(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) announced this morning that he will not seek reelection.

In a statement (after the jump), Moran lamented the sorry state of the budget process in Washington, but said he was hopeful that with the recent bipartisan budget deal, things are getting back on track.

“I prepare to leave Congress feeling very fortunate, grateful for what we’ve accomplished, and optimistic for the future of Northern Virginia, the Washington Metropolitan Region, and our nation,” he said.

The announcement puts Moran’s long-held Congressional seat — representing Arlington, Alexandria and parts of Fairfax County — up for grabs. Already, electoral prognosticators are weighing in on what will likely be a political free-for-all among local Democrats.

Ben Tribbett, of the Not Larry Sabato blog, opined that the theoretical front runners in this year’s race to replace Moran include Del. Patrick Hope, state Sen. Adam Ebbin, Arlington County Board member Jay Fisette, former Alexandria Mayor Kerry Donley, Del. Charniele Herring, Del. Mark Sickles and Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay. Other names circulating around Twitter include Alexandria mayor Bill Euille, Del. Rob Krupicka and former Lieutenant Governor candidate Aneesh Chopra.

Moran, now in his 12th term in the House of Representatives, has been an outspoken advocate and an effective budget appropriator for his constituents and the causes he supported, including federal employees, transportation infrastructure, immigration reform, gay marriage, gun control, and animal rights. Moran’s Congressional tenure has also been marred by occasional controversies.

In 1995 he engaged in a “physical confrontation” with Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.). In 2000 he was accused of attacking an 8-year-old boy in an Alexandria parking lot. In 2006 he said he would “earmark the shit out of” his House appropriations subcommittee post to steer federal money to Virginia’s 8th Congressional District. In 2010 he said his Republican challenger, a retired Army officer, hadn’t “served or performed in any kind of public service.” In 2011 he was accused in a book of “insider trading” (but never prosecuted). In 2012 his son, Patrick, resigned from Moran’s campaign after being caught on hidden camera seemingly going along with a scheme to commit voter fraud.

Despite the controversies, Moran’s Capitol Hill staffers say he is a man truly dedicated to public service, who speaks his mind and does what he thinks is right.

“He is exactly what you want in your local representative — he loves the people of the 8th District and is in politics for the right reasons,” said Anne Hughes, a former press secretary. “Moran is a fierce advocate for Northern Virginia and I know will be remembered not only for his contributions to the region, but also for being on the right side of history — from Iraq War to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell — and speaking out loudly for those who can’t speak for themselves.”

“I have enormous respect for Moran, he leaves giant shoes to fill,” Hughes added. “And I will especially miss watching his raucous floor speeches.”

State Sen. Ebbin said in a statement that Moran “has represented the progressive values of the people of Northern Virginia.”

“He has been an advocate for our environment, a fighter for equality, and a strong champion of universal health care and the Affordable Care Act,” Ebbin said. “Northern Virginia is a better place to live and work because of Jim Moran’s leadership. I am proud to have been represented by him in Congress, and to have represented him in Richmond. After his decades of service to our community, I wish him a long and happy retirement.”

The full statement from Moran’s office about the Congressman’s retirement, and a statement from President Obama, after the jump.

The statement from President Obama:

In his twenty-three years in the United States Congress, Jim Moran has pushed to create jobs and economic opportunity for hardworking Virginians and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to growing a strong American economy. And because of Jim’s leadership, our brave service members and veterans are better protected, our civil service is stronger, and our air and water are cleaner and safer. Michelle and I thank Congressman Moran for his service, and we wish him and his family the very best in the future.

The Moran press release:

Representative Jim Moran, Northern Virginia Democrat, Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee and senior member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that he will not seek re-election.

“After 35 years as a public servant, as Mayor of Alexandria, and for the past 23 as a member of the House of Representatives, it’s time to close this chapter of my life and move on to the next challenge. It’s been an honor to represent Northern Virginia. I couldn’t be more fortunate to have spent my career working with such wonderful people trying to make this one of the best places in the world to live, work and raise a family.

