A woman has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars for killing a man in the parking lot of an Arlington Burger King in 2022.
A judge on Friday sentenced 48-year-old April Puckett to seven years of imprisonment for second-degree murder and three years for using a firearm in commission of a felony. This was less than the maximum sentence of 13 years that Puckett agreed to when she pleaded guilty in November.
Despite consistently receiving high marks from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Equality Arlington says Arlington County still has more work to do to improve services for LGBTQ residents.
Last week, the local LGBTQ nonprofit sent a letter to the Arlington County Board and County Manager, highlighting gaps in services, such as health care, workforce education and outreach, as revealed by the HRC Municipal Equality Index (MEI) — a scoring system used to rate a city’s inclusivity.
Tree Canopy Discussion — “At least for now, Arlington County Board members are sticking to their story when it comes to the county’s total tree canopy. But cracks in that commitment are appearing.” [Gazette Leader]
Less Funding for Litter — “It will provide a savings of 0.0025 percent in the Arlington County government’s fiscal 2025 budget, but likely will lead to a less tidy and more graffiti-strewn community. Is that a fair tradeoff? It apparently does seem fair to the county’s Department of Environmental Services, which has proposed reducing dedicated staffing to address litter issues in the dead-center area of the county.” [Gazette Leader]
Virginia’s U.S. senators are throwing their weight behind a bill to support first-generation homebuyers.
The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would provide grants of up to $20,000 to support socially and economically disadvantaged homebuyers. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are co-sponsoring the bill, alongside several fellow Democrats, saying this will help close equity gaps.
Serious crimes remain on the rise in Arlington as the Arlington County Police Department continues to seek more officers.
Simple assaults increased in 2023 for the fourth year in a row, while narcotics offenses surged 19% compared to the previous year, Chief Andy Penn told the Arlington County Board at a budget work session on Thursday. Every major category of offenses — crimes against persons, property and society — went up last year, he said.
Fake Arlington News — “Blast News 365… reported on the case of Roberta Clemons, a 77-year-old Arlington woman ‘who neighbors described as everyone’s grandma.’ She had been found shot to death in her car. Officials were said to have charged an 18-year-old man in the killing. But the Arlington County Police Department again confirmed it does not have ‘reports of a fatal shooting of an individual named Roberta Clemons.'” [NBC News]
Clement Is Running Again — “Audrey Clement is ready to roll for her latest bid for Arlington elected office. Clement, an independent (and one-time Green Party contender), has been running for local posts – mostly County Board but on two occasions School Board – continuously since 2011. Her 2024 run will be her 15th; Clement’s best showing was winning 31 percent of the vote against incumbent County Board member Jay Fisette in 2013.” [Gazette Leader]
Arlington County is losing its top communications official.
Bryna Helfer, Assistant County Manager and Director of Communications and Public Engagement, will be departing from the county’s leadership ranks at the end of this month.
A man reportedly shot a boy in the face with a water bead gun after he got off a school bus in Pentagon City.
The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, near the Westpost shopping center on S. Joyce Street, and prompted a police investigation.
Feedback Sought on Humps — “In fall 2023, the County reintroduced speed humps in school slow zones as part of a pilot project aiming to reduce vehicle speeds near schools. We want to learn from you, our community members, about the impacts of and your experience with tactical speed humps at the pilot locations. The last day to give feedback is Sunday, March 31.” [Arlington County]
Takis Talks Immigration — “Should improper border crossings into the U.S. be decriminalized? He may not have a direct say in the matter, but one Arlington County Board member made his view clear on March 16. ‘Crossing a border, documented or undocumented, should never be a crime,’ Takis Karantonis said in response to a public-comment speaker complaining about treatment of those slated for deportation at a downstate facility run by a contractor for the federal government.” [Gazette Leader]
A suspect allegedly armed with a loaded handgun unsuccessfully tried to run from Pentagon police today.
The chase happened around lunchtime Wednesday, starting near the Pentagon and ending in Pentagon City.
First Lady Jill Biden came to Amazon’s HQ2 in Pentagon City today and touted her husband’s record on women’s health issues.
Speaking this morning at the Amazon Web Services Imagine: Nonprofit conference, Biden emphasized the President’s recent allocation of $100 million in federal funding for the ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health, a program focused on advancing research and development in the field.
An Arlington doctor has been sentenced to a decade in prison for a drug distribution scheme.
Kirsten Van Steenberg Ball was found guilty by a federal jury in December of the illicit distribution of more than a million oxycodone pills. She was sentenced today (Wednesday) in Alexandria federal court.
