News

9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center delayed another year, hoping for 2026 opening

By Matt Blitz
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The long-planned 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center is delayed another year and is now hoping for a 2026 opening.

The $100 million education center is set to be located within the soon-to-be expanded Arlington National Cemetery and along Columbia Pike, which is being realigned to accommodate the cemetery’s expansion.

However, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) project got off to a late start with construction being pushed from the early fall of 2021 to the spring of 2022.

That has also moved the education center’s timeline back about a year, executive director Jim Laychak told ARLnow. The aim is now to start construction on the education center in 2024 with a hoped-for opening in 2026 — 25 years after the terror attacks.

“That [realignment and expansion] project frames the site for the future visitors’ center, so we are dependent on that and its timeline,” Laychak said.

When the facility was first announced in September 2015 and when renderings were displayed at the Pentagon City mall in 2016, the goal was to open in 2019 or 2020.

In terms of design, the plans for the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center haven’t changed much since last year. There have been some adjustments to the exterior, said Laychak, but those are still under review.

The education center will feature a modern design with exhibits on the first floor, “interactive biographies” of those who died at the Pentagon on 9/11, a second-floor conference room with views, a rooftop terrace, and ample parking.

Laychak, who also oversaw the building of the Pentagon Memorial, says this project is being funded in much the same way as the memorial — a combination of public and private funds.

The education center has raised about $14 million in private donations so far, an increase of about $9 million since this time last year. That includes a $2.5 million donation from Amazon.

The project still needs another $85 million though, Laychak said. The hope is to receive about $70 million from the federal government.

The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center, much like the memorial, is a deeply personal project for Laychak. His brother Dave was killed at the Pentagon on 9/11. This weekend will mark the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attack and his brother’s death.

“All of them are [tough],” Laychak said last year about the 20th anniversary. “One is not any more or less meaningful than the other, though you start to realize how much life has gone on without Dave.”

He’ll be in attendance at the Pentagon Memorial again this year for a small service for family members and invited guests.

The memorial and education center are important reminders, Laychak said, of a tragic day that changed history and defined a generation that fought the wars that followed. For such a pivotal moment in history, however, it’s notable that newer generations have not had the same searing memories of that fateful day.

Laychak briefly told a story about how he was leading a school tour at the memorial a few years ago and many of the kids didn’t know the details of what had happened at the Pentagon on 9/11.

“We need to remember those stories and remember what happened, especially these days with social media and all of the misinformation, conspiracy theories,” said Laychak. “We are going to get [the education center] done. It’s a project we believe in.”

County pauses shots while waiting for updated boosters from the state

By Matt Blitz
Vaccine dose being given at an Arlington County vaccination clinic (via Arlington County/YouTube)

With updated Covid boosters now approved, the county has paused providing shots to adults as it waits for its supply from the state.

As of this past Friday, Sept. 3, Arlington County Public Health Division is “unable to offer booster dose appointments for Pfizer or Moderna vaccines” per the county’s website.

This is because “the currently available mRNA vaccines are no longer authorized for booster doses for people ages 12 years and older.”

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of updated Covid booster shots that are specifically formulated to better protect against the omicron variant. Also in accordance with the Center for Disease Control’s recommendation to use these “bivalent vaccines,” the county has stopped administering the older vaccines.

However, Arlington has yet to receive the newer, updated vaccines from the state.

“We are waiting on the supply we pre-ordered through the Virginia Department of Health,” Arlington health department spokesperson Sondra Dietz wrote ARLnow via email.

She said residents will not be able to schedule vaccine appointments until that happens.

“We will update appointment scheduling in VAMS when we have received the two vaccine boosters,” Dietz said. “In the meantime, please check vaccines.gov to search for appointments in and around Arlington, which includes pharmacies and other medical providers.”

There’s no “definitive timeline” on when updated boosters will be received by the county from VDH. However, there are other locations in Arlington that are currently offering the updated boosters with more on the way in the coming days.

All 153 Giant Food pharmacies in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., and Delaware are now administrating the updated Pfizer vaccine as a single booster dose, a company spokesperson told ARLnow yesterday. That’s available for anyone 12 years or older and two months out from receiving their last booster dose or initial series of vaccines.

“Select” Giant Food pharmacies are also administrating the updated Moderna vaccine for those 18 years and older. Giant is no longer providing the previous mRNA vaccines to those 12 years or older.

Safeway pharmacies in Arlington are planning to have the updated boosters by the end of the week, per a spokesperson.

