News | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published March 10, 2021 at 7:30AM

Future of Fairlington Fire Station — “A community process to determine the future of Fairlington’s 1940s-era, one-bay fire station has been on hold during the COVID crisis, but may be tackled later in the year, a top community leader says. The Arlington government in late 2018 closed Fire Station #7 over concerns about the structural integrity of its flooring.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington’s Affordable Housing Effort — “Some jurisdictions are building more homes than others. Of 10 localities analyzed by HAND’s Housing Indicator Tool, D.C. and Arlington County are closest to meeting some affordable housing targets recommended by the Urban Institute… For its part, Arlington County has excelled at adding more homes for low-middle-income households, but has built virtually none for the most vulnerable households in the last two years.” [DCist]

JUST IN: Fire on Top of High-Rise Condo in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published March 9, 2021 at 3:20PM | Updated March 9, 2021 at 9:27PM

Turnberry Tower roof fire (courtesy photo)

(Updated at 9:25 p.m.) Firefighters responded to the high-end Turnberry Tower condo building in Rosslyn to battle a reported fire on the roof Tuesday afternoon.

An HVAC unit caught fire atop the high-rise building, sending a small column of dark smoke rising in the air. The fire was quickly extinguished after firefighters made it onto the roof.

Controversial Dr. Seuss Titles to Remain at Library, But Won’t Be Replaced

By Matt Blitz

Published March 9, 2021 at 11:30AM

Six controversial Dr. Seuss titles will remain in circulation at Arlington Public Library, though they will not be replaced.

On Monday, Arlington Public Library made a statement similar to that of many libraries across the country, detailing how they are dealing with mid-20th century Dr. Seuss titles that depict “harmful stereotypes.” The library revealed that existing titles will stay on shelves.

One Year Ago: The First Reported Coronavirus Case in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published March 9, 2021 at 10:55AM

It was one year ago today that the first “presumptive” coronavirus case in Arlington was announced by county and state officials.

Though the first Northern Virginia coronavirus patient had started feeling symptoms three weeks prior, on Feb. 16, this first Arlington case was a mental turning point, making the pandemic feel close to home for county residents. Tens of thousands read ARLnow’s article that day, making it the third-most-read story of the year.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 9, 2021 at 6:00AM | Updated March 9, 2021 at 8:47AM

Changes for Patent Offices in Shirlington? — “The Alexandria-based gatekeeper for U.S. patents and trademarks is working with the General Services Administration on a plan to shed excess space in Northern Virginia previously occupied by employees now working from home under ‘maximum telework’ imposed by the federal government to slow the spread of Covid-19, according to sources familiar with the situation. That could include relinquishing as much as a combined 1 million square feet in Arlington’s Shirlington area as well as its main headquarters in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood.” [Washington Business Journal]

Sun Gazette Revamps Website — “The Sun Gazette over the past decade or so has not had its own full-service Website. But if you’re reading this, you can see that has changed, as we threw the switch over the weekend on a site that, hopefully, will become the one-stop shop for the communities we serve.” [Sun Gazette]

Leaders Say Arlington Has the Ecosystem to be the Next Austin or Miami

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 8, 2021 at 3:30PM

Local business development leaders say Arlington can compete with the emerging tech hubs of Austin and Miami.

Those cities are attracting some Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and companies in search of a lower cost of living and doing business. Last year, Austin made deals with 39 companies, and Miami saw an influx of venture capital dollars and firms.

Metro Fast-Tracking Repairs on Yellow Line Bridge and Tunnels

By Matt Blitz

Published March 8, 2021 at 11:55AM | Updated March 8, 2021 at 4:21PM

Yellow Line Metro bridge over the Potomac (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

(Update 4:25 p.m.) Metro is fast-tracking repairs on the Yellow Line bridge and tunnels.

The transit agency is preparing for a major capital project to rehab the 3,000-foot-long Yellow Line bridge that crosses over the Potomac River, connecting D.C. to Arlington.

Average Daily Vaccinations in Arlington Remain Above 1,000

By ARLnow.com

Published March 8, 2021 at 11:15AM

More than 1,000 vaccine doses are being administered per day in Arlington, on average.

The seven-day trailing average of vaccine doses given in Arlington has remained above 1,000 for the past 10 days. As of this morning, it stands at 1,139.

AP: Arlington Firefighters Were Only Medics on Capitol Steps During Peak of Jan. 6 Chaos

By ARLnow.com

Published March 8, 2021 at 10:00AM

The U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, as seen from Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Two Arlington County firefighters were the only paramedics present at ground zero of the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, treating and triaging injured law enforcement officers and attackers alike.

That’s according to a new report from the Associated Press, citing dozens of documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 8, 2021 at 6:00AM

County Offering New Walk-Up COVID Testing — “Arlington County is launching a mobile, no-cost to patients, walk-up testing service in partnership with Quest Diagnostics. The mobile testing command center will open Tuesday, March 9, at 1429 N. Quincy Street, replacing the current drive-through testing site at that location. It will operate at that location for two weeks, Monday-Friday from 9 A.M – 4 P.M. Then it will move to new locations on a two to three-week rotational basis to offer walk-up COVID-19 testing throughout the County.” [Arlington County]

BID: National Landing is ‘Over-Parked’ — “Right now, we’re over-parked. We [were] originally built during a period that prized the automobile, but we were also fortunate enough to grow into a Metro system, and a number of other modes opened up possibilities for growth and development that are truly sustainable. What we’re seeing with new development is a ticking down of parking requirements. So we are focused on being a transit-oriented community, a multimodal community. The future is not cars.” [Smart Cities Dive]

Survey Seeks Input on Potential Names for New School at Reed Site

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 5, 2021 at 10:30AM | Updated March 5, 2021 at 11:08AM

Construction on the new school at the Reed site in Westover (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) A new name is on the horizon for the elementary school at the Reed site in Westover, which is under construction and slated to open in August.

A naming committee, formed in January, is asking students, parents, staff and community members to narrow down five possible names: Cardinal, Compass, Exploration, Kaleidoscope and Passport. Respondents can pick their top three and share their perspectives.

Appointments Remain Scarce at Retail Pharmacies Offering Vaccines

By Matt Blitz

Published March 5, 2021 at 9:30AM

A vaccine shot (via Arlington County/YouTube)

For those Arlingtonians still waiting to get their vaccination, the list of options for getting it is growing.

While getting vaccinated through the county remains an option for all currently eligible groups, residents 65 and older have a lengthening list of stores at which they can receive the vaccine.