Courthouse

Four Courthouse Elevators Set to be Replaced, Including Two Reaching Metro

By Alex Koma
1/3

Arlington County could soon embark on a $1.8 million effort to replace four elevators around Courthouse.

The County Board will vote at its meeting this weekend on a plan to fully overhaul two elevators in Arlington’s Court Square West building (1400 N. Uhle Street) and two more that connect to the Courthouse Metro station underground.

All four elevators have “reached the end of their useful lives,” according to a report prepared by county staff.

The elevators in Court Square West, a building that holds some county offices, travel seven stories each. The Metro station elevators travel just two stories, and are located at each end of an underground access tunnel linking to the station — one is at 2200 Clarendon Boulevard, the other at 2111 Wilson Boulevard.

The County Board is set to vote to award a contract for the work on Saturday (May 19), as part of its “consent agenda,” which is generally reserved for noncontroversial items that are approved all at once.

Police, County Leaders Pause to Remember Arlington’s Seven Fallen Officers

By Alex Koma
1/14

Seven Arlington County police officers have died in the line of duty over the last 83 years, and county law enforcement and civic leaders took a few moments to remember their sacrifice Friday (May 11).

The county held its annual observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day at the Arlington County Justice Center Plaza (1425 N. Courthouse Road), inviting dozens of law enforcement officers and Arlington leaders to pay tribute to fallen officers across the country.

Participants in the ceremony offered wreaths and roses at the county’s monument to its officers who have died on the job, with a special observance for Corporal Harvey Snook, who died of cancer he contracted while working in recovery efforts at the Pentagon in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The son of Officer George Pomraning, who was shot to death while bringing a prisoner to jail on Sept. 2, 1973, also attended the ceremony.

County Police Chief M. Jay Farr urged attendees to consider what more they can do to prevent the killing of police, putting a particular focus on one of the leading causes of line of duty deaths: gun violence.

“Many officers who are shot are dealing with people who are not of sound mind,” Farr said. “We all need to think about what we can do to address this growing national mental health crisis.”

Yet Craig Floyd, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, suggested that the country as a whole was making some progress in that area. He pointed out that the 129 officers to died on the job in 2017 represented the second-smallest figure since 1959.

“We’ve done a lot, but we have a long way to go,” Floyd said.

The county ceremony coincides with the start of National Police Week, a series of events around D.C. from May 13-19 to honor fallen officers. A full schedule of events is available online.

ACPD Investigating Additional Indecent Exposure Incidents

By ARLnow.com

Update at 6 p.m. — ACPD says that the same suspect is believed to be responsible for at least nine separate indecent exposure incidents, all in the same general area.

“The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 20’s or 30’s, 5’8″ to 5’10” tall with a medium build,” police said in an updated press release. “In several incidents, the suspect was reported to be wearing dark clothing with a hat or hood pulled tight around his face.”

Earlier: Two additional indecent exposure incidents were reported over the weekend and the suspect might be a repeat offender.

Like previous incidents, both happened in the Radnor-Fort Myer Heights neighborhood, near Rosslyn and Courthouse, and involved a suspect wearing a hoodie with the hood up.

The first was reported around 10:30 p.m. Sunday on the 1900 block of Clarendon Blvd, while the second was reported just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday on the 1200 block of N. Meade Street.

In the second instance, the man exposed himself and started masturbating in front of a woman in a parked car.

Asked yesterday if the cases might involve the same suspect, an Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman said both have been “referred to our Special Victims’ Unit for additional investigation and to determine if the cases are linked.”

The department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect.

More from an ACPD crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-05060211, 1900 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 10:25 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a possible exposure. The witness described the individual as a possible black male wearing a dark hoodie. No additional information was provided by the witness regarding the incident. Upon arrival, officers established a perimeter and canvased the area with negative results. The investigation is ongoing.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-05060226, 1200 block of N. Meade Street. At approximately 11:20 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a possible exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was inside her parked vehicle when she observed an unknown male suspect approach her vehicle. Once in front of her vehicle, the suspect exposed himself and began masturbating. The victim then drove away. The suspect is described as a male, approximately 6’0″ tall and weighing 165 pounds. He was wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled tight around his face at the time of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

Police Seek Public’s Help Identifying Repeat Indecent Exposure Offender

By Bridget Reed Morawski

(Updated at 8:05 p.m.) The Arlington County Police Department is asking for tips from the public to identify a man they say has repeatedly exposed himself in the Radnor-Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood, near Courthouse and Clarendon.

