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ART Bus Driver Found Not Guilty of Reckless Driving in Seven-Vehicle Wreck

By ARLnow.com

Published May 15, 2015 at 4:40PM

The ART bus driver who was involved in a seven-vehicle wreck along Columbia Pike in December has been found not guilty of reckless driving.

The verdict was reached today after a trial held before Arlington County General District Court Judge Richard McCue. Agere Sileshi, 27, was found not guilty of the original charge of reckless driving, but was found guilty of “improper driving.”

Sileshi faces a $250 fine but no jail time on the charge, which “embodies a finding by the Court that the ‘degree of culpability is slight,'” according her attorney, Alexandria attorney Joseph Blaszkow. Sileshi has been on medical leave since the incident, Blaszkow said.

According to court testimony, Sileshi was driving her bus through the parking lot of the Columbia Pike Plaza shopping center when a car suddenly turned in front of her. Sileshi struck the car and then drove her bus through a retaining wall and onto S. Dinwiddie Street, striking several additional vehicles.

Altogether, five passenger vehicle, a mixing truck and several bicycles were damaged in the crash. Three vehicle occupants and a pedestrian were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

One Dollar Wasn’t Enough for Blond, Backpack-Wearing Bandit

By ARLnow.com

Published May 15, 2015 at 1:40PM | Updated May 15, 2015 at 4:07PM

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) A slim man with blond hair and a red backpack stole another man’s wallet in the Columbia Heights West neighborhood last Friday, according to police.

The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. on the 5200 block of 8th Road S. Police say the man approached the victim and demanded money — but he apparently did not specify how much.

“The victim gave the suspect one dollar and the suspect asked for more,” according to the daily Arlington County crime report. “As the victim was opening his wallet to give the suspect more money, the suspect snatched the wallet and fled the scene.”

“The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 5’7″, slim build with blonde hair wearing a white shirt, grey shorts and a red backpack,” the crime report continued. “The investigation remains ongoing at this time.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 15, 2015 at 9:00AM

‘Hula Girl’ to Open Shirlington Restaurant — The founder of the Hula Girl food truck, which specializes in Hawaiian style food, will be opening a new brick-and-mortar restaurant in the former Aladdin’s Eatery space in Shirlington. Mikala Brennan says Shirlington is “a very friendly place for families and dogs and everyone, and I always thought it’d be a great fit for what I do.” [Eater]

Bike to Work Day is Today — Hundreds of people stopped by the half-dozen Arlington pit stops for Bike to Work Day this morning. Among them were Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and a guy on an old-timey penny farthing.

Candidates Want Manager to Live in Arlington — The candidates for Arlington County Board said they would like Arlington’s next county manager to live in Arlington. Retiring county manager Barbara Donnellan lives in Clifton, Va. [InsideNova]

AAA to Roll Out Local Roadside Bicycle Assistance

By ARLnow.com

Published May 14, 2015 at 4:30PM

AAA Mid-Atlantic will formally announce that it is now offering roadside assistance for D.C. area bicyclists Friday morning.

The announcement is timed to coincide with Bike to Work Day and will be made at a Bike to Work Day pit stop in D.C.

“To encourage bicycle commuting, which is growing exponentially across the region, AAA Mid-Atlantic will debut the addition of its new roadside assistance service for bicyclists,” the organization said in a media advisory Thursday.

“Starting on Bike To Work Day, the AAA bicycle service will be immediately available to nearly four million AAA Mid-Atlantic members within the club’s Mid-Atlantic footprint, which includes the entire Washington Metro Area, and it applies to all bicycles and bicycle rentals.”

The service is already being advertised on the organization’s website.