While adults can no longer receive the previous iteration of the vaccines as boosters, they are still available for children. Earlier this summer, the federal government approved the vaccine for children and recommended that kids as young as 6 months old could get it.

The county is continuing to administer the previous Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to that age range by appointment only at the Arlington Mill and Walter Reed community centers.

Last week, the state health department released a Covid modeling update that showed rates across the state are in a “slow decline.” While there could be surges in the fall and winter, the updated boosters could blunt the impact.

“Models suggest minor case surges in the Fall barring the introduction of a new variant,” reads the VDH’s report from Sept. 2. “An aggressive new variant, in combination with holiday travel and colder weather, could cause another surge in December. But bivalent vaccine boosters could cut this surge short.”

Arlington is currently seeing a seven-day moving average of 44 daily Covid cases, according to the latest VDH data. That’s down from more than 160 daily cases three months ago.

Covid cases in Arlington as of Sept. 8, 2022 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

UPDATED: Hazmat investigation still underway after 100 fish killed in stream

By ARLnow.com
Four Mile Run in Shirlington (file photo by Jay Westcott)

Update at 5:35 p.m. — The Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services said via Twitter Thursday evening that “people and their pets should continue to avoid entering” Four Mile Run. Authorities are still investigating the incident and may be adding some harmless dye to the water as part of the investigation.

Earlier: There are “no ongoing hazards to humans and their pets” after a hazmat incident in Four Mile Run.

That’s according to the Arlington County Fire Department, in a Twitter post this morning. ACFD said about 100 fish found dead in the stream on Wednesday, between S. Walter Reed Drive and S. Taylor Street. A chemical odor was also reported.

People and pets were encouraged to avoid the waters between the Shirlington area and the Potomac after the fishkill was discovered. The fire department says it has identified “a likely source” that caused the incident.

ACFD and Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services worked together on the hazmat investigation.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A pedestrian walks along a path in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Four Mile Run Hazmat Alert — From Arlington County: “Chemical Odor with Fish Killed… All pets and people should avoid the water in the area of Four Mile Run from Walter Reed Drive to the Potomac River until the Department of Environmental Services says it is safe.” [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

No County Payments to Amazon, Yet — “Arlington offered $23M for Amazon HQ2. So far, it hasn’t paid a dime. The county’s incentives are based on revenue streams that have shrunk since Amazon — and covid — moved in.” [Washington Post]

Grumbles About Committee Switch — “With the elimination of [the Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission], ‘the [County] Board will not receive neutral, outside advice on such county issues, making them more reliant on the manager and staff for decisions,’ noted one individual who had watched the process closely but asked not to be named because it could be problematic in their professional life. ‘EPAC and CARRT could have coexisted,’ the individual said.” [Sun Gazette]

APS Hiring for Last Open Positions — “APS started the school year 99 percent fully staffed, and Human Resources is working closely with administrators to fill the remaining 35 full-time teacher vacancies as quickly as possible. Currently there are 15 full-time vacancies at the elementary level and 20 at the secondary level. We are utilizing substitutes where necessary as we work to ensure high quality teachers are in place in every classroom.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Three to Receive Community Award — “For the first time in 29 years, three extraordinary people will be honored with The William T. Newman Spirit of Community Award. Individually and collectively, these recipients represent the passion, commitment, and community advocacy that define the Award and the absolute best vision of what Arlington can be: Portia Clark… Mark Riley… [and] Dr. Mike Silverman.” [Press Release]

Improper Tow Truck Parking Tweeted — In something of a local Twitter trend, a number of people have been posting photos of Advanced Towing tow trucks parked next to a fire hydrant in front of the company’s lot in Ballston. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

Renovations at Nearby Shopping Strip — “Construction has begun on a substantial renovation of Chesterbrook Shopping Center in McLean. Barricades, signage and other equipment started emerging at the Safeway-anchored retail strip in mid-August… An overhaul of Chesterbrook has been anticipated since longtime property manager Federal Realty Investment Trust took ownership of the 90,000-square-foot property at 6214 and 6246 Old Dominion Drive in May 2021.” [FFXnow]

It’s Thursday — Mostly cloudy but fairly pleasant throughout the day. High of 78 and low of 67. Sunrise at 6:45 am and sunset at 7:30 pm. [Weather.gov]

Pickup truck smashes through decorative Memorial Bridge stone railing

By ARLnow.com
Pickup truck that crashed into and damaged the side of the Memorial Bridge (photo courtesy John Wilcox)

The driver of a pickup truck nearby ran off the side of the Memorial Bridge this evening.

