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.
Looking up in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Reminder: Back to School Today — From an Arlington County Police Department spokesperson: “Our Special Operations Section will be conducting traffic education and enforcement efforts in and around school zones to remind everyone of safe practices as they travel to and from their destinations during Back to School.” [ARLnow]
Senior Facility Plan Revised — “McLean-based Artis Senior Living, the assemblage’s owner and contract seller, planned to raze the site to make way for a six-story, roughly 163,000-square-foot 175-unit assisted living facility with a partially below-grade parking garage. McCaffery’s application proposes increasing the building size by about 6,400 square feet and adding an independent living component to the assisted living and memory care uses previously approved.” [Washington Business Journal]
Bike Advocates Looking to 2024 — “Bicycle advocates in Arlington are hoping they come away with more from the 2024 General Assembly session than they garnered in 2023. ‘We didn’t get anything accomplished last year,’ said Gillian Burgess, a member of the county’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, speaking at an Aug. 21 meeting.” [Gazette Leader]
Boston is Top DCA Destination — “Boston is now surpassing [Atlanta] as the No. 1 destination of travelers from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to updated federal data. For the 12-month period ending May 31, about 812,000 passengers traveled from Reagan National to Boston’s Logan Airport.” [Gazette Leader]
WETA Host Dies — “We are heartbroken to announce that If You Lived Here co-host and our beloved WETA colleague John Begeny passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning, with his dog Charlie by his side, after a brief but valiant battle with cancer.” [Facebook]
School Board Pay Process — “Arlington School Board members are starting the process of considering potential changes to their compensation and benefits. Staff are ‘beginning the revision process,’ according to an Aug. 18 memo from Superintendent Francisco Durán to School Board members. The matter will be discussed at the Aug. 30 meeting of the School Board’s policy subcommittee.” [Gazette Leader]
Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “A crash yesterday afternoon on Langston Boulevard at the intersection with Kirkwood & Spout Run. @ArlingtonVaFD & @ArlingtonVaPD handled.” [Twitter]
ICYMI: Friday Storm Photos — A vivid double rainbow could be seen after a brief but potent bout of heavy rain and wind whipped through Arlington Friday evening. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]
It’s Monday — There is a 40% chance of showers, mostly in the afternoon, with mostly cloudy skies and a high temperature near 78°F. For Monday night, expect a 50% chance of showers, mostly cloudy skies, a low around 69°F, and an east wind of 5-7 mph. [Weather.gov]
Jail entrance at the Arlington County Detention Facility (file photo)
A 73-year-old woman died this morning at the Arlington County jail.
Abonesh Woldegeorges was found unresponsive in her cell around 7 a.m. and, despite resuscitation efforts, later pronounced dead, according to Arlington County police.
Per scanner traffic, she was found bleeding on the floor of the cell, potentially after falling out of bed.
Woldegeorges was in jail after being arrested for trespassing by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police on Aug. 13. She “was being held at the Arlington County Detention Center awaiting transport to Loudoun County, Virginia for a Failure to Appear charge in relation to a prior Trespassing incident with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office,” ACPD said.
“Ms. Woldegeorges’ family was notified of her passing,” said a police press release. “Our condolences go out to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
“The Arlington County Police Department is conducting a death investigation and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death,” the press release said. “Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).”
Woldegeorges is the eighth person to die in the Arlington County jail over the past eight years. Her death comes despite heightened attention on jail deaths and efforts to update health check protocols at the county lockup.
Prior to today, the last death at the jail happened on Feb. 1, 2022. Including Woldegeorges, all but one of the people to die at the jail over the past eight years have been Black.
Last year the Arlington branch of the NAACP called for a federal investigation into the ongoing series of deaths. In a statement Sunday night, the organization renewed its call for an investigation.
The Arlington Branch of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, responds to the news of a Black woman detained at the Arlington County Detention Center.
We are devastated and saddened to learn that another loss of life has occurred at our county jail and we send our most heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones. In recent years, 8 people have lost their lives at the county detention center. All of them have been people of color. It is well-established that Black people are policed and arrested at significantly higher rates than their peers in Arlington, Virginia.
