Ballston | ARLnow.com

Published August 19, 2013 at 9:30AM | Updated August 19, 2013 at 10:30AM

Doors open for the event, at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston Aug. 27, at 7:00 a.m. and player autograph sessions begin at 9:00 a.m. There will also be open skate sessions at the Iceplex. Tickets may only be purchased in advance.

Those who purchase tickets won’t get the chance to see any hockey action, however — USA Hockey and the NHL couldn’t come to an agreement to allow the players to participate in hockey activities. Instead attendees will receive, according to USA Hockey, player autographs, a collectible puck, a limited-edition scarf, an American flag and pre-order access to the 2014 USA Hockey replica jerseys.

Events

U.S. Olympic Hockey Team to Hold Camp at Kettler Iceplex

By Ethan Rothstein

Published August 15, 2013 at 11:45AM | Updated August 15, 2013 at 2:45PM

Kettler Capitals Iceplex

This is the first time the Iceplex has hosted a USA Hockey Orientation Camp. The Ballston facility will host the full contingent of USA Men’s Hockey, including Conn Smythe winner — the NHL’s award for its Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP — Patrick Kane and several members of the team that won the silver medal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

The Olympians will be at the facility from Aug. 25-29, and the camp itself will be held from Aug. 26-27.

News

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Published August 9, 2013 at 9:00AM | Updated August 9, 2013 at 2:23PM

Fish and Wildlife Service Nears Lease Deal in Falls Church — Vornado Realty Trust is reportedly close to securing a lease deal that would move the Fish and Wildlife Service out of Ballston and into Falls Church. The deal would send the agency’s 2,100 employees to 5275 Leesburg Pike in the Skyline area. [Washington Business Journal]

Man Pleads Guilty in Pentagon City Robbery — Walter Douglas, who was arrested in June, has pleaded guilty to a string of smash and grab robberies, including the March 19 Tourneau store robbery at the Pentagon City mall. Douglas admitted he was an organizer of the group that allegedly carried out the robberies, and he pleaded guilty to a federal robbery charge and a robbery-conspiracy charge. He reports the group stole between $800,000 and $1.5 million in high end goods. Douglas will be sentenced on November 8. [Washington Post]

News

Woman Falls from Ballston Building, Lands on Car

By ARLnow.com

Published August 7, 2013 at 1:45PM | Updated August 7, 2013 at 3:21PM

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) A woman has died after falling from the top of a building in Ballston.

Initial reports suggest that the individual, currently believed to be female, jumped from the top of the Randolph Towers apartment building, at 4001 9th Street N., and landed on a car parked in front of the 9th Street side of the building.

Around Town

Mussel Bar Brings Belgian Fare to Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

Published August 6, 2013 at 3:30PM | Updated September 3, 2014 at 8:29AM

Ballston is getting a little more Belgian, thanks to the opening of Mussel Bar and Grille (800 N. Glebe Road) this week.

Today and tomorrow the restaurant is holding its soft opening for invited guests and will open to the public for dinner on Thursday. Friday will be the first day it will open for lunch.

Around Town

Mussel Bar Expected to Open in Ballston Next Week

By ARLnow.com

Published August 1, 2013 at 3:35PM

Mussel Bar & Grille, a gastropub from restaurateur Robert Wiedmaier, is expected to open in Ballston next week.

The restaurant is taking reservations for dinner on Thursday, Aug. 8, which, we’re told, is its current expected opening date. Through its big plate glass windows at 800 N. Glebe Road this week, managers could be seen training staff and construction workers could be seen putting the finishing touches on the wood, concrete and steel interior.

News

Plea Expected in Fatal Christmas Eve Accident

By ARLnow.com

Published July 19, 2013 at 1:45PM

An attorney for Farhan Khan told an Arlington Circuit Court judge yesterday that Khan intends to enter a plea. He’s currently charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of 30-year-old Shabnam Motahhar-Tehrani of Nokesville, Va.

Khan is accused of running a red light and causing the collision that killed Motahhar-Tehrani, who was standing on a sidewalk on the afternoon of Dec. 24, 2012. The involuntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Events

Near-Record Crowd for Caps Fan Fest in Ballston

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 15, 2013 at 10:55AM | Updated July 15, 2013 at 11:23AM

The Washington Capitals’ Development Camp Fan Fest took place last Saturday and those in attendance said Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston was the fullest they’d ever seen it.

“The event has multiplied by probably 50 from eight years ago,” said Oksana Zolotar, an employee of the Capitals who attended Fan Fest as a spectator. “You can barely find room to stand anymore.”

Around Town

Ballston Urgent Care Clinic Opens Monday

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 12, 2013 at 2:25PM

A new urgent care facility is opening in Ballston next week.

The Inova Urgent Care and Inova Medical Group primary care offices will open for business Monday, July 15, in their new offices at 1005 N. Glebe Road in Ballston.

News

Ballston Power Outage May Stretch Into Morning

By ARLnow.com

Published July 5, 2013 at 1:00AM

About 2,000 Dominion customers are currently without power, according to the utility’s outage map. At 10:30 p.m., Arlington County said the outage was impacting 2,800 customers.

Power is expected to be restored sometime between pre-dawn and mid-morning, according to police radio traffic.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 1, 2013 at 9:00AM

New Laws, Sales Tax Hike Takes Effect in Va. — Today, July 1, a number of new laws take effect in Virginia. Among them: a new law cracking down on texting and driving, the decriminalization of unmarried cohabitation, and an increase in the sales tax in Northern Virginia from 5 to 6 percent. [WTOP]

NSF Buildings to Be Sold, Redeveloped — Changes may be on the way for the two office buildings in Ballston being vacated by the National Science Foundation in 2017. One of the building is being offered for sale, while the other is being considered for a conversion to apartments or a hotel, according to the Washington Business Journal.

News

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Published June 28, 2013 at 9:00AM

Officials See Positives in Voting Rights Act Ruling — Although civil rights activists have expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Voting Rights Act earlier this week, some local officials see a few benefits in the decision. Election officials no longer need approval from the U.S. Department of Justice on election matters down to the precinct level. That will allow them to make decisions on the fly, such as extending absentee voting or holding a voter registration drive. [Sun Gazette]

State Reissues Arlington’s Municipal Stormwater Permit — The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) reissued Arlington’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. Arlington is the first municipality in the state to receive an MS4 permit that includes quantitative pollution reduction requirements to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. The new permit is in effect through mid-2018, during which time Arlington is required to decrease its share of the nutrient and sediment reductions by five percent. [Arlington County]