News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rain drops in a puddle in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Video of Glebe Road Crash — From Dave Statter: “Crash on S. Glebe near Route 50 in just before 3 pm. You never know what’s on the other side of a bus. @ArlingtonVaFD & @ArlingtonVaPD handled.” [Twitter]

County Board Appointment Coming — “Who it will be is a pretty open secret at this point, but Arlington County Board members have not yet formally announced their choice to fill the County Board seat left vacant by the recent resignation of Katie Cristol… The appointment, likely to come after a public hearing at the July 15 board meeting, is likely to be followed by a swearing-in ceremony on July 18.” [Gazette Leader, Twitter]

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BREAKING: Water rescue underway in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
Water rescues along S. Joyce Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) Arlington County firefighters conducted water rescues in the Pentagon City area this afternoon amid torrential downpours.

Initial reports suggest that three cars were stuck in high water along S. Joyce Street between Army Navy Drive and Columbia Pike, and that multiple people — including an elderly person with disabilities — were stranded, either in their vehicles or on the concrete median.

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‘Arlington’s Judge Judy,’ Hon. Judith Wheat, makes history as first woman Circuit Court Chief Judge

By Jo DeVoe
Hon. Judith Wheat when she joined the Arlington County Circuit Court bench in 2019 (via Sudeep Bose/YouTube)

When Hon. Judith Wheat became Chief Judge of the Arlington County Circuit Court last week, she made history on two fronts.

She is the first woman Chief Judge the Circuit Court has ever had and, with her in the role, all three local courts now have a woman presiding as the lead judge.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Construction in Ballston at 600 N. Glebe Road (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Synetic Leaving Crystal City Venue — “Synetic Theater announced Thursday that it’s been asked to leave its Crystal City home of nearly 15 years by April 30 of next year…. the theater is ‘working to secure reliable local spaces to continue our work,’ and Managing Director Ben Cunis said in an interview that the theater is ‘in talks with Arlington County about what spaces we can use in the short and the mid-term.'” [Washington Business Journal, Synetic Theater]

Fundraiser for Crash Victims — “A friend of two people killed in a car crash in Arlington on July 4 is holding an online fundraising campaign to help their families with funeral costs. Furkan Avkan, 23, who was driving the car, and 21-year-old Habiba Harbaoui, a passenger in the car, both died in the crash.” [Patch, GoFundMe]

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A first-time home buying program faces headwinds from Arlington’s hot real estate market

By Jo DeVoe
Real estate for sale sign in the Arlington Heights neighborhood (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at noon on 7/10/23) Recently, a family of five with three boys bought a two-bedroom home with a den in Arlington, thanks in part to a little-known county program that helps first-time homebuyers secure a mortgage with small loans.

“They were completely comfortable with that,” says Karen Serfis, a program manager with Latino Economic Development Center, who helped the family work with the county to get the loan. “Not everybody wants to live in a two-bedroom with a den but they wanted to stay in Arlington.”

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NEW: More than a dozen Missing Middle permit applications are in the works so far

By Jo DeVoe
Future EHO development location: 3804 13th Street N. (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Eight permit applications for Missing Middle housing proposals have been accepted by Arlington County since Saturday, the first day for such filings.

Another seven are at various stages of completion, marked “application complete” or “awaiting plans and documents,” according to permit records, as of Wednesday afternoon.

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Arlington champions Moore’s Barber Shop as it charts new course for historic preservation

By Jo DeVoe
James Moore, Jr. cuts a client's hair at his barber shop on Langston Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Moore’s Barber Shop, in Arlington’s historically Black neighborhood of Halls Hill, has survived Covid and remained in business despite competition from low-cost chains.

Its secret, according to owner James Moore Jr., is not a business strategy or particularly talented barber — it is community. In a video (below) produced by Arlington County recently, he muses this must be what motivated his local government to offer to support in any way it could.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
As seen in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Doctor Pleads to Workplace Assault — From attorney and former Virginia lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax: “Today in #Arlington General District Court, [a local doctor who owns several local urgent care clinics] pled ‘No Contest’ regarding a terrifying at-work assault & battery.” [Twitter, Fox 5]

Historic Designation for Haunted House? — “A home that someday could become a local historic district comes with an added attraction – visitors from the spirit world. The property was the home for decades to a self-described clairvoyant who would host seances there. And even today, ghosts are reported to remain in residence.” [Gazette Leader]

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JUST IN: Flash Flood Warning issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Flash Flood Warning on 7/5/23

A slow-moving thunderstorm is hovering over northern and western portions of Arlington, prompting a Flash Flood Warning.

The storm is dropping copious amounts of rain, which could cause streams to overtop their banks and basements to flood. The warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m.

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After Covid, Ballston BID seeks to increase in-person work and encourage influx of residents

By Hallie LeTendre
Ballston at twilight (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 6:20 p.m.) Post-pandemic, the Ballston Business Improvement District says it will do what it takes to entice remote workers back to the office and attract new residents.

Like other business districts across the country, Ballston has had to weather a slow return-to-work environment as well as permanent changes to where, and how, people work. Compared to peer districts, like downtown D.C., the BID says Ballston was buoyed by a influx of young, highly educated and high-earning residents, who choose to live there for its walkability and transit access.

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ACFD responds to townhouse fire in East Falls Church, fireworks-sparked blaze at apartment building

By ARLnow.com
Response to townhouse fire in East Falls Church (photo courtesy anonymous)

(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) A townhouse in the East Falls Church neighborhood was badly damaged by a fire last night.

The fire broke out in a middle-of-the-row townhouse on the 6500 block of Washington Blvd around 11:30 p.m. on July 4. A large fire department response to the blaze blocked traffic near the intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Sycamore Street, one block from the Metro station.

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