The fire occurred in the building that houses Andalusia Hookah Bar and Top Thai restaurant on restaurant row in Crystal City. Another fire occurred at the same restaurant less than 24 hours before.

鈥淲e had another small fire at the same place,鈥� Arlington County Fire Chief William Earley said.聽

Units arrived on the scene and located the fire that was quickly extinguished, Hiner told 最新蜜桃影像 last night.

The fire that occurred the previous night appeared to have been larger, emanating lots of smoke around the area, witnesses said.聽聽

The first fire was a two-alarm fire that occurred at roughly聽 10 p.m. and took about two hours to extinguish as flames shot through the roof and spread around the building.聽

An Arlington resident who witnessed the fire said that he thought it was an electrical fire due to electricity going out in the building earlier that day. However, the fire department nor the restaurant has confirmed the cause of the fires at this time.聽

Ray Thomsgiri owns Urban Thai restaurant, located only a couple of restaurants down from where the fire occurred. He said he was not at the restaurant last night but received a call about the fire.聽

鈥淥ur employee called us last night saying there was a fire somewhere,鈥� Thomgsiri said.

He told 最新蜜桃影像 that the fire department had cleared the fire from last night, but today, at around 鈥渇our or five o鈥檆lock,鈥� the fire department had returned.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know why…we do worry,鈥� Thomgsiri said.聽

There did not appear to be any damage around Urban Thai or the surrounding area.

Arlington resident Dassy Reyes could see the fire department returning to the scene from her home nearby.聽

鈥淲hen I came home, the fire had already started…I don鈥檛 know much about it, just that the name of the affected restaurant is Top Thai,鈥� Reyes said.聽

Top Thai was closed when both fires occurred. However, the hookah bar next door was open at the time of the first fire.聽聽

According to Hiner, there were no reported injuries as the building is still vacant from the previous fire and an ongoing investigation is occurring.聽

鈥淣o reported injuries and the fire is currently under investigation. The building is still vacant following the fire the previous evening so there were no evacuations, however crews conducted searches consistent with policy,鈥� Hiner said.聽

The Arlington County Fire and Rescue team said in a press release last night that there was nearly 1.8 million dollars in damage done in the preliminary findings from their investigation. The cause of the fire is still undetermined.

Top Thai and surrounding businesses have not yet commented to 最新蜜桃影像 on the damage done to the building but local Arlington residents took to Twitter saying that it looked like the hookah bar and Top Thai had sustained damage to the roof and windows.聽

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Santa came last year to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City but was only available for socially distanced visits. This year, Santa and his staff are required to be vaccinated and parents have the choice to allow their children to sit on Santa鈥檚 lap or take a socially distanced photograph.

Lotta Strott, parent of a seven-year-old and two-year-old boys in the Arlington area, said that it is a big deal this year to be able to go in person and see Santa.

鈥淲e’re really excited to be able to go see Santa in person this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ast year, my older son wrote a letter to Santa and we mailed it and we received a letter back.”

Strott wasn鈥檛 the only one glad to have Santa back in person this year.

Dutch Schrap, or America鈥檚 Favorite Santa as he鈥檚 more famously known, said he is also glad to be back in person , even though there have had to be some changes for safety reasons.

鈥淧re-pandemic, I was doing 150 or so home visits and all sorts of appearances and events, photography studios, parades…and there were huge crowds that I could bring in for most of those events,鈥� Schrap said.聽

When COVID hit in 2020, Schrap said things began to change for his portrayal of Santa.

鈥淲e shifted with the times a little bit in my personal portrayal of Santa. I stopped doing home visits. I did some modified events outside and all my photoshoots outside. I basically required that my photographs take things outside. And we went virtual on a lot of visits, so we did zoom calls and I鈥檓 huge on Cameo,鈥� he said.

Strott said she was less concerned about COVID because she assumed that Santa would be vaccinated; she was right.

