News | ARLnow.com - Part 1051

Another Independent Candidate Enters County Board Race

Published April 30, 2015 at 9:45AM | Updated April 30, 2015 at 10:20AM

In a press release (below) McMenamin said his top priorities will be economic development, adding school capacity, replacing aging infrastructure and fiscal responsibility.

McMenamin, an attorney and owner of a consultancy firm, seems to be aiming to adopt the successful electoral strategy of County Board member John Vihstadt, who was active with the Arlington GOP before running for Board as an independent candidate. However, with the streetcar project canceled, Artisphere set to close and an independent auditor on the way, it’s unclear if McMenamin will be able to tap into the discontent that helped Vihstadt attract Democratic voters.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 30, 2015 at 9:05AM

Elementary Student Fascinated by Fallout Shelters — Nathan Eberhart, a McKinley Elementary student, has been trying to unravel the mysteries of school fallout shelters for his school’s student newspaper. Eberhart thinks the Cold War relics could be better put to use nowadays “as a community-activities storage area for things like Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, recreational sports and enrichments.” [InsideNova]

Protest Planned in Rosslyn — The Mayday Project will be protesting outside the Infectious Diseases Society of America headquarters in Rosslyn today and tomorrow. The organization wants Lyme disease recognized as a chronic illness. The protest will be held from about 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the 1300 block of Wilson Blvd. [Twitter]

BREAKING: Two-Alarm House Fire Near Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published April 29, 2015 at 4:45PM | Updated April 29, 2015 at 6:06PM

(Updated at 5:55 p.m.) Arlington County Firefighters are on the scene of a two-alarm house fire near Ballston.

Smoke and fire was showing from the second floor and roof of a home near the intersection of 15th Street N. and N. Abingdon Street, in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood, according to firefighters on the scene. A second alarm has been called.

Carjacking Reported Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Published April 29, 2015 at 4:35PM

File photo

The incident happened on the 4100 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive around 8:30 a.m. Police say a man opened the driver’s side door of a car, pulled the driver out of the car and drove off.

“The suspect is described as a black male with a dark complexion, approximately 35 – 40 years old, approximately 5’8″ to 5’10”, wearing a black baseball cap, blue jeans, gray hoodie, black jacket and tan Timberland boots,” Arlington County police said in the department’s daily crime report. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Iwo Jima Memorial to Receive a $5.3 Million Facelift

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 29, 2015 at 1:30PM

One of D.C.’s most prominent philanthropists has turned his eyes — and his wallet — to Rosslyn’s U.S Marine Corps War Memorial.

The Iwo Jima memorial is in line to receive a $5.37 million donation from David Rubenstein, who just last year gave $12.35 million to the Arlington House Robert E. Lee museum in Arlington National Cemetery. Rubenstein co-founded the private equity firm The Carlyle Group and has also used some of his billions of dollars to fund the Washington Monument’s post-earthquake repairs and enrich the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ endowment.

Lower-Cost Transit Stations Appease Pike Residents

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 29, 2015 at 11:00AM

The Columbia Pike Transit Stations open house

After the public outcry, poor design and organizational problems that warranted an independent review of the $1 million S. Walter Reed Drive Super Stop, Arlington’s scaled back plan for the rest of Columbia Pike is being met with general approval.

The new plan, to build 23 more transit stations at key intersections along the Pike for a total cost of $12.4 million, was brought before the public yesterday evening at the Arlington Mill Community Center. The stations will cost an average of 40 percent less than the prototype built at Walter Reed Drive.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 29, 2015 at 8:35AM | Updated April 29, 2015 at 9:11AM

Water Main Repairs Continue — Emergency water main repairs that started last night are continuing on Washington Blvd at N. Kensington Street. Drivers should expect traffic impacts, particularly during the morning rush hour. [Twitter]

Beyer Blasts Proposed Metro Cut — A U.S. House committee has released a plan to cut federal funding of Metro for maintenance and safety upgrades in half next year. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) blasted the plan, calling it “shortsighted” and saying it will “jeopardize rider safety [and] derail improvements to the system.” [NBC Washington]

A-Town Owners to Open Rosslyn Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

Published April 28, 2015 at 11:25AM

“Barley Mac” is expected to open in the former Red, Hot & Blue space at 1600 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn by December, co-owner Scott Parker told ARLnow.com Monday. It’s described as a “high-end tavern” that will serve Italian-American fusion cuisine and have a beverage program that emphasizes beer and bourbon.

Barley Mac will target a slightly older customer base than A-Town or Don Tito and will be the partners’ “most restaurant-centric, food-driven” establishment yet, according to Parker.

Rumble Outside Bronx Pizza

By ARLnow.com

Published April 28, 2015 at 10:05AM

The brawl started around 1:45 a.m. early Sunday morning, in front of 3100 Clarendon Blvd. Police say one of the victims was just trying to stop the violence.

“A male victim sustained a laceration to the head and a second victim sustained a broken tooth when he tried to break the fight up,” according to the Arlington County crime report. “The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’9″ to 6’2″, wearing blue jeans and a white button down shirt. He fled prior to police arrival.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 28, 2015 at 9:05AM

More Details in Aurora Highlands Slaying — Investigators have sent hairs found in the hands of murder victim Bonnie Black to a lab for DNA testing. Police have also thoroughly searched the house of Black’s estranged husband, confiscating items like a Swiss Army knife, computers and a hair brush. [Washington Post]

DCA Terminal Proposal Unveiled — Officials have unveiled a $800 million plan to build a new commuter aircraft terminal at Reagan National Airport. The terminal would be built to the north of the existing terminals, replacing a headquarters building and a hangar. Currently, 5,000 commuter jet passengers a day use a single gate and are bussed to their planes. [InsideNova]

Food Star on Columbia Pike Could Become Six-Story Apartment Building

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 27, 2015 at 5:00PM | Updated April 29, 2015 at 9:34AM

The existing Food Star on Columbia Pike

The proposed building, from developer Orr Partners, would be six stories of mixed-use development — five stories of apartments and ground floor retail. The property would have to redevelop under the Columbia Pike Commercial Form-Based Code, which calls for mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly buildings.

Orr Partners Chairman David Orr said he expects the building to have about 350 market-rate apartments, and for a grocery store and other community-oriented retail — maybe a fast-casual restaurant or two — to occupy the ground floor. He expects to submit a form-based code application in June.

Key Bridge Rollover Victim, 26, Dies

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 27, 2015 at 3:45PM

The Arlington County Police Department identified the deceased as 26-year-old Jefferson R. Edwards IV, of Arlington.

According to Edwards’ obituary, published in the Washington Post on Friday, he was 26 years old, a former member of the United States Coast Guard and had worked as a personal trainer at Fitness First and Gold’s Gym in Arlington.