A teen considered “critically missing” and possibly in need of medical attention has just been found, according to police.
The 15-year-old boy was last seen around 8 p.m. tonight in the Lyon Park neighborhood before going missing, prompting a countywide alert and press release (below) from Arlington County Police. Officers canvassed the neighborhood and called in the Fairfax County Police helicopter to assist with the search.
The boy was found shortly before 9:45 p.m., according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.
The Arlington County Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing 15 year-old juvenile. [Redacted] was last seen at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Monday, October 16 in the 2100 block of Washington Boulevard. He was wearing a charcoal gray hoodie, blue jeans and brown boots. He is known to frequent the Ballston area. Mr. [Redacted] is considered critically missing and may be in need of medical services. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should call Arlington County Police at 703-558-2222.
Libby Garvey has endorsed Erik Gutshall for Arlington County Board.
A Democratic County Board member endorsing a Democratic County Board candidate is not usually noteworthy, but Garvey and Gutshall were engaged in a sometimes bitterprimary battle last year. Gutshall later endorsed Garvey after she won the primary.
In today’s endorsement, Garvey said Gutshall — who handily won this year’s primary for retiring Board member Jay Fisette’s seat — will bring a breadth of local experience “to help guide the many difficult decisions that we have to make on behalf of our community.”
More from a Gutshall campaign press release:
Today Libby Garvey announced her endorsement of Erik Gutshall for Arlington County Board. The victor on Election Day this November 7th will fill a vacancy on the board left by retiring County Board Chair Jay Fisette. Gutshall is the Democratic nominee.
“Erik has seen Arlington from many different perspectives: resident, APS parent, small business owner, charity board member, commission chair, and more. He will bring that breadth of experience to the County Board table to help guide the many difficult decisions that we have to make on behalf of our community,” said Garvey in making her announcement. She also noted that, “Erik and I have a shared interest in making county government accessible for all Arlington residents. I look forward to working together with him to ensure that we listen to all residents and communicate effectively with them, and that we streamline public processes so it is easier to engage, and create new channels for residents to observe and participate in their government.”
In response to Ms. Garvey’s endorsement, Gutshall released this statement:
“I am honored and very grateful to have Libby’s endorsement; it means a lot to me. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work with Libby and the other board members to reboot civic engagement. I believe we reach the best decisions when we rely on accurate data, transparent and impartial analysis, and fair consideration of all viewpoints. The chief responsibility of the County Board is to create the environment for good decision-making by ensuring our county government conducts every transaction with our community in a totally honest, transparent, and open manner. Residents should never feel that an answer was already baked into the process. We both agree this is the essence of solving our problems as a community.”
Libby Garvey served 15 years on the Arlington County School Board, including five terms as chair, prior to being elected to serve on the Arlington County Board in 2012. After Garvey’s victory over Gutshall in the 2016 Democratic Primary, he proudly endorsed her for her successful re-election bid to a second term on the Arlington County Board.
Police chased and then used a Taser to subdue a suspect who was firing a gun along S. Glebe Road early Friday morning.
That’s according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. Police say a 27-year-old Arlington man was seen firing the gun on the 2400 block of S. Glebe Road, just north of I-395, around 2:45 a.m.
He was tased and arrested after a foot pursuit, police say. More from the crime report:
DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM, 2017-10130034, 2400 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 2:45 a.m. on October 13, police were dispatched to the report of a male suspect discharging a firearm. An arriving officer observed the suspect discard the firearm and attempt to flee the area on foot. A foot pursuit was initiated and after the suspect disregarded officer commands, a Taser was deployed and the suspect was taken into custody. No injuries were reported from the discharge of the firearm. Keith Murphy, 27, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with felon in possession of a firearm and credit card theft. The investigation is ongoing.
“The reason for the shooting remains under investigation,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.com. “It is not believed the suspect was shooting at any particular person or location. This was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat.”
A man was found dead Sunday morning near the Four Mile Run bike trail and the intersection of S. Glebe and W. Glebe roads.
The bike trail is heavily used by those connecting from Shirlington and the W&OD Trail to the Mt. Vernon Trail that runs along the Potomac River. Arlington County Police are investigating the death but do not currently believe it to be suspicious.
“At approximately 11:40 a.m. on October 15, police responded to the area of S. Glebe at West Glebe Road for the report of a deceased male located near the bike trail,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The police department is conducting an active death investigation and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.”
“The preliminary investigation does not lead us to consider this death suspicious,” Savage continued. “This appears to be an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community.”
