A dog with bomb-sniffing capabilities has joined the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 team.
Weaver, a 1.5-year old Labrador retriever, is tasked with ensuring the safety of the Courthouse neighborhood and surrounding areas.
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News
Arlington fire personnel plunged into a high-stakes rescue mission on Friday as Hurricane Helene swept through parts of Southwest Virginia.
The Arlington County Fire Department’s water rescue team arrived in the town of Damascus, about two and a half hours from hard-hit Asheville, N.C., to find a person trapped inside their home and surrounded with “fast moving, debris laden water.”
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Weekend Fire in Ballston — A generator atop an office building at 4350 Fairfax Drive caught fire Saturday morning, prompting a large fire department response. The blaze was quickly extinguished. A power outage was also reported around the scene in Ballston that morning. [Twitter]
Coffey Reacts to EHO Verdict — From Arlington County Board member Maureen Coffey: “I’m incredibly disappointed by today’s ruling & firmly believe we must appeal it. I am proud to be a pro-housing elected official, the only renter on the Arlington County Board, & represent those who wonder whether they have a future in our community after living here for years.” [Twitter]
Library Celebrates Banned Books — “Banned Books Week, an annual, national observance established in 1982 in response to frequent attempts to have books banned, highlights the value of free and open access to information and runs through September 28. The Arlington Public Library is celebrating its own version: Freedom to Read Week.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Talking to the Cheese Lady — “So, in the middle of 2023, my husband Jeff and I said, let’s do something new. There’s more competition. There’s a Harris Teeter there [which includes a Murray’s Cheese counter]. Now, there may have been a time where you could support two Cheesetiques within two miles of each other. We don’t think that’s the case anymore, so let’s do a new concept. And moving in an Italian direction felt very comfortable because it was a world in which we already lived so much.” [Washington Business Journal]
F.C. Art Festival Extended — “‘Due to the serious nature of Hurricane Helene,’ Falls Church Arts’ ‘Scenes in the City’ Plein Air Festival – one of the City of Falls Church’s prized annual art shows – has been moved up to Oct. 12, from its earlier date of Sept. 28, giving outdoor artists in the prize-competition ‘additional time to paint,’ and, hopefully, better weather to complete their submissions.” [Falls Church Independent]
It’s Monday — Expect showers with a high near 70 and a northeast wind at 10 mph, with a 90% chance of precipitation and possible new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch. Monday night will see continued showers, a low around 62, northeast wind at 10 mph, 80% chance of precipitation, and potential new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]
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A three-month-old pilot program to divert food scraps from Arlington’s waste stream is paying dividends, the county government said Sept. 23.
More than 11,000 pounds of food waste has been collected since the launch of the Solid Waste Bureau’s pilot program in early July, officials said. Over 1,000 pounds of food scraps and food-soiled paper are being composted in a typical week.
Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) Director Chad Dotson announced today that for the 11th straight year, Virginia has achieved one of the lowest recidivism rates for re-incarceration in the nation.
Data from the VADOC shows that the Commonwealth’s 19% three-year re-incarceration rate for State Responsible (SR) inmates among the FY2019 cohort is tied for the second-lowest in the United States with Minnesota.
Is a county-government task force the way to advance the ball down the field on proposed changes to the governance structure that has been in place in Arlington for nearly a century?
That’s a request being made by the Arlington County Civic Federation. Whether county officials take the group up on its proposal remains to be seen.
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A circuit court judge has overturned Arlington’s Missing Middle zoning changes.
Judge David Schell ruled against the county on four counts this morning (Friday), finding that the county failed to adequately consider localized impacts, failed to follow proper procedure and violated state tree canopy requirements when adopting the amendments.
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A study on the traffic and safety needs of Carlin Springs Road has been pushed back by over a year.
Following an open house earlier this week about safety concerns on the southern portion of Carlin Springs, county spokesperson Claudia Pors confirmed that the planned Carlin Springs Road Corridor Study will take place in Fiscal Year 2027, which starts on July 1, 2026.
More on Green Pig Plans — “Lewis acquired both restaurants within the past year, having paid $900,000 for the Green Pig in January, and $600,000 for Buena Vida in February, with the intent of making more modest improvements to boost their profitability. When the bistro’s landlord moved to triple rent from $32 per square foot to $60 per square foot, the solution was clear.” [WBJ]
County Board Race Fundraising — “As of Aug. 31, Spain’s political action committee received a total of $167,132 in donations, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, which tracks campaign finance in the state. By comparison, Independent candidate Audrey Clement reported receiving $13,066, Forward Party candidate Madison F. Granger raised $7,082 and Republican Juan Carlos Fierro brought in $1,241.” [Patch]
More Equity Grants — “Arlington County, in collaboration with the United Way of the National Capital Area, has continued funding for an equity-based grant program, “RACE to Rebuilding Trust & Community.” The program is designed to support local organizations’ efforts to address critical community needs.” [Arlington County]
Technology Awards for County — “Arlington was named the No. 1 County Overall in the nation by the Center for Digital Government for its 2024 Government Experience Award. Arlington also won the 2024 Commonwealth Technology Award from the Virginia IT Agency in the Innovative Use of Technology category for its Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Document Search project launched earlier this year.” [Arlington County]
Speed Camera Update — “Speeding near some Arlington County public schools could cost drivers $100. Fines started Wednesday after the Arlington County Police Department installed 10 cameras in selected school zones last month… as of Sept. 23, the latest date available, warnings went out to just over 1,820 drivers.” [DC News Now]
