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.

Police: Would-Be Rapist Scared Off By Witness

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police are searching for a man they say tried to rape a woman near Courthouse last night.

The incident happened around 10:45 p.m. in the Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood.

The victim was walking her dog alone when the suspect allegedly started chasing her. He fell on top of her at the corner of Fairfax Drive and N. Rolfe Street, then tried to remove her pants, but a witness started yelling at the suspect and he ran of, according to ACPD.

Officers on the ground and a police helicopter tried to find the man, but the search was unsuccessful.

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is investigating an attempted rape in the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood that took place on the evening of November 17, 2020.

At approximately 10:47 p.m., police were dispatched to the 1300 block of N. Rolfe Street for the report of an attempted rape. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was walking her dog along the N. Rhodes Street bridge over Arlington Boulevard when she noticed the male suspect begin to follow her. The victim picked up her pace to a run in an attempt to separate herself from the suspect who then began to chase after her. At the corner of Fairfax Drive and N. Rolfe Street, the victim and suspect fell to the ground. The suspect ended up on top of the victim, told her not to talk and attempted to remove her pants. A witness heard the victim yelling and called out to the suspect. The suspect froze and the victim was able to run away. Responding officers established a perimeter and canvased the area with negative results.

The suspect is described as a Black male in his 20’s, approximately 6’0″, 225-250lbs with broad shoulders. He was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, dark jeans and a navy-blue face mask at the time of the incident.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective J. McGrath at 703-228-4244 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided to the Arlington County Police Tip Line at [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Map via Google Maps

NEW: Pentagon Row Now Allowing To-Go Alcohol

By ARLnow.com

A month after Shirlington Village first allowed it, “sipping and strolling” is now permitted at Pentagon Row.

The shopping centers, owned by Bethesda-based Federal Realty Investment Trust, both applied for new Virginia ABC “Commercial Lifestyle Center” permits earlier this year. Pentagon Row’s permit was just approved.

The permit, which was enabled by a new Virginia law that went into effect on July 1, allows customers to take beer, wine and cocktails to go within a privately-owned shopping center. In the case of Pentagon Row, patrons can buy the drinks at any of a half dozen restaurants, then enjoy them while strolling around the recently-opened ice skating rink or other parts of the retail district.

It’s kind of like Bourbon Street, but colder and with fewer beads.

FRIT said the permit approval “further supports Arlington businesses in the neighborhood.”

The company posted the following FAQ about the permit approval.

Can I carry an alcoholic beverage around Pentagon Row?
Enjoy alcoholic beverages to go from Asia Bistro, Basic Burger, Bund’Up, Wild Tiger, Saigon Saigon and Sin’ E Irish Pub and stroll throughout the designated common areas and participating stores at Pentagon Row. (You must be 21+). Please keep the beverage in a disposable cup provided by the restaurant where the drink was purchased.

Where to Sip & Stroll?
You can now roam with your cocktail on the main pedestrian walkways throughout Pentagon Row. Click here for a map of the specific designated areas. Alcohol not permitted in any parking lot or garage.

Can you bring your own alcohol to Pentagon Row?
No. Only alcoholic beverages purchased from Asia Bistro, Basic Burger, Bund’Up, Wild Tiger, Saigon Saigon and Sin’ E Irish Pub may be taken outside the restaurant and into the neighborhood. No outside alcohol is permitted.

Can I take my drink into a store while shopping?
Yes, apart from the stores that prohibit alcoholic beverages inside. If you see a sign on the store that reads “Sip & Shop”, you may enter that store with your alcoholic beverage.

Can you take a drink purchased from Asia Bistro, Basic Burger, Bund’Up, Wild Tiger, Saigon Saigon and Sin’ E Irish Pub into another restaurant?
No. You are welcome to Sip & Stroll to your heart’s content, but if you want to stop for a snack or a second beverage, you cannot take that same cup back into the restaurant where it was purchased or into any other restaurants. If you order a second beverage, the restaurant will provide you with a new cup.

JUST IN: Arlington Sees Third Consecutive Record Daily Case Average

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) For the third day in a row, Arlington’s daily coronavirus case average has risen to a new record.

In Arlington, 58 new cases were reported overnight, following 74 new cases on Tuesday and 82 new cases on Monday. The trailing seven-day total of new COVID cases is now 382, or nearly 55 per day, a new record.

