Author: ARLnow.com

Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. Started by a Pentagon City resident who has spent the past several years working in local TV news, ARLnow.com seeks to distinguish itself with original, enterprising, up-to-the-minute local coverage.

Fundraiser for family whose duplex exploded nearly triples initial goal

By ARLnow.com
1/6

(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) When the GoFundMe campaign for the Smith family launched 24 hours ago, it had a goal of raising $50,000. As of publication, it has raised about $140,000.

An outpouring of support for the family that lost everything in the explosion of their Bluemont duplex has been attracting donations from across Arlington, the region and the country. More than 2,000 have donated so far, including individuals and local groups.

“We KW Barrett Elementary kids wanted to support you all,” said one note of support on the fundraising page. “We had a hot cocoa stand to raise funds to help and then added a little extra from us. Hope this helps! Sincerely, KW Barrett Fifth Graders and friends.”

Students at the school in the Arlington Forest neighborhood raised more than $260 yesterday, including from a group of police officers who stopped by, according to social media posts.

The moment the Smith’s home blew up in a giant fireball has been viewed more than 30 million times on X (formerly Twitter) alone.

While they were evacuated by first responders well before the blast, knowledge that the family of four had all of their possessions and physical memories go up in flames prompted people to almost immediately start asking — in comments and social media — how they could support them in their time of need.

Thus stepped in local real estate agent Derek Cole, close college friend of Lance Smith from their time at Oklahoma State in the mid-1990s.

While the family is “not speaking to media at this time,” Cole said, he noted that they “have enjoyed calling Northern Virginia home for many years.” They had extensively renovated their side of the duplex, he wrote on GoFundMe, “working tirelessly to create a special home for their children to flourish.”

“Thankfully, the Smith family and their their sweet dog, are alive, healthy, and very much together,” Cole wrote. “Because of the explosion,” however, “the Smith family sadly lost all their worldly possessions.”

“It is the goal of their friends and loved ones to see the Smith family get back to normal as best they can following this horrible tragedy… especially, as we approach the holiday season,” he wrote. “Please join us in supporting the Smith family as they work to restore balance in their lives and focus on their incredible family, while we also respect their privacy.”

Cole told ARLnow that he was unsure how the funds raised on GoFundMe would be used, saying that it depends on what their insurance covers.

The family’s duplex neighbor, 56-year-old James Yoo, is presumed dead in the explosion, which followed an hours-long standoff with police. Yoo suffered apparent mental health problems and three days before Monday’s incident had posted a paranoid rant against the Smiths on his LinkedIn account.

It is still not clear what triggered the massive explosion, which is being investigated by both Arlington County authorities and federal law enforcement.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A damaged sign pointing to the Custis Trail along N. George Mason Drive in Bluemont (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More on House Explosion Suspect — “The Virginia man presumed to have been killed when his house exploded while cops tried to serve a search warrant had posted rambling conspiracy theories — and filed frivolous lawsuits, including one accusing his ‘witch’ ex-wife of committing him ‘against his will’ in New York.” [New York Post]

What’s Left of the House — From ABC 7’s Tom Roussy: “For the first time since Monday night’s house explosion in Arlington, police have opened up North Burlington St. and we are getting a close look at the destruction left behind.” [Twitter]

Flyover This Afternoon — From Alert DC: “The US Military will conduct a flyover in the NCR, at Arlington National Cemetery, on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 3:15 PM.”

Championship for YHS Grad — From Arlington Magazine: “Florida State Seminoles women’s soccer just won their fourth national championship and Arlington’s own Lauren Flynn, a Yorktown alumna, was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player.” [Facebook]

Flakes to Fly in 2024? — “Euro Seasonal Outlook for January just posted. What does it say? Buckle up Buttercup! The map below is showing where the model thinks most of the storms will locate in January.” [Twitter]

It’s Thursday — Expect a partly sunny day with highs reaching around 45 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind at 5 to 9 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be mostly clear with lows around 33 degrees. The southwest wind will be around 5 mph, calming down in the evening. [Weather.gov]

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 6, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 6, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

🌥️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect a mostly cloudy day with a high temperature close to 45 degrees accompanied by a southwest wind of 5 to 9 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy and the temperature will dip to around 33 degrees. The southwest wind around 5 mph will become calm during the evening. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
– Marcus Aurelius

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Former Arlington prosecutor named Va. Deputy Attorney General

By ARLnow.com
Theo Stamos (staff photo)

Former Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos is taking a top job in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.

