located at 4000 Wilson Blvd, will have a “small menu of casual Mexican favorites.”

News

Series of Car Break-Ins Reported in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Published July 17, 2015 at 10:50AM

Arlington police car outside police headquarters (file photo)

Police say 11 vehicles were found with smashed rear passenger windows Thursday morning. The car interiors had been ransacked, with some items stolen — mostly coins and cash but also small items from a Bic lighter to an iPod, according to police reports.

The break-ins happened in parking lots and streets around Pentagon City, including the 1100 block of Army Navy Drive, 1500 block of S. Fern Street, and the 1200 and 1900 blocks of S. Eads Street.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 17, 2015 at 9:55AM

More on Texas Jack’s BBQ — Texas Jack’s Barbecue, which is replacing the former Tallula and EatBar in Lyon Park, will be helmed by a pair of Hill Country BBQ vets. The 145-seat restaurant will also have a 26-seat patio. It will serve meats that are smoked on site and plans to remain open until 2 a.m. seven days a week. [Washingtonian]

CEO’s $3.7 Million Rosslyn Condo — Gracia Martore, the former CEO of Gannett and current CEO of the newspaper company’s broadcast and digital spinoff, Tegna, has purchased a condo in Rosslyn for $3.65 million. The 4,447 square foot condo in Turnberry Tower (1881 N. Nash Street) features a 900 square foot outdoor balcony with sweeping views of D.C. [Washington Business Journal]