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.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lost Dog Reunited With Owner — A dog that disappeared under mysterious circumstances is back at home this morning, her owner says, after the man who picked her up as she was wandering around North Arlington saw a sign with the dog’s photo and dialed the phone number on it. [Facebook]

County Lauded for Digital Prowess — Arlington has been named one of the “top 5 counties for digital government” by StateTech magazine. The county was lauded for “embracing open data and transparency” in decision making and citizen outreach. [StateTech]

Sewer Work At Westover Park — There will be some impacts along the Custis Trail starting today as a multi-day emergency sewer repair project gets underway at Westover Park. [Twitter, Twitter]

Death at Belvedere Condos — A man reportedly jumped to his death at the Belvedere Condominiums near Rosslyn on Friday. The complex’s pool and pool deck were closed Friday as police investigated the incident.

Priest Who Admitted KKK Past Still Venerated Confederacy — A priest in the Catholic Diocese of Arlington might not have been totally forthcoming when he admitted and renounced his KKK activity as a young man. Even after becoming a priest, in the early 2000s, Rev. William Aitcheson “was a ‘fervent advocate of the Confederacy’ who would joke about ‘Saint Robert E. Lee’ in homilies at the church,” one former student of his recalled. [Washington Post, Washington Post]

Nearby: Two Men Jump From Aqueduct Bridge — One man is dead and another in grave condition after both jumped from the Aqueduct Bridge in Georgetown, near the Key Bridge, into the Potomac River. A friend of the men said they were hanging out on the bridge when one decided to jump, then the other jumped in to save him. Boats and and a helicopter were used as part of the subsequent rescue operation. [NBC Washington]

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

4311 2nd Road N., #43113
1 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Thomas Buerger
Listed: $214,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2820 S. Abingdon Street, B2
2 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Benjamin Grouby
Listed: $330,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

4131 S. Four Mile Run Drive, B
3 Bed/2 Bath Townhome
Agent: Marc Pina
Listed: $489,950
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

3621 13th Street S.
3 Bed/2 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Debbie Kent
Listed: $599,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3923 7th Street S.
3 Bed/2 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Matthew Murton
Listed: $635,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

615 29th Road S.
3 Bed/2 Bath Single Family Home
Agent: Michelle Sagatov
Listed: $735,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

6219 22nd Road N.
5 Bed/3 Bath Single-Family Home
Agent: Dawn Wilson
Listed: $849,900
Open: Saturday and Sunday 2-4 p.m.

Police: Man in Rideshare Pool Masturbated in Front of Female Passenger

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 5:30 p.m.) Arlington County Police are investigating an indecent exposure incident that happened in a rideshare vehicle Thursday morning.

A man exposed himself and masturbated during the “pool” ride, in view of a female passenger, around 9 a.m., according to an ACPD crime report. It was not immediately clear with which ride-hailing service the vehicle was associated; scanner traffic referred to it as both an Uber and a Lyft ride.

The driver stopped near the intersection of Lee Highway and Spout Run Parkway, and police were called, after the female passenger witnessed the suspect in the act. After the ride stopped the male passenger then got out of the car and fled the scene, police say.

The suspect is described as an Asian man “in his mid-20’s, with a partially grown out buzz cut, wearing a black t-shirt, dark blue shorts, with a black backpack.” Police searched the area but were unable to find him.

“The investigation is ongoing,” police said.

Woman Trapped in Car After Crash Involving Dump Truck on I-395

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Police and firefighters responded to a crash involving a car and a dump truck on I-395 Friday afternoon.

The crash happened around 1 p.m. on northbound I-395, approaching Washington Blvd. The force of the collision trapped the driver inside the car; firefighters had to heavy tools to cut one of the doors open to extricate her.

The driver of the car is being evaluated for injuries. As of 1:15 p.m. at least two left-hand lanes of northbound I-395 were closed.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

NSF Starting Its Move to Alexandria — “Moving day for the first group of National Science Foundation workers relocating from the agency’s Ballston headquarters to Alexandria starts this weekend, more than four years — and more than a bit of controversy — after selecting the site for its new home.” [Washington Business Journal]

TSA Moving to Springfield — The headquarters of the Transportation Security Administration will be moving from Pentagon City to Springfield, after the GSA awarded a new 15-year, $316 million lease. The move is expected to take place in 2020. [Washington Business Journal]

Construction Activity at DCA — Construction is underway at Reagan National for the airport’s $1 billion expansion project. [NBC Washington]

‘Doc’ Muse Dies — “Leonard ‘Doc’ Muse, who for 65 years – from the era of Jim Crow to the election of an African-American president – watched over the Nauck community from his perch behind the counter of the Green Valley Pharmacy, died the weekend of Aug. 19-20. He was 94 years old.” [InsideNova]

Man Arrested for Assaulting Women Along Custis Trail

By ARLnow.com

A 22-year-old Falls Church man has been arrested and charged with assaulting two women along the Custis Trail.

Police say Marvin Velasquez touched a woman walking the trail inappropriately on Wednesday afternoon. He also grabbed a second woman and then exposed himself to her, according to a news release.

The incidents happened along the trail near where it crosses Spout Run Parkway. Police are now trying to figure out whether there may be additional victims.

More from an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit are seeking additional witnesses or victims related to the following matter. A suspect has been charged in an incident involving female victims in the area of the Custis Trail. Marvin Sosa Velasquez, 22, of Falls Church, VA was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and two counts of assault and battery. The suspect was held on no bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 4:37 p.m. on August 23, police responded to the 1900 block of N. Calvert Street for the report of an assault and battery. Upon arrival, it was determined a female victim walking on the bike trail was touched inappropriately by a male suspect. While investigating the incident, officers located a second female victim who reported the same male suspect grabbed her around the waist. The female victim was able to free herself from the suspect. The suspect then pulled down his pants and exposed his genitals to the victim. Responding officers canvassed the area and located a suspect matching the victim’s descriptions in the 3300 block of Lee Highway.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims. Anyone who had previous contact with the suspect is asked to call Detective J. McGrath of the Special Victim’s Unit at 703-228-4244 or [email protected].  Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Truck Pulls Down Power Lines, Causes Outage in Seven Corners

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Power is out in parts of Seven Corners after a truck brought down power lines behind the Eden Center in Falls Church.

The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. in the rear of the shopping center. Two utility poles were snapped in half as a result of the collision.

At one point, nearly 2,500 Dominion customers were without power in the area, including in parts of Arlington County. As of 3:30 p.m. Dominion was no longer reporting any outages in Arlington.

The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the scene for sparking power lines and a spill of mineral oil from the transformers. ACFD has since turned over the scene to Dominion, which will be cleaning up the spill, according to scanner traffic.

Some traffic signals in Seven Corners may be affected by the outages, according to Fairfax County Police.

UPDATED: Man Arrested for Shooting Near Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Arlington County Police arrested a man last night in connection with a shooting that happened Wednesday morning and a brandishing incident Wednesday night.

The shooting happened on the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street, near Columbia Pike. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and the suspect fled the scene.

Last night, around 10:30 p.m., residents who live in the area of the Pike and S. Glebe Road reported a helicopter continuously circling the neighborhood.

On Thursday morning, police confirmed to ARLnow.com that the helicopter was in the air for reasons “related to the shooting.”

Update at 2:15 p.m. — A 24-year-old Arlington resident has been arrested and charged in the shooting, ACPD announced Thursday afternoon. The man was arrested near the Pentagon City Metro station after he brandished a gun at a woman on Columbia Pike last night, police say.

More from a police press release:

An Arlington man has been arrested and charged for his involvement in a shooting in the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street. Nicholas Nichols, 24, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Possession of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility on no bond.

At approximately 7:04 a.m. on August 23, Arlington County Police officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street for the report of a shooting. Arriving officers located one male victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The 26-year-old victim was transported by Fairfax County Medics to George Washington University Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The investigation determined that the shooting occurred following an altercation between known acquaintances. The suspect fled the area prior to police arrival. A perimeter was established and a canvas of the area returned with negative results.

At approximately 9:37 p.m. on August 23, police were dispatched to the 3700 block of Columbia Pike for the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined a male suspect brandished a firearm during a dispute with a known female victim. The suspect fled the area on foot prior to police arrival. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect in the brandishing was the suspect in the earlier shooting in the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street.

A perimeter was established and the Fairfax County Police Helicopter Unit responded to aid in the search. Officers from the Arlington County Police TAC Unit located the suspect in the area of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S. and took him into custody without incident as he attempted to board a bus.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing. Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact Detective J. Trainer of the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4185 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Local Senior Completes Alcatraz Swim — Arlington resident Mary Schade, 71, completed the 1.5-mile Alcatraz Escape from the Rock swim in San Francisco, placing first in her age group. She was the second-oldest swimmer in the race, which featured choppy, 59-degree water and a stiff wind. [InsideNova]

Arlington History Books — “Our Man in Arlington” Charlie Clark has found a number of “out-of-the-mainstream histories of our fair county,” including one book, first published in 1957, that “summarizes two centuries of legal boundary changes” involving Arlington County or its geographic predecessors. [Falls Church News-Press]

Shirlington Apartment Building Bought, Rebranded — Waterton, a real estate investment firm, has acquired the 404-unit Windsor at Shirlington Village apartment complex and rebranded it as “The Citizen at Shirlington Village.” The purchase price for the apartment building at 3000 S. Randolph Street was a reported $144 million. The new Chicago-based owners plan to upgrade the apartment units, outdoor spaces and the fitness center. [Washington Business Journal, BusinessWire]

Teachers Explore New Commuting Options — With the encouragement of Arlington Public Schools, some teachers are switching from a solo driving commute to carpooling or biking, as seen in a new video from Arlington County’s Mobility Lab. [YouTube, Mobility Lab]

Crime Report: D.C. Man Charged With Sexual Battery After Grabbing Girl at Mall

By ARLnow.com

A D.C. man has been arrested and charged with sexual battery after an incident at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall yesterday.

Just after noon police were called for a report of a man who had grabbed a teenage girl’s buttocks in the mall, according to scanner traffic.

Based on witness statements, police identified a suspect and took him into custody.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

SEXUAL BATTERY, 2017-08220140, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 12:18 p.m. on August 22, police were dispatched to the report of a possible assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that a male suspect  allegedly touched a minor inappropriately while inside a store. During the course of the investigation, officers identified a possible suspect based on the description provided by witnesses. The suspect was located in the area and taken into custody without incident. Rivera Barmett, 26, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged with sexual battery. He was held without bond.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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