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.

JUST IN: Gunston Middle School locked down due to threat

By ARLnow.com
1/6

(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) Gunston Middle School was placed in lockdown this afternoon due to a threat found in the school.

Initial reports suggest that a threat of violence at a specific time was found in a bathroom. Police responded to the scene and the school’s classrooms were locked down.

“Do not come to the school,” Arlington Public Schools initially said on social media.

No actual incidents of violence have been reported.

As of 2:45 p.m. the lockdown had been lifted in favor of a “secure the school” status and students were being escorted to buses as part of a controlled dismissal.

This is the latest in a series of threats against Arlington middle schools.

In March, Gunston wasĀ put in lockdown after ā€œa message written inside a restroom stall referencing gun violenceā€ was discovered. Last week another threat found in a Gunston girls’ bathroom prompted a police investigation. Swanson was locked down yesterday due to a phoned-in bomb threat.

In May, a Kenmore student was chargedĀ after an implied shooting threat was posted on social media.

Separately today, Wakefield High School families were informed of an alleged shooting threat. Principal Peter Balas sent the following message to families.

Dear Wakefield Families and Staff,

Late yesterday, Wakefield Administration was informed of a threat of violence overheard by several students. The specific threat reported involved ā€œshooting up the class.ā€

The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and the APS Safety, Security and Emergency Management office were made aware of the threat, and they investigated the situation. Any students who have knowledge of this are asked to contact the school administration.

The preliminary investigation has not revealed an ongoing threat to the safety of the school community. Students are reminded that making threats, regardless of credibility, is unacceptable and in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and will result in disciplinary action by the school as well as a referral to law enforcement.

We appreciate the students who brought this to our attention and ask all members of our community to report any threats they may see or hear, whether they believe they are credible or not.

We always take threats of violence of any kind very seriously. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority and I want to thank the Wakefield community for your support and responsiveness, and if you hear or see something that concerns you, please let me or a member of our staff know immediately.

Arlington Public Schools has partnered with the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginiaā€™s Youth Violence Project to provide free threat assessment training for students and parents. This training program is designed for all students ages 12 and up and parents of all students in Arlington Public Schools. Additional information is available on the APS website.

James Jarvis and Jo DeVoe contributed to this report

Crime report: Officers assaulted, robbery victims knocked to the ground

By ARLnow.com
File photo

It was an active weekend for Arlington County police.

A number of notable incidents were detailed in the latest ACPD crime report. Among them were a pair of assaults on police early Saturday morning.

In the first incident, an intoxicated suspect allegedly kicked an officer after ACPD was called for “vehicle stopped in the middle lane of traffic” on 23rd Street S. in Crystal City.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-11110021, 500 block of 23rd Street S. At approximately 1:46 a.m. on November 11, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. Upon arrival, witnesses directed officers to a vehicle stopped in the middle lane of traffic. As officers approached to investigate, they came into contact with the male and female suspects. The female suspect disregarded officers commands and attempted to go back towards the vehicle. When officers attempted to detain her, she allegedly became combative and resisted before being taken into custody. As officers were detaining the female suspect, the male suspect became aggressive and attempted to interfere. Additional arriving officers detained the male suspect during which he resisted officers. During a search of the female suspect, she kicked a police officer. [Suspect 1], 29, of Washington, DC. was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Obstruction of Justice and Public Intoxication. [Suspect 2], 25, of Greensboro, NC, was arrested and charged with Obstruction of Justice and Public Intoxication.

Another assault on police was reported later that morning along S. Four Mile Run Drive, after a victim was allegedly assaulted by a woman she knows.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-11110041, 4200 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 4:25 a.m. on November 11, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, it was determined the female suspect and female victim, who are known to each other, had a verbal dispute inside of a parked vehicle during which the suspect exited the vehicle and assaulted the victim through an open car window. Responding officers located the suspect on scene and while officers attempting to detain her, she allegedly struck a police officer. Medics responded and treated the victim of the initial assault on scene for non-life threatening injuries. [The suspect], 33, of Jacksonville, FL was arrested and charged with Assault on Police.

Later Saturday evening, police responded to the assault of two teen girls in Rosslyn by a teen boy armed with a taser, who remains at large.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING BY A CAUSTIC AGENT, 2023-11110171, 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 5:53 p.m. on November 11, police were dispatched to the report of an incident involving a juvenile. Upon arrival, it was determined the two juvenile female victims were walking in the area when they were approached by an unknown group of juveniles. The juvenile male suspect then knocked Victim One to the ground, produced a taser and attempted to steal her personal belongings before the victims fled into a nearby business. The suspect then followed the victims into the business and tased Victim Two. The victims exited the business and ran from the area during which the suspect caught up with them, pepper sprayed Victim Two and followed them into a residential building where he poured a drink on Victim Two before fleeing the scene on foot. Medics responded and evaluated the victims on scene.

