UPDATE: FBI Investigating Ammo Found in PVC Pipes
(Updated at 10:00 a.m.) The FBI and Arlington County Police are investigating a suspicious find made by a utility crew.
The crew was digging in the area of Carlin Springs Road and N. Kensington Street, near the W&OD Trail, when they discovered eight PVC pipes labeled “ammunition.”
The county’s bomb squad investigated the contents of the pipes and didn’t find any hazards, according to Arlington police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The pipes were about four feet long and contained rifle ammunition, Sternbeck said Thursday morning.
Police cordoned off the area around the pipes but there were no traffic diversions.
The find comes just over a year after VDOT contractors found PVC pipes full of guns buried along Patrick Henry Drive, leading to an FBI investigation. The suspect in that case, Cherrydale resident Rodney Gunsauley, pleaded guilty and was sentenced earlier this year to 40 months in prison.
Sternbeck said the pipes “appear to be related” to the Gunsauley case, but the FBI is continuing to investigate the incident. The Joint Terrorism Task Force was also notified of the investigation, he said.
Gunsauley buried items in multiple locations and likely couldn’t remember all of the locations where he hid his weapons and ammo, Sternbeck said.
File photo
Registration Open for 5K to Benefit Local Preschool
A 5K race to benefit a local preschool will wind its way along Arlington’s trails in a few weeks.
The Kinhaven School 5K and Fun Run will take place at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 18. The event benefits Kinhaven School (4201-A N. Fairfax Drive), which is a parent run cooperative preschool founded in 1971.
The out-and-back course begins at Bluemont Park and takes runners west along the W&OD trail.
Ultramarathon champion Michael Wardian confirmed that he and his family will take part in the festivities, which include food, drinks and prizes. Participants receive a tech t-shirt and finisher ribbons made by the preschool students.
Registration is open online to the first 300 entrants, and the fee is $25 through today, increasing to $30 from tomorrow through race day. The fee will be $35 for on site registration the day of the race.
Tri360 Opening Soon in East Falls Church
A new store specializing in outfitting those who compete in triathlons is expected to open soon in East Falls Church.
Tri360 is located at 2121 N. Westmoreland Street, just off of the W&OD Trail. The store is built, stocked and ready for customers, but it’s awaiting its Certificate of Occupancy from Arlington County before it can open, according to the Tri360 Facebook page.
Tri360 will sell athletic apparel, accessories and shoes, and will also feature a “full-service” bike store — everything a triathlete needs to swim, cycle and run.
The store’s owners are hoping to be open by the end of the month.
Photo via Facebook
No Link Suspected Between W&OD Exposure Incidents
(Updated at 5:00 p.m.) Police say they don’t yet have any reason to believe a man who exposed himself on the W&OD Trail yesterday morning has any relation to a string of 11 such incidents in 2010, but they’re investigating a link anyhow.
According to a police report released today, two woman and their young children encountered the man masturbating along the W&OD Trail near Ohio Street — close to East Falls Church — just after 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. The man was covering his face with one of his hands while performing the lewd act with the other.
The women, ages 33 and 40, were each with a one-year-old son at the time. They immediately started walking away from the man, who then fled the scene. As we reported yesterday, police searched the area but were unable to locate the man.
The incident is similar to a string of 11 indecent exposure incidents along the W&OD Tail in early 2010. While police don’t think there’s a connection, they’re looking into that angle anyhow.
“Detectives are… actively trying to determine if this case is in any way related to the cases that have occurred in the past,” said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, who added that no other indecent exposure incidents have been reported on the trail recently.
The suspect from Thursday’s incident is described by police as “a white male, approximately 5’8”-5’10” tall, with a chubby build.” He was wearing jeans, a black sweatshirt and black sunglasses at the time.
Anybody with information about the crime is asked to call the police non-emergency number at 703-558-2222. If you see someone expose themselves, you’re asked to immediately call 911 and report it.
Police on the Lookout for W&OD Trail Flasher
Police searched a portion of the W&OD Trail near East Falls Church this morning after a woman reported that a man had jumped out of the bushes and flashed her.
The incident happened just after 11:00 this morning, on the trail in the area of Ohio Street, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. A woman told police that a white male, possibly in his mid-30s, jumped out of the bushes and exposed himself to her. The suspect then ran off, heading west on the trail, wearing jeans and a black sweatshirt.
Police searched the area around the trail but were unable to locate the man.
The incident is similar to a string of indecent exposure incidents in early 2010. A man exposed himself to women at least 11 times along the W&OD Trail between January and March 2010. The incidents stopped after police issued a press release warning women to be on the lookout for suspicious activity along the trail.