The state also set a new case average record today, reaching 1,761 new daily coronavirus cases over the trailing seven-day period. New restrictions on gatherings and alcohol sales, ordered by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, took effect Monday.

Arlington’s cumulative case count since the beginning of the pandemic is now above 5,500. It crossed the 5,000 mark only ten days ago.

The county’s test positivity rate has also ticked up, and currently stands at 7.1%. It was around 3.5-4.5% in September and October.

Hospitalizations, meanwhile, remain elevated but well below the levels seen this spring. Sixteen new hospitalizations have been reported among Arlington residents over the past week, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

During a presentation to the Arlington County Board on Tuesday, officials said that the virus is disproportionately affecting younger adults and the Hispanic community.

“The trend continues to illustrate the constant disproportionate burden for our Hispanic residents across the entire span of the pandemic,” said Aaron Miller, Arlington’s director of the Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management.

For Nov. 8 to 14, this group had 29.3 cases per 100,000 people.

Eighteen to 29 year olds are breaking records for case numbers during the pandemic, with 28.38 cases per 100,000 reported last week.

“Since June, we have seen sustained increases and a disproportionate burden of illness that is higher than all other age groups,” Miller said.

The County’s contact tracing has found that one third of Arlingtonians who test positive knowingly interacted with someone who was positive or showing symptoms of COVID-19, while nearly one in five report that they attended a large gathering.

“That increase in people gathering together flat out allows for germ spread, and it makes it easier for coronavirus cases to rise,” he said.

Arlingtonians are also setting new highs for testing rates. Since the pandemic started, 84,601 PCR tests have been reported to the department, with 4,500 coming over the last few weeks.

“That is the highest number reported to date,” Miller said.

Nationally, all 50 states are currently reporting rising cases, and while COVID-related deaths in the U.S. crossed the quarter-million mark today, case mortality rates are lower than in the spring.

Drugmaker Pfizer reported new, strongly positive data from its vaccine trials today, and is now seeking emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

Pfizer and Moderna, which developed another vaccine that has proven highly effective in trials, are aiming to have 20 million vaccine doses each available in the U.S. by late December, the Associated Press reports.

Jo DeVoe contributed to this report

Police Searching for Suspect Near Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Officers on the ground and a helicopter overhead searched for a criminal suspect near Rosslyn this morning.

Police were investigating a “domestic incident” this morning around 9 a.m. when they spotted the suspect and he took off running. He was able to evade officers after running down the Custis Trail and then through the woods in the area of the MOM’s Organic Market on Lee Highway, according to scanner traffic.

The exact nature of the incident for which the suspect is wanted is unclear.

The man reportedly changed clothes while on the run. Numerous Arlington County Police and U.S. Park Police officers, including at least one K-9 unit, looked for the man on the ground. The U.S. Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter was also overhead, helping to search from the air.

The search was largely called off by 10:45 a.m., though police remained on scene investigating.

https://twitter.com/samerfarha/status/1329086049864224772

This morning’s suspect search follows another helicopter-assisted suspect search last night, in the Courthouse area, following an attempted sexual assault.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Streetcar Anniversary — Today is the sixth anniversary of the cancellation of the Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar project. [ARLnow]

APS Still Planning for In-Person School — “Some have asked why we are proceeding at this time given the latest health metrics. It is important that we gather the information schools need to plan now, so that they have the time to prepare for possible transitions in January. Delaying the process would mean that we would not be ready to open our schools for more students, should we determine it is safe enough to do so.” [Arlington Public Schools]

More Taco Rocks on the Way — “Chef Mike Cordero and his sons, Nick and Anthony, are bringing a second Taco Rock location to Northern Virginia with plans to expand the brand to a chain of up to a dozen restaurants. Cordero and his restaurant group, Macnac Group, will deliver a 2,500-square-foot fast-casual taqueria and tequila bar at 6548 Little River Turnpike in the Pinecrest Plaza shopping center that will replicate the Rosslyn store that opened its doors in October 2019.” [Washington Business Journal]

Fireworks Banned on Public Property — “The use of personal fireworks is now officially verboten on publicly owned property in Arlington. The policy change was tucked away in a broader County Board action Nov. 14 that updates for the first time in three years the Arlington County Fire Prevention Code.” [InsideNova]

County to Implement Restorative Justice — “The Arlington County Board today accepted the Restorative Arlington Strategic Plan, which provides a framework for the County to adopt restorative justice practices in our public schools, legal system, and community settings. Arlington expects to receive a $75,000 grant award from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to help implement the plan.” [Arlington County]

