News

UPDATED: Report of Man With Gun on Marymount Campus

By ARLnow.com

Arlington's Marymount University (Flickr pool photo by Eric)Update at 2 p.m. — The “all clear” has been given by police. “This appears to have been a false report,” the university said via Twitter. “Please resume normal activities.”

Earlier: Arlington County Police are investigating a report of a man with a gun on the Marymount University campus in north Arlington.

Those on campus are being told to “go to a secure location and await further information,” according to the university’s Twitter account.

“This is not a drill,” the tweet also notes. The university was scheduled to conduct a series of active shooter drills on campus starting this Thursday, Oct. 6.

Police are advising people to avoid the area while they look for the man.

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Flickr pool photo (top) by Eric

Dirty Dancing Leads to Breaking and Entering and Windshield Smashing

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) An Arlington resident’s home was broken into and his car was vandalized, all because of some perceived transgressions on the dancefloor.

The incident happened early Sunday morning, according to Arlington County Police, at a residence on the 4500 block of N. Carlin Springs Road, near Ballston.

“At approximately 3:52 a.m. on October 2, officers responded to the report of a disorderly subject,” said an ACPD crime report. “Upon arrival it was determined that a female subject entered a residence and damaged a door and door [jamb]. The subject then moved outside to a vehicle and smashed the windshields and slashed the tires.”

The motive for the crime was dancing-related, said police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

“The victim and the subject were at a nightclub earlier in the evening and a verbal altercation ensued over the subject dancing with other individuals,” she told ARLnow.com

Annapolis, Maryland resident Tiffany Mason, 28, was arrested and charged with destruction of property and breaking and entering, according to police. She was held without bond.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

September rose (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

Man Struck By Car on Columbia Pike — A man suffered critical injuries after being struck by a car at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Four Mile Run Drive early Friday morning. Rainy weather may have been a factor in the crash, police said. [WJLA]

APS Stop Arm Camera Program Resumes — Updated at 11:15 a.m. — Arlington Public Schools has restarted its School Bus Stop Arm Camera Program as of today, a school spokesman has confirmed. The program uses cameras to fine motorists who drive by school buses while the stop sign is extended. The program began last year but was suspended due to legal issues, which have since been resolved. [Arlington Public Schools]

Juror Questionnaires Now Overdue — If you received a jury duty questionnaire from Arlington County and have not yet returned it, you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law. The questionnaires are now overdue; those who have still not sent them in can be summoned to court to complete the form in person. [Arlington County]

Local Church Hold ‘Blue Mass’ — The Catholic Diocese of Arlington and Bishop Paul Loverde held a “blue mass” Friday night to honor local police officers and to recognize fallen officers. A number of Arlington County Police officers were among those in attendance. [NBC Washington]

Domestic Violence Awareness Month — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Arlington. The Arlington County Police Department has partnered with local nonprofit Doorways for Women and Families to place a purple ribbon on ACPD cruisers “in support of the efforts to reduce the incidence and severity of domestic violence in our community.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Two Hurt in Crashes on GW Parkway

By ARLnow.com

Police car lights(Updated at 11 p.m.) One person is fighting for their life and another suffered significant injuries in a series of two crashes on the George Washington Parkway this morning.

The crash, involving an overturned vehicle, was reported shortly after 11 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the Parkway, near Spout Run. The northbound lanes were closed for about an hour and a half as medics treated the injured and as crews worked to clean up a large amount of debris from the roadway.

Around the same time as the first crash, a second, apparently unrelated crash involving an overturned vehicle was reported on the GW Parkway near Key Bridge.

Two people were transported via ambulance to the hospital, one with critical injuries. Initially the U.S. Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter was requested to medevac that person, but was later called off.

As of 12:40 p.m., one northbound lane had reopened, according to WTOP.

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ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Board members pose with honored citizens on Sept. 27, 2016

It’s been an exceptionally rainy end to the week, but sunshine and pleasant fall-like temperatures are around the corner.

On balance September has been a slow month news-wise in Arlington. One would think that school starting and everyone returning from their summer vacations would make for a busier month. However, our records over the past five years show that September has traditionally been a slow month, with few big traffic spikes from big stories.

Slow news periods usually don’t last too long in Arlington. October, we expect, will see a return of a faster-paced local news cycle.

Feel free to discuss the rain or any other topic of local interest in the comments.

UPDATED: Irritating Odor Prompts Hazmat Response at Ft. Myer

By Tim Regan

Arlington County fire truck(Updated at 1:29 p.m.) Hazmat teams rushed to the scene after reports of an irritating odor and possible chemical leak at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall earlier this morning.

The incident occurred in the basement of a barracks building on the 400 block of Sheridan Ave. sometime around 10:00 a.m. today.

Reports of a “a foul smell and complaints of eyes being irritated” led to the incident, according to a statement from the military base.

“The source of the odor has been determined to be a chemical reaction between various unknown supplies in a storage supply closet,” the statement continued. “All indications are that this is not terrorist or criminal related.”

Despite earlier reports of a “hydrogen cyanide leak,” the odor actually came from overheated radio batteries, according to the Arlington County Fire Department.

The building was evacuated and crews evaluated at least seven people onsite. Nobody was taken to the hospital following the incident, however.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Person walking near puddle in Clarendon on rainy day (file photo)

Person walking near puddle in Clarendon on rainy day, Sept. 30 2016

Food Star Not Responding to Pleas to Stay — The Food Star grocery store apparently doesn’t have much interest in staying in Arlington after the store, at the corner of Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive, closes to make way for a redevelopment. Despite resident interest in keeping the Food Star, county officials say their efforts to reach out to the company and help them relocate to another location in Arlington have not yet yielded a “substantive” response. [InsideNova]

LEGO Store Grand Opening — The new LEGO Store in the Pentagon City mall is holding its grand opening celebration starting today. The store will be hosting a LEGO Master Builder who will construct a huge LEGO model for display. The first 400 customers Friday, Saturday and Sunday will receive free gifts with qualifying purchases. [LEGO]

Olympic Athletes at Elementary School — A group of Olympic athletes will talk with students at Carlin Springs Elementary this morning. Among the group are shot put gold medalist Michelle Carter, gold medal-winning sprinter Natasha Hastings and long jump gold medalist Jeff Henderson. The athletes will be at the school as part of the Let’s Move! Healthy Schools campaign.

Notable Tree Nominations — It’s that time of the year — if you think you have a truly exceptional tree in your yard that deserves recognition, you can now nominate it for Arlington County’s annual Notable Tree awards. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 15. [Arlington County]

October Is Affordable Housing Month — Tomorrow is Oct. 1 and October is Affordable Housing Month in Arlington, “a month-long celebration of the County’s long-term commitment to preserving and creating housing opportunities that benefit the whole community.” [Arlington County]

Police: Cars, Electronics Stolen From Business on N. Glebe Road

By Tim Regan

Police car (file photo)Someone broke into a business on N. Glebe Road and stole electronics and four cars yesterday, according to Arlington County Police.

The burglary occurred at a car dealership on the unit block of N. Glebe Road sometime before 10:19 a.m. yesterday morning.

One of the business’s employees arrived at work to find the store’s sliding glass doors were broken and that someone had ransacked the place.

Police said the burglars stole some electronics and the following vehicles:

  • 2007 Audi Q7
  • 2012 Chevy Suburban
  • 2008 Ford Expedition
  • 2006 BMW 325i

From an Arlington County Police report:

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, GLA, 160928019, unit block of N. Glebe Road. At 10:19 a.m. on September 28, officers responded to the report of a burglary. The reporting party arrived at work to find the sliding glass doors to the business broken and the business ransacked. Investigation revealed that four (4) vehicles had been stolen from the sales lot along with numerous items of value. There is no suspect(s) description.

Transit Officials to Discuss I-395 Travel Study Tonight

By Tim Regan

Traffic on I-395 near ShirlingtonLocals will have a chance to learn about future travel choices along the I-395 corridor during a public meeting tonight.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is scheduled to hold an open house prior to the Arlington Transportation Commission meeting at 2100 Clarendon Blvd from 6:30-7:30 p.m. this evening.

The purpose of the open house is to discuss an ongoing DRPT study designed to come up with a list of projects eligible for funding from revenue generated by the plan to extend the 395 Express Lanes to Eads Street in Arlington.

Those projects could include better bus or rail service, more carpooling options and other ways to “support mobility, economic development, and sustainability goals for communities along the corridor,” officials said. Virginia has committed at least $15 million per year to funding possible projects.

Locals can weigh in on the study before the meeting by completing this DRPT survey.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pumpkins at the Columbia Pike farmers market (Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok)

Garvey to Hold Book Discussion — Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey is launching a series of community book discussions on various topics. Tonight Garvey and School Board Chair Nancy Van Doren will discuss the best-selling book “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School.” The discussion will take place at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street) from 7:30-9 p.m. [Facebook]

Beer Store, TechShop Collaborate for New Kegerator — Crystal City Wine Shop (220 20th Street S.) has teamed up with nearby TechShop to create a new kegerator. The custom-modified refrigerator allows the store to offer varieties of craft beer that aren’t available in bottles or cans. Customers can take the beer home in fillable cans known as crowlers. [Washington Business Journal]

Cosi Files for Bankruptcy — The Cosi chain of sandwich and salad restaurants has filed for bankruptcy and closed 40 percent of its locations. Among the closed stores: the Cosi in Courthouse. A rep for the company told us yesterday: “The decision to close this restaurant was based on its financial performance and market density. At this time, we do not have any plans to reopen this restaurant.” [Nation’s Restaurant News]

Flash Flood Watch Continues — Forecasters are expecting several more inches of rain to fall between now and Saturday. The potential for flash flooding along streams and low-lying areas remains and a Flash Flood Watch is still in effect. [Twitter, Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok

County Board Approves Alternative to ‘Blue Ribbon Panel’

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Board on 9/27/16It may not be worthy of a “blue ribbon panel” designation, but a group of county staffers will soon be tasked with examining the tangle of Arlington County’s various codified master plans and priorities.

The County Board unanimously approved a charge for the “interdepartmental staff team” yesterday afternoon, with little further discussion. The team will conduct an “integrated review” of the 11 elements of the county’s Comprehensive Plan, along with various neighborhood and place plans and County Board resolutions, and will report back to the Board this spring.

The overarching goal: “to clearly communicate Arlington County’s priorities.”

In April, the Board approved the creation of a “blue ribbon panel” of mostly outside experts to do basically the same thing: develop “recommendations for how the Board should develop strategic priorities.” A month later, the Board voted unanimously to defer the creation of the panel, following complaints from community groups.

County Board Chair Libby Garvey, who’s championing the initiative, says the latest charge is the successor to the blue ribbon panel plan and is intended to be more informative than prescriptive.

“Things are all in different places,” she said, referring to the county’s sundry plans. “We want to put it all in one easily accessible and understood place and make things more clear.”

“I’ve been talking for years about the need to do strategic planning,” Garvey continued. “The blue ribbon panel approach was to get a small group of people to tell us how to do that.”

Following the complaints, Garvey said, “it was pretty clear to me that we needed to approach it in smaller steps.”

The County Board will consider the group’s report — it will also be placed on the county website for public review — and will then decide whether more action is necessary.

“That seems like a good step and we’ll see where we go from there,” Garvey said.

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