Alexandria Gazette Packet

Alexandria Wellbeing Gazette Packet Page 28 25 Cents Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper February 2, 2012 Lenny Harris: From Missing to Murdered Maryland man confesses to crime; three or four more suspects remain on the loose. By Michael Lee Pope Gazette Packet Photo by Photo ithin hours of upgrad- Wing the Lenny Harris by Photo missing person case to Max Deutsch a homicide investigation, the Prince George’s County Police De- Louise Krafft Louise partment announced the arrest of one man Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 31, and say they’re still looking for three or four more individuals. Zumba for Good Cause Monday night, officers picked up /Gazette Packet More than 100 participants danced Zumba through the late afternoon on Sunday at 49-year-old Linwood Johnson of the Carlyle Club. The event benefitted local charities through ACT’s Running Brooke Oxon Hill, Md., for questioning. Fund. More photos, story on page 4. He eventually confessed to the murder and is now facing first- degree murder charges. “It appears that the victim and Lenny Harris suspect in this case were known Up, Up and Away to each other, so this was not a shortly after 1 a.m. the day after complete stranger or random mur- he went missing. A few days later, der,” said Corporal Henry Tippett, the Alexandria Police Department Move to the “cloud” reaps Digital Cities Award. public information officer for the issued five more photographs of a Prince George’s white Dodge By Jeanne Theismann the 2011 Easter holiday weekend of Alexandria’s IT system when it County Police Caravan that Gazette Packet was approaching. Named Qakbot, was discovered. Department. “I think Lenny’s was caught on it had already infiltrated the data “Moving to the cloud is what “Robbery ap- legacy will be for surveillance t appeared without warning, of state and local agencies across saved us from Qakbot,” said Chief pears to the be cameras during Ia deadly computer virus that the nation and was aggressively Information Officer Tom the motive in people, particularly an attempt to was spreading quickly just as working its way through the City Trobridge, who only a few months the case at this use Harris’ earlier had led the city’s data mi- point.” young people, to credit card. gration to the Microsoft Office 365 Harris was a Prince George’s cloud servers. “It was a special ef- prominent civic become more County Police fort by everyone involved but by activist in Alex- Department of- that Tuesday we had isolated it andria who positive advocates.” ficials are also Photo by Photo and killed it with no loss of pro- went missing in — Mayor Bill Euille in possession of ductivity and no damage to files.” September. The the firearm The vision and work of Alexandria Police Department im- used in the murder, although they Jeanne Theismann Trobridge and his team were a key mediately initiated a critical miss- won’t say where it was recovered. component of the 2011 Digital ing person case and issued a se- “This individual is being charged Cities Award presented to the city ries of photographs showing a with first-degree murder,” said Jan. 24 by the Center for Digital muscular black male who used Tippett. “Whether he is the actual Government. Harris’ credit card on King Street See Police, Page 7 “We finished in a tie for 3rd place,” Trobridge said. “The city /Gazette Packet 22314 VA Alexandria, has finished in the top six every St., King 1604 To: ted year since 2005, but this is the Reques Service Address city’s best finish since 2007 when material. Time-sensitive we also finished in a tie for 3rd.” Postmaster: Trobridge is no stranger to cri- Attention sis IT management. A graduate of #482 Permit Alexandria, VA Alexandria, City of Alexandria Chief Information Officer Tom Virginia Military Institute, the 25- PAID U.S. Postage U.S. Trobridge has moved the city’s IT infrastructure into year Army veteran and retired STD PRSRT the “cloud.” See Move, Page 7 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ February 2-8, 2012 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ February 2-8, 2012 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Week in Alexandria News Iron Ladies of Old Town The controversial waterfront small-area plan may have squeaked through City Hall on a five-to-two vote last month, but a final resolution could be months away. That’s because a handful of opponents are girding for a fight, although the time and location The com- have yet to be worked out. bined staff of At the center of the action are three Alexandria residents sup- ACVA, AEDP porters have taken to calling the “Iron Ladies of Old Town,” April and SBDC Burke, Marie Kux and Beth Gibney. They own property ad- gather in the jacent to the rezoned properties and are among the hundreds