Schrap said that he is taking many precautions this year just like he did last year to ensure the safety of himself and those around him, including being vaccinated.聽

鈥淚 took a lot of chances last year with sanitizing and washing hands and you know, keeping the distance. We did some photoshoots where we were a little bit apart…this year, I have been vaccinated twice and I did receive a booster, along with a flu shot and all the other good stuff,鈥� he said.

Schrap鈥檚 father was a professional Santa as well. His father passed away from COVID prior to the vaccine being widely available and Schrap said that while he is cautious because he saw COVID effect someone he knew first hand, it was really important for him to fulfill his family’s legacy.聽

鈥�He (Schrap鈥檚 father) obviously is not doing Santa this year and I kind of took things a bit farther in trying to fulfill his legacy as well,鈥� he said.聽

According to , an organization that sends Santas to different locations throughout the nation, including the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, all Santas and other staff members must have been fully vaccinated by Oct. 14, 2021, except for those with medical and religious exemptions.聽

The website also states that the Santa Magic sets will follow CDC guidelines.

鈥�Following CDC guidelines, Santa Magic sets are disinfected prior to opening and deep cleaned after closing. High-traffic and high-touch point areas are cleaned between Guest visits. Fabric treatment is provided to Santa suits after each shift,鈥� according to the聽 Cherry Hill Programs website.聽

Arlington County is also suggesting that residents follow the CDC and FDA protocols.聽

鈥�Arlington County continues to follow the guidance of the and to ensure a safe and healthy including: getting vaccinated, wearing a mask in public indoor spaces, gathering outside or in well-ventilated areas, staying home and getting tested if you’re having any symptoms of COVID-19, and washing hands frequently,鈥� Diane Martinez, Arlington Public Health Division said.聽

Strott said that with the precautions of vaccines and masks being put in place, she feels more comfortable allowing her children to go visit Santa.

“Between the vaccine and the mask, those two things have changed it from something we would not do鈥攇o to a crowded mall and sit on a stranger’s lap鈥� but because of those two things happening, we feel a lot safer about that experience,” she said.

Schrap said he and other professional Santas around the country are trying to make things as normal as possible.

鈥淲e have groups of Santas online and we鈥檙e all cautiously trying to get back to the norm while maintaining strict sanitizing, changing of gloves, keeping our suits and beards together…keeping everyone safe,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing the best we can.鈥�

The post 鈥楬e鈥檚 back!鈥� Santa Claus is here. This time, he鈥檚 vaccinated. first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

According to Arlington County Resident Renee Gutshall, the race usually runs through the neighborhoods, but this year the course was an 鈥渙ut and back鈥� up Pershing street.

鈥淭his doesn鈥檛 normally run up and back, it usually runs through the neighborhoods…but, I think they had fewer police officers that were available and they had to shorten, tighten up the course because they didn鈥檛 have cops and cars to block off and keep for safety,鈥� Gutshall said.

Gutshall said even with the changes, she was in it for fun and was glad to have the race back.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice after COVID to actually get back together and I鈥檓 really glad they got to do it even though they had to make so many last-minute changes,鈥� she said.

Mark Riley, the head of the Arlington Turkey Trot, or Chief Turkey as he likes to be called,聽 sent out a letter a few days before the trot to all the participants who had signed up stating that there would be alterations due to a police shortage.聽

鈥淭his year, our course has been 鈥榗orrected鈥�; because we are short on police officers to cover all the intersections along our regular course,鈥� Riley said. 鈥淐onsequently, we will walk, trot and run only on Pershing Drive between Fillmore St (at Lyon Park) and Oakland St (almost to Gleve,) a distance of .6 miles.聽

On Nov. 22, Police Public Information Officer Ashley Savage sent out a note stating that the police would be blocking those roads for the Arlington Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day.聽

鈥淭he public should expect to see an enhanced police presence in the area, and motorists are urged to follow law enforcement direction, be mindful of closures, and remain alert for increased pedestrian traffic. Additionally, other closures not mentioned above may be implemented at police discretion in the interest of public safety,鈥� Savage said.

