developing story

DEVELOPING — Arlington County Experiencing 911 Problems

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County issued the following alert this morning:

Arlington County is currently experiencing intermittent problems with the 9-1-1 system. If you call 9-1-1 and can’t get through, immediately call 703-741-3035.

A supervisor at the county’s Emergency Communications Center said she was not sure when 911 service would be back to normal.

Update at 12:25 p.m. — “This is a Verizon issue,” said Debbie Powers, Deputy Coordinator for the Arlington’s Office of Emergency Management. “It’s a regional issue and it’s intermittent.”

Update at 1:35 p.m. — Verizon tells Arlington’s Office of Emergency Management that the 911 system is now functioning normally, according to OEM’s Brian Geraci.

Update at 3:10 p.m. — Verizon spokesman Harry J. Mitchell says that the outage, which affected cell phone calls to 911, was due to a faulty piece of equipment at the company’s Fairfax switching center.

At this point it appears that a Verizon service issue starting around 9:10 a.m. affected customers primarily in Arlington and Fairfax counties. It appears that a faulty piece of equipment in Verizon’s Fairfax switching center caused the service issue.

Calls to 911 from Internet-based phones and landline phones served by the Arlington and Fairfax 911 centers were automatically redirected to these 911 centers via an alternate path in the Verizon network. The equipment failure, however, may have intermittently affected wireless calls to 911 in Arlington and Fairfax counties. This is still under investigation.

The faulty equipment was restored to normal operation around 11:30 a.m., and we continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the issue is completely resolved.

This issue is unrelated to the 911 issues triggered by storm-related mass call events earlier this year.

DEVELOPING — Middle School Principal Resigns, Sends Email to Parents Blaming Superintendent

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 6:05 p.m.) Williamsburg Middle School Principal Kathleen Francis says she will be resigning in March due to “the untenable and hostile work environment created by Superintendent [Patrick] Murphy.”

In a lengthy email to parents, Francis detailed what she describes as a “long struggle” to resolve a personnel matter with Dr. Murphy. Francis said her efforts, which allegedly upset Dr. Murphy, resulted in “an ongoing series of actions to harass me and mischaracterize my performance and professional reputation.”

Francis defended her record and said she went so far as to file a discrimination complaint.

“The continuing misconduct reached such a level that I was forced to file formal age and gender discrimination complaints,” she said. “In apparent retaliation for my filing these actions, the Superintendent confirmed his threat to place me on a formal Performance Improvement Plan.”

Francis concluded by insisting that she’s not alone in her displeasure with Dr. Murphy’s leadership.

“My situation with the new Superintendent is not an isolated incident,” she wrote. “It is merely representative of a larger problem in the Arlington Public Schools.”

Dr. Murphy was appointed superintendent of Arlington Public Schools in April 2009. We are awaiting comment from the school system.

See the full letter after the jump.

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Glebe Road Shut Down Due to Ruptured Gas Line

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Police are shutting down a large section of South Glebe Road near I-395 due to a ruptured gas line.

Initial reports indicate that a construction crew hit a 8-10 inch gas line. There was no fire.

Glebe Road is currently shut down between I-395 to the south and Walter Reed Drive to the north. The ramp from southbound I-395 to Glebe Road is also shut down, as is a ramp from northbound I-395 to northbound Glebe Road.

The Best Western hotel appears to be adjacent to where the work was taking place. Firefighters are on the scene with hoses laid out near the construction site.

A natural gas smell can be detected in the area.

We’re hearing that the closures could last well into the night.

Update at 10:30 p.m. — Glebe Road is expected to reopen in time for the morning rush hour.

DEVELOPING — Delays on I-66 As Airport Van Causes Multiple Crashes

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) There were major delays on westbound I-66 between George Mason Drive and East Falls Church this morning as police investigated a series of wrecks apparently caused by a airport shuttle van.

We’ve heard reports of at least six crashes caused by the van between the Roosevelt Bridge and Sycamore Street on I-66. At least two additional crashes have been reported outside of Arlington. We’re hearing that two drivers required medical treatment.

Police temporarily shut down the ramp from westbound I-66 to Sycamore Street to allow an ambulance to access one of the crash sites.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is now confirming that airport police have arrested the driver of a blue Super Shuttle van at Dulles Airport in connection with the crashes.

“Our officers located driver and the van in front of the main terminal at Dulles, and he was taken into custody,” said airport spokesperson Courtney Mickalonis. “We’re working with other police agencies to determine exactly what happened.”

Mickalonis said airport police were initially alerted by a motorist who was struck by the van on the Dulles Access Road. She added that police did not find any passengers inside the van. It’s not known whether passengers might have gotten out before police arrived.

No word on charges at this time, but we’re hearing that the driver spit on officers while being taken into custody.