The suspect is reported to have approached several victims while exposing himself.

Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male in his 20s or 30s, standing at 5’8″ to 5’10” tall with a medium build. The suspect, during several incidents, reportedly wore “dark clothing with a hat or hood pulled tight around his face.”

Police have linked five separate indecent exposure incidents on four different days to the same suspect “based on witness interviews and evidence collected.”

The incidents, according to police, occurred at the follow dates, times and locations:

  • January 26, 2018, 10:35 p.m., N. Rolfe Street at 16th Street N.
  • February 9, 2018, 9:48 p.m., 1800 block of 16th Street N.
  • February 13, 2018, 11:00 p.m., 2700 block of Clarendon Boulevard
  • March 3, 2018, 11:58 p.m., 16th Street N. at N. Rhodes Street
  • March 3, 2018, 11:35 p.m., 1900 block of Clarendon Boulevard

The incidents all occurred within approximately a mile of one another, more or less along Clarendon Boulevard. Other indecent exposure incidents have been reported nearby in recent weeks, but were not included in the ACPD press release. However, a police spokesperson tells ARLnow that detectives’ preliminary investigation leads them to believe these two most recent incidents will also end up being included in the same case based on the location and suspect description.

More from the press release:

The Arlington County Police Department is sharing these crime prevention tips to help keep you safe as you travel in the area. Remain alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever possible, walk with another person and stay in well-lit, high traffic areas. Limit your use of devices that may distract you or impede your vision or hearing. If you see something suspicious or are the victim of a crime, contact the Emergency Communications Center as soon as possible by calling 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

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

Bayou Bakery to Hold Annual Crawfish Boil this Weekend

By Anna Merod

Courthouse’s Bayou Bakery (1515 N. Courthouse Road) will host its annual crawfish boil on Saturday (April 28) from 4-6 p.m.

The crawfish boil coincides with the beginning of New Orleans’ Jazz Fest and will feature live music along with traditional Louisiana nibbles. New Orleans native and Bayou Bakery owner and chef David Guas will host the event.

Customers will be able to buy a bundle of food that includes Louisiana crawfish with sweet corn on the cob, new potatoes, coleslaw, “muff-a-lottas,” and cornbread.

Bayou Bakery will offer drink specials, and second plates may be filled if there is additional food available.

The restaurant will hold two more crawfish boils later this spring and summer, on May 26 and June 30.

Photo courtesy of Bayou Bakery

ACPD Arrests Sexual Assault Suspect After Foot Chase in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police have arrested a suspect in the attempted rape of a woman near Columbia Pike on Friday.

Police say Jermaine Johnson, a 30-year-old Arlington resident, broke into an apartment on the 800 block of S. Frederick Street, brandished a knife and tried to sexually assault the victim. She suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

The perpetrator fled the scene of the crime, evading a police K-9 track and helicopter search, according to a police press release.

On Saturday police announced that Johnson was the suspect, “based on crime scene evidence collected and witness interviews.” Later that day, officers conducting surveillance in the Courthouse area saw him and gave chase. From ACPD:

While conducting surveillance in the 1700 block of N. Troy Street, officers observed the suspect flee from a residence. Following a foot pursuit, Jermaine Johnson was apprehended and taken into police custody. He has been charged with attempted rape and burglary and will be held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

Nearby Residents Voice Concerns About Proposed Courthouse Child Care Center

By Bridget Reed Morawski

A proposed child care center in Courthouse is likely to be approved by the County Board at this weekend’s meeting, but it is not without some controversy.

Residents of the Woodbury Heights Condominiums have raised concerns about the proximity of the proposed Bright Horizons child care center to Arlington’s Homeless Services Center, according to the county staff report.

Several tenants of the Courthouse condominium building publicly opposed the homeless shelter prior to its construction due to safety and property value concerns.

The 24-hour homeless shelter is at 2020 14th Street N., and the child care facility would be at 2000 14th Street N. That’s a distance of less than 330 feet, according to a Google Maps estimate.

Pending approval, the child care center would also be near Ragtime restaurant, as well as Arlington County Police headquarters, the county jail and the county courthouse.

The center is slated to have a maximum permitted enrollment of 136 children, but the number could be set lower by Arlington’s Dept. of Human Services if deemed necessary.

County staff concluded that “the proposed location of the Bright Horizons child care center is not anticipated to cause an undue adverse impact on the surrounding community and will provide a valuable service at the proposed location.”

The report added that the site has adequate parking spaces and public transportation access. The child care center would convert 10,868 square feet of office space into child care use. An outdoor plaza would be converted into a 4,645 square foot outdoor play space enclosed by a five foot fence.

The Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association did not object to the child care center and several nearby apartment buildings did not respond to county staff’s notification, according to county documents.

The child care center would help with the county’s lack of available child care services. The shortage of child care options — particularly affordable options — relative to demand prompted the launch of the county’s Child Care Initiative in December.

Bright Horizons has agreed to operate from Monday-Friday from 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m. The child care chain has three locations in Arlington already — in Rosslyn, Ballston, and Crystal City — and has dozens across the country.

Attempts to reach a current representative of the Woodbury Heights Condominium Association were unsuccessful.

Photo via Arlington County

Protected Bike Lane Proposed for N. Veitch Street

By Bridget Reed Morawski
1/4

A protected bike lane has been proposed as part of a repaving project this summer

The parking on N. Veitch Street between Lee Highway and Wilson Boulevard would be reconfigured to create space for a protected bike lane connecting the Custis Trail and Courthouse.

“This protected bike lane will create a more bike-friendly connection between the Wilson/Clarendon Corridor and the Custis Trail,” says the county’s project page. “This will be considered the second of four phases of construction to create the protected bike lane connection on the Rosslyn-Courthouse corridor.”

The first phase of the “Courthouse-Rosslyn Multimodal Connectivity Improvements” project built protected bike lanes on Wilson Blvd between N. Oak Street and N. Pierce Street in Rosslyn. Additional phases would extend the protected bike lane from Rosslyn to Courthouse.

The second phase of the project this summer would also reconfigure parking on N. Troy Street in Courthouse, between Key and Wilson boulevards, to create additional spaces.

A public design workshop and discussion is planned for Wednesday (April 4) from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the Navy League Building (2300 Wilson Blvd).

Photos via Arlington County

National Capital Bank Branch Opens on Wilson Blvd

By Bridget Reed Morawski

(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) A new branch of National Capital Bank opened this morning (March 29) roughly between Clarendon and Courthouse, marking the bank’s first branch in Virginia.

National Capital Bank bills itself as “Washington’s Oldest Bank,” and has been open since 1889, according to its website.

The bank is at 2505 Wilson Boulevard, which is at the intersection with Franklin Road and N. Barton Street.

The bank takes over the once-vacant former location of another bank, Cardinal Bank, which was bought out by United Bank about a year ago.

Hat tip to Sandra Alboum

Courthouse Chinese Restaurant TNR Cafe Expanding

By Anna Merod
1/3

After 10 years in business, Courthouse-based Chinese restaurant TNR Cafe will be doubling in size by expanding to the storefront next door, according to restaurant owner Kanya Larthongkan.

“We’d like to make it bigger,” Larthongkan said. “We want to add a new touch.”

The renovation is being undertaken in two parts, and restaurant operations will switch from the current restaurant space to the new side — formerly home to Stanley Adams Printing — in two weeks, according to Larthongkan. Once the renovations are complete on the 10-year-old space, the wall between the retail spaces will be knocked down.

Larthongkan says all renovations should be complete by the end of June. With all the changes, she added, the expanded restaurant should be able to sit 90-100 people. That’s twice as much as the 50 people that currently can be seated.

There will also be some updates made to TNR Cafe’s menu, she added. More changes will be made to the menu after Larthongkan hires a new chef for the expanding kitchen.

‘My Thrive Pilates’ Has Closed

By ARLnow.com

A local fitness business has suddenly shuttered all of its locations.

My Thrive Pilates sent emails to customers Sunday night announcing that it was closing immediately and selling its equipment “to pay remaining payroll obligations.” Several tipsters forwarded the email to ARLnow.com.

Content has been removed from the company’s website and its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages have been taken down. A Google search indicates that it had locations in Courthouse, Shirlington and Falls Church.

The fitness studio was well reviewed, garnering a 4.5 star review on the Yelp page for My Thrive’s Courthouse location and 4 stars for the other locations.

The full email, after the jump.

To the My Thrive Community,

I regretfully write to share that My Thrive Pilates will be permanently closing all locations as of 8 p.m. Sunday, March 11th 2018.

All equipment will be auctioned to pay remaining payroll obligations.

I am heartbroken by and apologize for this happening and wish to share that we did everything in our power to keep the studios up and running.  We thank each and every one of you for your support.

Over the last 7 years we have enjoyed and are grateful for the people who became a part of our community and wish all of you the very best.

Thank you,

Stephanie Westberg
My Thrive Pilates

View More Stories