“My chosen role in the U.S. Congress has been as an appropriator. I first served as staff to the Senate Appropriations Committee under Chairman Warren Magnuson in my 20s.  I’ve seen the appropriations process at its height, and more recently its nadir. When the appropriations process is working, the government functions on behalf of the people, the economy is stronger, and the country overall becomes more inclusive, egalitarian and productive.

“With the Murray-Ryan agreement, and the work Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey, and their outstanding Appropriations’ staff exerted to reach the omnibus budget deal we will vote on this week, we’ve achieved a bipartisan agreement that deserves support. It represents a budgetary cease-fire and I hope a historic turning point in getting this necessary funding process back on track.

“To my family, friends, staff and supporters, thank you for all you have meant me over the past four decades in political office. What has kept me motivated all these years is serving you and our community. I prepare to leave Congress feeling very fortunate, grateful for what we’ve accomplished, and optimistic for the future of Northern Virginia, the Washington Metropolitan Region, and our nation.”

Background:

Congressman Moran first ran for Alexandria City Council in 1979. In 1984, he successfully ran for Mayor of the City, serving in that position until running for Congress in 1990, winning an up-hill race against the favored incumbent Republican.

During his time in Congress, he has been a leader on the Appropriations Committee, bringing billions in economic investment to Northern Virginia to assist underserved communities, build up the region’s transportation infrastructure and create thousands of jobs, particularly in the defense and intelligence communities. He played a major role in funding the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project, Metro to Dulles, widening of Route 1 to Fort Belvoir and construction of numerous local road, bridge, environmental and public transit projects. The front page of the Washington Post this past November cited the fact that “companies based in Representative James P. Moran’s district in Northern Virginia reaped $43 billion in federal contracts – roughly as much as the entire state of Texas.”

A vocal, active champion for progressive policies, he was one of the very few who opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in the early 1990’s before it was politically popular to do so and championed eliminating the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the military. He has strongly supported a woman’s reproductive rights throughout his career, and is a staunch supporter of stronger gun safety laws. He chairs the Animal Protection Caucus which has helped enact bans on animal fighting, horse slaughter, animal abuse videos and the sale of cat and dog fur. On the environment, he has been a relentless voice for strong and sustainable policies, both regionally and nationally. He led the opposition to drilling off the Atlantic Coast, has fought to protect the EPA and Interior Department from deep and debilitating budget cuts and successfully pressed for funding to address endocrine disrupting chemicals in the Potomac River.

An outspoken opponent of the Iraq War from the very beginning, Moran helped lead opposition in Committee and on the floor to what he deemed a war of choice whose outcome would not strengthen American security but rather align Iraq with the Shiite dominated Iran. He authored the “Strategy for Success” amendment to the FY’05 Supplemental Appropriations bill which, for the first time, required the Pentagon to provide a detailed assessment of US and Iraqi military capabilities was required of the Pentagon, the results of which strengthened arguments for ending the war. And when our soldiers began returning from the battlefield, he championed funding for PTSD research, treatment and care, cancer research due to hazardous exposure on the battlefield and traumatic brain injury treatment through the Defense Department budget.

Federal employees have a perennial advocate for the issues affecting their livelihood in Moran. He continues to champion federal pay parity, authored with Congressman Wolf the bill to ensure furloughed civil servants during this year’s shutdown received back pay, sponsored the law allowing unused sick leave to count towards retirement annuities, and a number of other measures strengthening federal worker benefits, including introducing and funding the first transit subsidies. Under fire from conservatives, he took to the House floor time and again to defend what he deemed the “greatest civil service in the world.”

Moran has matched these principles with an understanding that to achieve progressive priorities we need a strong economy. In 1996, he co-founded the New Democrats, today one of the largest caucuses in the House. Through the New Dems, he has supported free and fair trade that has been an economic driver for our export heavy region, and has been active on a range of issues promoting a stronger, center-left vision for our nation’s economy.