Update at 3:30 p.m. — Virginia State Police have sent out an updated press release (after the jump). Note that VSP is only counting the incidents their troopers responded to, and we stand by our count of eight crashes.

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DEVELOPING STORY — County Vehicle Decals and Tax Bills Delayed Due to Printer Problems

By ARLnow.com

By this time, Arlington residents were supposed to have received about 95,000 115,000 vehicle decals and their accompanying 2011 personal property tax bills. But a problem with the printer has delayed the mailings until next week, throwing into limbo County Treasurer Frank O’Leary’s policy, per state law, of getting the bills to taxpayers 30 days before the October 5 payment deadline.

The printer problem wasn’t confined to Arlington. The same printing company is used by at least one other local jurisdiction, we’re told.

In Arlington, the decals must be displayed by November 15, which will give drivers plenty of time. But meeting the October 5 deadline for paying the tax may be more problematic.

“The county is trying to figure out a way to ensure that people have adequate time to pay their bills before any penalties are imposed,” a county source told ARLnow.com. One possibility is waiving the fees for late payments, up to a certain date. (Update: October 15. See below.)

If you don’t want to wait for the bill in the mail, you can pay your taxes online here.

Hat tip to J.A. for the heads up.

Update at 8:00 p.m. — The county has released a press release.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Defective forms have delayed the mailing of some 115,000 personal property tax bills, Arlington County Treasurer Frank O’Leary said today. The problem also affected the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, all of whom use the same form supplier, Graphic Communications, for their tax bills.

Arlington mailed some 45,000 bills this week, and expects to mail the remaining 70,000 bills next week, O’Leary said. By state law, the bills are required to be mailed no later than 30 days before the deadline for paying them. The County, by ordinance, has established Oct. 5 as the payment deadline for personal property tax.

Due to the delay, the County will only begin to charge penalties on payments received or postmarked after Oct. 15, to ensure ample time for residents to pay their bills.

“It is unfortunate that the bills could not be mailed in a timely fashion this year,” O’Leary said. “We regret this inconvenience for residents and the concern that it has caused.”

O’Leary noted that any additional printing and mailing costs will be borne by the vendor.

“We are glad that a solution has been found that is fair to taxpayers and fair to the County,” said Board Chairman Jay Fisette.

DEVELOPING STORY — VDOT To Start Construction on New Washington Blvd Bridge Next Year

By ARLnow.com

In a surprise move, VDOT has revealed that it is planning to begin construction on a new Washington Boulevard bridge over Columbia Pike next year.

In an email to local leaders, VDOT senior engineer Christiana Briganti-Dunn said the agency plans to award a contract to build the bridge by February. Utility relocations are expected to follow, with major construction beginning by late summer or early fall of 2011.

VDOT expects the project to be complete by the end of 2014.

One local leader said drivers should expect a traffic “nightmare” on the eastern end of Columbia Pike during construction of the new bridge.

The design for the bridge, more generally called the Route 27/244 interchange, will remain the same as was presented at a public hearing in June 2008. In addition to replacing the bridge, the project calls for new traffic signals to be placed on Columbia Pike.

Leaders say that given the long delays in the project, the announcement is surprising (in a good way). The bridge was called “decaying” and “crumbling” in a Washington Post article more than five years ago. The same article said that replacing the bridge “has been a top priority of Arlington County for more than 15 years.”

Even VDOT notes that the bridge, which dates back to the 1940s, “was rated as ‘poor’ in recent structural inspections.”

VDOT plans to call the new bridge the “Freedmen’s Village Bridge.”

Update on 8/31 — VDOT spokesperson Joan Morris assures us that as with all local VDOT projects, there will be no lane closures during rush hour on Columbia Pike or Washington Boulevard during the construction. It’s not clear how engineers will install a new bridge while maintaining existing traffic lanes and on-ramps, but we expect to learn more next week.

Serial Stabbing Suspect Was Arrested, Released in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

The man suspected in the stabbing deaths of five people was arrested and later released in Arlington last week, the Arlington County Police Department has confirmed.

Elias Abuelazam, 33, was pulled over for a traffic violation on the 1100 block of South Walter Reed Drive early Thursday morning, according to police spokesperson Crystal Nosal. After Abuelazam’s information was run through a computer database, he was arrested on an outstanding warrant for simple assault in Leesburg.

He was booked and a mug shot was taken. A magistrate then released him on his own personal recognisance, police said.

The Washington Post reports that Abuelazam is suspected in a stabbing that occurred in Leesburg later that morning.

Abuelazam was arrested at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport last night while reportedly trying to flee to Israel. He is suspected in at least 20 stabbings in Michigan, Ohio and Northern Virginia. Five of those attacks were fatal.

Abuelazam lived in Leesburg as recently as one year ago, according to ABC 7.

“It was a Tornado, Definitely”

By ARLnow.com

In a small south Arlington neighborhood wedged between I-395, Glebe Road and Four Mile Run, all hell broke loose when the storms passed through this afternoon.

