News

Board Votes to Dismiss HRC Members — “Arlington County Board members voted Tuesday afternoon to dismantle the locality’s advisory Human Rights Commission, dismissing an appointed group they say had overstepped its narrow bounds. The move came after the group sent a letter to federal authorities voicing concerns over a string of deaths in the county jail… Several county board members said during Tuesday’s meeting that the group’s mandate was to focus on discrimination in the private and nonprofit sectors, not on oversight of county government.” [Washington Post, Gazette Leader]

Trump Campaign ‘Altercation’ at ANC — “Two members of Donald Trump’s campaign staff had a verbal and physical altercation Monday with an official at Arlington National Cemetery, where the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, NPR has learned. A source with knowledge of the incident said the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section where recent U.S. casualties are buried.” [NPR]

I-395 Wreck on Camera — From Dave Statter: “Pretty amazing that after all that bouncing this driver walked out of the overturned and crumpled car relatively unscathed. It happened early Sunday on the ramp from Washington Boulevard to I-395S and Arlington Ridge Road.” [Twitter]

Huske Event Brings in Food Donations — From the Arlington Food Assistance Center: “A HUGE thank you to Olympic Swimmer Torri Huske for recognizing AFAC at her welcome home celebration [Sunday] where 920 pounds of food donations were collected for our neighbors in need!” [Twitter]

HS Football Starts Tomorrow — “The 2024 fall high-school varsity football schedules are set for the 11 teams in the GazetteLeader’s coverage areas, including the four Arlington squad – the Wakefield Warriors, Washington-Liberty Generals, Yorktown Patriots and Bishop O’Connell Knights. The regular seasons begin for many teams on Thursday, Aug. 29, then conclude on Nov. 8 and 9.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny and hot conditions with temperatures reaching near 100°F and heat index values up to 104°F along with a west wind of 6 to 9 mph. On Wednesday night, there’s a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms primarily between 8 pm and 2 am, accompanied by partly cloudy skies and a low around 76°F. The west wind will be around 6 mph before becoming light and variable. [NWS]

NAACP Blasts County Board — “With Arlington County Board members this week preparing to downsize the government’s Human Rights Commission and limit its authority, a civil-rights group is calling foul. The NAACP Arlington branch on Aug. 23 came out swinging against proposed changes, suggesting it is a case of county officials retaliating against the body for its past actions. County Board members are slated to act on proposed changes Aug. 27.” [Gazette Leader]

Local Air Quality Alert — From the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: “COG forecasts a Code Orange unhealthy #airquality day for sensitive groups in much of the #DMV region for [today], August 27.” [Twitter]

YHS Coach Nears Milestone — “Victory number 300 in Bruce Hanson’s high-school football coaching career could come early in the 2024 season. The longtime Yorktown Patriots head coach begins the campaign with 296 career wins – 266 of those at Yorktown. The other 30 came in his only other gig as a head coach, from 1974 to 1979, of the Wakefield Warriors. Both schools are in Arlington. Hanson’s first season as Yorktown’s coach was in 1985.” [Gazette Leader]

Female Officers Highlighted  — “On this Women’s Equality Day, ACPD honors the brave women in law enforcement, past and present, who have paved the way for others with their courage, strength, and dedication. ACPD is proud to have women make up 26.8% of our sworn staff as we continue to strive towards a department that reflects the diverse community that we serve.” [Twitter]

New Members of CivFed — “The Arlington County Civic Federation on Sept. 3 is slated to welcome two new member organizations. The Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance and Arlington Neighborhood Village have been deemed to meet membership requirements, pending a final vote from delegates.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 91 and light, variable winds during the day. In contrast, Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a low temperature around 74 degrees and a gentle south wind at approximately 5 mph. [NWS]