News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Book: Bezos Helped Steer HQ2 to Arlington — “According to “Amazon Unbound,” a new book by Brad Stone that looks at the last decade of growth at the company, employees overseeing the HQ2 search winnowed the choices to a top three list that included Chicago, Philadelphia and Raleigh, North Carolina. When it came time to make a final choice, Bezos dismissed months of research by going with his gut and selecting Arlington and Long Island City in Queens.” [Washington Business Journal]

Democratic School Board Caucus Underway — “Voting in the Arlington County Democratic Committee School Board Endorsement Caucus opened at midnight today through a nationally recognized electronic voting platform that will allow Arlingtonians to conveniently, anonymously and securely cast their ballots from mobile devices or computers 24/7 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday (March 23)… Arlington Democrats will also offer 32 hours of in-person voting on May 18, 19 and 22, at four locations across the county.” [Arlington Democrats]

CivFed Studying Arlington’s Form of Gov’t — “The Arlington County Civic Federation’s study of the community’s form of governance will include nearly three months of online meetings to look at issues ranging from how to conduct elections to whether County Board and School Board members should be elected in districts… The effort, agreed to by Civic Federation delegates late last year, is dubbed ‘TiGER’ (Task Force in Governance and Election Reform). It has been assigned to study and possibly proffer changes to the county’s 90-year-old governance structure.” [Sun Gazette]

Layoffs Hit Rosslyn-Based Rosetta Stone — “None of the employees interviewed knew exactly how many people were laid off at the Harrisonburg office. IXL also laid off workers at Rosetta Stone’s Arlington and Seattle offices, as well. Employees told The Citizen that while a few were spared, ‘almost everyone’ in Harrisonburg was let go… Eric Bates, an IXL spokesperson, issued a statement to The Citizen saying, ‘while Rosetta Stone is moving in a new direction, the changes we are making at the company will ultimately help it grow.'” [The Citizen, Geekwire]

Two Hurt in North Arlington Crash — “Police and firefighters on scene of a T-bone type crash at the intersection of Lorcom Lane and Old Dominion Drive, near the Lee Heights Shops. Initial reports suggest two people suffered minor injuries, including a pregnant passenger.” [Twitter]

Secret Service Flying Drones Around Area — “The U.S. Secret Service will be conducting drone flights ‘in the greater Washington, D.C. area’ over the next two weeks, the agency announced Monday. The Secret Service said it will conduct the drone flights in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. The drone flights will take place from Monday, May 17 through Monday, May 31.” [Patch]

YouTube Star Responds to DCA Petition — “JoJo Siwa says she’s a big fan of the movement to remove Ronald Reagan’s name from an airport in favor of her … telling us it would be the SICKEST THING EVER!!! We got the YouTube star at Craig’s in WeHo Wednesday night and asked about the petition to change Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to the JoJo Siwa Washington National Airport. JoJo says she’s on board with the change, telling us it’s the best idea she’s ever heard in her life. The petition’s already got 33,000 signatures and counting.” [TMZ]

EXCLUSIVE: Neighbors Saved Driver from Car Minutes Before Flames Engulfed It

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

(Updated 4:55 p.m.) At 10:50 p.m. on Friday, Patrick McNair and his wife Danielle were getting ready to bed when they heard a crash. In a few seconds, the power went out.

Outside their home along the 4800 block of Old Dominion Drive, near Marymount University, they saw a mangled car starting to smoke.

“I put shoes on and ran as quickly as I could,” Patrick tells ARLnow.

By the time he got there, the car was so full of smoke he could not see in and no response came from inside when he knocked on the window. The door would not budge.

As he was bracing himself to break the window with his hand, he remembered his son’s baseball bat was in his car. Danielle unlocked the car and Patrick retrieved the bat and broke the window. He described the driver as unresponsive, with cuts, scrapes and what appeared to be a broken leg.

Another neighbor, Roger Casalengo, arrived and the two men managed to get the driver out of the car. They set her down 25 feet away and she revived enough to tell them no one else was in the car.

“At this point, the entire front of the hood is on fire, and all under the hood is on fire,” McNair said. “By the time she was laid down, the car was engulfed in an inferno and the tree was on fire.”

Looking back, McNair said if he and his wife had just walked to the car, or waited for the police to arrive, “she would have absolutely been burned alive.”

Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said police were dispatched to the 4800 block of Old Dominion Drive at about 10:51 p.m.

“Upon arrival, it was determined that the driver was traveling westbound on Old Dominion Drive when she allegedly lost control of the vehicle and collided with a fire hydrant, utility box, tree and utility pole,” Savage said.

She confirmed the role the two men played in saving the girl and said Arlington County Fire Department extinguished the vehicle.

“The driver was transported to an area hospital with injuries considered non-life-threatening,” Savage said.

After an investigation, the driver — who was under the age of 18 — was charged with driving after consuming alcohol.

On Saturday, McNair said he connected with the driver’s mother, who updated him on the two nights her daughter spent in the hospital, recovering.

“She was just in tears and very thankful for our efforts that we were able to save her daughter,” he said. “It was a very crazy event but we were thankful and happy to have gotten her out of there.”

Photos courtesy Patrick McNair and Michael Lindsay

Arlington Agenda: May 17-23

By Vernon Miles
1/2

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County and local events being held online. If you’d like your event considered, fill out the event submission form to submit it to our event calendar.

Tuesday, May 18

Anxiety, Isolation And Hopelessness: The Pandemic Mental Health Crisis
Via Zoom or Facebook
Time: 7:30-8:30 p.m.

WAMU host Kojo Nnamdi will be part of a round-table discussion with a panel of experts to discuss the state of mental health in the wake of the pandemic. Kojo and the panel of experts will discuss the effects of COVID-19 on mental health and what can be done to get people the needed help.

Thursday, May 20

Columbia Pike Progress Luncheon*
Virtual event
Time: Noon-1 p.m.

The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization is celebrating its 35th year with a virtual luncheon to discuss how far the Pike has come as a community and the progress still being made. A donation to the organization is required for registration, with optional amounts of $35, $50 and $89.

Saturday, May 22

National Landing Farmers Market
Metropolitan Park (1330 S Fair Street)
Time: 8 a.m.-Noon

The National Landing BID is launching a weekly farmers’ market in Pentagon City every Saturday, offering a variety of meat, eggs, and produce options. The markets start this Saturday and will run through July 31.

Troop 647 May Drive-Through Scouting for Food
Church of the Covenant (2666 Military Road)
Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Troop 647 is pushing to reach a goal of raising 8,000 pounds of food by June. Over 5,000 has been raised since November and the Troop is hoping to make a big push for unopened canned or packages of dry food at an event this Saturday. Scouts will be at the church to receive the donation then box it and take it to the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event.

County Board Approves Bonus for ACPD Officers

By David Taube

Arlington police officers are getting bonuses with the help of state money.

The County Board approved $229,961 for the one-time bonuses on Saturday from funding through the 2020 state budget bill signed into law in November. It’s part of approximately $7.5 million distributed to police departments across Virginia.

“The purpose of this bonus is to focus on the retention of qualified employees along with acknowledging the outstanding work these sworn personnel perform for the residents of Arlington County,” a county staff report said, echoing comments from the state Department of Criminal Justice Services director.

The money, which will help fund a previously-approved $900 bonus for each officer, is to be paid out by June 30 to all sworn employees of the Arlington County Police Department. As of May 5, the department had 336 employees eligible for the bonus, according to the staff report.

Sheriff’s Office personnel received a similar bonus in December.

In proposing the bonus funding, state lawmakers said it would show support to officers amid police reforms and the pandemic.

Arlington Acquires Land in Potomac Yard for Planned Upgrades to Park

By Jo DeVoe
1/2

Arlington County has taken another step toward developing a county-owned and maintained waterfront park in Potomac Yard.

On Saturday, the County Board approved an agreement with the Arlington Potomac Yard Community Association to accept a gift of three parcels of land within the boundaries of Short Bridge Park. The park is located across Four Mile Run from the Potomac Yard shopping center, along Route 1.

The property “is used by the public as an open space but is privately owned and maintained,” according to a staff report. “[It] has concrete paths, landscaping, a public ‘tot lot,’ open grass, trees, and irrigation.”

Since 2015, the county has had a public access easement over the property, the report said. When the land is turned over to the county, it will cost about $44,000 to maintain annually.

Acquiring the land gets Arlington closer to turning Short Bridge Park into a county park. Although the 3.5-acre open space was created through the Potomac Yard Phased Development Site Plan, adopted in 2000, it remained privately owned by the association and the Eclipse on Center Park condominiums.

That process includes two phases of construction to realizing the vision of the Short Bridge Park Master Plan, adopted by the County Board in January 2018.

(That was also when the name changed from its informal moniker, South Park.)

The existing park amenities were constructed by a developer.

“These improvements were intended as interim improvements until Arlington County funds were available to develop a Park Master Plan and implement permanent park improvements,” the master plan said. “The developer-constructed improvements are minimal and lack typical County park amenities such as trash cans, seating, signage, and Americans with Disabilities Act accessible pathways.”

It will take a few years, however, before the master plan’s vision for the park is implemented.

“The first phase includes a trail connection that links Richmond Highway to the Four Mile Run trail and is estimated to begin construction in late 2021,” a county staff report said.

The trail project is funded through a federal grant and 20% county match, according to the report.

“The second phase of the park master plan will construct the rest of the park and is dependent on Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funds,” the report said.

As of now, the adopted CIP plan — which schedules out county projects through 2028 — identified construction funding for phase two “in the out-years” or the 2023-24 fiscal year, the county said.

According to the master plan, this phase includes a dog run, a riverfront overlook and an “interpretive plaza.”

Image via Arlington County

JUST IN: Coronavirus Cases Hit Lowest Point Since Start of Pandemic

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) The rate of new coronavirus cases in Arlington has hit another low — the lowest point, in fact, since around the start of the pandemic.

As of Sunday, the trailing seven-day rate of new cases was 38, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. The last time the one-week total of COVID-19 cases in Arlington was that low was March 26, 2020, when tests were hard to come by and cases were almost certainly being undercounted.

Six additional cases were reported Monday morning, bringing the seven-day rate up slightly to 41. It was the eighth straight day of single-digit case counts, a streak also not seen since the outset of the pandemic.

The most recent Covid-related death in the county was reported last Wednesday. Despite the collapsing case counts, hospitalizations remain at a rate above last summer’s lull: nine hospitalizations over the past week.

Following updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, Virginia on Saturday dropped its mask mandate for those who are fully vaccinated.

CVS, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Costco and Target are among the national chains to make masks optional for vaccinated customers.

Some local businesses are also updating their mask policy. Bearded Goat Barber, for instance, this morning announced that masks are optional for vaccinated customers and employees, though customers can ask for their barbers to wear masks. The Ballston barber shop also announced that it will be resuming beard trims.

While the new mask guidance has received pushback from some healthcare professionals, who say it was issued too early and will endanger lives, others say it reflects the reality of falling case rates and the science behind vaccines preventing transmission of the disease.

Arlington’s rate of administering vaccine doses, meanwhile, has been falling. As of this morning a total of nearly 205,000 Covid vaccine doses have been administered, bringing the seven-day trailing average to around 1,600 doses per day, less than half the peak rate from April. A total of around 124,000 Arlingtonians have received at least one vaccine shot and 93,000 have been fully vaccinated, according to VDH data, which excludes those who were vaccinated by the Dept. of Defense and other federal agencies.

Those 12 years old and up are eligible to receive free vaccine shots at county-run clinics, which are accepting both walk-in patients and appointments.

Baby, Stolen Gun Found in Car that Eluded Police

By ARLnow.com

A teen driver allegedly eluded police before being apprehended near the Arlington Mill Community Center with a baby that wasn’t properly secured and a gun that was stolen.

The incident started Thursday evening around 7:40 p.m., when an Arlington County police officer conducting speed enforcement on S. George Mason Drive between Route 7 and Four Mile Run Drive spotted a speeding car.

“An officer conducting speed enforcement in the 1800 block of S. George Mason Drive observed a driver traveling at a high rate of speed while trailing another vehicle,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “As the officer attempted to stop the driver, he sped up, went around the other vehicle and fled through a red light.”

The officer searched the area and found the car parked on the 900 block of S. Columbus Street, just across Columbia Pike from the Arlington Mill center. The driver and a passenger were detained.

“The officer located a baby in an unsecured carrier in the vehicle. During the course of the investigation, officers recovered a stolen firearm and determined that the driver did not have a license,” said the crime report. “The driver, a juvenile, was arrested and petitions were obtained for Receiving a Stolen Firearm, Possession of a Handgun by a Juvenile, Eluding Police, No Driver’s License and Cruelty to Children.”

“Child Protective Services was notified regarding the baby,” the crime report adds.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Proposed HQ2 ‘Helix’ Tower Is Too Tall — “Amazon.com Inc. may need to lop off the tip of its proposed drill-bit-like structure, the Helix, at its PenPlace development to ensure the safety of flights coming into and out of Reagan National Airport. Engineers working for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority determined the 15-story building is roughly 13 feet taller than the maximum allowable height for structures that close to the airport.” [Washington Business Journal, WJLA]

Homeless Population Down This Year — “The number of individuals counted as homeless across Arlington [this year] was down 14 percent from 2020 and declined by 26 percent since 2017, according to new figures from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). A total of 171 individuals were counted as homeless – either in shelters or living on the street – in the annual ‘Point in Time’ survey.” [Sun Gazette]

Update on Arlington Policing Practices — “Our Police Department has created an internal workgroup to review current policies and ensure they are aligned with best practices. Although excessive use of force has never been tolerated and our officers have been providing emergency medical treatment for years, additional language was added to our Use of Force policy to formalize current practices.” [Arlington County]

Arlington Man Has Big TikTok Following — “Tri Phan of Arlington, Virginia, has amassed 1.5 million followers since he began posting workout and healthy cooking videos in November. The 23-year-old, who is working on his master’s degree in data and business analytics at American University, often does two versions of his content, one in English and one in Vietnamese; about 60 percent of his followers are Vietnamese, he says.” [Associated Press]

Vets to Hike to Arlington from Connecticut — “On Tuesday, June 1, Will Reese will set out on “Ruck to Remember (R2R) – a 380-mile trek from Avon, CT, to Arlington, VA, to raise awareness and funds for APK Charities. Reese, who launched R2R in 2019, this time will be joined by hundreds of active and retired Military from all around the world who will all don “ruck-sacks” – military backpacks – for the 7-day march, which will culminate on Tuesday, June 8.” [We-ha.com]

Soon: No Tour Bus Parking at AF Memorial — “The removal of motorcoach parking at the entrance to the Air Force Memorial will present mobility issues, she said. “‘It will ultimately limit the number of people visiting the memorial,’ added [Guild of Professional Tour Guides] colleague Maribeth Oakes. Walking from the main cemetery entrance to the Air Force Memorial is a round trip of three miles and the trams, which cost $15 for adults, can fill up before the group of 58 could board. The guild would like a southern expansion with short-term parking for motorcoaches.” [Falls Church News-Press]

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

As predicted, the slow news cycle of the last couple weeks reversed this week, with more to cover than time to cover it.

With a County Board meeting this weekend and on Tuesday, and lots going on, next week’s coverage plan is already filled up through Thursday.

But first thing’s first: let’s take a look at the most-read ARLnow articles of the past week.

  1. Police Arrest Suspect in Restaurant Employee Assault, Possible Hate Crime
  2. A 22-Year-Old Cat Is in Need of a New Home
  3. Amazon Reveals New HQ2 Renderings as Hiring Picks Up
  4. Lines Seen at Numerous Arlington Gas Stations As Governor Declares Emergency
  5. Wakefield HS Secured After Student Allegedly Made Threats
  6. Arlington Dad Tells Congress Virtual Instruction Nearly Cost Him His Son
  7. Ready or Not, the Cicadas Are Here
  8. Credit Card Theft Victim Arrested After Armed Confrontation
  9. Potentially Rabid Fox on the Loose Near Lacey Woods Park
  10. Boston’s Northeastern University Plans Southern Expansion into Rosslyn

Feel free to discuss those stories or anything else of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Flickr pool photo by Jenn Vogel

Governor Lifts Mask Mandate for the Fully Vaccinated, Sets End for Covid Restrictions

By Jo DeVoe

Virginians who are fully vaccinated can ditch their masks for most indoor and outdoor situations effective tonight at midnight, Gov. Ralph Northam announced this afternoon (Friday).

He also moved up the end date for all distancing and capacity restrictions to Friday, May 28. Virginia was already preparing to ease some restrictions tomorrow (Saturday), but as of today, all distancing and capacity restrictions will end on Friday, May 28 — two weeks earlier than planned.

“This is a tremendous step forward,” Northam said in a video message. “Virginians have been doing the right thing, and we’re seeing the results.”

As of today, Virginia has administered nearly 7 million vaccine doses and 63% of adults have received at least one dose, the governor said in his announcement. In Arlington, nearly 200,000 doses have been administered and over 60% of the adult population has received at least one dose.

COVID-19 case numbers, meanwhile, have fallen to levels Arlington and the Commonwealth have not seen since last summer.

Northam’s announcement comes on the heels of new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yesterday (Thursday) the CDC said fully vaccinated Americans will no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local or tribal laws, or business and workplace guidance.

There are some exceptions to the new masking guidance. Businesses can still require coverings and masks will also still be required in schools, he said.

“It’s very simple: It’s either a shot or a mask,” Northam said. “It’s up to you.”

Between now and May 28, Northam urged every eligible Virginian — now anyone ages 12 and up — to get vaccinated and join the two-thirds of Virginia adults who have received at least one shot.

“The vaccines are clearly working and they are saving lives,” he said. “We have plenty of shots available. It will protect you better than anything else.”

Image via Gov. Ralph Northam/YouTube

County Looks to Experiment With Expanded Tree Maintenance Program

By David Taube

A pot of money for free tree plantings could soon branch out to another use.

Arlington County’s Tree Canopy Fund helps people, places of worship and others get free trees, but there’s been little money made available for maintaining trees due to stringent requirements — so stringent that only three trees in Arlington are currently eligible.

The County Board is slated to adjust those restrictions at its Saturday meeting.

“This will be a huge win for our tree canopy because we want to plant more trees but also maintain more trees,” said Elenor Hodges, executive director of the nonprofit EcoAction Arlington, which helps to administer the program for the county.

Hodges said the maintenance could help with issues ranging from pruning to pest control.

The fund was started in 2007 as a way for developers that were unable to meet tree planting requirements to make a financial contribution instead. Over 2,000 trees have been planted through the program.

As of December, the fund had about $693,000 in it, according to a county staff report.

“While Arlington County staff regularly receive requests for assistance in the maintenance of large mature trees, the stringent eligibility criteria for the Tree Canopy Fund has only allowed for support of three trees in the County,” the report said. “To date, only two maintenance applications have been awarded funding: a Champion Green Ash in Lyon Park and a Champion Southern Red Oak on private property.”

If approved by the Board, 10 trees — selected by a committee — would be eligible for up to $5,000 in maintenance, as part of “an exploratory project.”

The measure also calls for 1% of the fund to be set aside for possible marketing and advertising efforts each year.

“Proper tree maintenance can add decades to the life of a large canopy tree, and all the environmental services it provides,” county staff wrote, explaining the rationale for the project. “However, tree maintenance can be expensive, and even homeowners who would like to care of their trees may not have the resources available to do so, or may choose to remove a tree to avoid longer-term maintenance costs.”

“A Tree Canopy Fund Maintenance Program would be an opportunity to conserve existing canopy while still planting future canopy trees,” the reports adds. “The County is looking to invest in mature canopy trees that are going to survive for many years to come.”

For individuals and groups seeking free trees through the existing planting program, the deadline for applications is June 25.

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