News

Police Investigating Robbery by Knife-Wielding Suspects in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police are investigating an armed robbery in the Virginia Square area last night.

The incident happened last night at 9:30 p.m., at or near the 7-Eleven store at 3510 Wilson Blvd. Police say two suspects, including one armed with a knife, slashed a bag the victim was holding and stole items from inside, including cash.

Police swarmed the area afterward but the suspects fled on foot and remain at large.

“There are a huge number of police vehicles and officers on Jackson Street, Lincoln Street, the 7-Eleven parking lot, Monroe and Nelson on Wilson,” one local resident told ARLnow last night around 10 p.m.

More from an ACPD crime report:

ARMED ROBBERY, 2020-08260196, 800 block of N. Lincoln Street. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on August 26, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that a verbal dispute ensued between the suspects and victim inside of a business, during which the suspects threatened the victim. Upon exiting the business, the suspects approached the victim in the parking lot. Suspect One brandished a knife, cut the bag the victim was holding, and stole items from the bag and an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects then fled on foot prior to police arrival. Suspect One is described as a light skinned male, approximately 5’8″, 160 lbs., with facial hair on his chin, wearing a baseball hat, grey t-shirt, grey sweat pants and light grey running shoes. Suspect Two is described as a tan skinned male, approximately 5’8″, 240 lbs., wearing glasses, a blue surgical mask, pink button down shirt, khaki shorts and white shoes. The investigation is ongoing.

Separately, police are currently investigating a theft in Rosslyn that occurred this morning. Initial reports suggest that a suspect stole items from a store along Wilson Blvd, then ran from police aftering being spotted on N. Lynn Street.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Allocates More Money for Rent Relief — “The Arlington County Board today approved using an additional $1.125 million from the County’s COVID-19 contingent account to fund eviction protection through December 2020 for those affected by the pandemic. The Board’s action brings the total amount allocated for eviction prevention in Fiscal Year 2021, which began July 1, 2020, to $3.5 million.” [Arlington County]

AWLA Pushes to Extend Eviction Ban — “The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is pushing for legislators to extend Governor Northam’s original eviction deadline of September 7, to prevent animals from being surrendered by people who can’t afford them. AWLA says they’re here to help tenants during these trying times and also urge landlords to cut back on animal restrictions and limitations.” [WDVM]

I-66 Lane Closures This Weekend — “Single-lane closures on westbound I-66 just before the bridge over Lee Highway (Route 29) at Exit 72 will occur (weather permitting) between 9 p.m. Friday night, Aug. 28 and 5 a.m. Monday morning, Aug. 31 for road repairs, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.” [VDOT]

Arlington-Based Lidl Expanding — “Discount grocery Lidl, whose North American headquarters is in Crystal City, Virginia, will open 50 new stores by the end of 2021, including 10 new locations in Maryland, and seven new stores in Virginia.” [WTOP]

Nearby: Rabies Warning in Falls Church — “The City of Falls Church Police and Animal Warden remind residents about the risks of rabid wildlife spreading rabies to pets. Police recently responded to a report of a sick raccoon in the 1200 block of Lincoln Ave. The raccoon was euthanized and later found to have rabies.  In this case, two dogs were exposed to the raccoon and are now in quarantine.” [City of Falls Church]

Arlington to Open Five Early Voting Centers ‘In Anticipation of Unprecedented Demand’

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) There will be five places around the county at which to cast early votes prior to the November election, Arlington officials announced last night.

That’s an increase from three satellite voting locations in past presidential election years. The County Board approved the five locations at a meeting last night, citing “unprecedented demand for early voting during the COVID-19 pandemic” and concerns about the reliability of mail-in ballots.

Between 20,000 and 27,500 Arlingtonians cast early ballots in presidential elections since 2008, according to a presentation by Director of Elections Gretchen Reinemeyer. That number is expected to go up this year.

“The Electoral Board proposes to add 5 voting satellite offices to account for dramatic increases in early voting during Presidential Election years, to help reduce wait times, and increase capacity for social distancing,” said Reinemeyer’s presentation to the County Board.

The two new early voting centers being added are the Aurora Hills Senior Center, in the Crystal City and Pentagon City area, and the Langston Brown Community Center in Hall’s Hill, along Lee Highway.

Reinemeyer said the latter will serve western portions of the county, though she noted in the presentation that “precincts on the west end of the County use early voting a lower rates than other precincts in the County.” At least one County Board watcher noted a geographic gap in the early voting center map.