Back to Normal at DCA May Take Years — “Officials at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority believe it will take years for air traffic to return to pre-pandemic levels — at least until 2024, according to its proposed 2021 budget. MWAA said it expects airlines at its two airports, Reagan National and Dulles International, will finish the year with about 7.4 million passengers put on planes, a significant drop from the 24.3 million in 2019.” [Washington Business Journal]

Nearby: New &Pizza in Seven Corners — “Looks like 7 Corners area of Falls Church is getting an @andpizza — a fun, new addition to the neighborhood.” [@jstrelitz/Twitter]

Site Work Underway for GMU Expansion Project in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) Initial preparations are underway for a major transformation of the George Mason University campus in Virginia Square.

Fencing is currently going up around the former Kann’s Department Store on the GMU Arlington campus, next to the FDIC office complex, in preparation for demolition. The aging, mid-century brick building, at 3401 Fairfax Drive, is set to be torn down starting in early 2021.

The demolition will make way for a $250 million expansion project, which will see the construction of an expansive new building to house new tech-oriented facilities.

“The university is transforming its Arlington campus to create a new innovation hub for the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor,” GMU said of the project. “The multi-million dollar expansion project will include an approximately 500,000 SF state-of-the-art building that will serve as the headquarters for Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation and its proposed School of Computing.”

A university press release from July further clarified the GMU would occupy most of the building, while private companies may also lease space in it.

“Utilizing the site of the former Kann’s Department store, the Institute for Digital InnovAtion headquarters will be a mixed-use, multi-tenant building with approximately 400,000 square feet of new building space adjacent to Mason’s existing presence in Virginia Square,” the press release said. “Mason will occupy approximately 225,500 square feet of the new space, leaving 135,000 square feet available for leasing by industry partners.”

Abatement work will follow the fencing installation, and demolition is expected to start early next year. Design work on the new facility is expected to be complete by the fall of 2022, followed by a construction project which should be complete by mid-2025, according to an information packet about the project.

The overall goal is to position GMU, plus Arlington and Northern Virginia as a whole, as a new tech powerhouse.

“By 2024, Mason projects it will have more than 10,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students enrolled in computing-related degree program. More than just an addition to the Arlington skyline, the new building will directly serve those students,” the information packet says. “The first of its kind in Virginia, [Mason’s proposed School of Computing] will graduate future leaders in key tech fields and position Arlington as a global leader in computing.”

GMU is currently trying to raise $125 million, which will then be matched with another $125 million from the state, for the graduate programs. The university is set to receive another $110 million from Virginia to establish the undergraduate programs. The funding was announced in the wake of Amazon’s decision to locate its HQ2 in Arlington.

Police Use ‘Stop Sticks’ to Apprehend Juveniles in Stolen Car

By ARLnow.com

The aftermath of a felony traffic stop on northbound I-395 near Pentagon City last night.

The Arlington County Police Department says that officers used spikes, known as Stop Sticks, to blow out the tires on a stolen vehicle that was spotted by an automated license plate reader. Two suspects each under the age of 18 were subsequently apprehended.

“At approximately 9:43 p.m. on November 16, police received a License Plate Reader hit for a stolen vehicle,” an ACPD crime report said. “An officer located the vehicle traveling northbound on I-395 and activated his emergency equipment as an additional officer successfully deployed stop sticks.”

“The vehicle came to a stop and the two juvenile occupants were taken into custody without incident,” the crime report continues. “The driver was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Charges for the passenger are pending.”

Arlington is in the midst of a wave of vehicle-related crime, including break-ins, thefts and even carjackings.

Last night’s police action on the highway blocked a number of northbound lanes for more than an hour, leading to backups, as seen in the video below.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

A First for ACFD — “A veteran firefighter in Arlington County, Virginia, is breaking barriers as she rises through the ranks. Tiffanye Wesley is the first African American woman named deputy fire chief in all of Northern Virginia.” [NBC 4]

County Wants Feedback on Camera Policy — ” The Arlington County Police Department, Sheriff’s Office and Fire Marshals’ Office are seeking the public’s input and feedback on draft Digital Evidence Management System policies, regulating digital audio and video recordings captured by body worn cameras, in-car cameras, and interview room cameras.” [Arlington County]

