Columbia Pike | ARLnow.com

Published August 9, 2012 at 4:35PM

It may be only a matter of days before Columbia Pike’s most ambitious bar/restaurant effort to date opens to the public.

Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper and T.N.T. Bar, at 2413 Columbia Pike in the Penrose Square development, were hoping to open this coming Monday, but the opening had been delayed due to permitting issues, according to a PR rep. Nonetheless, the interior of the restaurant appears to be nearly finished and T.N.T. is already being touted as the ” latest and greatest bar” yet for famed local mixologist Todd Thrasher.

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Power Outage Affecting Parts of S. Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published August 7, 2012 at 3:00PM | Updated August 7, 2012 at 3:24PM

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) At least 150 Dominion customers are reported to be without power in parts of South Arlington this afternoon.

Some traffic signals are dark along the eastern end of Columbia Pike as a result of the outage. Police have set up cones at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Joyce street, preventing traffic on both roads from making left turns.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 7, 2012 at 8:45AM

Challenges for Crystal City — Vornado Realty Trust, which owns half of the commercial real estate, is struggling to fill 2.4 million square feet of office space in Northern Virginia being vacated by government agencies, largely as a result of the military’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission. [Washington Post]

Romney Office Opens in Arlington — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s “Virginia Victory Office” — in Virginia Square — held a grand opening ceremony over the weekend. The special guest for the event was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R). [Sun Gazette]

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James Sylvester Caroline Charged With Murder

By ARLnow.com

Published August 3, 2012 at 4:45PM

Washington D.C. resident James Sylvester Caroline, 53, is being held without bond at the Arlington County jail on the murder charge and on a separate probation violation charge. He was arrested on the Arlington/Alexandria line during a traffic stop on Wednesday afternoon. Police say the arrest was the result of dogged police work and inter-agency cooperation.

“Through round the clock police work, this individual was located and taken into custody in a timely manner,” said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, who was unable to reveal any other details about the crime or the investigation.

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Candlelight Vigil Held for Slain Columbia Pike Jeweler

By ARLnow.com

Published August 2, 2012 at 10:32AM | Updated August 2, 2012 at 4:11PM

Update at 4:10 p.m. — A suspect has been arrested in the case.

Some 200 people gathered in front of the Capital Jewelers store at 3219 Columbia Pike last night (Wednesday) for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of slain shopkeeper Tommy Wong.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 1, 2012 at 8:54AM

Fairfax Approves Pike Streetcar — By a vote of 7-2, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to build a streetcar line along Columbia Pike from Pentagon City to the Skyline area of Fairfax. The vote gives Fairfax and Arlington, which approved the project last week, the opportunity to apply for federal funding. Fairfax Board Chairwoman Sharon Bulova said of the project: “The streetcar will relieve congestion and present economic development opportunities for the Skyline area and serve a population with the demonstrated support and need for transit.” [Washington Post, Washington Examiner]

Moran Leads Fundraising Race — Incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D) has out-raised his Republican opponent by a factor of more than eight. As of June 30, Moran raised $813,000 and had $308,000 cash on hand, compared to the $98,000 raised and $55,000 cash on hand for Republican challenger Patrick Murray. Independent candidate Jason Howell had $1,900 cash on hand. [Sun Gazette]

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Police Working Leads in Deadly Robbery Case

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 31, 2012 at 1:30PM

Authorities have responded to at least four calls over the past few days regarding men spotted around Arlington who fit the description of the suspect and were wearing yellow vests. One such report prompted police to detain and question a man yesterday, as seen in the courtesy photo on the left. It happened around the same time and vicinity as an SUV running into Bangkok 54 on Columbia Pike, but the two incidents were not related. Police determined the man was not the robbery suspect from Friday, and released him at the scene.

Meanwhile, there’s been some speculation by local TV stations that the Columbia Pike robbery may be linked to a similar armed robbery in the District last month. As seen in video run on NBC 4, the gunman in the surveillance video from the June 9 jewelry store robbery in Northwest D.C. is also seen wearing a reflective yellow vest. Police say the two departments are sharing information about the robberies.

Around Town

New Ethiopian Restaurant Opens on Columbia Pike

By Aaron Kraut

Published July 31, 2012 at 9:45AM | Updated July 31, 2012 at 10:04AM

Owner Selamawit Belete emigrated from Ethiopia to the U.S. a decade ago. Establishing a restaurant, such as the one her family owned in Ethiopia, was always in the back of her mind.

She’ll have plenty of competition.

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SUV Runs Into the Front of Bangkok 54

By ARLnow.com

Published July 30, 2012 at 5:15PM | Updated July 30, 2012 at 6:19PM

(Updated at 6:20 p.m.) An out-of-control SUV struck the front of Bangkok 54 restaurant (2919 Columbia Pike) this afternoon.

The crash happened around 3:45 p.m. Damage to the building appeared to be relatively minor and confined to the front facade of the eatery. The vehicle also nicked a street tree before coming to rest between Bangkok 54 and Maruko Japanese Restaurant. A box of beer could be seen in the back of the SUV.

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Police Release Video of Check Cashing Store Robbery

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 30, 2012 at 2:15PM

Police have released surveillance video they hope will help lead to the arrests of suspects from last week’s check cashing store robbery in the 4700 block of Columbia Pike.

Around Town

Arlington Dog Daycare Moving To Falls Church

By Aaron Kraut

Published July 30, 2012 at 11:05AM

The move, to a bigger space at 5818 Seminary Road in Falls Church, will allow the five-year-old business to serve as a dedicated pet adoption center, says owner Ryan Folcher.

The current space, just off of Columbia Pike, allows only for standalone pet adoption events, said Folcher, who also cited concerns about Arlington County’s move away from the type of light industrial zoning his business uses.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 30, 2012 at 9:05AM

Family Remembers Homicide Victim — As Arlington police search for the man who killed a Columbia Pike jewelry shop owner on Friday, the family of the victim is speaking out. The victim’s daughter said her dad, 52-year-old Tommy Wong of Herndon, had owned Capital Jewelers at 3219 Columbia Pike for the past 5 years. “I just want to know why didn’t he take what he needed and leave my dad alone,” she said tearfully in a TV interview. [WUSA 9]

Tobacco Use Down Among Arlington Youth — Arlington youths are using less tobacco but are using more marijuana, according to the latest survey by the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families. The survey results point to a continuation of a decade-long trend of declining tobacco use and increasing marijuana use among Arlington youth. [Sun Gazette]