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Morning Notes

Published March 24, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated March 24, 2022 at 9:09AM

Heavy rain along the Potomac River, with Rosslyn in the background (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Mysterious Bug Bites Reported — Arlington residents are against dealing with red and intensely itchy bug bites, the cause of which is so far unclear. One theory is that last year’s scourge of oak mites are back. [Facebook, WUSA 9]

Catalytic Converter Thefts in Fairlington — “A resident has reported that the catalytic converter on their Toyota Prius was stolen during the night March 21, 2022. The converter was physically cut away from the vehicle. There have been 7 similar thefts of catalytic converters reported from the Fairlington neighborhoods.” [Twitter]

Arlington publishes guide to noise complaints as neighbors protest purported party house

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 23, 2022 at 3:55PM

Alleged "party house" on the 2700 block of N. Nelson Street, when it was for sale in 2020 (staff photo)

Residents of a North Arlington neighborhood say a large house with a huge yard on their quiet cul-de-sac is generating even bigger problems: boisterous parties, underage drinking, fast driving and trash.

“This is worse than an accident waiting to happen; it’s a potential tragedy in the making,” said Darren Trigonoplos, a resident of the Riverwood neighborhood, which borders the George Washington Parkway, during the public comment portion of Saturday’s County Board meeting.

UPDATED: Investigators on scene of reported trash fire at Wakefield HS

By ARLnow.com

Published March 23, 2022 at 2:35PM | Updated March 23, 2022 at 4:11PM

Wakefield High School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) Someone is apparently setting trash cans on fire at Wakefield High School.

Firefighters were on scene at the school this afternoon after a fire in a trash can filled part of the second floor with smoke, according to scanner traffic. It’s the second trash fire in recent days at the school, we’re told.

Ballston-area church explores new uses for parking lot, adjacent land

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 23, 2022 at 11:45AM

Mount Olivet United Methodist Church parking lot (via Google Maps)

The leadership of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church near Ballston is looking to do something about its parking lot.

The 120-spot surface parking lot fronts N. Glebe Road and is separated from the church, located at 1500 N. Glebe Road, by 16th Street N.

UPDATED: Preschool in Ballston evacuated after threat

By ARLnow.com

Published March 23, 2022 at 10:45AM | Updated March 23, 2022 at 12:24PM

Police responding to a telephone threat against The Children's School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Update at 12:25 p.m. — The all clear was given, police told ARLnow around 11 a.m. “The school had elected to evacuate out of an abundance of caution. The all clear has since been given and officers are returning to service,” an ACPD spokeswoman said.

Earlier: The Children’s School, a preschool for the employees of Arlington Public Schools, has been evacuated after a threat.

It’s been a bad 24 hours for light poles in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published March 23, 2022 at 10:00AM | Updated March 23, 2022 at 10:23AM

Light pole destroyed in Key Blvd in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Out of control cars and falling trees have made the past 24 hours the thing of nightmares for local light poles.

The pole carnage started just before 12:30 p.m. yesterday (Tuesday), in Courthouse.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 23, 2022 at 7:30AM

Blossoms are out along Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Police Oversight Board Appointed — “The Arlington County Board is excited to announce the newly appointed members of the Community Oversight Board (COB)… The Oversight Board will consist of seven voting members who are residents of the County and reflect our demographic diversity along with two non-voting members with prior law enforcement experience.” [Arlington County]

Local Chef Feeding Ukraine Refugees — Bayou Bakery owner and chef David Guas is on “the frontlines in Przemyśl, Poland with [José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen], to give a helping hand to the emergency food relief for #UkraineRefugees crossing the border. Guas will be preparing and providing meals to help nourish those communities.” [Instagram]

JUST IN: Police investigating multiple drive-by paintball and pellet gun shootings

By ARLnow.com

Published March 22, 2022 at 7:30PM

File photo

Arlington police say they’re now investigating a series of drive-by paintball and pellet gun shootings.

The shootings are believed to have been inspired by a viral TikTok trend dubbed the “Orbeez challenge,” which has led to numerous reports from across the U.S. of injuries and arrests from people being shot with pellets, paintballs or gel-balls.

Arlington County to promote transit use in post-Covid marketing push

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 22, 2022 at 1:45PM

In the next couple of months, Arlington County will launch a campaign encouraging transit use and thanking people who rode Metro and the bus during Covid.

The campaign, aimed at restoring transit ridership rates to pre-pandemic levels, should kick off later this spring or early this summer and will last at least one year, says Department of Environmental Services Director of Transportation Dennis Leach.

TV studio for home improvement network no longer coming to Rosslyn condo basement

By ARLnow.com

Published March 22, 2022 at 10:15AM

A television studio for a new home improvement TV network will not, in fact, open in the basement of an aging condominium building in Rosslyn.

Plans for an elaborate 4,000+ square foot studio space for WBITN — which stands for We Build It New — were first reported by ARLnow in March 2020. It was supposed to open in a lower level of the River Place South complex at 1011 Arlington Blvd, complete with 15 assigned parking spaces.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 22, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated March 22, 2022 at 8:23AM

Sunset behind homes along 14th St. N. in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Road Improvement Project Discussion — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Tomorrow night: Virtual gabfest on the latest design for THE Ohio Street Safety Project at 12th Road North and 14th Street North.” [Twitter, Arlington County]

Indecent Exposure in Shirlington — “4000 block of Campbell Avenue. At approximately 7:29 p.m. on March 17, police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined that approximately 20 minutes prior, the male suspect entered into the establishment and allegedly exposed himself to the female victims.” [ACPD]

Arlington County Board greenlights two major residential developments

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 21, 2022 at 3:55PM | Updated March 23, 2022 at 9:23AM

Rendering of The Elliott apartments on Columbia Pike (via Arlington County)

This weekend, the Arlington County Board approved two apartment redevelopments that members lauded as architecturally distinct additions to Columbia Pike and Courthouse.

Members heaped praises on “The Elliott,” a new apartment building replacing the Fillmore Gardens shopping center, a one-story retail strip on the 2600 block of Columbia Pike.