Stamos lost her reelection bid in 2019, defeated in the Democratic primary by now-Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti. Once Arlington’s top prosecutor, today Stamos was named the state’s Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

After her election defeat Stamos went on to work as a Law Enforcement Liaison in the U.S. Dept. of Justice during the Trump and Biden administrations, before starting to work with Jason Miyares, Virginia’s newly-elected Republican Attorney General, in January 2022. As Special Counsel to the Attorney General for Special Investigations, Stamos recently wrapped up the successful prosecution of former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler.

Miyares has been a critic of the progressive justice reform movement, which helped to sweep Dehghani-Tafti into office and Stamos out of a job.

Also announced today: the current Deputy Attorney General of Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Nicole Wittmann, is becoming the Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney in Loudoun County, where Republican Bob Anderson defeated progressive prosecutor Buta Biberaj in the November election.

More, below, from a press release.

Attorney General Jason Miyares is pleased to announce that Deputy Attorney General of Criminal Justice and Public Safety Nicole Wittmann is joining the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office as Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney. Theo Stamos will become Attorney General Miyares’ Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice and Public Safety. Theo Stamos currently serves as the Special Counsel to the Attorney General in charge of Special Investigations, Cold and Actual Innocence Cases.

“Nicole has been an invaluable team member and has served the Commonwealth diligently. Virginians are better off because of her commitment to the rule of law and public safety. I look forward to seeing the positive change she’ll bring to Loudoun County as the Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney, returning the office’s focus to prioritizing public safety and protecting victims, which has long been missing,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Nicole Wittmann has spent the majority of her career serving the people of Loudoun County as the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney and Director of the Victim Witness Program. She specialized in the prosecution of sex crimes, crimes against children, human trafficking, internet solicitation of children, child pornography, child abuse, domestic abuse, homicide, and violent crimes. Wittmann received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.

“As the attorney responsible for our office’s special investigations, cold cases, and actual innocence petitions, Theo Stamos has tirelessly pursued the truth that Virginians deserve. Her unwavering dedication to public service makes her a core pillar of my administration. I am thrilled to have her serve as Virginia’s next Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice and Public Safety,” the Attorney General continued.

Theo Stamos began her career as a prosecutor in 1987 in the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, capping off her career there as the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney from 2012 to 2019. She worked in the U.S. Department of Justice where she served as a state and local law enforcement liaison in the Office of Legislative Affairs. Most recently, Theo spearheaded the investigation into the Virginia Parole Board and the Loudoun County School Board, which resulted in the termination of the previous superintendent and a successful conviction for retaliatory firing.

Both Wittmann and Stamos joined the Office of Attorney General at the beginning of the Miyares’ administration in January 2022.

Study: Virginia has 4th strongest residents in U.S.

By ARLnow.com
Weight room at Life Time fitness center in Clarendon (via Life Time)

Arlington ranked as the ‘fittest city’ in the U.S. for the sixth year in a row earlier this year. But the state in which the county is located is no slouch either.

Virginia is the fourth strongest state in the nation, according to a new study.

The Commonwealth weighs in behind Texas (1), Florida (2) and New York (3) in the rankings, which looked at data from the website Open Powerlifting.

“Virginia’s results: average squat: 573 lbs; average bench press: 364 lbs; average deadlift: 667 lbs,” noted a PR rep.

More from a press release:

Lift Vault, an online resource for powerlifting, bodybuilding and strength training, analyzed data, and set out to determine where in America do the country’s physically strongest men & women reside? They scoured through 5 years of data provided by Open Powerlifting focusing on 3 main powerlifting categories – the squat (a strength exercise in which the trainee lowers their hips from a standing position and then stands back up); the bench press (an upper-body weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench); and a deadlift (in which a weight is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips, before being placed back on the ground).

