taxi

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More Names Mentioned for Senate Seat — Is there a Democrat in Arlington County who’s active in local politics and who’s not thinking about running for the state Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple? Add Alan Howze, former Arlington County Democratic Committee chairman Peter Rousselot, county board member Jay Fisette and Del. Bob Brink to the five names we mentioned as possible candidates on Friday. [Sun Gazette, Washington Post]

Cava Still Hoping for Spring Opening — Construction has yet to begin on the new Cava restaurant on Clarendon Boulevard, but the owner of the upscale Greek restaurant still hopes to open by “late April or early May.” Cava currently has locations in Rockville and on Capitol Hill. [TBD]

Envirocab Still Wants to Expand — The general manager of Arlington-based Envirocab says the company is still hoping to expand. The county board rejected Envirocab’s request to add more cabs to its fleet of 50 hybrids in December. But the company says they don’t “even come close to covering the requests they get each weekend.” [WAMU]

Arlington Science Focus School Profiled — A local TV station takes a look at some of the unique learning methods at Arlington Science Focus school. [WUSA 9]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pentagon Metro Station Closed — The Pentagon Metro Station has been closed due to a suspicious package, reports Dr. Gridlock. Trains are still passing through the station.

Boy Scouts Enter Homeless Shelter Debate — At the county board meeting over the weekend, there was an unusual moment when a speaker used his time at the podium to ask questions rather than pontificate. That questioner was Spencer Cobb of Boy Scout Troop 167, who was inquiring about the possibility of a year-round homeless shelter as part of his citizenship project. There are 530 homeless individuals in Arlington, county officials estimate. More from the Sun Gazette.

Eventide General Manager Departs — Changes may be in the works at Clarendon’s Eventide restaurant, which just lost its general manager and bar manager to “differences” with restaurant partners. More from TBD.

SoberRide Nears Milestone — The regional SoberRide program, which funds free cab rides for people who’ve had too much to drink on certain holidays, is approaching its 50,000th ride. Organizers hope to reach that mark by New Year’s Day. Of note: Arlington’s Red Top Cab provides and staffs the call center that dispatches the cabs, a service worth nearly $50,000. More from the Washington Post.

Flickr pool photo by Reid Kasprowicz

Board Approves Ballston BID, Says No to More Taxis

By ARLnow.com

Ballston will be getting a business improvement district, but Arlington will not be getting additional taxis. Those two decisions were reached unanimously by the county board at its Saturday meeting.

The board approved a supplemental commercial property tax in Ballston to pay for the formation of a Ballston Business Improvement District. It did so with the encouragement of many large property owners — like JBG, Shooshan Company and Ballston Common Mall owner Forest City — but over the objections of a few, like the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Nature Conservancy.

“A Business Improvement District for Ballston is the best vehicle for building on Ballston’s already considerable assets and positioning it for the future,” Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a statement. “With the success of our BIDs in Crystal City and Rosslyn, we know that this new BID will contribute greatly to the future success of Ballston.”

The Sun Gazette, TBD and Arlington County have more information on the BID’s passage.

In other action Saturday, the board rejected a request from two “green” taxi companies to expand their fleets.

County staff took a hard line on the issue, recommending that the board reject the request to add 75 taxis to Arlington’s current licensed fleet of 765 cabs. Cab drivers spoke passionately at the board meeting about their difficulty making ends in Arlington, arguing that allowing new cabs would impose an additional hardship.

EnviroCab, which currently operates 50 taxis in the county, and a would-be start-up called GoGreen Cab had hoped to win board approval for new environmentally-friendly taxis. In the end, county staff pointed out that Arlington has a taxi density that rivals New York City and Chicago when the county’s size and population is figured in.

The Washington Post, Sun Gazette and TBD all have more on the taxi decision.

Flickr pool photo (top) by Tim Kelley

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Read My Lips, No New Taxis — County staff is taking a hard line on taxi cabs, recommending that the board reject a request to add 75 taxis to Arlington’s current licensed fleet of 765 cabs. More from the Sun Gazette.

Long Bridge Park Construction Continues — Despite the budgetary challenges, the county board has reaffirmed its commitment to complete all phases of the Long Bridge Park project near Crystal City. More from TBD.

