News | ARLnow.com

Cyclist Struck by Car, Seriously Hurt Near Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

Published November 7, 2016 at 6:15PM

A driver struck and seriously injured a bicyclist this afternoon near Courthouse.

The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Queen Street, in the Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood.

A woman in a Nissan sedan struck the adult male cyclist near the entrance to Route 50. The car’s windshield shattered from the force of the impact on the passenger side of the vehicle. Damage was also visible on the side and hood of the car.

The cyclist was transported via ambulance to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Officers remained on scene to investigate the crash, said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

The driver remained on scene. No word yet on whether any charges will be filed.

ACPD: Twenty Cars Broken Into Along Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published November 7, 2016 at 11:30AM

Someone broke into 20 vehicles near the Wellington apartments on Columbia Pike over the weekend.

According to Arlington County Police, the break-ins happened early Sunday morning. A bunch of car windows were broken, but little of value was stolen, police say.

From an ACPD crime report:

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY(Series), 161106015, 1200 block of S. Scott Street. Between 2:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on November 6, unknown suspect(s) entered 20 vehicles, mostly by breaking the vehicle’s windows, and rummaged through items but nothing appeared to be stolen. There is no suspect(s) description.

County Board Approves More Flexible Sign Rules for Shopping Centers

By ARLnow.com

Published November 7, 2016 at 10:45AM

Arlington County is relaxing its somewhat strict sign rules for its two major shopping malls.

The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and the under-renovation Ballston Quarter mall will allowed to have more signs, larger signs and temporary projected images.

The County Board voted unanimously to make the changes to the county zoning ordinance.

From an Arlington County press release:

Citing the unique challenges Arlington’s regional shopping centers face in an evolving retail market, the Arlington County Board today approved new, tailored sign regulations that will apply to Ballston Common Mall (the future Ballston Quarter) and Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.

The Zoning Ordinance changes adopted by the Board include the type of signs allowed at urban regional shopping centers; the amount of sign area; placement and sign characteristics. Under the amendments, regional shopping centers will be allowed a larger amount of sign area and more flexibility in where signs are placed. They also will be allowed to have freestanding signs and temporary projected images.

“Our two big malls are important to Arlington’s economy and are centers of activity in the Ballston and Pentagon City neighborhoods,” said County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “The County listened to the business community and the neighborhoods and I’m pleased that we were able to move quickly to adopt common-sense changes to the Zoning Ordinance that will encourage these shopping centers to increase their placemaking, be creative with their signage and stay regionally competitive.”

The Board voted unanimously to approve the changes to the Zoning Ordinance.

Following recommendations of 2015 Retail Plan

The Board’s actions follow the recommendations of the Arlington County Retail Plan, adopted by the Board in July 2015. The plan calls for studying opportunities to reposition and redevelop aging urban regional shopping centers.

The Retail Plan recommends that Ballston Common Mall and Fashion Centre increase placemaking efforts by pulling storefronts to the street; creating multiple entry points and creating activity and attractions on the outside as well as inside. Ballston Mall is currently being redeveloped into Ballston Quarter, incorporating many of the Retail Plan’s recommendations. Fashion Centre also is being expanded and remodeled. To support the redevelopment and repositioning, staff studied the centers’ characteristics and looked at examples throughout the country.

The new regulations are tailored to the unique character of these centers — their built form and the concentration of retail, entertainment and restaurants they offer. They also support the transformation recommended by the Retail Plan by providing more sign area and placement flexibility on facades that have been opened up to the street. The regulations could be used by an urban regional shopping center through an administratively approved comprehensive sign plan.

