Looser parking restrictions for businesses have arrived in Arlington.
The Arlington County Board unanimously voted on Tuesday to reduce parking minimums for many commercial establishments, while also removing some red tape around off-site parking and shared parking lots.
Arlington’s parks have maintained their ranking as some of the best in the country for the seventh year in a row.
Arlington ranks fifth in the national “ParkScore” rankings released today — the same spot that it held last year, but behind its No. 3 ranking in 2022. The county’s parks have ranked among the top 5 in the nation since 2018.
Southwest Wants DCA-to-Vegas Flight — “Southwest Airlines will officially apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for nonstop flights from Reagan National Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, seeking one of five new round-trip flights from Reagan National authorized through the recent passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act.” [WTOP]
Art at Rosslyn Metro Station — “Metro in partnership with the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) will celebrate the creations of eight local artists as part of a new pop-up art exhibit at the Rosslyn Station, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The new Rosslyn initiative, Art Elevated, aims to infuse the Metro experience in Rosslyn with creativity and inspiration, turning a functional construction site into a canvas for local artistic expression.” [WMATA]
Vehicle Thefts Decline Slightly — “Vehicle thefts across Arlington declined to an average of less than one per day in March, according to new police data. A total of 25 vehicle thefts were recorded for the month, Arlington police said. That’s a decline from 33 in March 2023 and from 30 in March 2022.” [Gazette Leader]
Pike Pedestrian Safety Project — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Crews have begun installing centerline hardening devices on Columbia Pike to slow vehicles making left turns near crosswalks. Another Vision Zero safety project pilot, this one involving five locations across Arlington.” [Twitter]
Foxtrot May Return — “Foxtrot may bounce back into business and reopen marketplaces in the DMV. The upscale café/convenience store was uber-popular, and regulars have mourned Foxtrot’s loss after 10 D.C.-area locations abruptly shuttered last month. Foxtrot founder Mike LaVitola is reportedly involved in a new ownership group working to revive some of the bougie bodegas, according to TheRealDeal.” [Axios]
‘Coffee With a Cop’ This Morning — From Arlington County police: “Enjoy tomorrow’s beautiful sunny weather by starting your morning with ACPD! Join us at Rocky Run Park (1109 N. Barton St.) from 8-9:30 AM for our first Coffee with a Cop event of the year! We can’t wait to share some great coffee & conversation with members of our community!” [Twitter]
Fire at Shirlington Apartment Building — From the Arlington County Fire Department on Tuesday morning: “Units are on the scene of a structure fire in the 4400 BLK of 31st St. South. Avoid the area and seek an alternate route.” [Twitter]
Beyer Weights in on ScoJo AI Spat — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th) is doubling down on a push for new transparency standards after a controversy surrounding OpenAI and actress Scarlett Johansson.” [ALXnow, Press Release]
More Hardware for DJO Softball — “The Knights concluded their 2024 campaign by winning a 12th straight Division I private school state championship (28th overall) to finish 23-0 overall and extend their overall three-season victory string to 54. Plus, the team has now won 36 straight state-tourney contests.” [Gazette Leader]
Record Bikeshare Ridership — “Increasing spring temperatures have brought a surge in Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) trips across the region. The bikesharing network recorded 490,265 rides in April, an increase of 26.0% from April 2023. April’s CaBi ridership is the second busiest month on record, missing the milestone set in October 2023 by less than 1,000 rides.” [Greater Greater Washington]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching around 88 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 5 to 7 mph. As we move into Wednesday night, there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 pm. The sky will become partly cloudy, with lows around 69 degrees and a south wind at 3 to 6 mph. There is a 20% chance of precipitation during the evening. [NWS]
Team has won 12 straight Virginia titles and 28 in program history
It’s normal that many teams set goals for an upcoming season.
Arlington’s efforts to take a privately owned property on Columbia Pike are attracting mounting criticism.
An Arlington County Board candidate, the Arlington View Civic Association, an anti-Missing Middle group, and the property’s conservator have all taken aim at ongoing eminent domain proceedings at 1802 Columbia Pike.
Someone fired gunshots in the Glencarlyn neighborhood early this morning.
Arlington County police were dispatched to the area, near the entrance to Glencarlyn Park, shortly after 3 a.m., after people reported the sound of gunfire.
For weeks, every time Mike Najarro attempted to log into the federal student aid portal, he received an error message about server maintenance.
The Washington-Liberty High School senior watched with growing anxiety as the portal faltered, concerned these technical delays could thwart his chance to be the first in his family to attend college.
Flyover Planned Today — From AlertDC: “The US Military will conduct a flyover at the Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 @ 9:45 AM.”
Candidates Critical of County Service — “The six announced Arlington County Board candidates may not agree on everything. But they all, in various ways, feel the county government is falling short in its interactions with the public that, in theory at least, it serves.” [Gazette Leader]
Metro Satisfaction Rating Rises — “Metro riders have given the system its highest ratings in the past decade, though many remain wary of crime on the rail service amid widely reported shootings in and around stations, a Washington Post-Schar School poll finds. Seventy-seven percent of regular and occasional Metro riders rate the system as ‘excellent’ or ‘good.'” [Washington Post]
Board Again Rejects Mideast Statement — “Pro-Palestinian activists came away empty-handed a third time on May 18, as Arlington County Board members affirmed they would not wade into the Israel-Hamas war. ‘An official stance is not an appropriate step,’ County Board Chairman Libby Garvey said at the end of the board’s public-comment period.” [Gazette Leader]
Call for County Mask Requirement — “A disability-rights advocate is still pressing Arlington government leaders to require masking at county-sponsored events, a move he said would provide a better feeling of security for those at advanced levels of risk for COVID. Those with various disabilities are feeling ‘abandoned and betrayed’ by the societal desire to move on from COVID, ” he said. [Gazette Leader]
Clarendon Lessons for Eden Center — “The Viet Place Collective believes that understanding what happened in Clarendon is critical to ensuring that future redevelopment plans protect the interests of other ethnic enclaves… The Viet Place Collective was formed in 2022 when the City of Falls Church began considering a plan to guide future redevelopment in an area that included the Eden Center, the Vietnamese retail center in Seven Corners.” [Annandale Today]
YHS Baseball Wins District Tourney — “The hard-throwing left-hander hurled the final three innings of hitless and shutout ball to help the host and top-seed Yorktown Patriots (16-5) nip the No. 2 seed McLean Highlanders, 1-0, in the championship game of the Liberty District high-school baseball tournament.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 9am, giving way to a mostly sunny day with a high around 82 and a south wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly clear, with a low temperature near 62 and a south wind around 7 mph. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
Patriots’ reliever Rucker closes with three shutout inning, six strikeouts
Jack Rucker embraces his role as a multi-faceted relief pitcher who enters games in late-inning pressure situations.
A teen was robbed of a phone, cash and an electric scooter by a pair of gun-wielding suspects near Wakefield High School.
That’s according to the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.
An Arlington LGBTQ+ group is calling for better county outreach related to sexual health.
Equality Arlington, which advocated for greater county spending on LGBTQ+ issues this budget cycle, applauded a new $25,000 marketing budget set aside for Arlington Public Health. The group hopes this funding can increase awareness about sexual health testing, prevention and treatment services including a county STI clinic.
It’s always a good idea to wear your seatbelt, but it’s incrementally more of a no brainer today.
Arlington County police are participating in the national Click It or Ticket campaign starting today. The campaign “combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with high-visibility enforcement for unbuckled motorists.”
