News

Arlington County’s Top Spokeswoman to Retire

By Adrian Cruz

Diana Sun (photo via Arlington County)Diana Sun is set to retire from her post as Arlington County’s chief spokeswoman this summer after 13 years on the job.

Sun, who joined the county as director of communications and assistant county manager in 2003, is slated to step down in the next couple of weeks. Her last day will be Friday, Sept. 2.

County Manager Mark Schwartz, who announced Sun’s retirement at a County Board meeting last month, said her communications department had “excellent relationships” with journalists and was available at all times to help with media relations.

“She’s held our communications efforts to the highest ethical standards and she has enhanced our reputation as a national leader,” he said.

Prior to working for the county, Sun served as the vice president of corporate communications at Capital One. The experience she brought with her had an immediate effect on the county government, her co-workers said.

“She joined us when we had at best a rudimentary public information office structure and she was bought in to professionalize and modernize the effort and she succeeded brilliantly at the task,” said Schwartz. “She built what I think is one of the best communications teams of any jurisdiction in the commonwealth and perhaps the United States. We are regarded as leaders and innovators in so many areas.”

During her time in the county government, Sun helped oversee the building and rebuilding of the county’s website, led the county’s expansion into social media, redesigned its Citizen newspaper and tracked down the history of the county seal, eventually getting it trademarked.

“The length of time you’ve been here, there’s been an enormous evolution of the communications function here in the county and a professionalization of that,” County Board member Jay Fisette said.

Photo via Arlington County

Crime Report: Cops Nab Would-Be Burglar

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Thanks to an alert citizen and some quick action, Arlington County Police were able to apprehend a would-be burglar near Shirlington early Monday morning.

Police say a 20-year-old man was arrested after smashing a window at a store on the 4000 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive, then fleeing when a witness spotted him in the act.

From an ACPD crime report:

BREAKING & ENTERING, 160808005, 4000 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 4:00 a.m. on August 8, officers were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person. A witness observed a suspect smash a window to a store and then flee when he saw the witness. Responding officers located and apprehended the suspect in the area. Duwan Marquise Terry, 20, of Arlington VA, was arrested and charged with breaking & entering and burglary. He is being held on no bond.

The crime report highlights from the past week, after the jump.

(more…)

Rep. Beyer Touts Clinton’s Support for N. Va. Infrastructure Fixes

By Adrian Cruz

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) speaks alongside Del. Charniele Herring (D) at a press conference outside of the Courthouse Metro station

(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would help fix Memorial Bridge and the Metro system if she is elected president, local congressman Don Beyer said today.

Speaking at a brief press conference outside the Courthouse Metro station, Rep. Beyer (D-Va.) said Clinton would make it a top priority in her first 100 days in office to break through Washington’s gridlock and make the biggest investment in jobs and infrastructure since World War II.

Her economic plan would add jobs to the economy via investments in U.S. infrastructure, Beyer said, including Northern Virginia’s “two great priorities” — Memorial Bridge and Metrorail.

Without more investment, Metro’s long-term capital budget and the deteriorating bridge — which just received a federal grant — would continue to suffer, he said.

“We know the incredibly important role that infrastructure plays in job creation, economic development and raising incomes,” Beyer said. “In Virginia, we expect our leaders to enact policies that help our economy thrive. Hillary Clinton is committed to building an economy that works for everyone in Virginia and America, not just those at the top.”

Jared Bernstein, Vice President Joe Biden’s former chief economic adviser, who joined Beyer and Del. Charniele Herring (D) at the news conference, said Clinton’s plan would have economic benefits for everyone.

“Hillary Clinton’s vision is an inclusive vision where economic growth benefits not just those at the very top, but middle class and lower-income households as well, where investments are made not simply in the bank accounts of those at the very top of the scale, but in people across the income scale,” he said.

According to the Clinton campaign, an analysis by Moody’s economist and former McCain adviser Mark Zandi suggests that Clinton’s economic plan would create 271,000 jobs in Virginia, compared to a projected loss of 89,000 jobs under Republican nominee Donald Trump’s economic plan. (Trump updated his plan in a speech today.)

Not everybody was impressed with the mid-morning press conference. An ART bus driver, picking passengers up at a nearby bus stop, asked a news photographer what was going on. Upon hearing that it was a pro-Hillary press conference, and that the candidate would not be attending, the driver said he was voting for Trump, before driving off.

New Yorktown Field Vandalized

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A new county-owned synthetic turf field at Yorktown High School has been vandalized.

The $1.6 million turf replacement project just wrapped up last week. Over the weekend, a vandal or group of vandals spray-painted the field and the surrounding track and caused some other damage.

“At approximately 7:36 a.m. on August 7, police were dispatched to 2700 N. Greenbrier Street for the report of destruction and vandalism,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.com via email. “An unknown subject(s) spray painted derogatory terms on the field, knocked over several trash cans and a portable restroom. The investigation is ongoing.”

The photos above, taken Monday afternoon, show the cleanup still in progress. Note that photo #3 contains an image that some may find offensive or not safe for work (NSFW).

Photos (top) by Jackie Friedman

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Out for a walk on the W&OD Trail along Four Mile Run Drive (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

More on Randolph Principal Controversy — Some Randolph Elementary parents are still upset that the school’s well-liked principal has been removed with little explanation and demoted to assistant principal at Abingdon Elementary. [Washington Post]

Aerial View of Arlington — Arlington County has created a video of aerial footage of Arlington, shot during a recent ride on the U.S. Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter. [Facebook]

‘Dog Days of Summer’ Donations — Rosslyn eatery Bistro 360 is donating 25 percent of sales from a special “Dog Days of Summer” menu to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and Homeward Trails Animal Rescue. [Facebook]

Late Civic Activist Celebrated — The Nauck community will hold a special celebration of the life of the late civic activist John Robinson this coming Saturday. Robinson, who died in 2010, fought against racism, against injustice and for education, and was the publisher of the Green Valley News for more than 40 years. [InsideNova]

Suspicious Package at Ballston Metro — Updated at 9:15 a.m. — Metro Transit Police investigated a suspicious package at an elevator entrance to the Ballston Metro station this morning. The entrance was blocked off with police tape for a period of time.

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Barbecue items from July's ARLBBQ food and beer event

A stormy Saturday will give way to a very nice couple of summer days starting on Sunday, according to this weekend’s weather forecast.

It’s been a stormy past month for restaurants and bars in Arlington, as long-time favorites close or prepare to close, and as newcomers get set to open.

Feel free to discuss the latest local business developments, or any other topic of local interest, in the comments.

Six Arrested in Military Road Home Invasion Robbery

By ARLnow.com

Military Road home invasion robbery suspects (photos courtesy ACPD)

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) A half dozen teens have been arrested and charged in connection with a home invasion robbery in the Donaldson Run area.

A witness said the armed suspects, dressed in masks, invaded a house party on N. Military Road around midnight last night.

Police on scene of a reported robbery on N. Military Road (courtesy photo)“Masked men stormed a house with guns, knives and pepper spray where a group of high school aged kids were having a party,” said a passerby who witnessed the end of the alleged robbery and wished to remain anonymous.

“I immediately called 911 and informed them of what I saw, which was a group of people attacking someone and then people fleeing in a dark Honda Civic,” the witness told ARLnow.com. “It turned out that the group doing the attacking were the party-goers and the person being attacked was one of the robbers. The person being attacked got into the Honda and took off. They were apparently apprehended not too long after that.”

Police say five of the suspects were taken into custody after an officer stopped a suspicious vehicle in the area. Another was “located on foot.” One of the suspects was an 18-year-old Arlington man, while the rest — including one 17-year-old juvenile — were from Annandale and Alexandria.

In a press release, below, police say the crime happened at a home on the 3000 block of Military Road, after the suspects forced their way through a rear door.

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested and charged 6 suspects, 5 adults and 1 juvenile, for their role in an armed home invasion robbery in the 3000 block of Military Road. At approximately 12:00 a.m. on August 5, officers were dispatched to the area for a fight in progress near the street. A responding officer conducted a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle in the area and took five of the suspects into custody without incident. An additional suspect was located on foot a short while later.

The investigation revealed that the suspects forced entry into the home through a rear door. Once inside, the suspects, armed with a handgun, knife and pepper spray used the threat of bodily harm to rob the victims. The victims were robbed of various items of value and an undisclosed amount of cash. One victim received a non-life threatening stab wound which did not require medical treatment.

The following individuals have been arrested as a result of this investigation:

  • George Nymbal, 18, of Arlington VA has been charged with Robbery (x2), Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Malicious Wounding, Attempted Malicious Wounding, Using a Mask to Conceal Identity
  • Marcos Powers, 18, of Annandale VA has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Using a Mask to Conceal Identity, Burglary
  • Misael Leaver, 18, of Alexandria VA has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Robbery, Using a Mask to Conceal Identity, Burglary
  • Landry Bryant, 18, of Alexandria VA has been charged with Robbery, Use of a Mask to Conceal Identity, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Burglary
  • Samir Boufnichal, 19, of Alexandria VA has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary
  • A 17-year-old juvenile has been charged with Robbery (x8), Conspiracy to Commit Robbery

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective R. Munizza of the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4171 [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Police Investigating Stabbing at Green Valley Pharmacy

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County Police are on scene of a reported stabbing at the Green Valley Pharmacy (2415 S. Shirlington Road) in Nauck.

Units on scene at the long-time local business report that there’s a significant amount of blood on the floor of the pharmacy. Initial reports suggest that a woman, who’s currently talking to police at the pharmacy, stabbed an intoxicated man out of self-defense.

Police are searching for the stabbing victim, who fled the scene after the incident, possibly on a stolen moped.

Update at 5:25 p.m. — Police have located the man who was stabbed, and the moped, near the Arlington Career Center on Columbia Pike, according to scanner traffic. The man has an injury to his hand.

Update at 9:45 a.m. — ACPD has released the following crime report about this incident.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO (significant), 160804038, 2400 block of S. Shirlington Road. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on August 4, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. The investigation revealed that the victim and suspect got into an argument that escalated into a physical fight. During the fight, the male suspect took off his belt and began hitting the female victim with it. The victim broke a beer bottle and slashed the victim’s hand. The suspect then stole the victim’s moped that was parked and fled. The suspect struck a vehicle during his escape, and continued to flee on foot. The suspect was later apprehended in the area and taken into custody. Gregory Donnell Graham, 46, of Arlington VA, was arrested and charged with assault and battery, grand larceny (Auto), and hit and run.

More Clarendon Restaurant Rumors: Pete’s and Fuego

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Amid a turbulent period for restaurants in Clarendon, there are rumors circulating about two other prominent neighborhood eateries.

Multiple sources have told ARLnow.com that Pete’s New Haven Apizza (3017 Clarendon Blvd), which opened in 2011, has been looking for another business to take over its space. One source said a deal is in the works which would bring a new Chipotle location to the current Pete’s space.

“That’s news to me,” Pete’s co-founder Joel Mehr said, when asked about it in June. He declined further comment.

There have also been persistent rumblings that Fuego Cocina y Tequileria (2800 Clarendon Blvd), which opened in 2012, may be closing by the end of the year. A spokeswoman said the Mexican restaurant is doing well and reports about a potential closure are false.

“Those rumors are not correct,” said Simone Rathle, on behalf of Fuego owner Passion Food Restaurant Group. She said the rumors may have started after Fuego stopped serving lunch on weekdays.

Over the span of a month this summer, three prominent Clarendon restaurants — Hard Times Cafe, Boulevard Woodgrill and American Tap Room — closed their doors. Brixx Pizza in Clarendon closed earlier this year after just six months in business.

While there are more new restaurants and bars on the way — Ambar, Pamplona, Opera — some insiders question whether there might be more restaurants in Clarendon than the market can handle. That would explain why even generally well-liked spots, such as Boulevard Woodgrill, have been closing.

Insiders say middle-of-the-road restaurant concepts that branch out as small chains after finding success in the suburbs — American Tap Room would be one example — are particularly vulnerable. Drawn to Clarendon by allure of the area’s young, affluent potential customers, they find that consumers have tastes more in line with D.C. than Fairfax County.

“I think the mini-chains don’t realize this clientele is so used to D.C. and big city ideas,” said one industry insider. “In a town far out it would probably do well, but people here want something different.”

There’s also the issue of quickly-changing consumer habits — the reason why the once-hot frozen yogurt and cupcake shops have been whittled down to one survivor apiece in Clarendon.

Still, neither explanation would apply to Pete’s, which originated in D.C., or Fuego, which was launched in Clarendon by savvy, successful D.C. area restaurateurs. In the end, it might come down to supply and demand: too many restaurants in one place, not enough potential customers.

TV Station WJLA to Remain in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

The WJLA building in RosslynTelevision station WJLA (ABC 7) will remain in Rosslyn after its owner, Sinclair Broadcasting, signed a new 15 year lease.

Monday Properties, which owns the 1000/1100 Wilson Blvd “twin towers” in which WJLA is based, first announced the 100,000 square foot lease renewal on Tuesday.

The renewal helps to maintain Rosslyn as something of a media hub, home to WJLA, Politico, Washington Business Journal, Graham Holdings, Salem Radio Network News, Washington Free Beacon and New Media Strategies.

More from a press release:

Sinclair Television Group, Inc is renewing its over 100,000 square foot lease at 1000 Wilson Boulevard and 1100 Wilson Boulevard until 2031. The Towers is one of 10 buildings owned and operated by Monday Properties throughout Rosslyn and the greater metropolitan area.

“Over the past several years, we have been running an extensive search in the Metro D.C. area with the goal of selecting a long-term real estate solution that meets our future business objectives.  As we looked at our options, which included building a new, standalone facility, we kept coming back to the Towers,” said Del Parks, Senior VP and Chief Technology Officer of Sinclair Television Group, Inc.  “With its expansive building infrastructure and operational flexibility, we are able to execute our growing platform in Rosslyn most efficiently.”

“It’s clear that Rosslyn’s ongoing transformation offers a robust and diverse array of businesses, retailers and housing options which are critical for our employees’ overall workplace and social requirements,” Dan Mellon, General Manager of Sinclair’s WJLA and News Channel 8, which will occupy part of the space. “The Towers proximity to Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., also provides our employees the ability to cover stories quickly, from a location that is free from transportation inefficiencies.”

Sinclair’s decision to re-commit to Rosslyn builds on its extensive occupancy history at the Towers, where its landmark media companies, WJLA and News Channel 8 (acquired by Sinclair in July 2014) have been long-term tenants. Sinclair’s 15 year lease will be accompanied by an extensive infrastructure investment to suit their unique business needs, which includes vital connectivity to the Washington D.C. area.

With the renewal of their lease, Sinclair has joined a growing ‘media hub’ trend in Rosslyn, which has an impressive roster that includes Politico, Washington Business Journal, Graham Holdings, Salem Communications, Washington Free Beacon and New Media Strategies.

“When we did our initial short-term renewal with Sinclair earlier this year, we did so hoping that we would provide Sinclair the time necessary to fully vet their real estate search which included the Towers.  Over the past couple of months, we have worked collaboratively with the Sinclair team to formalize a comprehensive lease renewal structure that enables them to firmly achieve their firm’s new programming endeavors.  As companies increasingly look to pursue first-rate amenities, easy accessibility and a business-friendly environment, the Rosslyn submarket continues its upward trend of being a location that firms look to in attracting and retaining high quality employee talent.” said Tim Helmig, President and Chief Operating Officer of Monday Properties. “We’re pleased that Sinclair will remain a tenant of Monday Properties, enjoying the unparalleled amenities and lifestyle opportunities Rosslyn has to offer.”

Including the Sinclair transaction, Monday Properties has executed over 345,000 square feet of new and renewal leases in 2016 in its portfolio as Rosslyn continues its impressive, upward absorption trend this year, joining other recent high profile transactions with global consulting group, Grant Thornton, PriceWaterhouseCooopers, Eastern Foundry, CalAtlantic Group (Ryland Homes) and Silicon Valley Bank, to name a few.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Clouds over the monuments (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Dems Press Advantage in Arlington — Have you encountered voter registration volunteers in Clarendon and in Arlington’s other Metro corridor locales? They’re likely part of the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s effort to deliver votes for Hillary Clinton this fall. Heavily Democratic Arlington is key to Democratic candidates in statewide races. The ACDC is trying to boost turnout among those who live in apartments and condos to reach the goal of a 50,000 vote margin of victory. [InsideNova]

Groundbreaking for Courthouse Office Building — The groundbreaking for a new office building at 2311 Wilson Blvd in Courthouse is likely just days away, after its anchor tenant, Opower, confirmed that it will be moving forward with its lease. Opower was recently purchased by tech giant Oracle, throwing plans for the building — and for Opower staying in Arlington — in doubt. [Washington Business Journal]

Citizen’s Police Academy Accepting Applications — The Arlington County Police Department is now accepting applications for its 19th Citizen’s Police Academy this fall. The program “is designed to create better understanding and communication between citizens and the police through education,” ACPD said in a press release. “Some of the topics of discussion include: police hiring, legal considerations, use of force, vehicle operations, community engagement, K9, SWAT and mental health crisis intervention.” [Arlington County]

Arlingtonians Fascinated By Chinese Bus — ARLnow.com has been bombarded with tweets and emails from readers about a new “elevated” bus in China that straddles and drives over traffic. Is it cool? Absolutely. Is it a possible transit solution for Columbia Pike? Probably not — the new Freedman’s Bridge that carries traffic on Washington Blvd over the Pike almost certainly doesn’t have enough clearance. [Jalopnik]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

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