Ballston Quarter

Sierra Club to Hold Rally Outside Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com

It may be the most exciting thing to happen outside Ballston Common Mall since this happened last year. The Virginia Sierra Club is planning a made-for-TV rally tomorrow at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Stuart Street.

With the help of some interesting visuals, environmental activists will be calling for policies that support cleaner air in Virginia. Specifically, the Sierra Club is asking for public hearings regarding Dominion Virginia Power’s long-term energy plan. They’re also asking for the State Corporation Commission to approve Dominion’s plan to retire two coal-fired power plants in Virginia.

To help put an exclamation point on their message, demonstrators will be bringing along “a 6-foot cardboard asthma inhaler… 6-foot tall mock wind turbines…. pinwheels symbolizing desire for wind energy… and posters and signs calling for a transition from dirty coal to clean energy.” In addition, rally bystanders will be encouraged to place phone calls to the State Corporation Commission requesting public hearings about Dominion.

“Switching to cleaner energy sources can not only reduce dangerous air pollution, but also create high-skill, high-wage jobs for Virginians,” the Sierra Club said in a press advisory. “Activists seek public hearings so citizens may voice their strong support for clean energy and clean air in person”

Flickr pool photo by Tim Kelley

D.C. Man Charged With Liquid Attack at Ballston Bank

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) An arrest has been made in the case of two female bank employees who were splashed in the face with a caustic liquid in Ballston two weeks ago.

On the afternoon of July 19, a man approached the employees outside the Capital One Bank in Ballston Common Mall and allegedly threw a liquid at them. Although the liquid was later determined to be “non-hazardous,” it reportedly caused the women to suffer a burning sensation and the inability to open their eyes. The man fled the scene and managed to elude police.

On July 29, however, police say the suspect was spotted near the bank again. Officers took the man, identified as 33-year-old Rodolfo Caguay of the District, into custody. He’s charged with Malicious Wounding by Caustic Substance.

Photo by Katie Pyzyk

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Late Night For Harry Potter Fans — Hundreds of die-hard Harry Potter fans attended midnight and 3:00 a.m. screenings of the last film in the series — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — at the Regal Ballston Common cinema last night.

Artisphere Reduces Burden on Tenants — The County Board voted this week to simplify the 15-page legal document that potential tenants of the Artisphere must use if they want to put on a show or hold an event. [Washington Examiner]

Fort Myer Organist Retires — Robert Schaaf has retired after 45 years as the organist at Fort Myer’s Chapel. Schaaf, a Penrose resident, has performed at memorial services for fallen military personnel, Challenger and Columbia astronauts, Supreme Court justices, first ladies and 9/11 victims, among others. [Sun Gazette]

Barbara Favola “Green” Mailer Not Recycled — A mailer sent by Barbara Favola’s state Senate campaign, touting her role in “protecting our environment,” was apparently not printed on recycled paper, according to a political blogger who has endorsed Favola’s opponent. [Blue Virginia]

Photo courtesy Jason Gooljar

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Groundbreaking for Lee Highway Condos — The Christopher Companies has broken ground on Dominion Heights, a 66-unit condo building at 3565 Lee Highway. Construction is expected to last 14-18 months. [Marketwire]

Suggestions for Field Near Ballston Mall — One writer has a suggestion for a barren quarter-acre field next to the Ballston Common Mall parking garage at the corner of Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street. The field should be turned into a public plaza, complete with specimen trees and a lunch kiosk, GGW’s Joey Katzen writes. [Greater Greater Washington]

It’s Accordion Awareness Month — One Arlington resident and hardcore accordion enthusiast describes how she’s celebrating National Accordion Awareness Month. [Patch]

Pricey Rent at Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com

Interested in leasing space in Ballston Common Mall? Thanks to an item on the upcoming County Board agenda, we now know about how much it costs.

Arlington County leases a 3,119 square foot store, on the second floor near the entrance to Macy’s Furniture Gallery, to house the Woodmont Weavers program. The privately-run but publicly-funded program allows adults with cognitive disabilities to learn how to weave, to sell their creations (placemats, pillows, totes, scarves, hats, etc.) and to earn a wage in the process. The county subleases the space to St. Coletta of Greater Washington, which runs the program on behalf of the Department of Human Services, for a nominal $1 rent.

On Saturday the board is expected to approve a lease and sublease renewal for the mall storefront. According to the staff report, the base rent for the store from Nov. 1, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2012 will be $67,528.80 per year. Add in taxes and utilities, and the expected annual cost rises to $93,911.40.