Free Narcan in Arlington — “Thursday is ‘Save a Life Day’, a national campaign that started in West Virginia in 2020… ‘This year we are aiming to dispense over 101,000 boxes of Narcan across the country, as a whole,’ said Emily Siqveland, the Opioid Programs Manager for Arlington County. She told WUSA9 that this year, Arlington County is participating in the campaign for the first time.” [WUSA 9]
More on Green Energy Home — “Four decades ago, energy technology expert Scott Sklar decided to install solar-powered sump pumps in his Arlington, Virginia, home to keep his basement from flooding. Since then, he’s added solar panels and a wind turbine, turning his home into a clean, green, energy machine.” [WTOP]
More on GazetteLeader Acquisition — “We who toil in local newsgathering, and the business operation that supports it, have been on a wild ride over the past two decades. For our part, we can say without reservation or hesitation that the O’Rourke group is high-class and was a pleasure to work under. Departing the local market wasn’t an easy choice for them, but these things happen, and we wish our O’Rourke Media Group colleagues across the company (and country) the very best.” [GazetteLeader]
Trump Rally in Arlington — From the Arlington GOP: “Join WMAL’s Vince Coglianese and Arlington Republicans… Friday, September 27th… as we #TailgateTheVote for President Trump and our GOP candidates outside the Courthouse Early Voting site at 8am. Free coffee and donuts! Bring your yard signs, flags, and campaign swag!” [Twitter]
Nearby: Trump Car Rally — “Some local Donald Trump supporters will rev up their engines this Sunday (Sept. 29) as a display of enthusiasm for the Republican presidential nominee. Organized by activists from the D.C. area’s Vietnamese community… After meeting up, attendees will ultimately drive east to the Eden Center in Falls Church.” [FFXnow]
It’s Friday — Expect showers throughout the day, with patchy fog before 7am and possible thunderstorms after 5pm. The temperature will reach a high of 76°F, accompanied by east winds of 6-11 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. Tonight, showers and potential thunderstorms continue until 2am, while temperatures drop to around 70°F. Winds remain at 6-13 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. [NWS]
A man who led police on a wild, high-speed chase involving gunfire and damage to numerous vehicles has been sentenced to two years of active incarceration.
Ricardo Singleton, 29, was sentenced in Arlington County Circuit Court to a maximum of 15 years in prison last week. However, 13 of the years will be suspended unless Singleton violates the terms of his probation during a five-year period, according to court records.
Solidcore Sold — “The private equity owners of Solidcore Holdings LLC have reached a deal to sell the Arlington-based fitness chain to L Catterton, the private equity firm backed by luxury giant LVMH SE. Terms have not been disclosed, but Reuters reported the deal values Solidcore between $600 million and $700 million. Solidcore’s investors began exploring a sale of the Pilates chain in May.” [WBJ]
Chase Through Arlington — “The Alexandria Police Department said a suspect pursued by the Arlington County Police Department crashed at the intersection of N. Van Dorn Street and W. Braddock Road just off I-395 near Fort Ward. Scanner traffic indicated that the Arlington County Police Department was following up on D.C. police pursuit of a homicide suspect. The suspect drove over the 14th Street Bridge into Arlington on I-395.” [ALXnow, Twitter]
Closures for Clarendon Day — “The 2024 Clarendon Day will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2024, from approximately 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures from approximately 3:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 28 to accommodate the event.” [ACPD]
Governance Task Force Considered — “Is a county-government task force the way to advance the ball down the field on proposed changes to the governance structure that has been in place in Arlington for nearly a century? That’s a request being made by the Arlington County Civic Federation. Whether county officials take the group up on its proposal remains to be seen.” [GazetteLeader]
VHC Launches New Podcast — “Coming soon, VHC Health and the Washington Business Journal will launch a new podcast called Living Well with Alison Starling. Join the former ABC 7News anchor and Emmy Award winner for exclusive conversations with health care advocates and experts on today’s most timely health topics.” [WBJ]
Senior Program Keeping Staff Busy — “An increase in community needs, coupled with staffing challenges, has led the Arlington Area Agency on Aging (AAAA) to cut back slightly on walk-up services for those seeking assistance from the county’s Aging & Disability Resource Center. Walk-ins are now curtailed on Fridays, ‘primarily to give staff time to catch up with their administrative duties.'” [GazettLeader]
Beyer Statement on Crime Stats — “According to the FBI’s release of 2023 hate crimes statistics, only 16,009 agencies out of out of 18,800 agencies nationwide participated in hate crimes data collection. The 2023 hate crimes statistics illustrate the urgent need to improve hate crimes reporting across the country.” [Press Release]
Nearby: Squirrel Befriends Gas Man — “Every day at the Exxon at 4001 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria, attendant Ghulam Rabani has fed peanut M&Ms to a squirrel. ‘I see him every day,’ Rabani told ALXnow. ‘He loves the M&Ms. He’ll take them and hide them and then come back.'” [ALXnow]
Watching Hurricane Helene — “Helene should manage to send its remnant rains our way Friday into Friday night. There’s a chance of some thunderstorms, but the higher threat of severe weather and tornadoes will probably remain to the southwest of the D.C. area… It’s still early to predict rainfall totals with much confidence, but models suggest 0.75 to 2 inches is possible through Sunday night.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Thursday — Expect showers and possible thunderstorms after 11am, with cloudy skies and a high of 79°F accompanied by a south wind at 7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%. For Thursday night, there’s a 20% chance of showers, with otherwise cloudy conditions and a low around 69°F. [NWS]
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Spotted lanternflies continue to appear in Arlington and other parts of Northern Virginia — but while the insects are invasive, experts say there’s no need to panic.
“These invasive insects do not bite, sting, or otherwise harm people or pets,” Virginia Cooperative Extension agent Kirsten Conrad told ARLnow. “They feed on a wide variety of plants and are especially attracted to the invasive non-native Tree of Heaven.”