News | ARLnow.com - Part 1108

Crystal City Rolling Out ‘Car2Go’ Service

Published August 5, 2014 at 3:30PM | Updated August 5, 2014 at 4:11PM

The Crystal City Business Improvement District announced today that the carsharing service would be launching in Crystal City in the coming weeks. It allows users to park their borrowed car anywhere in the “home area” and find an available car via a GPS-enabled smartphone app.

The service costs $35 to register and 41 cents per minute, with a $14.99 per hour and $84.99 per day maximum. The car’s insurance, gas and parking fees are free (in the home areas), and car2go says it has hundreds of cars in the D.C. area. They can be driven anywhere as long as the user finishes his or her trip within the “home area.”

Life in Prison for Man Convicted in Murder-for-Hire Plot

By ARLnow.com

Published August 5, 2014 at 11:30AM | Updated August 5, 2014 at 2:29PM

Wood, Jr. was one of three people arrested last year in the murder-for-hire case. Mack L. Wood was found dead in his Arlington home in October 2012 from what first appeared to be an accident. However, an investigation by the Arlington County Police Department and the Henrico County Police Department uncovered evidence leading to the arrests of Wood, Jr., as well as Jean Caleb Pierre and Sapien Edmonds. All three men lived in Henrico, VA.

Prosecution documents state Wood, Jr. agreed to pay Pierre and Edmonds $25,000 each to kill his terminally ill father. The three began conspiring in April 2012, according to prosecutors, and made a failed attempt to kill Wood in July 2012. They kept in contact and came up with a new plan, which they successfully carried out in October 2012 when prosecutors say Edmonds beat and strangled Wood. Edmonds reportedly then positioned the body to appear as if the victim died from a fall down the stairs.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 5, 2014 at 9:00AM | Updated August 5, 2014 at 10:57AM

County Quietly Chooses Auditor — The Arlington County government hired an internal auditor to improve transparency in finances and operations. County officials say specifics about the hire will be released in September. [InsideNova]

CEB Deal Questioned — Last month, the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) announced it would anchor The JBG Cos.’ planned Central Place office tower in Rosslyn. But the head of Boston Properties believes that’s not a win. He says Rosslyn’s vacancy rate will grow because of the huge space CEB will leave behind at 1919 N. Lynn Street. [Washington Business Journal]

Video: Furniture Fire on Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com

Published August 4, 2014 at 1:30PM

They were called to 218 N. Glebe Road, where furniture placed next to a dumpster had caught fire around 8:15 p.m. An ACFD spokesperson says it took longer than usual for responders to get to the scene because they initially received the wrong address.

Firefighters easily extinguished the flames once they arrived on scene. Nobody was hurt.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 4, 2014 at 9:15AM | Updated August 4, 2014 at 9:57AM

Gas Leak Causes Evacuation in Clarendon — A Saturday gas leak forced the closing of Clarendon Blvd. near the Clarendon Metro station. Approximately 50 people evacuated six nearby buildings during the incident. Nobody was hurt. [Washington Post]

Proposal to Turn Basement into Classrooms — On Thursday, Arlington School Board members are expected to approve a $2 million project to turn basement crawl space into classrooms at Arlington Science Focus School. The project would end the need for the four relocatable classrooms on the school’s property, as well as a planned fifth. [InsideNova]

Six Injured After Police Chase on I-66

By Ethan Rothstein

Published August 2, 2014 at 7:25PM | Updated August 3, 2014 at 12:45PM

Photo via @FreeCuba1

(Updated at 12:40 p.m. on 8/3/14) Six people were hospitalized after a police chase turned into a multiple-vehicle collision on I-66 Saturday afternoon.

