News

Arlington has a new economic development director

By ARLnow.com
Ryan Touhill (photo courtesy Arlington County)

A nationwide search for a new Director of Arlington Economic Development found someone close to home: in Alexandria.

Arlington County announced that Ryan Touhill, Senior Vice President of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, will assume AED’s top job on Monday, Nov. 28.

Touhill, 38, takes the reins after a turbulent few years at the top ranks of the county’s economic development arm.

He succeeds Shannon Flanagan-Watson, AED’s interim director following the departure of Telly Tucker, who served just over two years in the role. Tucker left for a new job this spring, around the same time as AED Deputy Director Cynthia Richmond retired.

Prior to Tucker’s arrival, the leadership team that helped woo Amazon and its HQ2 to Arlington decamped to neighboring counties. Former AED director Victor Hoskins and interim director Alex Iams were both poached by Fairfax County, while Christina Winn left for Prince William County.

In a press release, below, county officials tout Touhill’s “track record of leading local business expansions for new investments in the region” and his ability to foster “innovation and resiliency to advance economic growth and competitiveness.”

Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz announced today the selection of Ryan Touhill as the new Director of Arlington Economic Development (AED) following a nationwide recruitment and search. Mr. Touhill has extensive experience in overseeing day-to day operations of a local economic development agency and a proven track record at implementing local small business grant and economic recovery programs, fostering regional cooperation, and playing key roles in business development attraction and retention in this local and regional market. He will play a pivotal role in building on Arlington’s strong economic competitive position as a regional, national, and international business and visitor location. Mr. Touhill will assume this new leadership role on November 28, 2022.

“Mr. Touhill has a track record of leading local business expansions for new investments in the region,” stated Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol. “My colleagues on the Board and I look forward to working with him to continue building on our success in attracting and growing high-quality businesses, both large and small, in Arlington.”

“I am thrilled to have Ryan at the helm of our Economic Development team, leading our community through an exciting period of commercial growth post-pandemic recovery”, stated County Manager Mark Schwartz. “He will be instrumental in fostering innovation and resiliency to advance economic growth and competitiveness in our community for small businesses and large corporations as well as foster real estate development, tourism, arts and cultural amenities.”

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Touhill served as both the Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff with the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP). In these leadership roles, he has been instrumental in managing the daily activities of AEDP’s Business Development, Small Business, and Economic Recovery departments and was responsible for managing AEDP’s internal business operations. While at AEDP, he also served on the project management team responsible for securing Amazon’s second headquarters in Northern Virginia and Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria. In addition, Mr. Touhill has held positions with the City of Alexandria government in the budget and human resources departments.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Busy day at Mr. Wash on N. Glebe Rd. (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Rent Dips Slightly — “The median two-bedroom Arlington rental unit went for $2,523 last month, according to a survey reported Oct. 30 by Apartment List. While down 1.6 percent from a month before – marking the 21st largest tumble among the 100 urban areas in the survey – and more than twice the national dropoff of 0.7 percent, Arlington’s median rental rate remains up nearly 6 percent from a year before and just under 10 percent from where it stood at the start of COVID in March 2020.” [Sun Gazette]

Gondola Now Shirt Makes Holiday List — ARLnow’s famous Gondola Now shirt was on Washingtonian’s list of “9 DC-Themed Gifts Only a Washingtonian Would Appreciate.” To quote the article’s subhead: “We hear the gondola tee is a real icebreaker.” [Washingtonian]

Big Announcement for Arlington Firm — “Macy’s Inc. is partnering with Arlington community lending organization Momentus Capital on a program to boost the retailing giant’s supplier diversity through loans and small business support. The announcement — the first of its kind for Momentus Capital, which holds dual headquarters in Arlington and San Diego — comes just three months after it was formed through the combination of three existing organizations.” [Washington Business Journal]

Another Sign of the Season — “The Christmas tree is officially up at @FashionCtrPC. Time to get my wish list prepared for Santa!” [Twitter]

Four Courts Fundraiser in D.C. — “Officials with Irelands Four Courts are planning another fundraiser after a car crashed into a pub along Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia back in August. The second event is a benefit show set for Nov. 10 at Kelly’s Irish Times in northwest D.C.” [WJLA, Facebook]

Stormy Friday and Saturday Ahead — From Washington Weather Geeks: “We continue to keep an eye on Subtropical Storm Nicole as impacts continue to seem increasingly likely. Currently, flooding & heavy rain pose the biggest threat, with 1-3″+ of rain possible. Nicole may also bring severe storms, coastal flooding, & gusty winds. Stay tuned!” [Twitter]

Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Busted — “A New Jersey business knowingly trafficked catalytic converters stolen from around the country in a scheme that netted more than $545 million in illicit gains, federal authorities said as they announced twenty-one arrests targeting the alleged nationwide criminal enterprise. The takedown led to arrests Wednesday and searches in Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia, according to officials.” [NJ.com]

It’s Election Day — A clear day for those casting ballots, but getting a bit breezy later on before a chilly night. High of 60 and low of 45. Sunrise at 6:45 am and sunset at 5:02 pm. [Weather.gov]

Marymount University proposes new athletic facilities on county land

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

(Updated 9:55 p.m.) Marymount University is developing plans to build a new sports facility on an embattled parcel of county property near its campus.

Currently, the property at 26th Street N. and Old Dominion Drive, in the Old Dominion neighborhood, is home to a temporary road salt storage “dome” and a parking lot used for mulch distribution. In 2019, despite opposition from some neighbors, the county demolished a roughly 90-year-old water storage tank, repurposed for road salt, which was on the brink of collapse.

The tank saga came a few years after the county proposed and later nixed plans to relocate Fire Station 8 from Langston Blvd to the Old Dominion neighborhood.

Now, Marymount University, which was recently ranked for the first time as a national university and is showing other signs of growth — including higher enrollment rates, new softball and wrestling teams and new academic majors — is trying its hand at redeveloping the site.

The school, which has its main campus across from the county property and an additional presence in Ballston, first put forward a plan for the property two years ago. It proposes to build a sports field, a children’s playground and an enhanced walking trails to Missionhurst Preserve, according to a map on the university’s website.

In addition, it would replace the existing temporary salt dome with a new, solar-powered one, along with a mulch area.

A little less than a year ago, it also put forward a proposal to build new diamond fields where the Washington-Liberty High School baseball diamond in Quincy Park and the softball diamond on school property are. Since then, it has been in talks with W-L, Arlington Public Schools and the Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation.

Marymount has advertised an informational meeting on this proposal, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29.

The university said in a statement to ARLnow that the session acts on a suggestion from Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz to “build consensus among community members and inform them of our proposed plans to create a generational green space for Arlington at 26th Street N. and Old Dominion Drive that would improve and expand recreational opportunities for the County’s residents.”

It added that the forthcoming meeting also acts on a suggestion from a neighborhood association to meet with the three impacted neighborhood groups together. Marymount says it notified and invited Schwartz and the Arlington County Board to the meeting.

“We have put a great deal of thought and consideration into both projects, but these are proposals,” the university said. “We are discussing them with the neighborhood associations to receive their feedback after repeated attempts were made to communicate with the County about them.”

But Arlington County released a statement this afternoon (Monday) to clarify it has not endorsed the project.

“The County and APS received notice of Marymount’s November 29 Information Session at the same time Marymount informed the general public,” the statement reads. “The County and APS are not associated with or participating in the November 29 Information Session and do not sanction the materials or proposals presented by Marymount University.”

Per the statement, members of the Arlington County Board and the School Board have met with Marymount over the last year, at the university’s request, to hear the proposed concepts.

“At those meetings, County and APS staff asked clarifying questions but no decision was reached,” the county said. “At no time did County or APS staff indicate that these proposed facilities were feasible or acceptable.”

(more…)

Weekend fisticuffs in Clarendon, shot accidentally fired in Waverly Hills

By ARLnow.com
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

Arlington police handled several significant incidents over the weekend, including a fight in Clarendon that sent a man to the hospital.

The fight happened in the heart of Clarendon’s bar district, on the 3100 block of Clarendon Blvd, early Saturday morning. The victim was trying to break up a dispute between the suspect and a friend when he was struck and seriously injured by the suspect, police say.

More from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-11050009, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 12:28 a.m. on November 5, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim attempted to break up a verbal dispute between the male suspect and a friend when the suspect allegedly struck the victim, causing injury. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of serious, non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect was located on scene and taken into custody without incident. [The suspect], 30, of Arlington, Va. Was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held without bond.

Also this weekend, police investigated gunfire in the Waverly Hills neighborhood of northern Arlington on Sunday morning.

In the end, officers determined that a woman accidentally fired a shot while trying to package her gun.

