An Arlington fentanyl dealer whose pills reportedly caused a client to fatally overdose was sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday (Wednesday).
Shan Mehmood, 21, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Call for ANC Incident Investigation — “One of Fairfax County’s congressional representatives wants a public accounting of reported clash between presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign and staff at Arlington National Cemetery. This morning (Wednesday), Rep. Gerry Connolly called for the cemetery to ‘publicly release all that transpired’ during the former president and current Republican presidential nominee’s visit on Monday.” [FFXnow]
Pentagon City Store Robbed — “The suspect entered the business, allegedly collected merchandise and exited without payment. Loss prevention personnel confronted the suspect outside the business and while attempting to detain her, the suspect struck the loss prevention personnel. A struggle ensued during which the responding officer arrived and attempted to detain the suspect during which she was noncompliant and attempted to flee the scene. The suspect was subsequently taken into custody.” [ACPD]
Milestone for Arlington Startup — “OxiWear Inc. has earned Food and Drug Administration clearance to sell its wearable oxygen monitor as a medical device, potentially creating a massive market opportunity. Shavini Fernando, founder and CEO of the 5-year-old Arlington startup, has been fighting to get the device to chronic disease patients for years. She developed it to monitor her own severe pulmonary hypertension.” [Washington Business Journal]
New All-You-Can-Eat Brunch — “Corso, the women-owned restaurant and gourmet Italian market in Shirlington, is debuting a brand new $29 All-You-Can-Mangia Italian brunch this weekend. Diners can feast on Italian-inspired dishes and enjoy $5 cocktail options for up two hours.” [Patch]
Record Temperatures Wednesday — “Capping a historically hot summer, the D.C. area witnessed a record-setting blast of late-August heat Wednesday… The District officially reached 101 degrees late in the afternoon, breaking the previous Aug. 28 record high of 99 degrees from 1948. The high of 101 ties for the District’s second-highest temperature this late in the season.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high near 88 and a 60% chance of afternoon showers and possible thunderstorms, accompanied by east winds at 6-9 mph. Rainfall amounts may range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible during thunderstorms. Thursday night will be cloudy with a low around 69 and a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms, particularly before 2am. East winds will continue at 7-9 mph, with rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch. [NWS]
Arlington County police are investigating a pair of armed robberies at the Pentagon City mall.
The first robbery happened around 3:45 p.m. in the mall’s parking garage. Initial reports suggest that the man was armed with a short barrel rifle and robbed the victim of a watch.
After 140 years of serving D.C.’s most vulnerable residents, a faith-based nonprofit is expanding into Northern Virginia with a new facility in South Arlington.
Central Union Mission hosted an open house at its new Mission: NOVA Center yesterday (Tuesday) at 5401 7th Road S., on the property of Greenbrier Baptist Church. Strategically located in a high-poverty, diverse area near Long Branch Nature Center, the facility aims to be a one-stop shop for those in need, offering a wide range of resources to help individuals and families regain stability.
Additional red light cameras are going online next week at two Arlington intersections.
Drivers will begin receiving warnings for infractions at the following sites in Rosslyn and along Langston Blvd starting Tuesday, Sept. 3, the county announced in a press release.
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]
A gun-toting man who tried to carjack someone in the Buckingham neighborhood was scared off by the car’s horn.
That’s according to the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.
A GOP-led training on spotting potential voter fraud in the November election took place in Clarendon last night (Monday).
The event co-hosted by the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee was part of a tour of the “Protect the Vote” campaign, which seeks to recruit a total of 100,000 volunteers in battleground states. RNC Chairman Michael Whatley tied this to efforts around the country to add voter ID requirements and strengthen other guardrails against illegal voting.
A Yorktown High School alum has secured a prestigious scholarship to continue pursuing youth advocacy and educational reform in East Africa.
Elal Tilahun, a political science junior at Tulane University, is among 100 students from 88 colleges across 44 states and territories who have been awarded the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service.
Two police officers and at least one store security guard were hurt trying to take a theft suspect into custody Friday.
That’s according to the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report. Police say the man robbed a store in Pentagon City around 3 p.m., implied he had a weapon, and fled to the Metro station, where a confrontation with law enforcement took place.
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]
In an exclusive interview, swimmer gives inkling of her plans for 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
After an eventful few weeks in Europe, including winning five Olympic medals, seeing Taylor Swift in concert, sightseeing and a challenging journey home, Torri Huske is glad to be back in Arlington for a few days and have her life begin returning to normalcy.