Mr. Moran is a father of two sons and two daughters and the grandfather of four. He lives in the Del Ray community of Alexandria where he got his first start in politics nearly four decades ago.

Arlington County firefighters responded to an apartment fire near Rosslyn Tuesday night.

Units on the scene reported flames coming from a third story apartment at the Rosslyn Heights apartment building on the 1800 block of N. Quinn Street.

A fire on the exterior balcony had extended to the interior of an apartment, according to the fire department Twitter account. The fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported.

The residents of three apartments were displaced due to fire, smoke and water damage.

Update at 4:15 p.m. on 1/22/14 — In a press release, the Arlington County Fire Dept. says this fire started due to improper disposal of hot embers.

Last night, Arlington firefighters responded to a fire that started on the balcony and quickly spread to the inside of the apartment. Fortunately, no one was injured and the fire was reported early, keeping damage to an estimated $20,000. The fire was caused when occupants extinguished a fire in their fireplace with water and placed the logs outside on the deck. The occupants knew that it was dangerous to leave a fireplace unattended, but did not know how to properly dispose of hot ashes and embers.

It is a common misconception that the ashes are safe once the fire is extinguished; however, ashes and embers can smolder for hours. Ashes must be disposed of properly to prevent these types of fires from occurring. Once the fire is extinguished, place the ashes in a metal container with a lid. Never place ashes directly into a trash can or paper bag. Move the metal container outside and away from all combustibles, including decks, garages, and leaves. Soak the ashes with water and re-cover.

The Arlington County Fire Department recommends you follow these safety tips when using a fireplace:

• Have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.
• Always use a metal or heat-tempered glass screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room.
• Use only newspaper and kindling wood or fire starters to start a fire, never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Only burn dry, seasoned wood.
• Never leave the fireplace unattended.
• Allow ashes to cool completely before disposing.
• Place ashes in a metal container with a lid. Move the container at least 10 feet from the building and saturate the ashes with water.

More information at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/heating/fireplace.shtm

Photo courtesy @hilary1121

(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) Barcroft Elementary School was briefly locked down this morning after an incident involving a cafeteria worker.

Police say a cafeteria manager got into a verbal and physical altercation with school administrators around 11:15 a.m. The altercation moved to a cafeteria office — out of view of students — where the manager punched an assistant principal, threw water on him, and then brandished a knife in a threatening manner, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Police were called to the school. Upon arrival, the suspect threatened officers, said she had a gun and then reached into a bag, Sternbeck said. The woman was tased by police. No gun was found, but she was in possession of the knife, Sternbeck said.

Paramedics evaluated the suspect and she was then transported to Virginia Hospital Center on a mental evaluation order. The assistant principal was not injured. So far the school system is not pressing charges.

“While we understand that many people would like to have additional details of this incident, it is considered a personnel matter, and we cannot divulge additional information,” Barcroft principal Colette Bounet said in a written statement. “I want to assure everyone that students are safe and were not affected by the occurrence.”

The school was locked down for about five minutes during the incident, according to Sternbeck.

An Arlington County employee has pleaded guilty to taking more than $10,000 in bribes.

The employee — a tax assessor supervisor in the county’s Department of Motor Vehicles Select office — admitted to taking bribes in exchange for allowing an exporter to avoid paying state taxes on luxury vehicles, including a Lamborghini and Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes, according to federal prosecutors.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office issued the following press release about the conviction.

Francisco Samayoa Hernandez (“Samayoa”), 33, of Silver Spring, Md., pleaded guilty today to receiving bribes in connection with his work as a tax assessor supervisor at the Arlington County, Va., Department of Motor Vehicles Select office.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Samayoa faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison when he is sentenced on June 9, 2014.

