News | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published February 7, 2017 at 9:10AM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:30PM

Dems Choose Caucus for County Board Race — If there are multiple contenders for this year’s Arlington County Board race, Democrats will hold a party caucus, rather than a primary, to choose the nominee. Incumbent County Board member Jay Fisette has not yet announced whether he will seek reelection. [InsideNova]

Arlington Has Region’s Shortest Commute — Arlington residents have the D.C. region’s shortest average commute: 28.1 minutes. That’s even shorter than the commute of those who live in the District. Driving, meanwhile, is declining regionwide as a commuting method; in Arlington, 60.2 percent of commuters drive, down from 61.3 percent six years prior. [WTOP]

Arlington Group Borrows Tea Party Tactics to Oppose Trump Agenda

By Tim Regan

Published February 6, 2017 at 1:45PM | Updated February 6, 2017 at 10:01PM

(Updated at 1:58 p.m.) A new grassroots organization in Arlington hopes to obstruct President Trump’s actions by using some familiar tactics.

The group is called “Indivisible Arlington,” and it’s quickly becoming a focal point for local political frustrations. The organization gets its name from the “Indivisible Guide,” an online resource that borrows protest tactics from the Tea Party, the right-wing protest group that helped reshape the U.S. political landscape after the election of President Obama.

Photos: Bobcat Spotted in Donaldson Run Neighborhood?

By ARLnow.com

Published February 6, 2017 at 11:30AM | Updated February 6, 2017 at 12:26PM

Possible bobcat sighting in Donaldson Run (photo courtesy @designpowers)

A Donaldson Run resident photographed what appears to be a bobcat in a neighbor’s backyard over the weekend.

Evelyn Powers says her husband spotted the big cat Saturday morning.

Bank Robbery Suspect Throws Bag of Cash Out Along Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com

Published February 6, 2017 at 9:45AM | Updated February 6, 2017 at 5:37PM

A traffic camera shows police blocking the intersection of Glebe and S. Eads Street, and directing drivers to turn around.

Initial reports suggest there was a bank robbery in Alexandria and the robber — described as a white male wearing a black beanie cap — threw a bag of cash, which also contained a tracking device, out into the middle of Glebe Road.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 6, 2017 at 9:15AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 11:09AM

Bad Morning for Metro — There were significant delays on the Blue, Orange, Silver and Red lines this morning, as various train, power and switch problems were reported. [Washington Post]

The Cable Was Out, Too — Not only were more than 3,000 Dominion residents affected by a power outage on Super Bowl Sunday, but Comcast was having problems, too. Scores of Arlington and Alexandria residents lost their cable TV and/or internet service during the big game. Comcast blamed a “generator fire” at the Ballston mall as well as a “burned fiber.” [NBC Washington]

Major Power Outage in Ballston, Bluemont

By ARLnow.com

Published February 5, 2017 at 5:35PM

As the minutes tick down to the start of the Super Bowl, more than 3,100 Dominion customers are currently without power in Arlington.

Dominion’s website says the cause of the widespread outage, centered around the Ballston and Bluemont neighborhoods, is “pending investigation.” Restoration of power is estimated between 7-9 p.m.

Arlington Man Gets Prison Time for Child Pornography

By Tim Regan

Published February 3, 2017 at 4:45PM

Gavel (Flickr photo by Joe Gratz)

James Jeffrey Schroeder, 50, was today sentenced to 100 months in prison for “for receiving and downloading child pornography,” according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. He pleaded guilty to the crime last October.

Schroeder also was sentenced to 20 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $182,000 in restitution to victims.

JUST IN: ACFD Battles Car Fire on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published February 3, 2017 at 3:45PM

A convertible caught fire along Columbia Pike this afternoon, prompting a brief closure of the eastbound lanes of the Pike.

The fire broke out just before 3:15 p.m., as the car was parked on S. Edgewood Street, near the entrance to the Rite Aid.

Police: Someone May Have Followed Students Near Washington-Lee High School

By Tim Regan

Published February 3, 2017 at 11:35AM | Updated February 3, 2017 at 12:09PM

File photo

Police said one or more subjects appeared to follow students near the school on Jan. 31 and Feb. 2. Both incidents happened around 6 p.m.

Though authorities said no crime is believed to have occurred during the incidents, the department is looking to identify and speak with the person or people involved.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 3, 2017 at 9:15AM

High Water Bills Prompt Questions — A number of Arlington residents say their quarterly water bills for the summer and fall spiked to inconceivably high levels, in some cases in excess of $2,000. The county government, however, says no systemic billing issues have been found and blames the high bills on hot and dry weather combined with homeowners irrigating their yards. [InsideNova]

News Photog Saved By Arlington Medic — WUSA9 photographer Dion Wiggins suffered a massive heart attack while shooting video of traffic along I-395 last month. It was an Arlington County paramedic, Chris Abrahams, who together with firefighter Jason Griffith revived Wiggins from cardiac arrest, stabilized him and transported him to George Washington University Hospital. Wiggins is now back at home and on the road to recovery. [WUSA9]

Gold Star Father Khizr Khan and Rep. Beyer Slam Trump Travel Ban

By Tim Regan

Published February 2, 2017 at 3:45PM | Updated February 2, 2017 at 4:06PM

Gold star father Khizr Khan

(Updated at 3:58 p.m.) Gold star father and outspoken Trump opponent Khizr Khan joined Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and other lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday to condemn President Donald Trump’s controversial “Muslim ban.”

Speaking to a small crowd of reporters during a press conference, Khan denounced Trump’s recent executive order barring refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. He also said Trump was running a “clown show” out of the White House.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 2, 2017 at 9:30AM | Updated January 16, 2018 at 2:57PM

It’s Groundhog Day — Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today, suggesting that we’re in for six more weeks of winter. The meteorological scolds at the Capital Weather Gang, however, think the prognosticating groundhog is wrong and that spring may arrive early. [Capital Weather Gang, Accuweather]

More Details on Nestlé Deal — Landing Nestlé is a huge win for Arlington County, for Rosslyn and for 1812 N. Moore Street owner Monday Properties, which stuck to its plan of keeping the skyscraper’s top floors empty as it awaited a big tenant. As part of the deal, Monday will put the company’s logo on two sides of the building, will nix a restaurant space to build a separate entrance for Nestlé’ employees, and will “more than double the size of the building’s wellness center to include space for spinning, yoga and pilates.” [Washington Business Journal]