News

Car Runs into Front of Columbia Pike CVS in Apparent Burglary Attempt

By ARLnow.com
1/2

The front of a CVS store along Columbia Pike was smashed overnight in what police say was a burglary attempt.

The driver of a car ran into the entrance to the store near Penrose Square, at 2601 Columbia Pike, in the wee hours of the morning. It’s unclear if anything was stolen. The vehicle was found abandoned nearby and the suspect remains at large.

“At approximately 3:32 a.m. on June 2, police were dispatched to the report of a single vehicle crash into a building,” Arlington County Police said in a crime report. “The vehicle fled the scene prior to police arrival but was located unoccupied in the 2600 block of 12th Street S. At the time of the report, it was unknown if anything was stolen from the business. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.”

This morning customers could be seen doing their shopping inside the store, despite the mangled entrance.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Hundreds Protest Along George Mason Drive — Hundreds of people lined George Mason Drive Monday evening to protest racism and support Black Lives Matter. The protest was organized by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington. [Twitter, Twitter]

Break-in at Claremont Elementary — “At approximately 12:30 a.m. on May 31, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary alarm. Arriving officers observed four suspects inside of a building and established a perimeter. While clearing the building, the four suspects were located on the roof and taken into custody without incident.” [Arlington County]

Local GOP Amps Up Social Media Presence — “The Arlington County Republican Committee often has a hard time competing with its Democratic counterpart at the ballot box. But the local GOP is working to win the battle of social media. Local Republicans recently announced that Taylor Jack, a rising senior at James Madison University, has joined the party’s public-relations team.” [InsideNova]

Beyer’s GOP Challenger Selected — “The candidate who positioned himself as the more conservative in the field emerged the victor and will become the Republican challenger in a decidedly uphill battle to unseat U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th). Jeff Jordan defeated Mark Ellmore in the 8th District Republican Committee convention.” [InsideNova]

BREAKING: Arlington Officers Ordered to ‘Immediately Leave D.C.’

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 9:50 p.m.) Arlington County police officers who were assisting U.S. Park Police during protests in D.C. have been ordered “to immediately leave,” County Board Chair Libby Garvey tweeted Monday night.

Officers in ACPD helmets could be seen in photos and video (below) assisting with the forceful removal of protesters from around St. John’s Church, an action that involved the deployment of tear gas. Shortly thereafter, President Trump walked to the church and held up a bible, a move dismissed as a photo opportunity by critics and criticized as “antithetical to the teachings of Jesus” by the Episcopal bishop of Washington.

“Appalled mutual aid agreement abused to endanger their and others safety for a photo op,” Garvey wrote just before 9 p.m., about two hours after the incident. “We ordered @ArlingtonVaPD to immediately leave DC.”

“At the direction of the County Board, County Manager and Police Chief, all ACPD officers left the District of Columbia at 8:30 tonight,” the county subsequently said in a brief statement. “The County is re-evaluating the agreements that allowed our officers to be put in a compromising position that endangered their health and safety, and that of the people around them, for a purpose not worthy of our mutual aid obligations.”

County police in riot gear were assisting with crowd control in Lafayette Square, near the White House, following a mutual aid request from Park Police. Such requests are typically used for suspect searches or to assist with significant incidents; Arlington often requests the assistance of the U.S. Park Police helicopter, for instance.

Following inquiries from ARLnow, after we noticed ACPD helmets in a TV news broadcast Sunday night, a police spokeswoman earlier today confirmed that Arlington police were indeed in D.C. after a mutual aid request.

“ACPD’s Civil Disturbance Unit responded to a mutual aid request by United States Park Police for assistance maintain peace and order on federal park land,” department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said. “ACPD began providing support [Sunday].”

The department has worked to maintain a positive relationship with the community over the years, including by handing out water to protesters in Arlington on Sunday. On Friday, amid nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, police chief M. Jay Farr released a statement.

“It is impossible for us to achieve our mission if we lose the trust of our community,” he wrote. “When force is used, we must hold ourselves accountable for our actions.”

“We work and live by a set of core values: courage, competence, commitment, compassion, restraint, respect and integrity,” the department says in its job description for new officers.

Separately Monday night, Arlington County issued a statement regarding Floyd’s killing.

“The Arlington County Board condemns the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, including the complicit officers who participated in and witnessed the murder,” the statement reads. “While the video was shocking, the circumstances of the murder should not be; they are too familiar in a nation where the disregard for and devaluing of Black lives is too common, and too often comes at the hands of the people sworn to protect them.”

Screenshot (top) via @thehill/Twitter

D.C. Police Blocking Traffic from Key Bridge to Georgetown as Businesses Board Up

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 10:20 p.m.) With a 7 p.m. curfew and protesters marching on M Street NW, D.C. police are blocking lanes of the Key Bridge heading towards Georgetown.

Stores and restaurants are boarded up along M Street, in anticipation of another night of protests in the District.

