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JUST IN: Arlington Human Services Director to Retire

Published March 16, 2015 at 1:35PM

Eisner will leave her post at the end of May, DHS spokesman Kurt Larrick confirmed. She is the latest high-level Arlington staffer to retire, following Police Chief Doug Scott’s announcement in January and County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s announcement last Friday.

Eisner has been with DHS for more than 30 years, joining the Arlington Employment Center in 1984 and working her way up to director in 2005. Although the timing is conspicuous after Donnellan’s announcement last week, a source tells ARLnow.com there’s “nothing sinister here” and that Eisner is just hoping to travel with her new husband.

News

Judge Saves Witness’ Life in County Courthouse

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 23, 2015 at 10:00AM | Updated January 23, 2015 at 11:55AM

Gavel (Flickr photo by Joe Gratz)

The victim was testifying at the trial of an alleged trespasser when he started “gasping for air,” his friend George told ARLnow.com. George, who declined to give his last name or his friend’s name, alerted Judge Thomas J. Kelley Jr., who cleared out the courtroom and came down from the bench to render aid.

When it became apparent that the victim was having a heart attack, Kelley laid him on the floor and started performing chest compressions, George said. Sheriff’s deputies Edwin Hill and Phyllis Henderson assisted Kelley and performed mouth-to-mouth, according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Maj. Susie Doyel.

News

Notorious Billionaire Donated to Local Congressional Campaign

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2015 at 4:15PM | Updated January 9, 2015 at 1:17AM

Gwendolyn Beck

They would almost certainly get returned, given that the former Democratic donor is a convicted sex offender and has recently been in the headlines for claims that he used underage girls as sex slaves, with Britain’s Prince Andrew named as a potential beneficiary.

So why did Gwendolyn Beck, a long-shot independent candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District last year, receive what appears to be Epstein’s only political donations of 2014, totaling $12,600?

News

ACFD: Va. Hospital Center Refused to Admit Suspected Ebola Patient

By ARLnow.com

Published October 20, 2014 at 5:05PM | Updated October 20, 2014 at 6:04PM

Responding to an inquiry from ARLnow.com today, the Arlington County Fire Department confirmed reports that VHC refused the woman — who at the time was thought to potentially have the deadly Ebola virus — when medics brought her to the hospital. She never left the ambulance.

“We were turned away,” said ACFD spokeswoman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani. “We followed our protocol and brought the patient to the closest hospital (VHC), at which point we were rerouted to Fairfax Inova.”

Schools

DEVELOPING: School System Scrambling for Seats as Enrollment Spikes Again

By Ethan Rothstein

Published October 3, 2014 at 11:25AM

Arlington Public Schools’ capacity crisis is only getting worse, and members of the community are clamoring for good solutions fast.

APS Assistant Superintendent for Facilities and Operations John Chadwick said the school system grew by 1,200 students in the 2014-2015 school year, 400 more than APS had projected. That’s the equivalent of two full elementary schools, Chadwick said.

Around Town

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Highline R&R’ Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published August 21, 2014 at 10:05AM | Updated September 22, 2014 at 8:24AM

(Updated at 11:40 a.m.) “Highline R&R,” a new bar that bills itself as the future “social anchor” of Crystal City, is coming to the former Bailey’s Pub space at 2010 Crystal Drive.

A permit application reveals that the establishment will have a seating capacity of more than 150. The company behind the application traces back to the offices of Bedrock Management, which operates numerous well-known local bars, like the Continental in Rosslyn; CarPool in Ballston; and Penn Social, Iron Horse Tavern, RocketBar and Buffalo Billiards in D.C.

News

EXCLUSIVE: Fatal Crash Suspect’s Friend Died in Wreck One Block Away

By ARLnow.com

Published January 24, 2014 at 5:45PM | Updated January 25, 2014 at 10:19AM

Photo via Instagram

Two wrecks, two friends, two deaths, one block apart. One friend died, and the other is now facing jail time for manslaughter.

Friday morning, police say Aman Singh Lail drove drunk and slammed into another car at the intersection of Fort Myer Drive and eastbound Lee Highway in Rosslyn, killing the 24-year-old driver. Amazingly, ten months prior, his friend Sami Ullah died when, after driving 90 miles per hour across the Key Bridge, he lost control of his 2008 BMW M5 and crashed just before the intersection of Fort Myer Drive and westbound Lee Highway.

News

Shutdown Changes 10-Miler Route, Puts Marathon in Jeopardy

By ARLnow.com

Published October 15, 2013 at 1:35PM | Updated October 17, 2013 at 2:15PM

Update at 2:15 p.m. on October 17 — Because Congress came to an agreement last night that re-opened the government, both the Army Ten-Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon will proceed as originally planned.

The route of the Army 10-Miler race has been changed and the Marine Corps Marathon is in jeopardy due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, ARLnow.com has learned.

News

EXCLUSIVE: GPS Sends Florida Driver Down W&OD Trail

By ARLnow.com

Published July 11, 2013 at 9:45AM

The man was in a rental car with his wife and kids when he drove northbound onto the trail at Columbia Pike, according to Arlington police spokesman Lt. Mike Watson. After receiving numerous calls from trail users, a police officer on a motorcycle caught up with the vehicle, a Chrysler 300 sedan, in Glencarlyn Park.

According to Watson, the man claimed that a GPS navigation system on his phone directed him to use the trail. The Florida resident was issued a court summons for reckless driving and was escorted off the trail and back onto local roads, Watson told ARLnow.com.

News

Plans for Arlington Law School Fall Through

By ARLnow.com

Published June 14, 2013 at 10:35AM

In April, the Arlington County Board quietly approved a site plan amendment for the vacant National Gateway building at 3500 and 3550 S. Clark Street, along Jefferson Davis Highway near Potomac Yard. The amendment was granted to allow the office building to be used for educational purposes.

Specifically, the building was to be occupied by a new 1,300-student law school, complete with 22 classrooms, a law library, a bookstore, a moot courtroom and a cafe.

News

UPDATED: Accidental Shooting at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery

By Katie Pyzyk

Published May 29, 2013 at 9:50AM | Updated May 29, 2013 at 8:30PM

The incident happened at the cemetery’s parking lot around 9:30 a.m., an hour and a half before President Obama was scheduled to lay a wreath at the cemetery.

According to a spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBMHH), which has jurisdiction over the incident, a cemetery visitor returned to his car in the parking garage after visiting the gravesite of a friend. The man reportedly opened the door to his vehicle and tried moving a handgun from under the seat.

News

Air Force Officer Accused of Sexual Battery

By ARLnow.com

Published May 6, 2013 at 3:20PM | Updated December 30, 2013 at 11:49PM

FIRST REPORTED BY ARLNOW.COM: The chief of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branch of the U.S. Air Force was arrested and charged with sexual battery in Arlington over the weekend.

Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski is accused of fondling a woman in a Crystal City parking lot early Sunday morning.