News | ARLnow.com - Part 1098

Affordable Housing Plan for Community Center Draws Opposition

Published September 22, 2014 at 5:25PM

The current Lubber Run Community Center

Specifically, the identification of the Lubber Run Community Center (300 N. Park Drive) as a site for potential affordable housing has drawn the ire of the 76-unit townhouse community Cathcart Springs, across N. George Mason Drive from Lubber Run.

Arlington is expected to begin studying Lubber Run, the “salt dome” along Old Dominion Drive and land adjacent to Jennie Dean Park in Shirlington as county-owned land that could be developed or redeveloped into affordable housing. The community planning portions for those sites, if approved by the Arlington County Board, would begin next spring.

Scratching Post: The Science of Catnip

Published September 22, 2014 at 2:30PM

Editor’s Note: The Scratching Post is a column that’s sponsored and written by the staff at NOVA Cat Clinic.

Does your cat go crazy for catnip? Does he roll in it or eat it? Does she fall into a daze after rubbing on her favorite catnip-filled toy? Or have you been wondering what the fuss is all about because your cat walks right past the expensive organic catnip you bought?

Water Management Plan Approved by County Board

By Andrea Swalec

Published September 22, 2014 at 11:30AM

The Board unanimously approved master plans on stormwater and water distribution on Saturday, which aim to maintain a clean water supply and reduce the risk of flooding.

“Arlington is committed to providing safe and reliable drinking water to our residents and ensuring that our community complies with environmental law and remains sustainable,” Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette said in a statement. “These plans will allow us to meet the demands of projected population growth and help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2014 at 9:00AM

Wilson Blvd Sidewalk Improvements Delayed — Arlington County Board members were apologetic on Saturday after a resident complained about the state of sidewalks along Wilson Blvd in the Bluemont area. The first phase of an improvement project, which will only consist of repaving and restriping the road, is now not slated to take place until the spring. County leaders promised to try to implement the second phase, which will actually improve the sidewalks, sooner rather than later. [InsideNova]

Bar to the Rescue in Crystal City? — Crystal City property owner Vornado hopes Highline, a new bar coming to the neighborhood, will help its growing tech community there after work. Vornado is trying to restyle Crystal City — which has lost government tenants for millions of square feet of office space, as a result of BRAC — as a tech hub. [Washington Post]

$1.7 Million Washington Blvd Trail Expected Next Year

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 19, 2014 at 11:00AM | Updated September 19, 2014 at 11:44AM

Image courtesy Arlington DES

Arlington is moving forward with a bike trail along Washington Blvd and has moved the placement of the trail to save trees.

The trail is expected to cost about $1.7 million, according to county Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel, but it has not been put out to bid yet. The trail has been approved and in planning stages for years, but its initial path would have necessitated digging up hundreds of mature trees.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 19, 2014 at 9:15AM

‘Pups and Pilsners’ Photo Contest — Want to sample some brews and make your pet famous? Head on over to Crystal City’s Pups and Pilsners event from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, snap a photo of your pooch and tweet it to us and our sponsors, @CCBID and @BeckysPetCare. Pups and Pilsners is a free dog-friendly event featuring a massive beer garden and food from local restaurants. [Crystal City BID]

Planners: Bank Shortchanges Courthouse — The office building slated to replace the Wendy’s in Courthouse will have a Wells Fargo bank prominently located on the ground floor, and Arlington planners don’t like it. County staff says the bank use is “not appropriate” and should be at least moved so that a more active retail use can occupy half of the plaza area. Developer Carr Properties says the bank must stay, since Wells Fargo owns the land under the existing bank that will be torn down for the project. [Washington Business Journal]

ACPD Planning DUI Checkpoint Friday

By ARLnow.com

Published September 18, 2014 at 4:30PM

The police department does not announce the location of DUI checkpoints in advance, but often targets arterial routes used by those coming from restaurants and bars.

“This enforcement effort is in support of [a] national crackdown program on drunk driving that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity,” ACPD said in a press release.

Crime Report: Birthday Party Gone Bad

By ARLnow.com

Published September 18, 2014 at 3:30PM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:16PM

File photo

The fight took place in a hotel in Courthouse, two blocks from Arlington County Police headquarters.

From this week’s Arlington crime report:

Suspicious Package Found at NSF HQ in Ballston

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 18, 2014 at 3:00PM | Updated September 18, 2014 at 3:20PM

Hazmat teams have closed off 9th Street N. between N. Stuart and Stafford Streets to respond to the situation. The suspicious package was found in the mailroom of one of NSF’s two buildings, according to scanner traffic.

The Arlington Alert system sent out a message advising motorists and others to avoid the area while the Arlington County Fire and Police departments complete their investigation.

Arlington Tops Another Millennial List

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 18, 2014 at 12:00PM

According to RealtyTrac, a real estate data and information website, Arlington’s millennial population has increased 82 percent from 2007-2013, the highest rate in the country over that timespan. The data comes from an analysis of U.S. Census data from 1,800 counties nationwide.

Alexandria ranks second in the list in millennial growth rate, at 81 percent, ahead of New Orleans and San Francisco.

Commuters Trapped in New Rosslyn Metro Station Elevator

By Andrea Swalec

Published September 18, 2014 at 10:00AM | Updated September 18, 2014 at 1:50PM

One of the three high-speed elevators on N. Moore Street — which are less than a year old — broke down about 8:15 a.m., according to scanner traffic.

A commuter who was rushing to work after being freed from the elevator said the group remained calm as they waited for help.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 18, 2014 at 9:20AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 2:46PM

Metro Work This Weekend — Arlington’s Metro lines will be impacted by significant maintenance work this weekend. Riders on the Orange Line should expect trains to run every 24 minutes, while trains on the Blue Line will run every 20 minutes. The Yellow Line, meanwhile, will only run between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square. [WMATA]

Bracket Room Expanding to DCA — Bracket Room, the upscale sports bar in Clarendon that opened last summer, is expanding with locations in Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport. “The two new restaurants will mirror the Arlington location’s upscale, stylish environment complete with infinity-edge televisions making it the ideal spot to grab a meal and watch a game while waiting for a flight,” according to a press release. No word on an opening date. [PRWeb]