Finally, on Sunday night, a man walking in the Barcroft neighborhood was knocked to the ground by someone who ran up on them from behind. The victim suffered serious injuries, according to ACPD.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING,Ā 2023-11120208, 900 block of S. Buchanan Street. At approximately 10:23 p.m. on November 12, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was walking in the area when the unknown male suspect approached from behind, knocked the victim to the ground, physically assaulted him and produced a possible taser or stun gun. The suspect then stole the victimā€™s wallet before running from the scene. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. Officers established a perimeter and searched the area with negative results. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

FDIC scrutinized for ‘toxic culture’ and ‘boozy hotel’ in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com
FDIC “hotel” in Virginia Square (via Google Maps)

Would you be surprised to know that the FDIC maintains an 11-story hotel in Virginia Square?

Would you be more surprised that the fledgling bank regulators there for training were apparently partying so hard it prompted a Wall Street Journal article?

The Journal published an investigation yesterday headlined: “Strip Clubs, Lewd Photos and a Boozy Hotel: The Toxic Atmosphere at Bank Regulator FDIC.” It details an alleged toxic culture of sexual harassment, misogyny and heavy drinking within the federal agency, as well as a lack of accountability for bad behavior.

“Female examiners left the FDIC because of what they say was a sexualized, boysā€™ club environment and the belief they were consistently given fewer opportunities than their male counterparts, according to interviews with more than 100 current and former employees, including more than 20 women who quit,” the Journal reported of the seemingly staid insurer of deposits and monitor of bank solvency.

“The FDICā€™s 11-story hotel outside Washington, where out-of-town employees stay when attending training, was a party hub, where people have vomited in the elevator and urinated off the roof after nights of heavy drinking,” the article continues. “The carousing spawned an Instagram account that posted in 2021: ‘If you havenā€™t puked off the roof, were you ever really a FIS?’ā€”referring to a bank examiner-in-training.”

The article goes on to suggest that uninhibited FDIC trainees have been terrorizing Arlington bars for years.

A center of the FDICā€™s party culture was the agencyā€™s hotel. The FDIC spent more than $100 million in the 1980s to build a training complex in Arlington, Va., that included a hotel for agency staff with more than 350 rooms, an outdoor pool and a rooftop patio.Ā The FDIC said the hotel and training complex save the agency money.

Employees, from new hires to supervisors, often gathered on the roof for drinks, buying alcohol at the nearby liquor store. Some employees joked that the hotel is like an embassy: If they can get back to the hotel after creating chaos at nearby bars, theyā€™ll be fine.

Trips to the complex eased during the pandemic but have rebounded since then, with employees as recently as this summer drinking on the roof and hitting nearby bars before arriving hungover at training the next day, a current employee said.

The Journal cites two specific cases that led to arrests in Arlington. A man “found passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle outside the FDIC hotel” in 2016 pleaded guilty to DUI, and a man who in 2014 “became so inebriated that other employees felt they were being held hostage” was arrested in an FDIC hotel room and charged with public intoxication, per the WSJ.

“Neither man was fired,” the paper noted.

Photo via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The new Crush Pizza at the Water Park in Crystal City (Flickr pool photo by Emma K. Alexandra)

APS Snow Plan — “Should a particularly rough winter cost the Arlington school system two weeks or more of instructional time, the school system will revert to online learning rather than extend the school year or cut into spring break.” [Gazette Leader]

Rollover Crash in Rosslyn — From Alan Henney: “2-VEHICLE CRASH WITH HIGHLANDER ON ITS SIDE— North Rhodes St and Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn (Arlington). No injuries. (7:50 p.m.)” [Twitter]

Local Real Estate Slowdown — “Typical seasonal market cooling coupled with a modest year-over-year decline in inventory held back total sales across Arlington in October, while prices generally were flat compared to a year before. A total of 149 properties went to closing countywide for the month… That was down about 18 percent from a year before.” [Gazette Leader]

Union: Too Much ACFD Overtime — “Unfortunately our members are experiencing the same situation. Unprecedented attrition levels and forced overtime is having a tremendous impact on our members and their families.” [Twitter]

