A man accused of masturbating in public in view of a local pickleball court is back behind bars.
Police say 50-year-old Arlington resident Alexei Rodriguez was seen peeping into homes, exposing himself and masturbating last night on the 300 block of S. Glebe Road, near Thomas Jefferson Middle School. He was arrested after a foot chase.
By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday ordered Virginia to restore more than 1,600 voter registrations that she said were illegally purged in the last two months in an effort to stop noncitizens from voting.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer says he does not, at present, desire to see a federal investigation into conditions at the Arlington County Detention Facility.
But speaking at a Monday (Oct. 21) candidate forum hosted by the Arlington NAACP, Beyer (D-Va.) did seek more interaction between local officials and their federal counterparts on the issue.
Ruthie’s Opening Fairfax Location — Popular Arlington eatery Ruthie’s All Day has picked Fairfax Corner for its second location. Ruthie’s will move into a space at 11951 Grand Commons Avenue, the company announced Thursday. The new restaurant, which follows the elevated comfort food spot’s well-regarded first location in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, is expected to open in fall 2025. [FFXnow]
Mail Ballot Deadline — From Arlington’s elections office: “Have you made a plan to vote yet?! The deadline to request a mail ballot is [today], 10/25 at 5pm and the last day to vote early is Saturday, 11/2! Make a plan today!” [Instagram]
Arlington’s Voting Machine History — “By the 1930s, ‘essentially all of the nation’s larger urban centers had adopted lever voting machines,’ Jones writes. Virginia, being Virginia, was a bit slower to adopt this technology. A news story in the Northern Virginia Sun in 1940 reports that Arlington County Democrats were debating whether the machines were too expensive. Arlington eventually decided they weren’t. The first use of voting machines in Virginia apparently came in Arlington on Aug. 1, 1950, in a primary election.” [Cardinal News]
Traffic Stop Drug Bust Near Clarendon — “At approximately 9:41 p.m. on October 23, a patrol officer observed a vehicle displaying an improper registration and conducted a traffic stop. During an inventory search of the vehicle prior to towing, officers recovered suspected narcotics including cocaine, amphetamine/methamphetamine and a large quantity of marijuana, drug packaging/distribution materials, and a large sum of cash.” [ACPD]
I-395 Crash on Camera — From Dave Statter: “Another left turn on I-395S at Exit 8C to Crystal City ends with a crash. It doesn’t happen as frequently thanks to @VaDOTNOVA’s fixes but lots of drivers still do squirelly things to avoid missing the exit. Early indication that there were no serious injuries.” [Twitter]
Beyer Hopeful for Lee Name Removal — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) on Monday told the Arlington NAACP he believes legislation removing Robert E. Lee’s name from Arlington House ultimately will succeed, even if they prove unsuccessful this year. “When Kamala [Harris] wins, we’re going to pass it,” Beyer said of the effort, which has picked up 120 cosponsors (all Democrats) but will have to start from scratch when the new Congress convenes in January. —Scott McCaffrey
Warner, Kaine Want More Work Visas — “U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Angus King (I-ME), and a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) to release the maximum number of Congressionally-authorized H-2B visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.” [Press Release]
‘International Showcase’ This Weekend — From a PR rep: “This Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m., Fashion Centre at Pentagon City is slated to host its annual Mosaic International Showcase… The event will highlight representatives from Bavaria (Germany and Austria), Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia and more. Families are invited to the mall’s Metro Level to experience a celebration of culture with each country providing its own traditional entertainment, music and dances and food sampling.” [Simon]
Training for the Next MCM — “Thousands of first-time racers will take to the starting line Sunday at this year’s Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia. If you would like to take on the challenge, one day, a running coach and MCM veteran has advice on how to prepare for your first 26.2-mile race.” [WTOP]
It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature around 68 degrees alongside light and variable winds turning southwest at around 6 mph in the afternoon. Friday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 54 degrees. [NWS]
Planned improvements to Arlington Blvd are set to be discussed at a public forum next week.
Proposed changes by the Virginia Department of Transportation focus on a crash-prone stretch of Route 50 between Glebe Road and Fillmore Street. Among the proposed changes are a raised median and dedicated left turn lanes at some particularly hazardous intersections.
By TIFFANY STANLEY Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Since the war in Ukraine began, Yaroslav Pyzh, a Baptist pastor in Lviv, has worn many hats.
