A Metrobus driver was assaulted by a passenger in Pentagon City yesterday, police say.
The attack happened around 2:30 p.m. Monday along Army Navy Drive at the intersection with S. Joyce Street.
Police say a 52-year-old D.C. man struck the driver with an object following a verbal dispute that led to both individuals getting off the bus.
The suspect was arrested just down the road a short time later.
“The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect entered the bus, paid his fare and allegedly engaged the driver in a verbal dispute over the operation of the bus,” Arlington County police told ARLnow. “The driver exited the bus to call police during which he was struck by what he believed was the suspect’s backpack resulting in a cut.”
“Responding officers located the suspect in the area and took him into custody without incident,” the ACPD statement continued. “The driver was treated on scene by medics for minor injuries. [The suspect], 52, of Washington DC was arrested and charged with Assault & Battery.”
Video, below, also shows the suspect picking up a road sign following the initial confrontation.
#Caughtoncamera: A Metrobus driver was injured in a fight in Pentagon City with a man who was either on his bus or trying to get onto it. In this video, the driver seems to come off the bus injured and is still confronted by the man with a backpack. At about 50 seconds into the… pic.twitter.com/rJzqO5dsMN
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 25, 2024
Photo courtesy Paul W.
In case you didn’t know before reading this post, it’s spring break for Arlington Public Schools students.
Maybe you’ve noticed it’s not quite as busy on local roads and you weren’t sure why. Now you know: a combination of school being out and some subset of APS families leaving for a spring vacation.
Or, if you have or had kids — perhaps you were already well aware that students are off the entire week.
This morning, we’re wondering what the breakdown is between those unaware and aware of spring break, prior to reading this.
New Pro-EHO Group — “Supporters of Arlington’s landmark Expanded Housing Options (EHO) zoning ordinance are celebrating the first anniversary of its approval on March 22, 2023, with the creation of a new community group, ArlingtonWINs (Arlingtonians for Welcoming and Inclusive Neighborhoods).” [Gazette Leader]
TV Station Takes On Towing — “7News witnessed 11 vehicles being towed over 10 days at the Giant Food. Many of those towed had drivers leave the property and walk down the block to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles… Virginia delegate Alfonso Lopez, who sponsored the Anti-Predatory Towing Act, had his vehicle towed by Advanced Towing and believes the new law will give Northern Virginia similar protection against predatory towing that’s available in the rest of the state.” [WJLA]
Temporary School Board Chair — “It’ll be Arlington School Board member David Priddy wielding the gavel and fulfilling other chair duties through early summer. Current School Board Chairman Cristina Diaz-Torres used a recently approved policy change to take a leave of absence as chair through June. She will remain on the panel with full voting privileges.” [Gazette Leader]
LEED Platinum for HQ2 — “Amazon HQ2 has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certification, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council… With sustainability at its core, HQ2 was built using new, climate-friendly solutions such as low-carbon concrete, mass timber, electrified energy-efficient operations, advanced ways to reuse water, and two acres of landscaped roofs with native plants.” [Amazon]
Local Discussion About Weed — “The Arlington Committee of 100 will present its next program – ‘What’s Next for Cannabis in Arlington’ – on Wednesday, April 10 at 7 p.m. in an online setting.” [Gazette Leader]
Apply for ACPD Teen Academy — “The Community Engagement Division’s Youth Outreach Unit is now accepting applications for two sessions of the Summer 2024 Teen Police Academy. Sessions One and Two, being held in July and August, will create opportunities for participants to learn about the policing profession and what it takes to be a leader.” [ACPD]
Arlington Firm Celebrates Cake Pop Victory — “Today, the Institute for Justice (IJ) applauds the Virginia General Assembly and Gov. Glenn Youngkin for enacting reforms that give home bakers more opportunities to earn an honest living while also solidifying their constitutional right to advertise their food products online.” [Press Release, Facebook, Virginia Mercury]
VDOT Plans EV Charging Stations — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has allocated $11.3 million in federal funding for the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the Commonwealth. This strategic investment will support the expansion of a robust network of EV charging infrastructure.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly cloudy skies with a high near 55 and an east wind around 6 mph. Moving into Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of rain overnight, and the temperature will drop to around 44. [NWS]
Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
🕗 News recap
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 25, 2024.