Gas Leak Along George Mason Drive — Part of S. George Mason Drive near Columbia Pike was closed this morning due to a gas leak. [Washington Post]
Blue, Yellow Line Delays — A “signal problem” outside of National Airport, the site of weekend track work, caused delays on the Blue and Yellow lines this morning. [Twitter]
Bethesda Has Most Expensive One-Bedroom Apartments — Bethesda has the highest median rents for one-bedroom apartments, at $2,270, according to a new report. “In comparison, D.C.’s typical one-bedroom costs $2,260 per month, while one-bedroom rents in Arlington, Virginia, cost a median of $2,140 per month.” [Curbed]
Remembering Hoover Field — A pair of airports, Hoover Field (later Hoover Airport) and Washington Airport, operated during the 1920s and 1930s on the site of the present day Pentagon reservation. National Airport was opened shortly after both closed down to make way for the Pentagon. [Paul Freeman, Twitter]
Best Places to Watch the Marine Corps Marathon — A number of Arlington locations are listed among the best places for spectators to watch the Marine Corps Marathon. [WTOP]
Shuttle buses will replace trains this weekend on a section of Metro’s Yellow and Blue Lines in Arlington County.
Buses will run between the Braddock Road and Pentagon City Metro stations from 7 a.m. Saturday through closing Sunday as crews install communication cables and rehabilitate platforms.
The Reagan National Airport and Crystal City Metro stations will be closed.
Blue Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals between Pentagon City & Largo Town Center and every 15 minutes between Franconia-Springfield & Braddock Road.
Yellow Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals between Pentagon City & Mt Vernon Square and every 15 minutes between Huntington & Braddock Road. Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mt Vernon Sq should use the Green Line to complete their trip.
Free shuttle buses will operate between Pentagon City, Crystal City, National Airport and Braddock Road. Please allow 15 minutes of travel time for each station stop.
Stations closed: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Crystal City.
To allow for shuttle bus connections, the last train will depart Franconia-Springfield at 11:56 p.m. Saturday and 9:56 p.m. Sunday, 30 minutes earlier than normal.
Work performed: Communication cable installation and platform rehabilitation.
For those not wanting to get on the free shuttle buses, ART’s 43 bus between Courthouse and Crystal City offers an alternative, as well as the Transitway along U.S. Route 1 between the Braddock Road and Pentagon City Metro stations via Potomac Yard and Crystal City.
Two juvenile suspects were arrested this past Sunday night and charged with smashing the windows of at least three cars.
Police say they responded to the 2800 block of S. Lang Street, near Gunston Middle School, around 10:40 Sunday night after a resident heard a loud sound and then went outside to find his car window smashed and two people fleeing the scene.
Police searched the area and apprehended the two juveniles, who matched the suspect description given by the victim. Officers also found two other cars with smashed windows and items rummaged through inside.
More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report, below.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (VEHICLE) WITH APPREHENSION (series), 2017-10080238/226, 2800 block of S. Lang Street, At approximately 10:40 p.m. on October 8, police were dispatched to the report of a tampering with vehicle/destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined that a male victim was inside his home when he heard a loud pop. The victim went outside and noticed his car window was smashed. A witness reported two suspects fleeing the scene. Police canvassed the area and located two juvenile suspects matching the witness description. Two additional vehicles were located during the canvas with smashed windows and items inside the vehicles displaced. Petitions were sought for the juvenile suspects.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) says Congress must do more to help areas hit by natural disasters.
Beyer issued a statement yesterday (Thursday) after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, which provides increased funding to disaster recovery programs.
I voted for this aid package to send support to Americans hit by natural disasters, but this bill represents the bare minimum that Congress can do to help, particularly with respect to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Following Donald Trump’s threat to abandon Puerto Rico in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, Congress should guarantee its full support to Americans suffering in the wake of natural disasters. Federal emergency management must not leave Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands until it has restored electricity and access to clean, potable water for everyone.
The aid package has $18.7 billion in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund. That includes $4.9 billion to help fund recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, as well as $676.6 million for fighting wildfires and $16 billion in debt forgiveness for the National Flood Insurance Program to pay claims from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
Delays on Blue, Orange Lines Due to Person Struck — A person was struck by a train at the L’Enfant Metro station around 9:30 this morning. The incident is causing delays on the Blue and Orange lines, as service has been suspended between L’Enfant and Federal Center. Silver Line trains are operating between Wiehle and Ballston. [Twitter, Twitter, Washington Post]
Reminder: E-CARE Event This Weekend — Arlington County is holding its biannual Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This time around the venue has changed; the recycling and hazardous household materials collection event is now being held at Yorktown High School (5200 Yorktown Blvd). [Arlington County]
Scott Disick Comes to Arlington, Disses ARLnow — Updated at 12:10 p.m. — Reality TV personality Scott Disick lorded over the grand opening ceremony for Sugar Factory in Pentagon City last night. About 100 people, mostly young women, showed up for the event, according to an ARLnow employee on the scene. Disick did interviews with local news outlets, but PR reps cut off the interviews and ushered Disick away just as our employee was next in line. [Twitter, Facebook, Daily Mail]
Kirwan’s Opens to Big Crowds — Mark Kirwan, owner of Samuel Beckett’s in Shirlington, may have another hit on his hands. His new bar, Kirwan’s on the Wharf in Southwest D.C., was packed last night before the Foo Fighters concert at the Anthem. [Facebook]
Courthouse Plaza Parking Lot Closed Sunday — The county’s Courthouse Plaza parking lot will be closed most of the day Sunday for the 2017 Animal Welfare League of Arlington Pints 4 Paws event. [Arlington County]
Marymount Makes USNWR Top Tier — “Marymount University is once again in the top tier among Regional Universities in the South in several categories, ranking 52nd overall in the 2018 edition of ‘Best Colleges’ by U.S. News & World Report.” [Marymount University]
AIRE Wins Regional Award — The Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy was among this year’s recipients of the Climate and Energy Leadership Awards from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. AIRE’s Energy Lending Library “makes it easy to check out a thermal camera, a box of 10 different LED bulbs, energy meter, and Do-It-Yourself energy retrofit books through the library system free of charge,” notes COG. [Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments]
Water main break on N. Taylor Street in Ballston (courtesy Pablo P.)
Water main break on N. Taylor Street in Ballston (courtesy Pablo P.)
Water main break on N. Taylor Street in Ballston (courtesy Ron B.)
Water main break on N. Taylor Street in Ballston (courtesy J.M.)
Water main break on N. Taylor Street in Ballston (courtesy @steadman_amanda)
(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) A water main break in Ballston resulted in a geyser of water shooting up from N. Taylor Street.
The break happened shortly before 8 a.m. this morning, just north of Fairfax Drive near the Nature Conservancy building. The street was being milled as part of repaving work.
Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Kathryn O’Brien said the break is affection water service for about 500 customers.
“Crews are repairing the break and are expected to be completed by 5 p.m., barring any complications,” she said.
Update at 3:45 p.m. — Via O’Brien at DES: “The water main has been repaired and water service is being restored to impacted customers. Crews are expected to complete road repairs by 7 p.m. this evening, barring any complications.”
County Board candidate Charles McCullough II at Committee of 100 candidate forum
County Board candidate Audrey Clement
With Election Day less than a month away, candidates for the Arlington County Board and School Board are honing in on their final pitches to voters.
And at a forum Wednesday night at Marymount University hosted by the Arlington Committee of 100, the six candidates clashed on a range of issues, from how to engage more millennials in county government to closing the achievement gap in Arlington Public Schools.
The format varied from previous forums, as each candidate was able to ask a question of their opponents before taking further questions from the audience.
Erik Gutshall and Monique O’Grady, who were victorious in the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s caucus earlier this year for County Board and School Board, respectively, both touted their experience in county issues.
Both agreed that while Arlington is largely on the right course, it can do better. Gutshall, who is the current chair of the Planning Commission, said the county must not make too many concessions to developers on proposed site plans.
“If we don’t stick to our plans and our negotiations… and we don’t stick to our values, then we’ve lost,” he said.
Independent County Board candidate Audrey Clement pointed to her regular attendance at the body’s monthly meetings as relevant experience.
And fellow independent Charles McCullough II said that beyond his involvement in the South Arlington Working Group among others, he would represent a fresh face with new ideas if elected to the County Board.
“We need to have other ideas, other experiences,” he said.
On the budget, Clement criticized the Board’s practice of spending closeout funds from higher tax revenue than anticipated. She said that the money should be paid forward to the following year to relieve the tax burden, rather than directed to “pet projects to satisfy its particularized constituencies.”
McCullough argued that developers in Arlington must pay their “fair share” to help make up budget shortfalls, while Gutshall said that rising property values must not be treated as a “blank check” for increased spending.
Among the School Board candidates, there were some sharp differences. O’Grady and fellow candidate Alison Dough agreed that the Arlington Career Center represents a “good opportunity” for a fourth comprehensive high school. But Mike Webb, running for School Board after an unsuccessful tilt at Rep. Don Beyer’s (D-Va.) seat in the U.S. House of Representatives last year, disagreed.
Instead, he said, School Board members should focus on ensuring instruction is as good as possible, and that no students are left behind.
“Before we build another high school, we have to think about the achievement gap that affects all our students,” Webb said.
And on the subject of the upcoming boundary changes in Arlington Public Schools, Dough said that more immersion schools where classes are taught in more than one language could help relieve the capacity pressures on other buildings.
Dough, who said her special needs child inspired her to run for School Board, suggested more language programs, like immersion in Chinese, French or Russian to help APS students embrace new cultures.
“Let’s look at the boundary issue differently and give our parents a reason to switch schools,” she said.
And with the nationwide opioid epidemic also touching Arlington, O’Grady said parents and students alike must be educated on the risks and solutions.
“It’s in our neighborhoods, it’s in our communities,” she said. “Let’s come together to learn how to deal with this.”
All six agreed on the need for elected officials to encourage more county residents to get involved, and help uphold the so-called “Arlington Way.”
“We need to be opening that door,” Webb said. “We have to build that pathway to leadership.”
The candidates will face off in another forum Sunday (October 15) hosted by the local chapter of the League of Women Voters at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street).