Arlington Transit workers have reached a tentative deal with their employer, diminishing the threat of possible disruption to ART bus service.
If ratified, the agreement would put an end to several months of increasingly tense negotiations between ART workers and the county-contracted transportation company Transdev.
Members of the Park and Recreation Commission on Tuedsay (Oct. 22) voted unanimously to recommend that the Arlington County Board bestow the name “Buckingham Pollinator Park” on a new park.
The park is to be constructed as part of redevelopment of the Harris Teeter site in the Ballston area.
By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — More than 1,600 Virginians have had their voter registrations canceled since August under a state program that the Justice Department and advocacy groups contend is illegal.
Cemetery Records on Trump Incident — “The US Army has been ordered by a federal judge to release records related to former President Donald Trump’s controversial August visit to Arlington National Cemetery by Friday at the latest… The expedited release is a result of a lawsuit by American Oversight, a non-partisan watchdog nonprofit advocating for the release of government records. The group submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for any records relating to interactions between Trump campaign staff and the employee.” [WTOP]
Boeing Strike Continues — “Boeing factory workers voted Wednesday to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a six-week strike that has halted production of the aerospace giant’s bestselling jetliners.” Boeing has its headquarters in Crystal City. [Associated Press]
Rollover Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “Yesterday’s crash at Spout Run & Langston reminds us, once again, that many of today’s vehicles don’t need a lot to make them go belly up.” [Twitter]
Pink-Clad Thief Exposes Self — “Police are searching for a theft suspect wearing a pink hat and jacket who exposed himself Tuesday afternoon at a Virginia Square business. Arlington County Police responded around 3:35 p.m. to the report of a theft that had just happened in the 3500 block of Wilson Boulevard. Officers determined … the man exposed himself, grabbed some merchandise and left the store without paying.” [Patch]
Metal Chain Used as Weapon — “At approximately 4:00 p.m. on October 19, the male victim engaged the male suspect, who is an acquaintance, in conversation during which the suspect became confrontational. The suspect then briefly left the scene before returning with a metal chain. The suspect then struck the victim with the chain and physically assaulted him before subsequently fleeing the scene on foot. The victim sustained minor injuries.” [ACPD]
Beyer ‘Disappointed’ in Mideast Response — At an Arlington NAACP candidate forum held Monday, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said he disagreed with President Joe Biden’s approach to the ongoing Mideast conflict. “I’ve been very disappointed in the light touch he’s used,” Beyer said, while also criticizing Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who “doesn’t pay any attention to what we think,” Beyer said. —Scott McCaffrey
Restaurant Week Was a Record-Breaker — With a total of 73 venues taking part, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s Arlington Restaurant Week broke a participation record. The event, held Oct. 14-21 and now in its sixth year, spotlighted restaurants ranging from fast-casual to haute cuisine. “It’s vital that we support them to ensure they thrive,” Arlington Chamber president/CEO Kate Bates said. [Arlington Chamber of Commerce]
Complaints About Screaming in Courthouse — “There’s a homeless man that gets drunk and screeches at the top of his lungs for hours in this courtyard near my apartment. He sits on a bench behind a bus stop across from sushi rock. Like 16th st N and North Scott street. He’s been doing it every other day for the past two weeks and I’m going insane.” [Reddit]
More on Arlington Transportation Plan — “Much of transportation policy pertains to the question of how to divide up a limited resource–the public right-of-way, or the road? This is the question that Arlington County will tackle over the next 18 months as we rewrite our Master Transportation Plan. This public engagement process is getting the top-shelf treatment in public engagement — the full ‘Arlington Way’ — so it even has its own branding.” [Greater Greater Washington]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 65 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 14 to 16 mph and gusts reaching up to 25 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be clear with a low temperature around 43 degrees, and a northwest wind at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
Elected leaders and other stakeholders from Montgomery County, Md. were in Arlington last week to tour examples of “missing middle” housing.
The tour did not include any construction projects started under Arlington’s Expanded Housing Options, which a judge overturned last month, putting the completion of such projects in doubt. Instead, it focused on the look, feel and impact of two other examples of housing densification in South Arlington.
An Ohio man has been arrested and charged with raping a woman in a Rosslyn area apartment last year.
The crime happened in the early morning hours of Oct. 29, 2023, after police say an “unknown male suspect gained entry to the victim’s residence, entered her bedroom… then raped the victim before fleeing the residence on foot.”
