Fox News in Arlington — “An apparently news-starved fox has taken matters into its own paws and has been spotted stealing copies of the Post from the porches of unsuspecting Arlington residents.” [Washingtonian]
In-Person Census Visits Starting — “To achieve a complete count, Census Takers will begin conducting home interviews. Starting the week of July 20 — nearly three weeks before the nationwide August 11 launch date — Census Takers will be visiting homes in Arlington, including an estimated 27,000 households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census.” [Arlington County]
Longtime Local Mail Carrier Dies — Jesus and Luz Collazos “immigrated to the United States and settled in Arlington, Va., where he spent 25 years as a postal worker. They raised a family in a home he bought after admiring it on his delivery route. On June 6, about a year into his retirement, he died of covid-19 at 67.” [Washington Post]
Should Route 29 Become John Lewis Highway? — One idea for the renaming of Lee Highway: name it after Rep. John Lewis, who died Friday. The civil rights leader grew up in Troy, Alabama, for which U.S. Route 29 is the main street. The highway also runs through his congressional district in Georgia. [Twitter]
Deer Rescued from Church Basement — “A huge thank you to Animal Services officers Schindler and D’Eramo from Humane Rescue Alliance for jumping in late last night to help our AWLA officers Ballena and Rose rescue a young deer.” [Facebook]
Synetic’s ‘The Decameron’ Project — “The Decameron, a series of 14th century Italian novellas about surviving the Black Death, is enjoying a surprising renaissance during the current coronavirus crisis… Now, Crystal City’s Synetic Theater, a physical theater troupe that specializes in literary adaptations, usually relying on music and movement to tell stories rather than spoken dialogue, has created a Decameron of its own.” [Washington City Paper]
Region Ascends Tech Rankings — Northern Virginia and the D.C. region are now No. 2 on a list of the top tech talent markets in the United States. [CBRE, Twitter]
Some Arlington property owners who hoped to make changes or additions to their property earlier this year have been left in the lurch, but there could be relief in sight as the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) prepares to add more meetings to address the backlog.
“The last BZA hearing was held in February and all cases were heard,” said Jessica Margarit, a spokesperson for the Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development. “Due to pandemic, the County suspended in-person public meetings in March. This did cause a delay in hearing BZA cases.”
Since then, Margarit said a virtual hearing process has been developed that will allow board members, applicants, and the general public to join in a video conference. The County Board has been holding similar, virtual meetings for months, but it took time to figure out how the BZA could conduct its business responsibly.
“Contactless public notices will be distributed to affected properties via mail, which the BZA feels is a necessary step prior to moving forward with a public hearing,” Margarit said.
The delay in BZA meetings has caused problems for some homeowners and builders.
“They are so behind,” one frustrated local told ARLnow. “Their inability to figure this out is hurting Arlington home building businesses. Our family personally has a project… but we are in an interminable wait due to BZA not meeting in anything close to a timely manner. We know our builder is trying to keep his employees busy (many of whom are local residents), so this delay hurts many people in the community.”
The first virtual BZA meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29. There are eight items on the docket, primarily residential adjustments like requests related to new accessory dwelling units or to install a new deck. Some of these items are carried over from the February meeting.
“To speed up reviews for those who have been waiting during the pandemic, we anticipate holding two additional meetings in early-to-mid-August to reduce the backlog of applications,” Margarit said. “Agendas for the August meeting dates have not yet been set. If additional meetings are needed to eliminate the backlog, the Board will evaluate the remaining number of cases and determine whether to schedule additional hearings at more frequent intervals.”
(Updated at 11:40 a.m.) Arlington’s Lee Highway Alliance, with the county’s blessing, is embarking on a renaming process for Lee Highway.
In a press release this morning, the nonprofit said it will be convening a working group to compile a “shortlist” of new names for Lee Highway, which will be sent to the County Board for consideration. The county is expected to coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions on the name.
