It could be an uphill battle at best, but an Arlington government advisory body wants the state and local governments to loosen restrictions on religious congregations seeking to turn their parcels into affordable housing.
Members of the Housing Commission in September voted to include the proposal on a list of priorities for consideration by the County Board in advance of the 2025 General Assembly session.
A teacher at Washington-Liberty High School received a threat the same day articles came out accusing a faculty member there of “drilling students on anti-Israel talking points.”
The Tuesday afternoon dispatch to the school did not say which teacher received the “strong” threats via email, prompting a police response. But it happened as articles were published on the conservative news site The Daily Wire and the New York Post about W-L English teacher Shayma Al-Hanooti.
Candidates for the Falls Church City Council seat on the Nov. 5 ballot are playing it cautiously when it comes to bringing accessory-dwelling units (ADUs) to residential neighborhoods in the city.
The devil, both contenders suggest, is in the details. And those details have yet to be fully fleshed out, they say.
Spin Out on Spout Run — From Dave Statter: “A distant shot shows a car crossing the grass median of Spout Run Parkway and into the opposite lanes before going down an embankment. It happened just before 7 p.m. between the GW Parkway and Lorcom Lane. No serious injuries reported.” [Twitter]
Video: Odd Driving Behavior — Also from Statter: “A man stopped his car for about eight minutes in the middle of N. Pershing west of N. Fillmore. He opened all of the car doors and the video shows him walking around the car. 911 callers said they were threatened by him and some believed he had a gun. A number of drivers backed up and turned around. The man drove off toward N. Glebe Road just before police arrived. @ArlingtonVaPD are checking to see if a man who fled from them along the upper portion of Columbia Pike around 7:45 p.m. is the same person.” [Twitter]
Teen Struck on Langston Blvd — “A student was struck by a driver after school today, just after 4 p.m. on Langston Blvd near the Overlee pool. Per ACPD earlier: ‘The pedestrian, a juvenile female in her teens, was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene. Police remain on scene investigating the circumstances of the crash.'”
Crash Near Crystal City — From ARLnow yesterday evening: “The intersection of S. Glebe Road and S. Eads Street near Crystal City is partially shut down due to a t-bone type crash with injuries and heavy damage to both vehicles. ACPD and medics on scene.” [Twitter]
Local Breast Cancer Events — “Earlier this year, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force dropped the recommended age for women to start breast cancer screenings from 50 to 40. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Raise money, learn about risk factors and show your support for research, survivors and fighters at these local events.” [Arlington Magazine]
Gov. Wants Federal Action on Ports — From Gov. Glenn Youngkin: “The economic fallout from the work stoppage at The Port of Virginia extends well beyond the Commonwealth, as the Port manages approximately $66 billion in essential imports… As a cornerstone of Virginia’s economy, the Port supports 10 percent of the gross state product and supports employment for over half a million jobs in Virginia. The time for leadership is now, President Biden has the tools to remedy this situation.” [Press Release]
Loneliness High in Va. — “Virginia has the third-highest rate of loneliness in the country, according to the latest vibe check from the U.S. Census Bureau. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are a real public health threat — so much so that Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last year issued an advisory on the matter.” [Axios]
It’s Wednesday — Expect isolated showers in the afternoon under cloudy skies, accompanied by a light northeast wind and a high near 71 degrees. The chance of precipitation stands at 20%. For Wednesday night, anticipate mostly cloudy conditions with a low around 61 degrees and calm winds. [NWS]
Last week’s court decision to overturn Missing Middle zoning changes freezes progress on dozens of projects around Arlington, county staff confirmed.
Following the ruling in Arlington Circuit Court, “the County must void all [Expanded Housing Option] permits and halt all review processes related to EHO development,” county spokesperson Ryan Hudson told ARLnow.
Six months after it was first submitted, a request to bestow historic-district status on an Arlington parcel slated for a major redevelopment continues to await action.
The request, formally submitted in April, came from local residents upset with plans by property owner Melwood to redevelop a 1.96-acre parcel on 23rd Street S. in Aurora Highlands as a mixed-use property and, likely, demolish the former Nelly Custis Elementary School on the site.
Arlington County police are looking for a blue sports car involved in a shooting along Route 50 last night.
The incident happened around 8:20 p.m. Monday on Route 50 at N. George Mason Drive. Multiple 911 callers reported shots fired amid an apparent road rage dispute between two drivers, according to scanner traffic.
An Arlington man who shot and killed a man in a Buckingham apartment was sentenced to 33 years in state prison yesterday (Monday).
James Ray Williams, 42, received 30 years for the murder of Sean “Malik” Bowman in 2023. He also received a three-year sentence for the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, in addition to another seven years because he was on probation when he committed these crimes.
An attempted cell phone robbery Saturday night in Ballston was thwarted when people confronted the suspects.
That’s according to the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who turns 100 today, compiled a 1-for-2 record with the Arlington electorate.
The former Georgia governor in his successful 1976 bid for the White House defeated Republican Gerald Ford in the county tally, 32,536 to 30,872, according to data from the county government’s elections office.
Crash on Camera — From Dave Statter: “Making the left turn from the center lane of an interstate highway is rarely a good move. Here’s some video evidence to support that thought. The usual spot of I-395N at Exit 10C. About 1:45 p.m.” [Twitter]
More Local Fall Events — “Fill up your fall with fun activities. Fancy some new artwork? There’s an event for that. Want to down some beers and oysters? There are outings for that, too. From farm days to bookish nights, October will keep you busy.” [Arlington Magazine]
Raising Cane’s in Seven Corners — “Fairfax County’s first location of a popular chicken tender chain is set to open its doors later this week. Raising Cane’s will hold its grand opening at 6363 Seven Corners Center on Thursday (Oct. 3), replacing the former Dogfish Head Alehouse that closed two years ago in the neighborhood’s eponymous shopping center.” [FFXnow]
Push for Emergency Declaration — “Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) alongside Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) wrote a letter to President Biden formally requesting the approval of Virginia’s request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia.” [Press Release]
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month — “September is prostate cancer awareness month, and more men are being diagnosed with advanced cases of the disease, a new report shows. Prostate cancer is deeply personal for News4’s Tony Perkins, who has been open about being diagnosed in 2022. He shared on News4 Today on Monday that after a follow-up biopsy, his doctor told him that his cancer progressed.” [NBC 4]
It’s Tuesday — Expect cloudy conditions with a high near 68 and a 70% chance of showers, accompanied by a northeast wind averaging 8 mph. There may be new precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch. Overnight, there is a slight chance of showers before 2 am. The night will otherwise be cloudy, with a low around 61. The chance of precipitation stands at 20%. [NWS]
On Election Day, Arlington officials plan to have several layers of security in place to ensure all ballots are correct and accounted for.
With early voting now underway, Director of Elections Gretchen Reinemeyer posted a video (below) last week outlining the steps the county takes to arrive at an accurate count of all votes.
