News | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published February 15, 2017 at 9:00AM

Median Home Sales Price Ticks Down — “Prices, sales and contract signings for home sales all hit 10-year highs for a January in the Washington metro.” according to WTOP’s Jeff Clabaugh. However, in Virginia, “Falls Church, Arlington County and Alexandria were the only three jurisdictions with lower median sales prices from a year earlier.” [WTOP]

Primary Challenge for Del. Levine — Del. Mark Levine, who represents part of Arlington, is facing a Democratic primary challenge from Alexandria School Board member Karen Graf. Levine has been endorsed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe while Graf has the endorsement of state Sen. Adam Ebbin. The primary will be held in June. [InsideNova]

Remodeling Reveals Historic Headlines — A couple in north Arlington made a surprise find inside a wall while remodeling their home: “yellowed newspapers detailing the stock market crash of October 1929.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

New Townhomes Could Replace SunTrust Bank in East Falls Church

By Tim Regan

Published February 14, 2017 at 3:45PM | Updated February 14, 2017 at 4:25PM

Suntrust Bank at 6711 Lee Highway (photo via Google Maps)

(Updated at 4 p.m.) More than two dozen new townhomes could soon go up at the site of an East Falls Church bank.

Homebuilder NVR, Inc. has filed a preliminary site plan to construct 27 new townhomes at 6711 Lee Highway, a 1.69-acre plot of land currently occupied by a SunTrust bank.

According to the site plan, the new development would consist of single-family units in buildings up to four stories tall. The new buildings are designed in a “classic, urban, Georgetown style” and will be primarily composed of brick. NVR also calls for new trees and landscaping along Lee Highway and an internal private street for residents.

Additionally, the Suntrust Bank would be relocated under the plan. NVR said in its application it plans to “work with SunTrust to facilitate their orderly relocation.”

The planned redevelopment is still in its early stages. The project must be reviewed by the Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC), then be presented to both the Arlington Planning Commission and the County Board.

Photos (1-3) may appear slightly warped. Photo (4) via Google Maps.

Carbon Monoxide Incident at Pentagon City Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

Published February 14, 2017 at 12:15PM | Updated February 14, 2017 at 12:31PM

(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) The Chevy’s Fresh Mex restaurant at 1201 S. Hayes Street in Pentagon City is being evacuated due to “elevated” carbon monoxide levels.

Fire department units are being dispatched to the scene to investigate the source of the CO, according to scanner traffic. Washington Gas is also responding to the scene.

Initial reports suggest the higher-than-normal carbon monoxide levels were detected in the kitchen and possibly related to a water heater.

So far there’s no report of anyone becoming sick, though the restaurant’s kitchen workers are being evaluated by firefighters.

Photo via Google Maps

Sen. Warner Statement on Gen. Flynn’s Resignation

By ARLnow.com

Published February 14, 2017 at 10:45AM | Updated February 14, 2017 at 12:34PM

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) has released a statement on the resignation of Gen. Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor.

Warner, who serves as the vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that he will continue to push to investigate Gen. Flynn and “any other campaign official who may have had inappropriate and improper contacts with Russian officials prior to the election.”

The full statement is below.

Reports that the White House may have been briefed weeks ago on the nature of Gen. Flynn’s calls raise deeply troubling questions. The American people deserve to know at whose direction Gen. Flynn was acting when he made these calls, and why the White House waited until these reports were public to take action.

These developments underscore how many questions still remain unanswered to the American people more than three months after Election Day, including who was aware of what, and when. This reinforces both the urgency and the significance of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s bipartisan investigation into Russian interference, which will include a thorough examination of contacts between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns, as well as interviews with current and former government officials.

Nothing about this resignation, or resignations that could occur in the future, precludes the Senate Intelligence Committee from continuing to investigate Gen. Flynn, or any other campaign official who may have had inappropriate and improper contacts with Russian officials prior to the election.

It is clear that our task is more urgent than ever.

Update at 12:35 p.m. — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has also weighed in with a statement (after the jump).