While Arlington is only 9% Black, the jail population on any given day is over 65% Black. “It’s unimaginable that a 73-year-old woman being held on trespassing charges would ultimately lose her life while in custody. Unfortunately, we have seen a pattern and practice of blatant disregard for basic care at the Arlington county jail and it is leading to deaths at an alarming rate,” said Michael Hemminger, President of the NAACP Arlington Branch.
After the seventh death in seven years, a $10M wrongful death suit was filed in Arlington County and the NAACP Arlington Branch called for a Department of Justice Investigation into the detention center. The Branch has reached out to government officials to discuss this incident and is currently awaiting a response. “Arlington County Sheriff’s Office and other county leaders have, again, failed to properly address the root problem, and another person has tragically lost her life,” said Hemminger. The NAACP will ensure a thorough and proper investigation is completed, and the organization will ensure that any civil rights violations are met with due accountability and justice.
The jail has been under new leadership since January, when long-time Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur stepped down and Chief Deputy Sheriff Jose Quiroz became the interim Sheriff. Quiroz won the Democratic primary for Sheriff in June, after running on a pledge of improving inmate well-being, and will be the sole candidate on the ballot in November.
Group of bikers in the Rosslyn area (photo courtesy Corey Inganamort)
(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) A large group of motorcycle and dirt bike riders cruised through Arlington tonight.
Police first started tracking the group on Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn just before 7:30 p.m. At least 50-100 riders were “recklessly driving all over the road,” in the words of one officer.
Police followed the group as they made their way over to Ballston and then down to the Pentagon City and Crystal City area before exiting Arlington.
As the group made their way south to the Beltway, gunshots rang out and multiple people were wounded at a pair of gas stations near Old Town Alexandria.
(2) Watch: A much smaller group came off I-395N into Pentagon City at 7:45 pm. It went into Crystal City & south on Rt 1 into #alexandria. A large group gathered at a gas station on Rt 1 in Alexandria where at 8:05 p.m. there was a #shooting. pic.twitter.com/enIDFddJfe
There is a 20% chance of brief showers later in the afternoon with a high temperature near 89°F and a north wind at 8 mph. For Saturday night, expect partly cloudy skies with a low around 69°F and a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am, accompanied by a northeast wind at 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
🌅 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. 👋
Local restaurateur passes, leaving his legacy in Northern Virginia
Vincenzo Farruggio, 72, of Alexandria Virginia, passed away on Saturday, August 19th, 2023 after being diagnosed with cancer in March
Vincenzo “Vinny” Farruggio was born on March 27th, 1951 in the town of Castrofilippo in Sicily to Rosario and Maria Farruggio. His entrepreneurial spirit started at the age of 12 when he sold fruit around his town. Ever since then, he never stopped working and always made sure he had money in his pocket.
In 1970 he moved to the United States with his family and lived in Brooklyn where he worked as a jeweler in the Diamond District in Manhattan. In 1977 he met Rosa Fiuza at an Italian discotheque and it was love at first sight. They married on July 16th, 1983 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Falls Church Virginia, and went on to have three children, Rosabel, Rosario and Gabriella.
In 1978 he and his brothers moved to Virginia to start a pizza restaurant in Woodbridge called Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta. Throughout the next 40 years they expanded the restaurant to five locations and Vincenzo owned and operated his own location at Bailey Crossroads. Everyone who dined at Joe’s Place was treated like family and Vinny’s service to others cannot be overstated. His last restaurant, A Modo Mio in Arlington VA, is still running and owned together with his two brothers Giuseppe and Calogero Farruggio.
Throughout the decades that Vincenzo spent as a restaurateur, he consistently gave back to the community by not only providing employment, but also by sponsoring local sports teams and contributing to charitable events. He was known for his fun neighborhood 4th of July parties complete with food and fireworks each year. In 2007 Vincenzo retired and was lucky enough to be able to watch his kids grow-up all while spending his winters in Florida where he enjoyed daily walks on the beach. He was a loving, caring, and genuine Father, Brother, Husband, Son, Uncle, and Friend. He made an impression on everyone’s heart.