From ACPD:

SHOT FIRED, 2022-11060089, 1900 block of N. Woodrow Street. At approximately 9:37 a.m. on November 6, police were dispatched to the report of a shot fired. Upon arrival, it was determined the female subject was allegedly packaging the firearm to be transported when it discharged. Minor property damage was reported within the home. No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.

Earlier today (Monday), police were dispatched to a report of suspicious individuals in a parking lot and found a half dozen Honda vehicles that had been broken, with the airbags stolen.

The suspects remain at large but officers found a backpack with tools and six airbags, according to ACPD.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series, Late), 2022-11070017, 2600 block of S. Cleveland Street. At approximately 2:20 a.m. on November 7, police were dispatched to the report of a late larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined the reporting party observed two unknown individuals wearing face coverings allegedly acting suspiciously in a parking lot. Responding officers canvassed the area and located six Honda vehicles with broken windows and stolen airbags. A search of the area for the suspects yielded negative results, however, a backpack was recovered containing burglarious tools and six airbags. There are no suspect descriptions at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Crime and comment policy: As a reminder, ARLnow generally does not name suspects in crime report articles such as this. We do name suspects if they are a public figure, if their identity is important to the story, or if they are accused of a significant crime — for instance, if they’re the subject of a police press release. Suspect descriptions from police are generally included when not overly vague. Comments are disabled in crime report articles that describe or name a suspect. 

Poop-based power and pickleball are on the bond referenda

By Jo DeVoe
The Water Pollution Control Plant in South Arlington (via DES/Flickr)

Your poop could give Arlington County natural gas to power buildings or buses.

The county is developing plans to upgrade its Water Pollution Control Plant, where local sewage goes. One change involves installing technology that can harness the methane emitted when human solid waste is processed, turning it into renewable natural gas, a process some municipalities have already implemented.

The energy could be used to power the wastewater plant, homes and commercial buildings or become an alternate fuel for ART buses. The “sludge” created through this process can also be used as a fertilizer for gardens, forests, farms and lawns. (If you’ve ever used Milorganite brand fertilizer, you’ve used dried sewage sludge from Milwaukee.)

How sewage can become power (via Arlington County)

Improvements to the wastewater treatment facility, to the tune of $156 million, are part of a $177 million bond request for utilities upgrades, which also includes improvements the regional Washington Aqueduct system ($15 million) and new gravity transmission mains ($3 million).

Funding for this work would come from a half-billion dollar bond referenda that voters will be considering on Election Day tomorrow (Tuesday). Over $510 million will go toward this work as well as a host of initiatives, upgrades and maintenance projects that Arlington County adopted as part of its 2023-32 Capital Improvement Plan.

Some big-ticket items have already grabbed headlines, like the $136 million requested to build a new Arlington Career Center campus and $2 million to design a proposed Arlington Boathouse on the Potomac River near Rosslyn. But there are dozens of other upgrades proposed for facilities that Arlingtonians of all ages use on a regular, and sometimes daily, basis.

Renovations to existing county buildings and the construction of new ones surpass $53 million.

Highlights include:

  • $13.1 million for various renovations to Arlington’s police headquarters and, for the county’s courts building, technology upgrades, new finishes, a redesigned entrance and a relocated Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts division.
  • $12 million to fund the construction and renovation of some floors of 2020 14th Street N. to make room for ACFD Fire Marshal and Battalion Chiefs offices and other public safety staff and functions. It will also see the replacement of the building’s 60-year-old HVAC system.
  • $7.5 million to acquire land next to the Serrano Apartments to build a fire station there and improve response times on the west end of Columbia Pike, given the pace of development along the Pike.

Overall, Arlington Public Schools is asking for $165 million. Of that, some $12.24 million would pay for safer school entrances, a measure many school systems nationwide are implementing in the wake of high-profile shootings, and new kitchens to allow more meals to be made in-house.

“Upgraded kitchens will allow students to eat high-quality meals that include more fresh fruits and vegetables that are prepared on-site,” according to APS. “The entrance and security vestibule updates will comply with current safety and security standards while ensuring all visitors check in at the main office.”

Existing and modernized school kitchens (via APS)

Another $16.8 million would pay for a new roof for Escuela Key, the Spanish-language immersion elementary school, HVAC replacement at Hoffman-Boston Elementary School and lighting upgrades across schools.

The Arlington Dept. of Parks and Recreation is asking for nearly $22.5 million for a dozen projects.

That includes some funding $1.5 million to replace and renovate some stretches of the county’s nearly 40 miles of off-street, multi-purpose trails, 56 pedestrian bridges and 11 low-water fords.