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 14, 2017 at 9:15AM

Highest Monday Wind Gusts — According to the National Weather Service, the highest wind gusts recorded in Arlington Monday, after the initial squall line came through Sunday night, were between 47 mph in Barcroft and 53 mph in Cherrydale. [National Weather Service]

Arlington Man Arrested for Bank Robbery — A 41-year-old Arlington man was arrested in D.C. Monday and accused of robbing the HSBC Bank at the corner of 14th and I streets NW. Police say the man passed the teller a note claiming to have a bomb, fled on foot with cash but was then detained by a pair of witnesses and held until police arrived. [Washington Post]

County Defends Property Purchase — Arlington County says it did not overpay by spending $800,000 to buy a house, assessed for $519,200, which was needed for the Fire Station No. 8 expansion project. The county says the owner of the home was not anxious to sell and, essentially, making them an offer they couldn’t refuse helped save time and effort compared to trying to use eminent-domain to try to acquire the property at a fair-market value. [InsideNova]

Kudos for Arlington’s Affordable Housing Plan — “Arlington has set ambitious goals to tackle housing affordability, in part by making it easier for developers to build affordable housing in the first place. According to a recent report, Arlington made plans for new affordable units and brought its number of homeless residents down last year even as rents and housing costs went up.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Registration Open for Girls Fire Camp — The Arlington County Fire Department is now taking applications for its 2017 Girls Fire Camp, which “gives teenage girls, ages 15-18, a chance to experience firsthand what it takes to be an Arlington County Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician.” The camp will take place from July 6-9. [Arlington County]

Nearby: No New Taco Bell in Alexandria — A proposed new Taco Bell restaurant on Duke Street in Alexandria, which neighbors worried could bring “late night riff raff” and cause traffic problems, will not be opening after all. The company has withdrawn its plans for the new location. [Washington Business Journal]

Scattered Power Outages Remain Throughout Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2017 at 5:05PM

Tree damage on 26th and 31st Sts N. (photo courtesy Anne Wilson)

Power outages in north Arlington at 4:45 p.m. on 2/13/17

Nearly 900 Dominion customers are still without power in Arlington as of 5 p.m. Monday, with numerous small outages scattered across the county.

That’s down from more than 6,500 outages last night, after an initial line of 60+ mile per hour wind gusts swept through the area. The strong winds continued through this afternoon but have since died down.

Dominion’s power outage map shows the two biggest power outages are in the Highgate/Colonial Terrace community in the Rosslyn area, and along 26th Street N./31st Street N., near Marymount University, where photos (above and via Twitter) show at least one tree down in the roadway and a power pole snapped in half.

Dominion is estimating that power will be restored by 11 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively, for each outage.

In all, around 3,000 Dominion customers are still in the dark around Northern Virginia.

Flying Dumpster Lid Smashes Windshield of Metrobus

By ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2017 at 3:30PM

The strong winds Monday morning caused a frightening moment for a Metrobus driver in the Crystal City area.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. on S. Eads Street at 22nd Street S.

“The lid of a trash dumpster that was being pushed down the street was blown open by the wind striking the windshield of a Metrobus,” a Metro spokesman told ARLnow.com. “The bus operator was treated on site for minor injuries due to broken glass.”

The bus was not in service at the time and no other passengers were reported to be on the bus.

File photo

Justice to Face Justice After Being Bottled Up By Cops

By ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2017 at 1:30PM

A 26-year-old Fairfax man named Adam Justice is facing several charges after an incident in Clarendon early Saturday morning.

Just before 1 a.m., police say a suspect tried to throw a glass bottle at a restaurant employee, who ducked out of the way just in time to avoid the projectile. The suspect took off on foot as police gave chase, but after a brief pursuit he was taken into custody.

The incident happened on the 1100 block of N. Highland Street, according to a crime report; that’s the same block as Clarendon Grill.

More on the charges Justice is facing, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2017-02110017, 1100 block of N. Highland Street. At approximately 12:55 a.m. on February 11, officers witnessed a male subject throw a glass bottle at a restaurant employee. The employee was able to move out of the way and was not struck by the bottle. Officers attempted to take the male suspect into custody but he tried to flee the area on foot. Following a brief foot pursuit, the suspect was taken into custody. Adam Rhodes Justice, 26, of Fairfax Va, was arrested and charged with attempted malicious wounding, obstruction of justice, and drunk in public.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2017 at 9:30AM

Traffic Lights Dark in Rosslyn — Due to power outages, several traffic signals at busy intersections in Rosslyn were dark during the morning rush hour. Police were stretched for resources as they tried to direct traffic and deal with wind-related issues elsewhere in the county. [Twitter, Twitter]

Arlington’s Child Care Shortage — “In Arlington, Virginia, Erika Gibson, child care supervisor for the Arlington County Department of Human Services, said most of the county’s 50 licensed care centers have waiting lists for children under 2.” [WTOP]

Grocery Association Coming to Rosslyn — On the heels of food and beverage giant Nestle’s announcement that it is moving to Rosslyn, the Grocery Manufacturers Association has announced it is going to move from D.C. to Rosslyn, leasing 34,000 square feet at 1001 19th Street N. [Washington Business Journal]

New 2017 Commission Chairs — The Arlington County Board has approved the new 2017 chairs of more than a dozen county commissions and boards. [InsideNova]

Obit: Bill Hurd, Jr. — Arlington resident Bill Hurd, Jr. died Jan. 27 at the age of 66 after “aggressive battle with prostate cancer.” The last decade of Hurd’s life was eventful: his first wife died in 2010, shortly after they moved to her hometown in Minnesota. He became active in the community there and was elected mayor. A native of Northern Virginia and a fan of politics, sports, cigars, dogs and Texas Hold’em poker, Hurd later remarried and in 2015 moved back to Arlington. [Legacy]

County Board: ‘Not In Favor’ of Funding Gondola Project

By ARLnow.com

Published February 11, 2017 at 6:55PM

The Arlington County Board says it does not support further county funding of the proposed Rosslyn-Georgetown gondola.

The project would have cost $80-90 million to build and another $3.25 million annually to operate, according to a study, the findings of which were released in November.

“Given our identified and pressing transportation needs, along with some ongoing concerns about the long-term value of the gondola, the Board is not in favor of any further funding of the gondola project,” Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette said in a letter to the Gondola Study executive committee.

The full letter, which was released late this week on the county website, is below.

Dear Members of the Executive Committee,

On behalf of the Arlington County Board, I am writing to you regarding the Rosslyn-Georgetown Gondola study and to share our collective position on the project.

First, I want to thank you for giving Arlington County the opportunity to join you and other partners in exploring the potential opportunities for constructing and operating a gondola service in our region.

Board members, along with our staff, have reviewed the conclusions of the feasibility study for the proposed aerial gondola between Rosslyn and Georgetown. The study addressed many of the important components, including ridership demand, cost of installation, cost of operations, engineering, technical issues, and permitting requirements. An estimate of $80-$90 million was included in the study as the order of magnitude construction cost of the project.

Arlington already has a large number of transportation projects in the County’s Master Transportation Plan, including several in Rosslyn that will require substantial resources and attention over the next several years. The Rosslyn-Georgetown gondola is not a project included in our recently approved Capital Improvement Plan. Given our identified and pressing transportation needs, along with some ongoing concerns about the long-term value of the gondola, the Board is not in favor of any further funding of the gondola project.

Thank you again for your joint efforts in exploring this particular alternative transportation option. We look forward to our continued partnership on other regional transportation initiatives.

Sincerely,

Jay Fisette, Chair

Man Gets 58 Years in Prison for Lyon Park Sexual Assault

By Tim Regan

Published February 10, 2017 at 4:30PM

A Woodbridge man arrested for the sexual assault of a woman in Lyon Park was today sentenced to 58 years in prison for that and two other crimes.

Justin Wingate Poe, 35, was nabbed last May on suspicions that he broke into a home on the 700 block of N. Edgewood Street and sexually assaulted a sleeping woman.

The sexual assault was linked to two attempted abductions in Arlington that occurred in 2007. A renewed investigation into those cold cases was what led to Wingate Poe’s arrest, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

“Upon receiving the link between the 2007 and 2016 cases, Arlington County Police Department detectives began an intensive investigation including the review of cold case files, crime scene evidence and laboratory results,” ACPD said in a release. “The review resulted in additional information that led detectives to identify Justin Wingate Poe as a suspect. Wingate Poe was arrested and charged in June 2016.”