Sunday Surprise! Metro Raises Rates

As if there weren’t enough reasons to stay off the Metro. Rates are scheduled to go up again on Sunday, making it more costly and nearly pointless to use the system as a meaningful way to commute into DC.

According to Metro’s website, the 5% fare hike will cost Metro riders at least 10 cents more during off-peak hours and 15 cents more during peak hours.

Metro has always been financially implausible for most commuters, even when gas prices were at record highs. These rate increases are only going to reinforce that reality.

So unless your employer is offering subsidies, I recommend avoiding Metro, at least as a way to commute to work.

FX Crip Leader Pleads Guilty

Apparently, the Crips have a Fairfax County version of themselves known as the Underground Gangster Crips.  They are also pimping out some of our high school girls.  That was my big take away from the news that Justin Strom, an alleged leader of the street gang, had plead guilty in Federal court to child sex trafficking charges.

According to WTOP, the group made use of social networking sites to recruit high school age girls into their prostitution ring, luring them in with promises of money, and illegal drugs like cocaine.

Overall, the “gang” recruited around eight girls to participate in the prostitution ring over a period of six years.

Unfortunately for Strom however, he may very well end up going from pimp to the guy being pimped … in prison that is. Strom is facing a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years.

Of course the bigger question remains, which gang is back on top now that the Fairfax Crips have been taken down a peg?

I think I may have found an answer to that question ...

Burn Baby Burn! Reston Inferno

It's Gettin Hot In Here!

Reston was getting hot last night, in a very literal sense!  Over 100 Fairfax County firefighters responded to a severe fire at a condominium complex in Reston at around 1:20 AM this morning. 

 According to a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue press release, the fire damaged nine of the structure’s 18 condominiums and caused over a million dollars in damage, including a partial collapse of the structure’s roof, before it was finally brought under control around 90 minutes later. 

Injuries however were very minimal. Only one occupant of the complex was treated by paramedics on the scene before being released.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown. [But we can certainly speculate!]

Cops Nab Animal Slasher

All I wanna know is ... WHY?

After months of living in fear, the animals of Frying Pan park can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Police have made an arrest in response to a series of animal slashings that occurred at the animal park on April 26, and again on May 26.  

An unidentified 17 year old Herndon area boy was arrested on June 23^rd,  Fairfax County Police said in a press release.   He is now being charged with four felony counts of maiming animals, three misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and two counts of unlawful entry.

Overall, three horses, one calf, two goats, and one chicken suffered  injuries over the course of the two incidents.  Police say the injuries were inflicted by a sharp object, possibly a knife.

Fortunately, none of the animals died as a result of the attacks and according to park staff, are on their way to making a full recovery.

The motive behind the attacks however remains a mystery.

County Dodges Another Storm, Maryland Gets Slammed

God's Punching Bag

It looks like Fairfax County has emerged unscathed from  another  severe weather event, narrowly escaping a series of severe thunderstorms that wreaked havoc on Maryland last night.  According to WTOP, around 16,000 customers in the Washington area are without power.  As of noon, there were 8,100 customers without power in Prince George’s County and 7,300 customers in the District of Columbia.  Pepco has provided a map of the current outages here.

This isn’t the first time Fairfax County has narrowly escaped adverse weather.  This past winter, a series of snow storms pulverized parts of Maryland while largely sparing Fairfax.  Maryland also bore the brunt of last year’s hurricane season.  But how long will our luck hold out? It seems like Maryland has been taking it on the chin for some time now, and that Fairfax is long past due for a beat down from mother nature. I guess we will all have to keep our fingers crossed.

Weekend Event

It’s Friday, and for all of you lucky people that do not have to work this weekend, there is plenty of stuff to do in Northern Virginia.

Recommended Event: Northern Virginia Brewfest

I attended this event in Manassas two years ago and ended up having a great time. There was tons of good music and great beer. Need I say more?

Punk Busted For Bank Robbery

You Sir Are An Epic Fail

They can run but they can't hide! Fairfax Police say they have made an arrest in a bank robbery case that rocked the Seven Corners area on June 5th. According to the Police, a man entered the Capital One bank located at 6367 Seven Corners Center, and passed a note to the teller demanding money. But before the teller could give him anything, the guy fled on foot.

 Now Herson Geovanne Torres, is being charged with attempted robbery in connection with the failed heist. Maybe next time he'll think twice before he "attempts" anything else.

 

Metro Says Water OK For Next Day

Well it looks like Summer is back with a vengeance. With temperatures reaching the mid-to-upper 90's and the heat index going into the 100-105 range, today was probably a good day to either stay inside, or go to a pool, assuming it wasn’t vandalized by marauding youths.

In response to this unbearable weather,  Metro has decided to allow passengers to carry and consume water for today and Thursday.

Smart move Metro!  But here is my question. How many people actually get ticketed for violating Metro’s prohibition on food and drink on the system? I’ve only seen a few violators so my guess would be that there is some kind of enforcement mechanism. 

And another question. Why prohibit water to begin with? Doesn’t the simple fact that all humans need water to survive necessitate a more flexible policy on the Metro system?

 I think that allowing passengers to bring water on the system year round, or at least for the rest of the Summer would make a lot more sense than trying to ease up on restrictions every time we have a hot day. So long as water is in a sealed container, the risks of a spill are really minimal.

What do you all think? I'll be posting a poll later to gauge opinion on this topic.

Calling The Cops on a Drunk Driver

The other night I had to share the road with someone who was either intoxicated or so completely lost that it at least looked that way. Here’s the story:

When I first saw this guy, he was sticking out half way into the middle of an intersection and positioned like he was going to make a turn. When the light turned green, he started making the turn, then changed his mind at the last second, swerved out of the way of oncoming traffic and started going straight. Then at the next green light he just completely stops for almost 30 seconds, then makes a turn and swerves into the wrong lane!

Normally when I see crazy stuff like this, I just try and get clear of it as quickly as possible. But by this time I was fed up. This was the second time in a week that I was stuck behind some idiot, so I decided to call the non-emergency number for the police. I gave them some information about the vehicle, and that was it.

Now did they ever catch the guy? Was he even wasted to begin with? I’ll never know the answer to those questions. But I still wonder if I made the right move.

So here’s my question. What do you do when you get stuck behind a drunk driver on the road? 

News Updates

Police Identify Victim In FX City Hit and Run.  WTOP reports that police have identified the victim in a hit and run incident from last Friday.  Mohammad Jabour, a 33 year old man with no fixed address, was walking on the sidewalk of Fairfax Boulevard around 10:40 p.m. Friday when he was hit by an SUV and was flung 50 feet through the air.  Let’s see now… 10:40 pm on a Friday night? Can anyone say drunk driver?

CSB Cutbacks Threaten Treatment Program.  Fairfax City Patch reports on a hearing of the Human Services Council held Monday.  The Council is charged with preparing recommendations on how the county should handle an expected $8 million budget shortfall for the Fairfax Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB).  The CSB is responsible for drug treatment and mental health treatment programs in Fairfax County.

Police Will Have To Wait On New HQ Building.  The Washington Post reports that Fairfax County Police will need to wait at least another four years before a new headquarters will be built to replace the current Massey Building on Chain Bridge Road.