In a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Samayoa admitted to receiving approximately $11,480 in bribes from a vehicle exporter in exchange for providing vehicle titles and falsifying Department of Motor Vehicle paperwork that allowed the exporter to avoid paying state motor vehicle sales and use tax in connection with the registration and titling of various luxury automobiles. In exchange for the bribes, Samayoa enabled the exporter to avoid paying approximately $24,923 due to the Commonwealth of Virginia for the registration and titling of a Lamborghini and multiple Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes.

Samayoa was an Arlington County employee, and the Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue contracts with the DMV to provide vehicle-related services at its local office.

Samayoa also admitted to serving as a straw buyer for the exporter and purchasing three BMWs in his name. In connection with these transactions, Samayoa falsely certified to a dealership that he was not purchasing the vehicle for export, and the dealership relied on that certification in making the sale.

This case was investigated jointly by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Virginia DMV Law Enforcement Division Office of Enforcement and Compliance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Nathanson is prosecuting the case.

Any person who believes they may have information regarding public corruption in the Northern Virginia area is encouraged to call the FBI’s Northern Virginia Public Corruption Hotline at 703-686-6225 or send an email to NOVAPC@ic.fbi.gov.

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) Firefighters from Arlington and Fairfax counties battled a two-alarm fire in the central business district of Falls Church.

Units on scene reported flames coming from a 5-story office building at 150 S. Washington Street. Falls Church Police Department spokeswoman Amy Betor said it took firefighters “about 30 minutes to extinguish.” Scanner traffic reported there were initial problems with water pressure at the scene.

There were no injuries reported, despite the office building being occupied at the time.

The fire appears to have started from an electrical room on the second floor, Betor said. A web search revealed real estate company Redfin has an office in Suite 200 of the building, but those on scene couldn’t confirm which company’s office the fire started in.

Randy Karn works on the third floor of the building, and said he started smelling “something electrical burning” about 10 minutes before the fire alarm went off. 

“I went out into the office and after about 60 seconds it was filled with smoke,” Karn told ARLnow.com as he was standing outside the building. “It was time to go. I left my wallet, I left my keys, I left my laptop and got out of there.”

Arlington County provides firefighting services to the City of Falls Church under contract. Karn said he estimated the firefighters took between 10 and 15 minutes to arrive. The fire “had a hell of a time getting going,” building slowly, but flames were already showing out of the window by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

A George Mason University law professor was pepper sprayed in his classroom today after a man tried to place him under a citizen’s arrest, according to Arlington County police.

The incident happened at GMU’s Arlington campus, near Virginia Square, around 3:00 p.m. Police say the man entered the classroom and attempted to place the professor under a citizen’s arrest. The professor tried to get the man — described as a white male in his 20s or 30s — to leave, at which time the man pepper sprayed him and a scuffle ensued, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The professor did not know the man, Sternbeck said.

An off-duty police officer heard the commotion and tried to intervene. The suspect fled but was arrested outside the school by Arlington County police officers, according to Stenbeck. He’s now being questioned by police. Several charges are pending.

Paramedics evaluated the professor and about a dozen students who were in the classroom at the time and suffered residual effects from the pepper spray. There were no reports of anyone being taken to the hospital.

Photo via Google Maps

(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) A construction worker has suffered serious injuries from a four-story fall off a roof in the Buckingham neighborhood.

The incident happened just before 4:00 p.m. on the 400 block of N. George Mason Drive. According to initial reports, the man fell from the roof of an under-construction, four-story condominium building onto a concrete surface below. The construction is for new townhouses in the Ballston Row development.

The victim was at least initially conscious and talking to those who came to his aid, but was bleeding from the head, according to scanner traffic. His injuries are described as life-threatening. He’s being transported via ambulance to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital.

State occupational safety inspectors are being requested to investigate the incident.

(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) Arlington County Police are on the scene of an attempted bank robbery at the M&T Bank at the corner of Lee Highway and N. Glebe Road.

The crime happened around 2:00 p.m. Initial reports suggest a man entered the bank and demanded cash from the manager, but fled empty-handed. The suspect was unarmed and no one was hurt.