Preschool- and school-aged kids could have new playgrounds at Bailey’s Branch, Monroe and Woodmont parks sometime in 2024 ($2.8 million). Douglas Park will see $2 million in improvements, including a new picnic shelter, pedestrian bridge, stormwater management, invasive species removal and reforestation.

Athletes who play at Kenmore Middle School could have new turf fields ($300,000).

There’s $1.1 million in funding to design new facilities at Short Bridge Park, near the border of the City of Alexandria, as well as $1.8 million to redesign Gateway Park in Rosslyn, which the budget says is “difficult and dangerous to access due to the surrounding high-speed roadways” and is “under-utilized.”

People who live in the Ballston and Virginia Square areas would be able to get in on the ground floor of master planning processes ($1.5 million) next year to upgrade Maury, Herselle Milliken and Gum Ball parks starting as early as 2025.

The second, $4.4 million phase of work on Jennie Dean Park will move forward, including demolishing the existing WETA building, two parking lots and a portion of 27th Street S., installing a lighted basketball court and converting the existing court for tennis use.

The growing pickleball population, sometimes at odds with neighbors, and the dirt trail-less mountain bike enthusiasts could get new facilities through $2 million to convert tennis courts at Walter Reed Community Center for pickleball use, draw pickleball lines on some multi-use courts and fund “design improvements to natural surface trails and mountain biking improvements.”

(more…)

Pentagon police officer accused of dealing cocaine had previous arrest in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Eric Welch (photo courtesy ACPD)

A Pentagon police officer accused of dealing cocaine has a prior criminal conviction in Arlington.

Eric Welch, 33, was arrested near an apartment complex along Columbia Pike on Oct. 28, “after detectives observed him purchase narcotics for distribution,” according to Arlington County police. He’s now out on bond and expected back in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 28.

This is not the federal police officer’s first run-in with Arlington police and courts.

Welch was previously charged with assault and destruction of property after an early morning incident along S. Four Mile Run Drive in late 2018.

“At approximately 2:15 a.m. on December 15, 2018, police were dispatched to the 4100 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive for the report of an assault just occurred,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect, female victim and female witness were traveling together in a cab. As they arrived at the suspect’s residence, he became aggressive and exited the cab prior to paying.”

“A verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect allegedly reached into the cab, took the driver’s cell phone from his hand and slapped the female victim,” Savage continued. “He then threw the driver’s phone, causing damage. The suspect fled the scene prior to the arrival of police. The Magistrate issued warrants for Assault & Battery, Destruction of Property and Procure a Vehicle with Intent to Defraud for Eric Welch, 29, of Arlington.”

In 2019, Welch pled guilty to an amended charge of disorderly conduct and was given a six month sentence, with the entire sentence suspended. Two other charges, including destruction of property, were dropped.

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency tells ARLnow that Welch has been an officer there since February 2015 and he was placed on administrative leave after his recent arrest. An agency spokesperson declined to provide specific information on disciplinary action after his 2018 arrest.

“When a police officer is arrested, it is standard procedure for the arresting police department to notify the officer’s department,” said PFPA’s Jacqueline Yost. “We have nothing to add on the arrest, beyond the Arlington County release and court records. We do not comment on personnel matters.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Building under construction in Courthouse (staff photo)

Protest on 14th Street Bridge — A protest against genocide in Ethiopia blocked the 14th Street Bridge for a couple of hours yesterday evening. [Twitter, Washington Post]

Woman Pushed to the Ground, Man Robbed — “Victim One was walking in the area when the male suspect approached and allegedly pushed her to the ground. The suspect then fled the scene on foot. Victim One sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. The suspect then proceeded to the area of S. Glebe Road and Columbia Pike where he approached Victim Two, pushed him and stated he wanted to steal the victim’s wallet. Responding officers located the suspect on scene and [took] him into custody without incident.” [ACPD]

Yorktown Beats W-L — “Led by a shutdown defense and a power running offense, the visiting Yorktown Patriots blanked the Washington-Liberty Generals, 27-0, in the final regular-season football game for the Arlington high-school rivals the afternoon of Nov. 5. The teams finished in a three-way tie for second in the Liberty District with 4-2 records. Yorktown and W-L advance to the eight-team 6D North Region tournament, beginning with first-round action Friday, Nov. 11.” [Sun Gazette]