The full set of rankings can be found here. The top and bottom five are below.

2023’s Five Strongest States:

1. Texas
2. Florida
3. NY
4. Virginia
5. California

2023’s Five Weakest States:

50. Vermont
49. Wyoming
48. Arkansas
47. North Dakota
46. West Virginia

Morning Poll: Have you had the latest flu and Covid vaccines?

By ARLnow.com
A vaccine shot (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Chances are you know someone who’s sick right now — if you’re not sick yourself.

We’re in the thick of cold and flu season, and each is on the rise alongside Covid and RSV, though the latter might be peaking. In at least one local drug store, meanwhile, ARLnow noted that Kleenex and Pedialyte seemed to be in short supply.

This morning, in light of the rising levels of illness, we’re wondering about vaccinations. Are you up-to-date on the vaxes for this year’s cold, flu and Covid season? Or are you just letting things play out and hoping for the best?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Building in Crystal City (Flickr pool photo by Emma K. Alexandra)

Flyover Planned Today — From Alert DC: “The US Military will conduct a flyover in the NCR, over Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at approximately 1:40 PM.”

APS ‘Preps Tutoring Blitz’ — “The Arlington school system is planning to use a mix of paid hourly workers and volunteers as it builds up a tutoring corps to address COVID-era learning loss among students. Though running a little behind many other districts, Arlington Public Schools recently submitted its plans to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) for participation in the state’s ‘All IN’ efforts to provide extra services in core subjects in third through eighth grades.” [Gazette Leader]

Multiple Crashes on Camera — From Dave Statter: “About 9:15 this morning at the crash-prone intersection of Army-Navy Drive, S. Hayes and the I-395 ramp.” “This crash at Langston and N. Scott was just after 11 a.m. Report of 2 people hurt.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Board Statement on Explosion — “‘The Board recognizes the Arlington County Police Department for their patience, skill, and bravery in handling this situation, as well as the Fire Department’s quick response to bringing a rare and challenging explosion under control and minimizing collateral damage,’ Chair Dorsey said. ‘We also want to thank the Red Cross for supporting resident evacuations and the FBI and ATF for their assistance in this ongoing investigation.'” [Arlington County]

Blast Scattered Suspect’s Mail — “Chilling pics of the now deceased Mr. Yoo’s mail found a block away from his house explosion. The ATF is now going door to door the next street over to see if anyone has additional videos.” [Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered rain and snow showers in the morning, transitioning to rain showers between 11am and 4pm, under mostly cloudy skies and a high near 44. Winds from the northwest will be around 7 to 14 mph, gusting up to 21 mph, and there’s a 40% chance of precipitation. For Wednesday night, enjoy mostly clear conditions with a low around 29 and northwest winds at 7 to 13 mph. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Emma K. Alexandra

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 5, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 5, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

🌧️ Wednesday’s forecast

Scattered rain and snow showers are expected until 9am, followed by a slight chance of rain showers until noon. The day will be mostly cloudy, reaching a high of around 44 degrees, with northwest winds at 7-14 mph and gusts up to 21 mph. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to a low of 29 degrees and northwest winds at 7-13 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
– Dalai Lama

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

BREAKING: Suspect killed in house explosion, police believe

By ARLnow.com
1/13

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) The man whose house exploded during a standoff with police is dead.

James Yoo, 56, is presumed dead as a result of the explosion of the duplex at 844 N. Burlington Street, in the Bluemont neighborhood, Arlington County police confirmed during a news conference this afternoon.

Human remains were located at the scene, said Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn, and the medical examiner is working to identify the remains. There are no ongoing threats to the community and no outstanding suspects, Penn added.

The explosion happened around 8:25 p.m. Monday and was heard — and felt — from miles around. It followed a standoff that started around 4:45 p.m. as Yoo fired some 30-40 flares from his window, sending them over neighboring Fields Park and in the direction of Key Elementary School.