A number of other regional AAA branches across the country, including in the Pacific Northwest and New England, already offer the service.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 14, 2015 at 9:15AM

TargetExpress Coming to Rosslyn — A new 23,000-square-foot TargetExpress store is coming to Rosslyn. Located at 1500 Wilson Blvd, the store will have an in-house Starbucks, a pharmacy, a technology and mobile phone section and will carry clothing, groceries and prepared foods. Also coming to 1500 Wilson Blvd: a District Taco restaurant and a Wells Fargo bank branch. [Washington Post, Washington Business Journal]

Little Saigon Remembered — A master’s student at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia campus recounts Clarendon’s former identity as “Little Saigon,” thanks to the immigration of Vietnamese refugees following the end of the Vietnam War. As a project, the student has created a self-guided walking tour of Clarendon in connection with the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. [Preservation Arlington]

Victory for Yorktown Coding Team — The Yorktown High School Coding Club celebrated a big win at the Microsoft Imagine Cup U.S. National Finals in San Francisco last month. The team placed first in the competition’s “World Citizenship” category. [Arlington Connection]

Photo courtesy Peter Rof / Alt Globo MediaWorks LLC

Arlington Pet of the Week: Riley the Rogue

Published May 13, 2015 at 11:30AM

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Riley the Rogue, who has mastered the art of stealing food from his owner’s counters.

Here’s what his owner had to say about him:

Hey ARLnow, I’m Riley the Rogue! I was adopted one year ago this very month from Homeward Trails. My folks didn’t realize that the phrase “shepherd/collie” was not a Rin Tin Tin and Lassie combo. I’m half-Australian Shepherd and half-Border Collie. Hah! I’m a one-and-a-half-year-old teenager living with two older girl dogs, Dakota (12) and Katie (9). Thanks to my incredibly exuberant nature, I’ve put them both into their second puppyhoods now. No need to thank me.

While I showed how smart I am by taking first place in obedience training last August, my best talent is mastering the art of counter-surfing. I have long legs so I can reach all of that counter, babe! Yessirree … I share my prizes with my girls too. They adore me. My parents, however, seem a little put out about it.

My best theft yet was a full third of the uncooked stuffing in the pan this past Thanksgiving Day! I consider it my best as I had just figured out silence in thieving is golden. But they love me. How could they not? I’m a handsome cream puff of a dude! And when I roll over and give you those big baby brown eyes, you’ll melt. Trust me. Just trust me!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the [email protected] a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

#Pet of the Week

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 13, 2015 at 9:15AM | Updated May 13, 2015 at 9:34AM

NORAD Flyover Exercise Tonight — NORAD will conduct a flyover exercise tonight that may be noticed by Arlington residents. The exercise will take place between midnight and 2:00 a.m. [Twitter]

Bean Kinney Attorney’s Attack Detailed in Court — In court testimony in Fairfax County, attorney Leo Fisher and his wife, Susan Duncan, described the vicious home invasion attack allegedly carried out by the husband of an attorney Fisher fired at the Arlington law firm of Bean, Kinney & Korman. Fisher said the man “slit my throat” and Duncan described being stabbed repeatedly in the upper body and being nearly shot in the head. [Washington Post]

No ‘Real Solution’ Yet for Pike Transit — An urban design and transportation writer is alleging that Arlington County Board member John Vihstadt has yet to propose an effective alternative to the planned Columbia Pike streetcar system he helped to scuttle. [Greater Greater Washington]

More School Board Endorsements — In the race for the Democratic endorsement for Arlington School Board, candidates have picked up some key endorsements in the past week. Former School Board member and current County Board member Libby Garvey says she’s endorsing Sharon Dorsey, as is former School Board member Frank Wilson. Reid Goldstein, meanwhile, has picked up the endorsements of County Board Chair Mary Hynes and former School Board member Ed Fendley.

