coronavirus | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published August 3, 2020 at 6:00AM

Work on the Memorial Bridge in August (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Dozens March for Racial Justice — “A group of about 100 people marched more than three miles on a hot August afternoon through Arlington demanding justice for victims of police brutality and calling on the county’s elected officials to bring police reform to the county.” [Patch]

Police Investigating More KKK Stickers — “Stickers that appear to promote the Ku Klux Klan have been found on traffic signs and utility boxes in Arlington over the past month, Arlington police said… They were found between July 2 and 28 in four locations, mostly in the Yorktown neighborhood, on the back of traffic signs and on a utility box.” [Washington Post]

News

Rate of New Coronavirus Cases Rising Again in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published July 31, 2020 at 11:30AM

The trailing seven-day rate of new coronavirus cases in Arlington is back into the triple digits.

Twenty-three new cases were reported overnight, bringing the seven-day total of new cases to 114. One new COVID-related death was reported in the county, the first in two weeks. Three new hospitalizations have been reported over the past two days.

Around Town

Local Veteran Organizes Fundraiser For Dry Cleaner Impacted By Pandemic

By Madeline Taylor

Published July 30, 2020 at 3:35PM

When Air Force veteran Michael Emery went to pick up his dry cleaning from First Virginia Cleaners for the first time since the outset of the pandemic, he knew the economic fallout of the shutdown hit close to home.

The store at 2929 S. Glebe Road was dark, the air conditioning was off and owner Chantra Chet had tears in her eyes as she explained to him how poorly business was going. That’s when Emery, the longtime customer of Chet’s, knew he had to act.

Around Town

Ballston Businesses Talk Cutting Hair and Curating Clothing Amid Pandemic

By Vernon Miles

Published July 30, 2020 at 9:30AM

Scott Parker's new venture, Bearded Goat Barbershop (Courtesy photo)

In March, things were going pretty well for Bearded Goat Barber Shop at (4201 Wilson Blvd). Just across the street, Scout and Molly’s Boutique in Ballston Quarter was having some trouble, but it was nothing compared to what was coming for both of them.

The owners of both businesses joined Ballston BID CEO Tina Leone for a candid conversation on the BID’s podcast about the sudden coronavirus-caused collapse in revenue and how both are working to recover.

News

Uptick in New Arlington Coronavirus Cases Casts Spotlight on Young Adults

By ARLnow.com

Published July 29, 2020 at 10:35AM | Updated July 29, 2020 at 11:06AM

(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) The rate of new COVID-19 cases in Arlington is again pointing upward, if only modestly so.

An additional 50 cases have been reported over the past three days in Arlington, bringing the seven-day rolling rate of increase up to 94 cases and the cumulative total to 2,857.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 29, 2020 at 7:30AM

Va. Coronavirus Cases Skewing Younger — “Gov. Ralph Northam said during a press conference today that local health officials are pointing to a “significant shift” of people in their 20s or younger getting COVID-19.” [Tysons Reporter]

Northam Announces New Restrictions — “Gov. Ralph Northam is rolling back reopening in Hampton Roads as cases there surge but stopped short of doing so statewide. Gov. Northam’s announcement came after a private meeting Tuesday with Dr. Deborah Birx, the Coronavirus Response Coordinator for the White House. Virginia was her last stop on a five-state tour… she came to all of these states with the same message: put additional mitigation measures in place before things get worse.” [WAVY, InsideNova, Commonwealth of Virginia]

News

2020 Turns Arlington Online Forums into Dumpster Fires

By ARLnow.com

Published July 28, 2020 at 9:30AM | Updated July 28, 2020 at 10:01AM

When it was founded, the Arlington Neighbors Helping Each Other Through COVID-19 Facebook group was an uplifting place where local residents could ask for help, share information, and connect with one another.

Now, as with just about any online forum of a certain size, the events of 2020 have darkened the skies over the formerly sunny space.

News

Latest Coronavirus Data Paints Mixed Picture in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published July 27, 2020 at 10:15AM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:13AM

(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) Arlington is averaging just over a dozen new coronavirus cases per day over the past week, a relatively low number, but one set against the backdrop of rising cases in other parts of the state.

The county’s seven-day moving average ticked up this morning, with 16 new cases reported overnight by the Virginia Dept. of Health. Arlington’s test positivity rate, however, is pointing down: it’s now 3.9%, as the seven-day moving average of daily tests climbs to 376.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 23, 2020 at 7:30AM

Changes at Prosecutor’s Office — Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti has announced a reorganization of her office to implement a “vertical prosecution” model. The new structure “requires that one prosecutor be assigned to each case from start to finish; it permits the assigned attorney to work early and closely with law enforcement, victims, witnesses, and defense attorneys.” The office has also recently stopped its courtroom involvement with certain types of minor traffic offenses. [Press Release, Twitter]

Man Pleads Guilty to Arlington Carjacking — “A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to his role in an armed robbery and carjacking that led to a high-speed police chase and resulted in injuries to two police officers. According to court documents, Jovan Doir Johnson, 30, together with another individual, obtained a stolen vehicle at gunpoint in Arlington and then used it to rob a 7-Eleven in Lorton.” [Dept. of Justice]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 22, 2020 at 7:30AM

County Launches COVID Dashboard — “Just launched: Arlington’s COVID Data Dashboard with comprehensive information on cases by age, race and zip code; trends in % pos testing; date of symptom onset; and more. Track the course of the pandemic with us, here. And stay safe and mask up!” [Twitter, Arlington County]

Shirlington Parking Challenges — “Shirlington has significant amounts of surface and garage parking, but much of it is restricted during working hours to ensure employees have a place to park. (Many, though not all, of those spaces become available to the general public after 5 p.m.) ‘There’s lots of parking – [but] what’s there isn’t allocated very well,’ County Board Chairman Libby Garvey said.” [InsideNova]

News

County Board OKs Federal Coronavirus Grant for Public Safety Agencies

By ARLnow.com

Published July 21, 2020 at 11:45AM

Arlington police car outside police headquarters (file photo)

Arlington County is getting $136,727 from the U.S. Dept. of Justice to help pay for coronavirus-related public safety expenses.

The federal grant was approved unanimously by the County Board over the weekend.

News

New Coronavirus Cases Down, Hospitalizations Up in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published July 21, 2020 at 10:25AM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:13AM

A 2-3 week rise in new coronavirus cases in Arlington appears to be abating, for now.

The county’s seven-day trailing rate of new cases is back down into the double digits for the first time in a week. It now stands at 90, after topping out at 129 on Saturday — two weeks after the Fourth of July.