The truck mounted the southern sidewalk and smashed through the decorative masonry on the side of the bridge, over the GW Parkway and the Mt. Vernon Trail. It was likely just a few feet away from falling off the side of the bridge and onto the trail.

Police described it as a single-vehicle crash. U.S. Park Police officers and Arlington firefighters were among those to respond to the scene. No information on injuries or the cause of the crash was immediately available.

The inbound lanes of the bridge were closed to traffic for a time after the crash but have since reopened.

Memorial Bridge underwent an extensive, two-year rehabilitation project that wrapped up in 2020. The work included cleaning, repairing and reinstalling the bridge’s “historic granite balustrade.”

It appears that the truck smashed through one of those sections of balustrade. Repairing it may take awhile.

More on the balustrade work from a 2019 Washington Post article:

Hunks of curbing, benches and hundreds of ornate 80-pound balusters, for the balustrade, or stone railing, were scattered across a large Lorton Stone company work yard in Upper Marlboro, Md., like pieces of a huge puzzle.

There, they were being power-washed and repaired, if needed, said National Park Service spokesman Jonathan Shafer.

Many of the pieces have been stained by rust over the years from passing cars and nicked by snowplows, said Lindy Gulick, a Park Service architectural conservator.

Missing parts are being replaced by new pieces that are glued in place and sculpted to fit.

The original balusters were handcrafted from stone cut in a quarry in Mount Airy, N.C.

Replacements for the few that could not be repaired are being made with the help of a computer and with stone from the same quarry, Gulick said.

More on the crash via social media:

Candidates square off on Missing Middle, safe schools and gun control

By Jo DeVoe
County Board candidates Adam Theo, Audrey Clement and Matt de Ferranti (via Facebook)

For voters, evaluating Arlington County Board candidate views of Missing Middle will look a lot like Goldilocks sampling porridge.

Three familiar names are vying for a seat on the County Board: incumbent Matt de Ferranti and his independent challengers Audrey Clement and Adam Theo, who have both ran for a seat on the Board before — Clement numerous times before.

Now, potential Missing Middle zoning changes are becoming a key battleground for the candidates, as both community support and opposition intensifies. The two-year study is entering a final phase of community discussion before it is slated to go to the Planning Commission and County Board for consideration as early as this year.

County Board, School Board and congressional candidates fielded multiple questions from members of the Arlington County Civic Federation last night (Tuesday) during its annual candidates forum. The Civic Federation previously took up the issue of Missing Middle, passing a resolution saying residents need more negotiating power during upzoning and land-use proposal proceedings.

During Tuesday night’s questioning at the Hazel Auditorium in Virginia Hospital Center, Theo said he is “a huge fan” of Missing Middle because “it’s about not squeezing the middle class anymore, of allowing opportunities, options and housing types.”

Clement reiterated her equally entrenched opposition to it as “a scheme to rezone Arlington’s residential neighborhoods for much higher density multi-family dwellings,” which will keep housing types out of reach for anyone not making six figures.

De Ferranti, meanwhile, says he supports the construction of low-density units up to a point.

“Your input has led me to oppose eight plexes as not being worth the cost,” he added. “Your input has led me to tier the ideas so that the smallest lots would have duplexes and as you get to the largest plots, more density would be allowed.”

None, however, pronounced the county’s community engagement efforts as “just right.”

The Goldilocks principle reappeared when candidates discussed whether to do away with first-past-the-post voting for their seats and replace it with ranked-choice voting (RCV) for County Board elections.

Under this system, which has support from some current Board members and which the county has tested out, voters rank candidates by preference and a winner is selected over the course of many elimination rounds.

Clement, an independent, said it would increase competition in otherwise predictable election cycles. Theo agreed.

“Ranked-choice voting has potential, and I want it now in Arlington County,” he said.

Both independents support the change for general elections, while de Ferranti said he is supportive of it for primaries and more cautious about using it for the general election.

“It’s something I’m supportive of,” de Ferranti said. “There are fair critiques with respect to the simplicity and timeliness — as we just saw in Alaska — of the results.”

The County Board may consider ranked-choice voting before January, de Ferranti said.

While expressing support for ranked-choice voting, Clement claimed it would not work in Arlington because of media bias.

