Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. The ARLnow staff byline is used for the Morning Notes and reporting done by an editor or other member of our full-time staff.
Noted American statesman Ben Franklin stopped by to give a short speech before County Board member Libby Garvey’s swearing-in ceremony on Friday evening.
The incident happened around 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 12. According to police, a man and a woman were observed entering the restaurant and sitting by the front window. At one point the woman reportedly got up and started talking on a cell phone, at which time another man arrived.
The woman and the second man got into an SUV, drove to the back of the restaurant, and engaged in sexual activity after exchanging $20, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The vehicle was described as a Pontiac Aztek, and police say it was owned by the first man, who remained inside the restaurant. Police say they observed the sexual activity and arrested all three suspects.
Joanna Wallace (left) matched five numbers but didn’t match the Powerball, which would given her a share of the $587 million jackpot. She was one of four $1 million winners in Virginia from the record-setting jackpot drawing.
Wallace purchased her ticket at the 7-Eleven store at 5267 Lee Highway, using the Easy Pick option to randomly select the numbers on her ticket, according to the Virginia Lottery. The store received a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket.
The Washington Wizards, Mystics and Capitals hosted a holiday party for underprivileged D.C. area families at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston over the weekend.
The holiday party, held from 10:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday, is a tradition for team owner Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
The incident started earlier in the evening as a minor altercation between two students who lived in the same dormitory building. According to police, the suspect in the case — a 20-year-old student — confronted the victim in another student’s dorm room following the altercation.
At one point the suspect shoved the victim, and the victim responded by punching the suspect in the face, possibly breaking his nose, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The suspect then took out a small folding knife and cut the victim across the lower area of the stomach, from the front of his body to his back, exposing his intestines and cutting his pancreas, Sternbeck said.
Wreath Laying at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery — Some 20,000 volunteers placed more than 110,000 wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday. It was the 21st annual wreath-laying event at the cemetery, and the largest number of wreaths ever delivered for the event. [Stars and Stripes, Wreaths Across America]
Donations for Secret Santa Due Tomorrow — Those who want to donate gift cards to the Arlington Department of Human Services’ “Secret Santa” program are asked to do so by tomorrow. The program provides a bit of holiday joy to children in foster care, people with disabilities, low income seniors and needy families. [Arlington County]
If you’re looking for new home, it’s your lucky weekend. There are plenty of open houses to choose from in Arlington on this, the last autumn weekend of 2012.
See our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:
Individual schools have been sending emails to parents throughout the day, says Assistant Superintendent for School and Community Relations Linda Erdos. Schools drill regularly for a range of emergencies, Erdos said, adding that several Arlington schools conducted a pre-planned lockdown drill this morning.
“All of our plans and preparations are developed in coordination with Arlington public safety officials,” she said. “Our schools all throughout the county regularly schedule lockdown drills. We do those all the time, just like tornado drills and fire drills. We do a lot of drills with our students so they know what steps are to be taken in an emergency.”
The Yellow Line will be closed between the Fort Totten and Pentagon stations this weekend. The closure is the result of work on the Yellow Line bridge over the Potomac River and switch replacement outside L’Enfant Plaza.
“Customers traveling to/from Downtown DC should use Blue Line trains to complete their trip,” Metro said in a press release. “Transfer between Blue and Yellow line trains at any station between Pentagon and King Street-Old Town.”
Christmas has been saved for one Arlington household, after a raccoon tried to block Santa’s impending arrival.
Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)
I don’t always focus on one specific brewery in these columns (though I may start doing so more often in the coming year), but I feel like I should point out one which has been on a roll lately: Southern California’s The Bruery. Only in business since 2008, The Bruery has already established a reputation as one of the more fearless and uncompromising craft breweries in America. Their range of styles is testament to the creativity of the Rue brothers who founded The Bruery, along with their team.
While a fireplace can provide warmth and make for a cozy holiday setting, it can also be dangerous if not cared for properly.
At the request of ARLnow.com, the Arlington County Fire Department sent us the following safety tips for fireplace users, as outlined by the U.S. Fire Administration.
