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Arlington County Names New Chief Race and Equity Officer

Published July 8, 2020 at 3:45PM

Byrd, a long-time county employee who previously worked in the Department of Community Planning, Housing and a Development, will oversee work “to inform the County’s development of its plan for addressing race and equity issues.”

A University of Virginia graduate and Hampton, Va. native, Byrd said she is looking forward to the challenges ahead in the new role.

News

Arlington Drive-Thru Collection Site Reopens Amid Uptick in New Cases

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2020 at 1:15PM

Arlington’s drive-through coronavirus testing site is back in business after a brief hiatus.

The testing site, across from Washington-Liberty High School, closed around the end of June but reopened on Tuesday. Quest Diagnostics is now partnering with the county to conduct the testing, taking over from Virginia Hospital Center.

Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Franco

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2020 at 12:15PM

Arlington Pet of the Week Franco (photo courtesy of Sandi)

Meet Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week, Franco, a rescue cat who enjoys sleeping and snacks.

Here is what Franco’s owner had to say about his life here in Arlington:

News

UPDATED: Suspicious Package Investigation in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated July 8, 2020 at 12:29PM

(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) A road was closed in Crystal City this morning due to a suspicious package investigation.

Police blocked off 26th Street S. between Crystal Drive and S. Clark Street, and are also working to block Crystal Drive.

News

JUST IN: Large Gas Leak Near Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2020 at 10:25AM | Updated July 8, 2020 at 10:46AM

Washington Gas truck (file photo)

Arlington County firefighters are on scene of a large, outdoor gas leak near Ballston.

A 2-inch gas line was ruptured on the 500 block of N. Pollard Street, ACFD says. Washington Gas is working to shut off the leaking gas line.

News

UPDATED: Police Investigating Fatal Rollover Crash in Barcroft

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2020 at 9:45AM | Updated July 8, 2020 at 1:56PM

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) A man has died after a serious rollover crash in the Barcroft neighborhood last night.

The crash happened around 9 p.m. on the 4800 block of 8th Street S., a residential street that dead ends near the W&OD trail.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2020 at 8:30AM

Deadline Set for Back to School Choice — “APS will provide two instructional delivery methods for families to choose from – hybrid in-person with physical distancing or full-time distance learning – when school resumes. Families will have until July 20 at 5 p.m. to select one of the two instructional delivery methods. If families do not select one of the two options by the deadline, their selection will automatically default to the hybrid instructional delivery model.” [Arlington Public Schools]

HS Athletes Understanding of Cancellations — “Senior track and field stars Isaiah Mefford of Wakefield High and Rebecca Stewart of Washington-Liberty could have won state crowns during the outdoor spring season. ‘It was disappointing for all of us, but people were getting sick. So something had to be done,’ Mefford said. Said Stewart: ‘With all that was happening with that virus, we couldn’t think about ourselves.'” [InsideNova]

News

BREAKING: Takis Karantonis Wins County Board Special Election in Landslide

By ARLnow.com

Published July 7, 2020 at 9:00PM | Updated July 7, 2020 at 11:09PM

(Updated at 10:45 p.m.) Democrat Takis Karantonis will fill the late Erik Gutshall’s former Arlington County Board seat.

Karantonis, an economist and the former director of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, captured 62.4% of the vote. He overperformed among absentee ballots, with 71% of the more than 10,000 absentee ballots cast amid the pandemic.

News

EXCLUSIVE: ACPD Arrest Data Shows Race, Residency Disparities

By ARLnow.com

Published July 7, 2020 at 1:00PM | Updated July 7, 2020 at 1:24PM

Most people arrested in Arlington are Black and most do not reside in Arlington.

That’s according to 2019 arrest data shared by the Arlington County Police Department, at the request of ARLnow and a local community group. Its release follows calls for police reform and nationwide protests over the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement.

Around Town

Glass Recycling Bin to Be Moved

By ARLnow.com

Published July 7, 2020 at 10:00AM

One of Arlington’s glass recycling bins is being moved to improve access to those in the far northern reaches of the county.

The drop-off bin in the Cherrydale library parking lot, which has been there since last fall, is being moved to the Madison Community Center (3829 N. Stafford Street) later this week.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 7, 2020 at 9:00AM

Special Election Voting Today — Voting is underway in the three-way special election to fill the late Erik Gutshall’s County Board seat. Polls are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. The candidates are Takis Karantonis, Susan Cunningham and Bob Cambridge. “Don’t forget your photo ID, ballpoint pen, and face mask,” Arlington’s election office said this morning in a tweet. [Twitter]

No Incentive Payments for Amazon This Year — “Amazon.com Inc. won’t receive any direct cash payments from Arlington County, this year at least, for its HQ2 office leases… because Amazon’s incentive payments are tied to Arlington’s tourism industry. And many rooms remain empty to this day.” [Washington Business Journal]

News

Power Outages, Dark Traffic Signals Reported in Parts of Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published July 7, 2020 at 7:15AM | Updated July 7, 2020 at 10:54AM

(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) Last night’s intense thunderstorms knocked out power to hundreds of homes across Arlington and darkened traffic signals at some key intersections.

The early morning storms packed torrential rain and strong winds that brought down tree branches, and frequent lightning and thunder that woke many up from their slumbers.