A group of peaceful protesters was heading in the direction of Georgetown around 8:15 p.m., but started heading back on Pennsylvania Avenue after encountering a police roadblock, according to reports on Twitter.

Some businesses in Arlington have also been boarded up or closed early, including the Crate and Barrel in Clarendon and a CVS store in Rosslyn, as seen in the photo gallery above.

https://twitter.com/DildineWTOP/status/1267619126530510849

ACPD Officers Are Assisting With Response to D.C. Protests

By ARLnow.com

Update at 9:15 p.m. — Arlington police have been ordered to leave D.C., County Board Chair Libby Garvey says.

Earlier: If you were watching cable news coverage of the fiery clashes near the White House last night, you might have spotted “ACPD” on the helmets of some of the riot police.

Your eyes did not deceive you. On Sunday, Arlington County Police began assisting with the law enforcement response to the protests, which have been mostly peaceful during the day but have turned destructive after dark for three straight nights.

“ACPD’s Civil Disturbance Unit responded to a mutual aid request by United States Park Police for assistance maintain peace and order on federal park land,” department spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed, in response to inquiries from ARLnow. “ACPD began providing support [Sunday].”

Police departments often provide mutual aid to one another in the D.C. area, with its mix of local, state and federal police forces. More routine mutual aid calls involve searches for suspects, often involving K-9 officers or helicopters — for instance, U.S. Park Police’s Eagle 1 helicopter. More rarely, mutual aid is requested for significant incidents, like shootings or standoffs.

Park Police have been attempting to defend Lafayette Square, north of the White House, amid mass, nationwide protests that have followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of since-fired Minneapolis police officers, one of whom is now facing a murder charge.

https://twitter.com/power_barton/status/1267210685190156292

It appears that Arlington officers are back on the streets of D.C. today, as the District imposes a 7 p.m. curfew in an effort to prevent more destruction and violence. Earlier today tipster noticed a convoy of Arlington public safety personnel departing from Courthouse, where ACPD headquarters is located.

“Arlington police dressed in riot gear just loaded into vans and are leaving the Courthouse area with a fire department bus and an armored car under police motorcycle escort,” the tipster said.

Screenshot via MSNBC/YouTube

Man Upset with Drive-Thru Wait Throws Phone at Restaurant Window

By ARLnow.com

Police are looking for a man who broke a window at a fast-food restaurant along Lee Highway last night.

The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. on the 5000 block of Lee Highway, according to Arlington County Police. The restaurant is not named but that block is home to a Wendy’s.

“Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect, who was a passenger in a vehicle in a drive thru line, became irate while waiting for his order, exited his vehicle and threw a cell phone at the window of the business, causing damage,” ACPD said in a crime report. “The suspect re-entered the vehicle and fled prior to police arrival.”

Woman Run Over By Own Vehicle in Parking Lot

By ARLnow.com
1/2

A woman in her 70s was run over by her own SUV in a store parking lot along Lee Highway this afternoon.

The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store at 4505 Lee Highway. Initial reports suggest that the woman parked and got out of the vehicle, which then started rolling away; her leg was reportedly run over by the SUV as she tried to chase it down.

The injured woman was said to be conscious and alert when medics arrived on scene. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

The vehicle, which had a handicapped placard displayed behind the windshield, came to a stop partially in an eastbound travel lane of Old Dominion Drive.

Cristol Walks Back Criticism of Beer Garden

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol says she was wrong to suggest that a local beer garden should be shut down over the weekend.

Cristol retweeted a photo posted by Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko on Friday night, which showed a large crowd — none wearing masks — outdoors at The Lot beer garden near Clarendon.

“A bunch of selfish a**holes in Arlington, VA this evening,” Parkhomenko said in his tweet, which went viral and racked up thousands of likes and retweets. Many of those sharing the post decried how such crowding could exacerbate the pandemic.

“Well, this sucks,” Cristol wrote in her response to the tweet. “We’re in this together, and are going to have a hard time continuing to move forward if folks/establishments won’t do the basics of masks & distancing. All: Please help us follow up (and shut this stuff down) by reporting.”

Cristol also shared a link to a “non-compliance of social distancing practices” reporting form created by the county.

In response, however, The Lot said in a social media post on Saturday that it followed “all CDC, state, and local guidelines,” noting that it has “a large patio so naturally there will be more people, attention, and visibility.”

While The Lot posted a sign encouraging mask usage, Virginia’s new mask requirement only requires it for indoor public spaces.

https://www.facebook.com/406254749759956/posts/1110764115975679/?d=n

On Sunday, Crisol posted an apology, acknowledging that Arlington police and fire personnel had visited The Lot and verified that it was following all of the requirements. She added, however, that “too many ppl = an administrative problem the County needs to fix.”

https://twitter.com/kcristol/status/1267245846799712259?s=21

The risk of coronavirus transmission outdoors is considered to be low, though extended exposure and close proximity to someone with the virus — particularly if they’re talking and not wearing a mask — can result in infections even outdoors.

Photo via Twitter

JUST IN: Arlington Sees Significant Drop in New Coronavirus Cases

By ARLnow.com

If the data is accurate, Arlington has seen a big drop in new coronavirus cases over the past few days, despite a big increase in testing.

As of Monday morning, data from the Virginia Dept. of Health shows only 34 new COVID-19 cases reported in Arlington since Friday. That brings the trailing seven-day total of new cases in the county to 250, the lowest level since April 21.

Likewise, only four new hospitalizations have been reported since Friday, bringing the trailing seven-day total of new hospitalizations to eight, by far the lowest level since VDH started consistently reporting hospitalization data at the end of April.

Five new COVID-related deaths have been reported since Friday.

Testing, meanwhile, is up significantly, in large part to the free testing event last week that administered more than 1,000 tests. According to VDH, there have now been more than 10,000 PCR tests administered in Arlington, and the seven-day test positivity rate has fallen to 11%, near the 10% goal that many health authorities consider to be an indication of adequate testing. The seven-day moving average of daily “testing encounters” in the county now stands at 390.

In all, VDH reports 2,123 cases, 376 cumulative hospitalizations, and 116 deaths in Arlington. Statewide, there have been 45,398 cases, 4,694 hospitalizations and 1,392 deaths.

Arlington and Northern Virginia entered a “Phase 1” reopening of businesses on Friday.

Photos: Peaceful Protest Marches from Shirlington to Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/33

About 200 people participated in a peaceful protest against police brutality that marched from Shirlington to Ballston Sunday afternoon.

The event was organized in memory of George Floyd, whose killing at the hands of police in Minneapolis prompted nationwide protests and murder charges against one of the officers.

The protest started in front of the Shirlington Branch Library, as participants knelt “for George Floyd and the many other black lives we have lost at the hands of brutal police and others.” The demonstrators then marched to Ballston, holding signs and chanting “Black Lives Matter.” Once they reached Ballston’s Welburn Square, there were more remembrances, speeches and kneeling.

The protest remained nonviolent, in contrast to the peaceful protests that devolved into confrontation and destruction at night, in D.C. and elsewhere. It was supported by the Arlington County Police Department; officers blocked streets and handed out water and snacks to the marches.

“We are happy to share that the Arlington Police Department has reached out to us in full support of today’s protest,” the protest’s event page said. “They made a point of sharing that they do not align themselves with the police brutalities in other regions.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Dorsey on Death of George Floyd — Arlington County Board member Christian Dorsey posted the following on Facebook Sunday afternoon: “Why is it when we are bird watching, retrieving mail, swimming in a pool, walking down the street, or living in our own homes that you view us as a threat? Why do these routine activities see us being reported to police and losing our lives? It is a question my daughters ask, as do the children of every black person in America. Yet that question needs to be seriously be pondered non-Blacks. We then need you to transform episodic outrage into all-the-time anti-racism.” [Facebook, Blue Virginia]

Apple Store Boarded Up in Clarendon — Workers placed plywood over the entrance to the Apple Store in Clarendon Sunday, as a precaution, after the weekend’s clashes in D.C. [Twitter]

House Fire in Hall’s Hill — “1800 block of N. Cameron St — crews encountered fire in attic. Fire was quickly controlled, 6 occupants escaped without injury and one dog was rescued in good condition. @RedCross called in to assist occupants.” [Twitter]

County Creates Badges for Mask-Requiring Businesses — “In response to Gov. Ralph Northam’s Executive Order that face coverings must be worn inside public places, the County created the ‘We Are Covered’ program. This gives Arlington businesses, multi-family residences, and houses of worship a way to show they have pledged to protect the people who come through their doors.” [Arlington County]

Tables, Tents in CC Sports Pub Parking Lot — “With outdoor seating now permitted as part of Phase One, Finlay and his staff worked to turn the restaurant’s parking lot into a patio. Outdoor tables are all set up six feet apart. ‘We’re lucky and blessed to have a parking lot that’s big enough to accommodate that type of spacing and still have the social distancing and be able to abide by all the rules and regulations we have to go by,’ he said.” [WJLA]

ACPD Releases Photo of Car That Struck Girl, Dog — On Sunday, Arlington County Police released photos of the dark-colored sedan that struck a girl and killed her dog Friday in the Donaldson Run neighborhood. ARLnow also obtained video of the car. [ARLnow]

Bayou Bakery Donates Thousands of Meals — “Back in 2005, [Bayou Bakery owner David] Guas saw first hand how Hurricane Katrina impacted his hometown and the importance of rapid response in rebuilding the community. In March 2020, when COVID-19 closed school doors, he knew he needed to provide the same fast-acting relief to area children and families left underserved.” [Washington Life]

Discussion with AED’s Telly Tucker — “We talked with Telly Tucker, the new head of Arlington Economic Development, about Friday’s reopening, what’s going on with the local economy, the plight of small businesses during the pandemic, and the growth of tech companies in Northern Virginia.” [Facebook, Apple Podcasts]

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