The Turkey Trot has been around the community since 2006. According to Riley, before the pandemic, the trot would stuff roughly 3,500 to 4,000 people into one city block for the start of the race.聽

鈥淭hat looked great, but it鈥檚 a bad look in 2021,鈥� admitted Riley.聽

This year, the trot emphasized a rolling start to assist in the protection of COVID.聽

鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be no stopping and waiting and looking and breathing on people’s necks. We鈥檙e gonna be moving pretty much the whole time. Now, if there鈥檚 some congestion along the way…you bring a mask,鈥� said Riley.聽

Diane Martinez, a senior researcher in Arlington County’s COVID response team, said the area is still recommending people follow CDC guidelines.

鈥淭his includes getting vaccinated, wearing a mask in public indoor spaces, gathering outside or in well-ventilated areas, staying home and getting tested if you’re having any symptoms of COVID-19, and washing hands frequently,鈥� said Martinez.聽

Last year, the Arlington Turkey Trot was held 鈥渧irtually鈥� for COVID safety reasons.聽

鈥淲ith the COVID situation we didn鈥檛 do Thanksgiving day, we did Thanksgiving week…spreading out to stop the spread,鈥� said Riley.聽

According to Riley, the race emphasized the need to create an environment where people feel safe and comfortable.聽

Riley said that even with the COVID complications and police shortage, the trot remained a success.聽

鈥淚 love these guys for being there because without them, we couldn鈥檛 have done it and with them, we had a great trot,鈥� said Riley.聽

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The county booked 1,700 appointments this past weekend for COVID vaccinations of elementary-aged school children.聽

Two of those appointments were for Abby Bownas’s children Aimen, aged 9 and Imogen, aged 11. Aimen and Imogen left the clinic jumping around in the hall screaming, “bam, boom, pow, we got the vaccine!” Aimen, like many other young children, was not excited about receiving his vaccine, mumbling 鈥渋t was an owey鈥� in a sad tone when asked if he was excited to have received his vaccine. However, Bownas said she was grateful her children could be vaccinated and that the process was easy.

鈥淐ompared to when we went for the adults, it was seamless. We got an email the other day, we went online and we got two appointments today,鈥� Bownas said.聽鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful that the science was done, that they can safely get vaccinated at this point.鈥澛�

Ruben Varghese, Health Director for Arlington County, Virginia, said that the emphasis for the next two weeks is to get the first preventative doses out as soon as supplies come in. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for nearly all school-aged children.聽

According to Varghese, the main concern for the Arlington County Public Health department right now is to get the children vaccinated.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e a group that has not had that opportunity before and the only approved vaccine for that is Pfizer,鈥� Varghese said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l be doing doses during the week after 2 p.m. so that parents hopefully don鈥檛 have to make the decision of pulling kids out of school.鈥澛�

However, at this time, supplies are limited, according to Varghese.聽

鈥淲e鈥檝e got enough for the period of time we鈥檙e aiming for, but obviously we want to go beyond the next week or so.鈥�

Varghese said Arlington County had issues with supply demand for the COVID vaccine the year prior and wants to ensure it does not occur again.

鈥淲e had experienced last year where, with the weather, if it didn鈥檛 show up, you鈥檝e got people who are not going to be able to get the vaccine and that creates more problems,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want vaccine in hand before we start scheduling appointments.鈥�

Varghese said in a press release, Arlington County Health Department is recommending parents get their children vaccinated.聽

聽鈥淭he Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 in children. This approval is a critical step towards protecting our kids and keeping other vulnerable community members safe. We encourage all parents to get their children vaccinated when they become eligible,鈥� said Varghese.

According to Virginia Health Department public information officer, Logan Anderson, the federal government allocates the vaccine based on the percentage of the overall U.S. population in each state.

