Vernon Miles | ARLnow

Mike Bloomberg Has a Campaign Office in Pentagon Row

Published January 22, 2020 at 11:00AM

Staff and volunteers at Bloomberg's new campaign office in Pentagon Row. (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg recently opened a campaign office in Pentagon Row (1301 S. Joyce Street) amid an unprecedented blitz of campaign spending.

The new office for the largely self-funded candidate is located between the DSW shoe store and Planet Fitness, on the ground floor of the shopping center.

News

New Bill Would Compel Arlington Businesses to Collect Abandoned Shopping Carts

By Vernon Miles

Published January 22, 2020 at 9:30AM | Updated January 22, 2020 at 9:53AM

If state Sen. Scott Surovell’s (D-36) bill passes the Virginia legislature, businesses in Arlington could be on the line for recovering shopping carts people have taken but not returned.

Senate Bill 631 would make it so that the cost of removal, including disposal, of an abandoned shopping cart will be charged to the cart’s owner. The ordinance originally applied just to Fairfax County, but Surovell said Arlington and Alexandria asked to be included in the new legislation.

News

County Seeking Funding to Make One Lane of Lee Highway Near Rosslyn Bus-Only

By Vernon Miles

Published January 17, 2020 at 1:30PM

Langston Blvd at N. Veitch Street (via Google Maps)

Arlington is once again planning to convert an outside lane on Lee Highway to bus and HOV only.

The Transportation Commission unanimously approved staff’s request to seek $1 million in funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission for pavement treatment, restriping, and signage for a new bus lanes.

Around Town

Barry’s Bootcamp in Clarendon to Open Next Saturday

By Vernon Miles

Published January 17, 2020 at 10:00AM

Barry’s Clarendon — the first Virginia studio for international fitness chain Barry’s Bootcamp — is getting ready to open its location at 2825 Wilson Blvd next week.

The gym will open on Saturday, Jan. 25, according to a press release.

Events

Original Music and Poetry to Be Performed in Tribute to MLK on Sunday

By Vernon Miles

Published January 17, 2020 at 9:00AM | Updated January 11, 2021 at 11:18AM

An Arlington tribute to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. scheduled for Sunday is planned to include original songs and spoken word performances.

The ceremony “Prayers of a King” is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 19, at Wakefield High School (1325 S. Dinwiddie Street). Doors are scheduled to open at 4:30 p.m. with the program running from 5-6:30 p.m. The ceremony will feature music, dance and spoken word performances that tell the story of desegregation in Arlington, the county said.

News

Arlington County Moving Forward With Pedestrian Bridge Near Shirlington

By Vernon Miles

Published January 16, 2020 at 3:30PM

Arlington could finally make progress on a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Four Mile Run near Shirlington that’s been under discussion for nearly two decades, according to county staff.

Staff told the Transportation Commission at a Jan. 9 meeting that the current bridge, which carries two lanes of vehicular traffic in each direction on Shirlington Road, has inadequate bicycle-pedestrian facilities, with only a 3-5 foot sidewalk available.

Around Town

New Apartment Building Now Open Near Courthouse

By Vernon Miles

Published January 15, 2020 at 3:35PM

Gables Pointe 14 in Courthouse (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Just over two years after construction started, a new residential development near Courthouse has opened and is welcoming new residents.

Staff at the Gables Pointe 14 apartment complex at 1351 N. Rolfe Street said there are 370 units spread out across two towers, with one and two-bedroom options available. Sizes range from a small one-bedroom at $1,873 per month to a two-bedroom and a den apartment for $5,516 per month.

Around Town

UPDATED: Alto Fumo in Clarendon Has Closed

By Vernon Miles

Published January 15, 2020 at 1:30PM | Updated January 26, 2020 at 10:14PM

Update on 1/25/20 — Alto Fumo closed for good, the restaurant said on its Twitter account and in signs in the window.

Earlier: You have until 10 p.m. today to get your pizza and pasta at Alto Fumo (2909 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon, then the restaurant goes dark for two months.

Events

Arlington County Ready to Hit the Gas on Lee Highway Transformation Plan

By Vernon Miles

Published January 15, 2020 at 10:20AM

A rendering of possible new development at Glebe Road and Lee Highway (via Arlington County)

After years of study and community conversations, Arlington County is just about ready for its plans to reshape Lee Highway to step into the spotlight.

The plan, generally, involves gradually — through zoning and other policy changes — transforming the car-oriented strips of businesses along Lee Highway into clusters of mixed-use development. It’s a goal of increasing importance as Amazon moves in and puts a strain on the county’s supply of available homes.

Schools

Five Candidates to Vie for Democratic School Board Endorsement

By Vernon Miles

Published January 14, 2020 at 3:55PM

Equity was the buzzword of the night as five Arlington School Board candidates announced their candidacy at an Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting last week.

Two incumbent School Board members, Tannia Talento and Nancy Van Doren, are not running for reelection, leaving two of the five School Board seats open. A video posted by Blue Virginia showed each of the five Democratic candidates running for those two seats making their pitch at last week’s meeting.

Around Town

Red Hook Lobster Pound Pinches New Space Near Clarendon

By Vernon Miles

Published January 14, 2020 at 1:45PM | Updated January 14, 2020 at 2:04PM

Red Hook Lobster Pound at the Naan Kabob property (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

(Updated at 2 p.m.) It appears Red Hook Lobster Pound could be moving into the former Naan Kabob spot at 3300 Wilson Blvd, near Clarendon.

Red Hook Lobster Pound started as a restaurant in Red Hook, Brooklyn, before expanding to D.C. with a food truck that quickly gained popularity, which was then followed by a second D.C.-based truck and a kiosk at the District Wharf.

Schools

New Capital Bikeshare Station Coming to Wakefield High School

By Vernon Miles

Published January 14, 2020 at 11:00AM

Wakefield High School students will soon have a new way of getting to and from school: Capital Bikeshare.

A new CaBi station with eleven bike docks was approved unanimously at the Jan. 9 School Board meeting. The station will be placed near the other bicycle racks on the southern side of the school, along S. Dinwiddie Street.