DEVELOPING: Widespread Power Outage Reported
(Updated at 6:00 p.m.) Power is gradually being restored after a widespread outage in parts of North Arlington.
More than 9,800 Dominion customers were without power at the height of the outage this evening. The affected several neighborhoods, including Ballston, Virginia Square, Cherrydale, Donaldson Run and parts of Clarendon and Rosslyn. Arlington’s 911 center received numerous calls of tripped alarms and stuck elevators as a result..
A vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Wilson Boulevard and N. Oakland Street. It’s not clear if the accident was related to the power outage, but numerous non-functioning traffic lights were reported around the area.
Power and traffic lights went out along a long stretch of Lee Highway, from Rosslyn up to Glebe Road. Via Twitter, Arlington Public Library said that power was out at Central Library and at the Cherrydale branch.
Clearest Photos Yet of Serial Bank Robbery Suspect
The guy suspected of six separate bank robberies in Arlington this summer might be getting a bit sloppy.
Arlington Police have released new surveillance images of the man, whose face can — for the first time — clearly be seen despite a low-slung cap and a pair of stylish sunglasses resting on the bridge of his nose.
The images were taken during a robbery yesterday afternoon at the BB&T Bank at 3001 N. Washington Boulevard in Clarendon. It’s the second time the man is suspected of robbing that particular branch, and the fourth time he’s suspected of robbing a BB&T location.
Here’s what police had to say about the crime, in a press release.
The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s help to identify a man who robbed an Arlington bank yesterday afternoon. This suspect related to five other bank robberies that have occurred in the past three months in Arlington County.
The suspect entered the BB&T Bank in the 3000 block of Washington Blvd at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, August 17, 2011. He announced a bank robbery and demanded money. After receiving cash, the suspect fled on foot.
The suspect is described as a white male with brown hair, approximately 50 years old and 5’9” with a thin build. At the time of the robbery he wore a gray t-shirt, khaki pants, brown belt, a light colored hat and sunglasses.
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 Donald Fortunato at (703) 228-4197. Det. Fortunato can also be reached by email at dfortunato@arlingtonva.us.
Emergency Exercise to be Held at Pentagon City Mall
The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall will be the site of a large-scale emergency training exercise next weekend.
From 4:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28, first responders from Arlington’s police, fire and sheriff’s departments, as well as the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management and the Alexandria Police Department, will conduct a joint training exercise inside the mall.
“The purpose of the exercise is to test the response of Arlington County’s public safety agencies in a simulated emergency situation,” Arlington Police said in a statement. No word on the exact type of emergency that will be simulated.
“Residents are advised that there could be some temporary traffic delays as emergency equipment is moved into place,” the statement said. “There will be a large number of public safety vehicles in the area of The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, The Arlington County Trades buildings, and several parking lots along Army Navy Drive across from the mall. The vehicles will not use their lights or sirens during the exercise. The mall will open for normal shopping hours.”
“Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Arlington County has devoted its resources to emergency preparedness,” the statement continued. “This exercise is one example of the many ways the agencies of the National Capital Region train to ‘expect the unexpected.’”
Historical Marker Installed Outside ‘Deep Throat’ Garage
It’s not the most conspicuous sign in the world, but there’s now a permanent historical marker next to the Rosslyn garage in which Mark “Deep Throat” Felt met up with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to discuss the Watergate scandal.
The text of the marker describes how the nondescript garage at N. Nash Street and Wilson Boulevard helped unravel the political scandal that ultimately resulted in the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
“Mark Felt, second in command at the FBI, met Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward here in this parking garage to discuss the Watergate scandal. Felt provided Woodward information that exposed the Nixon administration’s obstruction of the FBI’s Watergate investigation. He chose the garage as an anonymous secure location. They met at this garage six times between October 1972 and November 1973. The Watergate scandal resulted in President Nixon’s resignation in 1974. Woodward’s managing editor, Howard Simons, gave Felt the code name “Deep Throat.” Woodward’s promise not to reveal his source was kept until Felt announced his role as Deep Throat in 2005.”
Don’t be fooled by the words “erected in 2008″ on the marker; it was actually installed by Arlington County on Friday, after a three year delay.
Within the garage itself, another sign marks the exact spot where Felt and Woodward would meet. The garage owner has marked parked spot 32D, located in a dark corner of the garage, as the two men’s once-secret meeting place.
In addition to the Watergate marker, the county recently erected two other historical plaques.
Outdoor Movie Coming to the Pike
Crystal City has ‘em. Rosslyn has ‘em. Now Columbia Pike is getting in on the act.
On Saturday, Aug. 27, the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization will host its first outdoor movie. The inspirational football flick The Blind Side will be screened at the new, grassy public square at the Penrose Square development, starting at 8:00 p.m. Giant is co-sponsoring the family-friendly movie night.
CPRO Executive Director Takis Karantonis says the screening is a trial of sorts — a one-time event that will hopefully lead to a full-fledged outdoor summer film festival on the Pike next year.
“We are trying to find ways to use the public spaces” along the Pike, Karantonis said. “We can’t put pressure to create new public spaces if we don’t use the ones we have.”
Boot Bandit Busted in Courthouse
It was a bold move — trying to defeat a county parking boot just steps away from Arlington police headquarters in Courthouse. Unfortunately for the driver accused of attempting it, cops caught up with him before he could get away.
Police received a call around 5:00 last night for a man who had his booted car jacked up in the county surface parking lot across from police headquarters. The man allegedly removed the wheel with the boot on it, placed it in the trunk and replaced it with a “donut” spare tire.
He was getting ready to drive away when police showed up and put the kibosh on the whole operation.
Officers recovered the boot from the man’s trunk and, after talking to him for a while, placed him handcuffed in the back of a squad car.
What Was That Smell?
We still aren’t 100 percent sure where it came from, but last night a pervasive sulfur-like smell was reported in parts of Arlington and the District.
D.C. Fire and EMS investigated the smell, which was concentrated around the Foggy Bottom area, and later said that they “believe the Army Corps of Engineers drained a catch basin” in Georgetown, “resulting in stink.”
Via Twitter, Arlington residents told us where they caught a whiff of the foul odor.
“Something did smell odd near Virginia Square,” one Twitter user told us. Two other users agreed that Virginia Square was particularly odorous.
“Noticed the smell around Lyon Village,” said another Twitter user. “Particularly bad near Lee Hwy & Spout Run.”
“Crystal City was a little odd for a bit but that could just be normal Crystal City,” said yet another.
Others reported the smell along the GW Parkway, Lee Highway and Route 50, as well as in Hayes Park.
Morning Notes
Pentagon City Water Balloon Prank Shatters Windshield — Someone apparently thought it would be funny to throw water balloons at cars leaving the Pentagon City mall parking garage on 15th Street. Perhaps it was funny, up until the point where one of the water balloons hit the windshield of a family’s minivan and shattered it as they were driving. [WUSA9]
Groundbreaking Set for Arlington Mill Center — The ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Arlington Mill Community Center (909 S. Dinwiddie Street) has been set for 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24. [Sun Gazette]
Burglaries from Secure EFC Parking Garage — Two Cadillac Escalade SUVs had their tires and wheels stolen from the ‘secure’ parking garage under the luxury Crescent Falls Church apartment building (2121 Westmoreland Street) in East Falls Church yesterday morning, according to residents. Police are investigating.
Artisphere’s Shakespeare Co. Gets New Name — Washington Shakespeare Company, which now counts Rosslyn’s Artisphere as its home base, has a new name. The scrappy theater company is now known as WSC Avant Bard. [Washington Post]
Flickr pool photo by Jason OX4