In addition to the Woodmont Weavers program, the space is also subleased to Ellipse Handmade Crafts, which sells handmade items from local artists and utilizes some of the production space for classes and workshops when not in use by Woodmont. Ellipse pays the county $5,415.00 per year in rent.

We reported last year that the 25-year-old mall is in the early planning stages of a major renovation.

Photo via stcoletta.org

Suspect Arrested After Chase Through Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Police have apprehended a suspect after a foot chase through Ballston.

Initial reports suggest that a man fled on foot from some sort of incident in Ballston Common Mall while armed with a knife. Police chased the suspect for several blocks. He was finally apprehended near Carpool restaurant (4000 Fairfax Drive).

Medics are responding to the scene to treat an injured security guard.

Update at 11:30 a.m. on 6/7/11 — The police department has released the following description of the incident.

ATTEMPT MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 06/06/11, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. On June 6 at 4:25 pm, a man assaulted a mall security guard and left the area. He then returned with a knife and damaged some office items. When police first located him, he ran, but was apprehended. Deandre Davis, 30, of Arlington, was charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding, Assault and Battery, Destruction of Property and Trespassing. He was held without bond.

Ballston to Get Commuter Store Kiosk

By ARLnow.com

The County Board voted unanimously last night to approve a Commuter Store kiosk outside the Ballston Metro Station.

The kiosk will be built next to the entrance to the station, at the corner of N. Stuart Street and N. Fairfax Drive. The store will provide “convenient, one-stop shopping for schedules, fares, and information about the many transportation options available in the Washington Metropolitan Area.”

Arlington has four stationary Commuter Stores and one mobile Commuter Store RV. The Ballston kiosk will replace an existing Commuter Store location inside Ballston Common Mall.

Crime Report: Hot Lingerie and Pepper Spray

By ARLnow.com

A Victoria’s Secret clerk was attacked with pepper spray when she tried to stop a man and a woman from stealing lingerie, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report. The incident happened last Thursday at the Victoria’s Secret store in Ballston Common Mall.

ROBBERY 04/07/11, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. On April 7 at 2:20 pm, two people stole items from a lingerie store. When a clerk attempted to stop them, one suspect sprayed a caustic substance at the victim. One suspect was an African American male in his 20’s, dressed as a woman. He was wearing a gray sweater, black pants and carried a Louis Vuitton purse. The second suspect was an African American female, 5’2″ and 185 lbs. She was wearing black pants and carried a zebra print purse.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Ballston Common Mall Asks: How Are We Doing?

By ARLnow.com

The owners of Ballston Common Mall are asking customers what they think about the 25-year-old shopping center.

We reported in October that Ohio-based Forest City Enterprises was in the early planning stages of major renovations at the mall. Now, the company is conducting an online survey about operations there.

The survey asks questions about mall security, the mall’s parking lot and overall customer satisfaction. It also asks respondents to list any stores they would like to see added to the mall.

For their trouble, respondents are entered into a drawing for a $250 gift card.

Flickr pool photo by Tim Kelley

UPDATED: Woman Found Dead in Front of Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com

A woman, believed to be homeless, was found dead in front of Ballston Common Mall this morning, Arlington Police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal confirms.

The deceased woman was found on the stairs outside Macy’s, in the alleyway between the mall and a Chipotle restaurant. Police are on the scene investigating.

Update at 4:40 p.m. — Police have released the following statement about the incident.

ARLINGTON, VA. – The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is investigating the death of a woman discovered this morning.

At approximately 9:49 a.m., police and medic units were called to the 4300 block of Wilson Boulevard for an unresponsive person. Upon arrival, it was apparent that the person was deceased. The victim is an adult female, who was possibly homeless. The investigation is on going, and more details will be released when available.

Anyone who has information about this incident is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703 228-4242, or Detective Alan Lowrey at (703) 228-4199.

Grand Theft Golf Cart in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) This police blotter item is just too good to save for Wednesday’s weekly crime report. A 22-year-old man is accused of stealing a golf cart from a local mall and driving it on the interstate… while drunk.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO-ARREST, 1/3/2011, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard On December 30 at 5 am, an officer pulled over a subject driving a golf cart on the interstate. The driver was intoxicated and the golf cart had been stolen from a mall. Everths Moran-Reyes, 22, of Fredericksburg, was charged with Driving Under the Influence, Grand Larceny of an Automobile and Driving While Suspended. He was held on a $15,000 bond.

An officer pulled the golf cart over as it was getting passed by tractor trailers on westbound I-66. The cart belonged to the security department at Ballston Common Mall, we’re told. Police say they’re still trying to figure out how the man managed to steal it (allegedly).

One interesting fact in all this is that you can apparently be charged with driving under the influence while driving a golf cart.

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