Flickr pool photo by Alves Family

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 12, 2015 at 8:30AM

Renderings of Proposed Ballston High-Rise — Ahead of Wednesday’s Arlington Site Plan Review Committee meeting, developers Lionstone and Penzance have released new renderings of the 22-story, 330-unit apartment tower they’re proposing to build on the Carpool site in Ballston. The tower is sleek metal and glass, with a retail pavilion on the ground floor. In a second phase, the developers are proposing to replace an aging, adjacent office building with another 22-story, 362-unit residential building. [Washington Business Journal]

Free Cone Day at Haagen-Dazs — The Haagen-Dazs store at Pentagon City mall is offering free ice cream today from 4:00-8:00 p.m. as part of the company’s nationwide Free Cone Day. [Facebook]

Coalition for Minority Affairs Honors Students — Eighty-seven African and African-American Arlington Public Schools students were honored last week by the Civic Coalition for Minority Affairs. The Northern Virginia group “endeavors to foster high academic achievement through its annual awards ceremony.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 11, 2015 at 10:15AM

Shirlington Movie Theater to Renovate — The AMC Lowes Shirlington 7 movie theater will be undergoing a “complete renovation” this year, starting as soon as July. The theater will be getting reclining leather seats, like the AMC theater in Courthouse, plus a new concession area with beer and wine and new bathrooms. [Washington Business Journal]

Downed Trees, Wires in Arlington — On Sunday morning a tree fell on Old Dominion Drive, bringing wires down with it, causing power outages and and closing the road for hours. On Sunday night, an accident on Wilson Blvd caused downed wires and the closure of Wilson from N. Illinois to N. Jefferson Street. [WTOP]

Candidates: Lack of Diversity at Top County Ranks — Candidates for Arlington County Board spoke about the lack of diversity among top county staff last week, at a forum sponsored by the African-American Leadership Council of Arlington. The County Board has little direct involvement in the hiring of county staff, save the Board’s hiring of and direction to the County Manager. [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

BREAKING: Metro Suspended at Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published May 11, 2015 at 9:05AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 2:54PM

Update at 12:15 p.m. — Service has returned to the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, but trains are single tracking between Clarendon/Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom.

Metrorail service is suspended between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom due to a reported arcing insulator outside the Foggy Bottom station.

Firefighters were originally called to the Rosslyn station around 8:20 a.m. for a report of smoke in the station.

The station was evacuated but first responders only found a slight odor of smoke, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani.

Having not found any smoke or fire in Rosslyn, Arlington firefighters are currently scaling back their initially large response. However, Arlington police remain on scene, assisting with crowd control.

Large crowds of commuters seeking alternate means of transportation have been reported outside the Rosslyn station and other Arlington stations along the Orange Line.

Photo: Not sure what is going on at the Rosslyn metro this morning. #metro #rosslyn #rescuesquad http://t.co/4S9cpDFGlq

— Jensue Ferrell (@JensueFerrell) May 11, 2015

Outside Rosslyn Metro pic.twitter.com/o1S4DsuGSd

— Lilibet W (@emt211) May 11, 2015

People waiting for buses at Courthouse since the metro isn't going into DC right now. @unsuckdcmetro @wmata pic.twitter.com/iC4axxJC2V

— Valerie Insinna (@ValerieInsinna) May 11, 2015

people flooding out of Clarendon @wmata station. take the bus! pic.twitter.com/nSqBvj2doA

— Kymberly Escobar (@kymesco) May 11, 2015

https://twitter.com/khnashi/status/597751553567633409

No more @uber cars will pick up at Clarendon metro. Also @wmata has only sent one bus #dclife pic.twitter.com/sGTnJJdpCI

— Ashley Pratte Oates (@AshPratte) May 11, 2015

https://twitter.com/Micah_Himmel/status/597733977844281344

Photo (top) via @WashingtonFlack

Chemical Spill at Yorktown High School

By ARLnow.com

Published May 11, 2015 at 8:50AM

(Updated at 8:55 a.m.) The Arlington County hazmat team has responded to Yorktown High School for a reported spill of hydrochloric acid.

The spill has been contained to a classroom, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani.

So far no injuries have been reported.

Students are currently in the building, according to Arlington Public Schools spokesman Frank Bellavia. The facilities staff is trying to determine whether the school will need to be evacuated in order to flush the HVAC system, he said.

Photo courtesy @KateMuth