News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A balloon “S,” attached to a “G” (not pictured), floats away after a confrontation with an angry pedestrian along Wilson Blvd. in Ballston. Sweetgreen recently reopened after a remodel (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New County Board Candidate — Updated at 7:45 a.m. — “The March 1 Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting brought a sixth candidate for County Board into the mix. Susan Cunningham launched her bid for the Democratic nomination, saying she would provide common-sense leadership. She also attacked the county government’s Missing Middle housing proposal as ill-conceived and not fleshed out.” [Gazette Leader]

Marymount Donation for Renovation — “Marymount University said it plans to renovate a historic building that’s sat empty in recent years into a new campus center… A $2.8 million gift from the Reinsch Pierce Family Foundation is fully funding the new, 6,240-square-foot Reinsch Pierce Family Campus Hub, a university spokesman said. It will house a Barnes & Noble student bookstore, a “spirit shop” with university merchandise, Lola’s Café and space for faculty, students and visitors.” [Washington Business Journal]

GMU Construction on Pace — “Construction continues on a centerpiece building for George Mason University’s Arlington campus in Virginia Square. Hundreds of Clark Construction workers and subcontractors are toiling away and progress is being made on ‘Fuse,’ the name of the 345,000-square-foot building that will provide a home for both university programs and private-sector partners. The building, located along North Fairfax Drive, is set for topping-out around September, with industry tenants moving in beginning in the summer of 2024 and the university starting to occupy its space the following spring.” [Gazette Leader]

Arlington Resident’s Cancer Battle — “Sarah Zoeller has spent the past 18 months treasuring every day while at the same time eagerly looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life–one that ideally doesn’t include hospital rooms or medical procedures. In September 2021, Zoeller, 49, who lives in Virginia with her husband and two teenage children, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.” [Parade]

New Paper Sponsoring Award — “The GazetteLeader has been tapped as the new sponsor of the highest honor in Arlington civic activism. The ‘GazetteLeader Cup’ will be the new name of the annual award presented by the Arlington County Civic Federation… The honor was known as the Evening Star Cup from 1938-81, the Journal Cup from 1982-2004 and the Sun Gazette Cup from 2004-22.” [Gazette Leader]

Neighborhood College Applications Open — “This spring, Arlington County will offer its first hybrid in-person and virtual Neighborhood College experience featuring new opportunities to tour County facilities and interact with staff. Applications for the spring session are due by Friday, March 24, 2023. The Neighborhood College program is geared toward Arlingtonians who want to become more involved in their neighborhood and countywide interests.” [Arlington County]

It’s Thursday — Light rain in the morning, then remaining cloudy but mild. High of 64 and low of 51. Sunrise at 6:41 am and sunset at 6:03 pm. [Weather.gov]

Court opts for restitution over sentence for man who tried to break into middle school

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

(Updated at 9:45 a.m. on 3/2/23) The man who tried to force his way into a locked-down middle school last June won’t be charged — but this clemency comes with conditions.

Alexander Sentayhu, who was charged with property destruction after he unsuccessfully tried to breach Thomas Jefferson Middle School, was given a deferred disposition rather than a sentence. That means he has a series of conditions to meet in order to have the charge dismissed.

Believing there was an active school shooter inside, he called 911 and indicated he was armed and trying to get inside to pick up his relatives, Arlington County Police Department said at the time. Sentayhu kicked the glass door, breaking it, and tried unsuccessfully to open it. He left before police arrived.

The building had been secured and locked to the outside due to a robbery at a 7-Eleven store nearby, but anxieties about school violence were heightened around this time following the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Sentayhu turned himself in, was charged with Destruction of Property and released on bond while the General District Court reviewed his case. He was 25 at the time of his arrest.

The outcome of Sentayhu’s case is known as a “deferred disposition,” and it is an authority is granted to the court in Virginia code, according to Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti.

“He was required to fulfill conditions such as restitution and treatment, designed to ensure accountability and rehabilitation,” Dehghani-Tafti tells ARLnow.

The court reviewed his progress toward meeting these conditions during his appearance on Feb. 16 of this year.

“He successfully met those conditions and the resolution was supported by the parties involved,” she said.

Dehghani-Tafti did not elaborate as to what those conditions were.

Like probation, deferred dispositions usually come with conditions, according to an explainer by the Virginia State Crime Commission.

“In general, deferred disposition permits a court to withhold imposition of a sentence and place conditions on the defendant that, when met, allow for the charges to be dismissed,” it says. “Upon the satisfactory completion of all conditions, and if no other criminal offenses are committed during the period of deferment, the original charge may be dismissed.”

Sentayhu was previously in the news in early 2020, after he incurred steep medical costs while suffering a significant heart issue, and later after speaking at a White House press conference with Vice President Kamala Harris about the issue of medical debt.

Last week someone using an email account under Sentayhu’s name emailed ARLnow demanding that we “DELTE OR PERMANENT DELETE this FALSELY reported article ASASP,” in apparent reference to the report about his arrest. The email included a court record showing that the charge against him had been dropped.

They did not respond to emailed questions asking for his side of the story.

JUST IN: Police on scene of near-fatal teen overdose in Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Arlington County police and medics responded to a near-fatal opioid overdose in the Ballston mall parking garage this afternoon.

The initial dispatch went out shortly before 1:30 p.m. for a possible cardiac arrest with CPR in progress after an overdose, inside the county-owned public parking garage. A group of teens was found near the mall elevators on the 6th floor of the garage.

First responders administered the overdose reversal medication Narcan to two people with suspected overdoses and reported that the person initially said to be in cardiac arrest had a pulse but was unconscious, according to scanner traffic.

The fire department established an incident command at the garage and ended up transporting three people to a local hospital via ambulance.

Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed to ARLnow that those involved were juveniles.

“At approximately 1:24 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of possible overdose in the 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard involving three juveniles,” Savage said. “First responders administered NARCAN on two of the juveniles which resulted in positive responses. The three juveniles were transported to an area hospital. The investigation is ongoing.”

A similar incident was reported at the parking garage last week, on a Tuesdy morning.

A group of highly intoxicated teens required medical attention in a stairwell, not far from the entrance to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

“At approximately 9:33 a.m., police were dispatched to the 600 block of N. Glebe Road for the report of a Drunk in Public,” Savage said at the time. “Upon arrival, six juveniles showing signs of intoxication were located inside a stairwell of a commercial building. Out of an abundance of caution, they were transported to an area hospital for evaluation. The investigation is ongoing.”

ARLnow did not previously report on the alcohol incident. Between then and now, a police source confirmed to an ARLnow reporter that the juveniles were students at nearby Washington-Liberty High School and were skipping class.

Savage said it was not immediately clear whether today’s incident involved the same group.

“As part of the ongoing investigation, detectives will work to determine if this incident is related to any other reported incidents,” she said.

Today’s overdoses follow several involving students on and off school grounds since the start of December’s holiday break, part of an ongoing opioid epidemic at Arlington’s public schools.

At least three have occurred on school grounds so far this year, including a fatal overdose at Wakefield High School on Jan. 31. That has led to calls for various changes at APS by teachers, parents and School Board members.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Enjoying mild weather at Long Bridge Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More County Board Candidates — “The Arlington County Democratic Committee’s field for County Board is expected to grow by at least one at the party’s monthly meeting on March 1. That would bring to six, at a minimum… Previously announced contenders include Tony Weaver, Natalie Roy, J.D. Spain Sr., Jonathan Dromgoole and Maureen Coffey.” [Gazette Leader]

NTSB Docs on Train Derailment — From NBC 4’s Adam Tuss: “NEW: the @NTSB has released the public docket for the 7000 series train derailment from October 2021. This is the incident that prompted the entire 7000 series fleet to be sidelined. We see images of the train ‘jumping’ on the tracks and dust from underneath.” [Twitter, NBC 4]

Rosslyn-Based Politico to Rival NYT? — “Mr. Döpfner wants to keep expanding Springer’s U.S. presence and plans to make Politico the company’s global flagship publication with the goal of ultimately overtaking the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal in audience numbers and advertising revenue.” [Wall Street Journal]

Arlington Company Aims for Growth — “Arlington’s Evolent Health Inc. (NYSE: EVH) opened 2023 by laying off hundreds of workers while setting the stage for its next phase of growth. The company, which spent 2022 snapping up more market share and expanding its services for health care providers, cut more than 460 positions in its Chicago operations last month, according to public filings in that market.” [Washington Business Journal]

W-L Student Founds Therapy Nonprofit — “A high schooler in the DMV is making a difference by creating his own non-profit. William Mount first had the idea when he was in 8th grade… Free2Talk officially launched in August of 2022. Those ages six through 19 can apply for assistance. William and the board at his non-profit will determine if they qualify based on income and some other factors.” [WJLA]

Track Titles for DJO Runners — “Led by victories from Chayse Raymond in the 55-meter dash in 7.19 seconds and Molly Weithman in the 3,200 (11:18.93) the Bishop O’Connell Knights girls indoor track and field team finished eighth in the recent private-school state high school meet.” [Gazette Leader]

Snow Predicted This Month — “After an exceptionally warm January and February, one might expect to leap ahead into spring during March. But not this time: The evolving weather patterns are conspiring to deliver a parting shot from winter… With the colder pattern returning, forecast models are indeed projecting snowfall, particularly in the March 10 to 20 window.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Cold May Slow Cherry Blossoms — “Because of the prospect of a chilly March in the D.C. area — slowing the start of spring — we’re anticipating peak bloom will take place between March 25 and 29. That’s just a few days earlier than normal.” [Capital Weather Gang]

It’s March — Sunny most of the day, with clouds arriving in the afternoon. High of 58 and low of 35. Sunrise at 6:42 am and sunset at 6:02 pm. [Weather.gov]

Marymount approves plan to eliminate some majors, despite some pushback

By Jo DeVoe
Marymount University students protest the decision to remove nearly a dozen majors (courtesy photos)

(Updated at 8 p.m.) Despite protest from some students, faculty and alumni, Marymount University will be removing some majors, mostly in the humanities, from its catalogues.

On Friday, the Board of Trustees voted 20-0 to move forward with the plan, university spokesman Nick Munson said. He asserted that the change was faculty-led and administration-supported and the eliminated majors were “no longer serving Marymount students.”

“The impacted majors are rarely selected by Marymount students and, in fact, have only graduated a handful of students in the past decade,” said spokesman Nick Munson, noting that 74 students have declared majors that will soon be cut. “This decision reflects not only our students’ needs, but our responsibility to prepare them for the fulfilling, in-demand careers of the future.”

Ahead of the unanimous vote, some faculty, students and alumni decried the decision and tried to prevent it. Earlier in this process, a majority of faculty in the faculty council voted in favor of a different proposal that would see two programs cut and course consolidations to others to save some money. Students and alumni sent President Irma Becerra letters and two demonstrations were held.

They are still planning demonstrations, with a third set for tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.

Marymount University demonstration flier (courtesy photo)

Marymount says it is making these changes to improve its finances and cut programs with low enrollment.

Two recent signs of rocky finances include assessments by Forbes and Moody’s Investors Service, according to a joint letter from Marymount alumni.

“In the 2022 Forbes College Financial Grades, Marymount University was bestowed a financial grade of ‘D’ — the lowest grade on Forbes’ scale — with a financial GPA of 1.39,” the letter said.

Moody’s downgraded the university’s issuer and debt ratings to B1 and Ba3, due to a combination of factors, including “very high financial leverage with thin operating results, declining liquidity, debt structure risks inclusive of a project financing currently subsidized by the university, and a highly competitive student market.”

The alumni used these two points to argue that Marymount’s decision will “bring instability to the institution during a time that requires much needed stability.”

But Moody’s downgraded school ratings still seem warm to the programmatic changes the school is making.

“New financial leadership is deliberately focused on realigning student programming, right sizing expenses and enhancing revenue,” Moody’s said.

Marymount provided numbers breaking down how many students are majoring in the fields headed to the chopping block.

  • B.A. Art (10)
  • B.A. Economics (13)
  • B.A. English (15)
  • B.A. History (15)
  • B.S. Mathematics (6)
  • B.A. Philosophy (3)
  • B.A. Secondary Education (0, though this was not a primary major)
  • B.A. Sociology (8)
  • B.A. Theology & Religious Studies (0)
  • M.A. English & Humanities (4)

“These programs are simply not ones that are in demand,” Munson said. “However, we will continue to provide a strong liberal arts core and offer classes in the subjects above.”

Students will still be required to study these subject areas as part of the school’s core curriculum, and Marymount will continue offering a more general bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies.

“Marymount will always be dedicated to the education of the whole person,” Munson said. “Every one of these foundational subjects remain part of our core curriculum, which supports our mission and Catholic identity.”

Alumni say this won’t achieve the same outcome.

“It would… erode — not strengthen — our intellectual community, which must be multidisciplinary to ensure students are prepared for the challenges and opportunities they will face in our present and future world,” the letter said.

Budget materials shared with ARLnow show the school forecast lower tuition revenue this fiscal year from in-person undergraduate and graduate students, but higher revenue for students in online programs.

Last fall, per the presentation slides, Marymount was staring down a budget deficit of $3.5 million.

Those opposed to the cuts argued that the moves would not realize much savings, given that most faculty would have to remain on staff to teach the core curriculum. They instead pushed for the school to focus more on growing its fundraising take.

Tax documents indicate Marymount’s net income in recent years has generally ranged between $1 million to $5 million per year, with losses in some fiscal years (available figures run through mid-2021). In recent years, donations swung between $2.5 million to $5.7 million.

UPDATED: Man, 76, charged after shot fired in Westover

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated on 3/1/23) Arlington County police investigated a gunshot fired in the Westover neighborhood Tuesday morning.

Initial reports suggest that a resident of a garden apartment building on the 5800 block of Washington Blvd heard a gunshot and then found a bullet in their residence.

Police are now on scene and trying to sort out what happened. Officers have recovered a gun, a police spokeswoman says.

“At approximately 11:02 a.m. police were dispatched to the 5800 block of Washington Boulevard for the report of a discharge of a firearm inside a residential building which caused property damage to a wall,” ACPD’s Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “No injuries were reported. Responding officers located the subject and recovered the firearm. Police remain on scene investigating.”

Later, police said in a crime report that a 76-year-old resident is facing charges in connection to the gunfire.

RECKLESS HANDLING OF A FIREARM, 2023-02280101, 5800 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 11:02 a.m. on February 28, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect allegedly discharged a firearm in his residence, causing damage to the interior of his home and an adjacent unit. The suspect remained on scene and was taken into custody without incident. No injuries were reported and a firearm was recovered. [The suspect], 76, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Reckless Handling of a Firearm and Public Intoxication.

Police: Man shot himself at hotel, tried to make it look like a robbery

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A 69-year-old Connecticut man is in jail after police say he shot himself and falsely claimed he had been shot during a robbery attempt.

The shooting happened two weeks ago in the parking garage of the Hilton Garden Inn in the Courthouse neighborhood, a block from Arlington County police headquarters.

The man was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said at the time.

This morning, police announced that the man who was shot had been arrested and faces a number of charges, including filing a false police report.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing an arrest in a shooting that occurred in the 1300 block of N. Courthouse Road on February 15, 2023. Chester Dunican, 69, of Waterford, CT, is charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Discharge Firearm in Public and False Police Report. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

The suspect initially reported to police that he was placing items into his vehicle when an unknown male wearing a ski mask approached, demanded his wallet and shot him. During the course of the investigation, detectives uncovered numerous inconsistencies between the suspect’s account of the incident and evidence recovered. The investigation ultimately determined the suspect shot himself and tried to make it appear as though an attempted robbery had occurred. He was taken into custody on the afternoon of February 27, 2023, after his release from the hospital for injuries sustained during the incident.

News reports suggest that Dunican’s felony conviction was quite recent.

He pleaded guilty in a Michigan federal court this past October to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charge stems from a scheme that defrauded a Native American tribe of more than $1 million, various news outlets reported. The reports also note that it’s not the first time Dunican had been implicated in a business scheme.

“Dunican is known in Maine for several business ventures that became entangled in financial and legal problems,” the Portland Press Herald reported, adding that, according to Dunican’s attorney, he previously served in the military and has “serious and chronic health conditions.”

Dunican was set to be sentenced on Feb. 14, a day before the shooting, but “informed the court he had car problems and was unable to make it to the hearing,” another Maine newspaper reported. He faces up to 20 years in prison and three years of supervised release for the fraud charge, though federal sentences are typically lower than the maximum under statute.

According to ACPD, Dunican is currently being held without bond at the county jail in Courthouse, following his release from the hospital yesterday (Monday).

Reported Covid cases in Arlington hit lowest point since 2021

By ARLnow.com
One-year view of Covid cases in Arlington (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Covid cases in Arlington reported to health authorities have fallen to the lowest level in a nearly a year and a half.

The Virginia Dept. of Health is currently reporting a seven-day average of about 17 cases per day in Arlington, though VDH notes that it expects an elevated level of cases over the next two weeks “due to a delay in the transfer of case reports from laboratories to VDH.” Nonetheless, that’s the lowest case rate since the summer of 2021.

The county is also seeing a lower rate of Covid-related hospitalizations, with 5.2 per week per 100,000 in population, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That’s half of the threshold from what the CDC considers a “low” Covid community level — which Arlington is currently in — to a “medium” level.

The decline in cases in Arlington since the start of January mirrors a similar fall from a seasonal peak in Covid cases statewide, down by nearly two thirds during the same timeframe.

While Covid has somewhat faded into the background of the general public consciousness, it is undoubtedly still spreading. In Arlington Public Schools, for instance, outbreaks continue happening with some regularity. Nearly 250 student cases have been reported in APS over the past 30 days, including 23 cases at Williamsburg Middle School and 14 cases at Abingdon Elementary.

Meanwhile, Virginia Hospital Center ER chair Dr. Mike Silverman, who has penned a weekly public Facebook post about Covid since shortly after the pandemic started, says he will be discontinuing the column next month.

“After much consideration, I want to let everyone know that I expect to have my last ‘weekly update’ on Friday, March 10,” Silverman wrote recently. “I wrote my first Friday Night Update on the second Friday in March 2020 and stopping on the second Friday in March three years later seems like a good run. I will write a proper goodbye and thank you with that update.”

Silverman’s Feb. 17 post also provided an update on long-term complications of Covid on the heart, lungs and other organs, also known as Long Covid.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Wet chairs (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)

Dog Euthanized Despite Online Petition — “A dog named Marley was euthanized Sunday after biting a smaller dog that got loose from its owner in Virginia, despite online efforts to save her… The decision to euthanize the dog came on the same day that rally was being held in the area to help Marley, and as an online petition to save her had gained traction.” [Fox 5]

Missing Middle Rally Draws Crowd — “About 200 people gathered in Courthouse Plaza Saturday afternoon to show their support for Arlington County’s Missing Middle Housing plan… Arlington County Board Member Katie Cristol kicked off the rally on the snowy afternoon by telling the crowd that it is ‘a little unconventional’ for a board member to speak at an advocacy event on an issue still under consideration by the board.” [Patch, Falls Church News-Press]

Swanson Student Hospitalized — “On February 15, [Swanson Middle School] families received this email. Over the weekend, I learned the ‘physical injury’ was, sadly, the result of violence (‘from physical contact with another student,’ per the school principal).” [Twitter]

Legislatures Approves Arlington Judges — “The General Assembly has followed the recommendation of its Arlington delegation, electing Daniel Lopez to an eight-year term on the 17th Judicial Circuit and Cari Steele to a six-year term to the General District Court.” [Gazette Leader]

More on Ballston Wine Bar — “The couple worked with local architecture and design firm //3877 to design the community cafe and wine bar, which features a 3,300-square-foot interior and a 1,000-square-foot exterior. After conversations with the designers about what they wanted, the //3877 team came up with the term “whimsical refinement” to guide their design of the cafe and wine bar.” [Patch]

Stormwater Fee Change Coming — “Arlington government leaders continue to put the procedural steps in place to change the way county property owners are charged for stormwater-related costs. As part of their fiscal 2024 budget plan, County Board members will consider moving from the existing funding stream (a tax levied based on the value of property) to a fee-based one that is dependent on the amount of impervious surface on any given lot.” [Gazette Leader]

Reality Show Star Staying in Arlington — “The Real Housewives of Potomac’s Ashley Darby first landed in Arlington by chance, on a dinner date with an ex-boyfriend long before she got married… Now, the Bravo star says she has been a proud resident of Northern Virginia for going on 11 years and is raising her two toddler boys, Dean and Dylan, here. She also recently bought a new home in Arlington but is not publicly sharing anything about it because Real Housewives has yet to reveal details. Darby loves Arlington and has no plans to leave anytime soon, she says.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Cloudy this morning then clearing in the afternoon. High of 58 and low of 45. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 6:01 pm. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent

Arlington police investigating weekend carjacking near Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

Arlington County police are investigating a carjacking that happened Saturday night near the Courthouse neighborhood.

Police were dispatched to the 2000 block of N. Adams Street, just north of Langston Blvd, around 9:40 p.m.

“Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were exiting their parked car when two unknown male suspects approached, brandished a firearm and stole the keys to the vehicle and two cell phones,” ACPD said today (Monday) in a crime report. “The suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle and were followed by a suspect driving a dark colored sedan.”

Both vehicles were later found unoccupied, police said.

“The victims’ vehicle was later located unoccupied in Washington D.C. and the suspects’ vehicle, which was determined to have been stolen, was located unoccupied on the George Washington Parkway,” the crime report said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

This was at least the seventh carjacking in Arlington so far this year. That’s half of the 14 in total reported throughout 2022. A carjacking earlier this month resulted in a chase and arrests.

The new Shirlington Jeni’s Ice Cream is giving away free ice cream next week

By Matt Blitz
The new Jeni’s ice cream shop in Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Jeni’s Ice Cream in Shirlington is giving away free ice cream next week.

While the new shop at 4150 Campbell Ave has already been open for a couple of weeks, there will be a “grand opening” event on Wednesday, March 8.

At the event, employees will be scooping free ice cream starting at 7 p.m. until closing at 11 p.m, the company announced in a press release.

“All ice cream, up to and including a signature (three flavors), will be free,” a Jeni’s spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow.

Plus, the first 50 people in line at 7 p.m. will get “swag bags” with Jeni’s merchandise.

After nearly a year since the initial announcement, Jeni’s Ice Cream finally opened in Shirlington earlier this month. With the closings of Yogiberry and I-CE-NY over the last several years, there were no dedicated frozen dessert shops in the shopping center until the Columbus, Ohio-based ice cream shop made its debut.

The scoop shop is open every day from noon to 11 p.m., providing night owls a chance to satisfy their sweet tooth.

Jeni’s is not the only highly-anticipated opening in Shirlington. A block away, Astro Beer Hall (and its donut-making robot) plan to start serving in May.

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