News

BREAKING: Two charged after more overdoses at Wakefield HS

By ARLnow.com
Wakefield High School entrance in February 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A 19-year-old man and a teen boy are facing charges after two girls overdosed at Wakefield High School last week.

Police and medics responded to the school just before 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27 for a report of a critical overdose. A student in the school clinic was going in and out of consciousness and Narcan was administered ahead of the arrival of first responders, according to scanner traffic.

Arlington County police said today that the overdose patient was a teen girl, who was transported to a local hospital along with a second overdose patient, also a teen girl. Both “have since recovered,” ACPD said in a press release.

An investigation into the overdose led police to arrest Walter Zelaya Padilla, a 19-year-old Fairfax resident, and a teen boy who lives in Arlington. They’re facing a battery of charges, with police saying that Padilla supplied fentanyl to the teen, who then gave or sold it to the victims.

The drug distribution happened within a school zone, APCD said.

The arrests come as Arlington County tries to combat a crisis of teen opioid abuse. While overdoses in general are trending down this year in Arlington, incidents of teen overdoses have prompted calls to action by parents and local officials.

In January, 14-year-old Sergio Flores died after overdosing in a Wakefield High School bathroom. In March, several Washington-Liberty High School students overdosed in the Ballston mall parking garage. Last month, another Wakefield student was found dead at an apartment building in what one elected official and a local advocacy group described as an overdose, though an official cause of death has yet to be determined.

If the student’s death last month is confirmed as an overdose, it would be at least the 11th reported juvenile overdose in Arlington County — fatal and non-fatal — so far this year, factoring the two last week and official numbers provided to ARLnow by the county earlier in September.

More on the drug arrests, below, via an ACPD press release.

(more…)

Intersection near Lubber Run Community Center logs at least two more crashes as it awaits stop light

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

(Updated at 12:50 p.m.) In the last four days, a crash-prone intersection near Lubber Run Community Center has logged nearly as many crashes.

Two crashes on Monday at the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive — also near Barrett Elementary School — resulted in reported minor injuries. The other, this past Friday, caused only property damage. In two of the cases, a driver was cited, according to ACPD.

At this troubled intersection, drivers on N. Park Drive have a two-way stop sign before traversing the four lanes of traffic on N. George Mason Drive. There have been some changes intended to improve safety but it may take upwards of three years before some neighbors get what they have been pushing for: stop lights.

“We are looking to fully signalize the intersection in all four directions,” says Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Claudia Pors. “The County is developing plans to install the signal within the next three years.”

The county also intends to make pedestrian ramps accessible to people with disabilities and make other changes that require construction. This means the project would have to use Capital Improvement Program funds.

“The precise combination of funds or programs has not been identified as of yet,” she said.

The pair of crashes bring the total number of reportable crashes — those resulting in injuries, death, or at least $1,500 of damage — to three this calendar year, ACPD says. The intersection has averaged three or four crashes annually since 2017.

Crash reports at N. George Mason Drive and N. Park Drive as of Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 (data courtesy ACPD)

Two of the crashes involved drivers on N. Park Drive trying to cross N. George Mason Drive or turn onto the road.

The preliminary investigation into a crash Monday morning, around 9:30 a.m., “indicates the a driver was traveling on N. Park Drive when they attempted to cross N. George Mason Drive resulting in a collision with another motorist who was traveling on N. George Mason Drive,” ACPD said.

That evening, police were dispatched to the report of a crash with injuries just before 5:30 p.m., ACPD later told ARLnow.

The investigation into Friday’s crash, shortly after 1 p.m., “indicates the driver of the striking vehicle was attempting to turn from N. Park Drive onto George Mason Drive when they stuck a vehicle traveling on George Mason Drive,” ACPD says.

Angle crashes — which comprise the largest share of crashes in Arlington — made up most if not all the crashes last year, according to a 2022 crash report. This intersection is one of nearly a dozen that saw upwards of five angle crashes last year, and only one other intersection saw six or more.

The recent crashes reignited calls from some neighbors to act more quickly to install a traffic light.

“We feel like the County is waiting for a serious injury before they do something here,” says neighbor John Broehm.