The force of the explosion shattered home and car windows near the blast site and injured several Arlington police officers. The officers suffered only minor injuries, police previously said.

As many as a dozen surrounding homes were damaged and ten households temporarily displaced by the explosion, ACPD said today. Nearby residents, including those in the duplex unit adjoining Yoo, were evacuated by firefighters about an hour and a half prior to the explosion, authorities said. Those displaced are being provided with temporary housing and necessities, Penn said.

Gas to the house was turned off at the meter prior to the explosion, according to ACFD Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins.

“Their efforts last evening saved lives, period,” Jenkins said. “They minimized damage to property, and I thank them for their efforts.”

Before the explosion, ACPD used a SWAT vehicle to breach the front door and establish communication with Yoo, ordering him to come out. As officers “tried to engage with the suspect,” they “experienced what is believed to be multiple gunshots from a firearm coming from within the dwelling,” Penn said.

Arlington police then “began to deploy non-flammable, less-lethal chemical munitions” in several parts of the home they thought Yoo might be hiding, in an attempt to get him to surrender. Shortly thereafter, the house erupted in a giant fireball that sent debris soaring through the air. Some debris was found several streets away, authorities said.

Firefighters battled the resulting fire for hours, until the early morning hours, with ACFD using a water stream from a ladder truck to douse the potentially gas-fed flames. The fire is now out, authorities said.

Neighbors told ARLnow that Yoo had previously pulled a knife on people looking at the house while it was listed for sale for a few months in 2021. Three days before Monday’s incident he had posted a paranoid rant on Linkedin against his neighbors in the duplex, at the end of quiet street that dead-ends at the Bluemont Junction Trail, near Arlington County Fire Station No. 2.

Penn said that police are now aware of Yoo’s “concerning” social media posts, but noted that he was otherwise largely off the police department’s radar before last night.

“The Arlington County Police Department does not have any prior documented interactions with the suspect at this address other than two calls for service for loud noise,” Penn said.

At Fire Station No. 2 today, numerous personnel from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could be seen, helping the Arlington County police and fire departments investigate what caused the explosion. Penn said the ATF and the FBI are both assisting with the investigation, alongside the Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team and the Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office.

David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, said the bureau received communication from Yoo in the past about “alleged frauds” against him.

The FBI and ATF both sent bomb technicians and other investigators to the scene and are working to determine the cause of the explosion, spokespeople said. No timeline was given for when the investigation will conclude, other than it is expected to “extensive and time consuming.”

‘Wreaths Across America’ event returns next week

By ARLnow.com
Wreaths on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 24, 2019 (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The annual Wreaths Across America event is returning to Arlington National Cemetery next week.

The event will take place next Saturday, Dec. 16, starting at 8 a.m. Members of the public are invited “to lay wreaths at headstones and columbarium niches throughout the cemetery to honor and remember our nation’s service members this holiday season.”

Some 30,000-40,000 people were expected to attend last year’s event. The crowds make getting to the cemetery a bit challenging and preclude parking at the visitors lot for most people.

More on the event and how to get there, below, from an Arlington National Cemetery press release.

Arlington National Cemetery is privileged to invite the public to lay wreaths at headstones and columbarium niches throughout the cemetery to honor and remember our nation’s service members this holiday season.

On Saturday, Dec. 16, the annual Wreaths Across America (WAA) event will be held at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery (SAHNC). ANC will open to visitors at 8 a.m., and SAHNC will open at noon.

“We are honored to uphold this beautiful tradition by providing the public with an opportunity to lay wreaths at the graves of those laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery this holiday season,” said Executive Director of Army National Military Cemeteries and the Office of Army Cemeteries Karen Durham-Aguilera.

Our top priority is the safety and security of our visitors and employees during this event. Visitors should anticipate large crowds and difficulty driving vehicles in the vicinity of Arlington National Cemetery due to road closures. All visitors must pass through the cemetery’s security screening process before entering the cemetery.

