News | ARLnow.com - Part 1111

Morning Notes

Published July 21, 2014 at 9:00AM

Va. Highlands Park Renovations Approved — The Arlington County Board on Saturday approved a $2 million renovation project for Virginia Highlands Park, near Pentagon City. The renovations include new tennis and basketball courts and new court lighting. [Arlington County]

Fire Station Relocation Plan Paused — After hearing community complaints, the county is reconsidering a plan to relocate Fire Station No. 8 and the Office of Emergency Management to the Old Dominion neighborhood. County staff will study alternate locations for the fire station and OEM, then will hold a “master-planning process.” [InsideNova]

Taxi Companies File Suit Against Uber, Lyft

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 18, 2014 at 5:05PM

The suit, filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court, requests the judge issue an injunction that would prevent the ride sharing companies from operating in Virginia without a broker’s license. The DMV has issued “cease and desist” orders against the two ride-sharing companies, but they have continued to operate in the state.

Uber and Lyft have applied for temporary operating authority while the DMV reviews their applications for broker’s licenses. According to a DMV official, neither company has been granted operating authority — temporary or otherwise — while the department awaits guidance from Attorney General Mark Herring.

Police Seek Witnesses to Fatal GW Parkway Crash

By ARLnow.com

Published July 18, 2014 at 3:45PM | Updated July 18, 2014 at 4:09PM

The crash happened just before 4:45 p.m. on July 2. A black BMW traveling southbound near the first overlook crossed over the center median and collided head-on with a Hyundai SUV, according to U.S. Park Police.

The driver of the SUV, identified as Michael Poling of Vienna, Va., was flown to the trauma center at Medstar, where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the BMW was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Arlington House Gets $12.35 Million Donation

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 18, 2014 at 2:30PM

Arlington House in Arlington National Cemetery in 2014

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) Arlington House, the former home of Robert E. Lee on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, received a major donation this week.

D.C. philanthropist David Rubenstein, co-founder of private equity firm The Carlyle Group, donated $12.35 million to the National Park Service “to restore and improve access to Arlington House.” The donation will fund a project that will restore Arlington House “as it was in 1860,” including more attention to the slave quarters. The money will also fund technology investments, with more mobile and web “assets,” an audio tour and a virtual tour, NPS said.

County Breaks Ground on Crystal City BRT

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 18, 2014 at 11:30AM | Updated July 18, 2014 at 2:22PM

(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Officials from Arlington County and Alexandria gathered near Potomac Yard this morning to break ground on the region’s first Bus Rapid Transit line.

The 4.5-mile Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway, when it’s completed, will connect the Braddock Road Metro station in Alexandria to the Pentagon City Metro station with a dedicated bus lane. The bus route, which WMATA is calling Metroway, will open Aug. 24 and run from Braddock Road to the Crystal City Metro at first.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 18, 2014 at 10:30AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 2:46PM

State Dept. Office Consolidation — The GSA is working with the State Department on a plan for consolidating its two offices in Rosslyn into one office in either Rosslyn, Ballston, Pentagon City or Crystal City. [Washington Business Journal]

Ohio Woman Charged in Arlington Boy’s Death — A 62-year-old woman has been charged in the death of 8-year-old Ashlawn Elementary student Eli Sachar. Police in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, have charged Christine Gregory with aggravated vehicular homicide, reckless operation and failure to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, after she struck Eli and his family with her car as they were crossing a street while visiting the town. [WKYC]

County Board to Vote on Alternative Streetcar Funding Plan

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 17, 2014 at 5:30PM | Updated July 17, 2014 at 5:54PM

County Manager Barbara Donnellan presented an alternative streetcar funding plan to the Board this afternoon, one that includes no federal funding, accelerates the project’s schedule by a year and slashes the estimated budget by $25 million.

Board members Libby Garvey and John Vihstadt, the County Board’s two streetcar opponents, grilled county Transportation Director Dennis Leach and other county staff about the reliability of state funds and the county’s projections. Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne announced last week that the state would contribute up to $65 million to the project.

Howze Calls for Public Land Use Discussion

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 17, 2014 at 3:30PM

Howze is running for a four-year term on the County Board in the general election Nov. 4 against Republican- and Green-backed independent John Vihstadt, who defeated Howze in a special election for the Board seat in April.

The county has promoted its “Public Land for Public Good” platform during its deliberations over the 2015-2024 Capital Improvement Plan. County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s recommendation for moving a fire station to green space near Marymount University and the Arlington School Board’s proposal to build an elementary school on a park next to Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) have drawn criticism for, among other reasons, not including sufficient community input.

Motorcycle Wreck Seriously Injures One

By ARLnow.com

Published July 17, 2014 at 12:30PM | Updated July 11, 2017 at 4:44PM

The accident was reported around 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of N. Glebe Road and Little Falls Road. Witnesses say the motorcyclist hit a curb and then hit the pavement, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani.

Medics responded and transported the biker, who suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, to the trauma center at Inova Fairfax Hospital, Marchegiani said.

Arlington DHS Could Move All Programs to Sequoia Plaza

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 17, 2014 at 11:30AM | Updated July 17, 2014 at 12:04PM

The Arlington County Board will decide next Tuesday whether to approve leasing an additional 72,742 square feet in the three buildings at Sequoia Plaza — 3,469 square feet in Sequoia Plaza Building 1, 10,994 square feet in Building 2 and all 58,279 square feet of Building 3. The county’s lease for this space, in additional to a renewal of the current 144,740 square feet it occupies in Building 1, would run through June 2030.

The additional space will occupy DHS programs currently housed in five buildings around the county, including three within walking distance of Virginia Hospital Center. The buildings and programs are as follows:

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 17, 2014 at 9:30AM

Pentagon Row Concert Series Starts Tonight — The summer concert series at Pentagon Row starts tonight with Philadelphia-based cover band Kristen and the Noise. The concerts are held every Thursday night from 7:00-9:00 p.m., through Aug. 21. [Pentagon Row]

District Taco Coming to Bethesda — Local, Arlington-based Mexican restaurant chain District Taco plans to open a location in Bethesda in 2016. The Bethesda location is expected to be District Taco’s first in Maryland. [Bethesda Now]

Apartments Replacing Jay’s Saloon Could be Approved This Week

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 16, 2014 at 5:10PM

Rendering of the 10th Street Flats mixed-use development (image via Arlington County)

The long-planned development that would knock down Clarendon dive bar Jay’s Saloon and Grille (3114 10th Street N.) and several other businesses could be formally approved by the Arlington County Board this Saturday.

If approved, Jay’s co-owner Kathi Moore, who owns the restaurant with her ex-husband, Jay Moore, told ARLnow.com today that she’s been given until Spring 2015 before she has to close down. Jay’s has been operating with the knowledge they could be closed down for the development since 2011.