Author: Dan Egitto

Dan Egitto is an editor and reporter at ARLnow. Originally from Central Florida, he graduated from Duke University and previously reported at the Palatka Daily News in Florida and the Vallejo Times-Herald in California. Dan joined ARLnow in January 2024.

Schools

School placed on lockdown after gun confiscated from student

By Dan Egitto
Langston High School Continuation Program (via Google maps)

(Updated at 1:40 p.m.) An Arlington school went into lockdown Wednesday after a student reportedly brought a gun to school.

All students at the Langston High School Continuation Program and New Directions secondary program are safe and the lockdown lasted about 30 minutes, Principal Kim Jackson-Davis said in an email to families Wednesday afternoon.

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Around Town

Mediterranean restaurant planned at former Bar Ivy in Clarendon

By Dan Egitto
The patio of 3033 Wilson Blvd in March 2024 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A new Mediterranean restaurant with live entertainment and an expansive patio is on track to replace the former Bar Ivy in Clarendon.

Láylí is slated to open at 3033 Wilson Blvd within the next few months, offering an “immersive mezze and cocktail garden experience,” applicant Walid Zeytoun told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Vape shop is latest to shutter at this Cherrydale site where businesses keep closing

By Dan Egitto
3800 Langston Blvd (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A Cherrydale vape shop has closed less than a year after opening.

L.A. Leaf opened last spring, stocking a variety of CBD and vape products. Now, however, the store’s interior is empty and its phone number is answered with a dial tone.

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News

Several Langston Blvd intersections could get $1.5M in traffic signal and safety upgrades

By Dan Egitto
A map of the Langston Boulevard Intelligent Transportation Systems project (via Arlington County)

Traffic signal upgrades and more pedestrian-friendly crosswalks may be coming to several Langston Blvd intersections.

The Arlington County Board on Saturday is slated to consider a $1.5 million contract for improvements to the intersections of Langston Blvd at N. Adams Street, N. Cleveland Street and Spout Run Pkwy.

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Around Town

BurgerFi in Rosslyn to offer free fries and drinks for its grand opening this month

By Dan Egitto
The Rosslyn BurgerFi (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

(Updated 3/14) A BurgerFi is opening in Rosslyn.

The Florida-based burger chain plans to hold a grand opening later this month, with free drinks and fries deals, for its new location at 1735 N. Lynn Street. It will be the franchise’s first foray into Arlington.

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Around Town

Trader Joe’s continues to make progress on likely Crystal City store

By Dan Egitto
The bare interior of one portion of 2450 Crystal Drive (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Trader Joe’s is seeking an alcohol license at a Crystal City location but is keeping mum about its plans.

The grocery store chain applied for the right to sell beer and wine at 2450 Crystal Drive on March 1 and is still awaiting approval, according to Virginia ABC.

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News

U.S. House passes budget with $5.9M for Arlington, focused on housing and recreation

By Dan Egitto
Bridge 31, or the Trollheim Bridge, on the Mount Vernon Trail (courtesy Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail)

Federal funding is on track to bring more housing for many of the county’s most vulnerable residents as well as trail improvements and new playground equipment.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Wednesday $5.9 million in funding for Arlington initiatives in its annual budget. A little more than half of that funding — $3.3 million — is for housing for low-income residents, domestic violence survivors and chronically unsheltered people.

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News

Arlington courts seek to reform alleged serial window smasher

By Dan Egitto
Vehicle with windows smashed north of Courthouse (photo courtesy Rebecca M.)

(Updated at 11:45 a.m.) A man accused of shattering dozens of Arlington car windows with a BB gun in 2022 is now participating in a court-appointed reform program.

The suspect, who may be responsible for damaging up to 91 parked, unoccupied vehicles, is on the county’s Behavioral Health Docket and returns to a judge in Arlington County District Court on a regular basis, a clerk informed ARLnow.

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News

Arlington plea deal offers man two years for shooting from car while fleeing police

By Dan Egitto
Police looking for evidence where shots were fired along S. Wakefield Street in October 2022 (file photo)

(Updated 5:32 p.m.) A man accused of shooting wildly at law enforcement following a destructive, high-speed chase through Arlington and Fairfax County accepted a plea bargain on Wednesday.

Ricardo Singleton, 29, admitted in Arlington Circuit Court to firing a gun from his car while fleeing authorities — a pursuit that prosecutors claim ended after a gunfight in Fairfax County.

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News

ACFD’s youth firefighting camp on the chopping block this budget

By Dan Egitto
Campers participate in a bucket brigade in Camp Heat 2018 (file photo)

An Arlington summer camp teaching teenagers firefighting skills could go up in smoke this year.

Camp Heat, which annually enrolls around 25 teens, is on the chopping block in the county’s budget draft. Cutting the free five-day camp to save $47,000 is part of a plan to maintain the Arlington County Fire Dept.’s current $76 million budget in Fiscal Year 2025.

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News

Arlington considers removing immigration status requirements for low-income housing grants

By Dan Egitto
Nady Peralta, an attorney from the Legal Aid Justice Center (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Undocumented low-income residents might someday become eligible for housing grants in Arlington.

The county is “almost done” reevaluating immigration status requirements for its Housing Grants Program, Arlington County Board Vice-Chair Takis Karantonis said at a Board meeting late last month.

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Around Town

The Giant at Lyon Village Shopping Center has closed, raising questions about plaza’s future

By Dan Egitto
A worker taking down signage at the Lyon Village Shopping Center's Giant in March 2024 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Workers lowered signage today (Friday) from the now-former Giant supermarket in the Lyon Village Shopping Center.

Several passersby watched with interest as the team unscrewed the letters G-I-A-N-T from the storefront at 3115 Langston Blvd. One visitor, apparently a would-be customer, walked up to the grocery store’s closed entrance and peered inside before returning to her car and driving away.

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