Lee Highway, also known as Route 29, is a main east-west commuter route and commercial corridor that runs through residential north Arlington and parts of Rosslyn. It once part of an auto trail that ran from New York City to San Francisco via southern states, in honor of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
“My colleagues and I are glad to see neighborhood leaders as skilled at consensus-building as the Lee Highway Alliance begin this important conversation about our community’s past — and our vision for our shared future,” County Board Katie Cristol said in a press release.
A recent, unscientific ARLnow poll found that 58% of respondents think it’s time to change the name of Lee Highway, while 42% want to keep it.
Last year Jefferson Davis Highway, named after the Confederate president, was renamed Richmond Highway in Arlington.
The full press release is below.
With the Arlington County Board’s support, the Lee Highway Alliance (LHA) is moving forward to re-name Lee Highway. As stated by County Board Member, Katie Cristol: “My colleagues and I are glad to see neighborhood leaders as skilled at consensus-building as the Lee Highway Alliance begin this important conversation about our community’s past – and our vision for our shared future.”
LHA will develop a Working Group of stakeholders including the LHA Community Advisory Committee, civic associations, property owners, and business owners in the corridor. The Working Group will meet over the summer and into the fall, at which time a shortlist of names will be sent to the County Board.
It is presumed that the numbering as US Route 29 will be maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), which is the owner of the highway. Arlington must reach consensus on the name with adjacent jurisdictions. Many years ago, the City of Falls Church re-named their portion of Lee Highway ‘Washington Street.’ Unlike Virginia counties, Virginia cities are not required to get approval from the Commonwealth.
Arlington already has successfully renamed one state highway within its borders. In April of 2019, the Arlington County Board voted unanimously to approve a resolution asking that the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) rename Arlington’s 2.56 mile portion of Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1) to Richmond Highway. Re-naming Lee Highway would follow the same legislative process with the CTB or Virginia General Assembly providing final approval.
LHA is also working with the County and hundreds of stakeholders on Plan Lee Highway, an urban planning project to re-visualize the corridor. The goal is to make it more sustainable, attractive, walkable, welcoming and economically viable for residents and businesses. The comprehensive planning process also includes managing climate change and strengthening environmental safeguards, as well as updating Arlington’s General Land Use Plan (GLUP).
Sandi Chesrown, Vice Chair of Plan Lee Highway and Vice President of LHA, noted:
“We cannot change the history of Virginia. But the names of streets and highways matter and indicate a community’s contemporary values. As we revitalize the corridor and our branding through Plan Lee Highway, together we will look to the future and arrive at a name that better reflects our identity, our aspirations, and our ‘main street’ character.”‘
(Updated at 10:30 a.m.) Arlington County is creating a new group of residents, officials and police officers to review law enforcement practices in Arlington.
The 15-member Police Practices Group will conduct a review to “ensure that the Arlington County Police Department is current with policing best practices and continue to build trust between our police and the community.”
The group, which will start meeting in August, will allow “all the people who are most concerned about [police practices in Arlington] to have an airing,” Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz said Friday morning. It will also “provide an opportunity for people to get all the perspectives, including hearing directly from the police… and bringing in some outside parties who can take a look at what we do and discuss best practices.”
Schwartz noted that the county has received a number of complaints about police conduct, as well as calls for police reform from groups like the local chapter of the NAACP. Prior to Thursday night’s announcement of the group’s formation, activists were questioning whether the county was stalling in their response.
Among specific, actionable items for the group to discuss are the establishment of a police civilian review board, the role of the police department in traffic enforcement, and whether police officers should respond to certain calls for mental health services and civil disputes.
Schwartz said the review will not examine mutual aid agreements with other regional police departments, like the agreement that infamously led Arlington officers in riot gear to be deployed to the White House, as a regional review is already underway. Additionally, the group will not discuss the role of School Resource Officers — uniformed ACPD officers stationed in schools — as Arlington Public Schools is already reviewing that practice, according to Schwartz.
As for the nationwide calls to “defund the police,” Schwartz said budget decision are likely to follow recommendations group the group — for instance, are as many sworn officers needed if some duties, like response to mental health emergencies, are removed. There could also be discussions about raising officer pay to better help recruit qualified officers, he added.