鈥淰irginia, which accounts for approximately 2.6 percent of the national population, will receive about 252,000 doses in the first wave of shipments. In addition to that number, the pharmacies that are participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program will receive about 125,000 doses separately from the federal government,鈥� Anderson said.聽

He said that the number of doses each district will receive is based on several factors.聽

鈥淎s with the rollout of the adult vaccine in early 2021, each local health district will devise its own rollout, tailored to their unique communities while adhering to VDH’s overall equity goals,鈥� he said.

Varghese said Arlington County Health Department is prepared to take the vaccine and roll it out as it comes in.聽

鈥淲e鈥檝e got the staffing capacity, but you actually have to have the vaccine in hand to make that work,鈥� he said.

Based on how long supplies last, the vaccine will likely remain available this week through Fri. Nov. 12 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Sat. Nov. 13 and Sun. Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.聽

Vaccine appointments can be made at

The vaccine is also available through other healthcare providers and pharmacies according to Research and Communications Specialist for Arlington County Public Health Division, Sondra Dietz.聽

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As the removal of the 7000 car series continues, Arlington residents and DC residents alike struggle to find methods to get through the madness that ensues with public transportation.

Arlington resident Jorge Vasquez is one of the many Arlingtonians who 鈥済ot stuck鈥� taking the Metro.

鈥淭oday, my wife needed one of our cars and the other cars in the shop, so I got stuck with taking the train,鈥� Vasquez told 最新蜜桃影像. 鈥淥f course, when the Metro is even more delayed than usual.鈥�

On Oct. 12 just before 5 p.m. a Metro derailed near Rosslyn with roughly 200 passengers on board with one non-life-threatening injury.聽

David L. Mayer, the Chief Executive Officer for Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, ordered that WMATA remove all 7000 Series railcars by Oct. 18.

最新蜜桃影像 went to several metro stations on Mon. Oct. 25 during rush hour and noticed fewer people than normal waiting for the Metro.聽

The reduction of passengers waiting to get on Metro cars, despite the smaller number of rail routes, might be due to messaging from local officials to seek alternative means of transportation.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a Media Brief , their mission is to determine what happened, why it happened, and to prevent the accident from occurring again. This comes regardless of the inconveniences that may occur for Metro frequents.

Homendy said Metro provides transportation for a 鈥渟ignificant number of people in the Metro area,鈥� but that was not the prime concern at this time.

鈥淭his was a decision that the Safety Commission made. I will say from a safety standpoint, we are happy they prioritized safety,” Homendy said.

According to Homendy, this Metro derailment could have been a lot worse.

“We are fortunate that no fatalities or serious injuries occured as a result of any of these derailments. But the potential for fatalities or serious injuries was significant. This could have resulted in a catastrophic event,” Hamendy said.

With the removal of 60% of the fleet, DMV residents have worked to find other modes of transit around the area.

According to Communications and Public Engagement Director of Arlington County Department of Environmental Services, Jessica Baxter said Arlington has many modes of transportation for Arlington residents.

鈥淎rlington has built a robust multimodal transportation network that offers our residents, workers and visitors multiple travel options for getting around, including use of four Metrorail lines and eleven stations in Arlington,” she said.

“Arlington Transit (ART) worked with WMATA to offer supplemental bus service in the days that followed the derailment. The County continues to support WMATA as the agency progresses in its investigation.”

The Metrobus have routes that operate parallel to the rail, according to Baxter. For example, the ART 43 bus follows the Orange and Blue Line.

Another method of common transportation in the DMV is Capital Bikeshare. This week, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that there would be a complimentary 30-day membership for all DC residents.

鈥淥nce registered for the free membership, residents can take unlimited free 45 minute rides on the red classic Capital Bikeshare bikes 鈥� there will be no unlocking or travel fee,鈥� Mayor Bowser’s team said in a Press Release on Oct. 25.

Vasquez said he noticed that there are fewer people on the metro today than average.

