News | ARLnow.com

Arlington Fire Chief Appointed Deputy County Manager

Published August 5, 2015 at 3:45PM

Arlington County Fire Chief James Schwartz will be joining county government as a Deputy County Manager next month.

Schwartz was appointed by another Schwartz — Acting County Manager Mark Schwartz. The appointment is effective Sept. 8.

As Deputy County Manager, Schwartz will oversee the county’s public safety and emergency management agencies. ACFD Assistant Chief Joseph Reshetar will take over as the department’s acting chief after Schwartz departs.

The full Arlington County press release, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 5, 2015 at 9:00AM | Updated August 5, 2015 at 10:07AM

Deal With Hospital Expected — Arlington County is expected to hold a public meeting next month to discuss a land deal with Virginia Hospital Center. The county is reportedly ready to sign a memorandum of understanding with the hospital for a five-acre, county-owned parcel of land adjacent to it, which would then allow the hospital to expand. Details of the deal were not yet available. [Washington Business Journal]

County History Survey — To help county leaders understand which aspects of local history are especially important to residents, Arlington is conducting an online survey, asking for “ideas on collecting, preserving, sharing our history.” An Arlington Historical Task Force will take the survey into account when presenting recommendations for historic preservation priorities later this year. [Arlington County, Preservation Arlington]

When the KKK Marched Through Arlington — In 1922 about 400 members of the Ku Klux Klan, including some prominent local citizens, marched through Arlington neighborhoods like Clarendon, Ballston, Cherrydale and Rosslyn. At the time, the Klan was a powerful organization that claimed 60,000 members in Northern Virginia, sponsored youth baseball teams and owned a field for cross burnings on what is now Ballston Common Mall. The Klan’s message was that of racism and intolerance, but it also advocated for law and order and against corruption in government and vices like drinking. [Falls Church News-Press, Our Redneck Past]

Theodore Roosevelt Island Profiled — USA Today has published a profile of Theodore Roosevelt Island, near Rosslyn. Included in the profile are notable facts about the island, including the fact that what now appears to be a natural forest was “clear-cut, trampled and even bombed by 1931.” [USA Today]

Motorcyclist Suffers Severe Cut from Wine Bottle Tossed from Car

By ARLnow.com

Published August 4, 2015 at 1:30PM

A man riding a motorcycle suffered a serious cut on his arm after someone threw a bottle out of a car window on I-395 Saturday afternoon.

The motorcyclist was riding southbound on I-395 near the Pentagon when someone in front of him threw a wine bottle out of a Lincoln Town Car.

The bottle shattered on the pavement and a piece of shattered glass flew up and struck the motorcyclist’s left arm, slicing an artery, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

“It was bleeding profusely,” Sternbeck said of the freak injury.

The motorcyclist continued down I-395 until he spotted an Arlington police officer on a traffic stop. He stopped and the officer applied a tourniquet to control the bleeding.

The man, a 41-year-old Woodbridge resident, was rushed to Virginia Hospital Center, where he underwent emergency surgery. He is expected to be okay.

“He was happy to see police lights,” said Sternbeck.

So far, police, have not been able to track down the Town Car from which the bottle was thrown.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 4, 2015 at 9:00AM | Updated August 4, 2015 at 9:41AM

Sweetgreen, Taylor Gourmet Coming to Crystal City — Venture capital-funded salad purveyor Sweetgreen plans to open a 1,700 square foot store in the former Corner Bakery space in Crystal City later this year. And that’s not the only trendy eatery coming to the neighborhood. Sandwich shop Taylor Gourmet is expected to open in a storefront next door. [Bisnow]

Sunglasses Store Closes on Pentagon Row — There’s still more than a month until Labor Day but sunglasses store Specs New York, which opened up three months ago on Pentagon Row, appears to be closing. [Twitter]

New Law Allows Cocktail Pitchers — A new Virginia law that took effect July 1 finally allows restaurants to serve pitchers of cocktails. Previously, it was against the law to serve any mixed drink other than sangria via pitcher. Pepita, which opened last week in Ballston, is taking advantage of the new law by selling margaritas in a skull-shaped pitcher for $40. [Washington Business Journal]

TV Station Profiles Arlington Fugitive — Rosslyn-based WJLA featured an Arlington fugitive as part of an “ABC 7 On Your Side” segment. Police say Jessie Kim, 25, assaulted the new owner of what had formerly been his family’s dry cleaning business. Kim is also accused of destroying the owner’s phone and other property before driving off in a silver BMW. [WJLA]

Bus Accident in Ballston — A minor collision between an ART bus and a Metrobus happened around 5:00 p.m. yesterday in front of the Ballston Metro station. No injuries were reported.

Flickr pool photo by David Giambarresi

Man Arrested After Foot Chase That Ends on I-395

By ARLnow.com

Published August 3, 2015 at 5:50PM

A man has been taken into custody after leading Arlington County police on a foot chase that ended along I-395.

The chase started around 5:30 p.m. near S. Joyce Street in the Pentagon City area. The suspect led officers on a foot pursuit towards Washington Blvd and then along a southbound I-395 ramp, according to scanner traffic.

The man started running during a traffic stop, and may have had warrants out for his arrest, according to initial reports.

No injuries have been reported, though paramedics have been dispatched to the scene as a precaution.

Weekend Sexual Assaults May Be Connected to Courthouse Case

By Heather Mongilio

Published August 3, 2015 at 4:45PM

Arlington County Police are looking into whether pair of sexual assaults over the weekend are linked to a sexual assault in Courthouse last month.

Over the weekend, two women, both in their late 20s to early 30s, were grabbed from behind and tossed to the ground. The crime and the suspect descriptions in both cases are similar to that of the assault in Courthouse on July 24, said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

“We’re not saying it’s the same guy at this point, but there are some similarities in terms of the attack and the suspect description,” Sternbeck said.

The first attack happened at 8:45 p.m. on Friday. A woman was running alone on the W&OD trail when a man grabbed her from behind and threw her to the ground, according to a police report. The woman screamed causing the man to flee.

“The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his twenties, approximately 5’6″ tall and 140 lbs. He was wearing long gray shorts, a belt, and no shirt at the time of the incident,” according to a police report.

On Saturday, at 11:26 p.m., a 25 year-old woman was walking near the intersection of N. Thomas Street and N. Pershing Street in Buckingham when a man grabbed her from behind and threw her to the ground. The man allegedly touched the woman inappropriately, and she bit one of his fingers and he fled, the police report said.

“The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, between 5’0″-5’3″ tall, with black hair and a mustache. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and jeans at the time of the incident,” according to police.

Police Seek Uber Driver for Alleged Sex Assault

By ARLnow.com

Published August 3, 2015 at 3:35PM | Updated August 3, 2015 at 5:18PM

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) Arlington County Police are looking for an Uber driver accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger.

The incident happened early Sunday morning, on the 900 block of S. Randolph Street in the Alcova Heights neighborhood. It started with an Uber ride that left D.C. at some point between 2:45 and 4:00 a.m.

Police say an intoxicated woman, 29, and her friend ordered an Uber, but ended up getting in “an Uber cab that was not her intended ride.”

While in transit, the woman vomited in the back seat, according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The driver dropped off the friend before driving to S. Randolph Street to drop off the victim. It’s at that point that the alleged assault occurred.

“Despite the ride not being established via the app, the driver consented to provide a ride,” said the crime report. “The driver allegedly sexually assaulted the female victim when she was unable to pay the fare.”

The victim then fled to a friend’s house and called police. Police are now trying to track down the driver.

“The suspect is described as a Middle Eastern male with short, curly black hair, and a goatee,” according to the police report. “He was wearing a dark polo shirt and jeans at the time of the incident.”

As of this afternoon police said they had not yet reached out to Uber but planned to do so soon. An Uber spokesman said the company has contacted police and offered to assist with the investigation.

“We have contacted the authorities to offer our support in their investigation, and we continue to gather more information,” said Uber’s Taylor Bennett. “Our thoughts are with the victim during this difficult time.”

Dump Truck Catches Fire in North Arlington

By Heather Mongilio

Published August 3, 2015 at 1:45PM

N. Lexington Street was closed for 45 minutes today after a dump truck caught on fire, causing it to leak hydraulic fluid.

The fire ignited in the truck’s engine compartment around noon, near the intersection of N. Lexington Street and Little Falls Road.

The dump truck leaked about three to five gallons of fluid, said Battalion Chief Matt Herbert, of the Arlington County Fire Department. The fire was started by a mechanical issue, he said.

Hazmat crews had already been to the scene as of 1:15 p.m. They put absorbent on the fluid, which prevented it from going into the storm drains, Herbert said. Most of the fluid was on the right side of the road against the edge.

“The absorbent picks it [hydraulic fluid] up and the company cleans it up and takes it to an authorized dump,” he said.

A hazmat crew and other members of the fire department, including the fire marshal, were still on scene waiting for the contractor to come pick up the absorbent. N. Lexington Street is open, but one lane remains blocked off.

The hydraulic fluid and absorbent are not dangerous to residents Herbert said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 3, 2015 at 9:25AM

Booing at Meeting About I-66 Tolling — VDOT representatives were booed by residents at a meeting about the plan to convert I-66 to high occupancy toll lanes inside the Beltway. VDOT wants to have the tolling in place by 2017. In addition to residents, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is skeptical of the plan, worried that it may discourage travel at Dulles International Airport. [InsideNova, WTOP]

Opera Troupe Leaving Arlington — Forced to find a new home due to the closure of Artisphere in Rosslyn, the opera troupe UrbanArias will perform at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE in D.C. during its 2015-2016 season. [InsideNova]

Barbie Doll Convention Held in Crystal City — More than 1,000 collectors descended on Crystal City for the 2015 National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention last week. The event included auditions for a Barbie-themed Broadway production. [Daily Mail]

Marine Completes Hand-Cycle Journey to Arlington — Double amputee Marine veteran Toran Gaal completed his cross-country ride to Arlington National Cemetery this past weekend. Gaal made the more than 3,000 mile journey, which raised money for other wounded Marines, on a hand-cycle. [NBC Washington, Stars and Stripes]

Call For Entries at Arlington Film Fest — The call for entries is now open for the 2016 Rosebud Film Festival. The final deadline for submissions is Nov. 6. [YouTube, Arlington Independent Media]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Liberty Center Construction Wraps Up, For Now

By ARLnow.com

Published July 31, 2015 at 4:45PM

Construction on the large, eight-building Liberty Center project in Ballston has been wrapping up this week, but just temporarily.

Construction barriers have been removed from the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Randolph Street, a new sidewalk is open and construction cranes have come down. However, the project isn’t quite complete: one of the buildings has yet to be built.

As reported by the Washington Business Journal in January, developer Shooshan Co. decided not to built the eighth and final building — a 20-story office building at 4040 Wilson Blvd — without significant lease commitments. With none apparently forthcoming, Shooshan decided against building on “spec” during a period of high office vacancies in Arlington and the rest of the D.C. region.

“The construction has been paused until we have the right deal in place,” Director of Leasing and Marketing Kevin Shooshan told ARLnow.com. “We could start again in a month, or in a year, it all depends on the market and finding our deal.”

Currently, passersby can see the top of a five-level underground parking garage, behind the chain link fence, on the site of what will eventually be 4040 Wilson Blvd.

The tower will eventually be built on top of the garage. Until then, Shooshan says the company is planning to place wrap signage around the site.

The temporary conclusion of construction isn’t the only action on the block. Around the corner, on N. Quincy Street, Pepita Cantina opened last night to a large crowd sampling the drink-heavy menu.

Judge Rules in Favor of Removing Confederate Flag from Va. License Plates

By ARLnow.com

Published July 31, 2015 at 1:30PM

A federal judge’s ruling today will allow Virginia to remove the Confederate flag from specialty license plates.

An existing state law on the books says specialty license plates issued for members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans may not include an emblem, like the Confederate battle flag. An injunction on First Amendment grounds prevented the Commonwealth from enforcing that law, but a Supreme Court ruling in June prompted Attorney General Mark Herring (D) to file a motion to vacate the previous order.

In a press release, the attorney general’s office says that Judge Jackson Kiser will next file an order that will specify whether nearly 1,700 previously-issued Confederate plates may be recalled.

Today in federal district court in Danville, Judge Jackson Kiser ruled from the bench that he will dissolve his 2001 injunction that had allowed the Sons of Confederate Veterans to place the confederate battle flag on certain specialty license plates in Virginia. On June 26, Attorney General Mark R. Herring filed motions (see below) to dissolve the injunction and vacate the order that had required placement of the flag on SCV license plates. The Commonwealth will now be able to enforce its existing law regarding SCV plates which states “No logo or emblem of any description shall be displayed or incorporated into the design of license plates issued under this section.”

“This ruling will allow Virginia to remove a symbol of oppression and injustice from public display on its license plates,” said Attorney General Mark Herring. “Virginia state government does not have to and will not endorse such a divisive symbol. I appreciate Governor McAuliffe’s leadership in calling for the removal of the flag and those on my team who moved quickly to get it done.”

Judge Kiser’s ruling will not be official until he enters his order, which will also address whether the decision will apply prospectively to new license plates, or retroactively to include existing ones. Deputy Attorneys General Rhodes B. Ritenour and Jeffrey M. Bourne and Senior Assistant Attorney General Janet Westbrook handled the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.