Fairlington author Amina Luqman-Dawson has received two awards for her novel, “Freewater.”
The middle-grade book about a secret community of formerly enslaved people living in the wilderness received both the John Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Book Award from the American Library Association. The awards were announced yesterday (Monday).
It has been an eventful couple of weeks for BMW drivers in the Crystal City and Pentagon City area.
Last night another BMW was taken during a carjacking, by suspects who themselves arrived in a BMW. This time it happened outside the 7-Eleven store at the corner of 23rd Street S. and S. Eads Street.
(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) There was a significant police presence at Wakefield High School today after a possible drug overdose.
One student was transported via ambulance from the school in critical condition after being found unresponsive. Four other students were treated on the scene for unspecified issues, according to the Arlington County Police Department.
(Updated at 1:40 p.m.) One person was seriously injured and Bob & Edith’s Diner was damaged after two incidents of gunfire in Arlington last night.
The first shooting happened in the Green Valley neighborhood, near the intersection of 22nd Street S. and S. Kenmore Street, shortly after 11 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing 5-6 gunshots in the area, exchanged between two vehicles, per scanner traffic.
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]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
(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.
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.
