Nelson Avenue Gang

There is currently an armed robbery underway at the CVS (9am Sunday morning, Sept. 28). I spoke with several police on my bagel run and from what they told me and when I saw them setting up the perimeter (around 7:30am), it sounds like they think everyone is out of the store except for the robber. I have gathered from the loudspeaker they are using that the robber (if he is still in the store) speaks Spanish. That’s all I know right now.

Yes, you read it here first! Nelsonavegang.com, scooping the Alexandria Gazette, Washington Post and, that paragon of intellectualism, USA today.

Note of advice – if you have to leave the block they may not let you back in until this event is resolved. Apparently we are inside of the cordon.

Update: (10am) Well, the police cordon is being taken down and everyone can relax (I know, you were on the edge of your seat breathlessly awaiting updates). Seems the armed robber was not in the store. Better safe than not, right? Of course what this does mean is that somewhere in the area may be an armed and scared/angry/not-quite-on-an-even-keel man.

Of course, this was not nearly as exciting as the pig problem in New South Wales (the pig was eventually captured and rewarded for his behavior by being put out to stud).

Update: (22 Oct. 08) According to a police report I just received, yesterday (10/21) “police arrested Joshua Chevres, a 19 year-old City resident, for both robberies at 415 E. Monroe Avenue.”

A few weeks back we were subjected to another rude solicitor from Environment Virginia. Paul posted a comment about it here and two other neighbors told me about his rude and illegal behavior. You need a permit to do door to door soliciting in the fair city of Alexandria – something which no solicitor from Environment Virginia has been able to show us.

So I called Environment Virginia (434 979 9825). They put me in touch with JR who is the head of Environment Virginia. After playing phone tag a bit JR and I had a nice conversation. He apologized (again) for the rude solicitor without a permit and told me it would not happen again. I asked why I should feel reassured about this because that is what he told me the first time I called when we caught this rude miscreant on our street soliciting without a permit. He assured me (again) that he would take action and that I should send him an email.

Well, that pesky thing known as a job got in the way for a week or two but today I was able to finally write the email to JR and thought you all might like to see what I wrote:

JR,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me a week or so ago.

On two occasions, June 10 and August 27 we have had solicitors from your organization, Environment Virginia, illegally disturb us. On both occasions the solicitors were quite rude and did not have the required permit from the City of Alexandria. On both occasions we called the police. We have been documenting things like this on our neighborhood blog and you can read about both events here:
http://www.nelsonavegang.com/?p=56
http://www.nelsonavegang.com/?p=43#comments

We would prefer that your organization (and all others except for those selling Girl Scout Cookies) not send solicitors to disturb us. I am sure you will understand why canvassers such as those who have been coming to our street are neither welcome on our street nor are they helping your organization and its cause.

I contacted you after the first incident and, from what you told me, I assumed it would not happen again. If we continue to have this problem we will begin working more closely with the City of Alexandria police department so they recognize the ongoing nature of these illegal acts and we will pursue other communication avenues to hopefully send a stronger message that we do not want solicitors on our street and especially rude ones who are breaking the law.

Thank you for your time,

EZ

Last week and this week have been banner weeks for all of the trash people leave in and around our doorsteps. Last week we received some sort of phone book which I promptly lugged to the trash can. Who needs phone books anymore? We also received (in no particular order) flyers from Tsim Yung, City Masonry, Cerro Verde Restaurant and Domino’s Pizza (I forget which branch but they all taste like cardboard). I’ve dutifully added them all to our Do Not Patronize page. Today (Monday) I also received one of the worst produced flyers yet – Ray’s Maintenance. But you have to hand it to Ray – he’s ambitious. According to his flyer he’ll do just about anything – drian snaking, gutter cleaning, house painting… you name it, he does it. But the bonus comes with how he dedicated one side of his flyer to welding. Instead of some fly-by-night guy by the name of Ray, I’d recommend you go to Flaherty Iron Works because, oh, I don’t know… they’re the best in the region?

So don’t forget to visit our Do Not Patronize page…