Police set up a perimeter and were looking for the man, who reportedly fled eastbound on Lee Highway on foot. He’s described as a middle-aged white male, weighing about 200 lbs, wearing all black.

A suspect is currently in custody, according to scanner traffic.

(Updated at 11:40 a.m.) Arlington firefighters are on the scene of a house fire across from Yorktown High School.

Neighbors called 911 to report the fire at 10:54 a.m., according to Arlington County Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani. The first units on the scene reported flames and smoke coming from the attic of the home,on the 5200 block of N. Yorktown Blvd. The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen and made its way up to the upper levels of the home.

No one was inside the house at the time and no injuries have been reported, according to Marchegiani. Firefighters, however, located two dogs in the house and brought them outside to receive oxygen for treatment of smoke inhalation. They’re being transported to an animal hospital, according to scanner traffic.

There were unconfirmed reports of a female teenager who ran into the house looking for the dogs, but who had to then run back out. She was reported to be safely out of the house by an assistant principal at the high school.

As of 11:15 a.m., the fire was reported to be under control and crews were checking for hotspots.

(Updated at 8:55 p.m.) A man was struck and killed by a Metro train between the Arlington Cemetery and Pentagon stations tonight.

The incident happened just past 8:00 p.m. According to Metro, the man was “apparently trespassing” on the tracks when he was struck by an inbound train approaching Arlington Cemetery.

“Security camera footage shows [the] subject intentionally walk onto the trackbed,” Metro Transit Police said via Twitter.

The man is dead and his body is between the tracks and a fence, according to scanner traffic. The striking train is still on scene with 80-100 people on board, firefighters reported.

The Blue Line is single-tracking and trains are running every 20 minutes as a result of the incident, Metro says. The agency is advising riders to use the Yellow Line as an alternate between D.C. and Virginia.

(Updated at 11:35 p.m.) For the first time in 15 years, a non-Democrat will sit on the Arlington County Board.

John Vihstadt, a Republican who ran as an independent with the endorsement of the local Republican and Green parties, has won the special election to replace Chris Zimmerman (D) on the Arlington County Board.

Vihstadt captured 57 percent of the vote to Democrat Alan Howze’s 41 percent. Independent Green candidate Janet Murphy and independent Stephen Holbrook each captured about 1 percent of the vote.

“We won the race by a higher margin than my most aggressive expectations,” Vihstadt told supporters at his victory party tonight. “The most exciting and gratifying measure of our victory was that it was north to south and east to west. There really is one Arlington, not two Arlingtons.”

Given that the race hinged largely on the hot-button issues of the planned Columbia Pike streetcar and Long Bridge Park aquatics center, the result is likely to be viewed by many as a voter rebuke of the County Board’s major capital spending projects.

“People want cost-effective, results-oriented solutions on the local level,” Vihstadt said.

Vihstadt touted his “true rainbow coalition” of supporters. Those supporters included all three candidates for County Board in 2012: current Democratic County Board member and fellow streetcar critic Libby Garvey, Republican ARLnow.com columnist Mark Kelly, and frequent Green Party candidate Audrey Clement. Also supporting Vihstadt was Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos, a close friend of Vihstadt and his wife, Mary.

“It was an easy call for me,” said Stamos, a lifelong Democrat. “He’s a good man and we need to sometimes think outside the box.”

“This is a victory for good government,” Garvey said. “I’m going to get choked up, this is Democracy at its best. This is the way it’s supposed to be.”

“The people have spoken and the County Board needs to listen,” Garvey added.

Vihstadt, whose yard signs were purple to represent a blend of red and blue politics, said he plans to “work in a collaborative fashion to get things done for the county.”

“This was a victory not for one person or one party, but for Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertarians and people with no party,” Vihstadt said. “I’m not going to be a captive of any political party, any person, any ideology — I’m going to call issues as I see them.”

Voter turnout today was relatively light, which benefited Vihstadt. With no state or national-level races energizing the Democratic base, its appears that many party-line Democrats stayed home. Total unofficial turnout was 22,209, or about 16 percent of registered voters.

