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UPDATED: Police Investigating Fatal Columbia Pike Shooting

Published June 28, 2020 at 8:15AM | Updated June 28, 2020 at 3:52PM

File photo

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) Two people were wounded and one is dead after an overnight shooting on Columbia Pike

Police say they were called to the 3000 block of Columbia Pike — the same block as the Days Inn and the McDonald’s — just after 2:30 a.m. for a report of gunshots.

Opinion

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Published June 26, 2020 at 5:00PM

It was another busy week in Arlington, but one bit of good news held up for the entire week: Arlington’s coronavirus prognosis continues to look good.

With relatively few new infections and an improving local economic outlook, there’s reason for optimism. But as Texas and Florida shows, there remains a possibility that the virus could come back and disrupt Arlington’s economy anew.

News

Obituary: Local Civic Leader Jim Pebley

By ARLnow.com

Published June 26, 2020 at 3:30PM

Long-time Arlington civic activist Jim Pebley died earlier this week after a battle with cancer.

A Navy veteran, Pebley was best known recently for his close involvement in the festivities around the naming of the USS Arlington. We interviewed him about that and other community issues in 2018.

Around Town

List: Restaurants With Outdoor Dining Areas in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published June 26, 2020 at 11:30AM | Updated July 13, 2020 at 4:42PM

While Virginia’s reopening continues, not everyone wants to dine indoors at restaurants.

Just today, Texas closed bars and reduced restaurant capacity to stem a recent surge in new coronavirus cases. For those who want to get out of the house and support local restaurants, however, outdoor dining is generally considered to be safe.

News

Arlington Playgrounds Reopening Today

By ARLnow.com

Published June 26, 2020 at 10:30AM

Good news for kids and parents: two weeks after dog parks and tennis courts reopened, playgrounds and outdoor public restrooms are opening up today.

Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation made the announcement Thursday afternoon, amid the slowing rate of new COVID-19 infections. In addition to the reopening of playgrounds and restrooms, athletic field and court lights will be turned back on and organized sports allowed in parks.

News

Coronavirus Cases Continue to Slow, But Death Count Jumps

By ARLnow.com

Published June 26, 2020 at 9:30AM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:14AM

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) Despite a mass-testing event a week ago, that saw nearly 1,000 people tested in one day, only 53 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Arlington over the past seven days.

That’s the lowest seven-day total since March 28, when only 75 cases had thus far been confirmed in the county as the outbreak got underway and testing was scarce.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 26, 2020 at 7:30AM

Police Mutual Aid Agreements Under Review — “The force Park Police officers have used against protesters could cost the agency its working relationship with some local police departments. In a statement to News4, Metropolitan Washington’s Council of Governments confirms it is now planning to review the regional mutual aid agreement which governs those relationships.” [NBC 4, Connection Newspapers]

Planning Commission to Restart Meetings — “After a layoff of four months, the Arlington Planning Commission soon will be back in business – albeit in ‘virtual’ format, at least for the time being. Having last met on March 11, the advisory panel will hold its first COVID-era gathering on July 6, catching up on a backlog of items but likely focused on matters headed for County Board consideration later in the month.” [InsideNova]

Schools

APS to Propose Students Spending Two Days in Classrooms Per Week

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2020 at 4:30PM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:14AM

(Updated at 5 p.m.) Under a new Arlington Public Schools proposal, set to be presented Thursday night, most students would start the new school year in a hybrid instructional model that involves only two days in classrooms per week.

Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán, who told APS families in an email earlier this week that the school system was “reviewing hybrid instructional models that blend in-person and distance learning for students,” is set to make the presentation to the School Board tonight.

News

Police Association: Arlington Officers Support Some Proposed Reforms

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated June 25, 2020 at 4:12PM

(Updated at 4:q0 p.m.) After weeks of protests in Arlington and around the world, the association that represents Arlington police officers is weighing in on calls for police reform.

While arguing that ACPD is one of the most educated and well-trained police forces around, the association says that some changes may make sense. Defunding the department, however, could result in lower-quality policing, they say.

News

Arlington Is Among Top Places ‘Where Women Are Most Successful’

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2020 at 10:45AM

Arlington County has ranked No. 3 nationally on a list of localities “where women are most successful.”

The new rankings, from the website SmartAsset, analyzed the “percentage of women with a bachelor’s degree, median earnings for women working full-time, percentage of business owners who are women, housing costs as a percentage of women’s earnings and the percentage of full-time working women earning $75,000 or more.”

News

BREAKING: Va. Attorney General Sues Advanced Towing

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2020 at 9:35AM | Updated June 25, 2020 at 9:56AM

Advanced Towing truck (file photo)

(Updated at 9:55 a.m.) Advanced Towing, long accused by critics of predatory towing, is being sued by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.

The Commonwealth alleges that Advanced often unsafely tows vehicles, sometimes tows without legal authority, and in general exhibits conduct that is “frequently predatory, aggressive, overreaching and illegal.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2020 at 7:30AM

Prospect Hill Park and the Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amazon Nears Thousandth HQ2 Hire — “Even amid the region’s economic shutdown, Amazon has still been staffing up its HQ2 offices in Arlington, quickly approaching its 1,000th hire at the second headquarters campus, said Brian Kenner, head of HQ2 policy. ‘We’ve been very happy with the caliber of candidates,’ Kenner said.” [Washington Business Journal]

Pandemic Making Single-Family Homes Pricier — “Could the bloom be off the rose when it comes to urban (or urban-village) living? Figures are preliminary at best, but there is some inkling that the COVID-19 pandemic may be changing patterns among home-buyers. ‘Relatively better performance of single-family homes in relation to multi-family condominium properties clearly suggest migration from the city centers to the suburbs,’ said Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association Realtors, in parsing sales data from May.” [InsideNova]