Author: Jared Serre

Jared Serre covers local business, public safety and breaking news across Local News Now's websites. Originally from Northeast Ohio, he is a graduate of West Virginia University. He previously worked with Law360 before joining LNN in May 2024.

Around Town

Coffee Republic departs Crystal City area after less than a year

By Jared Serre
The former Coffee Republic at 3130 Potomac Avenue in Crystal City (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A Crystal City-area coffee shop shuttered last week after less than a year in business — though the chain hopes to open another Arlington location soon.

Coffee Republic, which opened last March on the ground floor of Azure National Landing, served its last cup of joe at 3130 Potomac Avenue on Thursday.

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Five arrested over alleged baseball bat beating and prostitution in Pentagon City

By Jared Serre
Arlington police car (file photo)

Five suspects have been arrested after two men were allegedly beaten with a baseball bat while soliciting sex workers in Pentagon City last month.

Two male suspects have been charged with malicious wounding, abduction and robbery-related crimes in the Feb. 15 incident on the 1400 block of S. Eads Street.

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Around Town

Wood & Iron restaurant and bar opens today in Va. Square with deals

By Jared Serre
Inside Wood & Iron in Virginia Square (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A long-awaited restaurant and bar in Virginia Square will officially open its doors today (Friday).

Richmond-based Wood & Iron will serve diners at new outpost at 3401 Fairfax Drive starting this afternoon, owner Steve Rogge confirmed to ARLnow.

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Bounty hunter accused of presenting fake ICE warrant loses license, avoids jail time

By Jared Serre
Arlington County courthouse on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A bounty hunter has pleaded guilty to illegal brandishing in an incident where he is accused of unlawfully detaining a Green Valley resident, falsely claiming to have a warrant for his immigration arrest.

Matthew Mallory has also entered a no contest plea to a charge of trespassing in connection to the June incident, where prosecutors say he lied about having a document from the Department of Homeland Security in order to enter a home and detain a victim at gunpoint.

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Around Town

Brazilian-Lebanese fusion spot Tio Pelé coming to Langston Blvd

By Jared Serre
Tio Pelé, formerly The Block Oven, in Lyon Village (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A charcoal chicken restaurant blending “bold Brazilian inspiration with Lebanese flavors” is expected to open next week in Lyon Village.

Signage for Tio Pelé is up at 3110 Langston Blvd, the former space of The Block Oven and, before that, Tarbouch.

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Around Town

Man arrested after allegedly touching woman’s hair on Metro near Clarendon

By Jared Serre
Clarendon Metro station (staff photo)

A Maryland man has been arrested and charged after apparently live-streaming himself discreetly touching a woman’s hair on a Metro train in Arlington.

Bryan Betancur, 28, was taken into custody yesterday (Monday) following an incident that took place around 10:09 p.m. on Sunday on a Silver Line train servicing the Clarendon Metro station, Metro Transit Police said.

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Around Town

‘Cielo’ upscale nightlife spot plans to open in Clarendon next month

By Jared Serre
The location of the upcoming Cielo Restaurant, located in Clarendon (staff photo by Jared Serre)

After a year and a half of delays, a Clarendon nightlife spot with an upscale approach to dining and cocktails is targeting next month to finally open its doors.

Cielo submitted a liquor license application late last month and intends to open at 1137 N. Highland Street in mid-April, owner Michael Sina told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Sweetgreen closes in Crystal City after 10 years

By Jared Serre
The former Sweetgreen location in Crystal City (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A fast-casual spot in Crystal City has permanently shut its doors after a decade in business.

Signage appeared last week on the door of the Sweetgreen at 2022 Crystal Drive, announcing the closure. The salad purveyor had occupied the location since February 2016.

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Around Town

Code Ninjas programming ‘dojo’ planned at Lee Harrison Shopping Center

By Jared Serre
The potential future space for Code Ninjas in the Lee Harrison Shopping Center (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A kid-focused coding academy is in the works at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center, and it’s already enrolling families.

Code Ninjas, a programming “dojo” teaching skills like building video games and debugging code, has filed permits to take over a 900-square-foot space on the shopping center’s lower level at 2449 N. Harrison Street. The school plans to open in June, according to its Instagram page.

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D.C. man charged with striking two pedestrians in Ballston-area road rage incident

By Jared Serre
Southbound lanes of N. Glebe Road closed after two pedestrians struck in alleged road rage incident (staff photo)

A driver accused of striking two pedestrians near Ballston and then fleeing the scene has been arrested.

Zai Atwater, 24, was taken into custody in D.C. over the alleged road rage incident, the Arlington County Police Department announced today.

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Around Town

NEW: Call Your Mother bagel spot to replace departed Starbucks in Ballston

By Jared Serre
Starbucks at 4000 Wilson Blvd in September 2025 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

One of the D.C. area’s most popular bagel brands is coming to Ballston.

Call Your Mother just announced plans to open at 4000 Wilson Blvd — the former home of a Starbucks location that closed last year after only two years in business. A specific opening date has not yet been announced for the shop, though it is expected “soon-ish,” according to Call Your Mother’s website.

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D.C. man charged with string of break-ins at Bill’s Ace Hardware, other businesses

By Jared Serre
Arlington County police car (staff photo)

A D.C. man has been arrested in connection to a string of recent burglaries at Arlington businesses — including two break-ins at a popular Langston Blvd hardware store.

More than a dozen charges have been levied against Jimmie Lamont Williams, including four counts of burglary and five counts of destruction of property, the Arlington County Police Department announced Tuesday.

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