ARLnow.com | ARLnow

Man Wanted for Firing Gun at Ex’s Home

Published October 8, 2014 at 11:30AM

Police say 23-year-old Jeffrey Gaskins showed up to his ex-girlfriend’s house on the 1900 block of N. Culpeper Street around 9:35 p.m. this past Sunday. He tried to kick in the front door, police said, and when that didn’t work he went to the back of the home, took out a gun and allegedly fired four shots at the house.

The ex-girlfriend, her two young children and an adult male were inside the home at the time but were uninjured. The man fled the scene after firing the shots and remains at large, according to a crime report.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 8, 2014 at 9:30AM

Civ Fed Votes Against Tall Buildings — The Arlington County Civic Federation has voted to urge the Federal Aviation Administration to adopt stricter rules regarding skyscrapers around airports. Such a rule, intended as a safety measure in the event a plane suffers an engine failure on takeoff, could impose a moratorium on future tall buildings in Crystal City and Rosslyn. [InsideNova]

Walk and Bike to School Day — Arlington Public Schools participated in International Walk and Bike to School Day this morning. Students and parents across the county ditched their cars and made their way to school on foot. [Arlington Public Schools]

News

Medics and Patient Get Stuck in Elevator

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 5:00PM

A crew responding to a medical emergency at the Whitmore apartments (4301 Columbia Pike) attended to the patient, who needed to be transported to the hospital. But they got stuck in the elevator on the way to the ambulance. A second engine crew initially was called to assist, but the crew already on scene managed to free the people in the elevator.

ACFD deputy fire marshal Brian McGraw said the impact to the patient was minimal because the stuck elevator delayed the medical workers for less than five minutes. He said medics were equipped to continue caring for the patient inside the elevator while they waited to be freed.

Around Town

Bloomers in Shirlington Closes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 3:45PM | Updated October 7, 2014 at 5:05PM

When ARLnow.com stopped by today, the store had been cleared out except for some display cases and mannequins. It’s unclear exactly why the store shut, but an employee speculated it might have been a lack of foot traffic. The original store in Old Town Alexandria will remain open.

Bloomers had been in Shirlington since January 2012. A representative for The Village at Shirlington was not able to give any clues as to what might move into the former Bloomers space.

News

Motorcyclist Dies in Crash

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 2:15PM

File photo

Police were called to Washington Blvd near I-395 at 2:20 a.m. for reports of a single-vehicle crash. When police arrived on the scene they found the victim’s motorcycle, but not the driver. After a search, 27-year-old Joel A. Morales of Woodbridge was found in a nearby wooded area. He died at the scene.

Police believe Morales was driving westbound on Washington Blvd from the I-395 off ramp when he apparently struck a jersey barrier. He was thrown from his motorcycle and landed below the overpass in the wooded area. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

News

ACFD Fixes Bell at Hume School

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 12:45PM

Members of the Arlington County Fire Department blocked off the parking lot to the Arlington Historical Museum in Aurora Hills and climbed to the top of the Hume School on Tuesday morning. There was no emergency, the firefighters simply helped to fix the old school’s bell.

The bell functioned as a call to school children from 1891 until 1956. More recently, visitors to the museum could ring the bell. That is, until the rope broke when a visitor pulled it a little too enthusiastically.

Events

Halloween Bar Crawl Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 11:30AM | Updated October 7, 2014 at 11:59AM

Participants are encouraged to wear their spooky and creative costumes to the event on Saturday, November 1. The crawl, dubbed “The rise of the day drinkers,” will take place from 2:00-9:00 p.m.

Tickets currently are available online for $15, and a limited number of tickets will be available at the door for $20. The fee gets participants a souvenir mug, food and drink specials at bars in Clarendon and a raffle entry. There will be prizes for the most festively dressed participants.

News

Police Impersonator Tries Luring Woman in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 10:15AM | Updated October 7, 2014 at 12:00PM

Arlington police car (file photo)

Police say a 31-year-old woman was driving through the Ballston area around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday (October 4), when the suspect pulled up behind her and turned on a rotating red light on his dashboard. The victim pulled over on N. 11th Street near Quincy Park and the suspect approached her car, displaying a badge. The man reportedly told the victim to get out of her car and go with him to the police station. The woman was skeptical and stayed in her car. She told the man she was going to call the police to have an officer in uniform respond to the scene. At that point, the man took off in his car.

“This suspect had the intention of getting the victim into his vehicle,” said ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. “If something doesn’t seem right to you, trust your instincts and contact police. This woman’s actions likely kept her from being abducted.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 7, 2014 at 9:00AM

Buses to Use I-66 Shoulder — Buses will be allowed to use the shoulder lane on I-66 inside the Beltway during heavy traffic, starting next month. VDOT is launching the program as a way to relieve some congestion and improve the on-time performance of bus routes that utilize the traffic-choked corridor. [Washington Post]

Parkmobile Now Available in Courthouse, Rosslyn — Arlington County has completed the implementation of the Parkmobile parking payment system for the Courthouse and Rosslyn neighborhoods, ahead of schedule. [Twitter]

Around Town

Fewer Squirrels Spotted Around Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published October 6, 2014 at 5:00PM | Updated October 6, 2014 at 5:17PM

It appears most parts of the county have fewer squirrels this year. Arlington County Natural Resources Manager Alonso Abugattas confirms that from spring through October — although no hard numbers yet are available — there have been “reports of fewer squirrels and anecdotal evidence” of a smaller population.

Abugattas said although many people immediately point to last year’s cold winter as the culprit, that’s probably not directly the cause. He said it would be very unlikely for large numbers of squirrels to die here by freezing to death.

News

BREAKING: First Same-Sex Couple Weds in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published October 6, 2014 at 3:55PM | Updated April 8, 2015 at 1:47PM

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Following a surprise U.S. Supreme Court decision this morning, a same-sex couple became the first to legally receive a marriage license and get married in Arlington.

Arlington Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson quickly approved the couple’s application for a marriage license, and the women then took part in a wedding ceremony outside the Arlington County Courthouse.

News

Arlington Greens Oppose All Bonds on November Ballot

By ARLnow.com

Published October 6, 2014 at 2:45PM

Party members recommend voters say no to the bonds because they are too broad. They believe approving the bonds would be the equivalent of offering blank checks to the Arlington School Board and the Arlington County Board to spend money on non-specific items.

The four bonds total nearly $219 million and include issues such as funding a new elementary school adjacent to Thomas Jefferson Middle School, as well as continuing funding for the Metro system.