“Unfortunately, ranked-choice voting only works in competitive elections, where the media are unbiased and endorse candidates on their merits. That is not how media operate in Arlington,” Clement said. “A continual stream of press releases by and features about those who promote the status quo are published as news, together with biased editorials, all but guaranteeing the defeat of their challengers.”

(ARLnow no longer publishes opinion columns and has never endorsed candidates for office, though the Sun Gazette routinely publishes editorials and letters to the editor.)

Like their County Board counterparts, School Board candidates Bethany Sutton and Vell Rives said they would work to improve community engagement.

“A change I might make is to make sure we have multiple ways for people to engage and we are deliberately transparent as to how all that engagement has factored into the board’s decision making,” said Sutton, who received the endorsement of the Arlington County Democratic Committee after another candidate, Brandon Clark, withdrew from the caucus and then the election entirely.

Rives, meanwhile, said the School Board needs to vote on all “massive decisions,” such as extended school closures or starting a new school.

Sutton and Rives both said a chief concern is addressing student mental health. Both said APS can tighten security at school entrances, while Rives supports reinstating School Resource Officers and Sutton called for clear, consistent emergency communications.

The School Board removed school-based police officers last summer, citing racial disparities in juvenile arrests in Arlington. Following the decision, the Arlington County Police Department said it would be a challenge to staff the program again.

The two School Board candidates both support the construction of a new Arlington Career Center, but criticized how the project was discussed and the strain it could put on future budgets.

(more…)

JUST IN: Maryland man arrested in case of woman pushed out of SUV

By ARLnow.com
The woman who was injured after being pushed out of an SUV near Ballston (via GoFundMe)

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) An arrest has been made in the case of a woman who was pushed out of a moving SUV near Ballston.

Maryna Kapovska, 25, suffered severe injuries in the May 15 incident, which happened on Wilson Blvd just west of N. Glebe Road. She has been undergoing rehabilitation, including for a traumatic brain injury, according to a GoFundMe page that has raised $50,000 to cover Kapovska’s expenses.

Arlington County police announced this afternoon (Wednesday) that a man has been arrested in the case, following a “thorough investigation,” though there’s still no word on an exact motive.

Willie Clements, a 59-year-old Maryland resident, is now facing several felony charges after being taken into custody on Friday by Arlington County Police Department tactical officers. Police say the victim entered his black SUV while waiting for a rideshare driver in D.C. around 3 a.m.

Clements “was not employed as a rideshare driver and was not operating in a for-hire status,” according to police.

More from an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing the arrest of a suspect following an aggravated malicious wounding investigation in the Bluemont neighborhood. Willie James Clements, 59, of Upper Marlboro, MD is charged with Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Grand Larceny and Hit and Run. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 3:06 a.m. on May 15, police were dispatched to the area of Wilson Boulevard at N. Vermont Street for the report of trouble unknown. The reporting party stated she was driving in the area when she observed a black SUV swerving and traveling at a high rate of speed. The passenger door to the vehicle then opened and the victim was pushed out onto the roadway. Responding officers located the female victim in the roadway and medics transported her to an area hospital with serious injuries.

The investigation revealed that earlier in the morning, the victim requested a rideshare service from the 800 block of Florida Ave NW, Washington D.C. to her residence in Arlington. While waiting for her driver to arrive, the suspect approached, the victim entered his vehicle and he drove away. The suspect was not employed as a rideshare driver and was not operating in a for-hire status.

Arlington County Police Department detectives conducted a thorough investigation including witness interviews and the review of crime scene and other evidence. The review resulted in additional information that led detectives to identify Willie James Clements as a suspect. Officers assigned to the department’s TAC Unit took the suspect into custody without incident on the afternoon of September 2.

This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow that the crime scene was “less than a mile” from where the victim lived. She was unable to say why the victim might have entered the suspect’s vehicle.

“This remains an active criminal investigation and to ensure the integrity of the prosecution, no additional details are available at this time,” Savage said.

Kapovska is originally from Ukraine and was quoted in news stories in February just before the Russian invasion.

“Our dad is defending our homeland while our mom had to flee the war to Germany,” her sister noted on the GoFundMe page.

Prior to the March incident, the 25-year-old attended a Ukrainian Orthodox church in Montgomery County weekly, sang in the choir, and posted regularly on Instagram to show support for her homeland, said a Montgomery County Media story.

As her rehabilitation continues — it’s expected to take 6-12 months, according to the GoFundMe page — she returned to Instagram two weeks ago after a long hiatus.

“Happy days,” Kapovska wrote in a post, with a photo from prior to her injuries. “Life divided into before and after. This is before, looking forward to after.”