of reception people who signed a protest petition requesting that a area Jan. 18 supermajority of six votes should be required to pass the plan, /Gazette Packet during the which increased density at three sites on the waterfront. Along open house with two other Alexandria residents who do not own property for ACVA’s adjacent to the rezoned properties, Mark Mueller and water- new offices front plan work group member Bert Ely, the gang of five has at 625 N. hired attorney Roy Shannon to lead the charge. Washington But their course has yet to be charted. Jeanne Theismann St. One scenario would involve going directly to Alexandria Cir- cuit Court, arguing that the group has already filed an appeal of a determination that the protest petition requesting a supermajority is not valid. Shannon attempted to present the by Photo appeal to Planning Director Faroll Hamer during the waterfront public hearing, but city officials say the government is not “open for business” during public hearings. Shannon could argue that the appeal was rightfully presented but city officials refused New Home for ACVA to accept it because it could have delayed the vote. Another scenario would be to present the appeal to planning officials once Tourism group joins ness Development Council (SBDC). “AEDP did a good again and wait for a hearing before the Board of Zoning Appeals. job of preparing for us. We just picked up our files “We’re about to begin a major fundraising effort on their behalf “Alphabet City” at and arrived.” to help raise money for the legal bills,” said former Vice Mayor The new offices are part of the mixed use retail Andrew Macdonald, a co-chairman of Citizens for an Alterna- 625 N. Washington St. block of North Washington Street that houses Trader tive Alexandria Waterfront Plan. “We obviously disagree with the Joe’s, Talbots and FedEx. AEDP first moved into the vote, and this is our way of staying involved with the issue.” he Alexandria Convention and Visitors As- space last summer and SBDC followed Sept. 1. sociation officially welcomed visitors to “We were fortunate to find a space that fit each Baker’s New Gig Tits new offices at 625 N. Washington St. organization’s needs yet still allows us to collabo- with an open house reception Jan. 18. rate,” said AEDP president and CEO Val Hawkins. Although he’s been flirting with a campaign for City Council “It feels like home,” said ACVA president and CEO “There’s a good synergy with all of us working here for months, former Police Chief David Baker has decided against Stephanie Brown of the office space the organiza- together.” throwing his hat into the ring this year. Baker said it was a diffi- tion now shares with the Alexandria Economic De- cult decision, but one that was prompted by his new gig at velopment Partnership (AEDP) and the Small Busi- — Jeanne Theismann Goodwin House, where he has been promoted from director of security to director of operations. During a brief interview in his new office, which includes some mementos from his time as the city’s top cop, Baker said Going Wireless at City Hall “I knew when I took this job that it meant I wouldn’t be able to run for the City Council,” he said. “It was a tough decision, but The feasibility study will explore how much ac- this was too good an opportunity to pass up.” Wi-Fi project returns. cess should be granted to the public and when it Baker cuts a distinctive figure at Goodwin House, a retirement should be available. Part of the concern is that city facility on the city’s West End. The former chief has always been By Michael Lee Pope officials want to avoid transforming City Hall into a a meticulous dresser, and his old uniform has been replaced by a Gazette Packet wireless café, where members of the general public crisp business suit. Supporters at City Hall liked to say that Baker could show up and set up camp in the Vola Lawson looked as though he had been sent from central casting to star in ere’s a paradox for the digital age: When Lobby to surf the Internet. On the other hand, offi- a police drama. Now he seems entirely at ease directing opera- members of the Alexandria City Council cials now recognize the need to provide access dur- tions at Goodwin House, a job that was created specifically for H were presented with the Digital Cities ing City Council meetings and public hearings. But Baker. Award from Government Technology Magazine last officials haven’t yet figured out if they want to offer “I would have run as someone who understands government week, members of the public who were in attendance access during meetings of the Traffic and Parking from the inside out,” he said, adding that he may still consider a would have had a difficult time sending an email Board or the Planning Commission.

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