- 10:00 am: Morning Poll: County Board public comment changes? | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Here are our departing assistant editor’s favorite stories from her time at ARLnow | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: Local LGBTQ+ group wants Arlington County to do more, despite high inclusivity rating | 🗣️ Comments
- 12:45 pm: Smallest and largest homes sold in Arlington (February 2024) | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:45 pm: Woman who killed alleged drug dealer outside Burger King in Arlington sentenced to 10 years | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:45 pm: Roggenart Bistro & Café in Ballston now open | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:55 pm: ACPD: Shoplifting suspect tried to take officer’s gun | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
- 11:00 am: Spring Egg Hunt (March 26th-31st)
- 12:00 pm: Innovation Station Tuesday: Guest Lead Activity
- 3:00 pm: Anti-Procrastination Cafe: Tuesday
- 5:30 pm: March Movement: Pop-Up Fitness Series
- 6:00 pm: Rep & Revive with SPENGA
🌥️ Tuesday’s forecast
The weather will be mostly cloudy with a high temperature near 55°F and a light east wind at 6 mph. On Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of rain, primarily after 2 am, as the temperature drops to a low of around 44°F. The southeast wind will continue at a slightly increased speed of 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
– Confucius
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
An Alexandria man is facing a battery of charges after police say he tried to take an officer’s gun while being arrested for theft.
The incident happened around 6 p.m. this past Friday in the Courthouse area. The alleged shoplifting took place on the 2000 block of Clarendon Blvd, which includes a 7-Eleven and an Ace hardware store.
More, below, from the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2024-03220226, 2000 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 6:10 p.m. on March 22, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect allegedly entered the business, selected merchandise and exited the store without payment. A lookout was broadcast and a responding officer located an individual matching the description of the suspect in the area of Clarendon Boulevard and N. Rhodes Street and gave him commands to stop. The suspect disregarded the officer’s commands and attempted to leave the area. The officer then attempted to detain the suspect who actively resisted arrest, grabbed the handle of the officer’s firearm and kicked the officer. The officer deployed pepper spray and took the suspect into custody. Medics transported the suspect to an area hospital for medical evaluation. The officer sustained minor injuries and did not require medical attention. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect stole merchandise from the same business during a separate incident. [The suspect], 30, of Alexandria, Va. was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Attempted Disarming a Police Officer, Petit Larceny (x2) and Obstruction of Justice. He was held without bond.
The same suspect was previously arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest in Arlington in 2020, but charges were dropped, court records show.
Also this past weekend, an Arlington man was arrested and charged with slashing a male acquaintance during an argument Saturday night.
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2024-03230236, 800 block of S. Frederick Street. At approximately 11:11 p.m. on March 23, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect and male victim, who are known to each other, became involved in a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation during which the victim suffered a laceration from a sharp object. The victim was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect was located in the area by responding officers and was taken into custody. [The suspect], 27, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding.
On Sunday night, police say a male victim was confronted along Columbia Pike by a group of five juvenile male suspects he knew.
Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the smallest and largest homes sold last month (February 2024).
Largest homes sold
- 3400 N Ohio St — Williamsburg — $2,750,000 (7 beds | 6.5 baths | 7,172 sq. ft.)
- 1154 N Ivanhoe St — Bluemont — $2,255,000 (6 beds | 5 baths | 6,027 sq. ft.)
- 2725 S Arlington Ridge Rd — Arlington Ridge — $2,085,000 (7 beds | 5.5 baths | 5,955 sq. ft.)
Smallest homes sold*
- 1110 A N Stafford St N — Ballston — $1,305,000 (3 beds | 3.5 baths | 2,002 sq. ft.)
- 3074 S Glebe Rd — Long Branch Creek — $810,000 (3 beds | 3.5 baths | 2,052 sq. ft.)
- 5625 Langston Blvd — Leeway Overlee — $865,000 (3 beds | 4 baths | 2,136 sq. ft.)
*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.
Should the Arlington County Board hold a quarterly public comment free-for-all?
That’s the suggestion of an Arlington Gazette Leader editorial. The opinion piece notes frustration with the County Board’s one-speaker-per-topic rule during the open public comment period of its monthly meetings.
One speaker at the March 16 meeting called the rule — in place to keep the public comment period at the beginning of meetings from turning into an hours-long parade of people voicing the same opinion on a given topic — “undemocratic garbage.”
The editorial then suggests an alternative path.
