News

UPDATED: Metro Train Derails at East Falls Church Station

By ARLnow.com

Derailed Metro train at the East Falls Church station (photo courtesy John Sonderman)

Update at 2:45 p.m. — Orange and Silver line service will remain suspended between Ballston and West Falls Church through at least Saturday, Metro said this afternoon.

(Updated at 10:35 a.m.) Two people were evaluated for injuries after a “minor” train derailment at the East Falls Church Metro station.

Orange and Silver Line service remains shut down between West Falls Church and Ballston as a result of the derailment, and will remain shut down through Friday evening, according to Metro. Shuttle buses are running between the stations.

About 75 passengers were on the train when the derailment happened, around 6:30 a.m. Train cars remained upright and the passengers were able to offload “without further incident,” according to Metro.

The derailment happened as Metro’s “SafeTrack” maintenance work was being performed on one of the tracks between Ballston and East Falls Church.

Photo (top) courtesy John Sonderman

https://twitter.com/LadyJazzSinger/status/758976058708283392

Arlington Tech Firm Snagajob Releases State of the Hourly Worker Report

By Adrian Cruz
1/9

(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) Nearly 73 percent of hourly workers in the nation drive to the workplace via carpooling, borrowed cars or their own personal cars, according to Arlington tech firm Snagajob’s 2016 “State of the Hourly Worker” report released today.

Snagajob, a job search engine that helps hourly workers find employment, highlights aspects of hourly work — such as demographics, salaries, the job application process and worker opinions — in its study.

“Despite these impressive numbers, there is very little data reported broadly about this important demographic,” the report says. “Many view hourly work as an onramp into employment. Others see the hourly worker as “second fiddle.” Or some even assume hourly workers don’t work full-time or ever intend to. Some might not even think about the hourly worker at all.”

With minimum wage, the data states that 41.4 percent of the nation’s hourly workers are paid a minimum wage of $9 or less, including Virginia, where the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

The majority of workers surveyed felt that it should be higher, with 33.3 percent of hourly workers stating that the minimum wage should be $10 while a further 9.8 percent felt that it should be $15 an hour.

Communication between employers and prospective employees is another issue that many workers feel exists with 54.6 percent stating that the most frustrating part of the job search is not getting a response back from an employer. Of the workers surveyed, 15.9 percent felt that companies not doing a good job at describing what the job entails was the most frustrating part.

The data was collected via online surveys of both full and part-time workers. Over 1,000 online interviews were conducted during the creation of the report.

Snagajob has offices in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood and in Richmond, in addition to outposts in Charleston, Atlanta and Oakland.

Images courtesy of Snagajob

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Summer ride (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

Minor Charges for Man Who Ran from Cops — The man who ran from police Tuesday in Ballston did so, apparently, to avoid being charged with driving on a suspended license and improper registration. He’s now also facing eluding and failure to I.D. charges. The passenger in the car did not flee and is being charged with identity theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. [Arlington County]

I-395 HOT Lanes ‘Pretty Close to a Done Deal’ — A plan to convert the I-395 HOV lanes to High Occupancy Toll lanes appears to be proceeding. Thanks to promises to use toll revenue to enhance carpooling and express bus service, Arlington officials have been generally supportive of the plan so far. That, after the county sued to block a previous I-395 HOT lane plan. [Washington Post]

Arlington Names New Zoning Administrator — Arlova Vonhm, the county’s Acting Zoning Administrator, has been appointed to the position on a permanent basis. “Vonhm, who joined the County in 2012 as a principal planner, leads a team of 30 Zoning staff. Her team collaborates with Inspection Services and other County staff to process and approve building permits, while actively enforcing the County’s Zoning Ordinance,” notes a press release. In the past few years, Arlington’s zoning administrators have drawn the ire of many in the business community for a heavy-handed approach to enforcing Arlington’s zoning rules. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

ACFD On Scene of Major Gas Leak in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Update at 6:55 p.m. — The leak has been stopped and ACFD units have now left the scene.

Arlington County firefighters are on the scene of a major gas leak in the Virginia Square area.

Initial reports suggest that construction crews at the Latitude Apartments site, on the 3600 block of Fairfax Drive, across from the Metro station, hit and severed a three-inch gas line.

