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.
After removing several hundred trees, the National Park Service says it’s reopening Spout Run Parkway and portions of the northern GW Parkway today.
The busy commuter routes have been closed in both direction since Saturday’s severe storms.
(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) Several blocks of N. Harrison Street are blocked in the Yorktown neighborhood due to an unusual crash.
A Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV ended up on top of an Acura TL sedan as the result of a crash in front of Chestnut Hills Park, a popular popular children’s playground.
On Saturday night, as much of Arlington was cleaning up from the earlier severe storms, a driver slammed into a light pole and a stop sign in the Lyon Village neighborhood.
The driver of the Porsche SUV then got out and ran off with two small children who had been passengers in the vehicle, police and witnesses tell ARLnow. It is unclear whether any of them were injured.
APS Boundary Adjustments On Tap — “It’s a part of the job description that leads one to question the sanity of those who seek to serve on local school boards. Arlington school leaders are planning three consecutive years of boundary adjustments to accommodate significant shifts in student populations across the county.” [Gazette Leader]
Storm Damage on Ft. Myer — From Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall: “Lee Avenue is temporarily closed due to tree removal. Our hard-working DPW team is aware of the damage from recent storms and is doing the heavy lifting across the base to clean it up.” [Twitter]
Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 31, 2023.
Noteworthy: Surrounded by greenery on a quiet cul-de-sac blocks from EFC Metro
Updates to the kitchen and baths, refinished wood floors, and fresh paint make this home so desirable for those who value space, location, and a peaceful setting. Painted white cabinets, quartz countertops, tile backsplash, and new appliances in the eat in kitchen. The gathering size dining room flows into the living room with fireplace and sliding doors to a private deck with treed views. An updated powder room and coat closet complete this level.
Arlington County police are looking for a man who sexually abused a boy on a local trail.
The incident happened around 9 a.m. Sunday morning, on a trail near the intersection of Route 50 and Carlin Springs Road. That’s near Kenmore Middle School, Bluemont Park and the W&OD Trail.
(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Firefighters are on scene of a fire investigation at Arlington County’s Water Pollution Control Plant.
Initial reports suggest that smoke is coming from a portion of the sewage plant along the 3200 block of S. Eads Street, near Crystal City. The fire department is trying to determine the source of the smoke.
Prosecutors secured felony convictions earlier this month against two men in separate sexual battery cases.
In one case, a man was convicted of secually abusing “a mentally incapacitated or physically helpless individual” in a public park in Arlington in July 2020.
(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) The herculean effort to clean up from Saturday’s storms and restore power to tens of thousands is continuing Monday morning.
The GW Parkway remains closed to most traffic between Spout Run Parkway and the Beltway — and is expected to remain closed until later this week, as crews work to clear a large number of downed trees and branches.
Armed Robbery at Bluemont Safeway — “At approximately 8:45 p.m., police were dispatched to the Safeway in the 5100 block of Wilson Boulevard for the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers determined that a man and a woman entered the store, [placed] merchandise into a shopping cart and attempted to leave without paying. Police said an employee confronted the pair and the man then struck the employee with the shopping cart and brandished a knife.” [WJLA]
ACPD Warns of Bitcoin Scams — A large Arlington County Police Department sign next to a bitcoin ATM at the Giant store in Penrose warns of various scams that coerce the victim into putting money into the machine. [Threads]
The cleanup from Saturday’s severe storms is continuing into Sunday.
As of 9 a.m., Dominion is reporting 20,394 customers still without power in Arlington. That’s down from more than 34,000 immediately after the storm. Arlington makes up about two thirds of the 31,603 outages Dominion is reporting across Northern Virginia.