Guilty Plea in Murder Case — “Jose Angel Rodriguez-Cruz, 54, pleaded guilty in Stafford County Circuit Court on Monday morning in the killing of 28-year-old Marta Haydee Rodriguez, who was last seen walking to a bus stop in Arlington, Virginia, in April 1989.” [WTOP, Washington Post]

Vehicle and Business Break-ins — Arlington County police are investigating a pair of business burglaries in the Rosslyn area, and series of vehicle break-ins in the Barcroft neighborhood, according to Monday’s crime report. [ACPD]

Gov. Backs Marijuana Legalization — “Governor Ralph Northam today announced that he will introduce and support legislation to legalize marijuana in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The announcement comes as the Northam Administration prepares to release a report on the impact of legalizing adult-use marijuana.” [Commonwealth of Virginia]

Amazon Order Boosts 23rd Street — “By early May, more than 400 meals a day were leaving the Freddie’s kitchen and reaching firefighters, police, hospitals, and area residents in low-income housing… Due to the size of Amazon’s order, he enlisted a dozen other nearby restaurants. This joint effort ‘breathed life, energy, and activity into the independent restaurants that make up the core of 23rd Street.'” [Amazon]

Reopening Groups Blast Teachers — “Our coalitions of over 5,300 parents, teachers and Northern Virginia residents unite today to express dismay and concern of the latest efforts by a group of Northern Virginia education associations pushing Governor Northam to remove the option for in-person school for all of Virginia’s children.” [Arlington Parents for Education]

Local Districts Pause Reopening — “As COVID-19 cases surge, Fairfax County Public Schools will delay bringing back early HeadStart, pre-K and kindergarten students, plus some students who receive special education services… [and] Falls Church City Public Schools announced Tuesday that they will temporarily ‘pause’ in-person learning for the week of Thanksgiving.” [NBC 4, InsideNova, Washington Post]

Photo courtesy Dennis Dimick

BREAKING: Holiday Wreath Event Back on at Arlington National Cemetery

By ARLnow.com

Update at 2:20 p.m. — Secretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy has directed Arlington National Cemetery to host the Wreaths Across America event this year, despite the worsening pandemic, per a tweet Tuesday afternoon. McCarthy said the event will be held safely, but it was not immediately clear how.

Update at 3:50 p.m. — President Trump now says that he reversed the decision to cancel the annual holiday wreath event this year.

Earlier: The annual holiday wreath-laying event at Arlington National Cemetery has been cancelled this year due to the pandemic.

“Due to the current COVID-19 situation across the nation and within the [National Capital Region], it is with great regret that ANC is cancelling Wreaths Across America,” the cemetery said in a tweet Monday night.

The average daily case rate hit a new all-time high in Arlington and across Virginia today. Nationwide, the number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 reached a new peak today.

The wreath event attracts tens of thousand of volunteers, who lay wreaths at the cemetery’s hundreds of thousands of graves a week or two before Christmas. More crowds of volunteers then help to “retire” the wreaths after the holiday.

In a press release, below, the cemetery’s Executive Director said that officials “did not make this decision lightly.”

Due to the current COVID-19 situation across the nation and within the National Capital Region, it is with great regret that Arlington National Cemetery is canceling Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home Cemetery on December 19, 2020.

Following a thorough analysis of the annual Wreaths Across America Wreaths-In event this year, and in close collaboration with the Joint Task Force, National Capital Region, we determined that we could not implement sufficient controls to mitigate the risks associated with hosting an event of this size under current and forecasted infection and transmission rates, while still conducting a respectful and honorable public event.

“We did not make this decision lightly. Despite the controls developed to disperse potential crowds in time and space, and required personal safety protocols, we determined that hosting any event of this scale risked compromising our ability to accomplish our core mission of laying veterans and their eligible family members to rest,” stated Karen Durham-Aguilera, Executive Director, Office of Army National Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery. “We reviewed various options to safely execute this long standing event and held numerous consultations with WAA leadership and local government and public health officials. We understand that although this is disappointing for so many, we could no longer envision a way to safely accommodate the large number of visitors we typically host during this event.”

ANC’s most sacred mission to lay our nation’s veterans and their family members to rest continues during this COVID-19 environment. In order to ensure that our primary mission takes place, and to protect our workforce and visitors, the cemetery is taking this proactive step to adhere to the guidance outlined by the CDC to prevent contracting or spreading respiratory illnesses like the flu or COVID-19.