The creation of the group comes after local and nationwide protests over the killing of unarmed civilians — particularly Black people — at the hands of law enforcement. It also comes as Police Chief M. Jay Farr prepares to retire by the end of the year.
More from a county press release:
Following recent events involving policing and racial justice across the United States, the County Board has asked the County Manager to lead a review of police policies and practices. This review will ensure that the Arlington County Police Department is current with policing best practices and continue to build trust between our police and the community.
The first step will be an external review and assessment of current policies and practices in six key areas:
Review of use of Force: De-escalation tactics; lethal and non-lethal force; and, foot and vehicle pursuits.
Training and Supervision: Police Academy training; and training for implicit bias and crisis intervention.
Cameras: Both body-worn and vehicle dash cameras; and policies regarding use of this equipment.
Recruitment and Retention: Screening for bias; psychological evaluation; mental health programs; process for officer evaluation; promotion and leadership development programs; and compensation, including pay and benefits.
Internal Affairs: Statistics; structures and procedures; effectiveness through an anonymous climate survey; grievance processes; and use of force investigations.
Data/Statistics: Reviewing data collected for arrests and stops over the past 3 years and ensuring its consistency.
This external assessment will begin on July 20, 2020 and be led by two parties with expertise in departmental assessments, police practices, policy review, criminal justice reform and conflict analysis: Marcia K. Thompson, Vice President at Hilliard Heintze, an attorney and law enforcement practitioner with more than 20 years working in the criminal justice field; and Dr. Julie Shedd, Associate Dean at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University Carter School (see biographies below).
The themes of this assessment will be shared with the 15-member Police Practices Group (PPG) early in the fall and will support the work of the group moving forward. The PPG will begin meeting in August and will also discuss the following four important policy areas:
Police civilian review board – what type and approach?
The role of the police department in providing mental health services;
The role for the police department in traffic enforcement; and
The opportunity for alternative dispute resolution, including restorative justice & mediation.
The PPG will use the themes identified during the assessment to inform discussion and work to offer options on the four policy areas and report to the County Manager by December 21, 2020. The PPG will hold public engagement sessions to gather community input on these issues. The results will be provided to the County Manager as he hires a new Police Chief after a national search. (Note: Chief Jay Farr will be retiring before the end of this year). The information will also form the basis of potential recommendations for improvements to the County Board.
County Board Chair Libby Garvey noted that “this group will start us on a journey to tackle the important issues we face as a community regarding public safety for all of our residents. We have a fine police department in Arlington, however, it can and should be better. Arlington Police welcome the review and look forward to being a part of this important effort. These times call for a new look at how our community addresses public safety and policing.”
“I want to thank each of those who have agreed to participate in this important work,” County Manager Mark Schwartz stated. “This group will hopefully strengthen the bonds of trust between officers and residents of the County and explore the difficult issues facing law enforcement today. Our Police Department has a longstanding history of working with the community to provide professional services and a mission to treat all individuals with respect but also recognizes the need for improvements. Arlington is not immune to the challenges seen elsewhere, and I know that we will be better for the work of this group.”
The PPG’s first meeting is scheduled for August 3, 2020.
Local Unemployment Update — “Over 1 million first-time claims for unemployment benefits have now been filed by Virginians this year, 97% of them since pandemic-related business shutdowns began in mid-March, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday.” Arlington, meanwhile, reported 576 initial unemployment claims last week and 6,148 continuing claims. [InsideNova]
Google Satellite Images Updated — Google has updated its satellite imagery in maps. One can now see the line at Arlington’s drive-through COVID testing site and an empty Arlington National Cemetery parking lot, among other pandemic-specific sights. (Hat tip to Eric Dobson for spotting this.)