Vincenzo is survived by his wife Rosa, his children Rosario, Gabriella, and Rosabel, and grandchildren Gemma, James, Lucy, Dominic, and Penelope. His siblings, Calogero, Maria and Giuiseppe.
His memorial service will be held on Sunday, August. 27, 2023 at National Funeral Home and Memorial Park.
A window washer at work in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
More on Goodwill Proposal — “The latest rezoning and site plan applications, filed Aug. 21 with the county planning department, indicate the proposal is proceeding apace, reflecting an ‘even deeper social mission,’ AHC spokesperson Jennifer Smith said in an email. When Goodwill and AHC first announced the project, they sought to build around 100 units. The latest filings outline a plan for 128 units, all with rents capped at levels targeting various lower-income tranches for a period of 30 years. Those units will be housed in the upper five floors of a seven-story building, with the bottom two floors reserved for a new Goodwill retail store, donation center and child care center.” [Washington Business Journal]
Housing Voucher Lottery Planned — “Arlington will add 5,000 households to its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program waitlist through a special application and lottery process in September. Opening the waitlist gives people a chance to apply for the federally funded rental assistance program for the first time in over a decade. Once the application period closes, a lottery will be conducted to select 5,000 applicants to go on the HCV program waitlist.” [Arlington County]
Suspects Run from Pentagon Police — From Dave Statter: “Two people running from @PFPAOfficial on S. Eads Street at Army Navy last night just before 8:00. Apparently connected to a stolen vehicle stopped on or near the Pentagon. One was caught near 11th & Eads.” [Twitter]
Arlington Sees Job Growth — “Employment within Arlington stood at 173,100 at the end of the first quarter of 2023, according to new federal data, a year-over-year increase of 2.6 percent. That puts the county slightly higher than the national increase of 2.5 percent during the same period, according to figures reported Aug. 23 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.” [Gazette Leader]
Notable ACPD Retirement — From the Arlington County Police Department: “On Tuesday, family, friends & colleagues gathered to celebrate the retirement of Sgt. A. Queen. Sgt. Queen served in several units in the department during his tenure including the Patrol Division, School Resource Officer Unit & the Youth Outreach Unit… We thank Sgt. Queen for his 21 years of service & his unwavering dedication to community policing.” [Twitter]
Marymount Dean Stepping Down — “The dean of Marymount University’s College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology is stepping down to join a local venture capital firm full-time. Jonathan Aberman, a well-known Greater Washington entrepreneur and investor, is set to join D.C.-area VC firm Ruxton Ventures as a partner later this year, he announced Thursday. Aberman… said that given the ‘enormous amount of opportunity’ in startups today, he decided to return to the venture capital sector.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Friday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 90 degrees. The wind will initially be from the south at 7-9 mph, shifting to the west in the afternoon. On Friday night, the chance of precipitation decreases to 30%, mainly before 8pm. The night is expected to be partly cloudy with a low temperature of around 72 degrees and a northwest wind at 6 mph. [Weather.gov]
There is a likelihood for showers and possible thunderstorms in the morning before 8am, with chances for further showers and storms throughout the day. Gradual clearing is expected, leading to mostly sunny skies and a high of 88°F, accompanied by a 9 mph south wind. Precipitation chances are at 60%, with rainfall amounting to a tenth to a quarter of an inch. Friday night holds a 30% chance of showers and storms before 8pm, with partly cloudy skies and a low of 72°F, and light, variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Ronald McDonald back in his usual spot at 4834 Langston Blvd (staff photo)
(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) Some teen hjinx before the start of the school year resulted in an eventful night for Ronald McDonald.
Just before midnight, police were called to the McDonald’s at 4834 Langston Blvd for a report of “kids that ripped the Ronald McDonald out of the play area.”
Arriving officers encountered a “car full of juveniles” and “the Ronald McDonald out near the dumpster immediately next to their car,” per scanner traffic.
