Opinion

Hurricane Ian is poised to slam parts of Florida today and tomorrow before making its way north, potentially bringing heavy rain to our area.

Virginia often urges residents to have a hurricane preparedness plan, but we’re wondering whether Arlington residents actually do that. After all, it’s the coastal areas like Virginia Beach that are more vulnerable to hurricanes, while Arlington is more insulated from the worst of the impacts thanks to our inland location.


News

‘Coffee with a Cop’ Next Week — “Wednesday, October 5 is National Coffee with a Cop Day and the Arlington County Police Department’s Community Engagement Division is hosting two events to celebrate. Community members are invited to join officers at these informal events to ask questions, voice concerns, get to know their neighbors, interact with the Community Engagement Division and meet officers from other sections of the department.” [ACPD]

Trespassing at Vacant Hotel — “1600 block of Arlington Boulevard. At approximately 9:20 a.m. on September 26, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined a security guard was doing a check of a vacant property when he observed the two unknown suspects inside. When the security guard confronted the suspects, they left the scene on foot. Suspect One is described as a white female, approximately 45 years old, 5’4 wearing a light brown trench coat, white shoes and carrying a brown backpack.” [ACPD]


Sponsored

Tucked into the rolling hills of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival blends world-class music with small-town charm and breathtaking scenery. Held at historic Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, this beloved summer tradition has brought live performances to the region for over six decades.

Each summer, audiences gather under the stars at the Festival’s open-air pavilion, surrounded by mountain views and fresh country air. As the sun sets over the Blue Ridge Mountains and the first notes rise, the setting becomes as memorable as the music.

The Festival offers a diverse lineup, from country and classic rock to Americana and symphonic performances, featuring nationally recognized artists in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

This season’s lineup includes:

  • July 17 – Little River Band
  • July 18 – The Four Tops
  • July 24 – Diamond Rio (with special guest Voth)
  • July 25 – The LSO Big Band: A Big Band Birthday Celebrating America’s 250th
  • August 7 – Original Beach Boy Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band: A Tribute to Brian Wilson
  • August 8 – The Bacon Brothers: People In The World Tour
  • September 5 – Hotel California: The Original Eagles Tribute
  • September 6 – Hot Strings & Cool Breezes Americana Minifest, featuring:
    • Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
    • Josh & Jenee of The Wood Box Heroes

(more…)


Schools

Groups of Arlington Public Schools students walked out today (Tuesday) to protest model policies the Commonwealth says local school boards should adopt regarding the treatment of transgender children.

Released last week, the draft policies from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), among other things, direct schools only to affirm a transgender student’s identity if parents request it. The document is perceived as a rebuttal to last year’s Democratic-led policies, which advised schools to affirm the child’s gender expression regardless of their family’s support.


Announcement

If you’re a college student spending the summer in Arlington — whether you’re interning, working, or just home for a few months — EvolveAll is the place to stay fit, sharpen skills, and be in community.

For just $295, college students get full access to all of EvolveAll’s adult programs from May through August. That means Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, self-defense, yoga, Pilates, and more — a whole community of people who show up, put in the work, and look out for each other.


Around Town

(Updated at 5:30 p.m.) Arlington’s newest seafood spot is finally ready to open.

Seamore’s is expected to open its doors this week in Clarendon. Currently, the opening is set for Thursday, after being pushed from Wednesday.


Around Town

Cool fall mornings mean leaf collection season is near.

And Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services is reminding homeowners collecting their leaves and cleaning out their gardens to use only paper yard waste bags.


Events

Just in time for the spooky season, Crystal City’s Synetic Theater is debuting a “bloody” adaptation of Dracula.

The two-decade-old, local non-profit theater is bringing one of the world’s most famous horror stories to its stage next month, with shows starting on October 13. The show is set to run Thursday through Sunday through Nov. 6.


Opinion

Whatever you think of Arlington’s missing middle housing proposal — and there are those who strongly support and oppose it — you might find yourself agreeing with Mike Mount’s latest cartoon.

For opponents, suddenly living next to a multiplex building in what has otherwise been an exclusively single-family home neighborhood for decades may seem like the worst idea ever. For supporters, proposing eight-plexes off the bat, even if only on certain large lots, may seem in retrospect like a blunder that galvanized opposition.


News

MdF Fixes to Nix Six Plexes? — “Arlington County Board member Matt de Ferranti says he is opposed to including eight-plexes as part of plans to eliminate single-family zoning across much of the county, and is still up in the air on whether six-plexes should be included… De Ferranti’s is the lone County Board seat on the Nov. 8 ballot, and he is hoping to retain it for a second term.” [Sun Gazette]

Early AM Fight in Crystal City — “500 block of 23rd Street S. At approximately 2:45 a.m. on September 25, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, officers located the male victim who was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries considered serious but non-life threatening. The investigation determined the victim and an unknown male suspect had been involved in a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation. The suspect fled the scene on foot prior to police arrival.” [ACPD]


Schools

(Updated 09/27/22) High school football season is in play, but this year, fewer students in Arlington Public Schools will be in the stands cheering on their friends.

That is because Arlington County Police Department does not have enough officers to staff events, police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow.


Announcement

Ghost Limb is a timely and haunting examination of authoritarianism set during Argentina’s Dirty War that draws poetic inspiration from the Persephone and Demeter myth. When Consuelo’s son is “disappeared” by the military, she discovers a psychic link between her injured arm and her tortured child-and races to find him before it’s too late.

Performance Days and Times