鈥淭he delay already happened last week, so that may have factored into it,鈥� Vasquez said.

Vasquez said that he had spoken to individuals who had taken the train after the suspension of the fleet and one man said he was going to have to find another way to get around due to the Metro delays.

WMATA did not respond to requests from 最新蜜桃影像 for further information or comment. However, Homendy stated that NTSB will be looking into what actions WMATA took and whether they were sufficient.

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According to Arlington County Police Department Public Information Officer Ashley Savage,聽 Spencer was found unresponsive in the medical unit.聽

Savage said that deputies and medical staff began immediate resuscitation when Spencer was found unconscious. The deputies continued until the Arlington County Fire Department medics arrived. 鈥淗e was transported to Virginia Hospital Center, where he received medical treatment. His condition did not improve, and he was pronounced deceased at 5:58 p.m,鈥� Savage said.聽

Spencer was an unhoused man, according to Spencer鈥檚 attorney Patrick Edwards. Edwards didn’t press for a quick release because Spencer said was more comfortable in jail and knew he could receive his heart medication there.聽

Spencer’s official cause of his death remains unknown. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ordered an autopsy.

An in-custody death investigation is also underway by the Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT).聽聽

鈥淎rlington County Police Chief Penn activated CIRT to investigate this incident in the interest of promoting transparency and public confidence,鈥� according to Savage.

The recent death of inmate Spencer at the Arlington County Detention Facility was deja vu for Arlingtonians.聽

There have been six deaths in the Arlington County Detention Facility in the last six years.聽 Residents like Jill DeWitt have had enough of it.聽

鈥淭he Arlington County Board cannot continue to ignore the deaths occurring in our jail,鈥� DeWitt said.聽

Almost exactly a year before Spencer’s death, inmate Darryl Becton was found unresponsive in his cell.聽

The Arlington Branch of the NAACP called for an independent investigation of the death of Becton in Oct. 2020. The investigation has still not been publicly released.聽聽

While the cause of the two most recent inmates鈥� deaths remains unknown, the previous four deaths in the Arlington County Detention Facility received a determination. Two were deemed to have died from natural causes, one died of a drug overdose and another died by suicide.聽

Five of the deaths were men of color and one a white man. However, President of the NAACP, Arlington Branch, Julius D. Spain Sr. believes all were men of color.聽

鈥淥ne is identified as white; we really believe incorrectly because we have photos of him that are readily available online…so that鈥檚 six. Six men of color, in five and a half years that have died in the custody of the sheriff’s department and if that doesn鈥檛 draw concern to people, I don鈥檛 know what will,鈥澛�

Spain told 最新蜜桃影像 he is concerned by the lack of transparency regarding the Becton case.聽

鈥淭here has been no accountability. There has been no transparency in the case dealing with Becton, either from the police department or the commonwealth attorney鈥檚 office,鈥� said Spain.聽

The public should also be involved, according to Spain.聽

鈥淵ou would want to believe that this is bigger than just the NAACP and that the public, the taxpayers want to know what happened to this citizen,鈥� Spain said.聽

DeWitt agrees. She believes an independent external investigation into the pattern of deaths and a civilian oversight board with disciplinary power and jurisdiction over the police department and Sheriff’s Office is needed.聽

However, according to Spain, the independent investigation may not work as the updates on the current independent investigation for the Becton case have been lacking.

The last update given to the NAACP regarding Becton鈥檚 death on Oct 1, 2020, was on Aug. 13, 2021, from Commonwealth鈥檚 Attorney, Parisa Dehgahani-Tafti.聽

Spain said the NAACP always has to ask questions, go to the media and put out statements in order to receive a response.

The response stated that the inquiry remains active due to the need to seek, obtain and review evidence in consultation and collaboration with multiple actors.

