Surveillance Photos from Morning Robbery Released
Arlington Police are asking for your help with finding a man who robbed a Ballston bank this morning.
A man entered the Presidential Bank at 901 N. Stuart Street at 10:11am and demanded money from a teller. He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The suspect is described as a black male with facial hair, in his late 40’s, 5’6” with a medium build. At the time of the robbery he wore a white short-sleeved polo shirt, light colored pants, a white baseball cap and dark shoes. The suspect also had a light colored towel draped over his shoulder.
Anyone who has information about this robbery or the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703-228-4242, or Detective Gary Skeens at 703-228-4166. Det. Skeens can also be reached by email at gskeen@arlingtonva.us.
Lubber Run Amphitheater Reopens Tonight
After a two year hiatus, the Lubber Run Amphitheater returns to use tonight.
The site sat unused for two years while the county pondered what to do with it. A study said it would cost $3.5 million to renovate, and supporters feared it could take years to raise enough money for the amphitheater to reopen.
But concerned citizens formed the Lubber Run Amphitheater Foundation and worked with the county to come up with another plan. They agreed on a set of improvements that would only cost around $100,000. Some of the upgrades include a new stage, new lighting and the addition of handicap accessible parking spaces.
Tonight’s concert by Mary Ann Redmond is the first in a series of summer events at the site. It is free and begins at 8pm. To encourage you to brave the heat, free cookies and fans are promised. Click here for the full list of events at Lubber Run Amphitheater.
Airport Construction Will Bring Late Night Noise
Updated at 2:57pm Communities along the Potomac River shoreline could be in for some noisy nights. Starting at 11pm on Monday, overnight construction work begins at Reagan National Airport to improve the main runway. Construction was supposed to begin tonight, but the contractor has more preliminary work to complete.
Crews will be pile driving from 11pm-6am for about the next three months so there is no interference with flights during the day. More than 200 existing piles will be replaced on a pier just south of the main runway, and the pier will be renovated.
You can find out more about the rehabilitation project here.
Myerton Again Changes Course on Housing Project
Just five months after announcing its units at The Myerton would be sold as condominiums instead of rented as apartments, JBG has reversed course on the project.
Realtor Laura Rubinchuk Schwartz tells us that slow sales and a hot rental market prompted JBG to stop selling the units at 108 S. Courthouse Road. The developer had made the decision in February to begin sales instead of renting the units.
All buyers are being offered $1,000 for their time and for agreeing to a contract release.
BREAKING NEWS: Bank Robbery
Updated at 11:06am Police are responding to a robbery at the Presidential Bank at 901 N. Stuart Street near the Ballston Metro. Reports indicate the suspect handed a bag to a teller and demanded money. Police are looking for a black male in his mid-50s, about 5’6″ and medium build, wearing a white shirt and khaki pants and a baseball cap, possibly carrying a brown bag.
There are reports the suspect headed in the direction of the Ballston Commons Mall. Pedestrian traffic throughout the area and inside the mall may be limited as police conduct their investigation.
County Says Financials Strong, Despite Moody’s Threat
Arlington County could be one of the Northern Virginia localities to lose its Aaa credit rating if lawmakers on Capitol Hill don’t resolve their stalemate over raising the debt ceiling.
The announcement focuses on reviewing 177 top rated municipalities across the country, including all of Northern Virginia. Earlier this month, Moody’s placed five Aaa rated states, including Virginia, on its Creditwatch list. At blame is the above average level of reliance on federal employment and spending in our area.
Arlington responded to the announcement by saying the county’s economy remains strong. County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman said, “Nothing has changed in terms of the County’s financial and debt management practices and fundamentals of our economic base.”
Zimmerman added that the decision by Moody’s shows how lawmakers’ inability to agree on a debt limit deal is affecting real people and endangering economic recovery.
If Arlington does get downgraded, it could be more expensive for the county to borrow money for schools, roads and other projects. But Zimmerman pointed out that Arlington’s financial reserves and additional resources would provide flexibility to respond to potential declines in revenue.
Too Hot to Handle
The blistering heat and oppressive humidity return to form an uncomfortable combo today. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Arlington and the rest of the region. The advisory is in effect from 11am through 9pm. Temperatures could get up to 103 degrees, making heat indices linger in the 105-109 degree range.
To check out Arlington County’s tips for staying cool, places around town to go to stay cool and tips for conserving energy to avoid brownouts, click here.
Morning Notes
GOP Calmly Watches Race – Many local Republican leaders are smiling over the drama erupting from the Democratic primary for the state Senate. It’s no secret that Democrats Barbara Favola and Jaime Areizaga-Soto are engaging in a nasty war of words. Some Democrats even report being embarrassed by the spectacle. [Sun Gazette]
New Station on Display – There will be a dedication at 2pm for the new Cherrydale Fire Department at 4100 Old Dominion Drive. Tomorrow there will be a family friendly open house from 10am-2pm. Both free events are open to the public.
No Thanking Heaven — Despite signing a 10 year lease, there will not be a 7 Eleven store moving into the former Saah Unfinished Furniture store. The leasing agents won’t say why the deal fell through. However, quite a few neighbors expressed distaste with the idea, especially considering there’s another 7-Eleven within about four blocks. [Pike Wire]
