News

Burglar Brandishes Blade — From ACPD: “2000 block of N. Cleveland Street… at approximately 11:00 p.m. on December 6, the male victim was inside his residence when the male suspect, who is known to him, made entry into the victim’s home. The suspect then brandished a knife, made threatening statements and stole clothing items. The victim subsequently left the residence and no injuries were reported.” [Twitter]

Officers Graduate from Academy — “December 9, 2024, marked a significant milestone for Arlington County Police Department’s 17 newest officers as Session 151 graduated from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. Family, friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate their achievements.” [ACPD]

DCA Gun Seizure Ties Record — “Transportation Security Administration officers found the .380 caliber handgun loaded with seven bullets in the West Virginia woman’s carry-on items. Metropolitan Washington Airport [Authority] Police then confiscated the handgun and cited the woman, according to the TSA. This was the 39th firearm TSA officers detected at the airport this year, which ties the 2023 record.” [Patch]

Arlington, Pizza Powerhouse — Three local chains just earned international recognition from the prestigious 50 Top Pizza guide: Pupatella and Wiseguy Pizza on the “Excellent Pizza Chains” list, and Stellina Pizzeria on the “50 Top World Artisan Pizza Chains” list. Each started small locally — Pupatella as a Ballston food cart, Wiseguy and Stellina with single locations — before expanding across the D.C. area with their takes on Neapolitan, New York-style and modern Italian pies. [50 Top Pizza]

Oyster Bar Shucked? — “Rappaport has begun marketing King Street Oyster Bar’s planned Pentagon City location to other prospective tenants as the 10-year-old restaurant chain founded by Rick Allison and Jorge Esguerra weighs whether to move forward with its planned outpost across from the stalled second phase of Amazon.com Inc.’s HQ2.” [WBJ]

Metro Incident Examined — The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission revealed at its Tuesday meeting details of an October 2023 incident involving reports of a possible explosive thrown onto a Blue Line train at the Arlington Cemetery station. There was a 24-minute delay in evacuating the train and having bomb squad units investigate, due to miscommunication between the train operator and Metro’s control center. The supposed explosives turned out to be fireworks set off by riders. [Twitter]

Arlington ZIP Among Priciest — “The next two most expensive ZIP codes in the D.C. region are in the metropolitan area. The median price in 22066 (Great Falls, Virginia) is $2.4 million. That is followed by 22101 (McLean, Virginia) with a median price of $2.2 million. ZIP code 22207 in Arlington, Virginia, ranked next with the median selling price of $1.5 million.” [WTOP]

It’s Wednesday — Heavy rain and patchy fog are expected, with temperatures rising to 63°F by 10am before dropping to 47°F later in the day. Breezy conditions will prevail, with south winds at 11-16 mph turning northwest and increasing to 19-24 mph in the afternoon, plus gusts up to 33 mph. Total precipitation of 1-2 inches is possible. Tonight there’s a 40% chance of rain before 10pm, followed by cloudy skies that will gradually clear with a low of 32°F. West winds will be breezy at 18-23 mph, decreasing to 11-16 mph after midnight, with gusts up to 32 mph. [NWS, Capital Weather Gang]

Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “This impatient driver ran off the road and crashed seconds after this maneuver. This was just after midnight on the ramp from 110N to I-66W in the Rosslyn area. If you look closely, you can just make out the car leaving the road. The two young men in the car apparently left the scene but called police and EMS a couple of hours later from the Exxon at Wilson Blvd and N. Rhodes St.” [Twitter]

Osprey Fleet Grounded Again — “The U.S. military is again pausing Osprey aircraft flights following a near-crash last month. This is the latest setback for the U.S. Osprey fleet, which was temporarily grounded last year following a series of fatal crashes in recent years.” Among those fatal incidents was a crash in Australia that killed a Marine from Arlington. [Axios]

Gun Arrest in Shirlington — “At approximately 10:24 a.m. on December 7, police were dispatched to Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road for the report of a suspicious person. The preliminary investigation determined that the male suspect was allegedly acting disorderly and manipulating what appeared to be a firearm before leaving the area. A lookout was broadcast, and responding officers subsequently located the suspect in the area of S. Randolph Street and S. Quincy Street.” [ACPD]

Ballston Metro Meeting Tonight — “Plans for a new $177 million west entrance to the Ballston Metro station are beginning to solidify… A public hearing on the project is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street).” [ARLnow]

Options for Regional Transit Funding — A total of 15 different options, from regional taxes to longer toll hours on Interstate 66, are on the table as local leaders aim to find dedicated revenue streams to fund the area’s transit network. A consultant for the legislative subcommittee looking into the issue will put dollar figures to each of those options next year, with final decisions likely in 2026. [FFXnow]

Smart Home Open House — Alarm.com will host a free holiday open house at its Smart Home Demonstration Center in Falls Church, at 111 Pennsylvania Avenue, this Thursday from 5-7 p.m. The event is open to the public and will showcase the company’s latest home security technology alongside holiday activities including visits with Santa, complimentary treats, and a donation drive benefiting Northern Virginia Family Service.

It’s Tuesday — There’s a chance of rain in the afternoon, with otherwise cloudy skies and a high around 61. Tuesday night brings rain, potentially heavy, a low of 55, south winds at 7-10 mph, and a 100% chance of precipitation; new rainfall may reach up to three quarters of an inch. [NWS]