This week’s Arlington crime report is especially long, but that’s just because it details incidents from the past two weeks (as opposed to the normal one).
The report includes the bank robbery and the armored truck robbery that we reported on the Friday before last.
This morning we ran a story on Committee for a Better Arlington chairman Mike Staples declining to participate in a planned debate over the group’s change-of-government proposal. Since there will be no “debate” tonight, we decided to ask two fresh voices from each side of the issue to make their case to Arlington residents here, in 400 words or less.
As a preface: it’s looking like this is a debate that will only get louder in the coming weeks and, possibly, months. The Committee is facing the daunting task of collecting 14,340 signatures by July 15 in order to float the proposal as a ballot initiative. Staples, however, says his group is “on track” to collect the needed signatures.
Arlington police arrested 47-year-old Luis Hoil yesterday and charged him with Forcible Sodomy. He’s being held without bond at the Arlington County Detention Center.
Investigators say Hoil sexually assaulted a juvenile male between 1999 and 2001. Hoil was the coach of the Crystal City Soccer Club from 1998 to 2003. The club serves students of Oakridge Elementary and Gunston Middle schools.
For the crafty mother: The first day of the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market (in Welburn Square, between N. 9th and N. Stuart Streets) is on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Expect plenty of delightful, handmade gifts that will impress your mother much more than anything YOU could have put together at the last minute.
For the musical mother: The Opera Guild of Northern Virginia is holding a benefit concert for the children of Haiti from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday at the NRECA Building (4301 Wilson Blvd). The music will range from arias to swing and there will also be an art sale — a great opportunity to show that your mother raised a charitable, thoughtful son or daughter.
A power outage hit Ballston and a large swath of North Arlington this morning. More than 2,500 Dominion customers were without power in Arlington as of 11:20 p.m., according to the company’s web site.
Later, a Dominion rep told the Washington Post that as many as 6,500 customers lost power at one point. The outage was caused when a private contractor hit a power line, the Post reported.
The Arlington County Democratic Committee is holding a forum about the proposed change to Arlington’s form of government tonight, but the person billed as representing the “pro” side of the debate says he won’t be there.
Mike Staples, president of Arlington’s firefighter union and chairman of the Committee for a Better Arlington, which supports the proposal, says the group is refusing its invitation due to unreasonable terms of participation.
A water main break shut down one southbound lane of South Glebe Road around rush hour tonight. There were no resulting backups on Glebe thanks to light traffic volume.
Repairs are expected to be completed this evening.
Shirlington Village is holding a “Ladies’ Night” tonight, with special discounts on food, wine and gifts. You must mention “ladies’ night” to take advantage of the deals, which are listed below.
Murray, who is challenging Matthew Berry for the right to face incumbent Democratic congressman Jim Moran in the fall, sent an email to his supporters today blasting Moran and the Obama administration.
Murray said defeating Moran would “restore honor and dignity to representation for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.”
Red Mango, a fast-growing chain originally founded in South Korea in 2002, plans to open its new Clarendon location at 2831 Clarendon Blvd as early as May 22, according to a store rep.
The date is tentative and may have to be pushed back, we’re told. Nonetheless, it seems likely that Arlingtonians will be able to enjoy a Pomegranate yogurt with mandarin oranges and Fruity Pebbles by Memorial Day.
The Arlington County Police Department is coordinating with Virginia State Police, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police and other regional law enforcement agencies for the first “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day” on May 5.
Police will conduct “saturation patrols” targeting HOV violators on local interstates during the morning and evening rush hours.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily a regional holiday with “limited significance nationwide.” Across the United States, however, the fifth of May is recognized as a time to celebrate Mexican heritage by some, and as a good excuse to drink lots of Coronas and margaritas by others.
Here are a few of the planned events and specials happening around Arlington on Wednesday. Let us know if we forgot anything.
