News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rain in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

I-395 Ramp Closure — “Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1, weather permitting, the ramp from southbound I-395 to eastbound Boundary Channel Drive (Exit 9/Clark Street) and the eastbound Boundary Channel Drive ramp to southbound I-395 will close permanently as part of the Boundary Channel Drive at I-395 Interchange Improvements project.” [VDOT]

Tribute to Boundary Channel Ramp — From Dave Statter: “Less than 12 hours left and I’m getting nostalgic and a bit teary-eyed… Countless drivers have convinced themselves it’s perfectly fine to dash almost perpendicularly across four lanes to get from that ramp to the left-side ramp for Route 1. Some made it. Some didn’t.” [Twitter]

Metro Station Closure — “The Virginia Square-GMU station will be closed to customers Sunday, Dec. 3 between system opening and about 2 p.m. as Metro staff and emergency personnel conduct a full-scale safety exercise. Free shuttle buses will replace trains between Ballston and Clarendon during that time.” [WMATA]

New Security Procedures at VHC — “It is our top priority to ensure the safety and security of all individuals within our campus. As a result, we are making several security enhancements, including a new visitor check-in system, as well as changes to the entry points for our staff, physicians and badged contractors starting November 27, 2023.” [VHC Health]

Reminder: Holiday Festival — “The National Landing Business Improvement District is planning a ski-themed holiday festival — dubbed ‘The Lodge’ — at Metropolitan Park in Pentagon City, according to a press release. It’s happening the first weekend in December — Friday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Dec. 3 — at the park (1400 S. Eads Street) next to Amazon’s HQ2.” [ARLnow]

Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “The intersection of Army Navy Drive, S. Hayes Street & the I-395 ramp in Pentagon City is a frequent spot for collisions. This one is from just before 7 this morning.” [Twitter]

Second Leaf Pass Starts Today — “View our leaf vacuum interactive progress map. On the map, neighborhoods will be coded orange (first pass) and blue (second pass) when leaves have been collected.” [Arlington County]

It’s December — Expect rain, with a high near 51 and south winds of 5-13 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Precipitation has an 80% chance, with new amounts under a tenth of an inch. Friday night, rain is likely before 7pm, followed by cloudiness and a low of 46. [Weather.gov]

NEW: Former Arlington Aquatic Club board president faces trial for child pornography charges

By Jo DeVoe
Pool at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center (staff photo)

(Updated at 8:20 p.m.) A former board president of Arlington Aquatic Club is set to go to trial next year for child pornography and sexual coercion charges, according to court documents.

Mark Black, who is about to turn 50, according to public records, was arraigned in federal court last week. A trial date was set for Feb. 27, 2024.

Earlier this month, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Black with six counts of creating, advertising, distributing and receiving child pornography between 2018 and 2023.

His alleged crimes date back to January 2018 and continued up to June of this year, when, according to court documents, he was allegedly found in possession of child pornography, including at least one depiction involving a minor not yet 12 years old.

According to these charges, in July 2019, he coerced one victim, identified as “Victim 1,” to “engage in sexually explicit conduct” to produce child pornography.

He also faces a seventh charge of coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity to create child pornography, after allegedly coercing and enticing a second child victim to engage in sexual activity for this purpose between April 2022 and April 2023.

“He faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 to 30 years for conspiracy to produce child pornography,” a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia told ARLnow this evening, after publication.

He also faces “15 to 30 years for conspiracy to advertise child pornography, 15 to 30 years for production of child pornography, 10 to life for coercion and enticement, and 5 to 20 for both receipt and distribution,” she continued.

The average sentence on federal child pornography charges in fiscal year 2022 was 110 months, or just over nine years, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Trafficking child pornography typically carries longer sentences than reception or possession.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia filed an indictment against Black on Sept. 14, 2023. He was taken into custody at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria the next day, according to court documents.

Later that month, swimming news outlet SwimSwam reported that Black was suspended indefinitely by the U.S. Center for SafeSport and USA Swimming “for unspecified allegations of misconduct.”

The outlet had previously reported Black was entered into SafeSport’s disciplinary database, around the same time he was allegedly found in possession of child pornography.

Black was prepared to enter a plea agreement for the first count, Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography, however “the Court indicated that the plea would not be accepted at this time,” per court documents.

Neither the Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) — an elite swimming program notable for producing a Tokyo Olympian two summers ago — nor the U.S. Attorney’s Office could be reached before deadline.

First homes at the former Febrey-Lothrop estate expected to be ready early next year

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

The first homes being built on the old Febrey-Lothrop Estate could be ready for move-in early next year.

Developer Toll Brothers says its nine quick move-in homes at ‘The Grove at Dominion Hills’ are in progress and expected to come online in early 2024, according to the company’s D.C. Metro Division President Nimita Shah.

A model home has been open for tours since September, she said.

The first available models, per the website, are each 3-story, 5-bedroom homes priced at $1.9 million. They come with interior and exterior finishes picked out by designers.

There are 10 to-be-built home sites available, for which home buyers can choose their floor plan and personalize their finishes, says Shah.

Potential homebuyers can also take a “hard hat tour” of a home next Sunday from 1-3 p.m, according to the website.

The aging but notable Febrey-Lothrop house on the 9-plus-acre estate, at the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. McKinley Road, was demolished to make way for news housing after local preservationists, including the Arlington Historical Society, were unable to find a way to stop the project in time.

Attempts to get the county to purchase the site, parts of which date back at least to the Civil War, or to give it a local historic designation, failed.

The history of the site lives on in the names of some of the home design names — dubbed “Randolph,” “Rouse” and “Woodward.”

Alvin Lothrop, one of the namesakes of the Febrey-Lothrop Estate, was a founder of the Woodward and Lothrop department stores chain in 1898. The estate’s last owner before Toll Brothers was a trust for the local sportsman Randy Rouse.

The history, however, will be preserved in part through markers the Dominion Hills Civic Association plans to put up.

“We are in the research and design phase, including seeking input from members of our community,” says civic association President Terri Schwartzbeck.

The civic association received a $6,600 grant from Arlington County to create and install them.

“This land represents a rich swath of Arlington’s history, and the signage will include information about the Powhatan people, the Civil War, and the 20th century,” the county press release said at the time. “These new markers will allow residents and visitors to share in this forgotten history.”

The community includes new streets, curbs, utilities and street trees, Shah noted. In a bid to improve stormwater retention and water filtration, Toll Brothers added permeable driveways and, for each home, rainwater collection tanks and planter boxes.

Suspect heading to court in cross-jurisdiction vehicular mayhem case

By Jo DeVoe
Falls Church carjacking suspect (courtesy City of Falls Church)

The case involving the man who allegedly went on a carjacking and assault spree through Falls Church and Arlington is moving forward.

Last week — eight months after his arrest — he was identified as Garrett Reeves, of Lorton, according to Susan Finarelli, a public information officer for the City of Falls Church Police Department.

He has been charged with carjacking, malicious wounding, destruction of property with intent and felonious charges of failure to stop at an accident and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, per court records. He has hearings for these charges on Jan. 4 and 10, 2024.

Falls Church police arrested Reeves in March. According to police and a surveillance video aired by NBC 4, Reeves struck a pedestrian near the Beyer Volvo dealership and crashed into several cars, while driving a carjacked Jeep.

He fled and allegedly ran to a nearby shopping center, where he attacked a man and stole his car. He drove into Arlington and was reported to have rear-ended a woman driving on Langston Blvd. This stolen car was later found in Fairfax County, police said at the time. Two days later, he allegedly carjacked another car in Falls Church.

Between his arrest and now, however, he has spent most of his time in a state psychiatric facility because he was not deemed fit to stand trial. Statewide, this is an increasingly common finding that has strained state hospitals, the Virginia Mercury reports.

Falls Church police conducted two investigations before obtaining warrants for Reeves’ arrest, Finarelli said. He was arrested on multiple charges, including carjacking, and taken to the Arlington County Detention Facility — where Falls Church arrestees are jailed — though he was uncooperative and did not reveal his name.

“During his first arraignment, the Courts deemed him not mentally competent hence his transfer to the Western State mental hospital,” Finarelli said.

Last Tuesday, the Falls Church police department learned that the man was identified and transferred back to the Arlington County jail. There, Finarelli says, he was served with additional warrants and held in jail without bond.

The Arlington County Police Department is not seeking charges for the hit-and-run in the county — considered a misdemeanor — because Reeves faces felony charges for the hit-and-run and carjacking in Falls Church, ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
View from the W&OD trail bridge over Langston Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

American Legion Drama — “Bob Romano has been Post 139’s field manager and coach the last 13 seasons, leading the team to district championships and state-tournament berths. He has heard he will not be permitted to return to the team, if one is fielded… Along with two other past commanders, Romano filed a complaint with the American Legion Department of Virginia, on issues related to the Post’s operations, he told the GazetteLeader. As a result, Post 139 is being investigated by the state and temporarily lost its charter, but got it back.” [Gazette Leader]

New Leader for Planning Dept. — “Samia Byrd has been named Arlington County’s next Director of Community Planning, Housing and Development (CPHD), beginning on Jan. 3, 2024. In this new role, she will provide vision and leadership for the next generation of land use regulations, plans, development policies and practices, housing, and community and neighborhood planning programs. Samia will succeed Claude Williamson who is retiring at the end of the year after a 26-year career with the County.” [Arlington County]

Latest on Lee Arts Center — “Its death sentence has been lifted, at least temporarily, but a modest patch of county parkland located behind the Lee Arts Center on Langston Boulevard may still need friends in high places to ensure its continued existence. ‘It’s maybe at risk,’ Arlington Park and Recreation vice chair Jill Barker said at the committee’s Nov. 14 meeting.” [Gazette Leader]

Armed Shoplifting Suspect Nabbed — From Dave Statter: “Good coordination between @ArlingtonVaPD & @PFPAOfficial tonight after an initial report a shoplifter pulled a knife on Macy’s staff at the Fashion Centre. As soon as the lookout was broadcast a Pentagon officer said that man just went into the Pentagon Metro Station. Pentagon officers went in after him and soon delivered one in handcuffs to Arlington officers.” [Twitter]

Tuesday Crash on I-66 — From Dave Statter: “This was the collision that tied up I-66W near Glebe Road just after 5 p.m. The crash caught the attention of the person walking their dog.” [Twitter]

Marker to Commemorate Lawyers — “The Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) on Nov. 15 gave approval to the markers, which will commemorate buildings that have fallen to the wrecking ball as redevelopment engulfs the Courthouse neighborhood. Among the buildings are five constructed between 1927 and 1941 along what was informally designated ‘Lawyers Row.'” [Gazette Leader]

New Site Design Coming in 2024 — ARLnow will be kicking off a major (for us, at least) website development project in January. We expect to replace ARLnow’s current site design, which dates back to early 2019, by mid-year. ARLnow’s sister sites and partner sites will also be updated. The work is being done by Australia-based The Code Company.

It’s Thursday — Mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of 53, accompanied by a south wind at 5 to 9 mph. As the night progresses, expect partly cloudy skies and a low of around 37, with a southwest wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph. [Weather.gov]

Smoke shop employee beaten during overnight robbery in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
1/2

An employee of a shop in Courthouse was beaten by a robber early Wednesday morning, according to police.

The robbery happened around 3 a.m. at the Tobacco Vape Cigars store at 2305 Wilson Blvd.

“The employee was inside the closed business when he heard the male suspect force entry into the store by shattering a glass door,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “The employee attempted to confront the suspect, who began collecting merchandise, and a physical altercation ensued during which the suspect struck the employee before fleeing the scene on foot.”

“Medics evaluated and released the employee on scene,” the crime report continued. “Responding officers broadcast a lookout and canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results.”

The smoke shop is located in a small building that formerly housed SuperStar Tickets.

The circumstances surrounding this morning’s robbery are somewhat similar to those of a high-profile case in Arlington from March 2020. A group of three people broke into a smoke shop in the Green Valley neighborhood during early morning hours, and an employee who was sleeping in the back shot one of them. The employee was charged with Malicious Wounding but found not guilty last year.

The wee hours of the morning ended up being a busy time for Arlington first responders today. Around the same time as the robbery was dispatched for police, firefighters were arriving on scene of a small fire at the Ethiopian Community Development Council building, just off Columbia Pike on S. Highland Street.

NOW: Police searching for suspect after man with gun robs two people

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Police are investigating back-to-back reported armed robberies in the Arlington Mill neighborhood.

The robberies happened around 2:30 p.m. on the 800 block of S. Frederick Street. Initial reports suggest that a masked man with a semiautomatic handgun separately robbed two people of cash.

The Fairfax County police helicopter is currently overhead, assisting Arlington police with a search for the suspect.

Neither robbery victim has been reported to be injured.

Goodwill redevelopment plans receive largely positive feedback, mixed with some concerns

By Jo DeVoe
1/5

Plans to redevelop the Goodwill near Route 50 — with affordable housing, childcare and a new store and donation center — have received a relatively warm reception, per a recent survey.

Goodwill and AHC Inc. propose to replace the existing Goodwill Retail and Donation Center in the Alcova Heights neighborhood with a 6-story apartment building with 128 units of affordable housing, a new store and donation center and a 3,300-square-foot childcare facility.

The redevelopment at 10 S. Glebe Road would have 168 total parking spaces, including 50 for customers and four for childcare.

The plans are early in the Arlington County approval process. Now that the recent feedback opportunity is complete, there will be two site plan review committee meetings, not yet scheduled, followed by Planning Commission and Arlington County Board hearings.

A majority of respondents, including community members, planning commissioners and other county commission members, welcome the addition of childcare and affordable housing to the site. Most of the 167 respondents said the density and land use “appropriate,” with several suggesting even more units could be added.

“I love this!” wrote one. “The more childcare facilities and housing the better!”

Another noted that about three-quarters of the units would be family-sized 2- and 3-bedroom units, which are in short supply in Arlington.

“Likewise, Arlington is in desperate need of additional childcare facilities like this,” the person continued. “The playground and green space proposed would benefit the entire neighborhood. This corner abuts office, commercial, and multifamily site, so additional density here should not be a problem.”

Not everyone is pleased with the increased density, however. Some objected to locating housing and childcare so close to busy Arlington Blvd, predicting even more congestion.

“The building is much [too] close to Route 50 and the residents are not connected to the surrounding community,” wrote one commenter. “They will be isolated. For all its progressive bona fides, it looks like Arlington is opting for the warehousing of the poor.”

“I question whether this site can handle this sort of expansive growth,” said another. “Traffic in this area is already horrendous and has been getting worse. This new site use will only increase that.”

For self-identified county commissioners who responded to the survey, the devil will be in the details, with concerns about insufficient landscaping, greenspace and traffic.

“Installing Right- as well as Left-turn traffic lights for South- and North-bound traffic across S. Glebe Rd. at the entrance to and exit from the proposed building site would make it more convenient and safer for motorists and pedestrians who will use S. Glebe Rd. close to its intersection with Arlington Boulevard,” recommended one.

The county says the developer conducted a traffic analysis that looked at three signalized and three stop-controlled intersections around the site. It found that the overall operations are and will be “at an acceptable Level of Service” if the development moves forward, per a staff report.

As for donation traffic, donors would enter and exit a drive-thru line from S. Glebe Road, similar to the configuration used today. The difference is that the new one would take drivers inside the building and up a level.

The current line sees backups onto S. Glebe Road during busy donation seasons, according to some commenters and a county report. The report did not indicate whether the plans would address this, noting that traffic volumes were manageable most of the year.

The designs received several compliments, including that it was “genius” and “light years better than the existing circulation plan.”

Goodwill donation queuing crosses two levels (via Arlington County)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Tree adorned for the holidays in the Williamsburg neighborhood (photo courtesy John Seymour)

Bus Costs Well Exceed Fare — “Depending on their age, passengers riding Arlington Transit (ART) Route 62 – which connects the Lorcom Lane area with Courthouse and Ballston – during the transit system’s 2022 fiscal year paid either $1 or $2 per ride. County taxpayers kicked in a subsidy of about $75 for each of those passengers. That’s according to data presented at the Nov. 14 County Board meeting.” [Gazette Leader]

County Seeking Budget Feedback — “Arlington County, Va. officials are asking for public input on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget as the county faces a $25 million to $40 million shortfall. In a survey shared on social media, county officials are asking community members to share their recommendations for balancing the budget for the upcoming year.” [WJLA]

Approval for Ball Marker — “The Arlington County government’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) has given approval, allowing for any minor tweaks, to an historical marker noting the Robert Ball Sr. Family Burial Ground in the family’s namesake community of Ballston. The marker will join gravestones of family members in a small parcel – but where exactly those interred lie, or whether they are even on the site, is something of a mystery.” [Gazette Leader]

‘Snouts’ Grand Opening Saturday — “Expect various fun activities while you and your dog experience the first Indoor Dog Park & Bar in the DMV… Day passes to Snouts & Stouts will become available the day after the Grand Opening party.” [Snouts and Stouts]

YHS Grad Leads ODU Team — “Yorktown High School graduate Grant Wilson has enjoyed a productive season as the starting quarterback for the Old Dominion University football team this fall. In 11 games, the 6-foot-3 junior helped the Monarchs finish with a 6-6 regular-season record, making the team eligible to play in a bowl game. Wilson led ODU to victories in its final two games.” [Gazette Leader]

Race Closures in Pentagon City — “The Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell 5k Run will be held Sunday, December 3, 2023 beginning at 8:00 a.m. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures in order to accommodate the event.” [Arlington County]

Snow Seen in Arlington — “ARLnow can confirm: there was a period of light flurries [Tuesday afternoon] in North Arlington.” [Twitter]

Alexandria Passes Housing Plan — “Single-family-only zoning is no more in Alexandria. Alexandria’s City Council voted unanimously at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, to approve the Zoning for Housing/Housing for All initiative. The plan includes zoning changes that aim to encourage the development of more housing units.” [ALXnow]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunshine and a high around 39 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph. The night will be mostly clear and cooler with a low temperature of 28 degrees, while the southwest wind continues at 6 to 10 mph. [Weather.gov]

Fire department charts a new course with first-ever strategic plan

By James Jarvis
1/3

In a bid to improve accountability, the Arlington County Fire Department is looking to put its mission and priorities in writing with its first-ever strategic plan.

The plan is designed to help the department identify its values and strengths and determine where to channel its resources over the next five years.

“The core values that someone wrote or prescribed in years past don’t necessarily reflect what [community members and fire personnel] believe in and feel represent them today,” ACFD Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins told ARLnow. “This is our opportunity to rebrand our mission, reimagine our core values to again focus on our future.”

Although a strategic plan is not mandatory, Jenkins — who spent 26 years at Fairfax County Fire and Rescue before coming to Arlington — said he believes it would provide clarity where there is “a lot of uncertainty” around the department’s goals.

“And without a clear focus, or clarity around the organizational goals, then it leaves folks wonder wondering where are we going, and how do we plan to get there,” he said.

The focus on core values comes as amid internal changes made in response to allegations of harassment of female employees and hazing of recruits.

Jenkins also the strategic plan could also inform how firefighters, and other resources, are allocated from station to station. The fire department got a boost last year when the Arlington County Board greenlit the hiring of 40 more firefighters and instituted a Kelly Day, which cut the average workweek from 56 to 50 hours.

As ACFD begins to recover from several years of understaffing, which led to a troubling reliance on overtime, it is also having to evolve to respond to new public safety threats and more medical emergencies.

The strategic plan could ensure ACFD has “the right type apparatus in the right places as well as an effective number of specially trained firefighters on duty to mitigate any multitude of hazards,” Brian Lynch, president of the firefighters union, Local 2800, tells ARLnow.

“This is even more important now as Arlington continues to grow and threats, such as climate change, increase the risks we need to protect the community from,” he said.

Lynch commended Jenkins for his “energy” in helping spearhead the strategic plan.

“We are optimistic that by listening to the people who make the department work, as well as the people we serve, combined with the assistance of outside experts, will help guide the efforts to make a safer Arlington for all,” Lynch said.

Work on the strategic plan kicked off earlier this month with an in-person feedback session at the Long Bridge Aquatic Center.

About 20 community stakeholders, including county government representatives, civic association members and local business owners, filled out surveys about the department’s strengths and areas in need of improvement.

They also rated which programs — including fire code enforcement and prevention, fire suppression, and emergency medical services — they believe the department should prioritize.

The feedback will be published as part of a final draft of the strategic plan, which Jenkins says should be ready by Feb. 1, 2024.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Photo set ready for Santa’s arrival at Ballston Quarter (staff photo)

Burglary at Yorktown HS — “5200 block of Yorktown Boulevard. At approximately 7:29 p.m. on November 22, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary alarm. Upon arrival, it was determined two juvenile male suspects made entry into the building and stole exercise equipment before fleeing the scene.” [ACPD]

Rappahannock Coffee Now Closed — “Last day at long-time Arlington coffee shop Rappahannock Coffee. Came here nearly every day when I first moved to the neighborhood for coffee, to write, & – of course – talk with everyone who came in. Great to see a few of the regulars again. Happy retirement to owner, Mr. Lee.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Sex Ed Changes at APS — “Those hoping for one more chance to lobby the Arlington School Board on proposed changes to the school system’s sex-ed curriculum likely will come up empty on Nov. 30. The policy change, which picked up a number of public speakers when it was introduced several weeks ago, has been placed on the School Board’s ‘consent agenda.'” [Gazette Leader]

Record Thanksgiving Food Demand — “The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), a nonprofit organization with a mission to address long term food insecurity in Arlington County and Northern Virginia, served a record number of 3,807 families in need of food assistance during their Thanksgiving ‘Chicken Week.’ The week of November 13-18, 2023, AFAC gave out 3,579 whole chicken roasters.” [Press Release]

Write-In Votes in Prosecutor Race — “Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti scored victory unopposed in the Nov. 7 election, but also received a reminder that she was not the first choice of every voter. More than 4,800 voters in Arlington and Falls Church – 8.8 percent of those voting – cast write-in ballots for commonwealth’s attorney… Because the write-in total against Dehghani-Tafti was less than 10 percent of the total vote, county election officials were not required to break out and then report the results.” [Gazette Leader]

Intersection Work Nearly Complete — “New protected intersection at Clarendon and Courthouse in Arlington.” [Twitter]

Office to Housing Discussion — “Office to residential conversions. Can they be done in Arlington? The CivFed’s Housing Committee hosts a special guest on Thursday.” [Patch]

Local Podcast Host Profiled — “To understand the motivation of Aaron Sibarium, Yalie, Gen Z reporter and conservative media darling, it’s instructive to travel back in time to last December, and do a little eavesdropping. Right outside D.C., in a small studio apartment tucked inside an urban-suburban complex in Arlington, Virginia, Sibarium chats it up with libertarian writer Richard Hanania in a video call for a podcast exploring ‘the right-wing echo chamber.'” [Politico]

It’s Tuesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 37 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind starting at 7-12 mph and increasing to 13-18 mph in the afternoon. Wind gusts could reach up to 29 mph. As for Tuesday night, it should be primarily clear with lows near 22 degrees. West winds will persist at 7-15 mph, and gusts may reach up to 20 mph. [Weather.gov]

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