No High School Football This Fall — “High school football will not be played this fall in Virginia. Football will be either played in the winter or spring or not at all, based on which of three plans the Virginia High School League’s executive committee approves July 27 for the 2020-21 high school sports season.” [InsideNova]
Lane Closures on I-66 This Weekend — “Overnight lane closures and traffic stoppages are planned for I-66 East in Arlington near Patrick Henry Drive this weekend, weather permitting, to implement a traffic shift as part of the I-66 Eastbound Widening Project. This work will split the two I-66 East travel lanes for more than a half mile.” [Press Release]
Trade Association Moves to Arlington — “The National Automatic Merchandising Association has relocated its headquarters from Chicago to [Arlington] Carla Balakgie, president and CEO, announced.” [Vending Times]
Nonprofit Gets Donation from Local Race — “Bridges to Independence has received a $10,000 grant from the Arlington Bunny Hop 5K and Clarendon United Methodist Church to support the housing of Bridges’ local homeless families.” [InsideNova]
ICYMI: Update to Pool Outbreak Article — In an email sent to members last night, the Overlee Community Association confirmed that three people have tested positive for COVID-19. They, along with other cases still not revealed to the membership, all became sick after a intrasquad swim meet on Saturday, a source tells ARLnow. Thus far, swim coaches and pool management have tested negative, according to the email. [ARLnow]
(Updated at 7:15 p.m.) A teenage boy was struck by a speeding driver this morning on a residential street in Ashton Heights, near Virginia Square.
The hit-and-run happened just before 11:45 a.m. on the 600 block of N. Kenmore Street and was caught on a neighbor’s home surveillance video system. Miraculously, the teen escaped with only minor injuries.
The video, provided to ARLnow by the victim’s mother in the hopes of helping to identify the driver, starts with the sound of squealing tires. A four-door Chevy sedan can then be seen speeding down the street, followed by the 17-year-old victim tumbling down the roadway after being struck.
The teen was crossing the street when he was struck, according to his mother. The driver did not stop and fled the scene.
The boy — a Washington-Liberty High School student — suffered lacerations and road rash and “is in a lot of pain,” but was not seriously injured, we’re told. He was unable to spot the license plate number.
An Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman echoed the mother’s account of what happened and said the crash is under investigation.
“The driver of the striking vehicle failed to stop at the scene of the crash and fled traveling south on Kenmore Street,” said Ashley Savage. “The pedestrian was transported to Virginia Hospital Center with non-life threatening injuries. The striking vehicle is described as a white sedan. The investigation is ongoing.”
The incident comes a day after a woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street in Pentagon City.
Anyone with information about the incident can call the Arlington County non-emergency line at 703-558-2222 or can provide an anonymous tip to the police department by calling 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
(Updated at 10:20 p.m.) The Overlee Community Association pool closed after a reported COVID-19 case and possible outbreak this week.
The private swim club was shuttered last night, with a sign on the door saying: “Closed, see email from Board coming soon.” Multiple sources tell ARLnow the closure is due to COVID-19. Members are reportedly being told that the pool was closed as a precaution after one person who recently visited the pool tested positive.
Two people independently described the situation to ARLnow as people getting COVID-like symptoms following a swim meet over the weekend.
“Overlee pool has a big outbreak on their swim team with coaches, kids and parents with symptoms and positive tests,” said one tipster, whose children work at another private swim club in Arlington. “We’re worried COVID cases are being concealed, endangering pool staff and guests.”
“Seems like Overlee pool has had a significant COVID outbreak after holding an intrasquad swim meet on Saturday,” said another tipster. “Lots of cases in the community. Expecting a message this afternoon.”
Thus far, neither the association nor the county has provided additional information about the situation to ARLnow.
An email to the Overlee Community Association’s board president last night has not been returned. A spokeswoman for Arlington’s public health department declined comment.
Arlington’s seven-day rate of new coronavirus cases rose to 124 today, the highest point since June 13. Two of the county’s indoor public pools, in Washington-Liberty and Yorktown high schools, reopened on Saturday.
Coronavirus is believed to spread primarily through respiratory droplets in the air, not in the water.
A number of readers have criticized ARLnow following the publication of this article, which has since been updated with new information provided to us.