Around 3:15 p.m., Virginia State Police say they pulled over a Dodge Charger for a routine traffic stop on eastbound I-66 in Fairfax County when it was spotted driving on the shoulder. The Charger stopped for a state trooper in Fairfax County, near exit 57 for Route 50. The responding trooper discovered the driver, 25-year-old Ericka S. Oliver, had an arrest warrant from another local jurisdiction and took her into custody. According to a VSP press release, the male passenger, 33-year-old Anthony G. McCrae of Washington, D.C., then grabbed the wheel of the car and sped off, which led to a high-speed pursuit.

Arlington Looking for New Deputy County Manager

By Ethan Rothstein

Published August 1, 2014 at 3:45PM

Arlington posted the open position on its jobs page this morning. According to county spokeswoman Mary Curtius, the position has been open for six months after interim deputy manager Jay Farr returned to his original post as deputy chief of the systems management division with the Arlington County Police Department.

Farr had replaced former Deputy County Manager Marsha Allgeier, who stepped down about a year ago into a part-time position as assistant county manager of special products, Curtius said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published August 1, 2014 at 9:00AM

Dark Star Park Day in Rosslyn — It’s Dark Star Park Day in Rosslyn. Today commemorates the 30th anniversary of the park, which is designed to cast shadows that align with the art installation once a year, on Aug. 1. Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette is expected to speak at a celebration at the park, at 1655 Fort Myer Drive, starting at 9:00 a.m. [Rosslyn BID, Ode Street Tribune]

Roads to Close for Signature Open House — Part of Campbell Avenue in Shirlington will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday for the annual Signature Theatre open house. The event runs from noon to 10:00 p.m. and features numerous singing and theater performances, including a “Signature Idol competition.” [Signature Theatre, Arlington County]

Police: Arlington Resident Celebrating Birthday Stabs Woman in Neck

By ARLnow.com

Published July 31, 2014 at 11:15AM

File photo

The incident happened on the 3200 block of 24th Street S. in Nauck early Wednesday morning. Police say Janie Dunbar was “celebrating her [July 29] birthday and consuming alcoholic beverages” just past midnight when she began arguing with the victim.

Dunbar became enraged and stabbed the woman just below the throat and in the left bicep, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The victim suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and was rushed to the trauma center at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Survey: Housing Costs to Push Out 25-34 Year Olds

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 31, 2014 at 10:15AM

According to the survey, which polled 1,744 Arlington residents, 60 percent of 25-34 year olds responded “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to the question: “In the next five years or so, how likely is it you will have to move out of Arlington because you would not have the kind of housing you want at the price you can afford?”

Thirty-four percent of respondents said it was “very likely” they would move away.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 31, 2014 at 9:15AM

Att’y General to Consider Streetcar Referendum — Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) will be asked by Del. Patrick Hope (D) to weigh in on whether Arlington County has the legal authority to hold an advisory referendum on the Columbia Pike streetcar project. County officials say they don’t have the authority, and without General Assembly approval can only use a referendum for a general obligation bond issue. [InsideNova]

County Fair Adds Pentagon City Shuttle — The Arlington County Fair this year is adding a new shuttle option. In addition to shuttles from the Arlington Career Center, Ballston Metro and the I-66 parking garage, a shuttle will now run every 30 minutes from the Pentagon City Metro station. The fair runs from Aug. 6-10. [Arlington County Fair]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 30, 2014 at 9:30AM

‘Republican’ Not Found on GOP Candidate’s Signs — Republican candidate Dave Foster, who’s running to represent the 48th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, has a notable addition and omission on his campaign signs. Foster’s signs include a union label, but do not include the word “Republican.” Foster will face Democrat Rip Sullivan in a special election on Aug. 19. [InsideNova]

Arlington Transportation ‘What Ifs’ — Three shelved transportation proposals could have had a big impact on Arlington over the past 50 years. One would have seen a new 22-mile Blue Line built through Arlington, under the Potomac via a new tunnel, to Georgetown and eventually to RFK stadium. Another would have converted Route 1 through Crystal City to “Interstate 595.” A third would have built a new bridge from Spout Run Parkway to Georgetown. [Washington Post]