House May Get Historic Designation — “Arlington in recent years has lost several homes to the wrecking ball after their owners refused to support community efforts at including them in local historic districts. But in the latest instance, the homeowner and preservationists are on the same page. As a result, it could be just a few weeks before Arlington County Board members formally designate a Virginia Square property – known as the Anderson House for a couple who lived in it long ago – as its own historic district.” [Sun Gazette]

Holiday Market This Weekend — “Alanna Rivera Studios presents the Cherrydale Holiday Art Market showcasing artists and makers from Arlington, D.C., and Maryland. Founded by a lifelong Arlington resident and artist, this free, family-friendly event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 12 and Saturday, November 19 indoors at the Cherrydale United Methodist Church.” [Press Release]

More Bike Lane Blocking on Quincy Street — From ARLnow’s Twitter account: “A vehicle blocking the bike lane on N. Quincy just got the ‘move on’ lights and horn from police. Now it’s partially blocking the sidewalk.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Alexandria Metro Stations Back Open — “Metrorail customers will be back on track south of Reagan National Airport with full service resuming to six closed stations on Sunday, Nov. 6. Blue Line trains will serve all six stations – Braddock Rd, King St-Old Town, Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, Van Dorn St, and Franconia-Springfield – while long-term work continues to rehabilitate the Yellow Line Tunnel and Bridge.” [WMATA]

Warm Low Temp Record — From the National Weather Service: “Several record warm low temperatures were broken yesterday at area climate sites,” including National Airport. [Twitter]

It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 72 and low of 59. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 5:03 pm. [Weather.gov]

Arlington event calendar highlights (Nov. 7-13)

By ARLnow.com

Looking for something to do this week in Arlington?

Check out the following selections from our event calendar. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out this form.

Abingdon PTA Election Day Bake Sale

Tuesday, November 8 @ 7:00 AM

Abingdon Elementary (3035 S Abingdon Street)

Why Arlington? The Case for Relocation, Expansion, and Investment

Thursday, November 10 @ 8:00 AM

Monday Properties (1812 N. Moore St.)

Veterans Day: Create Poppies, k-2nd

Friday, November 11 @ 9:30 AM

Art House 7 (5537 Langston Blvd.)

Military Women’s Memorial 25th Annual Veterans Day Program

Friday, November 11 @ 3:00 PM

Military Women’s Memorial (Memorial Ave Schley Drive)

Dominion Hills Falls Craft Show

Saturday, November 12 @ 10:00 AM

Dominion Hills Area Recreation Association Community House (6000 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22205)

Highlighted items are sponsored

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Vibrant fall colors of leaves in Quincy Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amazon Pausing Corporate Hiring — “Amazon is pausing hiring for roles in its corporate workforce, the company announced in a memo to staff Thursday. The company had already announced last month it would freeze hiring for corporate roles in its retail business, but the latest update affects its other businesses.” [CNBC]

Bigger Career Center Coming — “Arlington School Board members on Oct. 27 voted unanimously to authorize construction of a larger, more expensive, new Arlington Career Center building, saying the opportunities it will provide outweigh concerns that the extra cost may come at the expense of other much-needed capital improvements. ‘I’m persuaded,’ said School Board Chairman Reid Goldstein, who with colleague Mary Kadera has expressed concerns about the project’s cost (now $182.4 million for 1,619 seats).” [Sun Gazette]

De Ferranti Seeking Support — “As the days ticked down to a final verdict from voters, Matt de Ferranti became his own canary in the coal mine. ‘I do not know for sure that we will win,’ the incumbent County Board member warned the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s rank-and-file on Nov. 2, asking for last-minute all-hands-on-deck support to stave off what could be the first dent in Democrats’ County Board monopoly in nearly a decade.” [Sun Gazette]

Man Casually Walks Across I-395 — From Dave Statter: “Watch this: It’s not just drivers who will do anything to get to Exit 8C on I-395S. This happened about 20 minutes ago.” [Twitter]

More Bike Lane Blocking — “Love the N. Quincy bike lane… It’s not just an issue of drivers not knowing or caring. It’s also that there’s a clear need for more short drop off/pick up space along that street. Maybe eliminate parking space and change them to loading spaces.” [Twitter]

Real Estate Market Still Slowing — “Two new indicators provide confirmation – if any is needed – that the Washington region’s homes market has cooled significantly. But they also provide some reassurance that the local market is hardly in a state of freefall. New data from Zillow show that the indicators – median ‘age’ (days on the market) of all inventory being listed for sale and median number of days between listing and ratified contract – are up compared to a year before, but are still below pre-pandemic levels.” [Sun Gazette]

