Arlington National Cemetery | ARLnow.com

More Repairs Needed at Tomb of the Unknowns

Published June 6, 2011 at 3:59PM

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning to make some additional repairs to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, ARLnow.com has learned.

The repair work comes just over a year after engineers completed an initial series of repairs on the marble Tomb Monument, which has been cracking due to age. The repairs — which utilized “high-tech grout” to fill the crevices — were completed in April 2010 at a contract cost of $70,000. However, cracks are still visible across much of the nearly 80-year-old monument.

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More Cannon Fire Planned Tomorrow Morning

By ARLnow.com

Published May 9, 2011 at 4:32PM

The Army’s Presidential Salute Battery will be conducting more firing drills from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman.

“This elite element of The Old Guard has the duty of firing final salutes during memorial ceremonies for service members and veterans laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery,” the military said in a statement. “The Presidential Salute Battery maintains the highest level of ceremonial proficiency through recurrent training and will continue to perform to the utmost standards and traditions of the United States Army and our nation.”

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Expect More Cannon Fire Monday Morning

By ARLnow.com

Published April 29, 2011 at 9:23AM

Two of the battery’s training exercises, held earlier this month, were heard loud and clear in parts of South Arlington and the District. Residents can likely expect to hear more loud booming sounds from the battery’s cannons from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m.

After hearing complaints from startled residents, the military has been more proactive getting the word out about Monday’s training exercise. Here’s the announcement from the Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall public affairs office:

Around Town

D.C. Residents Awakened By Arlington Cannon Fire

By ARLnow.com

Published April 20, 2011 at 9:53AM | Updated April 20, 2011 at 10:09AM

Yesterday, our District-based reverse chronological publishing counterpart DCist went on a very familiar-sounding quest to find the source of loud, early morning booming noises that roused the fair residents of D.C. from their slumber. Of course, they immediately started blaming Arlington.

First they called an Arlington County spokesperson to ask if the noise came from blasting at the Rosslyn Metro station.

Around Town

Mystery Solved: Military Was Firing Cannons This Morning

By ARLnow.com

Published April 14, 2011 at 3:37PM | Updated April 19, 2011 at 12:33AM

The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment — also known as the Old Guard — was practicing firing canons.

“The Presidential Salute Battery was conducting synchronized firing training within Arlington National Cemetery from approximately 0700-0800,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Coffee, from the Old Guard public affairs office. “The reason the training is conducted at that time is to not interfere with any funerals being conducted at open cemetery hours.”

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Unregistered Tour Buses Seized by Police

By ARLnow.com

Published April 8, 2011 at 2:47PM | Updated April 8, 2011 at 9:32PM

The Hartford Courant reports that the buses, which took 250 eighth-graders from Connecticut to D.C. for a school trip, were operating without insurance or registration. One of the buses had a pair of bald tires, according to the paper.

The buses were impounded in the cemetery’s parking lot by U.S. Park Police and Arlington County police. School officials were eventually able to find other buses to pick the stranded students up from the cemetery.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 16, 2011 at 6:30AM

Last American WWI Vet Buried in Arlington — Army Cpl. Frank Buckles, the last surviving U.S. World War I veteran, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday. Earlier in the day, President Obama and Vice President Biden stopped by to pay their respects as Buckles lay in repose in a cemetery chapel. [American Forces Press Service]

Underground Explosion Rocks Pike Townhouse Complex — An underground explosion caused a manhole cover to fly across the backyard of a townhouse complex near Columbia Pike yesterday morning. Firefighters are still trying to determine what caused the blast, but a strong gasoline-like odor could be smelled in the area. The gas also apparently caused fires to start near water heaters inside the townhouses. The complex is across the street from an auto repair shop and next to Four Mile Run. [ABC 7]

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 9, 2011 at 8:03AM | Updated March 9, 2011 at 11:21PM

Cycling Through Arlington National Cemetery — The one-month closure of the Wright gate to Fort Myer will affect some cyclists who travel through Arlington National Cemetery. One blogger argues that the closure should be used as an opportunity to expand cycling privileges in the cemetery. [Greater Greater Washington]

Yorktown High Students Advance to National History Bowl — Not one but two Yorktown High School teams are advancing to the National History Bowl Championship after finishing third and fourth in the Virginia competition. A total of eight Yorktown students will compete at the championship in the District next month. [Arlington Public Schools]

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 13, 2010 at 5:00AM

Wreath Ceremony At Arlington National Cemetery — Volunteers helped to lay some 24,000 wreaths on the graves of military personnel at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday. More from NECN.

Flight Delays at DCA — It was a miserable Sunday for many air travelers, as bad weather caused some big delays for flights arriving and departing at Reagan National Airport. More from the Washington Post.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 29, 2010 at 6:00AM

More on Southwest at Reagan National — Southwest Airlines’ deal to acquire AirTran Airways will likely result in Southwest taking over AirTran’s slots at Reagan National Airport. But Greater Greater Washington’s Rob Pitingolo argues that the long-awaited arrival of Southwest at DCA — should the deal go through — won’t have much of effect on fare prices, as some might hope.

Arlington’s Highways Clogged During Evening Commute — Dr. Gridlock reports that the Arlington stretches of I-395 and I-66 were each backed up 3-4 miles during last night’s commute.

News

Hateful Group Coming Back to Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2010 at 9:19AM

Those lovable optimists from the Westboro Baptist Church are coming back to Arlington next week to protest military funerals outside Arlington National Cemetery.

The Kansas-based church members, who also protest baseball games, breast cancer awareness motorcycle rides and high schools, will hold signs and yell hateful stuff outside the cemetery on the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 4 and Tuesday, Oct. 5.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 7, 2010 at 8:25AM

Arlington Woman Injured in N.Y. Police Car Accident — An Arlington woman was seriously injured while bicycling Monday morning in Whitney Point, N.Y. Police say the woman, 47-year-old Mary Smith of Arlington, ignored a stop sign and ran into a police cruiser that was turning left in an intersection. Smith hit the cruiser’s windshield and suffered head and neck injuries. More from WBGH in Binghamton, N.Y.

Another Arlington Cemetery Revelation — In 2008, an Arlington National Cemetery spokesperson was fired after she brought concerns about numerous problems at the cemetery to a top local Army commander, according to an internal document obtained by Salon.com. The revelation contradicts testimony by Army Secretary John McHugh, who told the House Armed Services Committee that Army brass was unaware of the severe mismanagement at the nation’s most sacred military burial ground.