News | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published June 5, 2019 at 7:30AM

Arlington GOP Not As Interested in Local — “The Arlington County Republican Committee’s efforts to regain a toehold in local governance may continue to suffer from a general disinterest in local affairs from many within the party’s rank and file.” [InsideNova]

Housing Initiative Getting Underway — “Arlington County has a shortage of homes, and with Amazon moving in, that pressure is only increasing. Now the county is asking residents about their housing needs and their ideas to address the crunch as part of its Housing Arlington initiative announced earlier this year.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Commonwealth’s Attorney Campaign Fundraising Skyrockets as Primary Nears

By Airey

Published June 4, 2019 at 3:45PM | Updated June 4, 2019 at 7:32PM

Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, left, is challenging Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Total fundraising in the heated race for Arlington and Falls Church’s top prosecutor is nearing an unprecedented $1 million as the June 11 primary approaches.

Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate Parisa Dehghani-Tafti raised $604,682 between April 1 and May 30, in large part due to one political action committee (PAC), according to new campaign finance filings.

Local Nonprofit to Dedicate Garden Honoring Victims, Survivors of Gun Violence

By Michael O'Connell

Published June 4, 2019 at 9:00AM

Volunteers plant flowers near Courthouse Plaza. (Photo courtesy of Mothers Demand Action)

A local non-profit is dedicating a garden in Courthouse in honor of the victims and survivors of gun violence.

The Arlington chapter of Moms Demand Action (MDA) is dedicating the garden on Friday (June 7) from 7-8:30 p.m. The event will begin with a rally at Courthouse Plaza (2100 Clarendon Blvd) and then proceed to the garden, where a formal dedication will take place.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 4, 2019 at 7:30AM

Ray’s the Steaks Closing — “Washington will soon lose a carnivorous institution. Ray’s the Steaks, an unfussy Arlington chophouse that’s operated in the neighborhood for 17 years, will close after service on Saturday, June 15, says chef/owner Michael Landrum.” [Washingtonian]

DOJ Announces APS Settlement — “Today the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced a settlement agreement with Arlington Public Schools that will bolster English language services to the district’s approximately 5,000 students who are not proficient in English.” [Dept. of Justice]

Police: Shot Fired During Dispute in Local Park

By ARLnow.com

Published June 3, 2019 at 1:30PM | Updated June 3, 2019 at 2:04PM

File photo

(Updated at 2 p.m.) Someone fired a gunshot into the air early Saturday morning during a dispute in the Arlington Mill neighborhood.

The incident happened in the area of Tyrol Hill Park, on the 5100 block of 7th Road S., a few blocks north of the Arlington Mill Community Center on Columbia Pike.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 3, 2019 at 7:30AM

Busy Weekend for Fire Department — The Arlington County Fire Department helped to rescue a person trapped in an overturned SUV on northbound I-395 at Glebe Road Saturday evening and battled an attic fire in the Arlington Forest neighborhood early Sunday morning. [Twitter, Twitter]

Arlington’s Top Bond Rating Reaffirmed — “For the 19th year in a row, all three credit ratings agencies have reaffirmed Arlington County’s debt ratings of Aaa/AAA/AAA — the highest rating. Arlington is one of just 48 counties in the United States, and nine in Virginia, to receive the highest rating from all three credit agencies for its bonds.” [Arlington County, Fitch Ratings]

Campaign Ads for Commonwealth’s Attorney Race Show Difference in Money, Gender, and Geography

By Airey

Published May 31, 2019 at 3:55PM | Updated May 31, 2019 at 4:34PM

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Campaign ads for the commonwealth attorney’s race show differences in how the two candidates are spending money and aiming to win the upcoming primary election.

Incumbent Theo Stamos and challenger Parisa Dehghani-Tafti have spent differently when it comes to online advertising. Their campaigns have reached different populations as part of the hotly contested race for the county’s prosecutor office that’s been split by endorsements and support from lawyers.

Once a Seasonal Staple, Arlington Bar Crawls Have Gone MIA

By ARLnow.com

Published May 31, 2019 at 9:15AM

The 2014 All American Bar Crawl in Clarendon (photo via Facebook/Project DC Events)

(Updated at 9:20 a.m.) It’s been more than a year since the last large, organized bar crawl in Arlington, and the former seasonal staple of the Orange Line corridor shows no sign of returning soon.

The last notable crawl to fill bars in the Clarendon area was the March 2018 Shamrock Crawl. The St. Patrick’s Day-themed pub crawl was one of three — including the Halloween Crawl and a Fourth of July-themed All American Bar Crawl — to bring thousands of revelers to the watering holes along Wilson and Clarendon boulevards.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 31, 2019 at 7:35AM

Arlington Wins State Safety Award — “The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and Department of Environmental Services (DES) were awarded the 2019 Governor’s Transportation Safety Award in the category of Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety at the 2019 Virginia Highway Safety Summit.” [Arlington County]

Ducks Close Fairlington Pool — “Due to a family of ducks ‘living’ in pool 2 (safely re-located) earlier today, the pool will be closed until Premier Aquatics balances the chemicals to meet Arlington County Health department code.” [Twitter]

UPDATED: Power Outage Reported in N. Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published May 30, 2019 at 3:05PM | Updated May 30, 2019 at 5:08PM

Earlier map of power outages in N. Arlington (map via Dominion)

Update at 5:10 p.m. — A power outage near the southern tip of the county has prompted the closure of the Fairlington Community Center, according to the parks department.

Weather Alert: 5/30 – Fairlington Community Center is closed due to power outage. All classes, activities, meetings and events are cancelled.

Construction Begins on W&OD Trail Bridge Over Lee Highway

By Airey

Published May 30, 2019 at 10:00AM

VDOT has officially kicked off construction on the new Washington & Old Dominion Trail bridge over Lee Highway.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 30, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated May 30, 2019 at 9:17AM

County Auditor Probes Police Overtime — “A performance audit conducted by the County Auditor as part of his Fiscal Year 2018 work plan found that the Arlington County Police Department’s overtime costs exceeded budgeted expenses in Fiscal Years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The audit did not identify any evidence of improper overtime.” [Arlington County]

Few Fireworks in School Board Race — “A relatively low-key race for the Democratic endorsement leading into November’s School Board race is headed to three days of caucus voting, with the two candidates focused more on the issues than landing body blows on each other. ‘I would prefer to talk about how we are going to move in a positive direction in the future,’ challenger David Priddy said when asked to lay out the biggest failures of the School Board during the period incumbent Reid Goldstein has served on it.” [InsideNova]