ARLINGTON, Va. – The Arlington County Police Department welcomed 12 new officers this week, as Session 140 graduated from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy (NVCJA) and took their oath to serve and protect the residents and visitors of Arlington County. Graduation from NVCJA is the first of many milestones in their training process to become solo police officers in Arlington County. The officers will complete local and field training programs before they begin solo patrol in the County.
The new officers who make up Session 140 are representative of the Department’s ongoing efforts to recruit and hire a force that is reflective of Arlington’s diverse population and are well accomplished in their studies. Officer J. Nelson and Officer T. Fullop were awarded first and third place, respectively, for their achievements of Academic Excellence. Officer T. Fullop was awarded third place in Firearms.
George Washington Memorial Parkway
[ONGOING] Arlington Memorial Bridge lane closures
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for orchestrating multiple fraud schemes that resulted in total losses of approximately $20 million.
According to court documents, Todd Elliott Hitt, 54, solicited approximately $30 million from investors for a variety of real estate and venture capital investments in the Washington, D.C. area from 2014 through August 2018. The investments included Hitt’s solicitation of approximately $17 million from investors in order to purchase a five-story office building adjacent to a planned future stop on the Silver Line in Herndon. Hitt made false statements and material omissions to investors by failing to disclose that a significant portion of the monies raised were commingled with other unrelated investment projects, used for personal spending to support an extravagant lifestyle and new investor’s funds used to pay off old investors in a Ponzi-like scheme. Hitt’s fraudulent conduct resulted in investor losses of approximately $20 million.
When Gretchen Reinemeyer was sworn in as Arlington County’s general registrar, she became only the fifth person to hold the position since it was created in 1947.
Reinemeyer is succeeding long-time registrar Linda Lindberg who is retiring at the end of the month after serving more than 25 years in the Arlington Voting and Elections Office–16 of them as general registrar.
(Arlington, VA) – Janet Kopenhaver, Chair of Embracing Arlington Arts – an independent citizens group comprised of Arlington arts supporters – is so honored that our County’s “First Lady” Megan Beyer will be a guest on the organization’s radio show (Tuesday, June 25th at 3:00 pm on WERA 96.7FM or online). “I am so thrilled to not only be able to chat with Megan about her stellar career and accomplishments, but also to discuss why the arts are so important to Arlington and our nation overall,” stated Kopenhaver. Beyer served as the Executive Director of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities (PCAH) from 2015 to January 2017 under President Obama. She currently serves as an advisor to a range of arts and civic organizations, including the American Film Institute.
Among the many topics to be discussed will be the Turnaround Arts Program – a national program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts founded in 2011 by the PCAH. “The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities created a program that illustrates the academic imperative of arts integration methods. It’s called Turnaround Arts,” Beyer explained. “Now in over 80 schools in America, students have improved learning at schools that have come alive with song, dance and theater – and they have the academic outcomes to prove it,” she added. The program is based on the premise that high-quality and integrated arts education can strengthen school reform efforts, boost academic achievement, and increase student engagement in schools facing some of the toughest educational challenges in the country.
ARLINGTON, VA. (June 20, 2019) – The Ballston Business Improvement District (BID) hosted the eighth Annual Business Meeting, and Best of Ballston Awards at the Hilton Arlington Hotel on June 20th. The program celebrated the launch of the BallstonConnect Club, as well as innovative businesses, community leaders, and real estate professionals who have helped to transform Ballston.
Highlighting the evening was the presentation of the Robert Ball Sr. Award, Ballston’s highest distinction, for the development of the reimagined Ballston Quarter Mall, which was presented to John Moore, Vice President and General Manager, QIC-GRE.
June 20, 2019 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today after Jack Evans, the Chairman of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Board of Directors, acknowledged ethics violations stemming from conflicts of interest:
“At a time when WMATA faces serious challenges, including the need to improve safety and reliability and secure long-term funding, we need WMATA’s leadership entirely focused on constructive solutions to solve these problems. Chairman Jack Evans’ ethical issues are serious and pose a threat to the success of the Metro Board’s mission. He should step down from the Board immediately.”