“I implore you to remove the Overlee swim club article. It is not accurate,” wrote one. “There is no outbreak. The county worked with the pool to notify individuals that may have been at risk after one member reported a positive test.”
“Most of the facts and anonymous tips were completely untrue and unbelievable as member of Overlee and a member of the swim team I am hear to tell you that all these anonymous tips are actually just straight false information from other rival swim teams,” wrote another person, in an anonymous tip. “The meet held on Saturday was very small and everyone was social distancing and was required to wear masks.”
Overlee members were subsequently sent an email Thursday night, referencing “a local website’s erroneous article,” but also revealing that three Overlee members have tested positive.
A person with knowledge of the outbreak, who spoke to ARLnow on the condition of anonymity, said that even that number is understated — multiple members of multiple families have tested positive, we’re told. The positive cases appear to be linked to an intrasquad swim meet on Saturday, the person said.
The Overlee email is below.
Overlee Membership –
Due to concerns regarding a local website’s erroneous article about Overlee, we are providing the information below as clarification and to be as transparent as possible to our Overlee Community members.
As stated in Tuesday’s email to members and due to HIPAA restrictions, Overlee is not allowed to divulge any information, including date and time of possible exposure, to entities other than health departments and healthcare officials. Overlee is working with the Arlington County Health Department and providing them with information as requested, which includes the day and times the individual(s) were at the pool. The ArlCo Health Department will contact any members they determine to be a “close contact” during the investigation. Please cooperate with their investigation, if contacted.
Upon notification on Tuesday by the first member testing positive for COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, we closed the pool immediately. Subsequently, we’ve been notified by 2 other members about their positive results (neither of whom were at the pool after it was disinfected).
The entire facility was disinfected and deep-cleaned several times and reopened Thursday. The ArlCo Health Department has been entirely supportive of the Overlee pool remaining open and of the protocols Overlee has taken and continues to take for the health and safety of staff and members, to include the masks/face coverings and physical distancing policies.
Management and swim team coaches have been tested and their results are all negative. The staff has been following Overlee’s strict safety procedures at all times.
If you and your family members were following the protocols while at Overlee – more than 6 feet of spacing from others, conversations less than 15 minutes, and mask/face covering on at all times – your exposure level is considered “very low” and you are not considered a close contact, according to the ArlCo Health Department.
We thank these members for being forthcoming with their results regarding the health and safety of our staff and members. We send them our best wishes and hope each of them has a quick and full recovery.
Editor’s note: ARLnow previously reported on COVID-19 outbreaks at local long-term care facilities, with the help of anonymous sources. We made the decision to do that reporting, despite repeated refusals to release information by county and state authorities, in the interest of providing a fuller picture of the spread of the virus in the community. Reports of large outbreaks at such facilities turned out to be accurate. As an organization, we will continue to provide information on COVID cases we believe to be well-founded, even in the absence of official confirmation, which has unfortunately proved nearly impossible to receive in most cases.
A 23-year-old Arlington woman is behind bars after a double stabbing early this morning, a block from Virginia Hospital Center.
The stabbing happened around 3:15 a.m. on the 1900 block of N. Edison Street, in the High View Park neighborhood. According to police, a woman approached two victims outside their house, took out a knife, and stabbed both.
The suspect fled on foot, but was later spotted and arrested in the Ballston area.
Both victims suffered non-life threatening injuries. The suspect has been charged with two felony counts of Malicious Wounding and is being held without bond.
Police say the victims knew the suspect, but there’s no word on a motive.
More from the Arlington County Police Department:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2020-07160019, 1900 block of N. Edison Street. At approximately 3:14 a.m. on July 16, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing just occurred. Arriving officers located two victims outside of a residence and immediately began to render aid. Both victims were transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The investigation determined that the victims were returning to their residence when the known suspect approached them from behind and began pulling on one victim’s backpack. As they turned around, the suspect allegedly produced a knife and stabbed both victims before fleeing on foot with the backpack prior to police arrival. Officers canvased the area and located the suspect in the area of Washington Boulevard and N. Stafford Street, where she was taken into custody without incident. Zulma Franco Lopez, 23, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding (x2) and held on no bond.