The one-speaker-per-topic rule leads people to rush to sign up first so their voice, but no others, will be heard on a subject. Requiring advance registration plus notice of the topic both are seen by county officials as making the process run more efficiently, but they take away spontaneity – something a “public-comment” session should embrace – and they allow for rules to be bent from the dais (or draconianly enforced) to support favored groups or positions but not necessarily others.
We admit to having no real solution, as allowing a true free-for-all probably does not benefit the community. A little public comment goes a loooooooong way, as anyone who has watched these events can attest.
One possible alteration to current practice? Scrap the public-comment period at monthly board meetings and swap in a quarterly gathering where at least [fill in whatever number is appropriate] slots are provided.
What do you think of changing the monthly comment period with tighter controls to a quarterly comment session where more voices can be heard?
Tree Canopy Discussion — “At least for now, Arlington County Board members are sticking to their story when it comes to the county’s total tree canopy. But cracks in that commitment are appearing.” [Gazette Leader]
Less Funding for Litter — “It will provide a savings of 0.0025 percent in the Arlington County government’s fiscal 2025 budget, but likely will lead to a less tidy and more graffiti-strewn community. Is that a fair tradeoff? It apparently does seem fair to the county’s Department of Environmental Services, which has proposed reducing dedicated staffing to address litter issues in the dead-center area of the county.” [Gazette Leader]
Historical Marker Almost Ready — “In preparation for a formal dedication ceremony in coming months, an historical marker highlighting the history of Arlington’s Fire Station #8 is in the final stages of approval. The county’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) got a look at the proposed design at its March 20 meeting, another step on the way to final approval.” [Gazette Leader]
Easter Brunch Options — “If you want Easter brunch and don’t want to cook it, some Arlington restaurants will open Sunday, March 31, to take care of the preparation. Don’t waste time, though. Tables book quickly. Here are a few of them from the online reservation service OpenTable.” [Patch]
Regional Plan for Equitable Development — “At its March 2024 meeting, the COG Board of Directors approved Regional Principles for Equitable Development to help guide local governments in advancing equity through the updating and implementation of comprehensive plans.” [MWCOG]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 56 accompanied by a northeast wind at about 8 mph. As night approaches, the skies will turn partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 38, with an east wind at 6 mph. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by coworking provider Industrious. ARLnow has been based in an Industrious office for several years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked with paper. Industrious has several Metro-accessible Arlington locations to choose from.
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
🕗 News recap
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 22, 2024.
- 9:30 am: Mi Vida, LEGO Store and another Starbucks coming to DCA | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:30 am: The Union in Va. Square has shuttered, possibly for good | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:30 am: Ecto-1 expected at opening of new Ghostbusters movie tonight in Crystal City | 🗣️ Comments
- 12:30 pm: Serious crimes still increasing as Arlington continues search for more police | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:45 pm: Timber Pizza Co. in Ballston drops ‘Turu’ from name to clear up confusion | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:00 pm: Bill supporting $20K grants for first-generation homebuyers might not be enough for Arlington, experts say | 🗣️ Comments
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
- A look inside ‘old-school’ Italian restaurant Carbonara, now open in Virginia Square (12959 views)
- Dry, windy conditions lead to Fire Weather Watch (7972 views)
- Elementary student struck by driver in Arlington Ridge (6616 views)
- Arlington Independent Media lays off its staff, elects new board president and treasurer (6288 views)
- JUST IN: Arlington doctor gets 10 year sentence for opioid scheme (5195 views)
- Parents push back against proposed ‘pause’ to multi-year overhaul of elementary Spanish immersion programs (5029 views)
- Bike theft suspect charged with assaulting victim and police (4931 views)
- Inspired by his kids, single dad opens new play area in Ballston Quarter mall (4636 views)
- A new era of housing questions for Arlington one year after passing Missing Middle (4402 views)
- Arlington’s top communications official is leaving for the federal government (3816 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
- 8:30 am: Spring 2024 E-CARE
- 10:00 am: Barbie Truck Dream House Living Tour
- 10:00 am: Clearing Energy at Home
- 10:30 am: Westover Village Easter Egg Hunt
- 11:00 am: Spring Egg Hunt (March 23rd-24th)
- 11:00 am: Celebrating Women and Music
- 1:00 pm: Pink In The Park: Art of Pink
- 2:00 pm: How to Prune Your Roses
- 3:00 pm: Chamber Music with The United States Navy Band
- 👉 7:30 pm: National Chamber Ensemble – Florence Price and Brahms
- 8:00 pm: TAP Presents THE PROM
- 10:00 pm: Taylor Swift v Olivia Rodrigo DJ Night
- 11:00 pm: Celebrating Women and Music
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
- 10:00 am: Nourishing You: Mind Your Body Oasis Cacao Meditation
- 2:00 pm: Women’s IFPA Pinball Tournament 3/24/24
- 2:00 pm: TAP Presents THE PROM
🌧️ Saturday’s forecast
Rain, potentially heavy at times, will mainly occur before 2pm, accompanied by patchy fog and a high near 56. East wind at 6-16 mph will shift to the north in the afternoon, with gusts up to 26 mph. Precipitation is certain, with 1-2 inches expected. Conditions will evolve from cloudy to partly cloudy on Saturday night, with a low around 31, blustery north winds at 18-21 mph, and gusts up to 33 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
– Barack Obama
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
Don’t be surprised if you see Ghostbusters in Crystal City tonight.