So far this year, the the county has lowered speeds on the road near Barrett, repaved and restriped intersection — adding a “SLOW SCHOOL XING” message, Pors said.

Responding to county-wide policy, speeds were reduced on parts of N. Park Drive near the school to 20 mph at all times. The speed limit on N. George Mason Drive in the area is 30 mph, reduced to 20 mph when a light near the community center is flashing.

Previously, in 2020, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons were installed to give pedestrians a more “protected” window to cross at the N. Park Road intersection.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Runners in Rosslyn near the Netherlands Carillon (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Another Award for Sustainability — “Arlington has achieved LEED® Platinum certification. Again. Arlington County was among 54 American and international jurisdictions to submit applications this year, and one of only four applicants certified at Platinum level… Arlington LEED-certified buildings include schools, community centers, libraries and office buildings.” [Arlington County]

New Historical Marker in the Works — “Members of the Arlington government’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board on Sept. 20 gave conditional approval to the design and wording for an historical marker that will go in the new Arlington Junction Park at South Eads Street and Army Navy Drive… The signage will note the area’s use as a major trolley crossroads from the 1890s to the 1930s, and also will note the history of the Alexandria Canal.” [Gazette Leader]

Police Looking for Clarendon Groper — “3100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 7:08 p.m. on September 30, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the female victim was inside an establishment when the unknown male suspect approached her from behind and touched her inappropriately. Several witnesses then confronted the suspect outside the establishment before he left the scene on foot.” [ACPD]

Nearby Pumpkin Patch Options — “Whether you’re planning to bake a pie, carve a jack-o’-lantern or just add some festive flair to your stoop, there are plenty of places to pick up a pumpkin near Arlington. Here are a few suggestions.” [Patch]

Retirement for Parking Enforcer — From ACPD: “Last week, we celebrated the outstanding career of Public Service Aide Supervisor Arcielia Williamson who retired after serving the Arlington community for over 33 years! We are grateful for her years of dedication to public safety and wish her all the best in retirement!” [Twitter]

David Rubenstein Talks Local History — “Arlington House, he confessed, by the 21st century was looking ‘shabby.’ Under his grant, the National Park Service retrieved original furnishings and decorations that had been removed and now displays many new pieces chronologically and aesthetically accurate. Rubenstein is on board with legislative proposals to remove Lee’s name from what since 1972 has been officially called ‘Arlington House — The Robert E. Lee Memorial.'” [Falls Church News-Press]

First Football Defeat for W-L — “This time, the formula of scoring early and a lot overall didn’t work for the Washington-Liberty Generals. On the night of Sept. 29 on their home field, the Generals (5-1, 1-1) lost for the first time this season, falling to the Herndon Hornets, 38-37, in double overtime in a Liberty District high-school football contest.” [Gazette Leader]

Yorktown Notches Needed Win — “The Yorktown Patriots (4-2) snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating the host Centreville Wildcats, 28-21, Sept. 29 in non-district high-school football action. Yorktown led 14-7 at halftime, scored two second-half touchdowns to take an 28-21 lead then recovered an onside kick in the game’s final 30 seconds to secure the win.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Sunny with a high temperature near 83 degrees and a calm wind. Tuesday night will be mostly clear with a low temperature around 59 degrees. [Weather.gov]

Free rush-hour ART bus fares in peak directions start today

By James Jarvis
An Arlington Transit (ART) bus outside the Ballston Metro station (staff photo)

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) Starting today, morning ART bus rides into Arlington and evening rides out during weekday rush hours will be free until the end of December.

The initiative is designed to ease I-66 congestion by encouraging the use of public transit, according to a county press release. It is funded by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) Commuter Choice grant program.

“Skip the driving, save money on gas and tolls, and get to your destination stress-free,” the county says on the ART bus website. “When you ride instead of drive, you’re taking single-occupancy vehicles off the road, reducing both traffic and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.”

Free fares will end on Christmas Day, per the release. To ensure passengers do not accidentally pay, fare boxes will be covered on buses headed in the direction with higher demand during rush hours.