Morning Notes
Republican Files for County Board Race — Arlington County Republican Committee Chairman Mark Kelly has filed to be the GOP nominee in the upcoming County Board special election. It’s not the first time Kelly has run for County Board. In 2010 incumbent Chris Zimmerman defeated Kelly 57 percent to 36 percent. [Sun Gazette]
Progressive Group Endorses Bondi — Democratic County Board candidate Melissa Bondi has garnered an endorsement from Virginia New Majority, a statewide progressive organization. “As a long-time advocate of affordable housing and Smart Growth, she was worked tirelessly to ensure that the county’s plans for economic development have not been pursued at the expense of the county’s working and poor families,” the organization said in its endorsement. “And, we expect Board Member Bondi to pursue a transportation plan that won’t encourage displacement of low-income communities.” [Virginia New Majority]
ACDC To Offer Free Trips to Caucus — The Arlington County Democratic Committee is offering free transportation to its caucus tomorrow night. (The caucus is being held to select a nominee for County Board.) “Rides will be available from the Ballston Metro every 15 minutes from 6:45PM to 8:30PM,” ACDC said in a press release. “Voters can meet the Ride Coordinator at the top of the Ballston escalators… next to Tivoli.” Thursday’s caucus is being held at Washington-Lee High School, while a caucus on Saturday is being held at Kenmore Middle School.
Four Mile Run Footbridge to Be Replaced — The bike and pedestrian bridge that connects the W&OD and Custis trails near the East Falls Church Metro station is being replaced. The new bridge should be complete in the next couple of months and, unlike the old bridge, will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. [Greater Greater Washington]
Flickr pool by ddimicky. ACDC is presently an ARLnow.com advertiser.
Police Looking For Footbridge Flasher
Arlington County Police are looking for a man who exposed himself to a teenage boy on a bike path near I-66 and the W&OD trail over the weekend.
The crime happened around dusk on Sunday. The boy’s stepmother sent the following warning out to other local moms on an email listserv following the incident.
Could you let the group know that there was a flasher on the bike/foot bridge over 66. He exposed himself to my 15 year old step-son who was coming from the Westover side. My step son turned and ran back towards Westover. It happened around 5:45 pm. The guy did not chase him, but did lunge toward him. We reported it to the police who checked the park and bridge, but he was gone. Here is a description: white male, 40′s, blond hair with some gray, 6 ft, 200lbs wearing a trench coat. No shoes. Smoking a cigarette.
An item from yesterday’s daily police report provides a bit more detail.
EXPOSURE, 11/06/11, 1500 block of N. Potomac Street. On November 6 at 5:30 pm, a teenage male was riding his skateboard on a footbridge when an unknown male exposed himself to the juvenile. The suspect is described as a white male, 6’, and 220 lbs. with medium length blond and gray hair. The suspect was wearing a trench coat and did not have shoes on.
Photos: Four Mile Run Flooding in Arlington
Despite dozens of flooded basements and a couple of thousand Dominion customers without power, Arlington was largely spared the flooded roads and swift water rescues that took place elsewhere in Northern Virginia.
In fact, Arlington firefighters were able to help out neighboring jurisdictions like Falls Church, Fairfax County and Alexandria during the worst of flooding last night.
That’s not to say, however, that there was no flooding in Arlington. These photos, many of which were taken along Four Mile Run and the W&OD Trail, show just how bad things got.
Photos courtesy Brendan L. and Anonymous
Teen With Gun Spotted, But Not Found
A search for a teenager spotted with a gun on the W&OD trail this morning caused some anxious moments but turned up nothing.
The call came in to police around 11:15 a.m., stating that a young male wearing a black ski mask and holding something that looked like an assault rifle was spotted in the Madison Manor neighborhood. The teen and a companion were heading toward the pedestrian bridge that crosses I-66 near Ohio Street, just east of East Falls Church on the W&OD trail.
Police officers swarmed the area. At least three witnesses reported seeing the same teen, who was accompanied by another young male who was carrying a camera bag and a camera.
A half-hour search of the Madison Manor, Westover and East Falls Church neighborhoods turned up nothing, and eventually the search was called off. During the search extra security measures were put in place at McKinley Elementary School. One tipster reported that some roads were blocked in the area during the search.
Mystery Event Revealed, Will Take Place in Ashburn
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) The formal announcement of a “big” new annual Labor Day event along the W&OD Trail took place in Arlington’s Bluemont Park this morning.
Few details about the event were revealed ahead of time, but with the announcement featuring remarks by County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman and local lawmaker Del. Patrick Hope, one could reasonably assume that the bulk of the new event was to take place in Arlington, right?
Wrong.
