Pentagon City will likely be buzzing with extra security tomorrow evening, because Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be holding a fundraiser there.
The event at the Pentagon City Ritz Carlton is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. with a VIP photo reception. Following that, several roundtable meetings will take place on topics central to Romney’s campaign, including tax reform policy and global competitiveness. There will be a general reception afterward.
(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) If the County Board approves the construction contract, work could start soon on a major road improvement project near the Pentagon City mall.
An agenda item is on the table to award a contract to Milani Construction LLC for the work along S. Hayes Street from S. 15th Street to Army Navy Drive. There will also be improvements made to the Pentagon City Metro station plazas. The contract is worth more than $9 million.
Students Welcome Shuttle Arrival — Students at St. Thomas More Cathedral School in Arlington welcomed the arrival of space shuttle Discovery yesterday by lining up in the school’s parking lot in the outline of a space shuttle.
Budget Proposal Includes Tax Hike, Pay Raise — At a work session yesterday, the Arlington County Board agreed to raise the real estate tax rate for its new budget — set for adoption on Saturday — by 1.3 cents above the current rate. That’s well above the 0.5 cent tax rate hike in County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s proposed budget. The new budget includes increased funding for schools, libraries, housing and employee pay raises — including a 2.8 percent pay raise for County Board members themselves. [Washington Post]
ARLnow.com received a tip that a CVS will be moving in. A building permit issued on January 27 confirms that the pharmacy will be the new tenant.
Borders moved out last year after the chain filed for bankruptcy and closed all of its stores across the country. Its former space in Pentagon Centre has sat vacant for months.
Englin Admits to Affair — Del. David Englin (D), who represents parts of Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax, admitted Monday night that he had been “unfaithful” in his marriage and that he’s currently separated from his wife, political consultant Shayna Englin. The four-term House of Delegates member announced he will not seek reelection in 2013. [Sun Gazette]
Va. Residents Are 60 Percent of Nats Attendance — About 60 percent of those attending Nationals baseball games are from Virginia, compared to about 25 percent from Maryland and 15 percent from the District, according to internal team numbers. Eight years ago a group tried to bring the Nationals and the team’s new stadium to Pentagon City, but ultimately objections from Arlington residents helped to sink the plan after concerns were raised about crowds and traffic. A large cluster of office buildings is now proposed for what could have been the site of the baseball stadium. [Washington Post]
A source who had advance knowledge of the closing of the Ballston Chevys tells ARLnow.com that the financially-troubled restaurant chain is indeed planning on closing the Pentagon City location, perhaps as soon as this weekend or next week.
That’s contrary to what employees at the restaurant told us. A Chevys Pentagon City employee said earlier this week that the eatery was “going strong” and would remain open.
The first of several expected Arlington Site Plan Review Committee meetings on the so-called PenPlace project was held last night at county government headquarters in Courthouse. The meeting was standing room only as interested community members packed the small audience area to observe the hour-and-a-half-long proceedings.
Developer Vornado has proposed building five structures on a large, 10-acre block of mostly vacant land bordered by Army Navy Drive, S. Eads Street and S. Fern Street, one block from the Pentagon City Metro station.
Arlington County Police will close a number of streets in the Pentagon City area Sunday morning for the annual Love The Run You’re With 5K race.
The race will start and end in front of Pentagon Row. Planned road closures include:
Obama and representatives from the International Association of Fire Fighters union will announce the initiative at the closed event, which is expected to begin around 11:00 a.m.
Fire Station 5 is located at 1750 S. Hayes Street in Aurora Highlands, just blocks from Pentagon City mall. Police say drivers should expect road closures and other impacts in the area.
Backyard Chicken Debate Rages On — Egg-laying hens aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, according to an Arlington resident whose neighbor had an illegal chicken coop. “I can tell you that I thought we had excessive flies, we had rodents; the chickens do make noise and there is a smell,” Darryl Hobbs told WUSA9 at a community discussion about backyard chicken raising last night. Chicken supporters dispute claims that their coops are unsanitary, and say that egg-laying hens produce a steady stream of healthy, tasty and sustainable food. [WUSA 9]
Shoplifting Suspect Flees Down Metro Tracks — Metro trains were temporarily shut down near the Pentagon City station Tuesday night after a shoplifting suspect jumped on the tracks in an attempt to get away. The man, who’s accused of shoplifting from the Nordstom’s in Pentagon City, was eventually caught by Metro Transit Police. [NBC Washington]
Last fall, McKinney was accused of hitting a man with his car along S. Eads Street in Pentagon City, following an argument. Police say the man, whom McKinney had picked up in a slug line, demanded to be let out of the car after McKinney started speeding and driving erratically on the highway. McKinney pulled off at Pentagon City and let the man out, but then struck him with his car, police said.
WTOP reports that an Arlington County Circuit Court judge sentenced McKinney to a year in prison on each charge, but suspended most of the sentence and credited McKinney for time served.
A three-to-four vehicle accident involving Metrobus occurred at the intersection of Army Navy Drive and S. Hayes Street, in Pentagon City, just after 3:00 this afternoon.
Two injuries were reported, but at least initially there were no injuries reported on the bus.
