Few details about the event were revealed ahead of time, but with the announcement featuring remarks by County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman and local lawmaker Del. Patrick Hope, one could reasonably assume that the bulk of the new event was to take place in Arlington, right?
Wrong.
The one-day event is expected take place Labor Day weekend along the W&OD Trail in Arlington. It will feature “a sports event with a historic twist, a large-scale environmental action activity (biggest in the park’s history) and a festival featuring a national recording artist which we expect will draw several thousand attendees,” said Chris Browne, Vice President of the Greater Washington Sports Alliance.
“It is going to be BIG and very relevant to our regional community,” Browne added.
Arlington police have released the identity of the bicyclist who was killed in South Arlington over the weekend.
The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a fatal traffic accident that occurred on [Sunday] in the 4000 block of Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 2:56 p.m. on May 8, 2011, police responded for a bicyclist that collided with a vehicle.
(Updated at 9:25 p.m.) A bicyclist was struck and killed by a car near the intersection of Four Mile Run Drive and S. Walter Reed Drive this afternoon.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to Arlington County police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal. Police are still investigating the accident — which occurred around 3:00 p.m. — and will release the victim’s name when next of kin are notified.
Power Outage Update — There are more than 2,100 Dominion customers still without power in Arlington. That’s down from 16,700 at the height of the storm. Dominion is receiving some favorable comparisons to Pepco from the Washington Post. The Post notes that Dominion called in out of town power crews early, while Pepco did not.
Arlington Delegates Have Bills Killed in House — Bills that would increase Virginia’s cigarette tax, lower the mandatory retirement age for judges and impose a 5-cent tax on plastic bags have all been killed in the House of Delegates, after being proposed by Arlington-based lawmakers. [Sun Gazette]
Here’s one way that Arlington County is making sure that pedestrian routes like the W&OD Trail are clear for cyclists, runners and walkers during the winter.
This pickup-mounted snow plow was spotted near today’s fire on Four Mile Run Drive.
McDonnell Pushes For Quick Action on Health Care Challenge — Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, who praised state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s now-successful challenge to President Obama’s health care reform law, wants the federal government’s inevitable appeal to go straight to the Supreme Court rather than take a more circuitous route through a federal appeals court. “Everybody knows it’s going to go to the U.S. Supreme Court,” the governor told Fox News.
W&OD Trail Closure Postponed — A portion of the W&OD Trail was supposed to be closed today to allow for power line work, but that has been postponed indefinitely because of the wind, a county official says.
The W&OD Trail will be closed next Tuesday between Carlin Springs Road and the Bluemont Junction Trail due to overhead work on power lines.
The trail will close starting at 5:00 a.m. on Dec. 14, and is expected to reopen the following day.
Someone has been busy creating mathematical and geometric graffiti (in chalk) on the W&OD trail. Mark Blacknell, who may or may not be organizing a posse of rogue road bicyclists to find the culprit(s), has more photos.
Photo courtesy Mark Blacknell.
At least two cases of racist vandalism have been reported in Crystal City in the past two days. The graffiti, which has contained references to Hitler, may be linked to a string of incidents being investigated by U.S. Park Police.
Park Police have issued a warrant for 51-year-old Ronald Edward Bost, Jr., who they believe is behind racist screeds found on the George Washington Parkway and in several D.C. parks.
The latest incident happened on Monday night around 6:30. A woman was on the trail near North Quincy Street when a man exposed himself, police said. The man is described as a white male wearing dark-colored clothing with a black ski mask over his face.
Police say women should avoid walking or running on the trail alone and should avoid wearing headphones.
A man exposed himself to a woman on the W&OD trail in Glencarlyn Park around 6:30 Friday night, according to police. Investigators believe it’s the same suspect who has previously struck seven times since the beginning of the year.
The suspect is described by police as a white Hispanic male with shaggy black hair, 5’6″ and 160 lbs. He was wearing gray clothing and a gray cloth over the lower half of his face during this latest incident, according to investigators.
