Author: ARLnow.com

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.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Offering New Walk-Up COVID Testing — “Arlington County is launching a mobile, no-cost to patients, walk-up testing service in partnership with Quest Diagnostics. The mobile testing command center will open Tuesday, March 9, at 1429 N. Quincy Street, replacing the current drive-through testing site at that location. It will operate at that location for two weeks, Monday-Friday from 9 A.M – 4 P.M. Then it will move to new locations on a two to three-week rotational basis to offer walk-up COVID-19 testing throughout the County.” [Arlington County]

BID: National Landing is ‘Over-Parked’ — “Right now, we’re over-parked. We [were] originally built during a period that prized the automobile, but we were also fortunate enough to grow into a Metro system, and a number of other modes opened up possibilities for growth and development that are truly sustainable. What we’re seeing with new development is a ticking down of parking requirements. So we are focused on being a transit-oriented community, a multimodal community. The future is not cars.” [Smart Cities Dive]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Getting Paid for Glass Recycling — “Arlington’s glass recycling drop-off program continues to shatter expectations–surpassing 5 million pounds (2,500 tons) collected since its debut in 2019. And the effort is officially paying off. The County now receives $15 per ton for glass collected as the result of a new hauling and commodity contract with a Pennsylvania recycler.” [Arlington County]

VDOT’s Route 1 Proposal Bombs — “As a new vision for Crystal City’s portion of U.S. Route 1 comes into focus, local businesses, neighbors and the area’s dominant landlord are all becoming increasingly concerned… Renderings unveiled in a Virginia Department of Transportation meeting Wednesday night have united the National Landing Business Improvement District, JBG Smith Properties and some neighborhood activists in opposition over fears that the designs are still too car-centric.” [Washington Business Journal, Twitter]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The sunset glows as traffic moves down I-66, as seen from N Ohio St. (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Metro 29 Diner Back Open — After temporarily closing in late December due to “COVID-19 concerns,” Metro 29 Diner on Lee Highway reopened earlier this week. [Facebook]

Arlington Rents Going Back Up — “In what might be another sign of a return to a semblance of normalcy, average rents for Arlington apartments increased in February for the first time since the start of the COVID pandemic. The 0.7-percent month-over-month increase also mirrored the national index, which reported its biggest monthly increase since June 2019.” [InsideNova]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
Around Town

‘Irish Farm-to-Table’ Concept from Cathal Armstrong to Replace Siné

By ARLnow.com
Mattie & Eddie's is coming to Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row), in the former Siné space (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Siné may be no more, but its expansive former Pentagon Row location will remain a destination for Irish food and drink.

Renowned local chef Cathal Armstrong is planning to open a new restaurant concept in the Siné space this spring. Called Mattie & Eddie’s Irish Bar and Restaurant, it will off “a full Irish farm-to-table menu, a signature style of the chef,” according to a press release.

Go to ‘Irish Farm-to-Table’ Concept from Cathal Armstrong to Replace Siné Read more
News

Arlington County Hosting Mass Vaccination Clinic on Saturday

By ARLnow.com
Lubber Run Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County will be conducting its first mass vaccination event this weekend.

On Saturday, starting around 9 a.m., about 1,500 people will receive doses of the new one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the Lubber Run Community Center (300 N. Park Drive). The recently-built community center is just a few blocks from Ballston.

Go to Arlington County Hosting Mass Vaccination Clinic on Saturday Read more
News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Quarter of Students Staying at Home — “Students in Pre-K through second grade returned to Arlington County classrooms Tuesday, a step that Superintendent Francisco Duran says the school system is prepared to take on. Roughly 75% of the student body took the in-person learning option, while 25% will continue to learn virtually. Staff and students who return will complete a daily screening.” [WTOP]

More Commercial Burglaries Reported — Two more local businesses have been victimized among a spate of commercial burglaries. Arlington County police yesterday reported that business on the 5500 block of Columbia Pike and the 4200 block of N. Pershing Drive in Buckingham were broken into. In both cases, thieves stole cash registers and an undisclosed amount of cash. Police did not reveal the businesses involved; there are two on that block of N. Pershing Drive: El Paso Cafe and Popeye’s. [ACPD]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
Around Town

New Restaurant ‘Maison Cheryl’ Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) A new restaurant appears to be coming to the former Heritage Brewing spot in Clarendon.

The brewpub closed its doors at 2900 Wilson Blvd in November, citing the difficulties of making ends meet during the pandemic. A restaurant called Maison Cheryl is set to take its place, according to a recent permit filing.

Go to New Restaurant ‘Maison Cheryl’ Coming to Clarendon Read more
Around Town

NEW: Bracket Room in Clarendon Has Closed

By ARLnow.com
Bracket Room closed in Clarendon (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Bracket Room, the Clarendon sports bar co-founded by Chris Bukowski of ‘The Bachelor’ franchise fame, has closed — for real this time.

The bar served its last customers on Sunday, we’re told. On Monday, employees could be seen hauling items out of the venue at 1210 N. Garfield Street and loading them into a pickup truck.

Go to NEW: Bracket Room in Clarendon Has Closed Read more
News

County Employees Bumped Down Priority List, As J&J One-Shot Vaccine Rolls Out

By ARLnow.com
A person receiving a vaccine in Arlington (Image via Arlington County/YouTube)

(Updated at 11 a.m.) Virginia localities are set to start receiving the new Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine next week, thus helping to boost supply in the Commonwealth.

But one group that had been poised to start being vaccinated soon has been bumped further down the priority list: Arlington County employees.

Go to County Employees Bumped Down Priority List, As J&J One-Shot Vaccine Rolls Out Read more
News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Reminder: In-Person School Resuming — Updated at 8:55 a.m. — “@APSVirginia elementary schools re-open for preK-2nd grade on Tuesday, March 2, followed by 3rd-5th + 6th (middle school) and 9th (high school) grades on March 9, then all returning students on March 16.” [Twitter, Twitter]

County Buying Fairlington Area Apartments — “A push to redevelop the Park Shirlington apartment complex in South Arlington has fallen through, prompting county officials to take the unusual step of buying part of the aging affordable community. Arlington leaders signed off on plans in late January to purchase about half of the property, located along I-395 near the county’s border with Alexandria. The county will end up paying about $27.9 million for 105 apartments on a 6.3-acre parcel should the deal close in August.” [Washington Business Journal]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
View More Stories