News | ARLnow.com

County Board Approves Zoning Change to Benefit Duplex Owners

Published September 15, 2020 at 10:40AM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:26AM

(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) The County Board over the weekend approved a zoning change that will make life a bit easier for owners of a few hundred duplexes in Arlington.

The change affects “non-conforming” duplexes in certain zoning districts, which under existing zoning code were prohibited from any exterior change or expansion without permission of the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals. Single-family home owners in the same districts are allowed to make such changes by right, without a zoning variance.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 15, 2020 at 6:00AM | Updated September 15, 2020 at 9:20AM

Western Smoke Causing Hazy Skies — “The local National Weather Service office pointed out today in its technical discussion that the smoke is caught in the jet stream and moving overhead around 20,000 to 25,000 feet high. Smoke from the historic fires out West now covers much of the country, and it is expected to continue to be an issue in the days ahead.” [Washington Post, Twitter]

Board Approves Road Project — “Arlington County Board members on Sept. 12 approved a contract worth up to $805,000 for improvements to the intersection of 18th Street North with North Glebe Road and North Wakefield Street, aimed at providing a better walking and biking experience for children and others headed to Glebe Elementary School.” [InsideNova. Arlington County]

Board Approves Gun Ban in County Buildings and Parks

By ARLnow.com

Published September 14, 2020 at 3:55PM

The Arlington County Board over the weekend voted to ban guns in county buildings, parks and at some special events.

The new ordinance was made possible by the Virginia General Assembly, which recently approved legislation allowing localities to adopt certain prohibitions on firearms.

County Board Expresses Support for Changing County Logo

By ARLnow.com

Published September 14, 2020 at 2:30PM | Updated September 14, 2020 at 2:56PM

Arlington County Board member Takis Karantonis holds up his business card, with the county logo, at the Sept. 12 Board meeting (via Arlington NAACP)

(Updated at 2:55 p.m.) A month and a half ago, the Arlington branch of the NAACP publicly called for the county’s logo to be changed. Over the weekend, members of the County Board voiced support for that change.

Arlington’s logo, along with its flag, depicts Arlington House, the county’s namesake that sits atop a hill in Arlington National Cemetery. The house was built by enslaved persons in the early 1800s on the orders of George Washington Parke Custis, George Washington’s adopted son.

County Board OKs New $14 Million, Amazon-Funded Park in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Published September 14, 2020 at 11:40AM | Updated September 14, 2020 at 12:02PM

Metropolitan Park Central Green rendering (via Arlington County)

The Arlington County Board has given its unanimous stamp of approval to plans for a revamped public park in the shadow of Amazon’s HQ2.

The Board approved a master plan and design guidelines for Pentagon City’s Metropolitan Park, which as currently configured is perhaps best known for being a large patch of grass where dogs from neighboring apartment buildings relieve themselves.

Coronavirus Update: About 100 New Cases in Arlington Per Week

By ARLnow.com

Published September 14, 2020 at 10:40AM

(Updated at 10:50 a.m.) The coronavirus does not appear to be going away anytime soon in Arlington, but for the time being it’s not getting significantly worse, either.

Around 12 to 16 people are testing positive for COVID-19 in Arlington each day, according to the latest data from the Virginia Dept. of Health. The seven-day rolling average of new cases has bumped around that range since the first week of the month and currently stands at 14.4.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 14, 2020 at 6:00AM

Garvey Stands By Streetcar Stance — “It cost her the goodwill of many in the county’s Democratic ranks, and four years ago nearly cost her her job, but Libby Garvey says she has no regrets. Garvey, now seeking a third full term on the Arlington County Board, used the Sept. 8 Arlington County Civic Federation candidate forum to remind voters of her full-throttle opposition to the Columbia Pike streetcar system – the biggest political controversy of recent years.” [InsideNova]

Local Man Facing Child Porn Charges — “An Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation by state and local agencies has resulted in the arrest of an Arlington man. Detectives arrested Luis Hernandez Orozco, 25, and charged him with two counts of Possession of Child Pornography. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility.” [Arlington County]

School Board Candidates Speak Out on Budget in Online Forum

By Sydney Hawkins

Published September 11, 2020 at 3:55PM

The candidates for School Board this November are weighing on how they might approach the prospect of additional cuts to the Arlington Public Schools budget next year.

The pandemic forced Arlington Public Schools to slash millions from its budget this year, and additional budget pressures may be ahead. The candidates — independent candidate Symone Walker, and Cristina Diaz-Torres and David Priddy, who received the Democratic endorsement — were asked about that during an online forum this past Tuesday (Sept. 8), hosted by the Arlington County Civic Federation.

Falls Church Police Investigating Homicide at Eden Center Nightclub

By ARLnow.com

Published September 11, 2020 at 9:50AM

A man was shot and killed outside a nightclub in the Eden Center just after midnight this morning.

Falls Church police say the shooting happened outside Diva Lounge, which is located at 6763 Wilson Blvd, in the rear of the shopping center near Planet Fitness.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 11, 2020 at 7:30AM

Flag displayed at the Pentagon in remembrance of 9/11 (file photo)

County Board to Consider Bridge Pact — “The Arlington and Alexandria governments are planning to formalize their long-shared responsibilities for maintenance of five bridges that span Four Mile Run between the two communities. The new agreement sets out the share of funding for future short-term and long-term rehabilitation of the five bridges – at West Glebe Road, Arlington Ridge Road, Shirlington Road, Route 1 and Potomac Avenue – as well as maintenance costs.” [InsideNova]

Meal Donation to Hospital — Per a spokeswoman: “At 12:45 p.m., roughly 1,500 meals from local restaurants will be delivered to Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington as part of a 9/11 Day and World Central Kitchen initiative to support first responders and frontline healthcare workers on the 19th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The local restaurants participating in the delivery to Virginia Hospital Center are Arepa Zone, La Ceiba and Bistro Bis.”

Arlington Native Illustrates Cover Of MAD Magazine

By Joseph Ramos

Published September 10, 2020 at 3:35PM

Isabel Samaras, who grew up in Arlington, has illustrated the cover of MAD Magazine’s October issue.

The cover is for MAD’s “Super Spooferheroes” issue and depicts Wonder Woman’s “Lasso of Tooth” extracting a tooth from the magazine’s iconic cover boy. Samaras is only the second woman to illustrate a MAD cover in the magazine’s 68 year history.

County Planning $1.5 Million Sewage Main Rehab Project

By ARLnow.com

Published September 10, 2020 at 2:30PM | Updated September 10, 2020 at 4:34PM

Arlington County is planning to rehabilitate a nearly half-mile long sewage main along Military Road in North Arlington.

The Gulf Run Sanitary Force Main helps transport sewage uphill in some of the far northern reaches of the county. According to a county staff report, the main was built more than 55 years ago and is due for a rehabilitation.