As of lunchtime today, Ronald was back in his rightful place on a bench, overlooking kids enjoying meals and the restaurant’s play area. It’s unclear whether he was sporting any additional signs of wear compared to before.
The free indoor play area — which still gets regular use despite its age and the recent pandemic — is on borrowed time, with plans to axe it in order to expand the drive-through lane.
On Thursday afternoon, a police spokesperson recounted the sequence of events.
“At approximately 11:51 p.m. on August 23, police were dispatched to the 4800 block of Langston Boulevard to the report of a larceny in progress,” the spokesperson told ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined a group of juvenile suspects entered the open business, caused property damage and stole property from the business. Officers made contact with and released a group of juvenile subjects on scene.”
Two teens involved in Ronald’s jailbreak last night are at large and being sought by police, we’re told.
“The investigation is ongoing,” said the spokesperson.
Lyle is a silly, goofy and lovable “teenage” puppy who is always ready to go, go, go!
He is an excellent adventure buddy, always ready to explore the outdoors and greet every passerby with a happy tail wag. As much as he loves humans, he loves dogs even more. He always has a blast romping around with his four-legged friends and would make a great companion for anyone who is looking to find a friend for their current dog.
As fun-loving as he is, Lyle also has a laid-back side and enjoys naps in the sunshine. He self-entertains with toys and chews when his friends are too busy to play.
He is also a smart cookie who is always willing to work for treats and has already mastered cues like “Sit,” “Down” and “Shake”!
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.
Update on 11/7/23 — The suspect in this case has pleaded guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. More, below, from a U.S. Dept. of Justice press release.
A former FBI contractor pleaded guilty today to production and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, beginning in February, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, groomed a 13-year-old minor (MV1) to transition from playing Valorant with him, a popular first-person shooter game, to engaging in “strip” games on a video chat function in Discord. Although MV1 did not want to play this game, Janes employed threats of suicide, various money payments through CashApp, and flattery, until MV1 produced CSAM for him.
In addition, a search warrant revealed Janes was communicating with at least a dozen other minors. Of those minors, he convinced one 12-year-old boy to produce CSAM and attempted to entice another 14-year-old boy to produce CSAM. Janes manipulated these minors by befriending, flattering, and outright begging them for content. A review of his devices revealed he purchased hundreds of videos and images of CSAM from the internet, including graphic videos of prepubescent children being raped.
Janes pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Significant assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department and the Galloway Township Police Department in New Jersey.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Withers and Special Assistant U.S Attorney McKenzie Hightower are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Earlier: A 26-year-old Arlington man who worked as an FBI contractor is facing child exploitation and pornography charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alexandria says a grand jury returned charges Wednesday against Brett Janes, including “two counts of sexual exploitation of children and production of CSAM, one count of attempted coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt of child pornography.”
If convicted he’ll face at least 15 years in prison.
Address records suggest that Janes lived in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood, a few blocks from Oakridge Elementary School. Federal prosecutors say he met and then exploited boys over the internet, including via video games and on Discord.
More on the charges, below, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia returned an indictment today charging a former FBI contractor with sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, Virginia, allegedly contacted roughly a dozen minor boys over Discord and Snapchat. He allegedly groomed the minors by telling them he worked for a U.S. intelligence agency before repeatedly threatening suicide if the minors did not continue to communicate with him. Janes allegedly enticed one victim, a 13-year-old boy whom he met through the first-person shooter game Valorant, to strip and masturbate over a live video Discord call by threatening to kill himself and by paying him money over CashApp. He allegedly enticed a 12-year-old boy to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over Discord through flattery and repeated begging.
Janes allegedly received child sexual abuse material from these two minors, as well as two separate minor victims, and attempted to meet up with a minor. He also allegedly purchased hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse material from Telegram.
Janes is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children and production of CSAM, one count of attempted coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Arlington County Chief of Police, Charles “Andy” Penn, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney McKenzie Hightower is prosecuting the case.
Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Janes are encouraged to contact the FBI at 202-278-2000 and ask to speak to the child exploitation and human trafficking task force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