Minor Powerball Winner Sold Here — “While nobody snagged the Powerball $1.2 billion jackpot Wednesday night, one ticket was sold in Northern Virginia for the drawing that is worth $1 million… Three tickets won $50,000 apiece. They were bought at B.O.B. #45 at the Pentagon in Arlington, the 7-Eleven at 13307 Warwick Blvd. in Newport News, and online.” [Patch]

It’s Friday — Fog expected in the morning, then partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 69 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:40 am and sunset at 6:06 pm. [Weather.gov]

New grant program will support men leaving Arlington County jail

By Jo DeVoe
Jail entrance at the Arlington County Detention Facility

New grant funding will expand re-entry services for men incarcerated in Arlington County jail as they prepare to return home.

The $750,000 grant, available for three years, comes from the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Local nonprofit Offender Aid and Restoration, which provides 60% of the transition services offered at the Arlington County Detention Facility through the Community Readiness Unit (CRU), applied for the grant in May.

OAR has been heavily involved in the CRU since its inception seven years ago. The organization decided to fundraise to support their existing work and do more, according to Executive Director Elizabeth Jones Valderrama.

The new program “will have major long-term public safety benefits and will provide people coming home with badly needed support,” Valderrama said in a statement. “Research shows that in order to mitigate against the harm and discrimination that impact those who are incarcerated, individuals must have access to robust wraparound programming both before and after release.”

CRU provides daily programming on topics such as parenting, conflict resolution, healthy relationships, entrepreneurship, ethics, social justice, wellness and substance use regulation, she said. OAR also offers job training, therapy and basic Spanish.

Dubbed “Project Second and Fair Chances for Individuals and Families,” the plan includes hiring additional staff and purchasing more resources to improve its offerings. It will allow the nonprofit to work with 40 men nine months prior to their release and up to 18 months after their release.

Valderrama told ARLnow the grant will pay for:

  • two new therapeutic staff and additional therapeutic resources.
  • a new tool to evaluate participants and identify appropriate therapeutic supports and post-release plan
  • a third-party evaluator to gauge participants’ success and identify gaps in the nonprofit’s funding programming

Men who participate in the new program will have access to a range of pre-release services, including:

  • risk assessments
  • one-on-one reentry coaching and planning
  • weekly workshops about subjects like co-parenting, employment retention and conflict resolution
  • cognitive-behavioral therapies and psychotherapy

After their release, OAR’s “Project Second and Fair Chances for Individuals and Families” will provide:

  • intensive case management
  • psychotherapy
  • facilitated support groups
  • family support and reunification
  • referrals for educational and vocational training

“Currently, OAR follows participants for three months-post release before transitioning them to other partners,” Valderrama tells ARLnow. “The grant will allow OAR to do more for participants, for a longer period of time after release.”

After the money runs out in three years, OAR will need to seek out more funding to sustain the program.

The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office said it is thrilled to keep working with OAR and expanding resources for incarcerated individuals.

“Most of those incarcerated will return to our community and my staff and I are committed to offering programs and additional services to help their transition and ensure their success,” said Sheriff Beth Arthur in a statement to ARLnow.

In her statement, Valderrama said the grant will mostly serve to uplift Black men as they transition back to their communities.

“Seventy percent of OAR’s reentry participants are Black, compared to only 4-12% of the Arlington area, which reflects the institutional racism and anti-Blackness pervading our country and the criminal legal system,” Valderrama said.

Additionally, 80% live in poverty and 40% experience homelessness after their release, according to OAR.

ACPD: Man threw concrete at woman after she wouldn’t talk with him

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A woman suffered a significant injury in Rosslyn this morning after rebuffing a man who then threw a piece of concrete at her, police say.

The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. on the 1900 block of Fort Myer Drive, the same block as a large construction project on the former Holiday Inn site.

The man fled on a bike after striking the woman with the concrete, according to the Arlington County Police Department. The woman was hospitalized in stable condition.

More from an ACPD crime report, below.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-11030055, 1900 block of Fort Myer Drive. At approximately 4:37 a.m. on November 3, police were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect approached the female victim and attempted to engage her in conversation. When she refused, the suspect left the area. He soon returned and allegedly threw pieces of broken concrete at her, resulting in a laceration. She was transported to an area hospital in stable condition. The suspect fled the scene on a bicycle and a canvass of the area by responding officers yielding negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 5’6, 160 lbs., with short curly black hair, wearing a red jacket and gray jeans. The investigation is ongoing.

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