Arlington, VA (June 19, 2019) NYSE, TSX:STN
Stantec has announced that Kelley Coyner, a widely recognized pioneer in smart mobility, has joined the firm as Mobility Innovation Leader. This new global position will guide Stantec’s growing smart mobility business, focusing on partnerships and products needed to launch new smart mobility strategies, programs, and deployments.
Arlington County Treasurer Carla de la Pava was sworn in as the President of the Treasurers’ Association of Virginia (TAV) at the association’s annual conference in Arlington. “I am humbled and honored to take on this mantle, and I will work hard to lead the TAV in the important work we do for the Commonwealth,” said de la Pava. Former Arlington County Treasurer and TAV President 1991-92, Francis X. O’Leary, swore in de la Pava.
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(Arlington, VA) – Embracing Arlington Arts – an independent citizens group comprised of Arlington arts supporters – applauds the County Board for formally adopting Arlington’s Strategic Plan for the arts – “Enriching Lives” at their Board meeting yesterday, June 18. This well-researched plan brought together arts professionals, experts, stakeholders and citizens in its development. “Board approval of this document was critical as the County moves to reevaluate and develop arts priorities in Arlington,” explained Janet Kopenhaver, Chair of Embracing Arlington Arts. “Now that it has been adopted, Arlington County arts organizations, County decisionmakers, community groups, developers and others will have more concrete standards by which to judge and decide on future projects, initiatives, plans and actions with respect to keeping the arts in Arlington vibrant, strong and healthy,” Kopenhaver added.
In anticipation of this vote, the County Board members were sent a letter signed by all known non-profit arts organizations in Arlington urging them to formally adopt this plan. The arts community is united in their desire for a formal arts plan in Arlington to help steer the arts policy in the County. “as the “Enriching Lives” strategy itself emphasizes, supporting the arts is so much greater than just one County department’s work plan,” asserted County Board member Katie Cristol. “The Board’s adoption of “Enriching Lives” adds our official support for this thoughtful, stakeholder-developed set of goals and strategies to guide our collective – public and private – work to grow and sustain the arts in Arlington,” Cristol added.
Arlington, VA – The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) voted Wednesday to allow the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to use nearly $20 million in toll revenues to fund 13 projects that benefit commuters in the I-66 corridor. “We appreciate the CTB’s support as we fund 13 projects that will provide connections to places people want to go, add options for commuter and local bus riders, encourage ridesharing and make it easier to choose transit,” said NVTC Executive Director Kate Mattice. “The projects funded through I-66 Commuter Choice will save Northern Virginia commuters approximately 485,000 hours of travel delay each year and move over 3,000 additional people through the corridor during rush hour,” she said.
The highly competitive application process resulted in a slate of projects that improve transit service, move more people and enhance transportation connectivity in Northern Virginia. About 87 percent of the funds, or $17 million, will support four new bus routes and improve the services of five existing bus routes. Three of the approved bus route projects will continue successful services initiated during the first I-66 Commuter Choice program launched in 2017. The remaining 13 percent, or $2.6 million, supports transit incentives, alternative travel options and program administration.
The County Board today approved an extension to Arlington’s demonstration project for e-scooters and e-bikes for six months, through Dec. 31, 2019, to allow continued public comment and sufficient time for analysis. More than 300,000 trips have been taken on the devices since Arlington launched the demonstration project in October 2018.
“Great transportation options are an important feature of life in Arlington County,” County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “On a day-to-day basis, we are learning a lot about what’s working and what isn’t working with dockless scooters and bikes. Before this Board considers how to permanently regulate these devices in Arlington, we need a complete analysis from staff of information from operators, staff experience, adopted plans and policies, and feedback from our community. We expect to get that within the next four to six months, and then we can make an informed decision on next steps based on analysis of real-world performance.”