Also new this year: the county is temporarily leasing a ground floor space at 2200 Clarendon Blvd in Courthouse to use for early voting, in lieu of the county government headquarters building next door. The vacant former Wells Fargo bank space will be modified to accommodate socially-distanced early voting; a line will snake around outside the center, in the courtyard area.

Early voting is set to start in the new 2200 Clarendon Blvd space on Friday, September 18. The other locations are expected to open in October.

More from a county press release, below.

(more…)

Arlington’s Coronavirus Metrics Slowly Trending in the Right Direction

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10 a.m.) Though still well above the lows of earlier this summer, Arlington’s coronavirus metrics are slowly trending in the right direction.

Twenty new COVID-19 cases were reported in the county overnight, bringing the trailing seven-day total of new cases to 142, or just over 20 per day. It hit a summertime peak of about 25 cases per day one week ago.

Meanwhile, the local test positivity rate is now 5.1%, down from 5.4% last week. And a brief spike in hospitalizations is abating: no new hospitalizations were reported overnight, bringing the trailing seven-day total to 10 today, down from a summer peak of 14 yesterday.

Arlington’s cumulative total of cases and hospitalizations currently stands at 3,435 and 452 respectively, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the county is 138, an increase of three over the past week.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Protest Outside Westover Post Office — About 15 protesters held a “Save the U.S. Postal Service” rally outside the Post Office at 5877 Washington Blvd in Westover yesterday. The two-hour lunchtime demonstration was organized as part of the American Postal Worker Union National Day of Action. [@KalinaNewman/Twitter]

Historic Review Board Likes Shirlington Plan — “The Arlington County government’s historic-preservation advisory body seems generally satisfied that retention of historic features will be seen as an important component of the redevelopment of the Village at Shirlington. In particular, the low-slung storefronts along Campbell Avenue are expected to be protected from the wrecking ball, even as taller and more dense development likely will be allowed immediately behind them.” [InsideNova]

New BBQ Restaurant Opens Patio — “Smokecraft Modern Barbecue is excited to debut its much-anticipated patio, now open daily for outdoor dining and drinking. Arlington residents and visitors can now enjoy Smokecraft’s award-winning barbecue outside on a socially distant patio, consisting of 38 seats.” [Press Release]

TTT in Clarendon to Host Virtual DJ — Updated at 9:30 a.m. — “Beginning Friday, September 4… TTT (Tacos, Tortas & Tequila) known for its casual Mexican-influenced fare is adding an exciting bit of fun on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons with virtual DJs. Guests dining on the first floor and on the third floor TTT Rooftop, which seats 82 and offers wonderful views on the city, will enjoy watching and listening to live streaming DJ performances via large screen projection.” [Press Release]

Family Pushing for Arlington House Change — “Descendants of Charles Syphax have been courting lawmakers for the past few months to make the change, said Syphax family historian Steve Hammond, who lives in Sterling, Va. The family’s effort is motivated as much by a desire to accurately honor the full history of the property and the enslaved people who lived there as it is by any antipathy toward Lee.” [Washington Post]

Nearby: Back to School in Falls Church — Students have started the fall semester, virtually, in Falls Church. A TV news segment shows teachers conducting their virtual classes from their actual, physical classrooms. [NBC 4]

ACPD Investigating Midday Carjacking in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4 p.m.) Men armed with a gun and a knife carjacked someone this afternoon in Crystal City.

The armed carjacking happened around 1:30 p.m., near the intersection of 15th Street S. and S. Bell Street — a block from the Crystal City Metro station.

“The victim was inside of their vehicle when they were approached by two suspects,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Kirby Clark tells ARLnow. “Suspect One displayed a knife and Suspect Two displayed a firearm and forced the victim to exit the vehicle. The suspects then threatened the victim and fled in the vehicle Northbound on Richmond Highway. The vehicle is described as a 2013 BMW X3 with Virginia license plates.”

The investigation is ongoing, Clark said.

This is the tenth carjacking so far this year, according to Clark, amid what police acknowledge has been a marked increase in vehicle-related property crimes, including car break-ins and thefts of idling vehicles. There have also been two attempted carjackings so far this year.

There was one carjacking reported during all of 2019, Clark said.

File photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

AIM to Spotlight Arlington’s Black Community — “In 2018, Arlington native Wilma Jones published a book about the neighborhood she grew up in. My Halls Hill Family: More Than a Neighborhood details the evolution of a community of freed slaves, which was founded after the Civil War… Jones and Arlington Independent Media (AIM), a nonprofit organization, are launching a multi-part series called UNTOLD: Stories of Black Arlington.” [WDVM]

Interview with Interim Police Chief — “After 29 years with Arlington County, Virginia, Police, Deputy Chief Andy Penn knows a concerning trend when he sees one. Just weeks before moving into the role of interim chief, Penn said addressing an uptick in deadly overdoses was an immediate focus. As of Aug. 18, the county had lost 16 people to overdose deaths, according to Arlington County police data.” [WTOP]

Flu Vaccines Now Available at Giant — “Giant Food announced Monday flu shots are available at in-store pharmacies, including locations in the Arlington area. The flu vaccines are administered by Giant pharmacists and do not require an appointment. A copayment is usually not required through most insurance plans.” [Patch]

Here’s Why Glebe Road Was Closed — “For those wondering, Glebe was blocked just north of Ballston [Sunday] night due to a vehicle that rammed a house’s gas meter, causing a leak. No injuries were reported, some nearby homes were briefly evacuated, per ACFD spokesman.” [Twitter]

Storms Possible This Evening — “[Monday was] the beginning of a several-day stretch of storm threats. [Today] the Storm Prediction Center has the region under an ‘enhanced risk,’ or Level 3 out of 5. On Wednesday, it’s a slight risk at Level 2. As with tomorrow, damaging winds will be the main threat.” [Capital Weather Gang]

ACPD Investigating Early Morning Stabbing

By ARLnow.com

A man was stabbed early Sunday morning after leaving a restaurant in the Buckingham neighborhood.

The incident happened shortly after 2 a.m. on the 200 block of N. Glebe Road. Arlington County police say two men approached a man after he walked out of a restaurant and stabbed him with a knife.

Police rendered first aid to the victim, who was seriously injured but is expected to survive.

No motive was given and the suspects remain at large.

More from an ACPD crime report today:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2020-08230040, 200 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 2:20 a.m. on August 23, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing. Arriving officers located the victim suffering from a laceration and provided emergency medical care until the arrival of medics. The victim was then transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The investigation determined that the victim had exited a restaurant and began walking in the area when he was approached from behind by two suspects, who produced a knife and stabbed him. The suspects fled on foot prior to police arrival. The Suspect One is described as a Hispanic male, wearing a white shirt with jeans. Suspect Two is described as a Hispanic male with brown hair, wearing a black shirt and jeans. The investigation is ongoing.

Classes Begin Today at Marymount University

By ARLnow.com

Marymount University students in Arlington are going back to class today.

The start of the fall semester for Marymount comes amid a backdrop of coronavirus outbreaks disrupting the start of school at other colleges and universities. UNC Chapel Hill and Notre Dame have shifted to online classes after outbreaks there; college outbreaks have been reported in at least 19 states, according to CNN.

Marymount, which counts nursing among its major degree programs, says that it is taking appropriate health precautions to keep students and staff safe. Among them: mask and distancing requirements, and on-campus testing and contact tracing. The school is also offering a combination of in-person and remote classes, as well as hybrids of the two.

A smaller Catholic university with campuses along N. Glebe Road in Ballston and in residential North Arlington, and a student enrollment of just over 3,300, Marymount also lacks the Greek life — fraternities and sororities — blamed for outbreaks at other schools.

The school’s move-in period last week, meanwhile, was staggered “to maximize social distancing.”

More from a Marymount press release:

After a staggered move-in process throughout the week to maximize social distancing, Marymount University’s fall semester will begin on Monday with the first day of classes. Since May, the institution has been proactive in preparations for the return of on-campus operations, face-to-face classes and student residential living.

“As we have strived to create a safe and inviting campus for all, the focus on the collective health, wellness and safety of everyone in the Marymount community has been our top priority,” said Dr. Irma Becerra, President of Marymount University. “Now, we must all work together to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 – our collective health and safety is a shared responsibility.”

Marymount’s plan for fall reopening, “Saints Reunite,” was officially approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) in July, and follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Forward Virginia Reopening Blueprint, Arlington County Public Health Division (ACPHD), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other governing bodies and professional organizations.

Below are brief summaries of key policies and protocols designed to protect the Marymount community:

Hybrid Class Model

Marymount is offering four distinct modes of instruction – face-to-face delivery with more space between students and an increased number of class sections; hybrid delivery that combines in-person and online instruction; remote delivery that allows students to participate from a distance simultaneously; and online delivery that allows participation from a distance at their convenience.

