News | ARLnow.com

Washington-Lee High School to be Renamed

Published June 8, 2018 at 9:50AM

The School Board voted unanimously at its meeting last night (June 7) to approve a change to the school system’s approach to naming school buildings. Though the policy will apply to all current and future county schools, it specifically stipulates that the Board should select a new name for Washington-Lee, given Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s legacy fighting for the cause of slavery.

The Board has been considering a name change at the school since last summer, when a violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville sparked a national conversation about Confederate symbols and prompted calls in the community to change the name. Yet the Board opted to revise its whole policy around school names, rather than just change Washington-Lee’s moniker specifically.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 8, 2018 at 9:05AM

Arlington Rocks the Red — It was lit in Arlington during last night’s Stanley Cup Finals — literally. In Rosslyn, a swath of red and the words “ALL CAPS” was projected onto a prominent office building. In Ballston, the lights atop another office building were switched to red. [Twitter, Twitter]

Young Caps Fan Provides All the Luck — Parker Matthews, a 7-year-old Arlington resident, kept finding four leaf clovers on the ground during the Washington Capitals’ playoff and championship run. She would display the lucky keepsakes in front of the TV during games. [NBC Washington]

County Hoping to Start Work on Mosaic Park Overhaul in Ballston Next Year

By Alex Koma

Published June 7, 2018 at 1:45PM

Mosaic Park design (via Arlington County)

Arlington County is now hoping to kick off construction work on an overhaul of Ballston’s Mosaic Park early next year, following years of delays prompted in part by cost overruns.

County officials are planning to finish renovations at the park, located at 538 N. Pollard Street just behind the Gold’s Gym parking lot, by the end of 2019. Planners unveiled an updated timeline for the park’s renovations at a community meeting last Wednesday (May 30), along with detailed designs for new features like a playground, plaza and athletic courts.

Arlington’s Lone Social Security Office Set to Close on June 22

By Alex Koma

Published June 7, 2018 at 12:45PM

Protesters at a May 3 rally against a Rosslyn Social Security office closure (file photo)

The lone Social Security Administration field office in Arlington is officially set to close its doors two weeks from now, as county leaders continue to press for answers on why the location is shutting down.

The SSA announced in a news release Wednesday (June 6) that the office, located at 1401 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, will close on June 22. That will force the roughly 25,000 Arlington residents who visit the office each year to leave the county to receive an in-person consultation on their benefits.

Construction Kicking Off at Vexing N. Lynn Street Intersection in Rosslyn

By Alex Koma

Published June 7, 2018 at 10:50AM

The Custis Trail at N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn (photo via VDOT)

Construction work is officially kicking off on improvements to the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn, long one of Arlington’s most dangerous locations for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The Virginia Department of Transportation announced that is starting work on the two-year, $9.3 million project this week. Workers will add wider sidewalks, on-street bike lanes and improved curb ramps as the northbound and southbound sections of Lee Highway meet Lynn Street. The project will also include improvements to the Custis Trail as it runs alongside the Lee Highway, though some work on that effort already kicked off in March.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 7, 2018 at 9:00AM | Updated June 7, 2018 at 9:45AM

Woman Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone Conspiracy — A former medical assistant at doctor’s offices in Arlington and Alexandria has pleaded guilty “for her role in leading a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone,” according to federal prosecutors. “From 2011 through December 2017, [Louise] Edwards stole blank prescription pads and electronically-generated fraudulent prescriptions using a medical recordkeeping system… Edwards facilitated the fraudulent filling of at least 353 prescriptions, totaling 42,360 pills of 30 milligram oxycodone.” [Alexandria News, Patch]

Elected Officials Support Striking Workers — Local elected officials, including Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol and state Sen. Barbara Favola, are scheduled to meet this morning with Didlake Inc. employees who work at the Army National Guard Readiness Center on S. George Mason Drive. The employees are on strike after the company refused to recognize their vote to join a union.

Crime Report: Patient Fights Medical Staff, Police

By ARLnow.com

Published June 6, 2018 at 2:45PM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:24AM

File photo

The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night at a medical office on the 2100 block of Washington Blvd — the same block as Arlington County’s public health services office.

Police say a man became combative with medical staff and then later kicked and spit on a police officer who responded to the scene, while also spitting on a second officer.

Army Navy Country Club Access Road Set for Lengthy Delay Due to County Funding Woes

By Alex Koma

Published June 6, 2018 at 1:45PM

Construction work on an access road crossing a portion of Army Navy Country Club could be pushed back by nearly a decade, as Arlington grapples with a funding squeeze impacting transportation projects.

County Manager Mark Schwartz’s proposed Capital Improvement Plan calls for engineering work on the project, which is designed to link the Arlington View neighborhood to Army Navy Drive, to start by fiscal year 2027 with construction kicking off two years later. The county has long expected to start design work for the project by fiscal year 2020, with work to begin in 2022.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 6, 2018 at 8:30AM

‘Coffee With a Cop’ Comes to Clarendon, Pentagon City — The Arlington County Police Department is hosting a pair of “Coffee with a Cop” events later this month, at a Starbucks in Pentagon City and Northside Social in Clarendon. In a press release, ACPD said it “is committed to developing and maintaining strong relationships with those we serve, a vital component to ensuring the public’s trust.” [Arlington County]

Potomac Roaring Over Great Falls — Those within earshot of the Potomac River are being treated to an especially loud roar this week as the rain-swollen river “churned and even exploded into the air at Great Falls.” It also flooded parts of Alexandria and the Georgetown riverfront. [Washington Post, Twitter, Twitter]

Would Amazon HQ2’s Arrival Supercharge Arlington’s Growth Or Just Change its Timing?

By Alex Koma

Published June 5, 2018 at 3:00PM

Concerns abound about how the arrival of Amazon’s second headquarters might squeeze an already space-starved county — but could HQ2 merely speed up population growth in Arlington that would inevitably happen over time even if Amazon chooses another location?

It’s a possibility that county leaders say they’re increasingly beginning to consider, as Arlington has emerged as a top contender to earn HQ2, among its competitors both locally and nationally.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 5, 2018 at 8:55AM

New Weapon in Battle Against Opioid Addiction — “Arlington County has taken a proactive measure in the fight against prescription drug abuse by installing three permanent drug-take back boxes. The public can now safely and securely dispose of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 day a year. This disposal service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.” [Arlington County]

Lack of 5G Could Hurt Amazon Bid — Arlington’s lack of 5G wireless service could hurt it in the eyes of Amazon as the online giant considers the county for its second headquarters, says a letter to the editor writer. The county should have more actively adjusted policy and lobbied carriers for 5G, the writer suggests. [InsideNova]

DEVELOPING: ART Warns of Ongoing Delays Due to ‘Mechanical Issues’

By Alex Koma

Published June 4, 2018 at 4:45PM

Arlington Transit bus riders could see delays across several routes over the course of the next week.

Unspecified “mechanical issues” are causing the delays, according to an ART service alert issued today (Monday). ART did not list specific routes that will be impacted, noting only that the routes will operate “at reduced frequencies” and that it will issue alerts about upcoming delays “as needed.”