News

Arlington Names First Poet Laureate

By ARLnow.com

Katherine E. Young, photo by Jeanne Julian (via Arlington County)Arlington County has named its first Poet Laureate.

Katherine E. Young, who has lived in Arlington for three decades, is an award-winning poet and literary translator. She will serve at our local Poet Laureate for two years, receiving an annual honorarium of $1,500.

In a press release sent at 3 p.m. Friday, the county said a ceremony will be held for Young at a County Board meeting next month.

“The new Poet Laureate will work with Cultural Affairs and Library staff to develop and facilitate public programs to engage Arlingtonians of all ages and backgrounds and bring poetry to a wider audience,” notes the press release (after the jump).

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Daily food specials at Mister Day's in Clarendon

Power Restored at Market Common — Power is back on at the Market Common Clarendon shopping center, following last Tuesday’s transformer explosion and fire. The electricity is being supplied by mobile generators over the next two weeks, before the shopping center can be reconnected to Dominion’s power grid. [Facebook]

Fire at River Place — A fire broke out in the kitchen of one of the units at the River Place residential complex in Rosslyn Saturday afternoon. The fire charred the walls of the kitchen. Smoke spread to several floors of the building. [Twitter]

Some Inconvenienced By Latest Metro Surge — The second phase of Metro’s maintenance surge is entering its second full week and riders have mostly adjusted to the latest round of station closures and service changes — but some are feeling the effects more than others. The current phase of “SafeTrack” work will run through July 3. [WJLA]

AFAC Seeks Fresh Food Donations — The Arlington Food Assistance Center is asking gardeners to donate fresh produce to help feed families in need in Arlington County. [InsideNova]

Fmr. County Board Candidate Alan Howze Moving to Kansas

By ARLnow.com

Democratic County Board candidate Alan Howze

Two-time Arlington County Board candidate Alan Howze is moving to Kansas City.

Howze, who was twice defeated by John Vihstadt in back-to-back races in 2014, announced the news of his impending move on Facebook this afternoon.

I have accepted a position as the first Chief Knowledge Officer for the Unified Government of Kansas City and Wyandotte County, and we will be moving to Kansas City, Kansas this summer.

I am thrilled at the opportunity to return to public service, alongside a forward looking leadership team, and in areas (government efficiency, effectiveness and transparency) that I am passionate about. It is a new position that in…cludes direct management of Information Technology, GIS Mapping, 311 Operations, and Open Data, and a charge to support innovation, collaboration, and data-driven decision making across the UG.

There is much that we will miss about Arlington, starting with great friends and neighbors, and the neighborhood and community leaders that we have had the privilege to work with and learn from. Harper, Morgan and Katherine have had a fantastic experience in Arlington’s schools, and we are grateful for the strong foundation of learning that APS teachers have provided.

Howze said he, his wife and his kids plan to make the move later this summer.

Arlington Man Arrested, Charged in Ballston Sexual Assault

By ARLnow.com

Anibal Rodriguez Castellanos (photo courtesy ACPD)A day after releasing a composite sketch in the hopes of catching a sexual assault suspect, Arlington County Police today said they got their man.

Anibal Castellanos, a 36-year-old Arlington resident, has been arrested and charged with burglary and attempted rape in connection to the June 19 attack.

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit has made an arrest in the case of a sexual assault which occurred at a residence in the 3900 block of 4th Street N. in the early morning hours of June 19, 2016. Mr. Anibal Rodriguez Castellanos, 36, of Arlington, Va. is charged with Nighttime Burglary while armed and Attempt Rape. Mr. Anibal Rodriguez Castellanos is currently being held with no bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on June 19th, an unknown male subject unlawfully entered a female victim’s apartment and sexually assaulted her while using the threat of a knife to hold her against her will. During the attack, the victim was able to escape and lock herself in a bathroom where she called for help. The male suspect fled the residence on foot and was observed by a neighbor leaving the scene.

Following interviews with the victim and witnesses, a composite sketch of the suspect was developed. A combination of evidence collected during the investigation and the accounts of several people from the neighborhood led to the identification of Mr. Anibal Rodriguez Castellanos. Members of the Tactical Unit, First District Policing Team and Detectives of the Special Victims Unit apprehended Mr. Anibal Rodriguez Castellanos at his home in Arlington, Va.

Special Victim’s Unit detectives continue to collect evidence and ask anyone who knows this individual or details surrounding the June 19th incident, to please contact Detective P. Pena at 703.228.4183 or [email protected]. To report information anonymously, please contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Don’t Expect Fancy ‘Streetcar-Like’ Buses on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Streetcar-like bus in Las Vegas (photo via Twitter)

Next month the Arlington County Board will consider the county’s final Transit Development Plan, which includes the post-streetcar plans for transit on Columbia Pike.

Just don’t hold your breath for the aesthetically-pleasing “streetcar-like” buses mentioned occasionally by streetcar opponents before the project was cancelled.

The Transit Development Plan includes provisions for “premium bus service” along the Pike, but “premium” refers more to the usability and frequency of the bus service than the vehicle itself.

“The premium network would offer bus service that is fast, frequent, reliable and easy to use, with features including simplified bus routes, increased weekday and weekend service, and a new one-seat ride from Skyline to Pentagon City-Crystal City,” said a county press release.

The plan does include a series of 23 enhanced bus stops along the Pike, with a price tag north of half a million dollars apiece, providing “near-level boarding, longer platforms, real-time bus arrival information and off-vehicle fare collection.”

Articulated Metrobus, downtown Washington, DC (photo by M. Ortiz via Wikipedia)It will also call for larger, articulated buses on some heavily-used routes, but those will be operated by Metro and won’t be put into service until Metro and the county can establish the infrastructure needed for such buses.

“Higher capacity (articulated) buses will be addressed in the 10-year Transit Development Plan,” said Marti Reinfeld, Arlington’s interim Transit Bureau Chief. “The routes that will need the additional capacity are Metro-operated; therefore, we are coordinating with Metro to include articulated buses in their fleet expansion plan and to address how an articulated fleet will be stored and maintained in Virginia.”

(Here’s more information on the articulated buses currently in use by Metro.)

“As maintenance and storage details for articulated buses are worked out, we will revise the TDP in an annual update, as needed,” said Reinfeld.

“To be clear, no plans for any especially fancy ART buses or anything like that, besides the eventual possibility of articulated buses?” asked ARLnow.com.

“Correct,” said a county spokesman.

Photo (top) of a bus in Las Vegas via Twitter. Photo (bottom) by M. Ortiz via Wikipedia.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Flowers

Arlington GOP Votes Down Anti-Trump Measure — The Arlington County Republican Committee voted 27-10 against a proposal that would support an anti-Donald Trump coup at the Republican presidential-nominating convention. “Supporters of the resolution, which called on delegates to the upcoming national convention in Cleveland to be freed to vote their consciences, said the Republican brand would suffer with Trump at the top of the ticket in November.” [InsideNova]

Snagajob Makes Big Acquisition — Local tech firm Snagajob may “need more space in our beloved Arlington” after acquiring Peoplematter, another hourly job marketplace. [Twitter, Snagajob]

Arlington Built Temporary Bikeway — During the Air Force Cycling Classic bike races in Clarendon, Arlington County converted a block of Wilson Blvd into an “Active Streets Festival” with “bike-oriented games and activities, plus a collection of temporary bikeways ‘built’ with tape, paper, and potted plants.” [Greater Greater Washington]

‘Bike to the Beach’ Happy Hour — A happy hour is being held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday on the Whitlow’s rooftop in Clarendon for “Bike to the Beach,” which raises funds for The Autism Society of Northern Virginia and Autism Speaks. Bike to the Beach is a 100+ mile bike ride from D.C. to Dewey Beach, Delaware to raise money and awareness for autism. [Event Calendar]

Anti-Gang Soccer Tournament — On Sunday the Arlington Gang Prevention Task Force will hold an all-day soccer tournament at Washington-Lee High School. “No city or town is immune to gangs,” said Robert “Tito” Vilchez, the task force coordinator. [Arlington County]

Racist, Homophobic Graffiti Found on Trail, Around Neighborhood

By ARLnow.com
1/8

Arlington County Police are trying to figure out who is responsible for a series of racist and homophobic graffiti along the Bluemont Junction Trail and around the Boulevard Manor neighborhood.

The graffiti was first spotted last night along the trail, with the N-word and the F-word spray-painted on the trail and other graffiti on rocks and on a trampoline at a nearby property, according to scanner traffic. It was reported that a group of teenagers was responsible for the graffiti, but police were unable to locate the group at the time.

This morning, more graffiti was found around the Boulevard Manor neighborhood, immediately west of the trail.

“At approximately 5:30 a.m., an unknown suspect(s) vandalized numerous items in the Boulevard Manor neighborhood of Arlington,” wrote Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The vandalism included destruction of property and graffiti.”

“This series is similar to the vandalism on the Bluemont trail yesterday and detectives are investigating whether or not these are linked,” Savage told ARLnow.com. “The graffiti included various derogatory terms to include swastikas, N-word and homosexual slangs. This is an ongoing and active investigation and will include determining if this could be a hate crime.”

The vandalism was widespread around the neighborhood, including properties on the following streets, according to police.

  • 6000 block of 4th Street N.
  • 100 block N. Nottingham Street
  • Unit block of N. Montague Street (at Washington Blvd)
  • 500 block of N. Montague Street
  • 400 block N. Lombardy
  • 200 block of N. Nottingham Street
  • 500 block of N. Lombardy Street

Along the Bluemont trail, neighbors said the vandals damaged the trail and some neighborhood landmarks.

“I’ve lived here for 40-something years and when I saw the blue on the rocks down here, these rocks have been there forever,” said Debbie Cowell. “If I saw somebody doing it, I definitely would have said something.”

“I have no idea who did it, my guess is kids,” said William Pearson. “A couple years ago this wouldn’t have happened. I think because of the influx of families, my guess it that it’s teenagers being teenagers.”

Additional reporting and photos by Adrian Cruz and Jackie Friedman.

Police Release Sketch of Sexual Assault Suspect

By ARLnow.com

Composite sketch of sexual assault suspect (photo courtesy ACPD)Arlington County Police have released a composite sketch of a man who broke into a woman’s apartment and sexually assaulted her.

The crime happened early Sunday morning near Ballston and was first reported earlier this week.

Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect. They have released a composite sketch (left), in the hopes that it may lead to more tips.

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect involved in the sexual assault of a female victim which occurred at a residence in the 3900 block of 4th Street N. in the early morning hours of June 19, 2016.

At approximately 2:00 a.m., an unknown male subject unlawfully entered a female victim’s apartment and sexually assaulted her while using the threat of a weapon to hold her against her will. During the attack, the 28 year old female victim was able to lock herself in the bathroom and yell for help. The male suspect fled the scene on foot.

The suspect is described as a white Hispanic male, 25-35 years old with dark hair and a fair complexion. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with dark pants. Following interviews with the victim and witnesses, a composite sketch of the suspect was developed.

Arlington County Police detectives are actively investigating this incident. Responding officers attempted a canine track in the area with negative results and officers canvassed the area speaking with possible witnesses. Officers will continue conducting extra checks in the area.

If anyone has information on the identity of this individual or details surrounding this incident, please contact Detective P. Pena of the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit at 703.228.4183 or at [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Pentagon City Mall to Hold Active Shooter Exercise This Weekend

By Adrian Cruz

Long line for Garrett Popcorn Shop in Pentagon City MallIn the wake of the tragic events in Orlando, police are holding an active shooter training exercise in one of the most consistently crowded places in Arlington.

The training exercise will be held at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City on Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight.

“The purpose of the exercise is to test the response of Arlington County’s public safety agencies and mall staff in a simulated emergency situation,” ACPD said in a press release.

Training activities will be confined to the interior of the mall and there will be a large number of public safety vehicles in the area surrounding it. They will not use lights or sirens during the exercise.

As a result of the training, pedestrian access to the mall will be restricted after 6 p.m. and parking at the mall will be limited

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Cemetery Metro station in the rain (Flickr pool photo by Brian Irwin)

Beyer Participates in House Sit-In — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) was among the Democratic members of the House of Representatives participating in a sit-in for gun control. Beyer gave a speech on the House floor at 4:15 this morning. [C-SPAN, Twitter]

Arlington’s 11-Year-Old Police Chief — Carlin Springs Elementary student Nathnael Abraham, 11, served as Arlington’s Police Chief-for-the-Day on Tuesday. As chief Nathnael was especially concerned about bank robberies. “I think the most important crime problem would be robberies — bank robberies, because they’re taking money that belongs to other people, and that’s not OK,” he told NBC4’s Pat Collins. [NBC Washington]

Garvey: Vacancy Rate Still Too High — Even though it’s come down by 1 percent in the past year, Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey says Arlington’s 20.2 percent office vacancy rate is way too high. The county has been actively working to attract businesses and bring the rate down. Each 1 percent of vacancy costs the county about $3.4 million in tax revenue. [Arlington County]

Whistleblower Hotline to Be Expanded — Arlington County will be expanding its recently-implemented waste, fraud and abuse hotline this fall. The hotline, currently only available for county employees, will be opened to the general public. In its first year, the hotline received 13 complaints, one of which resulted in a policy change and two of which are still under review. No widespread waste or fraud was uncovered, the county says. [InsideNova]

New Agreement With JBMHH — On June 15 Arlington County and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall signed a new memorandum of agreement for a partnership that will provide services and cost savings to the base. [Pentagram]

Flickr pool photo by Brian Irwin

UPDATED: Washington Blvd Shut Down After Man Shoots Self in Car

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsUpdate at 8 p.m. — All lanes are back open.

Update at 6 p.m. — The southbound lanes of Washington Blvd have reopened, but the northbound lanes remain closed due to the police investigation.

Earlier: All lanes of Washington Blvd remains closed near Fort Myer due to a self-inflicted shooting.

The shooting happened just after 3:30 p.m., when an Arlington County Police officer approached a stopped vehicle on the side of Washington Blvd. As the officer was walking up, the man inside the vehicle pulled out a handgun and fired several shots, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Numerous police officers responded to the scene following the shooting, but they took a cautious stance out of safety concerns. The county bomb squad was dispatched to the scene, to investigate the vehicle. At 4:20 p.m., paramedics pronounced the man dead.

The officer who first approached the car is being evaluated by paramedics but is believed to be uninjured. Significant traffic impacts are being reported due to the now-rush hour closure of Washington Blvd between Columbia Pike and Route 50.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is a phone call away. Call CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

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