鈥淚 believe that, as a matter of justice and safety, we owe Mr. Becton鈥檚 family and the community an accurate and transparent account of our work and I intend to do so with respect to Mr. Becton鈥檚 death upon completion of the investigation,鈥� Dehgahani-Tafti said in her latest statement.聽

Spain is questioning if it 鈥渞eally takes a year to investigate the death of an inmate?鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 sad if it does, especially in a county so affluent, prosperous and wealthy as Arlington,鈥� Spain said.聽

Spain said he hopes that the recent investigation of the Spencer case does not also take a year but does not know what to expect.聽

The health and welfare of inmates do not appear to be the main concern, according to Spain.聽

鈥淚s putting a person in jail the best place when they have repeatedly come in and we know they have underlying or significant health issues,鈥� Spain said.聽

Spain said he believes that the practices and procedures need to be looked at and that leadership needs to get involved, specifically, another entity outside of local law enforcement and government.

鈥淲e are sick and tired of people dying in the jailhouse,鈥� Spain said.

The post Arlington NAACP frustration grows after the death of another inmate first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

The $4.8 million renovations began last week in Arlington.聽

Resident, Cecilia Tran has some apprehensions about the renovation due to the high expense and long timeline.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 worth spending that much money and time for a building that not that many people know of,鈥� said Tran.聽

Connor McQuillan agrees. He鈥檚 worried that there may be a better use for this fund.聽

鈥淚t just sounds like there鈥檚 not as much public benefit to that which is kind of a shame,鈥� said McQuillan.聽

Department of Environmental Services spokesperson Peter Golkin, disagrees. He believes these changes will benefit the building and community as the times change.聽

“As you can imagine, buildings age and demands change. Certainly, with the pandemic, we’ve seen office demand and staffing completely turned on its head,鈥� said Golkin.

These renovations have been in the works for several years according to a spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Services.

The Bozman Government Center is not only home to an Arlington DMV location and the Voters Center but, also, a movie theatre, public library, and conference centers that are frequently utilized by the public.聽

The changes to the building will include a new reception area on the main floor, more security enhancements, a children’s area in the library, garage-level elevator and more conference rooms, according to the on Arlington鈥檚 government website.聽

The Arlington Public Library鈥檚 Plaza Branch will remain closed to the public as it has through the COVID-19 pandemic, while most other public areas will remain open and accessible.聽

“I can’t say what that would specifically look like. I can only imagine that, of course, it’s gonna be like protective spacers and things to make sure people aren’t walking through construction,鈥� said Communications and Engagement Specialist, Department of Environmental Services, Claudia Pors.

Owers of the building intend to keep it open throughout the construction process.

“The idea is to keep businesses open, keep services going but then once this is all over, it’s gonna be a much better use of space where people can get done what they need to get done,鈥� Pors said.聽

The County Board approved the construction in July 2021 but for now, only pre-renovations have begun.聽

“So far, they haven’t started the actual physical construction yet…they’re still doing all the prework that comes with construction,鈥� Pors said.

The Ellen M. Bozman Government Center is on county land and, therefore, partially owned by the county. However, JGB Smith owns the building itself. Funding for this construction came from JGB Smith through the tenant improvement allowance.聽

“It’s kind of a unique relationship…the county owns the land, but Smith owns the building. It’s not like most cities where the city owns city hall,鈥� Golkin said.聽

The spaces are used by the public and continue to be used through COVID, according to Pors. They intend on keeping it available to the public throughout the construction.

The intention is to keep the building open to the public but keep the public as safe and comfortable as possible.聽

“That’s always the number one consideration, is the safety of everyone around,” said Golkin.

The construction goes by the industry standards of keeping people away from the work and not being exposed to anything harmful.

“The reason it’s important to keep these spaces open is because these are services that people actually need, like, whether they don’t have internet access to pay taxes at home and they have to walk up to a counter or have some other language barrier and just need help in person. It’s good to keep this continuity of service going on but, of course, also keeping people safe,” said Pors.聽

This construction project is planned to last for 16 months, ending in 2023.聽

JGB Smith did not reply in time to comment.

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