No vehicular traffic will be permitted inside the cemetery on Dec. 16, and there will be no vehicle parking for the public in the ANC Welcome Center parking garage except for handicapped and family pass holder visitors (see below). We recommend visitors use public transportation or a ride share service for travel to and from the cemetery.

“To ensure the safety of our visitors on this special day, we encourage those attending to plan ahead to ensure a seamless visit,” said Superintendent Charles “Ray” Alexander. “Visit our website and follow us on social media for event updates and more information.”

Event Details

  • The Arlington National Cemetery entrances – Memorial Ave., Ord & Weitzel Gate, Service Complex Gate (located on Columbia Pike near the Pentagon) and Old Post Chapel Gate (DoD ID cardholders only) – will open to the public at 8 a.m.\
  • All visitors must pass through the cemetery’s security screening process before entering.
  • Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBM-HH) will be accessible to DoD ID card holders only; however, parking will be limited to the Tri-Services parking lot located across from Spates Community Center.

Using Metro to Access the Cemetery

Visitors are encouraged to use metro transportation to access the cemetery. The Arlington Cemetery metro stop will take visitors to the main Memorial Ave. entrance. There are additional access points via the Rosslyn or Pentagon stations. It is an approximately 15-minute walk from these locations to one of the cemetery entrances.

  • For those exiting the metro at the Rosslyn stop, please enter the cemetery through the Ord and Weitzel Gate.
  • For those exiting the metro at the Pentagon stop, please enter the cemetery through the Service Complex Gate.

Visitors traveling by Metro are encouraged to purchase fare ahead of time. To avoid lines, the best option is SmarTrip mobile pay: https://wmata.com/fares/MobilePay/index.cfm.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Outside of Dorothy Hamm Middle School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Taller Lights for Fields? — “Taller lighting stands on Arlington government and school athletic fields could be coming down the pike, if County Board members in mid-December approve a proposed change to the county’s zoning ordinance. Current zoning language mandates a maximum of 68 feet for field and court lighting on county properties. The proposed change, tucked into a package of zoning alterations, would give board members the power to waive that restriction.” [Gazette Leader]

Trail Bumps Removed — From the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail: “Commuters who use the MVT and ride through Gravelly Point rejoice! We spent 7 hours removing those nasty trail bumps.” [Twitter]

HS Basketball Season Underway — “With a couple of new head coaches and a number of different starting players for many of the teams, high-school basketball in Arlington County has some new looks for the 2023-24 season. The campaign began last week for all of the girls and boys varsity teams.” [Gazette Leader]

Fund in Memory of Clark — “The Arlington Historical Society has established the Charlie Clark Memorial Historical Preservation Fund to honor the work of local historian, author and journalist Charlie Clark. The fund will be used to help advance Clark’s passion for historical preservation, including AHS’s two historic properties: the Ball-Sellers House and the Arlington Historical Museum.” [Patch]

Beyer Supports New Nat’l Holiday — “U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th) has signed on as a cosponsor of legislation to create a federal holiday honoring Rosa Parks. The measure, introduced in January by Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), would designate Dec. 1 each year to honor the civil-rights icon.” [Gazette Leader]

Hit and Run Sunday Night — From Alan Henney: “HIT-AND-RUN PEDESTRIAN STRUCK— S Eads St at S Glebe Rd in Arlington. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital; still alert.” [Twitter]

Citizen Police Academy Applications Open — “The Arlington County Police Department is now accepting applications for the 28th Community Police Academy (CPA). The CPA is an educational program designed to provide an opportunity to enhance the lines of communication and understanding between police and members of the Arlington community.” [ACPD]

It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, with temperatures reaching a high of 46 and a northwest wind blowing 3 to 6 mph. On Tuesday night, expect scattered rain and snow showers before 1am, transitioning to rain showers between 1am and 4am, and then returning to a mix of rain and snow showers after 4am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of around 36. A calm wind will become northerly at around 5 mph after midnight, and there is a 40% chance of precipitation. [Weather.gov]

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