“Our strong hope is to be able to resume hosting this great event next year in 2021,” said Charles “Ray” Alexander, Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery.  “While many of our families and visitors associate the wreath event with the holiday season, we thank all the thousands of volunteers who had planned to take this time to Honor, Remember, and Explore those who are laid to rest at our nation’s most hallowed ground. We invite everyone to virtually visit the cemetery through our multimedia platforms @ArlingtonNatl.”

Family pass holders and visitors are still welcome to visit the cemetery on their own schedules and place graveside tributes of privately purchased flowers or wreaths in accordance with our floral policy.

Video: Spotted Deer Going Buck Wild on Williamsburg Blvd

By ARLnow.com

An especially bold deer with unique markings was seen going for a morning run in Arlington’s Williamsburg neighborhood today.

A reader sent the above video, taken at the intersection of Williamsburg Blvd and N. Ohio Street, wondering what the heck is going on with the “cow deer” that was galavanting around the neighborhood.

We steered that question to Alonso Abugattas, Arlington’s Natural Resources Manager — the expert in all things wildlife in the county.

“This is a piebald buck,” Abugattas explained. “As it’s the rut season, this buck is looking for does in estrus, and so is taking a lot of chances he would not normally do, often resulting in this being when the most road kills happen and car accidents involving deer happen.”

In other words, the deer has a recessive genetic trait that causes the cow-like spots, and was literally going buck wild looking for a mate.

That may answer the videographer’s question, but the takeaway for drivers is to remain alert on the roads this time of year, even in Arlington. You never know when a hyped-up deer will cross your path.

Video courtesy Joe Blackburn

BREAKING: Coronavirus Cases, Positivity Rate Soaring in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) Arlington County has just recorded the highest seven-day total of new coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

New data from the Virginia Dept. of Health brings the county’s seven-day total to 320 cases, topping the previous peak of 316, at the height of the spring epidemic on May 3. The 320 total cases represents a seven-day trailing average of just under 46 cases per day.

Arlington’s test positivity rate, a key metric, is also soaring, reaching 6.8% today, the highest point since early June.

Two new COVID-related deaths and three new hospitalizations have been reported since Friday. The seven-day hospitalization total in Arlington currently stands at 15.

VDH also reported the highest one-day spike in new cases in Arlington today — 82 new cases — but that comes with an asterisk. The state health department says numbers were higher today because its systems were catching up from a backlog over the weekend caused by technical upgrades. Despite the backlog, VDH reported 50 local cases on Saturday and 57 cases on Sunday.

Virginia, like Arlington, also reached a new seven-day case record today. The Commonwealth’s seven-day trailing average of new daily cases is now 1,594. Statewide, the test positivity rate is 7.3%.

Across the Potomac, the District of Columbia also reached a seven-day case record on Sunday. The District imposed new travel restrictions last week.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced new restrictions on Friday, which took effect this morning. Those restrictions include slashing the maximum size of indoor and outdoor gatherings to 25, reducing the age for the state’s mask requirement to 5, and a 10 p.m. alcohol sales curfew at all dining and drinking establishments. The Commonwealth also plans to step up enforcement.

Ryan Hudson, spokesman for Arlington County’s Public Health Division, said in a statement Monday afternoon that residents should continue wearing masks but should also “stay home as often as possible.”

Unfortunately, Arlington County is indeed seeing a rise in cases, much like Virginia and the rest of the country. As our recent contact tracing data shows, 33% of Arlington’s cases have reported contact with a known case and 17% reported going to a gathering. An increase in people gathering together allows for germ spread, which makes it easier for COVID-19 cases to rise. We know you are likely fatigued by the pandemic and restrictions. But we also know that these mitigation efforts work: Avoid large gatherings, wash your hands, wear a face mask and maintain proper physical distance. Now is not the time to get complacent.

We’re imploring all Arlingtonians to continue to abide by the public health guidance to help us flatten the curve again:

  • Stay home as often as possible, but especially when you are sick
  • Wear a face covering when interacting with those outside of your household. This protects others, and it also protects you
  • Get your flu shot
  • Get tested for COVID-19 as needed; Arlington has resources for testing in all groups, including underinsured and uninsured
  • Cooperate with public health by answering the call to help with contact tracing
  • Adhere to the guidance of a 14-day quarantine if instructed to do so (remember: a negative test does NOT mean you can end quarantine early)

Despite the backdrop of rising cases locally and nationwide, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Today pharmaceutical company Moderna announced that preliminary trial data shows that its coronavirus vaccine is nearly 95% effective. That tops the 90% efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine, announced last week.

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