A pedestrian bridge in the Shirlington area is back open after a mini rehabilitation project.
The S. Nelson Street bridge — which spans Four Mile Run, connecting Shirlington with Jennie Dean Park and the Green Valley neighborhood — closed over the winter.
Dog Dies After Prescription Mix-up — “An Arlington, Virginia, woman says her 10-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel died after a veterinarian prescribed one medication but a CVS pharmacy dispensed a different drug.” [WTOP]
Suspicious Person Call Leads to Drug Arrest — “Two individuals gained entry to a hotel room and subsequently departed the property after being detected by an employee. A lookout for the suspects was broadcast and officers located one of the suspects walking in the area. He was detained and provided false identifying information to law enforcement. During the course of the investigation, suspected narcotics and credit cards not belonging to the suspect were recovered.” [ACPD, Twitter]
GOP Expects to Have Board Candidate — “Arlington Republicans have a candidate for County Board this year. After all my cajoling, a Republican has stepped forward to carry our banner to voters across Arlington. On housing, on crime, on education, and on quality of life issues — you and I will have someone to represent our principles on the ballot this year.” [Arlington GOP]
Commission Mulls Gaza Statement — “There might be another jurisdictional battle shaping up when it comes to the county’s appointed Human Rights Commission. Commission members on May 9 are expected to consider their options in weighing in on the current Mideast situation, having been asked by pro-Palestinian activists to support a resolution calling for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas forces that govern Gaza. If the commission does move forward aggressively, it could bring further tension with Arlington elected officials.” [Gazette Leader]
Sierra Club Endorsements — From a press release: “Sierra Club’s Virginia Chapter announces its endorsement of Julius ‘JD’ Spain Sr. (First) and Tenley Peterson (Second) in the ranked-choice Democratic Primary for a single County Board seat. The Sierra Club’s endorsement process included a detailed questionnaire and in-person interviews, followed by discussion and voting at the local and state level.”
Local Baker Profiled — “Flowers are a wonderful gift, but Jamaliyyih Perez offers something just as pretty that’s tasty, too. Her jumbo cupcakes with buttercream frosting are decorated to resemble gorgeous blossoms, such as roses, hydrangeas, sunflowers, tulips, peonies and chrysanthemums.” [Arlington Magazine]
Report Details Abuse at F.C. Church — “The report is filled with documentation of alleged sexual abuse perpetrated on many Falls Church teenage boys by youth minister Jeffrey T. Taylor for much of the 1990s. Taylor had founded and led the youth group known as Cornerstone, which gained wide popularity among teens in Falls Church for a good portion of that decade.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Alexandria Is Getting a Tax Hike, Too — “The operating budget totals $926.4 million — a 4.8% increase over last year’s budget. That budget included a 2.5-cent increase in the real estate tax, meaning the average single-family homeowner will pay $483 more than last year.” [ALXnow]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with highs around 79 degrees and an east wind of 9 to 11 mph. Moving into Friday night, there is a 30% chance of showers as clouds increase. Overnight lows will be near 54 degrees with east winds around 8 to 11 mph. [NWS]
A half-mile path connecting Mount Vernon Trail with Long Bridge Park is now open to pedestrians and cyclists.
The connector between the popular waterfront trail and Boundary Channel Drive is part of a long-anticipated set up upgrades near Long Bridge Drive and the I-395 interchange.
The Arlington County Fire Department is sounding the alarm on the hazards of carelessly disposing of rechargeable batteries.
A live demonstration highlighting the dangerous potential of punctured rechargeable batteries and overcharged e-bikes is scheduled to take place later today (Thursday) in Montgomery Village, Maryland. Arlington Chief Fire Marshal Matthew Cobb is joining officials from D.C. and Montgomery County in this vivid installment of a four-week education program led by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).
Arlington County police are investigating a late night attack in Ballston.
The incident happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday on the 4200 block of Fairfax Drive, near the Metro station. According to police, a man approached the victim from behind “and struck him with an unknown object before fleeing the scene on foot.”
