Author: Vernon Miles

Vernon Miles is the ALXnow cofounder and editor. He's covered Alexandria since 2014 and has been with Local News Now since 2018. When he's not reporting, he can usually be found playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons with friends.

Around Town

New Mexican Restaurant ‘Los Chamacos’ Replacing Cantina Mexicana Off Columbia Pike

By Vernon Miles
Los Chamacos on Columbia Pike (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Interior renovations are underway on a new Mexican restaurant called Los Chamacos, which is planning to pick up where Cantina Mexicana left off in December.

The restaurant — which translates to “The Kids” — will offer Mexican cuisine classics, like fajitas, enchiladas, molcajete, pambazo and barbacoa, according to a sign on the restaurant window. It’s located at 922 S. Walter Reed Drive

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Around Town

Crystal City Legal Sea Foods in Questionable Waters

By Vernon Miles
Legal Sea Foods in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The future is murky for Legal Sea Foods in Crystal City after the company took the location off its official list of restaurants.

The webpage for the Crystal City location now redirects to the chain’s Reagan National Airport outpost. Similarly, the Legal Sea Foods location in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood has been removed from the company’s list, and its webpage now redirects to that of the Legal Sea Bar in Union Station.

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Feature

Local Startup Streamlining Cloud-Based Services Scores $4 Million in Investment

By Vernon Miles

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, StartupMonday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. Monday Properties is proudly featuring Shirlington Gateway. Say hello to the new 2800 Shirlington, which recently delivered a brand-new lobby and upgraded fitness center. Experience a prime location and enjoy being steps from Shirlington Village, a large retail hub with a variety of unique restaurants and shopping options. Spec suites with bright open plans and modern finishes are under construction and will deliver soon!

Arlington startup Stacklet, started by a pair of locals who met while working Capital One, has raised $4 million in seed investment.

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Around Town

Virginia Hospital Center Unveils New Unit Built with COVID-19 in Mind

By Vernon Miles
Empty room at Virginia Hospital Center (photo courtesy Virginia Hospital Center)

Virginia Hospital Center (1701 N. George Mason Drive) has opened up a new suite of patient rooms, each a bit larger than the typical hospital rooms with some features designed with COVID-19 in mind.

“Virginia Hospital Center’s new 4th floor patient unit and nurses’ station opened in August, adding 21 more private rooms that are 30% larger than VHC’s standard rooms,” a spokesperson for the hospital said in a statement. “The interior design of the new unit continues the clean, modern aesthetic of the VHC campus creating a comforting space for patients and families.”

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News

Changes to Columbia Pike Bridge Over Four Mile Run Expected This Fall

By Vernon Miles

(Updated at 5 p.m.) Crossing Four Mile Run on Columbia Pike on foot or bike can be nerve-wracking, with scarcely any space separating pedestrians from the busy street. A new project set to get underway in a few months should make that crossing a little easier.

The Columbia Pike Four Mile Run Bridge Pedestrian Enhancements project will bump out the northern sidewalk along westbound traffic to 10 feet, double the current five feet. Vehicle travel lanes will, in turn, be slimmed down.

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News

Nearly 200 Years Later, Henry Clay Faces Another Duel Over Arlington Park Name

By Vernon Miles
Final design concept for Henry Clay Park, now Zitkala-Ša Park (Image via Arlington County)

As renovations are underway for Henry Clay Park, some local residents are hoping for one more additional change: getting rid of the name honoring slave-owning former Secretary of State Henry Clay.

Clay, who represented Kentucky in Congress before and after serving as Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams, fought a duel in Arlington: at Pimmit Run in 1826. Neither participant was wounded and no Broadway musicals were written in Clay’s honor. Though he owned slaves and had a negative view on a multiracial society, Clay was opposed to slavery and freed those he enslaved upon his death.

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Around Town

New North Arlington Dance Program Rises from the Ashes of Adagio Ballet

By Vernon Miles

The pandemic forced Adagio Ballet to close in May, but long-time assistant director Jennifer Ferrigno wasn’t ready to give up just yet. Out of the ashes of Adagio Ballet, Ferrigno and Adagio instructor Evelina Petkova have founded the Virginia Dance Conservatory.

“The closing of the business was a shock to us all,” Ferrigno said in an email. “When the announcement became public, we had kids and parents reaching out in tears, completely devastated by the news. [Petkova] and I decided we needed to do something for these kids and families whose lives have been turned upside down.”

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Around Town

Ballston &pizza Open Again, but More Closures Coming for ‘Operational Changes’

By Vernon Miles
&pizza closed in Ballston

Update on 8/18/20 — The &pizza in Ballston is now open, but will be closed again next Monday. Darien Bates, head of technology at &pizza, explained that the location had been closed Monday and would be closed again next Monday to make changes to accommodate the store’s increased takeout demand.

Earlier: The &pizza at 3924 Wilson Blvd has been closed for more than a week, with company representatives saying the closure is temporary.

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Around Town

Sfoglina in Rosslyn Opens Up Rooftop Terrace for Spectacular D.C. Views

By Vernon Miles
Sfoglina Rooftop Terrace (photo courtesy Sfoglina)

Italian restaurant Sfoglina in Rosslyn has opened an outdoor seating area on the rooftop of its high-rise building for evening dining and drinks with an expansive view of the D.C. skyline.

“We are grateful to Monday Properties for giving us this amazing opportunity to add an incredible bespoke experience to Sfoglina Rosslyn,” said Jessica Botta, a spokesperson for Fabio Trabocchi Restaurants. “The response has been outstanding, and it’s not hard to understand why. This is simply the best view in all of the D.C. area paired with a refreshing lineup of cocktails and savory tastings unique to the Rooftop Terrace.”

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Around Town

Target Now Open in Ballston

By Vernon Miles

The new Ballston Target is now open at 740 N. Glebe Road, with a grand opening celebration planned this Sunday.

Don’t go in expecting the full department store experience, though. Target says the new location is a smaller-format store that will focus on offering essentials. The move is part of sizing Targets to fit in increasingly dense urban areas where a traditional store might not fit.

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Around Town

Banh Mi Sandwich Eatery Opening in Former Ballston Subway Space Next Week

By Vernon Miles
Lee's Sandwiches in Ballston (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

A Subway (801 N. Quincy Street) that closed last year is being replaced by Vietnamese sandwich shop Lee’s Sandwiches with a grand opening planned this coming Tuesday, Aug. 18.

The Ballston spot will be the second location in Virginia for Lee’s Sandwiches — a California-based franchise — with an existing location in Falls Church. The sandwich chain has a variety of sandwich options but specializes in banh mi, a popular Vietnamese sandwich with savory ingredients in a short, toasted baguette.

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