Vihstadt will be the first non-Democrat on the Board since Republican Mike Lane served briefly after winning a special election in 1999. Lane lost in the general election several months later. Similarly, Vihstadt is expected to face Howze again in the November general election, when a U.S Senate and a House of Representatives race will be on the local ballot.

Howze told dozens of his supporters at the Democrats’ election party at Whitlow’s in Clarendon that he continues to believe infrastructure and education investments are the core values of Arlington voters.

“The special election is behind us now, and I look forward to continuing this conversation into November and moving Arlington forward,” he said. “There’s a lot at stake.”

After his remarks, Howze sat down with ARLnow.com to discuss the results. During the conversation, County Board Chair Jay Fisette walked by to offer words of encouragement, telling Howze, “remember, I lost my first election, a special election, in 1993.” Fisette is the longest-serving member of the Board.

“We knew from past special elections that this was likely to be a close race,” Howze told ARLnow.com. “I think voters sent a message with the results of today’s election. Over the next several days and weeks, we’ll look at that… There was an accumulation of frustration with the cost overrun on projects like the Super Stop and Artisphere that led people to express their frustration at the ballot box.”

Arlington County Democractic Committee President Kip Malinosky told the crowd “we have a terrific candidate for November in Alan Howze, but we have a lot of work to do.” Malinosky, looking noticeably exhausted after the special election that began at 6:00 a.m., remained confident in Howze’s chances in the general election.

“Some voters have spoken,” he said. “But many more will speak in November. We are going to continue to listen, to reach out, to engage the community. We will work hard to win in November, because when Democrats vote, we win. We didn’t get enough Democrats to vote.”

Vihstadt told ARLnow.com that some of his top priorities in office will be to establish an internal auditor or inspector general position in county government; to expand participation in county boards and commission; to find ways to save money in the county government; and to collaborate with the School Board on the public school system’s overcapacity problem.

In a show of bipartisanship, Vihstadt’s victory party was visited by the three Democratic County Board members who supported Howze — Jay Fisette, Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada — and by two School Board members — Sally Baird and James Lander.

“We may have different perspectives,” said Vihstadt, “but at the end of the day we’re all working for the common good of Arlington.”

Vihstadt is scheduled to be sworn into office Wednesday afternoon.

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) A worker is fighting for his life after his head was crushed by a trailer hitch in the Arna Valley View neighborhood, between Pentagon City and Shirlington.

The accident happened around 1:15 p.m, outside an apartment complex in the area of 26th and S. Troy Streets. Initial reports indicate that an older man was working under a white van with a trailer attached, trying to fix a tire, when something happened to cause the trailer hitch to come down on the man’s head, crushing it.

An Arlington County Fire Department technical rescue team worked for 30-45 minutes to safely lift up the van and free the victim, who’s said to be alive but in critical condition with a grievous head injury. He was transported via ambulance to George Washington University Hospital.

The victim’s son, who was working with his dad at the time of the accident, helped to flag down emergency responders. Unconfirmed reports suggest the men work for a pool services company.

(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) A construction worker has died after a large excavator tipped over and fell on him at a construction site on George Mason Drive.

Rescue crews were called to a construction site on the 400 block of N. George Mason Drive around 3:30 p.m. for a report of a large piece of construction equipment that fell on a person. The victim, believed to be the equipment’s operator, was pronounced dead on the scene by medics at 3:40 p.m.

Firefighters are also reporting a large diesel fuel leak at the accident site. Investigators from the Arlington County Police Department and from Virginia’s occupational safety agency are en route to the scene.

This is the second serious construction accident in a month and a half at the construction site for the Ballston Row townhouse project. On March 31, a worker fell four stories and suffered serious injuries while working on a different building on the other side of 4th Street N.

Police and fire crews remain on scene and they have closed one lane of southbound N. George Mason Drive as of 4:30 p.m.