W-L Makes Early Playoff Exit — “What was a championship regular season ended early in the playoffs with a first-round home loss for the Washington-Liberty Generals in the 6D North Region football tournament. Liberty District and Arlington County champion and No. 3 seed Washington-Liberty (9-2) was defeated by the sixth-seed Westfield Bulldogs, 30-7, the night of Nov. 10.” [Gazette Leader]

Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving — “For people who donā€™t want to spend hours or even days cooking and cleaning up from a big turkey dinner, several restaurants in Arlington are open Thanksgiving Day.” [Patch]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny conditions with highs around 58 degrees and northwest winds at 10-13 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. Tuesday night, skies will be mostly clear with lows near 35 degrees and north winds around 6 mph. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Emma K. Alexandra

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Nov 13, 2023

By ARLnow.com

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

šŸ•— News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Nov 13, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

ā˜€ļø Tuesday’s forecast

Expect sunny skies with a high close to 58 degrees and a northwest wind at 10-13 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 35 degrees. A north wind of around 6 mph will turn calm after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Courage is grace under pressure. “
– Ernest Hemingway

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

JUST IN: Security guard charged with weekend shooting in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
Police on scene of the Key Bridge Marriott site after shooting (photo courtesy Edward M.)

A 53-year-old Maryland man has been charged after a shooting on the former Key Bridge Marriott site.

Police say the man was working as a security guard Sunday afternoon when he confronted a group of teen trespassers at the fenced-in property, brandished a firearm, and fired a shot that struck one of the teens.

The teen fled the scene and called police. Officers located him at the Rosslyn McDonald’s restaurant with a reported gunshot wound to the ankle.

The former hotel, slated for aĀ since-stalled redevelopment, wasĀ condemned by the countyĀ earlier this year and cleared of a large group of squatters.

More on the arrest, below, from an Arlington County police press release.

The Arlington County Police Departmentā€™s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing an arrest in a shooting that occurred in the 1400 block of Langston Boulevard at the former Key Bridge Marriott property on November 12, 2023. Ahmed Namnoom, 53, of Laurel, Md. is charged with Malicious Wounding and Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 4:24 p.m., police were dispatched to the 1800 block of N. Lynn Street and located a juvenile male in his teens suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. Medics transported the victim to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The preliminary investigation indicatesĀ the suspect was operating as a security guard in the 1400 block of Langston Boulevard when a group of juvenile teens allegedly entered the fenced property and were walking towards the vacant structure. The suspect drove towards the group, exited the vehicle and confronted them while he brandished his firearm. The suspect then discharged his firearm, striking the victim and resulting in his injury. The victim ran from the scene to the 1800 block of N. Lynn Street where he called police.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Departmentā€™s Homicide/Robbery Unit atĀ 703-228-4180Ā orĀ [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline atĀ 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Santa Claus is coming to town this week

By ARLnow.com
Santa Claus (Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash)

Santa Claus is returning to Arlington later this week.

The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City is kicking off its photos with Santa this coming Friday, according to the mall’s website. Reservations are available starting at 11 a.m.

As in previous years, the Pentagon City mall is also hosting a Caring Santa event, for children with special needs, as well as a Pet Night. Those are taking place the morning and evening, respectively, of Sunday, Dec. 3.

Santa’s arrival in Arlington one week before Thanksgiving may be early, but it’s got nothing on Tysons. Our Fairfax County neighbors had Ol’ Saint Nick walk the red carpet at Tysons Corner Center this past Thursday morning, Nov. 9.

Arlington’s other major mall, meanwhile, is starting Santa photos on Friday, Dec. 1. Reservations for photos with the jolly one at Ballston Quarter mall also start at 11 a.m. that day.

Photo byĀ Tim MossholderĀ onĀ Unsplash

UPDATED: Police and fire department respond to bomb threat at middle school

By ARLnow.com
Swanson Middle School (photo via APS)

(Updated at 1 p.m.) Someone phoned in a bomb threat at Swanson Middle School this morning.

The caller claimed that bombs were planted in the middle school, in the Westover area. The school was quickly placed in lockdown, an Arlington Public Schools spokesman confirmed to ARLnow.

Police and fire department personnel — including bomb-sniffing dogs — were dispatched to the school around 9:50 a.m.

The following was sent to Swanson families just before 10:30 a.m.

Swanson Middle School remains in lockdown* due to a bomb threat made over the phone. The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and Arlington County Fire Department are on the scene to determine the credibility of the threat.Ā All students and staff are safe at this time.Ā The safety and security of students and staff is our top priority.