Police were called to the scene to block traffic around the gas leak.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Evening sky near Fort Myer (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

Earlier Metro Closing Time? — Metro is considering closing at 10 p.m. on Sundays and midnight each other day of the week. The earlier closing times will help with track maintenance and safety, Metro says. But Arlington County Board member and Metro board member Christian Dorsey says there needs to be more public discussion of the change, saying that “We are a region that requires transit service as late as possible to keep up with commerce, to make sure that it’s not just a commuter system.” [Reston Now, WTOP]

Home Prices Up Five Percent — The median home sale price in Arlington is now $625,000, up 5 percent compared to one year ago, according to the real estate firm Long and Foster. [Patch]

Big Fire in D.C. — The smoke from a fire in D.C. yesterday afternoon was visible to much of Arlington. The fire damaged a small apartment building near Logan Circle and injured a dog. [Borderstan]

Arlington Firm Investigates DNC Hack — Arlington-based cybersecurity firm ThreatConnect says it has traced the hacker who claimed responsibility for stealing emails from the Democratic National Committee back to Russia. The firm says the hacker “is more likely a collection of people from the propaganda arm of the Russian government.” [Daily Beast]

Local DJ Profiled — DJ Neekola, one of the D.C. area’s most sought-after club and event DJs, is a Pentagon City resident who used to do IT work for the government. [Arlington Magazine]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

UPDATED: Man In Custody After Ballston Foot Chase

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Update at 4:05 p.m. — The suspect has been taken into custody on the back porch of a home on the 1100 block of N. Taylor Street, according to scanner traffic.

Arlington County Police are searching for a suspect who took off on foot after a traffic stop in the Ballston area.

The car was stopped by police on Washington Blvd. The suspect ran off and officers gave chase, but they lost sight of him in the area of 9th Street N. and N. Stuart Street, near the Metro station.

Police are establishing a perimeter in order to try to find the suspect. Officers are also investigating the possibility that the car was stolen or, at minimum, was improperly registered.

Construction Vehicle Brings Down Power Lines Near Virginia Square

By Jackie Friedman
1/2

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) A construction vehicle is currently draped with downed power lines near Virginia Square.

The incident occurred shortly before noon at 3700 6th Road N. as the truck was being hauled through the Ashton Heights neighborhood.

Firefighters and police were called to the scene and currently have the sidewalk and the road closed for safety, as the lines were believed to be live electrical lines.

No injures were reported, but at least one neighboring home was reportedly damaged.

https://twitter.com/wponds/status/758001228899033088

More American Tap Room Rumors Surface

By ARLnow.com

American Tap Room in ClarendonMight changes be in the works at American Tap Room in Clarendon?

Multiple sources tell ARLnow.com that the bar and restaurant at 3101 Wilson Blvd is either set to close or, at least, give up part of its space for a new Verizon Wireless store. No timeline was given for when either might happen.

A local manager at American Tap Room told us that it’s not planning to close. The restaurant’s Reston-based parent company, Thompson Hospitality, did not return a call last week seeking comment.

In late 2014 we reported, citing commercial real estate sources, that American Tap Room was seeking a buyer to take over its large, pricy lease for space just across from the Clarendon Metro station. It has remained open since that report.

Crime Report: Sexual Assaults in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Arlington County Police reported two sexual assault incidents in the Rosslyn area in its Friday crime report.

One incident happened near the Iwo Jima memorial, as a woman was walking home from the Rosslyn Metro station around 10 p.m.  Police say a man in a ski mask approached the woman, possibly exposed himself and grabbed her inappropriately.

From ACPD:

SEXUAL ASSAULT, 160721005, 1200 N. Meade Street. At approximately 10pm a female was walking from the Rosslyn metro to her residence when she was approached by a white male wearing a ski mask. As the suspect approached he lifted his shorts up, possibly exposing himself. The victim walked away from the man, who then groped her in the crotch area. The man fled the scene and is described as a White or Hispanic male, 5’8″ with an athletic build, wearing a black ski mask, long sleeve shirt, silver basketball shorts, and black Vans sneakers.

The other crime happened around 6:30 p.m. on the 1700 block of Clarendon Blvd, near the intersection with N. Quinn Street.

SEXUAL ASSAULT, 160721043, 1700 N. Clarendon Blvd. At approximately 6:30pm a female was walking on Clarendon Blvd. near Quinn Street when a man on a bicycle approached her from behind and grabbed her breast. The suspect is described as a husky White male wearing a dark colored bike helmet, maroon shirt, gray khaki shorts and white shoes.

The rest of the notable items from the Friday’s and today’s Arlington crime reports, after the jump.

(more…)

Reaction to Clinton’s Pick of Kaine as Running Mate

By ARLnow.com
1/5

On Friday, Hillary Clinton announced that Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) was her VP pick, capping months of speculation about the Democratic presidential nominee’s running mate.

The announcement rippled through Virginia politics, with elected officials from a local level on up weighing in on the decision.

Among Democrats representing Arlington in Richmond or across the Potomac, many were quick to praise the pick.

Said Sen. Mark Warner, in a statement:

I enthusiastically applaud Secretary Clinton’s choice. Without reservation, I can say there is no one of higher integrity and trustworthiness.

I first met Tim Kaine in law school 37 years ago, and our paths crossed years later in Virginia politics.  Whether serving as mayor of Richmond, Virginia’s lieutenant governor, governor, and now as U.S. senator, Tim has always shown a commitment to serving others.

He always finds reasons for hope and optimism in every situation, and he is centered by his faith and his family. Our country, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, will be very well-served by electing Tim Kaine as Vice President.

Said Gov. Terry McAuliffe:

I am thrilled to congratulate my friend Senator Tim Kaine on his selection to join the Democratic ticket with Hillary Clinton. As a Mayor, Lieutenant Governor, Governor and United States Senator, Tim Kaine has demonstrated that he is the right choice to help lead our country forward as Vice President of the United State. His experience, intellect and dedication to making life better for people from all walks of life will make him an enormous asset to Secretary Clinton throughout the remainder of this campaign and as a leader in her administration over the next four years. This is a proud day for every Virginian.

Said Del. Alfonso Lopez:

Secretary Clinton has made a wise choice in Tim Kaine as her running mate. He is an extraordinary public servant who has dedicated his life to helping others. In his administration, I coordinated and supervised Congressional and Federal Relations for the Commonwealth and the Governor. In that position, I saw firsthand his intelligence, innate decency and ability to get folks from all points of view to work together.

A tireless champion for the citizens of the Commonwealth, Tim Kaine takes a pragmatic and results-oriented approach that has earned him respect on both sides of the aisle. He is a strong addition to the Democratic ticket and will be a true asset to a Clinton Administration.

Simply put, my old boss and friend U.S. Senator Tim Kaine is one of the best public servants and one of the best individuals I’ve ever encountered. In a world that sometimes feels like it has lost its way, the nation will benefit greatly from the leadership, compassion and infectious optimism of Tim Kaine.

Said state Sen. Adam Ebbin:

The speculation about who Gov. McAuliffe might appoint to replace Kaine in the U.S. Senate, should he and Clinton win the presidential race in November, has already started.

Among the local names being mentioned as possible Senate appointees are Rep. Don Beyer, Aneesh Chopra and Del. Lopez.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Ziina flower in the Four Mile Run community gardens (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

Ultimate Frisbee at APS — The Arlington School Board is expected to vote to make Ultimate Frisbee an official co-curricular sport in middle schools and high schools. Arlington is already a hotbed of Ultimate play at the high school club level. It’s likely to be years before the sport is recognized by the Virginia High School League, the statewide intramural sports governing body. [InsideNova*]

Adoption Event Success at AWLA — The Animal Welfare League of Arlington reported 28 adoptions as part of the national Clear the Shelters pet adoption event over the weekend. [Twitter]

Development Before and After — A series of before and after photos, via Google Street View, show some of the more dramatic changes from the last decade of development in Arlington. [Rent Cafe]

Local White Supremacist Quoted — The Associated Press yesterday quoted Richard Spencer, a 38-year-old white supremacist who reportedly lives in Arlington and believes that African-Americans, Hispanics and Jews should be removed from the United States. Spencer, an alt-right figure, attended the Republican National Convention in support of Donald Trump. [Associated Press]

Few Proven Towing Violations — Out of 18,642 trespass tows in Arlington last year, only 7 — or 0.04 percent — were found by authorities to have violated local towing ordinances. [InsideNova*]

Watts Finishes Another Race — Jamie Watts, a fixture in the local running scene, has finished another race. Watts, who has cerebral palsy, completed Saturday night’s Crystal City Twilighter 5K despite sweltering conditions. [WUSA 9*]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley.

*Denotes website that employs pop-up ads, autoplay video or other disruptions to the user experience.

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