The beloved film franchise is back on the silver screen with the Friday night opening of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and some devoted enthusiasts will be in Crystal City to celebrate.
“Join us as we celebrate the opening of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire with Alamo Drafthouse,” said the nonprofit Ghostbusters, Virginia group, in an event listing on Facebook. “We will be supporting Make-a-Wish and taking photos with people before the show. Keep an eye out for our ECTO!”
Ecto refers, of course, to the Ectomobile, or Ecto-1, the 1959 Cadillac converted to a ghostbusting vehicle in the 1980s blockbusters. The group has their own replica, which makes appearances at various events around the state.
It’s not the only nostalgia-tinged vehicle arriving in Arlington for the weekend. A Barbie merch truck will be in Pentagon City on Saturday.
The Virginia Ghostbusters plan to be in Crystal City from 6-9:30 p.m. tonight, according to the event listing. That coincides with a 7 p.m. screening at the Drafthouse’s “Big Show” theater.
Alamo Drafthouse opened its 50,000 square foot space at 1660 Crystal Drive in Crystal City in 2022.
Reagan National Airport is getting some new places to eat, drink and shop.
Seven new concessions at DCA were announced Wednesday by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. All are expected to start construction this year, though there’s no word on opening dates.
Among the new spots are:
- LEGO Store — “Showcase LEGO® activity sets, bricks, and licensed gifts including architecture sets depicting numerous monuments and landmarks.”
- Mi Vida — “Menu is rooted in the history and culinary tradition of Mexico, also located at the D.C. Wharf.”
- Eastern Market — “Travel essentials, paying homage to DC’s iconic Eastern Market on Capitol Hill.”
Solid State Books — “Bookstore offering expanded selection. DC-based and Black-owned, independent bookstore situated in the heart of historic H Street Corridor.” - Monumental News — “Essential travel items highlighting local vendors.”
- Starbucks — “New location of the national coffeehouse chain.”
- Nalley Fresh — Chef-driven restaurant chain based in Maryland that specializes in salads, wraps, and bowls.
Eight new concessions were also announced at Dulles International Airport, including a new outpost of Arlington-born South Block.
“These food, beverage and retail brands represent the latest awards of a multi-year program to redevelop more than 80 concessions at both airports,” MWAA said in a press release.
“DCA Reimagined is currently underway at Reagan National to upgrade Terminal 2 restroom facilities, enhance shopping and dining options and create innovative spaces to relax at the gates and throughout the terminals,” the press release continued. “These concessions updates will occur at the same time to further improve the passenger experience.”
The airports authority noted that another new Starbucks and “Inside the Beltway” store opened at DCA “within the last few months” and both airports have been installing “24/7 automated vending with fresh salads, bowls and wraps.”
A P.F. Chang restaurant and a Mahogany Books store opened last year at National Airport. A Lucky Buns burger eatery remains in the works.
Also still under construction in Terminal 2 is an American Express Centurion Lounge and a Capital One Landing lounge. There’s some indication that both will open by July — and perhaps as early as April — but so far there’s no official word.
“We don’t have any openings to announce right now and we can’t give out estimates,” MWAA spokeswoman Emily McGee told ARLnow. “We do announce the openings as soon as they are about to happen.”