Arlington received $1.35 million from NVTC, about $566,000 of which pays for free fares, Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Claudia Pors said. The rest funds activities by Arlington County Commuter Services, which educates commuters and employers about sustainable transportation options.

The grant funding applies to routes along the I-66 corridor. Three ART routes outside the corridor will be free during the same period “for a seamless experience for all ART riders,” Pors said, noting the county’s transit bureau is paying $19,000 for these fares.

The county says it also supports expanding the free-ride initiative to include routes beyond the I-66 corridor. Funding for free fare initiatives comes from revenue from the Express Lanes on I-66, I-395 and I-95, which help finance various transit projects across the region.

ART already offers free transfers for rail riders who transfer from Metro to bus within two hours of taking Metro. Rides are also free for Arlington Public School with registered Student iRide SmarTrip cards.

In addition to the free bus initiative, NVTC funds are also supporting a proposed west entrance to the Ballston Metro station.

A list of free bus routes and times is below.

Free fare routes on ART through Dec. 25, 2023 (via Arlington County)

NOW: ACFD battling house fire in Arlington Forest

By ARLnow.com
1/16

Firefighters from Arlington and surrounding jurisdictions are on scene of a house fire in the Arlington Forest neighborhood.

The blaze broke out shortly before noon, reportedly in the front porch area of a home at the corner of Route 50 and S. Park Drive.

It was quickly brought under control and no people were inside when firefighters arrived, but according to scanner traffic a dog was removed from the home by firefighters. The dog’s condition could not immediately be learned.

Firefighters are currently looking for any remaining hotspots.

Man charged with DUI after rollover crash in Arlington Forest

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A 24-year-old man is facing several charges after a rollover crash Sunday morning.

The crash happened just before 6 a.m. near the intersection of Route 50 and N. Columbus Street in the Arlington Forest neighborhood.

A man driving a Chevy Camaro ran into a brick wall lining a residential property, flipping the coupe on its roof in the process. A local resident told ARLnow that there was “blood on the airbags” and the “driver apologized to [the] home owner before ambulating away.”

A suspect was later spotted on foot along Route 50 and taken into custody, an Arlington County police spokeswoman told ARLnow.

“Upon arrival, officers located an unoccupied, overturned vehicle which had struck a retaining wall,” ACPD’s Alli Shorb said. “Witnesses reported observing the male driver, who was determined to be the sole occupant of the vehicle, leave the scene on foot following the crash.”

“A lookout was broadcast and responding officers located the driver in the area of S. Carlin Springs Road and Arlington Boulevard and took him into custody,” Shorb continued. “He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries considered non-life threatening.”

The suspect, a Falls Church resident, “was charged with Driving Under the Influence, Hit and Run and Driving Without a License,” Shorb said.

Route 50 intersections bordering the Arlington Forest neighborhood have proven crash-prone over the years, particularly the intersection of Route 50 and Park Drive, where a rollover crash happened in April.

Sparrow Pond restoration work brings temporary trail closures and detours

By Jo DeVoe
1/10

Reconstruction of Sparrow Pond is currently underway.

Last Thursday, part of the Four Mile Run Trail closed while a new pipe from Four Mile Run up to Sparrow Pond is built. A detour is in place for the 6-7 weeks this work is expected to take place.

“Please use caution on the South Park Drive trail connector as the spur is shared between pedestrians, cyclists and construction equipment,” Dept. of Environmental Services Stormwater Communications Manager Aileen Winquist said.

In late November or early December, there will be a 6-7 week closure of the W&OD Trail with a detour to the Four Mile Run Trail.

“Thank you to the neighbors and trail users for your patience and understanding during the pond work, outfall construction and trail closures,” Winquist said.

Four Mile Run Trail detour to W&OD Trail (via Arlington County)

The pond was initially built in 2001 and has since filled with sediment. Restoration work includes removing the sediment, creating deeper pools and making other habitat improvements for wildlife.

“As heavy storms continue to bring silt into the pond, remaining water pools have filled in,” the project website says. “Most turtles and other wildlife have already moved to other areas along Four Mile Run… Once the project is complete, we look forward to drawing them back with deeper pools and good habitat.”

