Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. The ARLnow staff byline is used for the Morning Notes and reporting done by an editor or other member of our full-time staff.
An empty bench near the Netherlands Carillon in Rosslyn overlooks the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
As the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency continues to make cuts, we’re wondering how Arlingtonians are feeling about the implications for our area.
On the other side of the Potomac, Virginia as a whole gets 3.4% of its employment from the federal government. More than 10% of Arlington’s workers, meanwhile, are employed as civilians in the federal government.
Given some of the early warning signs in D.C., and our reliance on the federal government for the local economy here in Arlington, how are you currently feeling about the implications of DOGE cuts?
Construction on a bus stop along Wilson Blvd in the Courthouse area (courtesy George Brazier)
Flyover Planned Today — From AlertDC: “The U.S. Military will conduct an aircraft flyover in the National Capital Region (NCR) over Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, March 3, 2025, at 1:15PM.”
Beyer Again Takes on Robert E. Lee — Rep. Don Beyer last week reintroduced legislation calling for the removal of Robert E. Lee’s name from the National Park Service’s Arlington House property. Beyer and Sen. Tim Kaine several times before patroned similar legislation, only to see it languish and die each time in committee. –Scott McCaffrey
Reagan National Sets Annual Record — Reagan National Airport’s 2024 passenger count of 26.29 million was up 3.3% from 2023 and set another record at the 83-year-old facility. Dulles Airport’s 2024 passenger total of 27.25 million passengers also a single-year best, topping a record that had stood since 2005. —Scott McCaffrey
Business License Tax Due Today — “Annually, businesses must file and pay their business license online via CAPP by 11:59 p.m. on March 1 (or the next business day).” [Arlington County]
Office Owner Planning for Future — “Beacon Capital Partners LLC is beginning to formulate plans for a seven-building Rosslyn office portfolio it now controls, with an eye toward maintaining and improving most of it as office… The new owner, in the process of selecting an architect, is noodling amenity and retail upgrades for most of the buildings, especially The Towers on Wilson Boulevard bearing the signs of Raytheon (now RTX) and Grant Thornton.” [WBJ]
Va. Delegation Worried About USPS — “From delivering prescription medications and household goods, to election ballots, paychecks, and critical bills, USPS continues to be an essential part of Americans’ everyday lives. However, press reports indicate you are planning to upend over 50 years of Congressionally-mandated independence at USPS with no clear strategy for continuing essential mail delivery services or achieving financial sustainability.” [Press Release]
Post Covers Locker Room Incidents — “The case, which is winding its way through court and has a hearing scheduled for Monday, has elicited outrage from Arlington County to Richmond, with families incensed over the lack of strong screening processes and the state’s top law enforcement officer publicly criticizing a local prosecutor for not pursuing an earlier allegation against Cox.” [Washington Post]
Call for More Lighting in F.C. — “The physical area may be small, but in terms of density, we can bet there were few places that offered more for entertainment-seekers anywhere in the region that night. On top of that, there was, and is, an abundance of very good food. We strongly urge City officials to put more outside lighting in and around that intersection to encourage the attendees at all these offerings to move around and make the most of their visits here.” [FCNP]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 45 today, with light and variable wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the morning. Tonight, the skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to a low of around 31, accompanied by a south wind of 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
The flag atop an office building in Courthouse blowing in the wind (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington and much of the D.C. area is under a Red Flag Warning today (Saturday).
Strong, gusty winds will start to pick up later this morning. Low humidity levels increase the likelihood that brush fires could spread during the wind event.
Expect a partly sunny day that will gradually turn fully sunny with a high near 60 degrees. Breezy conditions will prevail, initially featuring southwest winds of 10 to 15 mph, which will shift to northwest winds of 19 to 24 mph later in the morning. Wind gusts may reach up to 39 mph. Saturday night will be clear with a low of around 24 degrees and blustery as northwest winds continue at 17 to 23 mph, gusting up to 37 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Little by little, one travels far.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
One purpose for the event, for adults only, will be a fund-raiser, with all the proceeds benefiting the Kenmore Middle School field-turf conversion project.
O'Connell wrestlers competed in the state tournament (courtesy of O'Connell athletics)
In the Virginia private-school state tournament held at the Potomac School in McLean, Bishop O’Connell Knights’ freshman Peyton Friedman finished second at 106 pounds.
Friedman had a 3-1 record with a pin and a technical fall in the high-school meet. He was pinned in the final.
Torri Huske and Team USA win gold in the women's 4x100m medley relay (via NBC)
The recently-concluded 2025 General Assembly session included a legislative salute to Arlington hometown Olympian Torri Huske and her performance during last year’s Summer Olympics, held in Paris.
As the most important meal of the day, breakfast should not be missed and Arlington is filled with morning hotspots to help start your day. These destinations are serving everything from classic eggs and pancakes to breakfast burritos and chewy bagels.
Here are the top picks for “Best Breakfast Spot in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards. Is your favorite bagel place not listed? Feel free to write it in.
Voting will close in two weeks so don’t wait!
Voting for Best Italian Restaurant in Arlington is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on Best place to get a facial in Arlington. The results are now official:
Another “Tesla Tuesday” protest outside of the Tesla store on S. Glebe Road (Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar)
Family Shares Integration Station Story — “After the switch [to the APS Integration Station program], the difference was significant, Villapando said. Leo wakes up excitedly on Saturdays and Sundays, asking whether it’s a school day. His child psychologist said he could reach the general education level by kindergarten if he continues to get the proper support in preschool. But that progress may be in jeopardy, she said.” [WTOP]
Upcoming Local Events — “Perhaps no month holds more promise in the DMV than March. With the start of spring comes milder weather and the return of outdoor fun (think concerts, ball games and cherry blossoms). Start planning your calendar with these upcoming options.” [Arlington Magazine]
Sexual Battery Investigation in F.C. — “The City of Falls Church Police Department is investigating a series of sexual batteries that occurred on the evening of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 and seeks possible additional victims or witnesses to the crimes.” [FCNP]
Feds Consider Agency Moves — “The Trump administration is giving federal agenciesuntil mid-April to suggest relocations of bureaus and offices out of the D.C. region, a move that would have widespread impacts on the local economy.” [Washington Post]
Cherry Blossom Bloom Prediction — “D.C.’s cherry blossoms will hit peak bloom March 28-31 this year, the National Park Service (NPS) announced Thursday.” [Axios]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 54 degrees, as the northwest wind at 10 to 15 mph shifts southwest during the afternoon, with potential gusts up to 25 mph. Clouds will increase Friday night, bringing the temperature down to around 44 degrees, accompanied by southwest winds at 10 to 13 mph and gusts reaching 18 mph. [NWS]
Expect sunny skies and a high of around 54 degrees, as the northwest wind at 10 to 15 mph shifts southwest during the afternoon, with potential gusts up to 25 mph. Clouds will increase Friday night, bringing the temperature down to around 44 degrees, accompanied by southwest winds at 10 to 13 mph and gusts reaching 18 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde
