An election official measures the distance that campaigners can stand near the Central Library polling place (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Cruiser Rammed in Pentagon City — “800 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 4:45 p.m. on June 16, police observed a stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, during which the driver of the suspect vehicle reversed into an occupied police cruiser before fleeing the area. Officers then initiated a vehicle pursuit. The driver eluded police and the suspect vehicle was not located. No injuries were reported.” [ACPD]
Police Recruits Graduate — “Friday, June 16, 2023, marked a significant milestone in the careers of Arlington County Police Department’s eight newest officers as Session 148 graduated from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. In front of family, friends and colleagues, the new officers took their solemn oath to serve and protect the Arlington community and safeguard the Constitutional rights of all.” [ACPD]
Local Poetry Book Tour — “Hear what resilience means to high school students in Arlington with the publication of a new book of poems. An event to celebrate the launch of the new youth poetry anthology ‘Words for the World’ was held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Arlington Library. All summer long, the editors and poets of the new book will conduct a series of readings across Arlington County.” [WUSA 9]
It’s Wednesday — Rain in the morning, likely getting heavier in the afternoon. Cloudy, with a high near 72. Northeast wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. At night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 61. Northeast wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. [Weather.gov]
Police vehicles seen near the Air Force Memorial amid a search for a pursuit suspect
Virginia State Police, assisted by Arlington County police, are searching the area around the Air Force Memorial for a suspect who fled a pursuit and crash.
Initial reports suggest that state police gave chase to a suspect seen driving the wrong way in or near the Pentagon south parking lot. That suspect then crashed his vehicle at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Joyce Street, but fled on foot.
Police have established a perimeter and have called in the Fairfax County police helicopter to try to track down the suspect, according to scanner traffic and a flight tracking website.
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Noteworthy: Beautifully updated brick colonial in the heart of Arlington!
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The renovated kitchen showcases granite countertops, painted paneled cabinetry with brushed nickel hardware, a marble tile backsplash, pendant lighting, spacious pantry, and stainless steel appliances including a Bosch dishwasher, LG refrigerator, and five-burner gas stove. The adjoining family room features a cozy wood-burning fireplace with brick hearth and wood mantel, plus a sliding glass door leading to a large deck overlooking a fully fenced backyard with lush landscaping and a storage shed.
Upstairs, the expansive primary suite offers a deep walk-in closet, additional custom-organized closet, and a luxurious private bath with double sinks, granite counters, new lighting, and upgraded hardware. Two additional bedrooms with ceiling fans share an updated hall bath featuring a granite vanity, ceramic tile floor, and tub with tile surround.
Additional highlights include a newer Carrier gas furnace, State water heater, LG front-load washer and dryer, central vacuum system, and double-pane windows. Ideally located just blocks to Clarendon Metro and minutes to downtown D.C., the Pentagon, National Landing, and local parks and trails—this home delivers a rare combination of comfort, convenience, and timeless charm.
Showers likely, mainly after 3pm. Patchy fog after 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 72. Northeast wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. At night: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 9pm. Patchy fog. Low around 61. Northeast wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” – Aristotle Onassis
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti at her election watch party in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Josh Katcher at his watch party in Westover, after conceding the race (staff photo)
County Board candidate JD Spain at the election watch party in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington Sheriff candidate Jose Quiroz greets County Board member Takis Karantonis at the Walter Reed Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Voting on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Arlington at Walter Reed Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A man inserts a ballot into a voting machine at Walter Reed Community Center on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Voting underway at Swanson middle school in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Voting underway in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti at her election watch party in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 9:25 p.m.) Commonwealth’s Attorney incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti has defeated challenger Josh Katcher in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Dehghani-Tafti has 56% of the vote to 44% for Katcher, her former deputy, in the heated race for the top prosecutor of Arlington and Falls Church. That’s as of 8:40 p.m., with all but a few hundred provisional and late-arriving mailed ballots counted in Arlington. Polls closed at 7 p.m.
Katcher, standing outside of his watch party at Lost Dog Cafe in Westover, called Dehghani-Tafti shortly before 8:50 p.m. to concede the race.
The contentious — and expensive — contest has been seen as something of a referendum on the incumbent’s brand of vocal justice reform advocacy. Katcher, while billing himself as also in favor of justice reform, put a spotlight on Dehghani-Tafti’s leadership, which he linked to departures of deputy prosecutors amid a reported rise in crime.
“Right now we’re going to celebrate what we were able to accomplish with this campaign and thank the volunteers,” Katcher told ARLnow before heading back into his event.
“Over the course of the last six months, we’ve had an important debate in our community over the future of criminal justice reform,” he said in a subsequent written statement. “Our team left it all on the field, as we sought to have a debate about what real reform and real justice could mean for our community… I stand ready to continue my commitment to this community, to its safety and to the goal of ensuring that we are balancing the need for both justice and compassion.”
Dehghani-Tafti also thanked her supporters. Gesturing to the crowd gathered at her event at Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse (held with County Board candidate JD Spain) she said those present reflect a tiny fraction of the people who donated, volunteered, “held my hand,” and knocked on doors.
“A campaign based on love, dignity and respect prevailed,” she said. “I’m grateful for the trust everybody has placed in me.”
In the other two closely watched local races, for County Board and Sheriff, leads were slim.
The three-way county sheriff race has Jose Quiroz with a widening lead compared to earlier in the night, with 40% to 34% for former deputy sheriff Wanda Younger and 27% for Arlington police corporal James Herring.
Quiroz was appointed Acting Sheriff after the departure of long-time Sheriff Beth Arthur earlier this year. The position is primarily responsible for running the county jail in Courthouse, with the Sheriff’s Office also handling court security, civil process serving, and some law and traffic enforcement responsibilities.
The Arlington County Board primary, meanwhile, is being conducted for the first time using ranked choice voting, which means final tabulation will not take place until Friday at the earliest. Results of “first choice” votes are being posted, however, showing Susan Cunningham with 25%, Natalie Roy with 24%, Maureen Coffey with 22%, and JD Spain with 20%.