A new sediment collection area is intended to make future maintenance and sediment removal easier.

The need for the restoration project was identified a decade ago and design funding was set aside in 2018. Hammering out designs took three years and construction funding was approved this summer.

Construction began in August with construction site preparations and set up. Tree removal, to make room for the new sediment collection area and expanded pools, is ongoing.

Construction is expected to continue through next August.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Flight from DCA reflected in a Rosslyn office building (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)

Milestone for 9/11 Visitor Center — “The Pentagon Memorial Fund, Inc. (PMF) passed a critical milestone in plans for a Visitor Education Center near the site of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, receiving approval for its concept design from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). This action follows approval in July of the concept design from the National Capital Planning Commission.” [Pentagon Memorial Fund]

Charges Against Mall Shop Owner — “The owner of a local ‘exotic’ snack shop has been arrested as part of a drug ring investigation by county police… One of those arrested was Matthew Powers, owner of the snack and collectible shop ‘Highs & Lows‘ which has locations on Richmond Highway and in Springfield Town Center. There’s also a shop inside the mall in Pentagon City.” [FFXnow, Fox 5]

Swim Club Suspension — “Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) board president Mark Black has been suspended indefinitely by the U.S. Center for SafeSport and USA Swimming for unspecified allegations of misconduct… AAC produced a Tokyo Olympian two summers ago and achieved gold medal certification for the first time in 2021-22.” [SwimSwam]

No Arlington Envy for Fairfax — “Consider this comment, no doubt designed mostly for internal consumption, from Fairfax County Supervisor Dalia Palchik (D-Providence) at a recent briefing on that county’s economic-development initiatives… ‘I know, coming into this seat, I was a little jealous of things I was seeing in Arlington,’ she said. ‘No longer. They should be jealous of us.'” [Gazette Leader]

Early Morning Chase Outside Pentagon — From Dave Statter: “Here’s a wild one. @PFPAOfficial chased a woman driving through the #Pentagon just before 1:30 a.m. Her car crashed in the lower bus lanes of the Pentagon Transit Center. @ArlingtonVaFD took the handcuffed woman to the hospital.” [Twitter]

Fundraise for Local Startup — “Arlington startup Predict Health has raised $4 million in seed funding to improve the Medicare open enrollment experience using artificial intelligence. Shubadeep Debgupta founded Predict Health in 2019, inspired by his father Sailesh’s less-than-pleasant experience signing up for a Medicare insurer.” [Washington Business Journal]

Blue, Yellow Line Delays — “Most Metrorail customers will see nearly normal train service tomorrow, even as Metro continues to inspect the fleet’s oldest railcars. Metro will operate service to all customers (every 6-12 minutes from end-of-line stations); however Blue and Yellow line trains will depart every 15 minutes while work continues to repair tracks damaged in Friday’s derailment.” [WMATA]

It’s Monday — Sunny with a high temperature near 81 degrees, accompanied by a mild north wind around 6 mph. At night, expect mostly clear skies and a low temperature around 60 degrees with light and variable winds. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent

Fmr. journalist sentenced for child sexual abuse material

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A former ABC News producer whose Columbia Pike apartment was raided by the FBI last year has been sentenced.

James Gordon Meek, 53, pleaded guilty in July to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material. Today he was sentenced to six years in prison, just above the minimum five year sentence for the charges.

The FBI raided Meek’s apartment on Columbia Pike in April 2022, as photos first published by ARLnow — taken by local resident John Antonelli — showed. Speculation about the raid swirled in the ensuing months, in part due to Meek’s job as a prominent producer for ABC News and his former role in counter-terrorism for the House Committee on Homeland Security.

More on the sentencing, below, from a U.S. Dept. of Justice press release.

An Arlington man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, while visiting South Carolina in February 2020, James Gordon Meek, 53, used an online messaging platform on his iPhone to send and receive images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to discuss his sexual interest in children. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, including an infant being raped. Meek brought the iPhone containing the child sexual abuse material back with him when he returned to Virginia. Additionally, Meek possessed multiple electronic devices containing images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell and Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer for the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

UPDATED: Metro train derails near National Airport

By ARLnow.com
National Airport Metro station (Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards)

(Updated at 4 p.m.) Metrorail service was suspended on the Blue and Yellow lines today after a train derailed.