At this time, we ask that parents stay where they are and remain available to receive updates and instructions as needed. Please do not come to the school. Additional details will be communicated as soon as they are known.

As of 11:15 a.m. Arlington County police said no explosives were found during a search of the school. Students were dismissed from school shortly thereafter.

“ACPD and ACFD have given the school an ‘all clear’ following a search of the school property,” families were told in an email. “The investigation into the circumstances of the telephone threat is ongoing.”

“Because of the threat, students will be dismissedĀ at 11:30 a.m.,” the message continued. “The safety and security of your child is our top priority.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Dueling leaf colors in Clarendon (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)

APS Payroll Problems Probed — “Outside consultants have delivered a scathing critique of the Arlington school systemā€™s payroll processing, pointing to burnt out and undersupported staff, a failure at times to follow established policies and procedures, and antiquated technology. If school-system leaders canā€™t or donā€™t want to sufficiently fix the internal issues, the consultants suggest outsourcing at least part of the operation.” [Gazette Leader]

Another Wreck at Dicey IntersectionĀ — “Another day, another car accident! Same intersection – N Park & N George Mason. Install the light!” [Twitter]

Kennedy Burial Anniversary — “November 25, 2023 is the 60th anniversary of President Kennedyā€™s burial at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). The Presidentā€™s tragic death had a profound impact on the nation, but his televised funeral at Arlington also forever changed the nature of ANC. As a result, demand for burial at ANC grew significantly and led to many changes at the cemetery to include expansion, the creation of above ground inurnment spaces, and restrictions on eligibility.” [ARLnow]

Elementary School Getting Mural — “Iā€™m happy to share my opportunity to work on another out of state school residency @JamestownAPS in Arlington,Virginia. This yearā€™s theme will focus on the Kindness.” [Twitter]

About Met Park Plants — “Metropolitan Park offers serene walking paths, unique public art installations, a dog park, a childrenā€™s play area, and an active central green, all nestled inside a horticultural masterpiece partially inspired by the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. The park is home to more than 50,000 understory plants, 300 trees, and 160 native and native-adaptive species.” [Amazon]

It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching a high of around 57 degrees, accompanied by a calm wind picking up from the south at 5 to 7 mph during the morning. Monday night remains clear, with lows around 41 degrees. The southwest wind of 7 to 9 mph will shift to a northwest direction after midnight. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent

JUST IN: Police investigating apparent shooting at Rosslyn Marriott site

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A teen was reportedly shot in the ankle this afternoon at the site of the former Key Bridge Marriott.

Initial reports suggest the teen was shot while a group of some ten people was trespassing on the fenced-off site. It is unclear whether he was shot by another trespasser or someone else.

Police and medics were called shortly before 4:30 p.m., after the teen made his way to the nearby McDonald’s in Rosslyn.

“He was transported to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries,” said Arlington County police. “The investigation is ongoing.”

The former hotel, slated for a since-stalled redevelopment, was condemned by the county earlier this year and cleared of a large group of squatters.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Nov 10, 2023

By ARLnow.com

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

šŸ•— News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Nov 10, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Alleged pickleball masturbator nabbed after Columbia Pike peeping incident (21926 views)
  2. DEVELOPING: Another Democratic sweep looks likely in Arlington as election results roll in (11068 views)
  3. UPDATED: Arlington office building housing Israeli defense firm vandalized (10162 views)
  4. Cava Mezzeā€™s 12-year run in Clarendon appears to have come to an end (9612 views)
  5. GMU celebrates ā€œtopping outā€ of major expansion on Virginia Square campus (5336 views)
  6. Upscale market and cafƩ Foxtrot coming to Ballston (4600 views)
  7. Changes to Chain Bridge intersection set for Arlington County Board vote (4006 views)
  8. New Latin American restaurant hoping to open in Pentagon City next week (3803 views)

šŸ“… Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

šŸŒ„ļø Saturday’s forecast

Expect mostly cloudy skies with a high of 64Ā°F and a low of 45Ā°F, accompanied by a 10% chance of precipitation later in the evening. Winds picking up from the west at 10-15 mph and humidity levels around 62% will contribute to the cool but comfortable conditions throughout the day. Be sure to grab a light jacket before heading out, as temperatures are expected to drop as the sun sets. See more from Weather.gov.

šŸ’” Quote of the Day

“Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.”
– Democritus

šŸŒ… Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. šŸ‘‹

View More Stories