Drones could soon figure into the future of public safety in Arlington.
Arlington’s police and fire departments, the Sheriff’s Office and the Dept. of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management are developing a joint program to use drones when responding to public safety and emergency incidents.
Construction has started on a project to “repair and rehabilitate” an ’80s-era parking garage over I-66.
The unique parking structure adjacent to Washington-Liberty High School was in need of work “to improve safety and extend the overall life of the garage.”
Trial Date for Missing Middle Suit — From the anti-Missing Middle group Neighbors for Neighborhoods: “Today, Judge David Schell set the date for a five-day trial, commencing July 8, 2024 trial date in the case against the Arlington County Board seeking to invalidate Missing Middle Housing/Expanded Housing Options (EHO) zoning.” [Press Release]
YHS Playoff Game Tonight — “With one upset already achieved, the seventh-seeded Yorktown Patriots will attempt to continue their Cinderella story in the semifinals of the 6D North Region high-school football tournament. Yorktown (7-4) faces the host and six-seed Westfield Bulldogs (8-3) in that semifinal Friday night, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.” [Gazette Leader]
Relief is coming for a crash-prone intersection in front of the Lubber Run Community Center.
Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services says it is working on an expedited design and construction timeline to install a traffic signal at the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive, near Barrett Elementary School, by the end of 2024.
An Arlington County-owned pickup truck was driven off the side of a small concrete bridge in Lubber Run Park this afternoon.
The low, narrow bridge over Lubber Run is located just to the north of the park’s amphitheater, in the Arlington Forest neighborhood.
Arlington’s two state Senators have landed key leadership roles after Democrats won control of the General Assembly last week.
State Sen. Barbara Favola will continue as Majority Whip, sharing her duties with Richmond’s Sen. Lamont Bagby, according to a Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus press release. Sen. Scott Surovell, who will represent southeastern Fairfax County, is set to become the majority leader.
Arlington County will continue with plans to build dedicated pickleball courts at the Walter Reed Community Center.
The county had mulled pausing the project, putting the question to community members in a survey this spring.
Williamsburg Middle in Va. Top 10 — “Several elementary and middle schools around Virginia are included among the best in the country, according to new rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report. The news outlet based its 2024 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education.” [Patch]
ART Celebrates 25th Anniversary — “Arlington’s transit agency – ART – is rolling into a milestone 25th year of serving the community and providing reliable and sustainable bus service across the County. The bus service, which first launched in 1998 with one route in Crystal City, was established to connect Arlington neighborhoods along with the growing regional transit network anchored by Metrorail and Metrobus.” [Arlington County]
Arlington County is doling out leftover funds from the 2024 fiscal year toward tackling youth substance abuse, public safety and behavioral health challenges it is facing.
Those are three of several buckets that will benefit from the $46.3 million in discretionary close-out funds — almost double what the county had to spend after last fiscal year, $26.9 million. The County Board approved County Manager Mark Schwartz’s spending plan last night (Tuesday).
Widespread speed cameras and more funding for prosecutors are two emerging priorities for Arlington County during the upcoming legislative session.
The Arlington County Board got a first look at its legislative priorities during a meeting last night (Tuesday). They cover a range of topics, from funding for improving public transportation to tackling the behavioral health crisis crippling Arlington and the state.
Historic Resources Plan Approved — “On Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, the Arlington County Board approved an update to the Historic and Cultural Resources Plan (HCRP), concluding a multiyear process to develop a more modern approach to how the County advances the preservation and appreciation of its built and cultural environments.” [Arlington County]
Burglary at Clarendon Smoke Shop — From Dave Statter: “Burglars hit a smoke & vape shop in Arlington County (VA). Video shows two people looking at the business at 2907 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon just after 1:00 a.m. yesterday. A few minutes later, according to @ArlingtonVaPD, the pair broke through the glass of the front door. One of the burglars tripped on the way out less than a minute later.” [Twitter]
Visitors to the Ballston Public Parking Garage this month may have noticed the absence of parking ticket kiosks and gates.
They were replaced with a new contactless parking system last month on Oct. 16.