The “Dominion Trail Mix” Labor Day community event will largely take place in Loudoun County, as it turns out. “The Great Skedaddle” — a bike, run, walk event along the W&OD Trail — and “TrailFest” — an outdoor festival featuring pop-country group Gloriana — will both take place at Farmwell Station Middle School in Ashburn.
A third Trail Mix event — the “Hail the Trail” clean-up event — will take place at eight nine different stations along the trail on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 3. According to the newly-updated Trail Mix web site, the station closest to Arlington will be located at Veterans Common at 507 Little Falls Street in Falls Church. The event will encourage volunteers to pick up trash, perform kiosk maintenance, weed and plant along the trail.
Among those on hand for this morning’s announcement were Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell, Dominion CEO Paul Koonce and Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Executive Director Paul Gilbert.
‘Big’ Annual Event to Be Revealed Next Week
A new annual community event will be launching later this year in Arlington. Organizers have released a few tantalizing tidbits about the event, but most details will remain a mystery until a formal announcement featuring Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell on Wednesday of next week.
The one-day event is expected take place Labor Day weekend along the W&OD Trail in Arlington. It will feature “a sports event with a historic twist, a large-scale environmental action activity (biggest in the park’s history) and a festival featuring a national recording artist which we expect will draw several thousand attendees,” said Chris Browne, Vice President of the Greater Washington Sports Alliance.
“It is going to be BIG and very relevant to our regional community,” Browne added.
Wednesday’s announcement will feature First Lady McDonnell, County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman and Paul Koonce, CEO of Dominion Virginia Power, which is sponsoring the event. The announcement is scheduled to take place at 11:00 a.m. at Bluemont Park (601 N. Manchester Street).
Police Identify Bicycle Accident Victim
Arlington police have released the identity of the bicyclist who was killed in South Arlington over the weekend.
The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a fatal traffic accident that occurred on [Sunday] in the 4000 block of Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 2:56 p.m. on May 8, 2011, police responded for a bicyclist that collided with a vehicle.
Fitzgerald Pollard, 44, of Arlington, was riding his bicycle south on South Walter Reed Drive, turned right onto the access road of Four Mile Run Drive and crossed into oncoming traffic. Mr. Pollard then struck an occupied vehicle. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
The Arlington County Police asking that any witnesses of the accident contact the Department at 703 558-2222, or Detective Don Fortunato at 703 228-4197.
BREAKING NEWS — Bicyclist Dead After Collision With Car
(Updated at 9:25 p.m.) A bicyclist was struck and killed by a car near the intersection of Four Mile Run Drive and S. Walter Reed Drive this afternoon.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to Arlington County police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal. Police are still investigating the accident — which occurred around 3:00 p.m. — and will release the victim’s name when next of kin are notified.
According to police, the adult male cyclist was turning onto the Four Mile Run Drive access road from southbound Walter Reed Drive when he collided with a car heading in the opposite direction. The man was brought to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Arlington County transportation officials are in the process of planning safety improvements for the intersection, which handles bicycle traffic from the W&OD Trail.
See the police press release, after the jump.
Hat tip to @abend0c4
Morning Notes
Power Outage Update — There are more than 2,100 Dominion customers still without power in Arlington. That’s down from 16,700 at the height of the storm. Dominion is receiving some favorable comparisons to Pepco from the Washington Post. The Post notes that Dominion called in out of town power crews early, while Pepco did not.
Arlington Delegates Have Bills Killed in House — Bills that would increase Virginia’s cigarette tax, lower the mandatory retirement age for judges and impose a 5-cent tax on plastic bags have all been killed in the House of Delegates, after being proposed by Arlington-based lawmakers. [Sun Gazette]
Library to Get Solar Panels — Thanks to a $300,000 federal grant, the Arlington Central Library will be getting 60-kilowatts worth of solar panels installed on its roof by this summer. [TBD]
Counting of Pedestrians Continues — Arlington is counting pedestrians and cyclists on local trails using an automated, database-driven system. Check out the sneak peak of some of the data that’s being recorded. [Commuter Page Blog]
Photo courtesy Lindsay W.
How Does The County Clear Snow From Trails?
Here’s one way that Arlington County is making sure that pedestrian routes like the W&OD Trail are clear for cyclists, runners and walkers during the winter.
This pickup-mounted snow plow was spotted near today’s fire on Four Mile Run Drive.
Update on 12/23/10 — Since there was some confusion in the comments, we asked Department of Environmental Services spokesperson Myllisa Kennedy to clarify the county’s trail plowing policy.
“The County does a limited amount of snow clearing on trail sections where they provide the greatest community benefit including access to schools, metro rail stations, hospitals, or other areas frequented by the public,” Kennedy said. “Other county priorities include streets, bridges, and sidewalks on school routes, around county buildings and other operational needs.”
