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Crime Report: Brandishing in Ballston

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 2:23 pm | 665 views | 19 Comments

The following item from this week’s Arlington County crime report might make you think twice before honking the horn, even if the other guy is clearly in the wrong. This happened less than a block from the Ballston Metro station.

BRANDISHING 10/16/10, 4200 block of Fairfax Drive. On October 16 at 6:30 pm, a man honked his vehicle horn at three males crossing against a traffic light. One of the subjects lifted his shirt and displayed a handgun. The suspect is described as an African American man in his 20’s wearing a red jacket and a skullcap.

The rest of the crime report, including a brandishing in south Arlington, after the jump.

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Water Main Break Shuts Down Part of Clarendon Boulevard

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 2:12 pm | 121 views | No Comments

Clarendon Boulevard is closed between Scott Street and Rhodes Street due to a water main break.

So far, no word on when the road might reopen. Traffic should be able to continue east on 16th Street and make a left on Quinn Street to get around the closure.

Update at 4:40 p.m. — The repairs and the closures will last into the night, Arlington County officials say.

Out of the Ashes, Developer to Build Ultra Energy Efficient Home

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 1:47 pm | 551 views | 10 Comments

The Barcroft neighborhood is going to be the home of the Washington area’s second passive house.

Passive house is an ultra energy efficient building style that’s becoming increasingly popular in Europe. There are only about 20 passive houses in the United States.

The eco-friendly house will be built on the site of yesterday’s spectacular made-for-TV controlled burn exercise. The small, condemned and now-charred home currently on the site will be torn down. Construction is expected to begin around December 1 and wrap up in the spring.

The project is being done on spec by the Burke-based developer Kinsey Properties.

Roger Lin, a managing partner at the firm, says the house will raise the bar for efficiency in environmentally-conscious Arlington.

“It’s highest standard in terms of performance-based green buildings,” he said. “They’re popping up all over the country now.”

Lin said the only other passive house in the DC area is in Bethesda.

ACPD Holding Bake Sale for Cancer Research

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 11:12 am | 186 views | 4 Comments

It would be a crime to miss out on the sweet treats on sale today outside the Arlington County courthouse (1425 N. Courthouse Road).

The police department is holding a bake sale to raise money for its second annual Be Brave and Shave fundraiser. Money from the fundraiser will benefit cancer research at Children’s National Medical Center.

The bake sale is being held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today. Each item costs $1.

We hear the oatmeal creme pies and the pumpkin bread are especially tasty.

EXCLUSIVE: Video Shows Rescue at Va. Square Metro Station

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 10:10 am | 1,276 views | 28 Comments

Dimas Pinzon was dubbed (by us) the Virginia Square Metro Hero after he jumped to the track and stepped over two electrified rails to come to the aid of a man who had fallen in the path of an incoming Metro train.

What Mr. Pinzon did was certainly well-intentioned and brave. But was his act of heroism also incredibly ill-advised?

Surveillance video obtained by ARLnow.com sheds new light on the incident.

The video starts out with a man, who was suffering some sort of medical emergency, walking toward the edge of the platform in a daze. He falls onto the track just as the platform lights begin blinking, signaling the arrival of a train.

Immediately, people at the station jump into action. Good Samaritans on either side of the station sprint toward the train, frantically waving their arms. Mr. Pinzon, in a blue shirt on the opposite platform, points to the crawlspace under the platform, urging the fallen man to get under it to avoid being hit by the train.

The train, however,  slows as it enters the station. As it’s coming to a stop, Pinzon jumps down to the trackbed. He steps on the flimsy cover board of both electrified rails, and comes to the man’s aid. Another would-be hero jumps down to the track, but turns around after a brief stare-down with the third rail.

Pinzon, meanwhile, helps to lift the injured man onto the platform, where other Metro customers evaluate his injuries. Another man helps Pinzon himself get back up to the platform.

Hours later, our interview with Pinzon is published and NBC4 also airs a story on the rescue.

It’s a happy ending, but Metro spokesperson Ron Holzer says it could have taken a much more tragic turn. Had Pinzon tripped while jumping down to the platform, for instance, he would have landed on the third rail and been electrocuted by 750 volts of electricity. Pinzon’s decision to step on the third rail cover was also fraught with danger.

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Trader Joe’s Will Likely Get Its Regulatory Wishlist

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 7:47 am | 701 views | 34 Comments

Arlington’s long-standing policy of encouraging grocery store development in the county is helping to pave the way for Trader Joe’s to open in Clarendon.

ARLnow.com first reported last month that Trader Joe’s was prepared to sign a lease in the Clarendon Center project if it could get some regulatory issues ironed out. Among them: the retailer wanted permission to have dedicated parking, wanted to display its products outside the store, and wanted a loading dock provision modified.

“I think we managed to work through all three issues,” Arlington County Planning Division Chief Robert Brosnan told us last night. “We do have a policy for shared parking, but we also have a policy for grocery stores, and it really is in the name of encouraging a grocery store that we will modify those requirements in this case.”

Brosnan said he expects county staff to recommend the changes, and for the board to take up the issue at its November board meeting (on either Nov. 13 or Nov. 16). After that point, Trader Joe’s will likely make the final decision on whether to sign a lease.

The site plan amendment process for Trader Joe’s was “not abnormally fast,” Brosnan noted. He added that some additional steps may be required for the store to get permission to display products outside.

Morning Notes

by ARLnow.com | October 20, 2010 at 7:20 am | 193 views | 6 Comments

Kelly Has $10K Cash Advantage — Republican candidate for county board Mark Kelly may not have raised as much money as incumbent Chris Zimmerman but, true to his campaign platform, he also spent significantly less. Kelly had $28,480 cash on hand on Sept. 30, more than $10,000 more than Zimmerman. More from the Sun Gazette.

County Board Questions NOVA Budget Request — Northern Virginia Community College is asking localities to help cover its $14 million capital budget gap, but at a meeting last night the county board seemed less than enthusiastic about doing so in a year when more budget cuts and tax hikes are likely on the way. Currently, Arlington pays $1 per resident to NOVA’s capital budget fund. NOVA is asking for an additional 50 cents per person. More from TBD.

Hillside Park Reopens — At long last, a hilly, wooded park near Rosslyn, cleverly named Hillside Park, has reopened following significant upgrades. More from TBD.

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