Crystal City Office Buildings to Close — “JBG Smith Properties is moving ahead with longtime plans to remove several aging office buildings in National Landing from service, directing tenant demand toward buildings with better prospects in an oversupplied office market… The three offices coming offline, all built in the 1960s and which JBG Smith plans to redevelop or repurpose, are: 1800 S. Bell St… 2100 Crystal Drive… 2200 Crystal Drive.” [Washington Business Journal]
Collart Remembered at Lax Match — “The late Spencer Collart, a boys varsity lacrosse player for and a 2020 graduate of Washington-Liberty High School, was remembered by the school during an April 29 halftime ceremony of a home match between the host Generals and Yorktown Patriots. Collart’s parents, Bart and Alexia, and younger sister, Gwyneth, were present and presented with Spencer’s framed No. 18 white and blue varsity jersey.” [Gazette Leader]
More Changes Coming to DCA — “D.C.’s airports are evolving with new restaurants and shops, plus amenities to ease travel… Plans include… A more than $2 billion ‘DCA Reimagined’ program that includes new restrooms, amenities, and an eventual revamp of Reagan’s main terminal. A new concessions manager for both airports wants to bring in more ‘destination restaurants,’ according to the Washington Business Journal.” [Axios]
NAACP Wants More Police Oversight — “The Arlington chapter of the NAACP wants the county government’s police-oversight efforts funded at a rate approaching $1 million a year, along with giving more authority to the independent police auditor and Community Oversight Board. In an April 30 statement, the civil-rights organization said efforts by County Board members and top leadership are falling short of community expectations.” [Gazette Leader]
Water Park Cinco de Mayo Event — “FREE to the public! The park will come alive between 12:30p-2:30p with the festive sounds from a local Mariachi band Mariachi Ay Ay Ay. Adults will enjoy margaritas served from various locations throughout the park, while Kids Create Alexandria will lead our younger guests in making traditional Mexican clay art.” [National Landing]
Beyer Supports Wealth Tax — “U.S. Rep. Don Beyer is so far the only member of the Virginia congressional delegation to cosponsor a measure aimed at [taxing] some of the wealth of the nation’s richest people… If enacted into law – and that seems both unlikely and not necessarily the intent of its backers – the measure would impact those with $50 million or more in net assets, starting at a 2-percent annual levy and moving up from there.” [Gazette Leader]
Pentagon City Parking PSA — “Public Service Announcement – @westpostva (formerly known as @PentagonRow) seems to have increased parking meter enforcement at the above ground lots. I saw a roving individual in a golf cart slapping $20 parking tickets on cars at lunchtime.” [Twitter]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine and a high of 91 degrees during the day, accompanied by a light west wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. The evening will bring partly cloudy skies and a low of about 64 degrees. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
Columbia Pike was blocked between S. Quincy and Quebec streets due to a gas leak.
Initial reports suggest that a construction crew struck a one-inch gas line, resulting in an active leak sizable enough to prompt a road closure.
A man has been hospitalized after crashing while riding a scooter this morning.
The crash happened around 10:30 a.m. on Washington Blvd at 19th Road N., near Westover. There was reportedly no vehicle involved — the man fell off the scooter while riding. It happened near an uneven section of road that is apparently being repaved.
DUI Crashes Rise in 2023 — “The number of serious or fatal alcohol-related crashes in Arlington, Virginia, increased in 2023, prompting the chair of the [County Board] to call for a coordinated anti-drunk driving campaign across the D.C. region.” [WTOP]
Local GOP on MM Lawsuit — From Arlington GOP Chair Matthew Hurtt: “Arlington County’s elected leaders are using the court system to stifle dissent and intimidate residents who oppose their agenda. The so-called ‘Arlington Way’ is little more than a footnote in Arlington’s civic history.” [Twitter]
The former board president of an elite youth swim program has been sentenced after pleading guilty to child sex exploitation charges in January.
Arlington resident Mark Black, who previously helped to lead the Olympian-producing Arlington Aquatic Club, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
County government requests for extensive documentation in a Missing Middle lawsuit have expanded to include an outspoken critic who’s helping to fund the suit.
Attorneys representing Arlington County contacted Dan Creedon, one of the founders of the anti-Missing Middle group Neighbors for Neighborhoods (NfN), with a broad subpoena last week. The request includes:
