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.

State Police Chase Ends With Wreck in East Falls Church

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsFor the second time in two months, a police chase from I-66 has ended in East Falls Church.

The vehicle pursuit began around 2:45 a.m., when a Virginia State Police trooper pulled over a Nissan Xterra that was heading east on I-66 at a high rate of speed.

“During the course of the traffic stop, the Nissan fled from the trooper and headed east on I-66. The suspect vehicle took Exit 68 and the trooper lost sight of it,” according to a VSP press release. “As the Nissan came through the exit ramp, it ran off the road, went through a fence, struck a tree and then an unoccupied vehicle in a parking lot. The driver then fled the scene on foot.”

Arlington County and Fairfax County police helped to search for the driver, who was apprehended just before 4 a.m. after being found “behind a trash can” at the East Falls Church Metro station.

The man, 21-year-old Artis Thomas, Jr. of Washington, D.C., was taken into custody “without further incident” and locked up in the Arlington County Detention Center. He was charged with ” DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs), felony eluding law enforcement, possession of a concealed weapon, hit-and-run, and possession of marijuana,” according to VSP.

Police say they recovered a handgun from Thomas’ vehicle.

Flashing Yellow Arrows Coming to Arlington Intersections

By ARLnow.com

Flashing yellow light diagram (via Arlington County)Arlington County will be installing new traffic signals, featuring a blinking yellow arrow, along certain high-traffic roadways.

The flashing yellow signals will replace the familiar left turn signal with unblinking green and yellow arrows.

The older signals run from green arrow, to yellow arrow, to a solid green light, followed by a solid red. They’re accompanied by a metal sign that says “left turn yield on green.”

The new signals will run from a green arrow to a flashing yellow arrow, then to a steady yellow arrow followed by a red arrow. A sign with the words “left turn yield on flashing yellow arrow” will be placed next to the signal.

“The blinking yellow arrows help motorists know when to yield to oncoming traffic while attempting a left turn and support recommendations from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program,” according to a county press release. “Studies show that the flashing arrow signal is better understood by drivers than the more common circular green and yellow lights.”

“The flashing yellow arrow has been proven to increase compliance and reduce collisions. It’s already in use in other parts of Virginia,” the press release continues. “The new signals also provide traffic engineers with more flexibility in the way left turns are directed if traffic conditions change.”

Arlington will initially be installing the new signals along parts of Arlington Blvd, Glebe Road and Lee Highway, at a cost of $60,000. Additional installations are expected to follow.

VDOT is currently installing the new signals in parts of southern Virginia.

Pace of Road Paving in Arlington Has Tripled in Five Years

By ARLnow.com

The pace of road paving in Arlington has more than tripled in the past five years, according to newly-released stats.

A new county-produced video (above) states that Arlington paved 91 lane miles of roadway in 2015. That’s up from 25 lane miles paved in 2009 and 30 lane miles paved in 2010.

Arlington County made “significant investments in road paving in 2015,” the video says, calling it “a banner year for roadwork.” The total cost of the paving program last year: $13 million.

The previously lethargic pace of road paving, combined with a number of unusually harsh winters, led to complaints from residents that Arlington’s roads were in poor shape, especially for a county that prides itself on providing a high level of government services.

Arlington County road crewIn 2012, Arlington’s average Pavement Condition Index grade — a measure of road quality from a scale of 1 to 100 — was only 68.9.

The tide started to turn with the adoption of the FY 2013-2022 Capital Improvement Plan, which called for paving at least 72 lane miles per year to put the county back on an engineer-recommended 15 year paving cycle. Arlington has a total of 974 lane miles of county-maintained roadway.

In 2015, Arlington County paved portions of a number of major local roads, including Crystal Drive, Columbia Pike, Washington Blvd near Lee Hwy, and Army Navy Drive. The county was also especially proactive about filling potholes last year, filling 12,100 compared to the previous five-year average of 6,600 per year.

Mike Moon, Deputy Director of Operations for Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services, touted the county’s paving progress.

“The 91 lane miles we paved in 2015 was a doubling of our effort compared to 2012,” Moon said. “It was a significant effort and we’re really pleased with how the paving program went this year.”

ACFD Responds to Carbon Monoxide Incident at Fort Myer Child Center

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire truck(Updated at 12:10 p.m.) Arlington County and Fort Myer firefighters and medics are on the scene of a carbon monoxide incident on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

The incident is taking place at the Cody Child Development Center on the base. Firefighters were dispatched there shortly after 10 a.m.

According to scanner traffic, employees and children were evacuated to an auditorium due to a high level of carbon monoxide in the building. The source of the CO has been traced back to a malfunctioning boiler.

Firefighters are ventilating the building while a hazmat team continues to monitor conditions. Medics treated and monitored at least eight patients, who are suffering nausea and anxiety-like symptoms. No patients required transport to the hospital.

A crew of firefighters was dispatched to the center’s kitchen to retrieve infant formula for some of the children, according to scanner traffic.

Around noon, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall issued the following press release about the incident, asking parents to come pick up their children.

A “suspicious odor” reported this morning at the Cody Child Development Center on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall has led to the relocation of the center’s children to another portion of the center as JBM-HH Fire and Rescue services investigate.

Emergency services responded after detection of a “suspicious odor” in the facility earlier this morning. At approximately 11:30 a.m., the emergency services

Parents of the children have been notified and are asked by the center’s management to pick up their children as soon as possible.

“Our primary concern is the safety of everyone involved,” said Col. Mike Henderson, JBM-HH commander. “We are doing everything possible to mitigate any potential danger to children, staff and others involved.”

Children are being screened and will be treated by medical services on scene.

Joint base officials said that there is a plan in place to quickly relocate children to another portion of the joint base if responders’ investigation determines that there is indeed a safety hazard present.

Parents seeking additional information about the situation can contact the Cody Child Development Center’s management at 703-696-3712.

Additional information will be released as available. Please check the JBM-HH Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jbmhh for additional details as they become available.

Accessibility Changes Coming to Crystal City Shops

By ARLnow.com

Former Hamburger Hamlet in the shops at Crystal CityThe Crystal City Shops will become more accessible thanks to an agreement reached between property owner Vornado and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A citizen’s complaint led federal prosecutors to investigate the indoor shopping concourse, which runs along Crystal Drive and connects with the Crystal City Metro station. The complaint stated that portions of the shops are inaccessible to those with disabilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

As a result of the agreement, Vornado will build ramps or lifts in portions of the shopping center that were previously only accessible by stairs. New signage, accessible parking spaces and accessible restroom fixtures will also be added.

The press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Colorful sunset, as seen from the Costco parking lot in Pentagon City (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

State Lawmaker: Add Lanes to I-66 — State Sen. Chap Petersen (D), who represents part of Fairfax County, doesn’t much care for Arlington’s efforts to dissuade VDOT from adding an extra lane to I-66. “When I was a little boy, we put a man on the moon. We can figure out how to put six lanes through Arlington County,” Petersen said in an interview. [WTOP]

Del. Levine Proposes Minimum Wage Increase — For his first piece of state legislation, freshman Del. Mark Levine (D) has proposed a bill that would allow localities in Virginia to raise the minimum wage up to $10. The maximum amount would then rise every year with the consumer price index. The likelihood of the bill passing is slim. [InsideNova]

Highway Project Giving Away Grant Money — Transurban, the private company behind the newly-revived I-395 HOT lanes project, is trying to endear itself to the communities along the I-395 corridor. For one, the company recently joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. It’s also giving away grants of $1,000 to $5,000 “to respond to the needs of local organizations and direct impact neighborhoods located within the I-395 corridor.” Applications for the Community Grant Program are currently being accepted. [395 Express Lanes]

AFCYRs to Host MLK Event — The Arlington-Falls Church Young Republicans will “celebrate and honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and recommit ourselves to living out Dr. King’s dream” at the group’s meeting on Monday. Speaking at the event will be Elroy Sailor, CEO of the J.C. Watts Companies and current senior advisor to Rand Paul’s presidential campaign. [Facebook]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Crime Report: Young Man Gropes Butt, Teen Smashes Mug on Man’s Head

By ARLnow.com

A young man groped a woman’s butt while she was walking in the Columbia Heights West neighborhood last Friday morning.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

SEXUAL BATTERY, 160108021, 700 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 10:36 a.m. on January 8, an unknown male subject approached a female from behind and groped her buttocks. The suspect is described as a younger male, approximately 5’6″ and weighed 160 lbs. He was wearing a blue hoodie, green/grey cargo pants, and gray shoes.

This past weekend, a Bethesda teen was arrested after allegedly smashing a mug on a man’s head in Clarendon. According to court records, the teen’s defense attorney is state Sen. Scott Surovell.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 160109003, 3000 block of N. Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:04 a.m. on January 9, following a verbal altercation, a 19 year-old male victim was allegedly hit over the head with a glass mug. The victim was transported to the hospital with non- life threatening injuries. Jarett Witzal, 18, of Bethesda MD was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Arlington Man Charged in Alexandria Murder

By ARLnow.com

Police car lights(Updated at 6:50 p.m.) An 18-year-old Arlington man has been arrested and charged with a murder in Alexandria.

Edwin Umana was charged in the homicide of a 22-year-old man, Eduardo Almendarez, whose body was found stabbed in Four Mile Run Park, near Potomac Yard, on Dec. 4.

Alexandria Police say the the crime was “gang-motivated” and that Umana was a member of the MS-13 gang. Almendarez was not in the gang, said Alexandria Police spokesman Crystal Nosal.

Alexandria Police also today announced that three suspects were in custody in connection with the homicide of a 24-year-old man found dead at a playground in Alexandria’s Beverly Park. That murder was also perpetrated by MS-13 members, Nosal said.

The suspects and the victims of both crimes were all undocumented immigrants, according to police.

The press release about the arrest of Umana is below.

Alexandria Police have charged a suspect in connection with the homicide of Eduardo David Chandias Almendarez, who was found deceased in Four Mile Run Park on December 4, 2015.

Edwin Alexander Guerreo Umana, 18, of Arlington, was charged with Murder on January 13, 2016. He is being held without bond.

“The hard work of Alexandria Police detectives and vital assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations directly led to this arrest and closure for the victim’s family”, said Police Chief Earl Cook. “This homicide investigation continues and the Alexandria Police Department is unwavering in its determination to arrest all responsible for this young man’s death. The safety of this community is of utmost importance to us. ”

The Police Department asks that anyone with information about this investigation contact Detective William Oakley at 703.746.6606.

Morning Poll: More Snow, Please?

By ARLnow.com

Snow squall on 2/14/15Last night’s brief round of snow flurries were the first of the season. While the snow didn’t stick in Arlington, it at least provided a few minutes’ reminder that it is, in fact, winter here.

There’s some additional potential snow in the forecast for Sunday, but nothing of the Snowmageddon variety.

Are you hoping for more snow this winter, or rooting for the current snow-less trend to continue?

File photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The sun drops behind an office building in Rosslyn

Advisory Board Wants Birthday Cake Banned from Schools — Student birthday celebrations are getting out of hand in Arlington Public Schools, with too many sugary treats being consumed as a result. That’s the view of the Student Health Advisory Board, which made its case to the School Board last week. Some individual schools in Arlington have banned birthday celebrations or, at least, sweet birthday treats. The overall school system, however, does not currently have a formal policy on the matter. [InsideNova]

Del. Hope Wants to Ban ‘Conversion Therapy’ — Del. Patrick Hope (D) has introduced a bill to ban so-called conversion therapy for minors in Virginia. Practitioners of the controversial “therapy” claim that it can change the sexual orientation of individuals from homosexual to heterosexual. [Washington Blade]

The Corner Tex-Mix Lives? — Despite being pronounced dead by ARLnow and Google, it appears that The Corner Tex-Mix at 1621 S. Walter Reed Drive was open last night, at least for a short period of time. A tipster said lights were on and an employee answered the phone and confirmed they were open, shortly before a power outage sent everyone home. The county health department confirmed to ARLnow this morning that there have been no health code violations that would have closed the restaurant temporarily. The tipster said The Corner Tex-Mix seems to just be keeping “odd hours.” [ARLnow]

‘WeLive’ Apartments to Feature Free Cleaning, Sunday Supper — Details of a new apartment building in Manhattan from co-working company WeWork have been released, and they’re likely to also apply to the company’s second “WeLive” building, in Crystal City. The apartments will be fully furnished and will have cable TV, monthly cleaning and a communal Sunday supper included, among other amenities. [UrbanTurf]

$5 Ribs from Texas Jack’s Barbecue — Ribs at the recently-opened Texas Jack’s Barbecue in Lyon Park will cost you around $5. As in, nearly five bucks per rib. The restaurant, in the former Tallula and EatBar space, features a menu of smoked meat created by Executive Chef Matt Lang, winner of the Food Network’s Best in Smoke 2011 and formerly of Hill Country Barbecue in D.C. [DCist]

Va. Voter Registration Deadline Approaches — The deadline to vote in Virginia’s March 1 presidential primary is Monday, Feb. 8. On the GOP side, the election will feature a somewhat controversial loyalty pledge requested by the state party. “Voters who wish to vote in the Republican Primary must first sign the following non-binding statement, which is permitted under § 24.2-545.A of the Code of Virginia: ‘My signature below indicates that I am a Republican,'” county officials note. In-person absentee voting, meanwhile, starts Friday. [Arlington County]

Video: Wakefield Nails Buzzer Beater to Remain Undefeated

By ARLnow.com

A three-point shot with time expiring gave the Wakefield boys varsity basketball team the win at home over Marshall last night.

Wakefield logoTrailing 35-41 with 3:28 to go, the Warriors’ defense stepped up and the team battled back to 39-41. With just seconds on the clock, Deng Nhial received an inbound pass and then fired it to Halil Parks, who was standing just beyond the three point line.

Parks drained the three with a jump shot for the game-winner, sending teammates and fans storming onto the court to celebrate the victory.

Wakefield improved to 14-0, and is now ranked No. 10 in the region by the Washington Post. The Post has a full recap of the game.

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