This weekend’s Arlington County Board meeting has been postponed.
It’s a rare step during unprecedented times. The announcement was made today less than 48 hours before the Saturday morning meeting.
coronavirus
Being a police officer or firefighter during the coronavirus outbreak is not easy.
Every day public safety personnel are out in the community doing their jobs, they risk exposure to the deadly virus. Even taking all the safety precautions, cops and firefighters in Arlington and elsewhere are getting sick.
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(Updated at 10:05 a.m.) At least 50 people have now been hospitalized in Arlington due to complications from the coronavirus.
New data from the Virginia Dept. of Health reports 453 overall COVID-19 cases in the county, along with 50 hospitalizations and 15 deaths. That’s up from 12 deaths, 36 hospitalizations and 401 known cases on Tuesday.
Governor Extends Business Closures — “Governor Ralph Northam today announced that he will extend Executive Order Fifty-Three for two weeks, through Friday, May 8, 2020. Executive Order Fifty-Three originally signed on March 24, bans crowds of more than 10 people; closes recreation, entertainment, and personal care businesses; and limits restaurants to offering takeout and delivery services only.” [Gov. Ralph Northam]
Wi-Fi Available in Two Library Parking Lots — “Arlington residents who lack reliable internet service at home during the COVID-19 pandemic can now benefit from two new free County Wi-Fi hotspots. Access to the ArlingtonWireless network is now available at the Central Library and Columbia Pike Library parking lots.” [Arlington County]
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It has been one month since local restaurants started to close and social distancing took hold in Arlington amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During that time our staff photographer Jay Westcott, along with Flickr pool contributors Kevin Wolf, Erinn Shirley, Tom Mockler, Dennis Dimick, John Sonderman and others have been documenting what everyday life looks like in our 26 square miles.
(Updated at 9:45 a.m.) For the fourth day in a row, the number of new reported coronavirus cases in Arlington was lower than Saturday’s peak.
There are now 420 known cases in Arlington, up from 401 the day before. The reported hospitalizations in the county increased from 36 to 44.
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Coronavirus Cases at Arlington Nursing Home — “Rossie Bratten, a 21-year-old Virginia resident, is calling on nursing homes to be more transparent about COVID-19, claiming an Arlington facility caring for his mother never informed the family of positive cases at the site. Bratten claims they only called to be told their mother had tested positive.” [Fox 5, YouTube]
Construction Continuing at DCA — “The coronavirus pandemic has slowed air travel to a trickle, but it has not hindered Project Journey at Reagan National Airport. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority reports that the new 14-gate north concourse at Reagan Airport remains on schedule to open in July 2021.” [Washington Business Journal]
Two weeks after the Trader Joe’s in Clarendon temporarily closed due to a COVID-19 case, it has closed again.
The store at 1109 N. Highland Street is closed today after an employee, who was last at the store on Monday, tested positive for the disease, according to a sign on the door.
Twelve people have died from COVID-19 complications in Arlington, according to new data from the Virginia Dept. of Health.
That’s up from just three reported deaths yesterday. VDH is also reporting 36 hospitalizations in Arlington, and 401 known coronavirus cases among 1,951 reported test results.
Several local churches have banded together to help support local residents struggling with rent.
Eight churches are pooling their resources for a joint effort called The Church At Work in Arlington. The group has raised over $105,000 that organizers say is paid directly to landlords for rent assistance.
Ballston Residents Cheer for Healthcare Workers — A video shows residents in Ballston giving healthcare workers and other essential caregivers a round of applause at 8 p.m. last night. [Twitter]
New School Budget Coming Soon — “Arlington Superintendent Cintia Johnson this week will formally outline her plan to reduce spending in the wake of the health and economic crisis. Johnson will report to School Board members on April 16 with an updated budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning in July, supplanting one she had detailed less than two months ago.” [InsideNova]
It started with a post on Nextdoor, which was then cross-posted on a popular local Facebook page.