Latest / ARLnow Daily Update / ARLnow Daily Update: August 28, 2026

Transcript

ARLnow Daily Update: August 28, 2026 · ARLnow Daily Update

• 0:00
  It's Friday, August 28th. This is the ARL Now Daily Update. A man who says he was seriously hurt during an immigration arrest on Columbia Pike is demanding a criminal investigation.
• 0:13
  Protesters gathered outside the Arlington County Justice Center this morning in support of Jose Mejia Hernandez.
• 0:20
  His attorneys say he suffered a brain bleed and a traumatic brain injury after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers chased him and shot him with a stun gun on August 11th.
• 0:31
  They have filed a police report asking Arlington County Police to investigate.
• 0:36
  The Department of Homeland Security disputes that account, saying officers used necessary force after he tried to flee, and that claims he lost consciousness are false.
• 0:47
  Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehghani Tafti says she supports a full investigation.
• 0:53
  Air traffic controllers and the pilots of Marine One met to discuss radio problems just one week before a jet was cleared to take off from Reagan National Airport as the president's helicopter lifted off from the White House.
• 1:06
  That's according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board released Thursday. Investigators say controllers never heard the required three-minute warning call on August fourth.
• 1:18
  Construction of a new White House ballroom had forced the helicopter's takeoff spot to move, and technicians later found there was not adequate line of sight for radio contact.
• 1:28
  The two aircraft came within about eight-tenths of a mile. Officials say the president was never in danger.
• 1:35
  A man who pleaded guilty to a shooting at a Ballston apartment building last year has been arrested on a murder charge in Washington.
• 1:42
  23-year-old Malachi Rawlings faces a second degree murder charge in the shooting death of 30-year-old Jasmine Malone, whose body was found in Southeast Washington in May.
• 1:52
  Rawlings was arrested in Ballston on New Year's Day last year after what police called a firefight in the elevator lobby at Marymount University's Placemaker building.
• 2:02
  He initially faced six felony charges, but pleaded guilty to two and avoided prison time under a deferred adjudication.
• 2:11
  All 11 candidates running for local office in Arlington have agreed to appear at the Arlington County Civic Federation's annual candidate forum.
• 2:20
  It's set for Tuesday, September 8th at seven in the evening at Virginia Hospital Center, and it will also be live streamed.
• 2:26
  The lineup covers county board, school board, the treasurer's special election, and the eighth district seat in the United States House. Federation President Nicholas Giacobbe says every candidate has confirmed.
• 2:38
  Early voting begins September 18th, and election day is November third. Dominion Hills and Boulevard Manor could get a new water tower sooner than expected.
• 2:50
  Fairfax County supervisors voted unanimously this week to fast track review of a replacement for the 72-year-old Wilston tank near the Arlington border.
• 2:59
  Fairfax Water wants to build a much larger structure holding about one million gallons, roughly five times the current capacity.
• 3:07
  Supervisor Andres Gimenez says the existing tank has reached the end of its useful life, and that a new one would improve water pressure and fire flow across Fairfax, Falls Church, and Arlington.
• 3:20
  The planning commission takes it up in October.
• 3:22
  Cutting red tape for businesses was a recurring theme at the 11th annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit, held Wednesday at George Mason University's Arlington campus.
• 3:32
  County Board Chair Matt DeFerranti said local government needs to, quote, "not get in the way," and argued Arlington's economy is adapting to federal downsizing.
• 3:42
  Loudoun County's Phyllis Randall said localities should keep only the regulation they absolutely need. Fairfax's Jeff McKay called for reliability and predictability.
• 3:53
  And Alexandria Mayor Alia Gaskins said her city is reviewing business taxes and fees.
• 3:59
  Wakefield's football team opens its season at home tonight at seven against Falls Church, with a new head coach looking for a turnaround.
• 4:06
  Brian Slay is the Warriors' third head coach in five seasons, taking over a team that went three and seven last year and has lost 24 straight district games.
• 4:17
  Slay says the focus is fundamentals and competing on every snap. Senior quarterback Judah Connor returns for a third year as starter after passing for more than 2,200 yards last season.
• 4:29
  And voting is now open in the ARLNow Readers Choice Awards for the best mechanic in Arlington. You can pick a nominee or write in your own, and voting closes in two weeks. Voting for best orthodontist is also still open.
• 4:44
  That's all for today. Thank you for listening.