“It was a tornado, definitely,” said resident Paschal Nash, as she inspected the tree branches scattered throughout her yard. “It started with just light rains, then rains increased but then the winds… you just started hearing [stuff] crashing, like breaking… I watched the tree actually split half because of the lightning.”

Down the street, near the corner of South Four Mile Run Drive and South Cleveland Street, a large oak tree fell and came crashing through the house of one of Nash’s neighbors. The house will likely be condemned, said a county employee on the scene.

“You heard [the wind] pick up, like you can actually here it drag something… I had never heard that before… it was definitely a mini tornado, no way in hell it was anything else,” Nash said.

Down the street, there was another large tree uprooted. It crushed a fence as it came crashing down across two front yards.

A man across the street said his mother lived in the house, but wasn’t at home at the time. He said he couldn’t see much because of the downpour, but afterwards he saw the extent of the damage.

“Everything just came down,” he said.

So far, the National Weather Service has not indicated that the storm that ripped through Arlington displayed the characteristics of a tornado.

Charges Dropped Against Original Illinois Murder Suspect

By ARLnow.com

It’s looking increasingly likely that Jorge Torrez will face charges in connection with the murder of two young girls in Zion, Ill. back in 2005, a case that captivated Chicago and made national news at the time.

Charges were dropped today against the man who was originally accused of the crime. Jerry Hobbs, who confessed to the gruesome murders but later said the confession was coerced, has been released from prison, according to Chicago Breaking News.

Lake County, Ill. prosecutors are expected to hold a press conference later this morning to discuss “new information” in the case. That information is likely revolve around Jorge Torrez, a former Marine currently being held in Arlington on charges of abduction and rape.

DNA evidence in the case reportedly linked Torrez to the murders last month. Torrez used to live in Zion and was close friends with the older brother of one of the victims.

DEVELOPING — Power Outage Hits Reagan National Airport

By ARLnow.com

Update at 2:10 p.m. — Airport officials say power has been restored and ticketing lines are beginning to move. They still advising travelers to check with their airline and print boarding passes at home, if possible, due to residual delays from the outage.

Officials at Reagan National Airport are “anticipating major delays and cancellations” as a result of a power outage affecting Terminals B and C.

The outage is affecting ticket counters and concessions, airport spokesperson Courtney Mickalonis said. Power has been restored at TSA security screening stations.

Mickalonis said passengers flying out of Regan National today should check with their airlines first, then, if possible, go online to print out their boarding passes.

The power outage hit at 11:45 this morning, typically a slower time for the airport. But as evening approaches, and more and more flights are affected by the outage, major delays are likely.

At 1:00 this afternoon, there were already long lines forming at the curbside check-in stations.

The source of the power outage appears to be a fire at a power substation just north of the terminal. The substation is located at the headquarters building for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which is also without power.

DEVELOPING — DNA Links Marine Charged in Arlington Rape to Chicago Murders

By ARLnow.com

Jorge “George” Torrez, a Marine who’s being held at the Arlington County Detention Center on charges of abduction and rape, has been linked via DNA to a double homicide outside Chicago, his attorney confirmed to ARLnow.com today.

Attorney Denman Rucker said he was contacted by investigators but had no further information about how the DNA test was performed or whether the test was “legitimate.”

The crime that Torrez is being linked to occurred in 2005.

Laura Hobbs and Krystal Tobias, ages 8 and 9, were found repeatedly stabbed in a park in the lakeside city of Zion, Ill. Jerry Hobbs, Laura’s, confessed to the crime after a 20-hour interrogation, but later said the confession of coerced, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Prosecutors pressed the case against Hobbs despite the fact that his DNA did not match semen found on one of the girls’ body and clothing. He has been held in jail for five years. The DNA was matched to a new suspect last month, prosecutors told the Tribune.

Torrez’s sister, who lives in Zion, says investigators told her that evidence points to her brother. Sara Torrez says Jorge, 21, was friends with Tobias’ brother, but says she believes her brother is innocent.

So far, Torrez has not been charged in connection with the murders. Arlington County authorities have been alerted to the DNA link and are following the case.

In Illinois, meanwhile, a court hearing that may result in Hobbs’ release has been set for July 21.

The Zion murders achieved infamy in Chicago and received national media attention. In an 2005 interview with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News Channel, Lake County, Ill. prosecutor Michael Waller defended the prosecution of Hobbs even though there were inconsistencies with his confession.

“It’s not unusual to have a defendant give untruths in a statement where he admits his guilt. It’s something we deal with all the time,” he said.

Waller also explained why Sheila Hollabaugh, the mother of Laura Hobbs, maintained that her boyfriend was innocent.

“It’s not unusual for the girlfriend or the wife to stick with the defendant,” Waller said. “If that happens in this case, you know, I won’t be surprised.”

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