Aftermath of crash in Lyon Village (photo courtesy Beth Ferrill)
Overturned vehicle in Penrose
Overturned vehicle in Penrose
Overturned vehicle in Penrose
Overturned vehicle in Penrose
Overturned vehicle in Penrose
Aftermath of crash in Lyon Village
Aftermath of crash in Lyon Village
Aftermath of crash in Lyon Village
(Updated at 3 p.m.) Arlington had an unusual occurrence this morning: two drivers in two separate parts of the county struck parked cars, flipping their vehicles over, within 5-10 minutes of each other.
The first incident happened on N. Danville Street, in the Lyon Village neighborhood near Clarendon. The driver of a white Toyota sideswiped a parked SUV, flipping the sedan on its side.
By the time ARLnow arrived on the scene, a crowd of neighbors had gathered and a tow crew had already placed the car back on all four wheels. No injuries were reported.
Minutes later, police and firefighters were called to the 200 block of S. Barton Street, in the Penrose neighborhood, for another overturned vehicle.
This time, a young male driver of a black Jeep sideswiped a parked vehicle, flipping the Jeep on its roof.
The driver was able to get out but was in a daze, a neighbor said. He was transported to a local hospital after initially refusing medical treatment, we’re told.
Police closed both sections of road while the wrecks were cleaned up. Officers could be heard remarking at the uncanny timing of the two crashes.
Dinner hour in Shirlington Village (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Dinner hour in Shirlington Village (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Shirlington Village (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Pentagon Row (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The owner of a pair of major commercial developments in Arlington is applying for permits that would allow on-the-go alcohol consumption within each shopping center.
Federal Realty Investment Trust is applying for a new “commercial lifestyle center” permit for the Village at Shirlington and Pentagon Row, on behalf of the merchant association for each shopping center.
If approved by Virginia ABC, it would allow shoppers and diners to take their alcoholic beverages to go, for consumption in the centers’ common areas. A change to the law allowing it, sponsored by local state Sen. Barbara Favola, took effect earlier this month.
“Following the implementation of a new state law on July 1, 2020, FRIT submitted commercial lifestyle center ABC license applications for the Village at Shirlington and Pentagon Row on Friday, July 10,” Dan Corwin, Director, Asset Management — Mixed Use for Federal Realty Investment Trust, told ARLnow this morning.
“The applications would allow people of legal drinking age visiting the Village at Shirlington and Pentagon Row to consume alcohol purchased from Shirlington’s and Pentagon Row’s ABC licensees in common areas managed and maintained by Federal Realty,” he said.
Property owner JBG Smith applied for the the same permit for its shopping centers in the Crystal City area, near Amazon’s HQ2, last year.
A woman was killed while crossing a street in Pentagon City yesterday.
The crash happened around 2:15 p.m. The victim was struck by a vehicle while crossing mid-block on S. Fern Street between Army Navy Drive and 12th Street S., leaving her lying in the middle of the street.
The driver stayed on scene, according to Arlington County police. So far, no charges have been announced.
The woman was pronounced dead on the scene, ACPD said in a press release this morning. Fern Street was closed for several hours while detectives investigated the crash. Police are now asking anyone with additional information to come forward.
More from the press release:
The Arlington County Police Department’s Critical Accident Team (CAT) continues to investigate a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred on Wednesday, July 15 in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood.
At approximately 2:15 p.m., police responded to the 1100 block of S. Fern Street for the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian. The preliminary investigation indicates the pedestrian attempted to cross mid-block when she was struck by an oncoming vehicle. The pedestrian, an adult female, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene.
The identity of the pedestrian is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Anyone who may have witnessed this crash or has additional information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective S. Whalin at [email protected] or 703-228-4159. Information may also be reported anonymously to Arlington County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