Community process

The Zoning Ordinance amendments were discussed at a public meeting on April 7, 2016. The amendments also were reviewed by the Zoning Committee of the Planning Commission as well as a number of other stakeholder groups and commissions including the Economic Development Commission, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee, the Planning Commission and the Commercial Real Estate Development Group.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 7, 2016 at 9:05AM

W-L Defeats Yorktown, Heads to Playoffs — The Washington-Lee Generals defeated cross-county rival Yorktown Friday night to advance to the football playoffs. W-L was trailing when senior quarterback Ricardo Mestre passed for a touchdown with just seconds remaining to clinch the win. [Washington Post]

Board Advertises Ballston Historic District — The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Saturday to advertise hearings on designating a small family graveyard in Ballston a local historic district, ahead of a planned redevelopment by the Central United Methodist Church. “The Board on Saturday received assurances from the church that it will not seek to remove any remains from the graveyard before the County has an opportunity to consider its historic designation,” according to a press release. [Arlington County]

Students: Adults Should Tone Down Boundary Rhetoric — Some adults have taken their rhetoric over the current Arlington Public Schools high school boundary refinement process too far, according to a pair of high school students who spoke at Thursday’s School Board meeting. “We honestly consider some of the comments made thus far to be an embarrassment,” said a Yorktown student. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

Arlington Smartphone App Updated — Arlington County has made a number of new upgrades to its My Arlington App for smartphones. The changes include a new home screen design, transit alerts and, just in time for Election Day, polling locations and a map of voter precincts. [Arlington County]

Cyclebar Now Open on the Pike — Cyclebar, a new indoor cycling studio, has officially opened along Columbia Pike. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Nov. 1. [Cyclebar]

Library Director: Vote on Nov. 8 — From Arlington Public Library Director Diane Kresh’s blog: “Every election is important and every vote counts. And it’s a privilege that for people in many parts of the world is not enjoyed. On Tuesday, vote as if your life depends on it; it does.” [Arlington Public Library]

Free Home Buying Seminar Tonight — Sponsored — The Orange Line Living Team is hosting a Free Home Buying Seminar with a local lender and all attendees will receive two guarantees just for attending: 1) Buyer satisfaction — if you don’t love your new home they will buy it back or sell it for free for 12 months, and 2) $1,500 home purchase credit. See website for details and conditions. The event is being at 1600 Wilson Blvd #101 in Arlington, from 6-8 p.m. tonight, Nov. 7. [Orange Line Living]

Man Handcuffed in Middle of Columbia Pike After Reported Gun Brandishing

By ARLnow.com

Published November 4, 2016 at 2:30PM | Updated November 4, 2016 at 2:59PM

(Updated at 2:55 p.m.) A man was taken into police custody at gunpoint in the middle of Columbia Pike this afternoon after a false report that he threatened someone with a gun.

The incident happened just before 2 p.m. near the intersection of the Pike and S. Glebe Road.

A 911 caller said the man had threatened him with a gun during some sort of confrontation, according to scanner traffic. According to Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage, the incident started as a verbal confrontation between the caller and the man over the caller allegedly ogling the man’s girlfriend while the couple was stopped in their car on Glebe Road near the Bank of America.

Police, told that the man had a gun, rushed to the scene and conducted a traffic stop on a car matching the description relayed by the caller. Officers ordered the man out of the vehicle with his hands up and took him into custody in the middle of Columbia Pike.

Upon further investigation, officers determined that the man did not have a gun in his possession and was not armed during the confrontation, Savage said.

“Basically it was just a verbal dispute that escalated,” Savage said. The scene has been cleared and no charges have been filed.

Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested in Falls Church

By ARLnow.com

Published November 4, 2016 at 11:20AM | Updated November 4, 2016 at 7:26PM

(Updated at 7:25 p.m.) A man accused of robbing a 7-Eleven store in Falls Church at gunpoint early this morning was just arrested at a nearby motel.

The man was taken into custody without incident during a police operation at the Stratford Motor Lodge on W. Broad Street.

Arlington County Police SWAT officers assisted with the operation. Arlington County paramedics were staged near the scene as officers made the arrest.