Arlington Free Clinic Holds Lottery — To become a patient at the Arlington Free Clinic requires a bit of luck. The clinic will serve no more than 1,600 patients, so once a month it holds a “lottery day” to decide who gets to receive clinic services. More from MyFoxDC.

Snowmageddon: The Book — If someone you know is going through blizzard withdrawal, the fine folks over at the Capital Weather Gang have the perfect holiday gift for you. They’ve come up with a 120-page book, filled with photos and nerdy weather stuff from everybody’s favorite freak succession of snow storms. More from CWG.

Crime Report: Taxi Drivers Attacked

By ARLnow.com

Two weeks ago we reported on a taxi driver accused of forcing a young female customer to get out in a bad neighborhood, leading to her being attacked while walking home. Here are two reminders that taxi drivers themselves are often in harms way.

ATTEMPT ROBBERY-ARREST 11/29/10, 2100 block of Wilson Boulevard. On November 29 at 4:30 pm, a man approached a cab driver and tried to assault him while demanding money. Bukhari Daoud, 31, of no fixed address, was charged with Attempted Robbery and Drunk in Public. He was held without bond.

ROBBERY 11/30/10, 400 block of S. 23rd Street. On November 30 at 1 am, a man asked a cab driver for money, and stole his meter when the driver refused. The suspect also assaulted the victim. The suspect is known.

The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

(more…)

Blue Top Cab Sued for Woman’s Sexual Assault

By ARLnow.com

A young woman is suing Arlington Blue Top Cab, claiming she was sexually assaulted after a cabbie dropped her off in a dangerous neighborhood at 3:30 a.m. because she was $1.95 short on the fare.

According to the lawsuit, first reported by Courthouse News Service, the woman was taking a Blue Top taxi from Arlington to Alexandria early on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008. When the cab arrived at her house in Alexandria, the woman says she tried to pay with a credit card.

The cabbie ran the card twice and each time said the card was rejected, when in fact the payment went through, according to the lawsuit. When the woman only had $18 in cash for the $19.95 fare, the driver is alleged to have insisted upon driving her to an ATM.

The ATM, located in a high-crime section of Alexandria, was out of service, the lawsuit claims. After the woman got back in the cab and told the driver about the out of service ATM, he is alleged to have pulled over, taken the $18 she had in her possession, and — despite pleas for her safety — forced the young woman out of the cab.

“Immediately after being ejected by [the driver] from the Blue Top taxi cab, while attempting to walk to a safe location, [the plaintiff] was approached on the sidewalk by a man who indicated he had a gun,” the lawsuit says. “The man threatened to shoot [the plaintiff], then dragged her into a nearby parking garage, where he brutally sexually assaulted her.”

The lawsuit, filed on Nov. 12 in Alexandria Circuit Court, seeks $5 million in damages from Blue Top Cab and the driver for negligence, fraud, breach of contract, false imprisonment and the infliction of emotional distress.

A call to Blue Top Cab management has not been returned.

Crime Report: Busy Weekend Edition

By ARLnow.com

It was a very busy weekend for the Arlington County Police Department, as reflected in this week’s crime report.

Early Sunday morning, a man’s relaxing massage in Clarendon turned into anything but. According to the report, he allegedly robbed the masseuse and then, when police arrived, pulled a knife on officers. That move bought him some deep tissue stimulation courtesy of an officer’s Taser.

ASSAULT ON POLICE-ARREST 11/07/10, 3000 block of Washington Boulevard. On November 7 at 4:45 am, a man assaulted a woman that he had hired for a massage and also robbed her. When police approached him, he displayed a knife and was not compliant. An officer deployed a tazer and the suspect was taken into custody. Patrick Whitesell, 34, of Arlington was charged with Assault on Law Enforcement, Grand Larceny, Larceny from a Person and Assault and Battery. He was held without bond.

Thinking that getting assaulted by belligerent suspects sounds like a fun volunteer opportunity, one young man is accused of impersonating Johnny Law by installing police lights in his car.

IMPERSONATION OF POLICE-ARREST 11/05/10, 5200 block of S. 8th Road. On November 5 at 10:40 am, a man was seen driving a vehicle with police lights through traffic. Josue Chicas, 20, of Arlington, was charged with Impersonating a Police Officer. He was released on a summons.

Late Saturday night, a bridal shower got way out of control in Clarendon. After the glass bottles stopped flying, a 25-year-old Maryland woman was arrested.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT-ARREST 11/06/10, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. On November 6 at 11:30 pm, two women argued during a bridal shower at a bar. A glass bottle was thrown during the fight, and a bystander was struck in the face. Jazmine Geans, 25, of Lusby, MD, was charged with Disorderly Conduct. She was held on a $2,000 bond.

It was not a good weekend for cab drivers. One was carjacked, and another was assaulted with a belt.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING 11/07/10, 1800 block of N. Oak Street. On November 7 at 2:30 am, a man assaulted a cab driver with a belt rather than pay his fare. Nabil Guermoudi, 27, of Arlington, was charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held without bond.

CARJACKING-ARREST 11/07/10, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. On November 7 at 6 am, a man assaulted a cab driver, and then drove the cab away. Police apprehended the suspect. David Norman, 28, of Redondo Beach, CA, was charged with Carjacking. He was held without bond.

(more…)

Red Top Cab Installing Self-Pay Credit Card Machines

By ARLnow.com

Soon, playing for a cab ride in Arlington will be as simple as swiping your credit card. Red Top Cab has started the process of installing self-pay machines in the back of each of its 350 taxis in Arlington.

In a press release, Red Top says it’s the first local cab company to fully implement the technology — which is widely used in cities like New York City, Boston and Chicago.

“Customers are very enthusiastic,” about the self-pay machines, according to driver John Svay. “Customers see their fare charges right in front of them, and can swipe the card before arriving at their destination… itʼs quicker and easier than the old way.”

Red Top expects the machines to be installed in all of its vehicles by the end of November.

Photo courtesy Red Top Cab

Crime Report: Rough Neighborhood Edition

By ARLnow.com

A prolific burglar somehow managed to break in to at least nine cars, sneak in to a locked garage, steal a bike and steal tools all on the same night, in the same area, without being caught.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (SERIES) 09/30/10, the 1800 blocks of N. Scott and N. Quinn Streets. Between 8 pm on September 29, and 7 am on September 30, an unknown subject broke into at least nine cars in the area. A bicycle was stolen as well, and a subject entered a locked garage and stole tools during the same time period. There are no known suspects.

That particular two-square block area is no stranger to the Crime Report. It has seen burglaries, attempted burglaries, a sexual battery, an abduction, more larcenies from auto and an unlawful entry, all within the past 10 months.

The rest of the crime report, including an inappropriately amorous cabbie and a pair of fighting cabbies, after the jump.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Twilight Fans Stay Up Late for Latest Film In Series — A sizable crowd showed up at the Regal Cinema in Ballston Common Mall last night for a midnight screening of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. There was no mob scene outside — moviegoers with advance tickets steadily filed past the box office and into the theater. Most were exuberant girls and young women, although about one in ten was accompanied by a doting and expressionless boyfriend (or father). To accommodate the unusual crush of people coming out of the mall parking lot at 2:30 a.m., police directed traffic near the theater after the movie.

Byrd Funeral Will Take Place in Arlington — The funeral and internment of long-time Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) will take place in Arlington on Tuesday. The funeral is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial Baptist Church (3455 North Glebe Road). The service is open to the public, although seating is limited. Byrd, who died Monday at age 92, will be buried next to his wife Erma in a private internment at an Arlington cemetery.

Free Cab Rides Return for the 4th — For a while, it looked as though a lack of funding might cancel the SoberRide program for the Fourth of July. But thanks to last-minute donations, the program will be back offering free taxi rides in Arlington, the District, Fairfax, Loudoun and other locales. The program will cover fares of up to $50, but you must call 1-800-200-8294 to book the cab.

Summer Doldrums for Real Estate Agents — After a busy spring, local Realtor Laura Rubinchuk says there are not nearly as many people buying and selling homes this summer. More from Arlington Real Estate News.

Pedestrian Struck By Envirocab At Pentagon City Mall

By ARLnow.com

A pedestrian was struck by a Envirocab taxi just before noon today. It happened just outside the Nordstrom at Pentagon City mall.

The cab driver remained on scene and was talking to police. At one point he showed officers a small dent and scratches on the front passenger’s side bumper.

The victim was taken to a local hospital via ambulance. His or her condition is unknown.