A car fire blocked the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Lorcom Lane, near the Lee Heights Shops, Friday night.
The fire was reported around 8:45 p.m. A silver BMW M5 sports sedan caught fire near the intersection. What was a vehicle fire call was upgraded to a hazmat call after the car’s fuel tank ruptured.
The enforcement action will target motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians caught breaking traffic laws in Ballston, East Falls Church and Crystal City. It’s part of a fall bicycle and pedestrian safety awareness program.
With the days getting shorter and daylight saving time ending Sunday, pedestrian and bicyclist safety is an important law enforcement focus. Most fatal pedestrian accidents occur after dark.
Marine Corps Marathon Wrap-up — Despite a soggy start, spirits were high for the 40th annual Marine Corps Marathon, which wound through Rosslyn, D.C. and Crystal City Sunday morning. The winners were a 22-year-old recent West Point grad, representing the Army team and, on the women’s side, a Costa Rica native who only started running seven years ago. [Run Washington, Stars & Stripes]
Orange Line Delays — Orange Line riders are experiencing delays of up to 25 minutes this morning due to a broken rail in Maryland. [Twitter]
A new residential redevelopment is coming to Rosslyn, but it’s not without a measure of controversy.
Reston-based developer NVR, Inc., the parent company of homebuilder Ryan Homes, is proposing a townhouse and condominium development at 1411 Key Blvd. The proposal was heard by Arlington’s Site Plan Review Committee last night, and is expected to be heard by the Planning Commission next month.
The incident happened around 8 a.m., at the intersection of S. Buchanan Street and 9th Street S.
Police say they responded to a report of a smoldering car at the intersection. The smoldering quickly turned into flames, as captured in a photo taken by a police officer.
If there’s one lesson to take away from Arlington’s Metro Safety Seminar Wednesday night, it’s don’t evacuate a train until told to do so. Even though a woman died after not being able to evacuate a disabled, smoke-filled train outside of the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station earlier this year.
In the case of smoke in a tunnel, Arlington County Fire Department and Metro will work together to figure out the source of the smoke and decide if evacuation is necessary, officials said Wednesday at the seminar in Ballston.
School Bus Cameras Stop Issuing Tickets — The stop arm cameras on Arlington public school buses are no longer sending citations to those who drive by the buses while the stop signs are activated. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring determined that Arlington does not have the legal authority from the General Assembly to issue summonses from school bus cameras by mail. [Washington Post]
Laundry Room Fire at The Shelton — Yesterday around 6 p.m. a dryer in a laundry room at The Shelton apartment building (3125 24th Street S.) in Nauck caught fire. The fire was reportedly controlled by a sprinkler system, but not before filling the third floor of the building with heavy smoke and prompting an evacuation. [Twitter]
Police say four women tried to steal items from a store, then sprayed pepper spray at the employees as the fled.
From this week’s Arlington County crime report:
The Sunoco gas station at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Washington Blvd was robbed earlier this afternoon by two suspects, one of whom has a gun, according to police.
While police try to track down the suspects, nearby Washington-Lee High School has been placed in “secure the school” mode, which usually means that exterior doors are locked and students are not allowed outside.
County officials touted the 1.6 percent drop in the vacancy rate in a press release (below), while admitting that the rate — 20.8 percent — is still too high and there’s “much more work to be done.”
The county says recent high-profile victories — bringing the 1776 tech incubator and the new U.S. headquarters of the Lidl grocery chain to Crystal City, for instance — came as Arlington leaders are pursuing “a new strategy of diversification, aggressive marketing and emphasis on fast-growth tech companies.”
Sun Gazette Endorses McMenamin — The Arlington Sun Gazette has endorsed independent County Board candidate Mike McMenamin. The newspaper says McMenamin is “by far the most seasoned and well-rounded candidate in the race.” [InsideNova]
Airport Workers Protest for Living Wage — Airport workers who make as little as $6.75 per hour held a protest at Reagan National Airport with the local 32BJ SEIU union on Wednesday. Among those attending the rally were wheelchair attendants, janitors, cabin cleaners and baggage handlers. The protest was part of a nationwide campaign for a $15 per hour minimum wage for airport workers. [Washington Post]
Without any discussion, the County Board unanimously voted to end the county’s lease for the Rosslyn space formerly occupied by Artisphere during its meeting last night. Artisphere, which opened on Oct. 10, 2010, shut is doors in June 2015, following financial problems.
It will cost the county $447,436.24 in payments to break the lease, which will end on Oct, 31. The lease on the property was originally written with an expiration date in April 2023.
