News | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published January 31, 2023 at 7:30AM

Loops in a local parking garage (Flickr pool photo by Emma K. Alexandra)

Rent Growth Slowed in 2022 — “Add together the past five years… and the Arlington apartment market has somewhat underperformed the nation as a whole, according to new data… But that’s largely owing to the steep initial decline in apartment rents at the very start of the pandemic… 2020: -13% in Arlington, -1% nationwide. 2021: +16% in Arlington, +18% nationwide. 2022: +4% in Arlington, +4% nationwide.” [Sun Gazette]

County Board Statement on Tyre Nichols — “While we are centered on supporting the Memphis community in healing from this tragic event, we know that our community wants reassurance that this won’t happen in Arlington. The Arlington County Police Department is dedicated to a culture of caring and respect, not excessive force, cruelty or violence. The standards set for and upheld by our officers are important in cultivating this culture.” [Arlington County]

Food security coalition gets to work tackling hunger in Arlington

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 30, 2023 at 3:45PM

Arlington Assembly of God kitchen (courtesy of Stephanie Hopkins)

A new coalition will tackle how Arlington nonprofits and county government distribute food and support people who are food insecure.

The group held its kick-off meeting at Central Library last week, attended by 65 people. It will be focused on three areas: improving food access, increasing outreach to the community and making systemic change through policy advocacy.

Crime report: ACPD investigating gunfire in two neighborhoods, ACFD arrests arson suspect

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2023 at 1:35PM

Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Arlington County police are investigating two separate incidents of gunfire overnight.

The first happened in the Green Valley neighborhood, where shots were fired shortly after 10:30 p.m. and police found a possible blood trail, according to scanner traffic.

Plaza’s public peeing problem prompts possible portable provision, permanent potty planning process

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 30, 2023 at 11:30AM | Updated May 17, 2023 at 2:27PM

The Shelton Apartments and the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The area around the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square has a public urination problem.

The square used to be a grassy area with trees, until it was closed off for the construction of the neighborhood hub. With nowhere else to go, people began relieving themselves on the sidewalk along 24th Street S., we’re told.

Arlington teen arrested after another teen shot to death in Alexandria

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2023 at 9:35AM

Courtyard by Marriott Alexandria Pentagon South (via Google Maps)

A 17-year-old Arlington boy is in custody after another teen was shot to death in an Alexandria hotel over the weekend

The shooting happened Friday night on an upper floor of the Courtyard by Marriott Alexandria Pentagon South Hotel, along I-395 near the Mark Center, according to scanner traffic.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2023 at 7:30AM

A house set to be torn down and replaced with new construction in North Arlington (staff photo)

Shots Fired Investigation in Green Valley — From the Arlington County Police Department: “ACPD is investigating the report of shots heard in the area of 25th Street S. and S. Kenwood Street. At this time, no injuries have been reported. Police remain on scene investigating and a police helicopter is assisting with an aerial search of the area.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Local Statements on Tyre Nichols — Both the Arlington County Police Department and Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti issued statements over the weekend following the release of video showing the murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers. [Twitter, Twitter]

Workers laying foundation for new ART bus facility in Green Valley

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 27, 2023 at 2:00PM | Updated January 27, 2023 at 3:44PM

ART Bus facility construction in Green Valley (via Arlington County)

(Updated 3:40 p.m.) Work is ramping up on a new Arlington County bus maintenance building and parking garage in Green Valley.

Crews are set to wrap up laying the foundation for the Arlington Transit (ART) Operations and Maintenance Facility at the end of this month, says Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Alyson Jordan Tomaszewski.

Del. Hope files legislation to exempt scouting troops from personal property taxes

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 27, 2023 at 9:30AM

Local Boy Scouts of America and Girls Scouts troops in Virginia may get some tax relief — if a local lawmakers succeeds in modifying the state constitution.

Inspired by the testimony of one Arlington Boy Scout, Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) has introduced legislation that would exempt property owned and used by the organization “solely for the purpose of supporting” troops from personal property taxes.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 27, 2023 at 7:30AM

Long Bridge Park at dusk (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Limits to Ranked Choice Voting — “The field may be as many as a half-dozen by the time the dust settles, but for voters in June’s Arlington County Board Democratic primary, there will be some limits on how many candidates one can rank as part of the new instant-runoff process. Technical constraints mean that voters will only be able to select their top three choices, no matter how many candidates emerge, county elections chief Gretchen Reinemeyer confirmed.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington’s Busiest Battalion Chief — From the Arlington County Fire Department: “The busiest Battalion Chief (BC) for the ACFD in 2022 was Battalion 111 with over 1,000 calls for the year. BC’s are dispatched on all significant incidents to serve in a command capacity. Day to day they manage their battalions which are comprised of multiple fire stations.” [Twitter]

JUST IN: Armed carjacking reported in Pentagon City after carjacked vehicle crashes nearby

By ARLnow.com

Published January 26, 2023 at 10:50PM | Updated January 27, 2023 at 12:30PM

Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) Police are investigating a crash and carjacking that occurred just blocks apart and around the same time, in Pentagon City.

Arlington County police responded to a crash around 9:20 p.m. Thursday night on Route 1 at 12th Street S. The driver fled the scene prior to police arriving and “the investigation determined the involved vehicle had previously been reported stolen in a carjacking in Washington D.C.,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.

A recent mini-rash of student deaths is part of deepening mental health crisis among local youth

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 26, 2023 at 3:30PM

The Arlington Public Schools Syphax Education Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

There has been a mini-spate of deaths and reported suicide attempts among Arlington Public Schools students in the last month, ARLnow has learned.

A middle schooler died after Christmas and a high schooler died in mid-January, according to sources in the school community.

Arlington seeks funding to increase bus service to Amazon HQ2 via Columbia Pike

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 26, 2023 at 2:30PM

Signs of construction of new bus stops along Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County is applying for regional funding to run buses every six minutes between Fairfax County and Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City during peak hours.

The Arlington County Board on Saturday authorized staff to apply for up to $8 million in Northern Virginia Transportation Commission funding. Funding would offset the operating costs associated with running 10 buses per hour during peak times for two years along a new Metrobus route dubbed the 16M, connecting the Skyline complex in the Bailey’s Crossroads area of Fairfax County down Columbia Pike, to Pentagon City and Crystal City.