Physical Distancing

Plans to maximize social distancing across the University include a new visitor tracking process; partitions added to open service areas; occupancy limits in areas such as study rooms, lounges and residential laundry spaces; and changes to dining services that include extended hours with reduced seating density and suspension of buffet-style functions.

Face Covering Requirement

All students, staff, faculty and visitors on Marymount’s campuses must wear face coverings at all times, except when alone in an office/dormitory room (if positioned six feet or more away from the door) or if an exception is granted.

Contact Tracing

Marymount conducts manual conduct tracing for students, staff and faculty. Steps to mitigate spread are taken – for students, a Student Health Services (SHS) case manager is in daily contact to monitor symptoms, while employees are able to seek care from either SHS or their primary care physician.

All University members must complete the #CampusClear symptom tracker every day. Smartphone users can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, or it can be accessed online through this link. Everyone is also encouraged to download and use the COVIDWISE app, which helps Virginia track cases and exposure.

Testing

Marymount offers on-site testing through SHS, currently with results sent to local labs. Beginning in late September, rapid (15 minute) testing will be offered by SHS for community members who either have COVID-19 symptoms or have had a known or suspected recent exposure to a positive case.

(more…)

Coronavirus Cases Down from Last Week’s Summer Peak

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:35 a.m.) Seventeen new COVID-19 cases were reported in Arlington overnight as the county’s seven-day moving average held steady, below the summertime peak reached on Thursday.

Over the past seven days 154 new cases have been recorded in Arlington, compared to 176 as of Thursday — the highest point since the spring epidemic, which abated in late May and was followed by a sustained dip in cases that started to reverse around the beginning of July.

Two months ago, on June 24, the seven-day trailing total of cases was 66.

A total of 3,400 confirmed cases have been reported in Arlington County since the start of the epidemic in March, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Only one new COVID-related hospitalization was reported over the weekend, bringing the seven-day total to 12 and the cumulative total to 449.

No new COVID deaths have been reported since Thursday. The total currently stands at 137.

Arlington’s test positivity rate has held relatively steady recently and currently stands at 5.4%. The statewide average continues to fall and is now 6.4%.

Virginia’s Commissioner of Health said last week that he would mandate coronavirus vaccinations for state residents, once one is proven safe and effective.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

No Citations for Mass Gatherings in Arlington — “Gov. Ralph Northam is limiting social gatherings to 50% of event space capacity, or 250 people, whichever number is smaller. A spokesperson for Arlington County says ‘there have been no reports of social gatherings of this size’ in the locality. Arlington County’s police department has not issued any citations for mass gatherings, and has not levied any fines for people who flout rules regarding mask-wearing.” [DCist]

Prosecutor Explains Fight With Judges — “Taking the court to court to preserve the discretion of this office is the only way I know to protect the will of the voters who elected me. This is how we weave the quilt of criminal justice reform: each locality using its voice to demand change and put its values into elected offices. Town by town, county by county, we must fight to shape the communities in which we want to live.” [Washington Post]

Wardian, District Taco Donate to School — “Ultramarathoner Mike Wardian, who recently ran a 62-mile run to all 12 DMV-area District Taco locations, asked District Taco to donate the proceeds of the run to Barrett students and families in need. District Taco employees made and delivered 200 burritos to over 100 Barrett families.” [Press Release]

Parking Blocked Off For Clarendon Bar Lines — A number of nightlife hotspots in Clarendon have been working with the county’s Arlington Restaurant Initiative to better space out patrons waiting in line. This past weekend, the county blocked off portions of lanes and some parking spots around bars to allow more physical distancing around the lines. [Twitter, Twitter]

Thousands Left Behind at DCA Security Lines — “A new… Transportation Security Administration report gives the amount of coins and bills left behind at security checkpoints at airports around the country, including Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport. The amount unclaimed at checkpoints at National in the last fiscal year was $13,207.46.” [Washington Post]

Armed Robbery Near Courthouse — “The victim was sitting inside his parked vehicle when the suspect vehicle, which was occupied four times, pulled alongside him. Suspect One approached the victim, displayed a firearm and commanded the victim to exit his vehicle, lay on the ground and empty his pockets. Suspect Two then stole the victim’s personal belongings. Suspect One entered the victim’s vehicle and rummaged through items. The suspects fled the scene after an unrelated vehicle drove by the incident.” [Arlington County]

View More Stories