Residential parking enforcement ramps up as some report problems obtaining annual permits

By Jo DeVoe

Residential Permit Parking enforcement is in full swing — but some residents say they’re still waiting for their renewed permits to arrive and are concerned they will be unfairly ticketed until then.

Enforcement began yesterday (Tuesday) in Residential Permit Parking zones: residential areas near commercial corridors where residents pay for permits to ensure they have a spot on their street.

Customers have to renew their permits annually, a process that typically begins in April. Otherwise, they risk getting ticketed when the county begins looking for the new fiscal year’s permit.

But some residents took to Nextdoor to say they were still waiting on their permits when enforcement began yesterday.

“[A]ll I got was a receipt. I don’t even have temporary parking passes and they ticket in my zone,” said one commenter.

Others reported trouble reaching county staff to track down their permit.

“I finally received my stickers after much difficulty, multiple emails, and several phone calls,” another Nextdoor user said. “What used to take minutes each year has taken me hours this year, the price has almost doubled over the past few years, and I’m penalized for having a driveway, which now makes me eligible for one less permit.”

For a handful of registrants, that was due to a delayed printing order, but for others, it’s par for the course, according to Peter Golkin, a spokesman for Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services.

“We tell residents to expect the process to take a month from application to shipping to receipt of permit materials,” he said. “Every year a number of orders are lost or damaged in the mail or are returned as undeliverable even though the address is correct on the envelope. Those orders have to be investigated and put back into a queue.”

The concerns arose despite the county delaying and extending the permit renewal period.

“The new software system for parking permits was not ready for the usual renewal season start of April 1,” Golkin said. “The software had to be fine-tuned and tested and was finally ready in May.”

The county delayed enforcement until September to account for late-summer travel.

For those without their permanent 2022-23 tags, the county is emailing 45-day, temporary passes to customers who report that their permit materials were lost or not delivered, as well as those who placed their orders after mid-August.

There are a few measures residents can take to avoid a ticket during this period.

“Most RPP residents have off-street parking available in addition to their temporary passes. We encourage those residents with off-street parking to use it if possible, and for all customers to use valid temporary passes while they wait for permit materials to arrive in the mail,” Golkin said.

Those who are worried their temporary passes will expire soon can email [email protected], call 703-228-3344 or visit the Treasurer’s Office in-person at county government headquarters in Courthouse for assistance, he said.

“If a resident is concerned that a temporary pass is about to expire before an order arrives, email [email protected] and the situation will be investigated and a new temporary pass issued if necessary,” he said.

This is the latest blip for the permit parking program. The county reported technical difficulties with its software last year, when a handful of residents with newly constructed homes risked getting ticketed because the system did not recognize their newly created addresses.

The county modified the program in February 2021, reducing available permits for households with driveways, raising fees for additional vehicles and visitor permits while lowering prices for low-income residents, and allowing some multi-family buildings to join the program.

An idea to institute paid, two-hour parking in RPP zones was nixed after pushback from residents and some members of the Planning Commission.

Air Force cycling team to ride from North Carolina to Arlington this month

By Jo DeVoe

Members of the U.S. Air Force Cycling Team will end a grueling, 330-mile bicycle ride at the U.S. Air Force Memorial later this month.

Dubbed the Air Force Heritage Memorial to Memorial Ride, the trek commemorates the military branch’s 75th anniversary and raises money for the Wounded Airman Program.

Cyclists will kick into gear on Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Wright Brothers Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. They plan to coast into Arlington on Sunday, Sept. 18 — the day of the 75th anniversary.

The team will hit the home stretch along the Mount Vernon Trail and arrive at the memorial around 1:15 p.m., according to the event’s website.

Military members and civilians are encouraged to ride alongside the team for any of the four days. Those who participate will have to provide their own food and lodging.

Local cyclists looking to join the ride into Arlington can start at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Quantico Stafford (2784 Richmond Highway) at 7 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18.

Registration is free, but there is a suggested donation of $20 to benefit the Wounded Airman Program. The program has provided more than $625,000 to seriously wounded, ill and injured airmen and their families since its founding in 2011, according to its website.

The U.S. Air Force Cycling Team is made up of more than 140 active and retired members of the Air Force, as well as family members.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Sunset near the U.S. Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

VHC Expanding Beyond Arlington — “As part of its expansion efforts, VHC Health will add several new healthcare locations throughout Northern Virginia – physician practices, imaging centers, outpatient surgery facilities and a free-standing emergency department. In 2023, VHC Health will open a $250 million Outpatient Pavilion, and over the next two years, VHC Health Physicians will open more than 20 additional service locations throughout the region.” [Press Release]

Library Opens Zoom Room — “There is a new option for Arlington residents and visitors who need an internet connection and privacy for virtual meetings. Arlington Public Library will open The Teleconnect Space at Columbia Pike Library, in partnership with the Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development (CPHD) and the Department of Technology Services (DTS).” [Arlington County]

Food Scrap Program ‘Underutilized’ — “Grabowsky, who does his own composting at his South Arlington home, acknowledged that the program ‘is underutilized,’ perhaps 40-45 percent of homes, according to audits. The county ‘would like to see it reach the same’ participation rate as general recycling, 85-90 percent. When he spotted a neighbor putting her small caddy on the curb empty, as if to get rid of it, Grabowsky tactfully placed a composting brochure on her door. ‘We just have to do a consistently better job of educating the public.'” [Falls Church News-Press]

Marymount Sees Application Surge — “Leading up to the Fall 2022 semester, a total of 3,551 applications were submitted from prospective students – a 44 percent jump from the 2,462 applications that the University received prior to the 2021-2022 academic year. This data represents both the largest total number of applications that Marymount has received as well as the highest year-to-year growth percentage in applications received over the last 16 years of recorded admissions data available.” [Press Release]

Church Near Ballston Turns 150 — “First Presbyterian Church of Arlington kicked off its sesquicentennial celebration with a picnic and concert on the church grounds on Aug. 28, and has additional events in the pipeline to celebrate 150 years of service to parishioners and the community.” [Sun Gazette]

Payphone Down in Pentagon City — From @CartChaos22202: “The old ⁦@Verizon⁩ pay phone outside of ⁦@FashionCtrPC⁩ + the ⁦@RitzCarlton⁩ Pentagon City has been toppled.” [Twitter]

HS Football Roundup — “The Yorktown Patriots bounced back with a lopsided victory in high-school football action the night of Sept. 1, while the Washington-Liberty Generals and Wakefield Warriors lost the same evening. All three games were non-district contests.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Wednesday — Updated at 7:55 a.m. — Overcast throughout the day with some rain showers. High of 76 and low of 69. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 7:31 pm. [Weather.gov]

Wakefield junior dies after SUV vs. scooter crash in Alexandria

By ARLnow.com
Miguel Angel Rivera (image via GoFundMe)

(Updated at 11:15 p.m.) A Wakefield High School junior has died in the hospital after being struck by a driver while riding a scooter.

Miguel Angel Rivera suffered what were described as “massive injuries” after being struck while returning from work on an electric scooter.

On Monday, his parents said on a GoFundMe page that Rivera had died at a hospital in Fairfax County.

With heavy hearts, we want to announce that our Miguelito has passed as of early this morning, 9/5/2022. He is now in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ and will forever be remembered. He is now an angel looking down on us all.

We are in awe of the amount of love, support, and generosity that is being shown to help the family during this time of unimaginable sorrow and heartbreak. Miguel Angel was loved by so many, please keep the prayers coming for those closest to him that that they find peace, comfort, and healing.

The GoFundMe page, which has raised nearly $20,000 for medical and funeral expenses, does not detail what happened. A community leader who shared the page on social media said over the weekend, and again on Monday, said he did not have additional information about the crash.

ARLnow hears that the crash happened just over a week ago in Alexandria. Police there issued a press release about a crash that happened just after 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27 along Beauregard Street, west of the Mark Center.

From APD:

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a traffic crash that occurred on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at the intersection of North Beauregard Street and Sanger Avenue.

At approximately 10:17 PM, police responded to the area for a scooter struck at the intersection of North Beauregard Street and Sanger Avenue. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim, 16 years of age, was making a left-hand turn onto Sanger Avenue from the southbound lane of North Beauregard Street when he was struck by a Black Toyota RAV-4 traveling northbound on North Beauregard Street. The victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.

The […] driver of the Black SUV, remained on the scene.

APD’s Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

As of Tuesday afternoon school administrators had not yet sent an email to WHS families about Rivera’s death and, we’re told, were awaiting permission from the teen’s family to do so.

NBC 4 reported Tuesday night that Rivera was just minutes from his father’s house when he was struck. He died after being taken off life support at the hospital.

There’s still no word on whether the driver of the SUV will face any charges.

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