More from a City of Falls Church press release:

An investigation by the City of Falls Church Police Department led to the arrest of the suspect of two robberies. Marcus Perry, age 39 from Washington, DC, is charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, and three counts of malicious wounding. He is being held without bond. No photos are available at this time.

At about 2:45 a.m. today, City of Falls Church Police received a call for what was an armed robbery at a 7-Eleven convenience store (210 S. Washington St.). A suspect entered the store, demanded money while brandishing a handgun, then hit two employees on the head with the gun. The suspect took cash and fled on foot. The two victims were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Then, at about 8:40 a.m. today, a suspect entered an Exxon gas station (400 W. Broad St.), demanded money while brandishing a handgun, hit an employee on the head with the gun, took cash and fled on foot. The victim was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police arrested Perry at the Stratford Motor Lodge (300 W. Broad St.) at about 10:30 a.m. after he was seen entering a guest room and matched the description of the suspect in the armed robberies.

Police ask that anyone with information about these incidents call 703-248-5053 (TTY 711).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 4, 2016 at 9:20AM

ACPD Anti-DUI Event During Bar Crawl — The Arlington County Police Department will be holding an interactive anti-drunk driving event from noon to 5 p.m. during Saturday’s Halloween bar crawl in Clarendon. Part of N. Hudson Street will be closed as a result of the anti-DUI event. [Arlington County]

Dems Hoping for 100,000 Clinton Votes — Arlington Democrats are hoping their get-out-the-vote efforts result in 100,000 votes for Hillary Clinton in the county. Arlington could be the difference-maker in the race, determining whether Clinton wins or loses the key swing state of Virginia. In 2008 Barack Obama won 82,119 votes in Arlington. [InsideNova]

Live Election Broadcast — For the first time in our history, ARLnow is planning live video coverage of Tuesday’s election results. From about 7:30-9:30 p.m., assuming no technical difficulties, we will be broadcasting live from the local Democratic victory party at Sehkraft Brewing in Clarendon. Expect analysis of the local election results and interviews with elected officials, candidates and civic figures from all sides of the political spectrum. The live video feed will be included in our election results post that evening.

Arlington Alert Charity Promotion — Thanks to a sponsorship from the Arlington Community Federal Credit Union, during the month of November a donation will be made to one’s local charity of choice when you sign up for emergency alerts via Arlington Alert. [Arlington County]

Fort Myer Commuter Fair — About 88 percent of those who work at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall travel to their jobs by themselves. To try to encourage more carpooling and transit use, the county-run Arlington Transportation Partners recently held a Commuter Fair at the base. [Pentagram]

James B. Hunter Award Winners — The winners of this year’s James B. Hunter human rights awards were just announced. The winners were: Tiffany Joslyn (posthumously); Joan Ritter, MD; Bridges to Independence; Edu Futuro; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington; and Busboys and Poets in Shirlington. [Arlington County]

Photo courtesy Valerie

Podcast: Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2016 at 5:35PM | Updated November 3, 2016 at 6:55PM

(Updated at 6:55 p.m.) After fending off a primary challenge from fellow Democrat Erik Gutshall, Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey (D) is now running for reelection against independent candidate Audrey Clement.

In this week’s podcast, we asked Garvey about a number of local issues, from development to transit along Columbia Pike to preparations for snow removal this winter.

We also asked Garvey (around 36:30) about her support of Republican-turned-independent John Vihstadt, her colleague on the County Board. It was Garvey’s endorsement of Vihstadt over Democrat Alan Howze that precipitated her temporary expulsion from the local party’s good graces.

“He’s an independent, he’s clearly an independent,” Garvey said of Vihstadt. “It’s basically where a lot of Democrats are moving towards, and in fact where I think the center of this country is: socially liberal and fiscally responsible.”

“That’s where a lot of us are and I think it’s where Arlington is,” she concluded, “which is why I think John won and why I won.”

Garvey said the Board is functioning better as a body with more diverse viewpoints, as opposed to the previous all-Democrat regime that was “accused, somewhat justly I believe, of being in lockstep.”

Check out interviews of other local candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot from our previous podcast episodes: County Board candidate Audrey Clement (I) and congressional candidates Rep. Don Beyer (D) and Charles Hernick (R).

Be sure to subscribe to ARLnow.com’s podcast, 26 Square Miles, on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or TuneIn.

Charles Hernick: Why You Should Vote for Me

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2016 at 3:30PM

Last week we asked the two candidates for Congress in the Eighth District of Virginia to write a sub-750 word essay on why our readers should vote for them in the November 8 election.

Here is the unedited response from Republican candidate Charles Hernick:

Dear Neighbor,

I got into this race because I was frustrated with status quo politics. I expect more from my elected officials and I expect more from Congress. I’m not a millionaire career politician, I’m your neighbor. I have a proven track record of getting results for my clients and I would bring the same work ethic and resolve to Congress. My campaign has gained local, national, and international media attention because of my distinguished, multi-cultural background and my plans to:

Improve conditions for small businesses through lower taxes and fair regulations. We need to reduce the corporate tax rate to 25 percent (the OECD average) so that our businesses are not at a disadvantage when competing abroad. We also must simplify tax filings for small businesses. We can grow the economy by improving conditions for small business–they are the engines/innovation centers of the economy. We must lower regulatory hurdles for small businesses and simplify taxes so that they can hire and grow — Don Beyer favors tax increases on individuals and corporations

Improve national security by taking care of our troops and Veterans and focusing more on cyber-security and radical Islamic terror. I understand that Congress has the unique constitutional authority and obligation to define our enemies abroad. I understand the threat from radical Islamic terrorist groups and I know how to work with our Muslim allies in other countries to defeat a common threat — Don Beyer doesn’t think ISIS poses a serious threat to the US

Make government more efficient and responsive to it’s employees and taxpayers through better Information Technology and systems to reward innovation and top performance. We need to manage our debt and entitlement obligations so that essential government functions are never jeopardized. We need to empower Federal employees to save taxpayer money by flagging unnecessary spending and establish systems that reward innovation and top performance — Don Beyer is comfortable with the status quo in government

Finally, I have proposed a market-based framework for addressing climate change that would link state and regional efforts through standardization. My proposal is the most actionable proposal by ANY candidate of ANY party in this election — Don Beyer has proposed a carbon tax that has gained ZERO traction in his first two years in Congress

If we haven’t met in person: I am an ecologist and economist. I have worked as a US Federal Government consultant across the United States and in over a dozen countries in Latin America and Africa. I grew up in a bilingual household and I am fluent in Spanish. I entered the workforce at the age of 15 cleaning hotel rooms. I worked my way through school and earned a B.S. in Ecology and an M.A. in International Relations. If we have met at the farmers market or at a neighborhood event you know that I’ve campaigned tirelessly in English and in Spanish in every part of our community.

I ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 8th. I have the experience and urgency to act. Let’s change the status quo — every vote counts.

Sincerely,
Charles A. Hernick

Don Beyer: Why You Should Vote for Me

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2016 at 3:00PM

Last week we asked the two candidates for Congress in the Eighth District of Virginia to write a sub-750 word essay on why our readers should vote for them in the November 8 election.

Here is Democratic candidate Don Beyer’s unedited response:

I ask you to re-elect me as your Congressman on November 8th so that I can continue to serve you, and to work on many issues that are critical to our neighborhoods, to Virginia, and to the country.

For those of you who do not know me, I am a small business owner in northern Virginia, with a now-43-year-old family auto business. I was Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor for two terms in the 1990s, served as President Obama’s transition director at the Department of Commerce, and then was appointed Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from 2009 to 2013.

Being your Congressman is the most interesting and satisfying job I have yet held, because I can touch all of the issues of our time in some way, and work to forge relationships and make incremental progress on problems large and small.

One of my primary motivations for running for Congress was and remains a desire to find solutions to climate change, both through a carbon tax that returns revenues to every American, and through smarter renewable energy policies.

I am dedicated to equality and civil rights for all, from greater economic empowerment for women, to a continuation of our great progress on equality for the LGBT community, to comprehensive immigration reform and restoring voting rights to ex-offenders.

Like so many of you, I am deeply disturbed by the 30,000 annual deaths from gun violence in our nation, and am working to find reasonable solutions. We will not give up.

Federal workers and federal contractors remain the backbone of this congressional district, and their needs and concerns will always be a priority.

We must address the infrastructure needs of this country, starting here at home with Metro safety and reliability, and the needed repairs to Memorial Bridge. In addition to focusing on these matters, my staff and I stand ready to help constituents with myriad issues, such as problems with federal health insurance, veterans’ benefits, and immigration and passport problems.

As a freshman legislator in the minority, I know that I must work diligently to make inroads. I am pleased that I introduced four pieces of legislation that passed the House, one of which became law and two others that stand poised to do so.

I have an open door to all constituents, and look forward to continued conversations with you, the residents of one of the nation’s most educated and sophisticated congressional districts.

Libby Garvey: Why You Should Vote for Me

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2016 at 2:30PM

Last week we asked the two candidates for Arlington County Board to write a sub-750 word essay on why our readers should vote for them in the November 8 election.

Here is the unedited response from incumbent Libby Garvey (D):

“What an exciting time to be in Arlington!” I said at our January meeting. Ten months on, my excitement about our community’s future has only grown. We have highly educated and incredibly talented people; diversity, which brings much of the world’s experience together in just 26 square miles; beautiful and safe neighborhoods; an outstanding school system; a strong safety net to protect the most vulnerable; and a committed and talented business community.

With our resources, we can solve just about any problem we face. And we’ve solved many. It has been a real privilege to serve you on the County Board for the past four-and-a-half years, and on the School Board for fifteen years before that. This is a wonderful community, but we have challenges. I am running for reelection to the County Board because I know that together we will continue to meet our challenges, and I want to help Arlington achieve our potential.

We must make sure our services work well for residents. We have taken steps this year, such as e-filing of building permit applications, but there is more to do. We must embrace new tools, but innovation and service delivery isn’t only about technology. I will continue to encourage our staff to try new processes to make using public services simple and straightforward.

I will continue my work to help us get around. The Transit Development Plan we approved this summer was a start toward realizing premium bus service on Columbia Pike and throughout the county, but we need to continue to update our transit services so they get riders where they want to go. The crisis with Metro reminds us that we must also deepen our cooperation around the region. I will continue to work with leaders around the region both to improve Metro and to build new regional transit options.

We must make sure that every Arlingtonian can participate in our community processes. We made a good start this year by webcasting and recording County Board work sessions and meetings of the Planning and Transportation Commissions, but we need to expand these webcasts to all commission meetings. I will continue to push for more online tools that both inform residents about what’s happening and allow them to provide feedback to their government. Traditional, time-intensive methods, which often don’t account for family and work commitments, cannot be a bar to resident participation in our community and government.

Arlington must be a place where everyone feels that she or he can contribute. This year, I helped bring people together on different sides of issues like Fire Station 8 and the Stratford school driveway to discuss the options openly before moving forward. Everyone can’t have his or her preferred outcome, and I did not have mine on every issue. But when we have an open dialogue and focus on speaking with – and listening to – each other, we make sure that everyone can contribute to the ultimate decision in some way.

We still need a strategic plan to unify all of our issue-specific master plans. Coming up with an overall strategic plan will take time and must include the whole community so that we hear everyone’s voice. We started down this path this year, and I look forward to building on it in my next term.

Arlington County is a place where residents, business, and government all work to bring out the best in our community. I ask for your vote on Tuesday to continue serving you as we work together to realize our full potential.