Metro says no injuries were reported among the 50 people on the derailed train, adding that they have since been transferred via shuttle bus to another train.

The derailment happened around 10:45 a.m., south of the National Airport station, and involved the lead car of the train, according to scanner traffic. Arlington medics were dispatched to the scene but there were no reports of injuries.

Since the derailment, trains have been operating in two segments — Franconia/Huntington to Potomac Yard and Largo/Mt. Vernon Square to National Airport, according to Metro.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m., the transit agency said it was inspecting the track ahead of resuming service on a single track. As of 1:30 p.m., Blue and Yellow line trains were running every 24 minutes and single-tracking past the derailment.

A partial derailment near Rosslyn in October 2021 was found to have been caused by a wheel defect in newer, 7000-series trains. Earlier this year Metro unveiled a multi-year plan to change out wheelsets on hundreds of 7000-series trains.

Metro’s general manager said in a press conference this afternoon that it was a 7000-series train that derailed, but the agency believes a brake assembly came off of an older 3000-series train and caused the derailment.

 

Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards

Once-soaring vehicle tax delinquencies in Arlington are coming down

By Jo DeVoe
Vehicle tax delinquencies spiked for the 2023 fiscal year compared to the two years prior (courtesy Carla de la Pava)

Last year’s soaring car tax values resulted in more people behind on their vehicle taxes, according to Arlington’s Treasurer.

Despite the uptick, Arlington County ended the 2023 fiscal year with historically few people behind on their taxes, Treasurer Carla de la Pava told the Arlington County Board on Tuesday.

The county closed out the fiscal year on June with the lowest delinquency rate in its history: under 0.16%.

Car assessments are determined by the office of Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy, weighing several factors including oil prices and supply-chain issues.

Bucking a century-long “depreciation pattern,” vehicle values — especially for SUVs, trucks and hybrid and used vehicles — rose last year due to widespread pandemic-era car shortages, Susan Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Commissioner of Revenue, tells ARLnow.

“Covid-19 had the largest impact when vehicle production and supply lines collapsed,” she said. “New cars were in tight supply and the laws of supply and demand were in full effect. Production of less-new cars available at elevated prices from dealers had a cascade effect on the used car market driving up prices.”

In response, the County Board in 2022 adopted a one-year-only reduced assessment rate at 88% of the clean trade-in value of vehicles. Despite this, the Treasurer’s Office, which collects the vehicle taxes, “still saw the highest tax delinquencies not just since the pandemic but the highest since the fallout of the Great Recession in 2008,” de la Pava said.

Taxes levied on vehicles make up the lion’s share of delinquencies, or 77% of the total delinquencies at the end of this fiscal year. Vehicle tax delinquencies went up 33% despite a far smaller increase in delinquent accounts, 3.4%. Almost half of these delinquencies involved vehicles worth at least $20,000.

Most delinquent accounts were opened the year prior and are concentrated in densely populated, highly transient areas, de la Pava said, which she attributes to new or short-term residents unaccustomed to a vehicle tax. Her office also hears from residents surprised their taxes went up after buying a new car.

The treasurer credited the 2022 reduced rate and delinquency prevention efforts for avoiding a surfeit of delinquent vehicle owners.

Compared to vehicle taxes, real estate taxes make up most of 88% of taxes levied and only 6% of delinquent taxes.

Delinquencies for the business tangible tax — for furniture and equipment inside businesses — were half a million dollars higher last fiscal year, compared to the year prior, though still lower than pandemic years, she said.

De la Pava credited the county’s online payments system for helping to keep a lid on delinquencies.

“People ask me all the time: ‘How is it that we have such a low tax delinquency rate?'” she  said. “Delinquency prevention is a big part of that. The Customer Assessment and Payment Portal, otherwise known… as CAPP, is one of the most important tools we have to prevent delinquency.”

Automated withdrawals via CAPP made up $51 million of the taxes Arlington collected, she noted.

Tax delinquencies by type (courtesy Carla de la Pava)

(more…)

View More Stories